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What's new in driver development for Windows 11, version 25H2

This section describes new features and updates for driver development in Windows 11, version 25H2. To target this version of Windows, you can use Windows Driver Kit (WDK) 10.0.26100.6584 (released September 23, 2025).

WDK NuGet package support

The WDK NuGet package consists of essential libraries, headers, DLL, tools, and metadata. Developers use these components to build Windows drivers. Modern CI/CD pipelines can share and support these components. Users can access and consume the NuGet packages directly from nuget.org within Visual Studio. Using NuGet with the WDK provides a convenient solution for WDK acquisition and updates. It manages dependencies such as the SDK, to help keep the driver development tool chain up to date. For more information, see Install the latest WDK using NuGet - Step by Step.

Audio

SoundWire Device Class for Audio (SDCA)

The SDCA driver stack now supports the SDCA Companion Amp Function and Multichannel Capture scenarios. All SDCA drivers are included Inbox. Enable connectivity to Wi-Fi 7 enterprise networks.

Network drivers

  • The WDK adds changes to the WiFiCx public header and library to enable IHV drivers to connect to Wi-Fi 7 enterprise networks. The WiFiCx driver TLV parser version is now 2.0.13. New capabilities allow Windows and the driver to detect Wi-Fi 7 enterprise connectivity support from each other.

Packet Monitor Clnt NPIs

Pktmon Clnt NPIs are available for kernel-mode drivers to push network packet notifications into the PktMon platform. You can use these NPIs to diagnose performance and network connectivity issues. The NPIs allow run-time registration with the PktMon platform so that drivers can safely run on systems without Pktmon support.

Kernel

usermode_accessors.h

Contains dedicated functions for the kernel to use when reading from and writing to the user-mode virtual address space.

Storage drivers

Icekeymaninterface.h

  • Adds new flag to capabilities structure for implementation to attest FIPS module compliance.
  • Introduces new interface API for validating a wrapped key that the system can unwrap.

For information on what was new for drivers in past Windows releases, see the following pages:

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