"Get ready for Windows 11, version 26H2" is an advance notice Microsoft posted to its Windows message center on 19 June 2026, telling IT admins that the next Windows 11 feature update would be 26H2 and would arrive as a small enablement package.
It is not an error or a warning about your PC. This guide explains what the message says, where it appears, what has happened since, and what home users and admins should do now that 26H2 is out.
What to do about the Get ready for 26H2 notice
The notice was a planning heads-up. Windows 11 26H2 reached general availability on 29 September 2026, so the practical question now is whether and when to install it.
| You are | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Home or Pro user on Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2 | Nothing urgent; install 26H2 when Settings > Windows Update offers it | The rollout is phased and Windows Update delivers it as a one-restart update |
| Home or Pro user who wants it now | Turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they're available in Windows Update | PCs with this setting on are offered 26H2 first |
| IT admin | Start a targeted pilot, then widen deployment | Microsoft recommends validating apps, devices and workflows before broad rollout |
| Owner of a Windows 11 26H1 PC | Ignore it for now | 26H1 runs on a different Windows core and cannot update to 26H2 |
Every official install route, from Windows Update to ISO, is in the 26H2 download and install guide.
What the Get ready for Windows 11, version 26H2 message says
The message is short. It says 26H2 builds on the same platform and servicing approach as earlier releases, that devices on recent versions get a small enablement package instead of a full OS replacement, and that previews were available through the Windows Insider Program's Experimental channel.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Title | Get ready for Windows 11, version 26H2 |
| Message ID | Not shown on Microsoft's public Windows message center; admins see the entry through Windows release health in the Microsoft 365 admin center |
| Published | 19 June 2026, 10:00 PT |
| Service | Windows (Windows release health, Windows message center) |
| Tag | No tag shown on the public page; it is an announcement about the next feature update, not an incident or known issue |
| Audience | IT administrators planning feature updates |
| Key claim | The update is offered as a small enablement package, not a full OS replacement |
| Linked post | Get ready for Windows 11, version 26H2 on the Windows IT Pro Blog |
Where the notification appears, and what you see on a PC instead
Windows itself does not show the "Get ready" message as a pop-up. On a PC, the sign that 26H2 is ready is a line on the Windows Update page.
| Place | What appears | Who sees it |
|---|---|---|
| Windows message center on Microsoft Learn | The Get ready for Windows 11, version 26H2 entry dated 19 June 2026 | Anyone; it is public |
| Windows release health in the Microsoft 365 admin center | The same Windows announcements for tenant admins | Signed-in IT admins |
| Settings > Windows Update on a 24H2 or 25H2 PC | Windows 11, version 26H2 is available with a Download & install button | Users whose PC has reached its place in the rollout |
| News sites and message center archives | Copies or summaries of the admin message | Anyone searching the phrase |
What has happened since the notice was published
The June notice described a plan. Every part of it has since shipped.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 19 June 2026 | Get ready for Windows 11, version 26H2 posted; previews available in the Experimental channel |
| 6 July 2026 | Microsoft announces that Windows settings backup becomes on by default for eligible devices starting with 26H2, unless admins set the policy |
| 27 August 2026 | Build 26300.9278 reaches the Release Preview Channel |
| 9 September 2026 | Microsoft publishes plan, prepare and deploy resources ahead of 26H2 |
| 29 September 2026 | General availability as the Windows 11 2026 Update, delivered by enablement package KB5121794 |
The full timeline, including how the staged rollout reaches PCs, is in the 26H2 release date article.
How to get a home PC ready for Windows 11 26H2
A PC is ready when it runs Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2 and has the September 22, 2026 update (KB5124010) or a later cumulative update.
- Press Windows + R, type
winverand press Enter. - Confirm the window shows Version 24H2 or Version 25H2.
- Open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
- Install every cumulative update offered and restart if asked.
- Turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they're available if you want 26H2 early.
- Select Download & install when Windows 11, version 26H2 is available appears.
The switch itself is small because the 26H2 code is already on the PC. The KB5121794 enablement package article explains how that works.
How IT admins should act on the notice
Existing management tools, update rings and policies keep working for 26H2. The preparation is about defaults that change and one known issue that affects domain sign-in.
- Pick a pilot group of devices that covers your main apps and hardware.
- Decide on the Windows settings backup policy before rollout; if it is not set, eligible devices turn backup on by default with 26H2.
- Check whether Machine Identity Isolation enforcement is configured on Credential Guard devices that do not use Windows Server 2025 domain controllers, and turn it off where it is.
- Deploy 26H2 to the pilot through Windows Update client policies, WSUS, Windows Autopatch or the Microsoft 365 admin center.
- Watch the Windows release health page for 26H2 safeguard holds and known issues.
- Expand to the wider organization once the pilot is clean.
Deployment specifics for each tool are in 26H2 WSUS and Intune deployment, and current problems are tracked in the 26H2 known issues guide.
How to check the update has reached your PC
- Open Settings > System > About.
- Under Windows specifications, check that Version reads 26H2.
- Check that OS build starts with 26300.
A build starting 26200 is still 25H2, and 26100 is 24H2. Both keep working normally until Windows Update offers 26H2.
More information
- Windows message center — The public list of Windows admin announcements, including the Get ready notice
- How to get the Windows 11 2026 Update — Microsoft's general availability announcement
- Windows 11, version 26H2 known issues and notifications — Rollout status and safeguard holds
- KB5121794 enablement package — Prerequisites and install channels
- What's new in Windows 11, version 26H2 — Feature list for IT pros
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Windows 11 26H2?
Yes. Windows 11, version 26H2, also called the Windows 11 2026 Update, is the 2026 annual feature update. It uses OS build 26300 and reaches Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 PCs as the enablement package KB5121794.
Is Windows 11 26H2 out?
Yes. Microsoft released Windows 11 26H2 on 29 September 2026. The rollout is phased over the following months, so a PC may not see the offer in Windows Update straight away.
Will there be a Windows 11 26H2?
There already is. The June 2026 Get ready notice announced it, the Release Preview Channel received it on 27 August 2026, and general availability followed on 29 September 2026.
Does the Get ready for Windows 11, version 26H2 message mean something is wrong with my PC?
No. It is a planning announcement from Microsoft to IT administrators, published in the Windows message center. It does not report a fault on any device and needs no action from home users.
Do I need a new PC to get ready for Windows 11 26H2?
No. Microsoft has not announced new hardware requirements for 26H2. A PC already running Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2 gets it as a small update with a single restart.
Can a Windows 11 26H1 PC get ready for 26H2?
No. Windows 11 26H1 runs on a different Windows core, so Microsoft does not offer 26H2 to those devices. Microsoft says they will get an update path in a future Windows release.
Bottom line
Treat the Get ready notice as a heads-up that has already been fulfilled, and install 26H2 when Windows Update offers it. The message only announced the plan for 26H2; the update is now available as a single-restart enablement package, and admins mainly need to settle the settings backup default and pilot first.
An overview of everything else in the release is in the Windows 11 26H2 guide.
