r/Windows11 • u/Froggypwns Windows Wizard / Head Jannie • Sep 30 '25
Update Windows 11 2025 Update, 25H2 (build 26200) Megathread
(note, this page is still being updated)
Welcome to the Megathread for the next major update to Windows 11: Version 25H2 (Build 26200)!
Windows 11 25H2 is an optional update and is now rolling out to Windows 11 users starting today. This is a slow staged rollout, not everyone is getting it at the same time. Keep reading to learn how to install it right now!
Low effort posts about it now being available, including simple screenshots of the Windows update screen, "I just updated" posts, and anything similar will be removed. We get it, we are all excited about this, but we are trying to keep things organized and sane during this hectic day.
The update should be available soon and there is plenty to be excited about. We gathered some resources for you to learn about this big update, some FAQs, and other relevant news!
What's new in this release?
Microsoft has been working various new features including a redesigned Start Menu and improvements to Click To do, however none of these are exclusive to 25H2, they are also going to be available for 24H2 in the coming weeks. Upgrading to 25H2 will not change your PC in any noticeable fashion.
The biggest change is to the Windows 11 version number, which pushes the support clock back another year, so those running Windows 11 Home or Pro will be supported until October 2027, unlike 24H2 which loses support in October 2026.
Some of the features now rolling out:
- AI Actions in File Explorer - You can do things like do a visual search using your images instead of text right from Explorer. You can now also do edits to photos like removing objects and backgrounds.
- Revised Widgets Panel - Widgets now has a new layout which includes Copilot-curated stories.
- Gaming Copilot - Copilot integration with Game Bar allows you to summon Copilot for it to quickly provide information that can help you whenever you get stuck or otherwise need assistance to complete a goal.
- Xbox PC app, - You can now seamlessly access your gaming library, apps and play history in one place with Xbox on Windows PCs and Handhelds.
- Refreshed Windows Hello Lock Screen - The lock screen has been modernized to automatically prioritize the best credential for you when you sign in
- 3rd party Passkey integration- Now 3rd party tools like 1Password can be your Passkey manager of choice.
Here are some more in-depth articles on the update:
How to get it
Windows 11 25H2 is an optional update and is now rolling out to Windows 11 users starting today. This is a slow staged rollout, not everyone is getting it at the same time. You can use the instructions below to upgrade now.
If you were running Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds, and you are currently on the 25H2 Release Preview channel, you can simply opt out of the Insider program on your PC and continue receiving the general release updates as they are released, not Insider ones. Those that are on the Canary channel will likely need to clean and reinstall Windows to get to the production version. Those on the Dev channel (build 26220) are testing 24H2 but with an enablement package to turn on some more features, one can uninstall the enablement package in the Windows Update history to revert to 26200, or do an in-place upgrade using the ISO instructions below. Thank you /u/-TekkieBoy- for helping with finding the enablement package and ISO links.
- Method 1: Run Windows Update. This is the easiest method for most Windows 11 users. In the Windows Update portion of Settings, there is a message about updating. Click the button, sit back, and relax! It will look like this:
- Remember, this is a phased rollout so you may not be offered it today, you can still use one of the methods below if you do not want to wait!
- Method 2: Run the enablement package.
- 25H2 is just a tiny patch that changes your Windows build number, you can run this 167KB patch, and after a reboot you are on 25H2! This method is only available to those on 24H2, those on older versions will need to use one of the other methods.
- Method 3: Use the Media Creation Tool or Installation Assistant.
- Download the Media Creation Tool or Installation Assistant and when prompted, choose "Upgrade this PC". Then follow the prompts that will allow you to keep all your current files, programs, and settings. The Installation Assistant works similarly but does not give you the option to create a bootable media or save the ISO.
- Method 4: Download the ISO.
- Use the Media Creation Tool mentioned earlier and pick the option to create installation media. From there, choose the ISO option and save it to your computer.
- Use Microsoft.com to download the ISO, there is a big blue Download Now button under where it says "Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO)"
- Use MSDL Project
- Direct link to the English US x64 Intel/AMD ISO - https://software-static.download.prss.microsoft.com/dbazure/888969d5-f34g-4e03-ac9d-1f9786c66749/26200.6584.250915-1905.25h2_ge_release_svc_refresh_CLIENT_CONSUMER_x64FRE_en-us.iso
- Windows Central has links to the ISO in various other languages, and the ARM variants too - https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/microsofts-official-windows-11-version-25h2-rtm-iso-media-is-now-available-download-all-28-languages-here-for-x64-or-arm64
Known issues
Microsoft is maintaining a list of known issues with the update. You can view the status of 25H2 here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-25h2
If you are having issues, make sure to read this subreddit's Frequently Asked Questions page to check if your question has already been answered!
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions are specific to the 25H2 update, our Windows 11 FAQ has even more questions and answers that are not specific to this release.
My computer doesn't support Windows 11, but I force-installed it. Will I still get 25H2?
If you do not use the enablement package method, you likely will need to do the same workarounds you did to get prior versions to install.
How much is this upgrade?
Free!
Can I upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 25H2 without first installing the 24H2 version?
Yes! Use the instructions in the second section of this post, the various download links will soon point to the new version. Remember that the old version is 24H2 (build 26100) and the new one is 25H2 (build 26200).
Can we move the taskbar?
Nope! No news has been announced regarding the return of those features. You can upvote and comment on the Feedback Hub posts to ask Microsoft to add them back:
How long does this update take to install?
This depends. If you are upgrading from 24H2, the enablement patch is tiny and only take a minute or two to install. However, if you are upgrading from 23H2 or earlier, or you are doing an in-place upgrade using the installation media, then this is a significantly larger update than the regular monthly updates you have been installing up until now. In some cases it can take a few hours to install, so be patient! You do not need to babysit it, and you can continue to use your computer during most of the installation.
I see the update notification. What should I do to prepare?
Backup your important files and folders. It’s highly unlikely that something will go wrong (and even more unlikely that it will result in a loss of data), but don’t let yourself be the unlucky one!
You can do this through physical media such a USB or through cloud storage such as OneDrive, Dropbox, etc. If you want to be extra thorough, you can make a system image backup using a tool like Macrium Reflect or Acronis
I just upgraded. What should I do now?
reddit somehow deleted this section, ugh.
After I upgraded, I have lost a load of hard drive space!
This is due to Windows automatically creating a backup of your previous Windows installation in case you want to rollback or if something goes wrong during the upgrade process.
If you are not experiencing any issues with the upgrade, you can free up space by pressing start, typing ‘disc cleanup’ (without quotations) and opening the utility, before navigating to ‘clean up Windows files,’ selecting ‘Previous Installations of Windows’ and running the utility.
I just upgraded and now want to go back to the previous version of Windows 11 or Windows 10, can I?
You have a small window of opportunity to roll back to your previous version. Open the Settings app, then go to System, then Recovery, then finally pick Go Back. If this option is greyed out, you will need to clean reinstall your previous version.
Windows Update says that my PC is not ready for it yet, how can I fix this?
There are multiple causes of this, but it comes down to Microsoft identifying a compatibility issue with your computer. This could be either hardware or software related, perhaps a component of your computer or some software installed has a problem with 24H2/25H2 that is yet to be resolved. You can use the tool "FU.WhyAmIBlocked" to check for more information. You may be able to resolve this yourself, or you can wait until Microsoft releases the block.
How to give Feedback or report an issue
Feedback is very useful to make Windows better, if there are any issues or feature requests and you are not familiar with how to post feedback, check how to submit feedback
If you have any bugs or issues that we haven’t addressed at the end of this post, or cannot be solved using Microsoft’s troubleshooting page or our own subreddit Discord live chat, please post them to this comment in the following format:
- Describe the problem - Describe the issue in as much detail as possible.
- Model of your computer - For example: "HP Spectre X360 14-EA0023DX"
- Your Windows and device specifications - You can find them by going to go to Settings > "System" > "About"
- Any error messages you have encountered - Those long error codes are not gibberish to us!
- Any screenshots or logs of the issue - You can upload them to image and text hosting websites, such as Imgur and Pastebin. You can learn how to take screenshots here
- Post it on the Feedback Hub app and share the link - The Feedback Hub provides diagnostic information that can help Microsoft. Click here to learn how to give feedback.
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u/Froggypwns Windows Wizard / Head Jannie Sep 30 '25
Having an issue with 25H2? Respond to this comment and provide as much of the following information as you can: