Windows 11 25H2 approaching

The developers at Microsoft are entering the home straight. There will be a Windows 11 version 25H2. The Windows Insider builds from the developer channel (Dev Channel) now have the new addition 25H2.

Microsoft has announced this in the Windows Release Health Message Center. "Switching to Windows 11 25H2 is as easy as rebooting," Microsoft promises there. General availability is scheduled for the second half of the year. To achieve this, MIcrosoft is relying on enablement packages {--] small packages that activate program parts that are already installed on the computer but are still unused.

Support periods

In a blog post on the Windows IT Pro blog, the Redmond company goes into slightly more detail. Windows 11 25H2 receives 36 months of support in the Enterprise and Edu versions, while Home and Pro receive 24 months. So-called shared servicing branches rely on a shared code base and enable smaller updates that can also be installed more quickly. WIndows 11 24H2 and 25H2 have such a shared servicing branch, so that the changeover to 25H2 is also quick and does not involve the equivalent of a new installation with software and settings transfer.

Microsoft explains that new features that the company is developing for Windows 11 25H2 are part of the 24H2 development branch. The company distributes them with the monthly updates, but in Windows 11 24H2 they simply remain disabled. The code remains in this status until Microsoft activates it with an enablement package (eKB) – Microsoft is already using this excessively to gradually distribute or activate some functions from the Windows updates.

This makes updating to Windows 11 25H2 particularly easy – Microsoft simply activates the functions via the enablement package and they are available after a restart. To ensure that the update has taken place, the active Windows version can be checked under "Settings" – "System" – "About".

Microsoft also promises a high level of compatibility thanks to the shared code base with only different activated functions. This does not mean that business customers in particular should not test this, but they can concentrate more on the new functions instead of checking hardware compatibility completely.

Updates from older Windows 11 or Windows 10 versions are of course more extensive. Microsoft recommends that organizations use Autopatch or Windows Update to apply the full feature update.

Microsoft has not yet written anything about new functions in Windows 11 25H2. However, this was similar to the release of Windows 11 24H2. Many of the previously announced functions and improvements were already available in Windows 11 23H2.

(dmk)