Windows 11 26H2 begins roll out with AI File Explorer actions

Microsoft has started rolling out Windows 11 version 26H2, also called the Windows 11 2026 Update, to eligible PCs. The release began on September 29, 2026, and arrives as a small enablement package for devices already running version 24H2 or 25H2.

Enablement package and support

Because 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2 share the same servicing branch, most of the new features have already reached PCs through monthly updates. The package activates them and needs a single restart in most cases. Installing it resets the support clock, giving Home and Pro editions 24 months of updates, through October 2028, and Enterprise and Education editions 36 months, through October 2029. 

The rollout is phased through Windows Update, and Microsoft says it will publish safeguard holds and known issues on its Windows release health page. PCs running version 26H1 cannot move to 26H2 because that release uses a different Windows core.

File Explorer and taskbar changes

File Explorer gets AI actions that let users edit supported images or summarize documents. The Summarize action works on files stored in OneDrive and SharePoint, and it requires a Microsoft 365 subscription and a Copilot license. Users signed in with a work or school account also see Open File Location and Ask Copilot when hovering over files in File Explorer Home. 

Explorer now handles uu, cpio, xar, and nupkg archives, and users can rename files with voice typing. The taskbar can sit at the bottom, top, left, or right of the screen, and a smaller size option is available. App-specific taskbar actions are on by default for commercial devices.

Security and recovery

Sysmon is now built into Windows and records events in the Windows Event Log, but it is off by default. Administrator protection, which grants just-in-time privileges and separates admin profiles, is also off by default and can be enabled through Intune or Group Policy. Windows adds API support for the post-quantum algorithms ML-KEM and ML-DSA, and Microsoft is removing default kernel trust for cross-signed drivers after an audit period of at least 100 hours and three restarts. 

On the recovery side, first sign-in restore in Windows settings backup now covers Microsoft Entra hybrid joined devices and Cloud PCs, while point-in-time restore can roll a PC back to a recent restore point, including apps, settings, and personal files.