Microsoft has released Windows 11 26H1 but is warning the vast majority of users that it is not for them.
The update, which Microsoft’s Release Health Dashboard claims has no known issues, is exclusively for upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon X2-equipped hardware. It won’t arrive as an in-place update, won’t get a 26H2 successor later this year, and won’t support hotpatch updates.
Microsoft told cautious admins to steer clear, at least for now: “For IT admins planning refreshes, rollouts, or purchases, Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 remain the recommended releases for enterprise deployment at this time.”
While Microsoft vaguely cites “improved performance and battery life” for the new ARM silicon, the release notes reveal a more significant change: the venerable .NET Framework 3.5 is finally being put out to pasture.
“Starting with Windows 11 version 26H1, .NET Framework 3.5 is no longer a Windows Feature on Demand optional component,” Microsoft says in its note to the community.
The legacy framework is almost 20 years old and, as of Windows Insider Preview Build 27965, had to be obtained as a standalone installer rather than as an optional Windows component. It’s still in the list of Windows components in Windows 11 25H2, but its time has come in Windows 11 26H1.
Support for the .NET Framework 3.5 is set to end on January 9, 2029, and its removal from the features-on-demand list is a clear signal to developers that, if migration is not already underway, the clock is ticking.
For now, only new Snapdragon X2 hardware running Windows 11 26H1 is affected. But the writing’s on the wall: soon, installing that legacy app the business cannot live without on shiny new laptops might not be quite as straightforward – even if Microsoft touts “strong backward compatibility” as part of its “ongoing commitment.” ®
