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Get ready for Windows 11, version 25H2

Jason_Leznek's avatar
Jason_Leznek
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Jun 27, 2025

How easy is it to move to Windows 11, version 25H2? As easy as a quick restart if you're on version 24H2! Today, Windows 11, version 25H2 became available to the Windows Insider community, in advance of broader availability planned for the second half of 2025. Get ready for a reset of the 36-month support lifecycle for Enterprise and Education editions and the 24-month lifecycle for Pro, Pro Education, and Pro for Workstation editions!

As easy as restarting: The benefits of the shared servicing branch

Over the years, you've experienced regular optimizations to the development and servicing of each version of Windows. Your installations are faster, and your experiences are more seamless. That's because combined servicing stack updates (SSUs) with latest cumulative updates (LCUs) have reduced package size by 40%.

One of the most significant improvements that make these benefits possible is the Windows shared servicing branch. This capability applies the same technology used for the monthly update process to the annual feature updates. For you, it's a familiar, fast, and reliable update experience.

This process is called "feature updates via servicing," and the updates are implemented through enablement packages (eKB). An eKB is an update package that helps update a device to the next version of Windows with a single restart that reduces downtime.

Note: Not all Windows versions share the same servicing branch. The first update that used this process was from Windows 10, version 1903 to Windows 10, version 1909. To learn more, download and read the whitepaper Windows updates and the shared servicing model.

Moving from Windows 11, version 24H2 to version 25H2

Windows 11, version 24H2 and version 25H2 use a shared servicing branch. Here's what this means for your update experience.

New features we develop for Windows 11, version 25H2 are part of the version 24H2 branch. When the new code is complete, we include it in the monthly LCUs for Windows 11, version 24H2 in a Disabled state. Think of it as having the new feature code slowly staged on devices running version 24H2—yet another reason to stay up to date with monthly Windows updates!

The code remains disabled on the device until it receives the eKB. The eKB changes flags in the staged code from Disabled to Enabled. When you restart the device, the new features become enabled, and you're officially on Windows 11, version 25H2!

A flowchart illustrating an update from Windows 11, version 24H2 to version 25H2.

To confirm that the update took place, check your version and OS build number in Windows Settings > System > About.

Windows 11, version 24H2 and version 25H2 share the same source code, with only the additional features turned on. Therefore, there should be no impact on compatibility between the two. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't test, but you can focus your tests on the new features rather than a full complement of OS, application, or device compatibilities.

Moving from earlier versions to Windows 11, version 25H2

Since versions earlier than Windows 11, version 24H2 do not share the same servicing branch as Windows, version 25H2, the simple update via an eKB isn't possible. The normal feature update process is the best option. Use Windows Update or Windows Autopatch.

For Windows 10 devices or for new Windows 11 devices that you're deploying, first upgrade them to Windows 11, version 24H2 to make the transition to version 25H2 as simple and quick as possible when it's available.

Stay protected and productive with Windows 11, version 25H2

Whichever way you get to Windows 11, version 25H2, devices will benefit from a fresh support lifecycle, which begins on the date of its general availability:

Windows 11 Edition

Lifecycle

Windows 11 Enterprise
Windows 11 Enterprise multi-session
Windows 11 Education
Windows 11 IoT Enterprise

36 months from release date

Windows 11 Pro
Windows 11 Pro Education
Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
Windows 11 Home

24 months from release date

Interested in previewing the upcoming features? Enroll in the Windows Insider Program and join the Dev Channel today.

Plan more effectively with the help of additional resources:

We wish you smooth Windows updates now and in the future!


Continue the conversation. Find best practices. Bookmark the Windows Tech Community, then follow us @MSWindowsITPro on X and on LinkedIn. Looking for support? Visit Windows on Microsoft Q&A.

Updated Jul 08, 2025
Version 3.0

7 Comments

  • computerdave911's avatar
    computerdave911
    Copper Contributor

    interestingly i installed new 25h2 from dev channel july 5th 2025 on 2 pc, one not supported 6th gen , and the new start was not on it and the unsupported system it was after the install,, method, i did was clean intsall of 24h2 on both then enabled insder dev channel to install , so both were the same, ,so clearly Microsoft is shutting things down on unsupported hardware getting ready for windows 10 end 

  • IT_Crowd's avatar
    IT_Crowd
    Copper Contributor

    I just want to be able to move the entire task bar to the left or right side of the screen again.  Linux distros still offer this...

  • jindonet's avatar
    jindonet
    Copper Contributor

    Windows 11 24H2 Windows security window lag issue, is it fixed in Windows 11 25H2?
    You've given me a lot of feedback on the Windows 11 24H2 security window issue, is it right to release only the new version without solving it?
    I've checked it on several motherboards, but the security window delay issue hasn't been fixed.
    Did you forget about safety?

  • vad_teller's avatar
    vad_teller
    Copper Contributor

    This is of course wonderful and interesting, but if 25h2 will also ignore the launch of games on steam, as 24h2 did, then I'll probably ignore this update.

  • wroot's avatar
    wroot
    Silver Contributor

    Does anyone have stats with a breakdown to releases of a global Windows 11 marketshare? 24H2 release was bad riddled with bugs and it seems people are still worry.

  • LiXuanChen35's avatar
    LiXuanChen35
    Copper Contributor

    If we are more familiar with the behavioral characteristics of Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7 and Windows XP, I hope that Microsoft will release a system UI customization tool specially built for Windows 10 and Windows 11 as soon as possible, called Windows UI Tweaker, to give Microsoft developers an explanation.

     

    Windows 11 might need admin rights to change or recreate the Windows 10 style Start menu (like showing more tiles on the Start menu, theme awareness, enabling rainbow effects, displaying the app list in the Start menu, showing recently added apps, showing most used apps, occasionally showing suggestions in the Start menu, using a full-screen Start screen, showing recently opened items in the Start menu or taskbar jump lists, and in File Explorer's Quick Access, and backing up the Start menu tile layout, among other options), taskbar (including toolbars, showing search icons, showing the search box, showing the Cortana button, showing the Task View button, displaying people on the taskbar, showing news and interests, locking the taskbar, auto-hiding the taskbar, using small taskbar buttons, etc.), search menu (including search highlighting), Snipping Tool, Alt Tab (window switcher), Task View (including timeline), File Explorer, file transfer dialog, system tray (including floating controls for network, sound, clock, battery, language switcher, etc.), notification center, and action center, and more.

    Windows 10 or Windows 11 might also need admin rights to change or recreate the Windows 8.1 style Start menu (like using the Start menu instead of the Start screen, storing and displaying recently opened programs in the Start menu, and storing and displaying recently opened items in both the Start menu and taskbar, etc.) and taskbar options (like locking the taskbar, auto-hiding the taskbar, using small taskbar buttons, etc.), Windows 8 style File Explorer and network floating controls, Windows 7 style Start menu and taskbar (including options like locking, auto-hiding, using small buttons, etc.), File Manager, Alt Tab (window switcher), Win Tab (3D switch), and system tray (including controls for network, sound, clock, battery, etc.), and even Windows XP style Start menu, taskbar, and File Explorer, plus Windows NT style Alt Tab (window switcher), and so on.