Windows 11 feature history for 2026: every change, month by month

Windows 11 features in 2026 are rolling out gradually, with Microsoft continuing to introduce visible changes through monthly updates.
This guide tracks confirmed features as they become available, and it will be updated throughout the year as new rollouts are announced.
In 2026, features will roll out for versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2.

Windows 11 continues to evolve through regular monthly updates, and 2026 is expected to bring a steady flow of visible changes across the operating system. Beyond security fixes, Microsoft is using cumulative updates to introduce new features and changes that affect how the operating system looks, behaves, and is maintained.

This guide tracks the complete Windows 11 feature history for 2026, organized month by month. Each section highlights the most important new features and improvements introduced through monthly updates.

As updates ship throughout the year, this page will be continuously updated to reflect confirmed rollouts across supported Windows 11 versions. Whether you want a quick snapshot of what changed in a specific month or a full timeline of how Windows 11 evolved in 2026, this post serves as a comprehensive reference page.

February 2026
January 2026

Important: Usually, Microsoft doesn’t release new features immediately. When a feature is announced as part of an update, it usually signals the start of a gradual rollout using the Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR) technology. Availability can vary based on region, hardware, and software configuration. For instance, some features take longer to reach users in Europe due to regulatory requirements.

February 2026

The February 2026 Security Update for Windows 11 24H2 and version 25H2 includes the following new features and improvements.

Android app resume on Windows 11

Windows 11 is expanding the ability to resume Android apps on your computer from the Taskbar. You can, for example, resume Spotify playback, work in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, or continue a browsing session.

Microsoft also notes that Vivo phone users can continue browsing from Vivo Browser on their computer.

The feature works by turning on the “Allow this PC to access your mobile devices” option in the “Manage Devices” settings, under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices to connect your PC with your Android phone.

Furthermore, if you use a phone from HONOR, OPPO, Samsung, Vivo, or Xiaomi, you can resume online files that you opened in the Microsoft Copilot app on your phone and continue working on them on your computer.

When the feature is turned on, you can start using an app on your Android phone, and then you’ll receive a “Resume alert” notification in the Taskbar that allows you to launch the Spotify app on your computer to resume the same track or anything else you were listening.

Windows 11 app resume from Android / Image: Microsoft

If the app isn’t available on your computer, you’ll see the option to install it from the Microsoft Store.

Of course, this feature works only if your Android phone is already set up on your computer in the “Mobile devices” settings.

Windows MIDI Services

This update rolls out improvements for MIDI with expanded support for MIDI 0 and MIDI 2.0, adding full WinMM and WinRT MIDI 1.0 compatibility with automatic translation, shared MIDI ports across apps, custom port naming, loopback, and app‑to‑app routing, along with performance boosts and reliability fixes to give musicians a smoother, more capable workflow.

The company also notes that the App SDK and Tools package is offered as a separate download that unlocks in‑box MIDI 0 capabilities and provides utilities such as the MIDI Console and the MIDI Settings app.

Windows Narrator changes

Windows Narrator provides better control over how it announces on‑screen controls, letting you choose which details are spoken and in what order so the flow matches how you move through apps.

Settings app

In the Home page, you’ll now find a new Device card that shows key technical specifications, and there’s even a link to open the About settings page.

Smart App Control improvements

The company is making changes to allow you to enable or disable Smart App Control (SAC) without requiring a clean install. This can be done from Windows Security > App & Browser Control > Smart App Control.

Voice Access changes

A simpler setup makes it easier to start using Voice Access. The new flow will walk you through downloading a speech model for your language, choosing the microphone you want to use, and learning how Voice Access can help you control your device.

Voice Typing update

The “Wait time before acting” setting is now available in Voice Typing, allowing you to choose how long the operating system pauses before executing a voice command. Adjusting this delay helps Voice Typing understand you more accurately, whether you speak slowly or quickly.

Windows Hello with external fingerprint sensors support

Until now, the Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) experience has only supported built-in biometric sensors. However, you can now connect and configure any supported Windows Hello ESS fingerprint reader from the “Sign-in options” settings page.

Enhanced Sign in security option / Image: Mauro Huculak

Copilot+ PCs improvements

The AI Agent for the Settings app now supports more languages, with expanded support for German, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Hindi, Italian, and Chinese (Simplified).

January 2026

The January 2026 Security Update for Windows 11 24H2 and version 25H2 didn’t include any new features or significant changes.

After releasing the 2026-01 Security Update (KB5074109) (26200.7623), the company has already made the Out-of-band (OOB) updates KB5077744 and KB5078127 available to address critical issues in the operating system.