Qualcomm spokesperson confirmed it’ll begin shipping new Snapdragon X2-based PCs by the end of the first quarter (April 2026). Microsoft has already confirmed it’s testing Windows 11 26H1 for new CPUs, but it hasn’t said when 26H1 will debut. Qualcomm’s timeline strongly suggests version 26H1 could show up around that window.

Windows 11 26H1 is not an update for existing PCs, and it’ll only ship on new Arm64 PCs. For now, these new Arm64 PCs are Snapdragon X2 lineup. That means, if you own one of the PCs with an Intel or AMD chip, you won’t get Windows 11 26H1 ever, but that’s not a bad thing.

Windows Insiders have been testing Windows 11 26H1, based on a new platform release codenamed ‘Bromine,’ since November 2025.

At that time, Microsoft confirmed that Windows 11 26H1 only exists to test “platform changes” that support new specific silicon. It also warned that nobody should consider version 26H1 an upgrade. Now, it’s official that those specific silicon chips were Snapdragon X2 Plus, Elite and Extreme.

“26H1 is not a feature update for version 25H2 and only includes platform changes to support specific silicon. There is no action required from customers,” Microsoft noted in a blog post dated November 2025.

Microsoft reaffirmed that Windows 11 is sticking to “annual feature update cadence” with updates releasing in the second half of the year, usually October-November, and that lines up with our Windows 11 26H2 expectations.

“Windows 11 continues to have an annual feature update cadence, with releases in the second half of the calendar year,” the company explained in November 2025.

All PCs will get the Windows 11 26H2 update with new features in the second half of this year.

Why is Microsoft doing Windows 11 26H1?

Microsoft officially says it’s building Windows 11 26H1 to support new processors. It’s unclear how version 26H1 adds support for new processors, but we need to understand that a new SoC might require changes to the power state, Windows scheduling, and other firmware-related features.

A “new platform baseline” gives partners something they can lock onto for manufacturing and validation for devices launching in the first half of the year, even if the public “feature update for everyone” comes later.

I installed Windows 11 26H1 preview builds on my test machine, and I haven’t noticed any major visible changes except the build number (bumped to 28000). I also noticed that “AI Agent” in Settings, which recommends changing system settings based on my usage pattern, is turned on by default on Copilot+ PCs.

There could be minor UI improvements, but at this point, our understanding is that Windows 11 26H1 is not going to ship with any dramatic changes out of the box. Whatever is planned will ship for everyone with Windows 11 26H2, so keep an eye on that release.

Windows 11 26H2 is planned for October 2026 with new features. It’s for everyone, including existing hardware.

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