Windows 11 25H2: Big AI Upgrades, a New Start Menu, and More Coming This Fall
Microsoft is gearing up to release Windows 11 version 25H2 later this year, marking the next major update to Windows 11. The company has confirmed that 25H2 will launch in the second half of 2025, likely around the usual September–October timeframe. In fact, the first preview builds are already available to Windows Insiders as of mid-2025. This update resets the support clock for Windows 11, meaning those who install 25H2 will get a fresh 24 months of support (36 months for Enterprise/Education editions) from its release. Below, we break down everything we know – from new features and AI integrations to UI changes, performance tweaks, and how 25H2 compares with previous versions 23H2 and 22H2 – all in an enthusiastic yet unbiased look at what's coming for Windows fans.
Windows 11 is getting smarter – an AI "agent" in Settings can understand natural language queries (e.g. you can just say or type "my mouse pointer is too small" to find and change that option).
Release Timeline and Delivery
Microsoft has committed to a fall 2025 rollout for Windows 11 25H2, with insiders testing it now and broad availability expected by September or October 2025. Like recent Windows updates, it will likely roll out in phases via Windows Update, so not all PCs will see it on day one. Importantly, 25H2 is designed as an enablement package – a small update that "unlocks" features already staged in Windows 11 24H2's code, rather than a full OS reinstall. This means if you're already on version 24H2, moving to 25H2 will be as simple as a quick download and a single reboot, akin to installing a normal monthly patch. (By contrast, updating from older versions like 22H2 may involve the larger upgrade process, so Microsoft advises getting on 24H2 first for a smoother jump to 25H2.)
Because 25H2 shares the same core platform as 24H2, Microsoft isn't positioning it as a dramatic overhaul of the OS – it's more of a refinement with select new features turned on. The upside is that upgrading should be fast and hassle-free, with a minimal download and installation time. It also resets the support lifecycle, so users on 25H2 will continue receiving security updates for longer than those who stick with 24H2 or older releases. Notably, Windows 10 support ends in October 2025, so 25H2's fall release could encourage remaining Windows 10 users to finally make the leap to Windows 11.
AI Integration and Intelligent Features
One of the headline themes of Windows 11 25H2 is deeper AI integration throughout the OS. Microsoft has been steadily adding AI-powered features to Windows 11, and 25H2 brings several of them to fruition:
Windows Copilot Enhancements: Windows 11's built-in AI assistant, Copilot, is getting more capable. For example, a new "Copilot Vision" feature can analyze what's on your screen and provide context or insights. There's also a new Press to Talk convenience – you can long-press the Copilot key (on supported keyboards) and simply speak to interact with the AI assistant. These improvements aim to make Copilot more seamless and context-aware in daily use.
AI Settings Agent: Perhaps the most user-friendly addition is an AI-powered agent in the Settings app. This agent allows you to find and adjust system settings using natural language queries. You can, for instance, tell your PC "my mouse pointer is too small," and the AI will automatically locate the relevant setting (in this case, pointer size) and even offer to change it for you. If granted permission, the agent can take action on your behalf, making system tuning much more approachable. Microsoft's goal is for settings to "adapt to you" – using AI to make Windows more intuitive and personalized.
AI in Built-in Apps: Many core apps are gaining AI features. The Photos app is adding a "relight" editing tool that uses AI to let you reposition and add up to three lighting sources in an image, with options to set light color and have it automatically follow a subject. Microsoft Paint will introduce an object selection tool (to easily isolate an object in an image) and even an AI-driven "Sticker" generator that creates stickers from text prompts. The Snipping Tool is getting smarter too – a new "Perfect Capture" mode uses AI to auto-crop screenshots to just the important content, and it's adding a text extractor and a color picker for power users. Even Notepad is slated to get AI-assisted features, such as a "compose" or "write" function that can generate text from a prompt, plus the ability to summarize text and basic rich-text formatting like bold or italics.
Search and Productivity AI: Windows Search will leverage AI to do more – soon you'll be able to type a query and, if it's an app you don't have, Windows can find and suggest installing apps from the Microsoft Store right from the search interface. The search within the Photos app is also being enhanced with AI for better object and content recognition. Another new capability called Click To Do (part of the Copilot/AI toolkit) is expanding – it lets you perform quick actions on content. For example, an "Ask Copilot" action can analyze a selection of text or an image and then draft an email or a document based on it. You'll even be able to initiate actions like sending a message or scheduling a meeting in Microsoft Teams through simple prompts. All these tie into Microsoft's vision of an AI-enhanced Windows that "makes our experiences more intuitive, more accessible, and ultimately more useful."
It's worth noting that some of these advanced AI features are initially exclusive to "Copilot+" PCs – a new class of Windows PCs equipped with dedicated AI silicon (such as Qualcomm Snapdragon processors with NPUs). Microsoft has been rolling out certain AI-powered capabilities first to these devices via the Insider Program. For example, richer image descriptions in Narrator (the screen reader) are available on Copilot+ machines to help describe on-screen images for visually impaired users. Over time, many of these features will trickle down to all supported hardware (with those AI-accelerating chips simply getting them first or running them faster). The good news is that none of the core 25H2 features are locked out for standard PCs – you'll still get the new Start menu, UI changes, and most productivity enhancements on any Windows 11 machine that meets the OS requirements. The AI-heavy features will simply shine brightest on newer hardware designed for them, but Microsoft is engineering the experiences to work across devices (often utilizing cloud AI if local hardware can't handle it).
UI Changes and a Revamped Start Menu
Windows 11 25H2 brings some notable user interface changes, the most significant being an overhaul of the Start menu. Microsoft is introducing a new Start menu experience that it first unveiled in early May 2025, which makes the Start menu more customizable and informative:
Phone Link Integration: The Start menu now has an optional phone companion panel on the right side. This collapsible pane (integrated with the Phone Link app) gives you at-a-glance info from your mobile device – battery status, recent text messages, missed calls, and notifications from your synced iPhone or Android phone. It essentially brings a mini dashboard of your phone into the Start menu, so your mobile updates are only one click away on your PC. You can hide or show this panel easily by pressing a collapse button, keeping it out of sight when you don't need it.
New "All Apps" Views and Categories: The Start menu's "All apps" list (which shows all installed applications) is getting a redesign. Instead of a static alphabetical list, Windows 11 will offer three different views for all apps: a traditional list, a grid view with icons, and a new "categories" view. The category view can automatically group your apps by type (for example, "Creative," "Games," "Productivity," etc.), similar to how mobile app drawers work. Users will also have the ability to manually organize apps into custom categories if they choose. (There is a requirement that a category have a minimum number of apps before it appears, to avoid clutter.) This categorization should make it faster to find the app you need, especially as the number of installed programs grows. It's also great for organization enthusiasts who like their Start menu tidy.
More Pins, Less Recommendations: On the main Start menu page, you'll have more control over the layout. Many Windows 11 users have requested the ability to see more pinned apps (and fewer "Recommended" items). In 25H2, Microsoft is delivering exactly that – you can now show all your pinned apps by default and even hide the Recommended section entirely if you prefer. This means your Start menu can become a single full page of pinned apps (a throwback to a more Windows 10-style Start, but in Windows 11's design language) if that's more useful to you.
Polished Look on Big Screens: The revamped Start menu is also described as "roomier" – it makes better use of space, which will be especially noticeable on larger displays. Scrolling through the All Apps list (in list or category mode) will be smoother and more intuitive. Overall, the changes not only improve function but also modernize the aesthetics with subtle design tweaks.
Microsoft is clearly excited about these Start menu improvements. Navjot Virk, CVP of Windows Experiences, said the goal is to make Start "personal – with more options to customize and organize your apps", noting that the new category view "automatically sorts [apps] based on the apps and categories you use most, so you can quickly access all your favorites." And with the phone companion panel, "your connected Android or iOS device is only a click away," Virk explained. This emphasis on personalization and integration shows in the final product.
Beyond Start menu changes, 25H2 carries forward the design ethos of Windows 11 with some additional polish elsewhere. For instance, Windows 11's UI saw various tweaks in the 22H2 and 24H2 updates (such as new icons, rounded corners everywhere, and refreshed dialogs), and 25H2 bundles all those refinements plus a few new ones. Some smaller UI notes:
The lock screen gained support for widgets and personalization options in prior updates, and those continue to evolve in 25H2. Users can expect more widget choices on the lock screen and the ability to customize them (a feature that was re-introduced in 24H2).
The system tray and taskbar behavior remains similar to 24H2. One small but happy change already made in 24H2 and thus present in 25H2: the taskbar clock can optionally display seconds again (a feature Windows 10 had, which Windows 11 initially removed). Enthusiasts who like precise time down to the second can toggle that on.
Snap Layouts (the window snapping feature) saw improvements in 24H2 – such as more flexible layout suggestions and better support for different screen orientations. Those enhancements carry into 25H2. For example, snapping windows should be a bit smarter about offering layouts that suit your screen size and orientation, making multitasking even easier.
File Explorer received a major redesign in the 23H2/24H2 timeframe – including a modernized address bar, a Gallery view for your photos, and a revamped details pane. In 25H2, File Explorer keeps those upgrades and adds the aforementioned AI features (like content summarization and image editing directly in Explorer's context menus). There's also a nifty new ability to drag and drop files between the breadcrumb navigation bar folders in Explorer, making it easier to move files around in the directory hierarchy (this was tested in late 2024 builds and is part of the update).
In summary, Windows 11 25H2's UI changes are focused on enhancing usability – giving users more flexibility in how they access apps and info (Start menu improvements) and smoothing out interactions that felt rough before. It's not a radical visual overhaul of Windows 11's design language, but it's a meaningful step in the OS's evolution, addressing some longtime requests from the community.
Productivity Features and Tools
Windows 11 25H2 isn't just about AI and eye candy; it also packs in a number of productivity-boosting enhancements and updated tools that will appeal to power users and everyday users alike:
Focus Sessions in Clock: If you haven't updated since 22H2, you'll discover the Clock app's Focus Sessions feature, which was introduced to help users structure work/break cycles using the Pomodoro technique. By 24H2, Focus Sessions became a staple, and 25H2 of course includes it. It integrates with Microsoft To Do and Spotify to let you set a focus timer and even pick a playlist for your work session. This isn't new in 25H2 per se, but worth noting as part of the cumulative feature set new upgraders will get.
Dev Home and Dev Drive: For developer-oriented users, Windows 11 now includes Dev Home, an app that serves as a dashboard for coding tasks (with widgets for CPU/GPU usage, project repos, etc.), and Dev Drive, a special type of storage volume using ReFS that's optimized for performance and security for development files. These were introduced around the 23H2 timeframe and are fully present in 25H2. They allow for better management of development environments and source code on Windows machines – a nod to the many developers in the Windows audience.
Archive Format Support: Say goodbye to installing WinRAR out of necessity – Windows 11 (as of the 23H2/24H2 updates) added native support for more archive formats like RAR, 7-Zip, and GZIP in File Explorer. 25H2 continues to support these natively. You can create and extract these archives without third-party tools, making file management more convenient (a small but practical productivity win).
Voice Access and Accessibility: Windows 11's Voice Access (which lets you control your PC and dictate text entirely by voice) was previewed in 22H2 and improved in subsequent updates. By 25H2, Voice Access has expanded language support (including English dialects and other languages) and more robust voice commands. For example, 24H2 added support for Chinese and Japanese in Voice Access (though Japanese support was briefly pulled for maintenance). These improvements empower users who prefer voice control or require assistive tech to be more productive. Likewise, Narrator (the screen reader) gained natural voices and richer image descriptions (especially on those AI-enabled PCs, as noted), making it easier for visually impaired users to work in Windows. Microsoft's overall push is to ensure everyone can be productive on Windows 11, regardless of physical inputs.
Notepad & WordPad: Notepad's upcoming changes (AI-assisted writing, etc.) we discussed in the AI section, but even aside from AI, Notepad is finally getting some modern conveniences – for instance, tabs in Notepad rolled out in early 2024, so you can edit multiple files in one window. On the other hand, Windows 11 said farewell to WordPad (the semi-structured rich text editor) – Microsoft has deprecated WordPad and plans to remove it in a future update. Users are directed to use Word or other alternatives for rich text. So 25H2 might be the first Windows version without WordPad installed, marking the end of an era (this change was announced in 2023). It's a minor footnote, but notable for long-time Windows users.
"Recall" and Timeline Features: A new productivity feature under testing is Windows Recall, essentially an activity timeline that uses AI to help you "recall" what you were working on and pick up where you left off. It captures snapshots of your activities (apps, documents, websites) and lets you search or browse through them. In recent Insider builds, Recall has gained a Home page, data export, and reset options. As of now, Recall is targeted at Copilot+ AI-enabled PCs and is in preview, so not every 25H2 user will see it immediately. But it represents the kind of productivity boosters Microsoft is exploring: using AI to make multitasking and task switching more seamless. We may see Recall (or parts of it) become broadly available in 25H2 or shortly after, potentially helping users who juggle many tasks to stay organized effortlessly.
All told, Windows 11 25H2 gathers the fruits of Microsoft's continuous update strategy: even if the annual update itself isn't overflowing with dozens of brand-new apps, it culminates the steady stream of improvements delivered since the last feature update. The result for someone upgrading fresh to 25H2 from an older version will be a significantly more capable and user-friendly OS, with lots of quality-of-life enhancements that make everyday workflows smoother.
Security and System Performance Improvements
Security is always a focus for Windows updates, and 25H2 brings several enhancements to security and system stability – some visible, others under the hood:
Streamlined Updates & Fewer Disruptions: First, by virtue of 25H2 being an enablement-style update, the process of installing it is less disruptive (as mentioned). There's less risk of a big upgrade going awry since the core OS isn't being replaced, just updated. Microsoft has learned from some tumultuous update experiences in the past (the 24H2 update in 2024 had enough bugs and issues that it required multiple emergency patches and even rollout blocks for certain systems). With 25H2, the aim is a smoother landing. In fact, Microsoft explicitly compared 25H2 to the relatively smooth 23H2 update, rather than to 24H2's "mess," emphasizing that 25H2 will be a minor, manageable release (albeit not without new features). This should translate to better reliability and fewer headaches on Patch Tuesday.
Compatibility and Testing: Since 25H2 and 24H2 share the same core code, Microsoft expects no new compatibility issues between the two. "Windows 11, version 24H2 and 25H2 share the same source code, with only the additional features turned on. Therefore, there should be no impact on compatibility between the two," assured Jason Leznek, a Windows Servicing and Delivery manager at Microsoft. This is good news for app and device compatibility – anything that worked on 22H2/24H2 should continue to work on 25H2. (Of course, the inverse is also true: if something was broken on 24H2, simply installing 25H2 won't magically fix it, aside from any targeted patches.) IT pros are advised they can focus testing on the new features rather than re-testing the entire OS stack.
Hardware Requirements: From a hardware standpoint, 25H2 does not raise the requirements of Windows 11. The baseline remains a compatible 64-bit CPU (8th-gen Intel or AMD Zen 2 or newer, roughly), TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, etc. There have been rumors and unofficial reports of Microsoft loosening some requirements – for example, one report in late 2024 suggested Microsoft might allow installs on machines without TPM 2.0, but officially Microsoft's stance remains that Windows 11's core requirements are "non-negotiable" for supported status. In short, if your PC runs Windows 11 22H2 or 24H2, it will run 25H2 just fine – and if it was excluded before, it's likely still excluded now (barring use of workarounds). The one exception might be very new hardware: 25H2 will, of course, add support for the latest CPUs and chipsets of late 2024/2025, as every annual update does. It's also worth mentioning that Windows 11 24H2 introduced support for new standards like USB4 80 Gbps mode (the updated USB4 v2 spec), so 25H2 continues support for cutting-edge peripheral speeds if you have devices that use them.
Power & Performance – "User Interaction-Aware" Efficiency: A standout new feature in 25H2 is an intelligent power management tweak aimed at improving battery life and energy efficiency. Windows 11 25H2 introduces "User Interaction-Aware CPU Power Management," which is essentially a smarter idle mode for your processor. When the system detects that you're away or not actively interacting (no mouse/keyboard input for a while, no foreground activity), it will aggressively throttle the CPU to save power. This means dropping the CPU to lower clock speeds/voltages and utilizing deeper low-power states (C-states) more frequently. As soon as you come back and move the mouse or tap a key, the CPU will ramp back up to normal performance within milliseconds. Microsoft has designed this so that you shouldn't notice any lag when resuming work – the OS prioritizes a snappy return to full speed.
The idea is to squeeze out extra battery life when your PC is on but idle (think stepping away from your laptop briefly or reading something on screen for a few minutes without interacting). Notably, the system is smart enough to not engage this throttling if you're, say, watching a video or in a Zoom call (even if you're not actively pressing keys, it knows those scenarios aren't true "idle"). This feature is expected to yield power savings without manual effort. And for those concerned about any performance hit, Microsoft is likely to provide a toggle to disable it if needed. Early tests of this feature are promising – it effectively puts the CPU in a battery-sipping mode when user activity is nil, which could meaningfully extend laptop longevity per charge. Combined with other efforts like auto screen dimming, Windows 11 25H2 is shaping up to be one of the most battery-efficient versions of Windows yet.
Safer Kernel and Fewer BSODs: In response to some high-profile system crashes (including an incident where a bad third-party security update caused mass Blue Screens of Death in 2024), Microsoft is implementing measures to make Windows more resilient. In fact, they are retiring the classic Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) and replacing it with a Black Screen for Windows 11 – a cosmetic change, but symbolically turning the page on the infamous "blue" error screen. More substantively, a new Windows endpoint security platform is in the works that will allow antivirus and endpoint protection software to run in user-mode, outside of the Windows kernel. By moving security agents out of kernel space, Windows can prevent faulty security updates (like the CrowdStrike issue) from crashing the entire OS. This platform is slated to enter preview around mid-2025, and while it might not be fully live in 25H2 at launch, it's part of the wave of improvements accompanying the update. In short, Windows 11 is being fortified to ensure that third-party drivers or apps cause fewer critical failures. Quick system recovery features are also being added to help PCs automatically recover if a boot failure is detected. All of this is good news for stability – fewer surprise crashes and easier recovery means a more secure and predictable experience.
Enhanced Privacy and Trust: Microsoft continues to enforce security features introduced with Windows 11, such as Smart App Control (which can block untrusted apps by default) and virtualization-based security features. In 25H2, there's ongoing work to integrate passkeys support (password-less sign in with FIDO2 keys) more deeply into Windows Hello. While Windows 11 already supports passkeys in browsers and some apps, expect 25H2 to refine that experience as passwordless login becomes more mainstream. Additionally, the Windows 11 24H2 update deprecated some legacy components like the old PowerShell 2.0 (now removed for security hardening) and older insecure features. The cumulative effect is that 25H2 will be Windows 11 at its most locked-down (in a good way) out-of-the-box, without compromising usability.
In summary, Windows 11 25H2 aims to be faster, safer, and more efficient. From smarter power management that extends battery life, to kernel-level safety nets that reduce crashes, Microsoft is addressing both performance and security in practical ways. The update might be light on flashy new security features, but it doubles down on reinforcing the fundamentals that matter for an OS you use every day.
Comparing 25H2 with 23H2 and 22H2
Windows 11 25H2 is the latest in the line of semi-annual/annual updates to Windows 11, and it helps to see it in context against its predecessors 22H2 (released 2022) and 23H2 (late 2023):
Scope and Delivery: Windows 11 22H2 was a major feature update – the first big update after Windows 11's original release (21H2). It was delivered as a full OS upgrade with significant changes. 23H2, by contrast, was a minor enablement package (much like 25H2 will be), built on 22H2's foundation. It activated a few new features but was primarily a "turn on and polish" update. Similarly, 25H2 is an enablement-style update on top of 24H2, meaning it's more incremental. This strategy of alternating a major platform update with a lighter one seems deliberate – 24H2 was the heavier lift (new core, many under-the-hood changes) and 25H2 refines it, much as 23H2 refined 22H2. The benefit is stability: 23H2 proved to be one of the more stable Windows 11 releases, with far fewer issues than 24H2's "tumultuous" rollout. Microsoft is hoping 25H2 follows that pattern. As a PCWorld writer put it, 23H2 was "way more manageable than the mess of 24H2", and we can expect 25H2 to be closer to 23H2 in simplicity while still adding value.
Feature Highlights: Windows 11 22H2 introduced a bunch of new features at the time: the Tabs in File Explorer (finally bringing a tabbed interface to Explorer), an overhauled Task Manager UI with dark mode, Start menu improvements (like folders in Start and resizable pinned area),
Snap Layouts enhancements (new layouts and snap bar), Live Captions for any audio, Voice Access for voice control, and more. It was a substantial update that rounded out Windows 11's rough edges. Windows 11 23H2 was comparatively modest – its big ticket item was the introduction of
Windows Copilot (preview), integrating an early AI assistant into Windows 11. It also delivered an updated File Explorer with a modern design and Gallery view, native support for more archive formats, a new Backup and Restore app (Windows Backup) for easier PC migration, and some quality-of-life fixes. Many of those features had already rolled out in "moment" updates to 22H2, so 23H2 was more about turning on a few extras and bumping the version. Now, Windows 11 25H2 builds upon 24H2. Windows 11 24H2 (the 2024 Update) itself brought the core OS to a new platform (internally called "Germanium") and introduced things like the Settings homepage, deeper AI integration (for Copilot+ devices), improvements to nearly every Settings page, and new features like Recall and Click to Do for AI-enhanced productivity (on supported hardware). It also extended support for new hardware standards (USB4 80Gbps, etc.). 25H2 takes all of 24H2's features and adds the new Start menu, further AI features (Settings assistant, AI in apps), the idle CPU efficiency, and other bits we discussed. In short, compared to 23H2 and 22H2, the 25H2 update's user-facing changes are focused on AI and UI refinement more than anything else. 22H2 didn't have any AI; 23H2 introduced Copilot; now 25H2 really expands what AI does in the OS. The Start menu of 25H2 is also arguably the biggest UI change in Windows 11 since 22H2's tweaks – neither 22H2 nor 23H2 let you categorize apps or had phone integration in Start.
Performance and Stability: Each successive update aimed to improve performance (e.g., 22H2 made context menus faster and reduced resource use in some scenarios, 23H2 continued that). However, 24H2's new platform initially had some performance hiccups (some users reported higher idle CPU usage or the infamous File Explorer memory leaks). Many of those issues have been patched by now. 25H2 benefits from all those fixes and adds the new CPU throttling feature for idle times, which neither 22H2 nor 23H2 had. So, on a modern PC, 25H2 should be the most optimized Windows 11 yet in terms of resource management. Likewise, 25H2's approach of not reinventing the wheel suggests it will be stable – much like 23H2 turned out to be a rock-solid release for most, 25H2 is expected to learn from 24H2's pitfalls. As one tech outlet quipped, having the same code base means "everything which worked on 24H2 will continue working on 25H2, and everything that didn't, won't" – a tongue-in-cheek reminder that 25H2 isn't magic, but also that it's not breaking anything new.
Support Lifecycle Differences: A practical difference: 22H2 (as a late 2022 release) will be out of support sooner, whereas 23H2 resets support until late 2025 for consumers. 25H2, being a 2025 release, will be supported into late 2027 for Home/Pro users. Enterprises get 36 months, taking them into 2028. So, upgrading to 25H2 extends how long you can stay on that version with security updates, compared to staying on an older version.
In essence, Windows 11 25H2 vs 23H2/22H2 can be summed up as evolution, not revolution. It brings Windows 11 forward with iterative improvements: more AI smarts than 23H2, a shinier Start menu and new conveniences that 22H2 didn't have, and a renewed focus on efficiency and stability after the bumpy 24H2 ride. For an enthusiast, 25H2 may not feel as dramatic as when 22H2 dropped (with dozens of new features), but it will make your system feel more modern and "AI-powered" and should smooth out many of the remaining rough edges.
Final Thoughts and Expert Insights
Windows 11 version 25H2 is shaping up to be an exciting update that balances useful new features with necessary polish. Microsoft's strategy of continuous innovation (frequent smaller updates) means 25H2 isn't a flashy overhaul of Windows – many features have trickled out earlier – but it still delivers some highly anticipated changes. The new Start menu alone is likely to be a fan-favorite, bringing welcome customization and a bit of smartphone synergy to the desktop. The deeper AI integration points to the future of Windows, where everyday tasks like adjusting settings or editing images can be assisted by an intelligent helper.
Importantly, Microsoft is doing this in a way that doesn't leave users behind: if you want to ignore Copilot and AI features, they mostly stay out of your way, and the core Windows experience remains familiar – just improved. As Zac Bowden of Windows Central noted, thanks to Microsoft's continuous feature rollouts, these annual version updates "often aren't very feature-heavy, as many of the features…are already shipping by that point". That rings true for 25H2. But Bowden also highlighted that there will still be some exclusive perks in 25H2, and indeed we now know those include things like the Start menu revamp and the User-Aware power optimizations. It's a measured kind of upgrade.
Some experts have pointed out that Windows 11 25H2 is essentially an extension of 24H2. "If you didn't like 24H2, you're probably not going to like 25H2," joked Richard Speed at The Register, referencing that it's the same OS with features toggled on. There's truth in that humor – 25H2 is not trying to reinvent Windows 11, and certainly anyone hoping for a Windows 12 will have to wait longer. But for the vast majority of users who have acclimated to Windows 11 (and perhaps were uneasy about 24H2's issues), 25H2 should be a welcome refinement. Microsoft is effectively applying finishing touches to the Windows 11 experience, guided by feedback and the latest tech advances.
On the performance front, the sentiment is optimistic. Laura Pippig of PC-Welt/PCWorld notes that while 25H2 is "more of a minor update," it still packs "a few adjustments" that users will appreciate – like the new Start menu layouts and the smart idle CPU throttling for better battery life. And minor though it may be, a well-tuned minor update is arguably just what the doctor ordered after a major update that had to be reined in with fixes.
From a Windows enthusiast's perspective, there's plenty to be enthusiastic about: you're getting the cutting edge of Microsoft's OS innovations (AI in every corner, better integration with your ecosystem of devices, etc.) without the chaos that sometimes accompanies big jumps. Plus, the extended support lifecycle gives peace of mind for the next couple of years. It's an update that underscores Microsoft's two parallel goals – innovation and stability – Windows 11 25H2 leans into both.
In conclusion, Windows 11 25H2 is not a radical leap forward, but it solidifies Windows 11's status as a modern, AI-enhanced, user-friendly OS. It addresses user feedback (hello, customizable Start menu and power tweaks) and continues the evolution that started with Windows 11's release. Whether you're an enterprise admin planning deployments or an at-home power user, 25H2 looks to deliver tangible improvements without rocking the boat. Microsoft is expected to finalize and ship this update in fall 2025 – around the time Windows 10 officially sunsets – and it could very well be the capstone of the Windows 11 era before whatever comes next. We'll be watching for the final release (likely October 2025) and will keep you updated with any late-breaking changes or official announcements on features. For now, Windows Insiders are testing these new capabilities, and things are shaping up nicely. Windows 11 25H2 is almost here, and it aims to make your PC experience more personal, productive, and polished than ever.
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Windows 12 Delayed as Microsoft Prepares Windows 11 25H2 Update | TechPowerUp
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Windows 11 2024 Update (version 24H2): New features, availability
Windows 11 25H2 will throttle your CPU when you're away to boost battery life
Windows 11 25H2: The Most Battery-Efficient Windows Update Yet
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