Windows 11 25H2 is mostly 24H2 with bits bolted on or ripped out

Microsoft's Secure Future pitch lands with old bugs still in tow

Windows 11 25H2 has seeped out of Redmond with just two weeks left before free support for most Windows 10 versions goes down the drain.

The update was quietly heralded by John Cable, VP of product management for Windows servicing and delivery. As well it might – Windows 11 25H2 is little more than Windows 11 24H2 with some new features turned on and some legacy functionality removed. Both operating systems share the same codebase and servicing branch.

And the same problems. The known issues list shows that Windows 11 25H2 has picked up a couple that will be familiar to Windows 11 24H2 users. There's the issue with digital TV and Blu-ray/DVD applications (now partially mitigated, although "some applications using DRM for digital audio might continue to experience problems") and Windows Update Standalone Installer (WUSA) woes also live on.

That said, there is some new functionality that will please administrators. Wi-Fi 7 support is included, and it is also possible to remove some pre-installed Microsoft Store apps via Intune or Group Policy. Less welcome is the removal of PowerShell 2.0 and the Windows Management Instrumentation command line (WMIC). However, both are comparatively long in the tooth, and plenty of notice was given regarding their fate. Deprecation of PowerShell 2.0 was announced in 2017.

With what we hope was unintended irony, Microsoft called this iteration of Windows part of its "Secure Future Initiative." This, in Microsoft's words, is about "security above all else."

According to Charlie Bell, security EVP at the corporation, "Microsoft runs on trust, and trust must be earned and maintained. Our pledge to our customers and our community is to prioritize your cybersafety above all else."

In less than two weeks, Microsoft will be halting free security updates for many versions of Windows 10, leaving hundreds of millions of customers potentially vulnerable to cyberattacks. For many, upgrading to Windows 11 requires buying new hardware thanks to Microsoft's requirements.

Perhaps that "security above all else" slogan needs a rider: "Unless we can squeeze a few extra dollars out of you for new hardware or extended security updates." ®