Microsoft unveils new Beta channel for Windows 11 26H1 as RTX Sparks and Snapdragon X2 PCs get closer

• Microsoft introduced a dedicated Beta channel for Windows 11 26H1, separating it from the Experimental branch.
• The Beta channel uses the 28000 build series, while Experimental devices move to the 28100 series.
• Windows 11 26H1 is a platform-focused release designed for upcoming hardware, including Snapdragon X2 and NVIDIA RTX Sparks-powered devices.
• The change gives testers a more stable preview path while Microsoft prepares Windows for the next generation of AI PCs.

Microsoft is expanding the Windows Insider Program with a new Beta channel for Windows 11 26H1, giving testers a more stable path to preview the operating system that’s being developed for upcoming hardware, including devices powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 processors.

The company announced the change alongside a new set of preview builds. The update introduces separate Beta and Experimental branches for Windows 11 26H1, allowing users to choose between testing features closer to release and those still in the early stages of development.

Microsoft completes its 26H1 testing structure

Until now, Insiders running Windows 11 26H1 only had access to the Experimental channel. While Microsoft had already introduced separate Beta and Experimental experiences, testers were still receiving builds from the same branch, and that changes moving forward.

The software giant is now assigning Beta (26H1) devices to the 28000 build series and Experimental (26H1) devices to the new 28100 series. Users can switch between the two experiences directly from the Windows Insider settings without performing a clean installation.

According to Microsoft, the goal is to give Windows 11 26H1 testers “the same choice between Beta and Experimental development branches” that already exists for other Insider releases.

Why version 26H1 is different

The new channel is significant because Windows 11 26H1 is not a typical feature update.

Microsoft describes version 26H1 as a targeted platform release designed to support new silicon arriving later this year, including Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 processors. Reports also indicate the platform is being prepared for upcoming NVIDIA RTX Spark-powered devices, such as the Surface Laptop Ultra and Surface RTX Spark Dev Box.

Unlike Windows 11 25H2, which remains the primary Insider release for most users, version 26H1 focuses on under-the-hood platform work needed for the next generation of ARM-based and AI-focused computers.

As a result, devices built around those new processors couldn’t participate in Beta testing because a Beta channel for version 26H1 didn’t exist until now.

New builds rolling out

Microsoft also released Windows 11 build 26220.8575 (25H2) in the Beta channel, which adds the ability to extend Windows Update pauses indefinitely and fixes issues affecting audio, Settings reliability, Search, and Notepad.

The Experimental channel for version 25H2 didn’t receive any updates in the release.

On the 26H1 side, in the Beta and Experimental channels, the company released Windows 11 builds 28020.2236 and 28120.2242, which include general fixes and improvements. Microsoft is also expanding the rollout of Administrator Protection, including a new option to enable the security feature directly from the Settings app.

While the announcement doesn’t introduce major new user-facing features, it reveals how the software giant plans to test the operating system on the hardware expected to power the next wave of AI PCs.

You can track every release through the new Windows Insider Program at the Windows Build Tracker dashboard.