The next version of Windows drops support the Snapdragon 850
Microsoft has announced that Windows 11 version 26H2, which was recently released, will be the last version to officially support Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 850 processor. The decision was published on the Windows 11 Lifecycle Policy page, stating that future versions of Windows will no longer support devices powered by the 2018-era Snapdragon 850 SoC.
The Snapdragon 850 holds historical significance in the Windows on ARM space, being the first processor specifically designed as “built-for-Windows” by Qualcomm. This marked a shift from previous implementations, as the earlier Snapdragon 835 used in Windows PCs was originally a smartphone chip that was repurposed for computing devices.
This end-of-support announcement reflects Microsoft’s broader strategy to phase out older ARM-based processors as the company continues to develop and optimize Windows for newer chip architectures. Users with Snapdragon 850-equipped devices will be able to continue using Windows 11 version 26H2, but will not receive the performance improvements, security updates, and new features included in subsequent releases.