Windows Insiders in the Dev channel have started receiving Windows 11 builds with numbers 26200+, which belong to the ge_prerelease branch. Microsoft says that these builds will include behind-the-scenes changes to the operating system platform. These changes are likely related to the development of Windows 11 25H2 updates, which will be released in late 2025.
Windows Central editor Zach Bowden, citing his own sources, notes that the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 ARM processor in development requires changes to the Windows 11 platform. They have already been implemented and tested in the Canary channel, and now it is time to port them to builds for the Dev channel. This will allow future devices with Snapdragon X2 chips to run Windows 11 on the Germanium platform, which underlies the 24H2 version.
Germanium will likely also receive other platform changes and improvements that will benefit all users. Typically, platform changes are aimed at improving performance and security.
Microsoft has not yet confirmed that Windows 11 version 25H2 will be based on the same platform as 24H2. Given the experience of recent years, it is highly likely that 24H2 and 25H2 will have a single code base, which means both versions will receive the same cumulative updates. This also means that the update from 24H2 to 25H2 will be as fast as possible and almost painless for users.
The company aims to reduce fragmentation of Windows versions. Microsoft currently supports three platforms — Vibranium, Nickel, and Germanium. They underlie Windows 10 version 22H2, Windows 11 version 23H2, and Windows 11 version 24H2, respectively.
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It’s so MS to still not fix all of the issues they caused with 24H2, yet keep moving staright to 25H2….