Windows 11 25H2 originally shipped on September 30 as an “enablement package,” which means it’s a minor release without any noticeable changes. Still, Microsoft opted for a phased rollout, which is now approaching the second-to-last stage. Now, Windows 11 25H2 will begin automatically downloading on “most eligible PCs,” but only unmanaged.
Microsoft has quietly updated its documentation to confirm two things. First, Windows 11 version 25H2 now shows up for ‘Download & Install’ when toggling “Get the latest updates…” enabled.
Up until now, this year’s update would not show up even when the toggle was turned on, but now, whether you are on Windows 10 or version 23H2, you’ll only see an offer to install version 25H2.
I already spotted it on Windows 10, and Microsoft recently confirmed that it’ll be upgrading out-of-support 23H2 PCs to 25H2. Now, 25H2 is tied to the toggle.
But Microsoft’s updated documentation has another part that most people won’t notice. As spotted by Windows Latest, Microsoft says it has begun using a “machine-learning” based approach for automatically upgrading PCs to version 25H2.
“The machine learning-based intelligent rollout has begun for devices running Home and Pro editions of Windows 11, version 24H2 that are not managed by IT departments,” Microsoft warned in an updated documentation. “As part of a gradual rollout, these devices will automatically receive the update to Windows 11, version 25H2 when they’re ready.”
Now, the wording might confuse some of us. But Microsoft is not talking about just “offering” it like a normal Download and install feature update. Instead, Windows Update will silently download version 25H2 in the background and let you decide if you want to install the update or postpone it.
“No action is required, and you can choose when to restart your device or postpone the update,” Microsoft confirmed.
Microsoft is using “machine learning” to identify the most eligible PCs, but don’t worry, as the company has been doing it for years now, way before ChatGPT or Copilot became a thing.
This year’s feature update is a formality
Windows 11 25H2 “Windows 11 2025 Update” is one of those releases that I don’t recommend skipping if you are on Windows 11 24H2. In our tests, Windows Latest observed that version 25H2 is as small as 166KB. It only flips the OS version or build number.
After installing the update, we noticed that there are no visible changes. The new Start menu? Or colourful battery icons? We also have those on version 24H2. If you’ve run into issues after installing Windows 11 25H2, it’s likely due to one of the monthly cumulative updates that rolled out around the same time.
Windows 11 25H2 is basically the same as 24H2, but it matters because it resets the lifecycle. Version 24H2 support ends on October 13, 2026, while 25H2 is supported until October 12, 2027.
Granted, it’s the same release, but it gives you another year of life ahead of next year’s Windows 11 26H2, which is going to be a massive release. Microsoft is also preparing version 26H1 for the first half of the year, but it will only ship on ARM hardware, such as Snapdragon X.
