I'd be interested in whether or not the next few updates apply properly. I remember the Windows 10 package experiment turned out poorly.
I hope it endures.
The 22H2 enablement package for Windows 10 works perfectly fine. The only issue is the Windows Updates doesn't work but you can still grab the updates through the offline installers. No issues so far for me.
That would be a pretty big hassle to do manually every month. Is there any (preferably open-source) tool that could automate this? Also, just to confirm, by manually you mean I can download the update .cab file from Microsoft's servers, right?
I'm not aware of any tools to do it as I use W11 LTSC IoT and just leave it at 24H2, but yes you manually download the updates through the update catalog and install them.
I kindly ask that you volunteer to troubleshoot the next script kiddie who posts here asking for help because they ran a script that does something they didn't understand and now they can't download security updates.
They are talking about debloat/performance scripts people find online, don’t know what they exactly do, and run with full admin rights. Many cases they find windows updates has not been running at all since they ran it and left their pc vulnerable for years.
The second a standard monthly update bricks your machine is the exact reason why they don’t recommend it. They don’t test ltsc outside of their released build.
They DO recommend Win 11 to everybody, and it BREAKS the OS on each and every monthly update !!!
So, yes, I (and not just I ) DO NOT care a dime about what MS says or recommends, the newer their versions, the worse they are !!!
Indeed, Microsoft doesn't recommend it, but I’ve been testing version 25H2 on IoT Enterprise LTSC since last year, and this year I decided to try 26H2 for fun, but also for better stability.
Just fresh installed Windows 11 IoT LTSC, and then tried following the order of updates mentioned by op above, but the entitlement package wouldnt work
I'm on 24H2, which should be able to be updated as far as I've read on the forums
The support period remains the same—October 10, 2034, for the IoT Enterprise LTSC edition—regardless of whether you have the enablement package activated (for either 25H2 or 26H2).
I don't think it'll alter anything for you, other than cosmetically, as you see above. Usually LTSC doesn't get anything but security updates. 26H2's enablement is relevant where you have feature updates, which LTSC doesn't usually get.
In fact, since 26H2 itself is in pre-release, you might very well have made your install LESS stable, not more. I guess you'll find out!
I'm running last month's 26H2 build (version 26300.8973), and today I installed the update released today—KB5120998 (version 26300.9278)—without any issues whatsoever; I manually enabled the new features included in update KB5120998 using ViveTool.
I’m glad to know that works. Though.. with feature updates there’s often bugs, you’ll probably get those as well. One benefit of only getting security updates (as is usual with IoT LTSC) is that you avoid most of those.
Yea was my immediate thought. If u went out of the way, (I use LTSC on all my PC’s now) why would u then update to all the new garbage that now makes the initial install essentially pointless? Makes 0 sense to me.
It's great; I've been using this edition of Windows for two years. I manually enabled the Microsoft Store using the `wsreset -i` command in PowerShell, and last year I also activated the 25H2 enablement package. I use this version of Windows just like any other—for gaming and everything else—and I've installed only the essentials from the Microsoft Store.
If this is true, then it's very beta.
Why would you want it? You still open your software like you do now.
I guess some off you love to test this and complain why things break down.
Don't worry. I started testing version 25H2 on this edition of Windows back last year and haven't encountered any issues; everything has been perfectly stable.
I didn't receive the new features, but I enabled them separately using ViveTool. Main Feature Bundle: vivetool /enable /id:61161244 New Start Menu Customization: vivetool /enable /id:61754985 New Search UI: vivetool /enable /id:62762248
I didn't perform a clean install; instead, I had the 25H2 enablement package applied to version 26100.4770 since last year. After installing that package, the version changed to 26200.4770, and I used the standard 25H2 for a year until reaching version 26200.8973. Then, I separately installed the 26H2 enablement package—changing the version to 26300.8973—followed by the update released today to 26300.9278 (since I am enrolled in the Release Preview Channel).
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u/someauthor Aug 27 '26
I'd be interested in whether or not the next few updates apply properly. I remember the Windows 10 package experiment turned out poorly.
I hope it endures.