Microsoft Releases New Windows 11 26H2 Group Policy Templates for IT Admins

Late last month, Microsoft started rolling out Windows 11 26H2 for eligible PCs. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, you can check our dedicated guide on how to download and install Windows 11 26H2. Now, Microsoft has turned its attention toward IT administrators with a new set of Windows 11 26H2 Administrative Templates and Group Policy resources. The company published the new templates, which gives organizations the tools they need to manage the latest Windows release through Group Policy.

Windows 11 26H2 gets new Group Policy templates

Microsoft has released the Administrative Templates (.ADMX) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) through its Download Center. The package is around 14.6MB and contains the policy definition files that Group Policy tools use to populate policy settings in their management interface.

In simple terms, these templates allow administrators to manage registry-based Windows policies through Group Policy instead of configuring settings manually across individual PCs. Additionally, Microsoft has also published a Group Policy Settings Reference spreadsheet for Windows 11 26H2. It lists the computer and user policy settings included with the Administrative Templates, and administrators can use Excel’s filtering tools to find specific policies more easily.

The timing makes sense as Windows 11 26H2 continues its rollout for eligible PCs. Microsoft says eligible 24H2 and 25H2 devices can move to 26H2 through a lightweight enablement package because the releases share the same servicing foundation. The company has officially released Windows 11 26H2 for ISOs for AMD64 and Arm64 devices.

For organizations, however, upgrading Windows is only part of the process. Existing Group Policy configurations, security settings and management policies also need to be reviewed before deploying the update across a larger fleet.

The new templates give IT teams a way to review and manage supported 26H2 policies using their existing Group Policy infrastructure. Microsoft also provides guidance for organizations using a Central Store to manage Administrative Templates across a domain. For businesses and schools preparing a wider rollout, Microsoft recommends starting with targeted deployments to validate applications, devices and business-critical workflows before expanding 26H2 more broadly.