Microsoft makes its first references to Windows 11 26H1

It may not have been long since Microsoft finally released the Windows 11 25H2 update, but the company is already working away on the next big release. We know little about it, but Microsoft has – perhaps accidentally – released code that makes reference to Windows 11 26H1.

This is the first time that Microsoft has referred to this particular branch of Windows 11 development, lending some credibility to the rumors that this was the next feature update for the operating system. So, what do we know?

In short: not a lot. What is curious about the sudden revelation of Windows 11 26H1 is the way in which it was discovered – via a patch for Windows 10.

When Microsoft released the KB5066791 update for Windows 10 recently, it led to a strange problem that resulted in users seeing End of Support for the operating system. In pushing out a fix in the form of a Known Issue Rollback (KIR), Microsoft revealed the upcoming update in the code.

As reported by Deskmodder, buried in the code is the following reference:

<string id=“SUPPORTED_Windows_11_0_26H1_Only” Windows 11, version 26H1</string>

What we do know about Windows 11 26H1 is that it is codenamed Bromine, and is currently a Canary build bearing the version number 27xxx. We also know that this is an update that is destined for devices with the Snapdragon X2 Elite – that is, ARM devices.

Keeping in mind the fact that we know Microsoft has a Windows 11 26H2 update release planned for non-ARM devices, we have to wonder whether ARM devices will get 26H1 and 26H2. And if this is not the case, will Windows 26H1 give us any hints about what we can expect from 26H2?

At the moment it is hard to do much beyond speculate, but it is interesting to see the inner workings of Microsoft exposed in this way – whether intentional or not.

Image credit: Deskmodder