Introducing Windows 11 checkpoint cumulative updates

We're excited to further optimize the delivery of continuous innovation in Windows 11 with new checkpoint cumulative updates.^[1] As early as late 2024, you will automatically get this optimization on any devices running Windows 11, version 24H2 or later, as well as on Windows Server 2025. Keeping your organization updated and secure will involve smaller, faster, and more sustainable updates, with no action required from you. Keep reading to learn how you can preview this experience today in Windows Insider Preview Build 26120.1252 (Dev Channel).

Checkpoint cumulative updates explained

Windows 11 quality updates use servicing technology and are built cumulatively from the time when a new Windows OS was "released to manufacturing" (RTM). These monthly updates include all the changes since RTM in the form of binary differentials computed from the initial version of those binaries.

With Windows 11, version 24H2, we’re introducing a new concept of checkpoint cumulative updates. This will allow you to get features and security enhancements via the latest cumulative update through smaller, incremental differentials containing only the changes since the previous checkpoint cumulative update. This means that you can save time, bandwidth, and hard drive space.

Going forward, Microsoft might periodically release cumulative updates as checkpoints. The subsequent updates will then consist of:

• The update package files associated with the checkpoints
• New update package files that contain incremental binary differentials against the version of binaries in the last checkpoint

This process may be repeated multiple times, thereby generating multiple checkpoints during the lifecycle of a given Windows release. The Windows 11, version 24H2 servicing stack can merge all the checkpoints and only download and install content that’s missing on the device.

Managing cumulative updates

If you manage updates with Windows Update, Windows Update for Business, Windows Autopatch, or Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), these new developments do not require any changes or actions on your part. They will simply appear as a normal monthly update, only improved. You can continue to use the same tools and processes that you currently use for approving and deploying updates.

Remember, this applies to your devices running Windows 11, version 24H2 or later, as well as Windows Server 2025. You can preview this experience today with Windows Insider Preview Build 26120.1252 (Dev Channel).

If you source updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog, you’ll notice that a given monthly update may contain more than one update package file available for download. There will be one file for each checkpoint, plus an additional file that contains cumulative payload from the latest checkpoint. You will be able to install all files sequentially using existing deployment tools.

If you are running other versions of Windows 10 or Windows 11 (earlier than version 24H2), the process of updating will be similar to previous monthly updates or annual Windows 11 feature updates.

Benefits of checkpoint cumulative updates

Now your organization can stay current with the latest feature and security enhancements in improved ways. Specifically, you get even smaller downloads to Windows devices, sustainable redistribution of updates within your infrastructure, and a better update experience for annual feature updates.

Smaller downloads to the clients

Previously with Windows 11, version 21H2, we introduced smaller downloads to Windows devices by doing range reads to only download and install binary differentials missing on the device. These binary differentials are computed against the RTM version of the binaries. When Windows 11 24H2 cumulative update is released as a checkpoint, the binary differentials in subsequent cumulative updates are generated against the version of binaries in the latest checkpoint instead of the RTM version. Therefore, these differentials are smaller and faster to apply on devices that have already synced to the latest checkpoint cumulative update.

Server-side sustainable redistribution

Up to this point, updates have been packaged in a single file that continues to grow over time. This file is downloaded or cached on to the distribution points for redistribution whether they’re Microsoft front-end servers or your remote branch offices. For subsequent updates after a checkpoint, you don’t need to redistribute all the content accumulated since RTM. Once you download a checkpoint file, you can use file-level deduplication to only download incremental files in the subsequent updates. Reserve valuable energy resources only for what’s necessary.

Optimized and sustained feature update delivery via enablement packages

When an annual feature update is delivered using servicing technology and an enablement package, this new release shares a common core operating system with the previous release.^[2] This means that it also shares the same monthly updates. The result is single update files become increasingly larger and more impactful with every new release that has its own servicing lifecycle.

When a checkpoint is introduced in alignment with the availability of a feature update with an enablement package, the monthly updates for those releases can start fresh and small. This means that Microsoft can scale to more enablement packages for feature updates, and you can adopt them faster, more easily, and more efficiently than a traditional feature update.

These optimizations are especially designed to help your organization to adopt the continuous innovation model of Windows 11. With annual enablement-package–based feature updates, you can improve your security posture and compliance by ensuring that your devices are always running the latest of Windows 11.

Get ready

We encourage you to check out the preview experience today in Windows Insider Preview Build 26120.1252 (Dev Channel).

We’re passionate about keeping your device protected and productive. As the teams that bring you Windows updates every month, we’ve embraced continuous delivery of innovation and make improvements regularly. We’re excited about this newest innovation for cumulative updates, and we hope that you try Windows 11 checkpoint cumulative updates soon!

^[1] Read about Delivering continuous innovation in Windows 11.

^[2] To review how enablement packages work, see What’s new for IT pros in Windows 11, version 23H2 and KB5027397.

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