At best, this will overwrite my current settings instead of merely upgrading my existing Windows Pro 22H2 installation, which is undesirable.

The real issue is that the 23H2 enablement package is not being installed after the hold was removed on 7 Feb 2024. The Support notice says machines will get the update in 48 hours, and it has been over ten weeks.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/resolved-issues-windows-11-23H2#3217msgdesc

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/resolved-issues-windows-11-23H2

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-11-version-23h2-update-history-59875222-b990-4bd9-932f-91a5954de434

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How to download & Install Windows 11 22H2 update?
... Download Windows 11 22H2 ISO file from Microsoft 365 Admin Center or by referring to this page. Navigate to patch store location: To find patch store location, navigate to Patch Management-> Downloaded Patches -> Settings -> Patch Repository Location. Copy the downloaded ISO file manually ...
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How can I manually upgrade Windows 11 Pro Version 22h2 to Version 23H2?
Download Microsoft Edge More info about Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge ... I have successfully installed all cumulative updates for Windows 11 Version 22H2 but I never received 23H2 version update in Nov 2023. More on learn.microsoft.com
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How do I manually download the entire Windows 11 Version 22h2 Update? (Windows Update has failed three times now, somehow missing files)
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How do I upgrade my windows 11 version 22H2 to 23H2 or 24H2?
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support. Download Microsoft Edge More info about Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge ... My current windows version is windows 11, 22H2, and I am looking to upgrade my version up to 23H2 or ... More on learn.microsoft.com
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How to upgrade from Windows 11 Pro build 22H2 to 25H2?
I want to update my Windows 11 Pro version build from 22H2 to 25H2. How do I do this? ... This would help you to automatically upgrade to latest version i.e. Version 25H2. ... Hello, thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A. ... Go to Start > Settings > Windows Updates, then click 'Check for updates'. You can download the next feature updates and install them on your device. To directly upgrade it to 25H2, manually ... More on learn.microsoft.com
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To deploy the Windows 11 22H2 feature update via Patch Manager Plus, navigate to Admin -> Settings -> Patch Database Settings -> click on the Windows tab andmore
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r/WindowsHelp on Reddit: How do I manually download the entire Windows 11 Version 22h2 Update? (Windows Update has failed three times now, somehow missing files)
August 17, 2022 -

Since Windows 11 version 22h2 was released, my Windows 11 pro laptop has failed three times to update itself using the standard Windows 11 Update mechanism. Each time failing in the same way, by downloading, downloading, downloading, updating, updating, updating, then reverting at the end because needed files were missing.

The machine was once on the Beta Insider Channel, but I removed it from that a year ago, and it is now on the Release Preview channel

Edition   	Windows 11 Pro
Version 	21H2
Installed   ‎10/‎7/‎2021
OS build	22000.917
Experience	Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22000.917.0

Model       Dell 5570, Cindy Crawford edition
Processor	Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8550U CPU @ 1.80GHz   1.99 GHz  
RAM     	32.0 GB (31.9 GB usable)  

What's the best way to make sure this update is successfully installed?

(And yes, retaining all my files and various settings)

Top answer
1 of 5
68

Hello,

If you go to Settings > Windows Update, do you see an update that says something like "Windows 11, 23H2/24H2 is available"? If so, download and install 23H2 or 24H2.

The other method is to use one of the three tools Microsoft provides to you to upgrade your PC.

You can use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant, the Windows 11 ISO, or the Media Creation Tool. All three of these options will get you to Windows 11, version 24H2.

To use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant, download theWindows 11 Installation Assistant and then run it. You should see some prompts telling you about Windows 11 and what it'll install. Let it download and install 24H2.

To use the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool, download the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool, and run the MCT. Once it finishes loading, push "Upgrade this PC Now". Let the MCT install the Windows 11 installation files, and then let it check for updates, and then let it install Windows 11.

To use the Windows 11 ISO, download the Windows 11 ISO, (you can find it here, scroll down to where you see ISO for Windows 11 x64 devices), mount it, and then run setup.exe (if you see a UAC prompt, push yes). Follow the prompts on-screen and then let setup.exe update and install Windows 11, 24H2.

All of these steps will eventually get you to 24H2 and will take a while to download and install. It's best to do this at night when you're not doing anything important. Just make sure to save your files before you start.

Hope this helps, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to let me know!

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I have a ~1 year old PC. It is currently running 22H2, but I can't upgrade to a newer version. I check for updates and it shows me nothing. I see a message "Get the newer version of Windows to stay up to date.". It seems like I am stuck. This system is very powerful and exceeds the Windows 11 requirements.

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Pureinfotech
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How to upgrade to Windows 11 22H2 - Pureinfotech
May 8, 2023 - To upgrade to Windows 11 22H2 manually from Windows Update, use these steps: Open Settings. Click on Windows Update. Click the Check for updates button. Click the “Download and install” button to install Windows 11 22H2.
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Your Windows Guide
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Install Windows 11 22H2 update manually or offline
July 1, 2025 - Windows 11 22H2 update now available – Your Windows Guide · You can use the Windows 11 installation assistant to upgrade to the next version of Windows 11. Download it from the link below:
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Windows 11 2022 Update - version 22H2 (x64, en-US ISO) : Microsoft : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
This is the official, original ISO of Windows 11, version 22H2, also known as the Windows 11 2022 Update, directly from Microsoft in English (US).The ISO is...
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How to Install Windows 11 2022 Update (22H2) Right Now (2022) | Beebom
October 15, 2025 - Another way to upgrade to Windows 11 22H2 is through the official ISO image. You don’t need to enroll your PC into the Windows Insider Program. Using this method, you can simply download the ISO image and upgrade to Windows 11 22H2.
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learn.microsoft.com › en-us › answers › questions › 5925137 › how-to-upgrade-from-windows-11-pro-build-22h2-to-2
How to upgrade from Windows 11 Pro build 22H2 to 25H2? - Microsoft Q&A
... Hello, thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A. ... Go to Start > Settings > Windows Updates, then click 'Check for updates'. You can download the next feature updates and install them on your device.
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learn.microsoft.com › en-us › answers › questions › 5661735 › update-windows-11-21h2-to-22h2
Update Windows 11 21h2 to 22h2 - Microsoft Q&A
December 14, 2025 - The easiest way is to check Settings > Windows Update and look for “Feature update to Windows 11, version 22H2.” · If it’s not there, you can use Microsoft’s Installation Assistant or download the official ISO to upgrade manually while ...
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I checked your hardware specifications, your hardware is fully Windows 11 compatible, it is strange if you have not been offered the 23H2, 24H2 or 25H2 updates automatically, because your Windows version is so far out of date and no longer supported, the most successful method to install version 25H2 is to use the Windows 11 ISO.

Please ensure you download the ISO in the same language as you use for the Windows UI, follow the steps, this is then not like re-installing Windows, it is just like an update and your personal files, settings and installed software will not be affected.

Click this link:

https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11

to download the Windows 11 ISO

When the ISO file completes downloading

Disconnect from the Internet

Disconnect all external devices with the exception of a mouse or keyboard.

Temporarily disable any 3rd party Anti-virus you may have installed

Then, in Windows File Explorer, double click the ISO and then run Setup.exe and select the Install option.

When asked if you want to install other updates, you must select NO.

Very Important - ensure you select the option to keep your files and apps.

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2

To move from Windows 11 22H2 to Windows 11 25H2 when Windows Update does not offer it, use one of these supported upgrade paths.

  1. Try normal Windows Update again
  • Open Settings > Windows Update.
  • Turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.
  • Select Check for updates.
  • If the device is eligible and ready, Windows 11, version 25H2 (Windows 11 2025 Update) will appear with an option to Download and install.
  1. Upgrade manually with the Windows 11 ISO (in‑place upgrade) Use this if Windows Update still shows no feature update.
  • Go to the Windows 11 download page: https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11 (from context: same page as used in the in‑place upgrade instructions).
  • Under Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO), select Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO for x64 devices), choose language, then download the 64-bit ISO.
  • After download:
    1. Right‑click the ISO and select Mount (or double‑click it).
    2. In the mounted drive, run Setup.exe.
    3. On the Install Windows 11 screen, choose Change how Setup downloads updates and select Not right now to reduce failures during setup.
    4. Accept the license terms.
    5. On Ready to install, select Change what to keep and choose Keep personal files and apps so data and apps are preserved.
    6. Select Install and let the process complete (the PC will restart several times).
  • After setup finishes, sign in and go to Settings > Windows Update and install any remaining cumulative updates. This should bring the device to Windows 11, version 25H2 if the ISO used is the 2025 Update or later.
  1. Use the 25H2 enablement package (only if already on 24H2) If the device is first upgraded to Windows 11 24H2, 25H2 can be enabled via the 25H2 enablement package (KB5054156):
  • Prerequisites (must be met before applying KB5054156):
    • Device must already be running Windows 11, version 24H2.
    • It must have August 29, 2025—KB5064081 (OS Builds 26100.5074) Preview or a later cumulative update installed.
  • Once on 24H2 with the required cumulative update, install KB5054156: Feature update to Windows 11, version 25H2 by using an enablement package.
  • Restart when prompted.
  1. If still no feature updates appear If Windows Update continues to show “You’re up to date” on 22H2 and does not offer newer versions, use the ISO in‑place upgrade method above. This is the same approach recommended when devices are stuck on older builds with no updates showing.

Before any major upgrade, back up important files to external storage or cloud to avoid data loss if something goes wrong.


References:

  • Windows 11, version 25H2 update history
  • Windows 11, version 25H2 known issues and notifications
  • Inside this update
  • KB5054156: Feature update to Windows 11, version 25H2 by using an enablement package
  • What's new in Windows 11 IoT Enterprise, version 25H2
  • How to install 25H2 enablement package? - Microsoft Q&A
  • Surface Pro 8 Not Updating to 24H2 - Microsoft Q&A
  • win end of life update - Microsoft Q&A
  • Mijn windows updates gaan mis - Microsoft Q&A
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Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › answers › questions › 5697182 › update-from-22h2
Update from 22H2 - Microsoft Q&A
January 7, 2026 - Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it. ... Post a screenshot. ... To update Windows 11 from version 22H2 to the latest version, you can use the enablement package.
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3

When you boot from the Windows 11 installation media, the install.wim in the sources folder is loaded into memory to create drive X:. The setup.exe file on this drive X: is executed when the UI is used to install Windows. This setup.exe reads the registry hacks you made to enable you to do a clean install of Windows 11. You are now trying to upgrade to Windows 11 25H2 without losing your data. In such cases, you do not boot from the installation media. The normal procedure would be to run the setup.exe file in the root directory of the installation media while booted to your existing Windows 11. This setup.exe is not the same as the one stored in install.wim and will ignore such registry hacks.

Note
Registry hacks are documented in this answer. A clean installation method with no registry hacks, which only uses Microsoft and Apple software is covered by this question and accepted answer.

I have yet to test the procedure given below on my 2018 Mac mini. However, the procedure should be the same as on other Windows machines. The procedure upgrades Windows 11 to 25H2 instead of doing a clean install.

Use Rufus to create the installer from the Windows 11 25H2 ISO. (I use the portable type.) Rufus replaces the setup.exe that comes on the ISO with its own version. From Windows 11, run setup.exe on the drive created by Rufus to upgrade to Windows 11 25H2.

In the past, instead of using a USB flash drive, I used a mounted VHD file that was created using the Windows Disk Management application. However, if internal drive space is limited, then try using a flash drive. (My Mac mini only has a 250 GB internal drive that is shared with macOS.)

Note this answer is similar to one of my previous answers. The major difference is that your Mac UEFI boots Windows.

Update

I decided to test both Rufus and FlyOOBE (formally FlyBy11) for upgrading Windows 11 22H2 to Windows 11 25H2. I did this by first creating a Windows 11 Pro 22H2 (with all available updates installed) VMware Fusion Player (version 12.1.2) virtual machine. Windows was installed to UEFI boot without secure boot or a TPM. The host is a 2013 iMac (iMac14,3) with macOS Catalina (version 10.16.7) installed. The processor is an Intel i5-4570S.

Using Rufus

The steps are given below.

  1. Download Win11_25H2_English_x64.iso from this Microsoft website.
  2. Download rufus-4.11p.exe from the Rufus website.
  3. Use the Windows Disk Management application to create a mounted 8 GB VHD file.
  4. Use Rufus (after it updates itself) to select the ISO file, then write to the mounted VHD file. The default Rufus settings were used.
  5. Run setup.exe in the root folder on the mounted VHD file and upgrade to Windows 25H2.

Using FlyOOBE

The steps are given below.

  1. Download Win11_25H2_English_x64.iso from this Microsoft website.

  2. Download FlyOOBE 2.1 (FlyoobeApp.zip) from this GitHub website.

  3. Use the Windows File Explorer to "Extract All..." from the FlyoobeApp.zip file.

  4. Open the FlyOOBE application. If you get the following pop-up, select "More info"

    The pop-up will now appear as shown below. Select "Run anyway".

  5. When the window shown below appears, select "Details" under "Upgrade to Windows 11".

    When the window shown below appears, select "Run".

    If the following pop-up appears, select "Run".

    When the window shown below appears, drag and drop the ISO file into the box labeled "Drag & drop ISO here or click to import from local file".

    If the following pop-up appears, select "Yes".

    You can ignore the following pop-up.

  6. Upgrade to Windows 25H2. When the following window appears, select "Next", then proceed with the upgrade. Note: In my case, I am upgrading Windows 11 Pro even though the window below states "Install Windows Server".

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Stephen Wagner
stephenwagner.com › home › how to force windows 11 22h2 feature update
How to force Windows 11 22H2 Feature Update - The Tech Journal
December 25, 2022 - If you’re using x86 architecture, you can simply use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant, or create/download the Windows 11 Installation Media (ISO). However, if you’re using ARM64, you cannot use any of those above as they are designed ...