Windows 11 26H1 arrives for new AI PCs
Microsoft is preparing a new Windows 11 release that doesn’t follow its usual upgrade pattern. Called Windows 11 version 26H1, this edition is designed specifically for upcoming Snapdragon X2–powered devices, rather than for the wider Windows user base.
Although Microsoft has been testing 26H1 with Windows Insiders since late 2025, the company hasn’t publicly announced a launch date. According to reports from CES, however, the first PCs shipping with Snapdragon X2 chips and Windows 11 26H1 preinstalled are expected to arrive by April 2026. These new Arm-based systems are said to offer major efficiency gains, with up to 18 CPU cores while using significantly less power than traditional x86 laptops.
Of course, AI is expected to play a central role. Windows 11 on these machines will include a smarter AI agent designed to enhance performance, power management, and everyday responsiveness on Copilot+ PCs. The focus is on making the system adapt better to the hardware, rather than introducing flashy new user-facing features.
For most people, though, 26H1 won’t matter much. It’s not a big visual or functional overhaul and won’t replace the current Windows 11 version for existing PCs. Instead, it’s more of a technical tuning pass built to support a new class of hardware, similar to how Microsoft handled the first wave of Copilot+ devices.
Regular users can still expect the next mainstream Windows 11 release, version 26H2, to arrive in the second half of 2026 with broader improvements for all supported systems.
