How to download Windows 11 25H2 ISO file after 26H2 releases

• You can still create a Windows 11 25H2 ISO after 26H2 is released by using UUP Dump instead of Microsoft’s updated installation tools.
• UUP Dump downloads the required Windows files from Microsoft and builds the 25H2 ISO, which can then be used with Rufus to create bootable installation media.

Although Windows 11 26H2 (2026 Update) has been released, you can still download the Windows 11 25H2 ISO to perform a clean install of the previous version. However, you’ll need to use alternative methods.

Usually, when Microsoft releases a new version of Windows, it updates the “Installation Assistant” and “Media Creation Tool” to upgrade computers to the latest release (in this case, version 26H2), making it impossible to use the official tools to downgrade.

If you need to roll back for any reason, you can use the recovery settings to uninstall version 26H2. However, if the option is no longer available or doesn’t work, you can still download the Windows 11 25H2 ISO file, even after version 26H2 has been released, using the UUP Dump script and Rufus to create bootable media.

In this guide, I will outline the steps to download the ISO file for an older version of Windows 11.

Download Windows 11 25H2 ISO after 25H2 releases

To download the Windows 11 25H2 ISO file, follow these steps:

1. Open the UUP Dump page.

2. Click the Windows 11 menu and select the “25H2” version (build number 26200).

   

3. Select the Windows 11 25H2 build to download the latest (x64) ISO file – for example, Windows 11, version 25H2 (26200.xxxx) amd64.

   

4. Choose the installation language with the “Language” menu.

   

5. Click the Next button.

6. Select the editions to include in the Windows 11 24H2 ISO file.

   

7. Click the Next button.

8. Select the “Download and convert to ISO” option.

   

9. Check the “Include updates (Windows converter only)” option.

   Quick note: This option integrates the necessary updates to make the ISO file version of Windows 11 25H2.

10. Click the “Create download package” button to save the tool on your device.

11. Open the zip folder with File Explorer. 

12. Click the Extract all button.

13. Select the location where you want to extract the files.

14. Click the Extract button. 

    

15. Right-click the uup_download_windows.cmd batch file and select the Run as administrator option.

    Quick note: You may get a message when trying to run the script. If this is the case, choose the “Run Anyway” option.

    

Once you complete the steps, the script will download the required files from Microsoft servers and generate the Windows 11 25H2 ISO, which you can use to create a bootable USB drive.

The UUP Dump will take a long time to complete. Once the process completes, the console will display the “Finished” message and offer the option to close. The ISO file will also be saved automatically in the folder where you extracted the UUP Dump scripts.

The ISO file name will match the current build number of the version you’re downloading. For example:

• 26200.xxxx.xxxxxx-xxxx.GE_RELEASE_SVC_BETAFLT_IM_CLIENTPRO_OEMRET_X64FRE_EN-US.

Create a bootable USB drive

To create the Windows 11 25H2 USB bootable media, follow these steps:

1. 1. Open the Rufus website.

   2. Click the link to download the latest version under the “Download” section.

1. Double-click the executable to launch the tool.

2. Click the Select button.

   

3. Open the ISO file location.

4. Select the Windows 11 25H2 ISO file.

5. Click the Open button.

6. Continue with the default settings to create the bootable media.

7. (Optional) Confirm a descriptive name for the USB drive.  

8. Click the Start button.

9. Click the OK button to skip the customization settings (if applicable).

10. Click the OK button to confirm the deletion of the USB drive data.

Once you complete the steps, you can use the bootable USB flash drive to install an older version of Windows 11, either in a clean install or an in-place upgrade.

Windows 11 26H2 and 26H2 share the core file system, making them virtually identical operating systems. As a result, downgrading may not resolve a specific problem unless the issue is directly related to installing the enablement package (eKB) to switch versions.

FAQs about downloading Windows 11 25H2 ISO

Here’s a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers about downloading the Windows 11 25H2 ISO.

Can I still download the Windows 11 25H2 ISO after 26H2 is released?

Yes, but only through alternative tools like UUP Dump, as Microsoft’s official tools are updated to support only 26H2.

Is the Windows 11 25H2 ISO safe if created with UUP Dump?

Yes. UUP Dump downloads official files directly from Microsoft’s servers, then compiles them into an ISO.

Do I need Rufus to use the ISO?

Yes, Rufus is recommended to create a bootable USB drive for installation. Unless you’re creating a virtual machine, in which case you can simply mount the ISO file. You can also mount the image to File Explorer to launch the in-place upgrade process.

Can I downgrade from 26H2 to 25H2 without reinstalling?

Yes, you only need to uninstall the enablement package to roll back to the previous version.

Is the Windows 11 26H2 ISO different from the 25H2 ISO?

Technically, no. The 26H2 ISO is actually an image of Windows 11 25H2. During installation, the setup downloads and installs the enablement package KB5121794, which upgrades the system to 26H2.