What good is an update if it doesn’t actually add anything new? That’s the question I’m left asking about Microsoft’s Windows 11 2025 update (AKA Windows 11 25H2), which the company will begin pushing out today. Instead of adding any major new capabilities, Microsoft says it’s an “enablement package” that includes recent features added to last year’s 24H2 release. If anything, it could be a push for stragglers who’ve ignored recent updates to get onboard with new Windows 11 capabilities.
Microsoft says the Windows 11 2025 update also “includes significant advancements in build and runtime vulnerability detection, coupled with AI assisted secure coding.” Additionally, the new update should be leaner than before, thanks to the removal of PowerShell 2.0 and Windows Management instrumentation command-line (WMIC). Those are legacy features most users have never touched, but their removal could annoy power users and IT admins who have built ancient scripts using PowerShell 2.0.
As usual, Microsoft says it will start delivering the Windows 11 2025 update to users in waves. The first batch includes users with 24H2 devices who’ve turned on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” in Windows Update. Now that Microsoft has moved to a frequent update cadence, you can expect to see actual new features for Windows 11 25H2 arriving in the coming months.
