How to Update Windows 11 to the Latest Version (26H2, and What to Do When It Won't Offer It)
CodexFuse Team · 2026-10-27T02:06:56.447Z · 11 min read
Update Windows 11 to the latest version (26H2) in a few steps: check your version with winver, install the enablement package, and fix it when Windows Update won't offer it.
Learning how to update Windows 11 to the latest version takes about five minutes of your time, and most of that is waiting for the restart. The current version is 26H2, also called the Windows 11 2026 Update, and on most PCs it arrives as a tiny enablement package instead of a full reinstall. Before you click anything, though, check which version you already have, because the right steps depend on it. And if your drivers act up once the update lands, our guide to update drivers in Windows 11 covers the fix.
How Do I Update Windows 11 to the Latest Version?
Open Settings > Windows Update, turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they're available, select Check for updates, and choose Download & install when version 26H2 appears. Restart once when asked, then confirm the new version with winver. If 26H2 does not appear, wait, because Microsoft rolls it out gradually, or use the Installation Assistant as the next step.
- Press Windows + I to open Settings, then select Windows Update.
- Turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they're available.
- Select Check for updates and install any pending cumulative update first.
- When Windows 11, version 26H2 is available appears, select Download & install.
- Select Restart now when the download finishes. One restart completes the upgrade.
First, Check Which Version of Windows 11 You Have
Checking your version first is the step most guides skip, and it is the one that saves you from following the wrong instructions. Press Windows + R, type winver, and press Enter. A small window shows your version and OS build, for example version 26H2 and build 26300. You can also find the same information in Settings > System > About, under Windows specifications.
Your version decides the path. If you are on 24H2 or 25H2, the move to 26H2 is a small enablement package with one restart. If you are on 23H2, you need a bigger step up, because support for 23H2 Home and Pro ended on November 11, 2025. And if you are still on Windows 10, the update path is different again, as the Windows 10 section below explains.
What Is the Latest Version of Windows 11?
The latest version of Windows 11 is 26H2, the Windows 11 2026 Update, released on September 29, 2026. Microsoft gives Home and Pro editions 24 months of support per version and Enterprise and Education editions 36 months, and releases monthly security updates on the second Tuesday of each month. The table below is Microsoft's own release information, checked on October 27, 2026.
| Version | Released | Build | Home and Pro updates end | Enterprise and Education updates end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26H2 | September 29, 2026 | 26300 | October 10, 2028 | October 9, 2029 |
| 25H2 | September 30, 2025 | 26200 | October 12, 2027 | October 10, 2028 |
| 24H2 | October 1, 2024 | 26100 | End of updates | October 12, 2027 |
| 23H2 | October 31, 2023 | 22631 | End of updates | November 10, 2026 |
The end-of-servicing dates are the article's spine, so read them plainly. A PC on 24H2 or 23H2 Home or Pro no longer receives monthly security fixes. That is not a cosmetic gap: every month's security update now passes it by. Moving to 26H2 is the fix, and 25H2 is a valid stop on the way if that is what Windows Update offers you first, since it stays supported until October 12, 2027.
How to Update Windows 11 to 26H2 in Settings
Windows Update is the route Microsoft prefers, and for a PC on 24H2 or 25H2 it is also the fastest. The 26H2 features were already delivered to your PC in monthly updates and held back by temporary controls, so the enablement package itself is only about 174KB and switches on code your PC already has, according to Windows Latest. One restart finishes it.
- Select Start > Settings > Windows Update.
- Turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they're available. Microsoft says this puts you among the first to receive 26H2.
- Select Check for updates, install any pending cumulative update, and restart if asked. The September 22, 2026 preview update KB5124010, or any later cumulative update, must be installed first.
- When Windows 11, version 26H2 is available appears, select Download & install.
- Select Restart now when the download finishes. One restart completes the move to build 26300.
Confirm it worked by running winver again: it should now show version 26H2 and a build starting with 26300. Back in Settings > Windows Update, a green check mark and You're up to date mean nothing else is waiting, and Update history shows each update and the date it installed.
Why Is Windows Update Not Offering 26H2?
If 26H2 is not showing in Windows Update, your PC is probably not broken. Microsoft rolls feature updates out in controlled stages, and the company says availability will expand over the next few months, so most PCs are not offered 26H2 on day one. Microsoft can also place a safeguard hold on PCs with a known compatibility problem, like an incompatible driver or app, until a fix is ready.
Work through this short checklist before assuming anything is wrong. First, make sure the Get the latest updates as soon as they're available toggle is on. Second, install whatever cumulative update Windows Update does offer, because the KB5124010 prerequisite must be in place before 26H2 appears. Third, check again in a few days. ASUS gives the same advice in its own support guide: if your device does not receive the update notification yet, Microsoft is still rolling out the deployment, so wait for the feature update to become available.
One more possibility is worth a minute. A PC on 26H1, build 28000, will never see the 26H2 offer, because 26H1 is a separate branch. Run winver and check the build number before chasing a missing offer that was never coming.
How to Force Windows 11 to Update With the Installation Assistant
If you have waited, the toggle is on, and Windows Update still offers nothing, the Installation Assistant is the next rung on the ladder. Microsoft's Windows 11 download page now offers 26H2 through the Installation Assistant, but Microsoft itself suggests waiting for the Windows Update offer first.
- Go to Microsoft's Windows 11 download page and find Windows 11 Installation Assistant.
- Download it and run it as administrator.
- Let it check your PC, then follow the prompts to download and install 26H2.
- Restart when asked and let the installation finish.
Know what you are signing up for. The Installation Assistant needs a Windows 10 (version 2004 or later) or Windows 11 licence, 9 GB of free disk space, and an x64 PC, with no Arm support. Unlike the Settings route, this is a full in-place upgrade, so it takes much longer. And if a safeguard hold is the reason Windows Update is not offering the upgrade, forcing it this way can bring the known issue along with it, so check the previous section first.
The Update Catalog Option for Advanced Users
There is one more route, and it is for the family IT person rather than a single PC. The enablement package KB5121794 can be installed from the Microsoft Update Catalog. It applies to PCs on 24H2 and 25H2, and it needs the same KB5124010 prerequisite, or a later cumulative update, installed first. For one PC, use Settings instead: the Catalog route adds manual work and no benefit.
Before You Update: Back Up and Make Room
A version jump is bigger than a monthly patch, so do the two-minute prep before you start. Save your work, since most updates need a restart, and plug in a laptop, because an update interrupted by a dead battery is the one failure that is entirely avoidable. Microsoft's troubleshooting guide lists at least 20 GB of free space for a 64-bit PC, and a feature update will stall without it.
If you are short on room, free up disk space on Windows 11 first. And make sure your files are backed up before the version jump, not after it: the update itself is safe, but a backup is the only undo button that works for your data.
After the Update: 4 Checks in 5 Minutes
Once the PC is back at the sign-in screen, spend five minutes confirming the update landed cleanly.
- Check the version. Run winver and confirm it shows 26H2 and a build starting with 26300.
- Check for leftovers. Open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates and install any driver updates waiting there. If a device misbehaves after the update, our guide to updating your drivers after the upgrade walks through the fix.
- Check the temperature. If the fans run loud or the laptop feels hot after the update, check your CPU temperature to see whether it is actually running hot or just working hard on post-update tasks.
- Check the speed. If the PC still feels slow once updates are installed, the fixes to speed up a slow laptop are worth running before you blame the update.
If the Update Broke Something: Go Back to the Previous Version
Sometimes an update and a specific PC do not get along. If the system crashes, applications stop working, or other problems appear after the upgrade, ASUS advises going back to the previous version. Open Settings > System > Recovery > Go back and follow the prompts. Do it soon after the update: Windows only keeps the old version files for 10 days, so the option disappears after that.
If going back is not offered, or it does not fix the problem, the last resort is a clean start. A factory reset Windows 11 wipes the PC back to a fresh install, so back up your files first and treat it as the final option, not the first.
What About Windows 10 PCs?
Windows 10's regular support ended on October 14, 2025. Checking for updates on a Windows 10 PC does not enroll it in Extended Security Updates, and staying on Windows 10 without them means no more security fixes. Extended Security Updates run until October 12, 2027 for enrolled PCs, but the better path for an eligible PC is to move to Windows 11 instead. If your Windows 10 PC meets the hardware requirements, upgrading to Windows 11 26H2 keeps it on a supported version with years of updates ahead of it.
Feature Updates vs Quality Updates: What's the Difference?
Windows 11 has two kinds of update, and confusing them is why the 26H2 offer looks so small. Feature updates arrive about once a year and bring new features, while quality updates come monthly and mainly carry fixes and security updates. The 26H2 move feels like a monthly update precisely because it is an enablement package, not a reinstall.
| Update type | How often | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feature update | About once a year | New features and a new version number | 26H2 (build 26300) |
| Quality update | Monthly, second Tuesday | Security fixes and bug fixes, cumulative | October 13, 2026 security update (KB5127648) |
| Optional preview | Monthly, fourth week | Non-security fixes early, for testing | KB5124010 (September 22, 2026) |
That is the whole system in one picture. Check your version with winver, take the 26H2 offer when Windows Update shows it, wait patiently if it does not, and use the Installation Assistant only after waiting. The version table above is the part worth bookmarking: when the next annual update arrives, the same three steps will carry you through it.
Sources
- Microsoft — Windows 11 release information (checked October 27, 2026): the version table, release dates, build numbers, 24-month Home and Pro and 36-month Enterprise and Education support, and monthly second-Tuesday security updates.
- SolveYourTech — How to Update Windows 11 (updated October 25, 2026): the Settings step list, the 26H2 enablement package, 23H2 support ending November 11, 2025, 24H2 ending October 2026, the 20 GB free-space rule, Windows 10 support ending October 14, 2025, and the feature-versus-quality explainer.
- Windows Latest — How to download and install Windows 11 26H2 (September 30, 2026): the enablement package is about 174KB, launch build 26300.9550, the October 13, 2026 security update, and the phased rollout with safeguard holds.
- SysProbs — Windows 11 24H2 End of Support: What to Do Now (October 2026): the KB5124010 prerequisite, Installation Assistant requirements of 9 GB free disk space and an x64 PC, and the KB5121794 Update Catalog package for 24H2 and 25H2.
- ghacks — Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro Reach End of Support (October 14, 2026): 24H2 Home and Pro end of support, 26H2 generally available in September 2026, and the phased rollout.
- SpikeToday — Windows 11 26H2: how to get it, who is eligible, what is new (October 8, 2026): rollout since September 29, 2026, the winver check, and Windows 10 Extended Security Updates until October 12, 2027.
- TechDows — How to upgrade to Windows 11 26H2 (October 2026): the one-restart Settings route, 25H2 support until October 12, 2027, and the three mitigated 26H2 launch issues.
- ASUS Support — How to update Windows version (Feature Update) (FAQ 1034286): wait if no update notification is offered yet, go back to the previous version if the upgrade causes problems, and keep the AC adapter connected during the update.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which version of Windows 11 I have?
Press Windows + R, type winver, and press Enter. The window shows your version and OS build: 26H2 is build 26300, 25H2 is 26200, and 24H2 is 26100. You can also check Settings > System > About under Windows specifications.
Why is Windows 11 26H2 not showing in Windows Update?
Microsoft rolls 26H2 out in controlled stages, so most PCs are not offered it on day one, and safeguard holds keep it off PCs with known compatibility problems. Turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they're available, install any pending cumulative update, and check again in a few days. If it still does not appear, the Installation Assistant is the next step.
Is it safe to force the 26H2 update with the Installation Assistant?
For most PCs, yes, but with one caution. If a safeguard hold is the reason Windows Update is not offering the upgrade, forcing it can bring the known issue along with it. Microsoft suggests waiting for the Windows Update offer first, and only using the Installation Assistant after waiting. The three launch issues Microsoft documented were all marked mitigated.
How long does the Windows 11 26H2 update take?
Through Windows Update it is quick, because the enablement package is only about 174KB and needs a single restart, much like a monthly update. The Installation Assistant route is a full in-place upgrade and takes much longer. Either way, save your work and plug in a laptop before you start.
Can I go back to the previous version after updating?
Yes. Open Settings > System > Recovery > Go back and follow the prompts. Do it soon after the update, because Windows only keeps the old version files for 10 days. If that window has passed, a factory reset is the remaining clean-start option.