Microsoft has officially confirmed that its established rhythm of delivering annual Windows 11 feature updates during the latter half of each calendar year will remain unchanged for 2025. As part of this continuity, the company has now introduced the upcoming Windows 11 version 25H2 into the Release Preview Channel, making it accessible to testers who want to evaluate the build before its full-scale rollout. This announcement underscores Microsoft’s steady, predictable servicing cadence, which allows both consumers and enterprise users to plan their technology strategies around a consistent update timeline.
Understandably, the central question for users revolves around what tangible changes this release might bring: will there be striking redesigns to the user interface or further deep integrations of AI-driven enhancements across the desktop experience? At this stage, Microsoft has not highlighted an extensive list of new capabilities or major visual transformations unique to 25H2. Instead, the company clarified that this update primarily inherits the same feature set already delivered through version 24H2. That earlier version introduced a dynamic model in which updates quietly integrated new functions in advance, with features remaining dormant until Microsoft formally enabled them via small, activation-style packages. In essence, the 25H2 release functions more as the official enablement checkpoint rather than an explosion of brand-new innovations.
Nonetheless, several notable adjustments are bundled into this update cycle. On the one hand, users will notice deliberate feature retirements. Microsoft is removing certain legacy components, such as PowerShell 2.0 and the Windows Management Instrumentation command-line tool (WMIC). These retirements are consistent with the company’s broader strategy of deprecating outdated, less secure, or redundant utilities, thereby streamlining the platform and moving customers toward modern management tools. On the other hand, for enterprise and educational environments, Microsoft is making meaningful improvements to administrative control. Specifically, IT administrators will gain the ability to uninstall select pre-installed Microsoft Store applications through either traditional Group Policy settings or through modern mobile device management frameworks (MDM CSP) applied on Enterprise and EDU devices. While this change may not stand out to casual home users, it offers valuable efficiency and customization options to organizations that manage large device pools.
From a servicing perspective, Microsoft originally detailed in June how this shared branch approach simplifies both the deployment and the user experience. Since the foundational features are already laid down in earlier updates within the same branch, shifting from version 24H2 to 25H2 requires only a brief, single system restart, rather than a lengthy and disruptive overhaul. This model not only reduces downtime but also ensures that end users encounter fewer interruptions while still gaining access to an operating system that feels continually refreshed and up to date.
For those interested in getting hands-on experience with Windows 11 version 25H2 prior to its general availability, the process is straightforward. By enrolling a device in the Release Preview Channel, users can immediately download and install Build 26200.5074 through the Windows Update section located within system settings. From there, the installation flows much like any other update, enabling early adopters to explore the refinements, test compatibility with applications and workflows, and provide feedback to Microsoft ahead of the broad release scheduled for the second half of 2025.
Sourse: https://www.theverge.com/microsoft-windows/768227/windows-11-25h2-release-preview-test
