Microsoft Releases Windows 11 26H2 Group Policy Templates: How Admins Can Download and Deploy ADMX

Windows 11 version 26H2 is built on the same servicing foundation as versions 24H2 and 25H2, but administrators still need current policy definitions to manage the settings exposed by the release. Microsoft has now published two key resources: the Windows 11 26H2 Administrative Templates (.admx) package and the Group Policy Settings Reference spreadsheet.

The templates provide the policy definitions used by Group Policy editing tools. The spreadsheet provides a searchable and filterable inventory of the settings included in those templates. Together, they help administrators review policy availability and prepare existing management environments for Windows 11 26H2.

What Microsoft released

Microsoft published both downloads on September 29, 2026:

• Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2): version 1.0, distributed as an MSI package named Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 Sep 2026 Update.msi. The download is approximately 14.6 MB and includes language resources for supported locales, including en-US.
• Group Policy Settings Reference Spreadsheet for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2): version 1.0, an Excel workbook named Windows11andWindowsServer2019PolicySettings--26H2.xlsx, approximately 787.6 KB.

The ADMX package supplies the policy definitions; it does not itself apply policies to endpoints. Administrators still create or edit Group Policy Objects (GPOs), link them to the appropriate Active Directory locations, and validate the resulting policy processing on target devices.

Download the Windows 11 26H2 ADMX templates

Use Microsoft’s official Download Center rather than third-party mirrors:

Microsoft lists Windows 11 and several earlier Windows client versions among the supported operating systems for the download. You need suitable rights to run the Group Policy Management Editor or Group Policy Object Editor when managing policies.

Use the Group Policy Settings Reference spreadsheet

Download the matching workbook from the official Microsoft page:

The workbook lists policy settings for computer and user configurations included in the 26H2 Administrative Templates. Its Excel filters let you narrow the inventory by one column or combine filters across multiple columns. This is useful when comparing the settings available in the new template set with an organization’s existing GPO design.

Before changing production policies, use the spreadsheet to identify relevant settings, confirm whether a policy is computer- or user-scoped, and document which GPOs may need review. A listed setting is not automatically enabled: administrators must decide whether it belongs in their environment and test the intended behavior.

Update a domain Central Store safely

In an Active Directory domain, Group Policy management consoles use the domain Central Store when it exists. Its standard location is the PolicyDefinitions folder under the domain’s SYSVOL share. The store contains language-neutral .admx files and language-specific .adml files.

Recommended staged approach

SYSVOL replication distributes Central Store changes to domain controllers. For a multi-domain-controller environment, allow replication to complete and verify the store from more than one management location before declaring the update finished. Do not delete the archived templates until the new set has been validated and the rollback window has passed.

ADMX-backed policies and MDM

ADMX is not limited to traditional on-premises Group Policy. Microsoft also supports selected ADMX-backed settings through the Policy Configuration Service Provider (Policy CSP). This allows supported administrative-template policies to be configured on managed Windows devices through an MDM platform.

That does not mean every setting in the ADMX package is automatically available through every MDM product. Check the specific policy’s CSP mapping and the management platform’s support before planning an MDM deployment. The ADMX package and reference workbook are useful inputs to that assessment, not a guarantee of universal CSP support.

Administrator validation checklist

Microsoft has also confirmed Configuration Manager support for Windows 11 26H2. Administrators should still validate their specific Configuration Manager current-branch version and deployment prerequisites before broad rollout.

Final thoughts

The Windows 11 26H2 ADMX package and settings reference spreadsheet give IT teams the policy definitions and inventory needed to review their management environment ahead of deployment. Download the files directly from Microsoft, stage and back up the Central Store, preserve custom templates, and test policy behavior with a pilot group. Updating the templates makes new policy definitions available to administrators; it does not automatically configure endpoints or change existing GPO settings.

References and official documentation

1. Microsoft Download Center — Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2)
2. Microsoft Download Center — Group Policy Settings Reference Spreadsheet for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2)
3. Microsoft Learn — Create and manage the Central Store
4. Microsoft Learn — What’s new in Windows 11, version 26H2
5. Microsoft Tech Community — An IT pro’s guide to Windows 11, version 26H2