Microsoft said its next annual client-operating-system release will be Windows 11 version 25H2, now available in preview to Windows Insider testers. Built on the same servicing branch as last year’s 24H2 build, the update will install as a small “enablement package” that replaces only the files that change, allowing most users to complete the upgrade with a single restart. The decision effectively pushes back any launch of a full Windows 12 revision until at least 2026, ending speculation that a new numbered edition might ship this year. Microsoft has not detailed major new features, noting that code already sits dormant in existing monthly builds and will be activated closer to general availability in the second half of 2025. The leaner approach follows widespread complaints that 24H2 introduced bugs after a wholesale swap of system files. With Windows 10 support scheduled to end in October 2025, Microsoft is counting on a smoother 25H2 cycle to encourage holdouts to move to the newer platform. In parallel, the company is expanding artificial-intelligence tools inside the OS: a fresh test build lets the Copilot Vision assistant, when users opt in, see and analyse the entire desktop rather than individual app windows, offering real-time guidance across tasks.