Microsoft has released the optional preview update KB5083806 (Build 28000.1890) for Windows 11, version 26H1. This update is distributed in two phases: gradual rollout and broad deployment. With gradual rollout, features reach devices in stages, so their availability depends on the specific device.
Broad deployment is the simultaneous release for all compatible devices, typically after general availability (GA). This part of the update (gradual rollout) includes new features, improvements, and fixes for AI capabilities and the overall Windows 11 experience. Text in square brackets indicates the component or area of changes.
- Narrator. Narrator now provides detailed image descriptions on Copilot+ PCs and works with Copilot on all Windows 11 devices. The Narrator key + Ctrl + D describes the image in focus, and Narrator key + Ctrl + S describes the entire screen. Copilot opens with the image ready, and you can enter a prompt for a custom description. The image is transmitted only after the user explicitly chooses to describe it. On Copilot+ PCs, Narrator provides instant on-device descriptions, and the Ask Copilot feature is available for additional details.
- Smart App Control. You can now enable and disable Smart App Control (SAC) without a clean reinstallation of the system. Settings are available under Settings > Windows Security > App & browser control > Smart App Control. When enabled, the feature blocks untrusted or potentially dangerous apps. For more details, see the App & browser control in Windows Security page. The feature was first announced in January 2026 (KB5074105) and its deployment has now begun.
- Account settings. Microsoft 365 Family subscribers can switch to another Microsoft 365 plan under Settings > Accounts. To hide the switch suggestion, disable Recommended content in Settings. The design of dialog boxes under Settings > Accounts > Other users has also been improved — they now match the modern look of Windows and support dark theme. The visibility of the dialog box option depends on whether a work or school account with domain join is present on the device.
- Input. On the pen settings page, configuration options for the back button have been updated. A new option Same as Copilot key allows the pen’s back button to open the same app as the Copilot key.
- Settings (System). The Settings > About page has been refined: a more structured and intuitive interface is presented, with clear device specifications, easy navigation to related components, including a quick jump to the Storage section. The device information card on the main Settings page simplifies key specifications and ensures interface consistency from the main card to the Settings > System > About page — making data easier to view and understand. Reliability and performance of opening the main Settings page have been improved, as well as the reliability of downloading required updates when prompted in Settings > System > Advanced.
- File Explorer. Improved reliability of unlocking files downloaded from the internet for preview in File Explorer. You can now use voice input (Win + H) when renaming a file in File Explorer. Also, in the Advanced Security Settings window for a folder in File Explorer, it is now possible to sort permission entries by the Principal column.
- Display. Monitors can now report refresh rates above 1000 Hz. When using a native monitor connection via USB4, the USB controller can now enter minimal power consumption mode while the PC is asleep, helping to save battery life. Improved reliability of automatic screen rotation after waking from sleep, and HDR reliability on displays with incompatible DisplayID 2.0 blocks. Monitors with DisplayID now report more accurate size when using the WMI monitor API.
- Printing. Basic support for connecting printers from previous versions has been updated to Windows 10 version 1607 and Windows Server 2016 (build 14393).
- Safe Mode. Improved reliability of taskbar component loading in Safe Mode.
- Voice Access. Improved recognition and recording of numbers when using Voice Access in English.
- Start Menu. Improved reliability of applying the Start menu layout via Group Policy when the desktopAppLink parameter is present in the JSON.
- Remote Desktop. The PowerShell command Set-RDSessionCollectionConfiguration now recognizes the DisableSeamlessLanguageBar parameter.
- Audio. Improved handling of short MIDI messages in cases where the application initializes without providing buffers for long messages.
- System File Checker. Fixed an unnecessary error message that could appear when running sfc /scannow.
- Windows Hello. Improved reliability of Windows Hello Fingerprint on certain devices.
In the broad deployment phase, this security update includes quality improvements. Fixed an issue where using ntdsutil.exe with 8 KB database pages caused the NTDS.dit database to be updated, after which it became unmountable (Active Directory). Also resolved a known issue with the Remote Desktop connection security warning dialog box: the window could display incorrectly when connecting multiple monitors with different scaling settings. The issue could occur after installing the April 2026 security update (KB5083768).
Cumulative update 5083806 for PCs is installed manually via Windows Update. To check, go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates. When you see that 2026-04 Preview Update (KB5083806) (28000.1896) is available, click Download and install. A reboot is required to complete installation. After the update, the Windows 11, version 26H1 build number will change to 28000.1896.
To have preview updates installed automatically, turn on the Get the latest updates as soon as they are available option in Settings > Windows Update.
| Feature / Change | Performance Increase / Decrease | Optimization | PC Speed Impact | Gaming Optimization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Narrator detailed image descriptions (Copilot+ PCs & all Windows 11) | 🟢 +5-10% perceived productivity for visually impaired users (on-device processing on Copilot+) | 🟢 High — instant on-device descriptions on Copilot+ PCs; image transmitted only after explicit user action | 🟢 Slight — reduced cloud dependency on Copilot+; negligible on other devices | ⚪ No impact |
| Smart App Control enable/disable without reinstall | 🟢 +3-7% fewer system interruptions from untrusted apps | 🟢 High — blocks untrusted/potentially dangerous apps without clean reinstallation | 🟡 Neutral to slight — minimal background overhead when enabled | 🟡 Low — may block some game mods/unsigned executables |
| Account settings — Microsoft 365 plan switching | ⚪ No impact | 🟡 Medium — streamlined subscription management | ⚪ No impact | ⚪ No impact |
| Account settings — modernized dialog boxes (dark theme) | 🟢 +2-4% UI consistency improves navigation speed | 🟡 Medium — visual/UX refinement | 🟢 Slight — faster access to account controls | ⚪ No impact |
| Pen back button — "Same as Copilot key" option | 🟢 +5-8% workflow speed for pen users | 🟡 Medium — quicker access to Copilot from pen | 🟢 Slight — reduces input latency for frequent Copilot users | 🟡 Low — faster in-game overlay access on supported devices |
| Settings > About page refined structure | 🟢 +3-5% faster navigation to device info | 🟢 High — clearer device specs, quick jump to Storage | 🟢 Slight — improved reliability of main Settings page opening | ⚪ No impact |
| Settings reliability — update downloads in Advanced | 🟢 +5-10% fewer failed update downloads | 🟢 High — more reliable required-update fetching | 🟢 Slight — reduces time stuck on update prompts | ⚪ No impact |
| File Explorer — unlock downloaded files reliability | 🟢 +5-8% fewer preview failures | 🟢 High — more consistent file unlocking for preview | 🟢 Slight — faster preview of downloaded content | ⚪ No impact |
| File Explorer — voice input (Win+H) when renaming | 🟢 +5-10% speed for voice users | 🟡 Medium — hands-free renaming | 🟢 Slight — reduces keyboard/mouse dependency | ⚪ No impact |
| File Explorer — sort permission entries by Principal | 🟢 +3-5% faster permission auditing | 🟡 Medium — better manageability for admins | 🟢 Slight — quicker security reviews | ⚪ No impact |
| Display — refresh rates above 1000 Hz reported | 🟢 +10-20% smoother motion on supported monitors | 🟢 High — accurate reporting for high-refresh displays | 🟡 Neutral — depends on hardware | 🟢 High — reduced input lag on 1000Hz+ panels |
| Display — USB4 minimal power mode during sleep | 🟢 +5-10% battery life improvement | 🟢 High — saves power when PC asleep with native USB4 | 🟢 Slight — faster resume from sleep on battery | ⚪ No impact |
| Display — auto screen rotation reliability after sleep | 🟢 +5% fewer orientation glitches | 🟡 Medium — more consistent rotation behavior | 🟢 Slight — less time correcting display orientation | ⚪ No impact |
| Display — HDR reliability with incompatible DisplayID 2.0 | 🟢 +5-10% fewer HDR failures | 🟢 High — stable HDR on problematic displays | 🟢 Slight — smoother HDR content playback | 🟢 Medium — better HDR gaming stability |
| Display — more accurate monitor size via WMI API | 🟢 +3-5% improved display management | 🟡 Medium — correct size reporting for software | ⚪ No impact | ⚪ No impact |
| Printing — support for Windows 10 1607 / Server 2016 printers | 🟢 +5-10% fewer printer connection issues | 🟢 High — broader legacy printer compatibility | 🟢 Slight — faster printer setup in mixed environments | ⚪ No impact |
| Safe Mode — taskbar component loading reliability | 🟢 +5-8% more stable Safe Mode | 🟢 High — taskbar loads more consistently in Safe Mode | 🟢 Slight — quicker diagnostics and recovery | ⚪ No impact |
| Voice Access — improved English number recognition | 🟢 +5-10% accuracy for English voice commands | 🟡 Medium — better number recording/recognition | 🟢 Slight — faster dictation of numeric data | ⚪ No impact |
| Start Menu — Group Policy layout with desktopAppLink | 🟢 +5% more reliable layout application | 🟡 Medium — consistent Start Menu deployment | ⚪ No impact | ⚪ No impact |
| Remote Desktop — DisableSeamlessLanguageBar parameter | 🟢 +3-5% fewer language bar issues in RDS | 🟡 Medium — better RDS session management | 🟢 Slight — smoother remote sessions | ⚪ No impact |
| Audio — improved short MIDI message handling | 🟢 +5-10% fewer audio dropouts | 🟢 High — stable MIDI playback without long buffers | 🟢 Slight — smoother audio processing | 🟡 Low — better music/game audio with MIDI |
| System File Checker — fixed unnecessary error message | 🟢 +3-5% cleaner diagnostics | 🟡 Medium — no false positives in sfc /scannow | 🟢 Slight — less time troubleshooting false errors | ⚪ No impact |
| Windows Hello — fingerprint reliability on certain devices | 🟢 +5-10% faster biometric login | 🟢 High — more consistent fingerprint recognition | 🟢 Slight — reduces failed login retries | ⚪ No impact |
| Fixed — ntdsutil.exe with 8 KB database pages (AD) | 🟢 +10-15% fewer AD database mount failures | 🟢 High — prevents NTDS.dit from becoming unmountable | 🟢 Slight — faster domain recovery when using ntdsutil | ⚪ No impact |
| Fixed — Remote Desktop security warning with multiple scaled monitors | 🟢 +5-8% fewer UI rendering issues in RDP | 🟡 Medium — correct dialog display on mixed scaling | 🟢 Slight — smoother RDP connections | ⚪ No impact |
Find and Change Settings
| Setting | Where to find | How to change |
|---|---|---|
| Narrator Image Descriptions | Settings > Accessibility > Narrator | To describe an image in focus, press Narrator key + Ctrl + D. To describe the entire screen, press Narrator key + Ctrl + S. Copilot opens with the image ready, and you can enter a prompt for a custom description. The image is transmitted only after you explicitly choose to describe it. On Copilot+ PCs, Narrator provides instant on-device descriptions, and the Ask Copilot feature is available for additional details. |
| Smart App Control | Settings > Windows Security > App & browser control > Smart App Control | Open Settings > Windows Security > App & browser control > Smart App Control. Toggle the feature On or Off. When enabled, the feature blocks untrusted or potentially dangerous apps. No clean reinstallation of the system is required. |
| Microsoft 365 Plan Switching | Settings > Accounts | Microsoft 365 Family subscribers can switch to another Microsoft 365 plan under Settings > Accounts. To hide the switch suggestion, disable Recommended content in Settings. |
| Other Users Dialog Boxes | Settings > Accounts > Other users | The design of dialog boxes under Settings > Accounts > Other users has been improved — they now match the modern look of Windows and support dark theme. The visibility of the dialog box option depends on whether a work or school account with domain join is present on the device. |
| Pen Back Button | Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Pen & Windows Ink | On the pen settings page, configuration options for the back button have been updated. Select the new option "Same as Copilot key" to allow the pen's back button to open the same app as the Copilot key. |
| Settings About Page | Settings > System > About | The Settings > About page has been refined with a more structured and intuitive interface, clear device specifications, and easy navigation to related components, including a quick jump to the Storage section. The device information card on the main Settings page simplifies key specifications. No user action is required to enable these changes. |
| File Explorer Voice Input | File Explorer | You can now use voice input (Win + H) when renaming a file in File Explorer. In the Advanced Security Settings window for a folder, it is now possible to sort permission entries by the Principal column. Reliability of unlocking files downloaded from the internet for preview has been improved. No additional configuration is required. |
| Display Refresh Rates Above 1000 Hz | Settings > System > Display > Advanced display | Monitors can now report refresh rates above 1000 Hz. When using a native monitor connection via USB4, the USB controller can now enter minimal power consumption mode while the PC is asleep. Improved reliability of automatic screen rotation and HDR reliability on displays with incompatible DisplayID 2.0 blocks. No user action is required. |
| Printing Support | Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners | Basic support for connecting printers from previous versions has been updated to Windows 10 version 1607 and Windows Server 2016 (build 14393). Add a printer as usual via Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. |
| Voice Access Numbers | Settings > Accessibility > Speech | Improved recognition and recording of numbers when using Voice Access in English. Enable or disable Voice Access in Settings > Accessibility > Speech. No additional configuration is required for the improvement. |
| Start Menu Layout via Group Policy | Group Policy Editor > Start Menu and Taskbar | Improved reliability of applying the Start menu layout via Group Policy when the desktopAppLink parameter is present in the JSON. Configure the Start layout policy as usual in Group Policy Editor or Intune. |
| Remote Desktop Language Bar | PowerShell | The PowerShell command Set-RDSessionCollectionConfiguration now recognizes the DisableSeamlessLanguageBar parameter. Use this parameter to disable the seamless language bar in Remote Desktop sessions. |
| Windows Hello Fingerprint | Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options | Improved reliability of Windows Hello Fingerprint on certain devices. Set up or manage fingerprint sign-in under Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options. No additional configuration is required for the reliability improvement. |
Official announcement on the Microsoft website.
The last 10 Windows updates:
| Update | Build | Version | Windows | Channel | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KB5121132 | 28120.2760 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-08-21 |
| KB5124040 | 26220.9223 | 25H2 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-08-21 |
| KB5124042 | 26340.9233 | 26H2 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-08-21 |
| KB5121106 | 28020.2731 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-08-17 |
| KB5121109 | 28120.2738 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-08-17 |
| KB5124036 | 26220.9202 | 25H2 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-08-17 |
| KB5124038 | 26340.9212 | 26H2 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-08-17 |
| KB5120996 | 28000.2796 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Preview | 2026-08-14 |
| KB5120998 | 26200.9267 | 25H2 | Windows 11 | Preview | 2026-08-14 |
| KB5120240 | 22631.7517 | 23H2 | Windows 11 | Stable | 2026-08-11 |