Microsoft have made changes to the Update Channels for Visual Studio 2026. The new Insiders Channel replaces the long-standing Preview Channel as the way to give developers early access to upcoming features, and the Stable Channel gives access to validated, production-ready features every month. In addition, each year, in November, the product will update to the next annual version. So, for example, in November 2026 Visual Studio 2026 will update in place to Visual Studio 2027. At the same time, Microsoft will offer a Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) edition for the prior annual release where you’ll get a static feature set for a year with security updates. Note that if you’re using Visual Studio 2026 Professional, you’ll need to purchase a new annual version each year.

Find the announcement here: https://bit.ly/3M14nM9.