Quick answer: Honkai: Star Rail is currently in Version 4.5. HoYoverse says the version began with maintenance on August 26, 2026 and runs until September 28 at 06:00 (UTC+8). Version 4.6 is the next numbered update referenced by the official 4.5 notes, but its exact maintenance details should remain unconfirmed until HoYoverse publishes the 4.6 update notice. Version 4.5 is a shortened five-week patch, so the familiar six-week rhythm is useful for planning—not a fixed rule.
If you searched for the HSR roadmap, the Honkai: Star Rail next update, or the HSR next patch, the most useful answer is a dated status page—not a speculative list of characters. This guide separates official dates from reasonable planning assumptions and leaks, then shows what to finish before the current patch closes.
HSR Next Update: Quick Answer
The official Version 4.5 update notes are the source for the current start and end boundaries. They also refer to Version 4.6 in future-content notes, but that reference is not a substitute for a full maintenance announcement. Until a dedicated 4.6 notice appears, treat September 28 as the confirmed end of 4.5 and the practical handoff window—not as permission to invent an exact global launch time.
Official source: Version 4.5 Update Details on HoYoLAB.
Current HSR Version and Version 4.5 End Date
Version 4.5 launched on August 26 and is scheduled to end on September 28 at 06:00 (UTC+8). That makes it shorter than the classic 42-day pattern. HoYoverse also states that some endgame-mode periods and Nameless Honor progression were adjusted for the shorter version.
| Roadmap item | Status | Date or window | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Version 4.5 launch | Confirmed | Aug 26, 2026, 06:00 UTC+8 maintenance start | The current patch is live. |
| Version 4.5 end | Confirmed | Sep 28, 2026, 06:00 UTC+8 | Use this as the current patch deadline boundary. |
| Version 4.6 | Officially referenced | Follows Version 4.5 | Wait for the dedicated maintenance notice before publishing an exact start time. |
| Future banners or reruns | TBA until announced | Check official notices and the live Warp screen | Do not turn leaks or old schedules into current pull advice. |
Timezone note: HoYoLAB sometimes gives one UTC+8 version boundary while individual event and Warp pages use server time. Your live in-game countdown is the final check for account-specific deadlines.
HSR 2026 Patch Schedule
The 2026 schedule shows why a roadmap should store real version boundaries instead of repeating “every six weeks.” The dates below come from official update notices. Duration is calculated between each update’s stated start and end boundaries.
| Version | Start | Official end | Length | Roadmap lesson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | Feb 13, 2026 | Mar 25, 2026 | 40 days | Close to six weeks, but not exactly 42 days. |
| 4.1 | Mar 25, 2026 | Apr 22, 2026 | 28 days | A four-week version; a major exception. |
| 4.2 | Apr 22, 2026 | Jun 1, 2026 | 40 days | Again shorter than a strict six-week count. |
| 4.3 | Jun 1, 2026 | Jul 15, 2026 | 44 days | Slightly longer than six weeks. |
| 4.4 | Jul 15, 2026 | Aug 26, 2026 | 42 days | The classic six-week pattern. |
| 4.5 | Aug 26, 2026 | Sep 28, 2026 | 33 days | A shortened five-week update. |
For planning, the end boundary is more important than an average. It tells you when to finish time-limited events, collect rewards, complete Nameless Honor levels, and make the final pull decision. The moment HoYoVerse publishes a new maintenance notice, the top current-status box should be updated first.
Official version sources: 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, and 4.5.
Why HSR Patches Are Not Always Six Weeks
Six weeks is a useful baseline because many major versions have used two roughly three-week banner phases. It is not a guarantee. Production schedules, special versions, collaboration timing, holidays, shortened story cycles, or a longer bridge patch can change the length.
Use six weeks for rough budgeting
It can help estimate daily Stellar Jade, weekly Simulated Universe rewards, and how many shop resets may arrive before a banner ends.
Use official dates for decisions
Event deadlines, Warp cutoffs, Nameless Honor purchases, and maintenance always require the current official notice or live-game timer.
A player who assumes every patch is exactly 42 days can overestimate free pulls during a shortened version. The opposite problem happens in a longer patch: spending early because you think time is running out can ignore extra daily and event income. Build your plan around the confirmed window, then add a safety margin.
How to Read the HSR Roadmap Without Treating Leaks as Confirmed
A reliable HSR roadmap needs visible evidence labels. “Roadmap” should not mean that every character name, rerun, or date on the page is official. Use three levels:
| Label | What belongs here | Best source | How to act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirmed | Published maintenance times, version dates, official characters, events, and live Warp details | HoYoLAB, HoYoverse news, live game notice | Safe for current scheduling. |
| Expected | A next-version handoff inferred from the current official end boundary | Current update notes plus historical cadence | Plan provisionally; keep flexibility. |
| Unconfirmed | Leaks, rumored reruns, fan calendars, or dates projected several patches ahead | No official confirmation yet | Do not pre-farm narrow materials or spend based on it. |
Official drip marketing can confirm that a character is associated with an upcoming version, but it may not confirm every rerun, four-star lineup, Light Cone banner, event date, or maintenance window. Keep those details separate until their own notices arrive.
What to Do Before the Next HSR Update
Use this checklist during the final seven days of a version. In a shortened patch, start earlier if an event or Nameless Honor deadline is also compressed.
Check every event’s own timer
A version end date does not mean every event ends at the same moment. Claim milestone, shop, and mail rewards before their individual countdowns expire.
Finish Nameless Honor rewards you already unlocked
Version 4.5 uses an adjusted schedule. Review the live Nameless Honor page before buying levels or assuming another weekly reset remains.
Record pity, guarantee, and saved passes
Take a clear account snapshot before the final banner decision. Limited-character pity and guarantee matter more than a generic tier list.
Use Trailblaze Power on flexible resources
If the next character’s materials are not officially confirmed, Credits, character EXP, Light Cone EXP, and broadly useful Relic work are safer than speculative pre-farming.
Pre-download only after the official notice appears
HoYoPlay and the mobile client normally surface pre-installation close to maintenance. Follow the current notice for storage and platform instructions.
How Banner Phases Fit the Patch Schedule
Most pull decisions happen at three points: version launch, phase change, and the final days before maintenance. The current phase tells you what can be pulled; the roadmap tells you how much time remains to gather information and free currency.
| Decision point | What to verify | Best default | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patch launch | Trials, final kits, current four-stars, official event rewards | Wait until you understand the live kit | Pulling from prelaunch hype alone |
| Phase change | Second-phase banners, remaining free income, next official preview | Compare both phases as one budget | Ignoring a better fit later in the patch |
| Final week | Pity, guarantee, next-version notice, event and shop deadlines | Set a hard stop before spending | Panic pulls because the timer is red |
F2P players
Count only rewards you can realistically earn before the deadline. Separate guaranteed sources—daily training, weekly modes you can clear, already-unlocked events—from optimistic sources such as unfinished high-difficulty stages. Leave enough margin that one missed event does not force a paid decision.
Low-spend players
Do not start from a top-up amount. Start from the same account check: role need, pity, guarantee, and a stop point. Only then compare paid currency. The remaining cost is not the same as the value of the character, and a shorter patch does not make an unnecessary pull better.
Related HSR Guides and Planning Tools
Use the roadmap for timing, then move to the guide that answers the next account decision. These links have been checked without preview or SKU parameters.
HSR Roadmap FAQ
When is the next HSR update?
Version 4.5 officially runs until September 28, 2026 at 06:00 (UTC+8). Version 4.6 is the next referenced version, but its exact maintenance details should be treated as TBA until HoYoVerse publishes the dedicated update notice.
Is every HSR patch exactly six weeks?
No. Version 4.4 used a 42-day window, but Version 4.1 was 28 days and Version 4.5 is 33 days. Six weeks is a useful average pattern, not a guaranteed rule.
Where can I find the official HSR patch date?
Use the Honkai: Star Rail HoYoLAB account, HoYoverse news, the launcher notice, and the live in-game announcement. A dedicated maintenance notice is stronger evidence than a fan calendar or projected roadmap.
Does pity reset when a new HSR version starts?
No. Pity and guarantee carry between banners of the same type. Read the HSR pity guide for the difference between limited character, Light Cone, and standard Warp counters.
Should I trust leaks when planning for the next patch?
Use leaks only as unconfirmed context. Avoid spending or narrow pre-farming until official notices confirm the character, material, banner, or maintenance detail that your plan depends on.
What should I finish before an HSR update?
Check event timers, claim earned rewards, review Nameless Honor, record pity and guarantee, spend Trailblaze Power before maintenance, and pre-download after the official client notice appears.
Final planning rule: use official dates for deadlines, the live game for account-specific timers, and the six-week rhythm only as a rough forecast. Recheck the roadmap after each new maintenance notice because useful schedule guidance must change when the official dates change.
