Plan to upgrade to Windows 11. What is the windows 11 25h2 cpu support?

The CPU requirements for Windows 11 24H2 are the same as for 23H2, and they are highly likely to remain identical for Windows 11 25h2 CPU support. Microsoft has not announced any changes to the hardware floor (the minimum required CPU generation) for future Windows 11 feature updates, including 25H2.

1. The "Hard Floor" is Set

The strict CPU requirement (8th Gen Intel Core / AMD Zen 2 or newer, with specific Qualcomm & Microsoft SQ chips) was established with the initial release of Windows 11 in 2021. This is considered the "hard floor" – the absolute minimum. All subsequent feature updates (22H2, 23H2, 24H2) have maintained this same floor.

For 25H2: Microsoft would make a major public announcement well in advance if they planned to raise this hardware floor. No such announcement has been made. The consistent pattern indicates Windows 11 25H2 CPU support that are compatible with 24H2.

2. The "Soft Floor" & Your Upgrade Path

This is the crucial part for your Windows 10 PC:

The PC Health Check App or WhyNotWin11 tool tells you if your PC meets the official requirements (the "hard floor").

If your PC is unsupported (e.g., you have a 7th Gen Intel CPU), your upgrade path from Windows 10 is not via Windows Update. However, clean installation using an ISO is often still possible. Microsoft does not technically block installation on some older CPUs via ISO, but it's considered "unsupported" — meaning you won't get updates via Windows Update and Microsoft disclaims liability for issues.

For 24H2 and likely 25H2: This "unofficial" installation method on older CPUs is expected to remain the same. The installation media does not have a different CPU check.

3. The Real Focus for 24H2/25H2: "AI PC" Requirements

The new, stricter requirements are for specific AI features, not for the OS itself.

Windows 11 24H2 runs perfectly on all supported hardware from 2018 onward.

New AI features like Recall, Cocreator, and advanced Live Captions require a dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit). These NPUs are only found in the very latest "AI PC" chips like:

• Intel: Core Ultra Series (Meteor Lake, Lunar Lake, Arrow Lake)
• AMD: Ryzen 7040/8040/8050 Series (Phoenix, Hawk Point, Strix Point) and newer
• Qualcomm: Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus

Crucial: If your PC doesn't have an NPU, you simply won't have access to these specific AI features. The rest of Windows 11 24H2/25H2 will install and function normally.