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Microsoft released the optional Windows 11 preview cumulative update KB5101684 for versions 24H2 and 25H2, moving systems to builds 26100.8973 and 26200.8973 and delivering 42 fixes and feature changes ahead of the next Patch Tuesday rollout. Among the most notable security-related additions, the update extends Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) to external fingerprint readers, broadening biometric protection beyond devices with built-in sensors, and adds an option to uninstall the Image Generation AI model. Microsoft is distributing some of the new capabilities gradually through Controlled Feature Rollout, so availability may vary by device.
The release also fixes several enterprise-impacting Windows issues, including false invalid-credential errors during File History backups to SMB shares, MDM-enrolled devices incorrectly remaining marked as noncompliant after enrollment, and DFS mapped-drive files being mislabeled as files from the Internet. Additional changes include improved Windows Search, File Explorer updates, precision touchpad gesture controls, Voice Access enhancements such as speech filtering and Korean support, and revised update progress reporting; Microsoft said it is not aware of any known issues in KB5101684.
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Microsoft released the optional non-security preview cumulative update KB5101684 for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, advancing systems to builds 26100.8973 and 26200.8973. The release includes 42 fixes and feature improvements, including Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security support for external fingerprint readers, enhanced Windows Search, File Explorer changes, and touchpad gesture controls.
Microsoft's August 2026 Windows 11 security update is expected to ship on August 11 for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2. The update is described as adding features such as AI image model uninstall, Windows Hello ESS for external fingerprint sensors, and other usability changes, with rollout planned through Controlled Feature Rollout.
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Microsoft released the mandatory Windows 11 cumulative update **KB5101650** for versions **25H2** and **24H2**, alongside **KB5099414** for **23H2**, as part of its latest Patch Tuesday rollout. The update advances Windows 11 builds to **26200.8875** and **26100.8875** for 25H2 and 24H2 and includes fixes for **571 vulnerabilities**, with security-critical items such as continued **Secure Boot** certificate deployment delivered in the normal rollout phase. Microsoft said 25H2 and 24H2 receive the same package because both are based on 24H2, and no new known issues were acknowledged for the release. Beyond security fixes, KB5101650 adds and expands several user-facing and reliability improvements, including broader availability of **Point-in-time restore**, the new accessibility feature **Screen Tint**, quieter **Widgets**, and more flexible update pausing. Microsoft also addressed Bluetooth pairing and audio issues, including improvements for AirPods and call handling, while fixing problems affecting **File Explorer** performance, `explorer.exe` stability, Recycle Bin file naming, taskbar badges, networking in virtualized environments, **WSL** VPN connectivity, printing, **BITS** shutdown delays, and GIF support in the emoji panel after a switch from Tenor to **GIPHY**. The update is being distributed automatically through Windows Update and is also available as an offline `.msu` installer through the Microsoft Update Catalog.
Jul 17, 2026
Microsoft reported **over 1 billion monthly active Windows 11 users**, but user sentiment remains negative, with prominent complaints focused on **buggy updates**, perceived reliability regressions, and unwanted feature changes (including AI-related additions). Microsoft leadership publicly acknowledged the feedback and said the company will prioritize **performance, reliability, and overall user experience** improvements to rebuild trust. Microsoft also released the **KB5074105** optional *non-security* preview cumulative update for Windows 11 (24H2/25H2), positioned as an end-of-month quality update ahead of the next Patch Tuesday. KB5074105 includes dozens of changes and targets operational issues including **boot problems** (e.g., startup hangs when Windows Boot Manager debugging is enabled and iSCSI boot failures with `Inaccessible Boot Device`), **sign-in issues** (including `Explorer.exe` hanging on first login under certain startup-app configurations), and **activation/license migration failures** during upgrades when devices cannot register with the Windows Activation server; the update is available via Windows Update or manual download from the Microsoft Update Catalog.
Jun 29, 2026
Microsoft began rolling out **Windows 11 preview updates** for versions **25H2 and 24H2** (including the optional non-security preview update `KB5074105` and Release Preview builds `26200.7701`/`26100.7701`) focused on functionality, performance, and reliability improvements rather than patching new security vulnerabilities. The updates emphasize expanded **AI-driven experiences** (including refinements to Copilot+ PC-related models and more natural-language assistance within Settings), along with usability changes and a simplified Windows update title format intended to reduce administrative friction in tools like **WSUS** and **Microsoft Configuration Manager**. Alongside these feature updates, Microsoft highlighted an operational security risk: **Windows Secure Boot certificates** used by most Windows devices are expected to begin expiring in **June 2026**, and organizations that do not update Certificate Authority (CA) material in time may face devices that cannot boot securely. Separately, consumer guidance circulated on bypassing Windows 11 hardware eligibility checks (notably **TPM 2.0** requirements) to upgrade “unsupported” PCs; while this may extend device usability after Windows 10 support ended, it can also undermine Microsoft’s intended security baseline and increase enterprise risk if adopted outside controlled policy.
Jun 29, 2026