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Windows 11 25H2: Meet the exciting features coming to your PC soon

PCWorld

October 2025

With Windows 11 25H2, Microsoft is providing numerous new features for Windows 11. We show you everything you need to know now.

- THOMAS JOOS

Windows 11 25H2: Meet the exciting features coming to your PC soon

Windows 11 version 25H2 will be officially available in fall 2025 and marks the next major feature update for Microsoft's current operating system. The new features are already available for Insiders and can be tested in the current Windows 11 25H2 Insider Preview. Though it's categorized as an “enablement update,” the scope of the changes is considerable. The basic architecture remains identical to version 24H2, which means there are no new hardware requirements.

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For all systems that are already running on 24H2, the upgrade requires minimal effort. A small enablement package activates the new functions without the need for a complete reinstallation or in-place upgrade.

This procedure not only saves time, but also significantly reduces downtime, both in private households and in corporate environments. For Home and Pro editions, support is extended with the release by a further 24 months until 2027. For Enterprise and Education versions, it's even extended by 36 months until 2028. Devices with older versions such as 23H2 or Windows 10, on the other hand, must go through the classic, more extensive upgrade process.

Thanks to the Shared Servicing Branch, many new features are already distributed in 24H2 but are deactivated until the Enablement Package activates them. Users benefit from around 40 percent smaller update packages thanks to the combination of servicing stack updates and other cumulative updates, which further shortens the installation time.

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