diff --git a/sdk/voicelive/azure-ai-voicelive/CHANGELOG.md b/sdk/voicelive/azure-ai-voicelive/CHANGELOG.md
index 0fad2280cadb..8b525b33b5f5 100644
--- a/sdk/voicelive/azure-ai-voicelive/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/sdk/voicelive/azure-ai-voicelive/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 
 ### Other Changes
 
+- Updated default API version to `2026-01-01-preview`.
+
 ## 1.2.0b4 (2026-02-12)
 
 ### Features Added
diff --git a/sdk/voicelive/azure-ai-voicelive/azure/ai/voicelive/aio/_patch.py b/sdk/voicelive/azure-ai-voicelive/azure/ai/voicelive/aio/_patch.py
index 4aec2f7ddda5..cc4c9b20db54 100644
--- a/sdk/voicelive/azure-ai-voicelive/azure/ai/voicelive/aio/_patch.py
+++ b/sdk/voicelive/azure-ai-voicelive/azure/ai/voicelive/aio/_patch.py
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ def __init__(
         *,
         credential: Union["AzureKeyCredential", "AsyncTokenCredential"],
         endpoint: str,
-        api_version: str = "2025-10-01",
+        api_version: str = "2026-01-01-preview",
         model: Optional[str] = None,
         agent_config: Optional[AgentSessionConfig] = None,
         extra_query: Mapping[str, Any],
@@ -874,7 +874,7 @@ def connect(
     *,
     credential: Union[AzureKeyCredential, AsyncTokenCredential],
     endpoint: str,
-    api_version: str = "2025-10-01",
+    api_version: str = "2026-01-01-preview",
     model: Optional[str] = None,
     agent_config: Optional[AgentSessionConfig] = None,
     query: Optional[Mapping[str, Any]] = None,
@@ -895,7 +895,7 @@ def connect(
     :paramtype type credential: ~azure.core.credentials.AzureKeyCredential or ~azure.core.credentials.AsyncTokenCredential
     :keyword endpoint: Service endpoint, e.g., ``https://<region>.api.cognitive.microsoft.com``.
     :paramtype type endpoint: str
-    :keyword api_version: The API version to use. Defaults to ``"2025-10-01"``.
+    :keyword api_version: The API version to use. Defaults to ``"2026-01-01-preview"``.
     :paramtype type api_version: str
     :keyword model: Model identifier to use for the session.
      In most scenarios, this parameter is required.
diff --git a/sdk/voicelive/azure-ai-voicelive/tests/test_unit_connection.py b/sdk/voicelive/azure-ai-voicelive/tests/test_unit_connection.py
index ae6d6d6cbd97..8232c3785255 100644
--- a/sdk/voicelive/azure-ai-voicelive/tests/test_unit_connection.py
+++ b/sdk/voicelive/azure-ai-voicelive/tests/test_unit_connection.py
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ def test_url_includes_api_version(self):
         manager = _VoiceLiveConnectionManager(
             credential=self.credential,
             endpoint="https://test.azure.com",
-            api_version="2025-10-01",
+            api_version="2026-01-01-preview",
             agent_config=agent_config,
             extra_query={},
             extra_headers={},
@@ -653,4 +653,4 @@ def test_url_includes_api_version(self):
 
         url = manager._prepare_url()
 
-        assert "api-version=2025-10-01" in url
+        assert "api-version=2026-01-01-preview" in url