Your PC won’t be updated to Windows 11 26H1

The first major version of Windows 11 for 2026 has arrived, under the name Windows 26H1. However, it will not be deployed on any existing PCs and will only exist as a starting point for specific new PCs.

You may remember the Snapdragon X2 Elite series, announced in September 2025 as Qualcomm’s new Windows laptop chip, competing with Intel and AMD processors. The first wave of laptops with Snapdragon X2 chips are about to hit stores, but they need an updated version of Windows 11, which Microsoft has now labeled Windows 11 26H1.

Windows 11 26H1 will only be available on new devices powered by the Snapdragon X2 series, with no direct upgrade path for existing PCs running Windows 11 25H2 or earlier versions. Microsoft says the new version has “a different Windows kernel than Windows 11, versions 24H2 and 25H2 and the next feature update.” It doesn’t have any new features aside from hardware support for Qualcomm’s new chips, so you won’t miss anything exciting.

If you have a PC with the current version of Windows 11, you will get the next major version of Windows later this year, which will likely be 26H2. Security patches and feature updates will also continue as normal for normal PCs and Snapdragon X2-based PCs.

The strangest thing is that Snapdragon X2 PCs not get the 26H2 update later this year, like every other PC. Instead, Microsoft will unify the two branches “in a future version of Windows.” So, at least until 2027, Snapdragon X2-based PCs will run on a different version of Windows than everyone else. However, most of the same features and apps should be available on both versions.

Microsoft said in an announcement to IT professionals: “Windows 11, version 26H1 should not impact your current Windows deployment and purchasing strategy. There is no benefit to waiting or postponing 26H1-based plans unless you are specifically targeting adoption of silicon devices that require it.

It’s important to note that the Windows 11 version number doesn’t matter much, especially if you’re not an IT person deploying fleets of PCs. Most changes to features, drivers, and other system components are delivered individually through Windows Update, and the build number simply changes the active features. Last year’s major 25H2 update was less than 1MB.

In summary, your PC will not receive Windows 11 26H1, but it does not need this update. You’ll still get Windows 11 26H2 (or whatever Microsoft calls it) around the end of 2026.

Source: Windows IT Pro Blog