Microsoft is currently working on a new version of Windows 11 that breaks from the usual update cycle. Windows 11 version 26H1 will be a variant that’s specially adapted for Snapdragon X2 systems, which we reported on previously . However, it was unclear when exactly Windows 11 26H1 would be officially released. Back in November, Microsoft released an initial test version of 26H1 , which was initially reserved for Windows Insiders, but kept the full release date under wraps. Now, Windows Latest claims to have learned from official sources at CES that the first PCs with Snapdragon X2 and Windows 11 26H1 on board will be shipped by April 2026 at the latest. This new generation of Arm-based devices is expected to be even more powerful, running on up to 18 CPU cores while consuming significantly less power. AI will also be used, of course. Windows 11 will feature a new AI agent that acts more intelligently and optimizes Copilot+ PCs so that they can perform tasks optimally. Apart from that, however, 26H1 will not differ fundamentally from the current Windows 11 25H2. It’s not a major feature update, but rather a technical adjustment for the new devices. Microsoft took a similar approach back with the release of the first Copilot+ PCs. What about “normal” users? Existing Windows 11 users don’t need to expect any changes for the time being. Version 26H1 will be more of a “silent update” that will pass most people by. Nevertheless, it’ll be exciting to see how Microsoft adapts Windows 11 for the new generation of powerful AI PCs. As usual, most users can expect a new major Windows 11 version in the second half of 2026. Windows 11 26H2 is expected to be released with new features and improvements that will run on all systems (assuming it doesn’t suffer from the usual problems in major Windows 11 updates).