Microsoft Rolls Out Windows 11 25H2 ISO

Microsoft is keeping pace with its yearly Windows 11 update, making the version 25H2 ISO available to download. Serving as the last step before the October release, the ISO lets testers and IT pros get hands-on with clean installs and system prep ahead of general availability.

Windows Insiders can finally grab the official 25H2 ISO, weighing in at about 7GB depending on the chosen language. Whether you want to mount it for an in-place upgrade or use Rufus for a clean reinstall, the ISO gives admins and enthusiasts more freedom to decide when and how to roll out the update. Interestingly, Microsoft pushed the release back by a week but never revealed why.

The way Microsoft is rolling out 25H2 is a little different from the traditional “big build” updates. Instead of replacing the whole system, it ships as an “enablement package” that sits on top of 24H2. That means faster installs, smaller downloads, and no changes to your core system files, just like we saw with the 22H2 and 23H2 releases.

Don’t expect big flashy features in Windows 11 25H2. Microsoft is keeping things steady this time, focusing on reliability and making sure 24H2 and 25H2 share the same fixes and security updates across the board.

The biggest changes are under the hood for enterprise and education environments: administrators have gained the ability to uninstall certain pre-installed Microsoft Store apps, simplifying business and school device setups.

Additionally, deprecated software components such as PowerShell 2.0 and the legacy Windows Management Instrumentation command line have been removed, continuing Microsoft’s shift away from older system tools.