KB5089570

Microsoft has released a preview update KB5089570 (Build 28000.2173) for Windows 11, version 26H1. The update is delivered in two phases – gradual rollout and normal rollout. In gradual rollout, the update is delivered in parts, and features do not reach devices simultaneously – their availability depends on the specific device. Normal rollout is a broad release for all compatible devices at the same time, typically when reaching general availability (GA).

• Xbox Mode. New: Xbox Mode has become available on PCs with Windows 11, including laptops, desktops, and tablets. Inspired by the Xbox console interface, the mode offers a simplified full-screen interface that brings games to the foreground and minimizes background distractions. Xbox Mode is designed for scenarios where you want to lean back in your chair, pick up a gamepad, and focus on the game. You can enter Xbox Mode from the Xbox app, from Game Bar settings, or by pressing Windows + F11.
• File Explorer: new archive formats and fixes. New: the list of archive formats that File Explorer can work with has been expanded – uu, cpio, xar, and NuGet Packages (nupkg) have been added. Change: View and Sort settings are now saved in Downloads, Documents, and similar folders when applications open File Explorer directly into them. Fixed: eliminated the white flash that could appear when opening This PC or when resizing the Details pane in dark theme. Improvement: increased reliability of terminating the relevant explorer.exe processes after closing File Explorer windows.
• Haptic feedback for compatible input devices. New: haptic feedback is supported on compatible input devices for certain actions – for example, when aligning objects in PowerPoint, snapping or resizing windows. Haptic signals are turned on and off in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mouse, touchpad, or pen > Haptic signals. Supported devices include Surface Slim Pen 2, ASUS Pen 3.0, and MSI Pen 2 with haptic feedback. Support for additional devices, including specific mouse models such as Logitech MX Master 4, will arrive as updates are released by manufacturers.
• Voice input on the touch keyboard. New: voice input on the touch keyboard now looks simpler and more intuitive. The full-screen overlay has been removed, and voice input animations are displayed directly on the dictation key.
• Arabic 101 Legacy keyboard layout. New: the Arabic 101 Legacy keyboard layout has been added. You can add it when selecting an Arabic keyboard in Time & language > Language & region. The layout is intended for those who prefer the older version that was used before the AltGr changes.
• Drop Tray (formerly Drag Tray). New: Drag Tray has been renamed to Drop Tray. Its settings have been moved from the Nearby sharing section to Settings > System > Multitasking. Drop Tray uses a more compact representation on hover – this reduces the chance of accidental opening and makes it easier to close when working near the top of the screen.
• Agents on the taskbar with progress display. New: Windows adds a new way to track agent work from the taskbar. The feature is supported by both Microsoft and third-party agents, and the first adapter was Researcher in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. When Researcher works on a report, Windows shows progress on the taskbar. Hovering over the Microsoft 365 Copilot icon displays real-time progress. When the report is ready, Windows sends a notification – clicking the notification or icon returns to the app to view the results. Developers can learn about the API in the Windows.UI.Shell.Tasks API documentation.
• Enterprise State Roaming (ESR) via Windows Backup for Organizations. New: ESR can now be managed through Windows Backup for Organizations policies, simplifying configuration for IT administrators.
• Dynamic removal of preinstalled Microsoft apps by policy. New: support has been added for a dynamic removal list of apps for the Remove Default Microsoft Store packages policy in Windows Enterprise and Education editions. Administrators can remove additional MSIX/APPX format applications by specifying their package names via Group Policy. The dynamic list is not yet available in the Intune Settings Catalog – configuration is only possible through Group Policy or custom OMA-URI.
• New icon for Windows Protected Print Mode. New: a new icon has been added in print settings, showing printer support for Windows Protected Print Mode.
• Changed trust principle for cross-signed drivers. New: the trust principle of the Windows kernel for third-party drivers has been changed. Trust for cross-signed drivers is disabled by default, while drivers that have passed the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) and drivers from the trusted legacy drivers list are still allowed. Windows audits driver compatibility for at least 100 hours and three reboots before enabling enforcement. After activation, a small number of cross-signed drivers may be blocked.
• Secure batch file handling (LockBatchFilesWhenInUse). New: administrators and Application Control for Business policy authors now have additional control over the handling of batch files and command-line scripts (CMD). Administrators can enable a more secure processing mode where batch files cannot be changed during execution. To activate, add a registry parameter: registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor, parameter name LockBatchFilesWhenInUse, type DWORD, value 0 (disabled) or 1 (enabled). Policy authors can also enable this mode through the LockBatchFilesWhenInUse application manifest control element.
• Microsoft Store error fixes. Fixed: reduced the number of unexpected errors when downloading and installing apps from the Microsoft Store, including errors 0x80070057, 0x80240008, and 0x80073d28.
• Leelawadee UI font improvements. Improvement: improvements have been made to the Leelawadee UI font family for Thai, Lao, Khmer, and Lontara scripts – improved glyph sequence, positioning, and rendering.
• Improved driver compatibility with the audio service. Improvement: increased compatibility of third-party drivers with midisrv.exe.
• System tray loading reliability. Improvement: increased reliability of loading the taskbar system tray area.
• Windows Hello reliability. Improvement: increased reliability of Windows Hello (face recognition). Improvement: improved preservation of Windows Hello (fingerprint) during system updates.
• Faster storage details viewing and increased FAT32 limit. Improvement: faster viewing of storage details for large volumes in Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Disks & volumes. Change: increased the limit for formatting FAT32 volumes from the command line – from 32 GB to 2 TB.
• RAM usage optimization in Delivery Optimization. Improvement: optimized RAM usage – reduced the likelihood of unexpected large memory consumption.
• Color profile reliability for monitors. Improvement: increased reliability of saving and accessibility of color profile parameters for supported monitors.
• Simplified kiosk mode configuration with Microsoft Edge. Change: simplified configuration of allowed packaged applications in kiosk mode when Microsoft Edge is among those allowed.
• Faster startup of auto-start applications. Improvement: faster startup of auto-start applications after system startup (the list is available in Settings > Apps > Startup).
• Improved overall reliability of explorer.exe. Improvement: changes have been made to improve the reliability of explorer.exe – during login, interaction with the taskbar menu and Task View, unpinning items from Quick Access in File Explorer, and in other scenarios.

Installation via Windows Update: go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates. A system restart is required to complete the installation. After updating, the Windows 11, version 26H1 build number will change to 28000.2173.

How the new features work:

Xbox Mode. Activated via Xbox app, Game Bar or Win+F11, it replaces the desktop with a full‑screen gaming shell similar to a console. The system temporarily suppresses background notifications and processes, switches input priority to the gamepad, minimizes latency and GPU load for seamless game launch from a sandbox.

File Explorer: new archive formats and fixes. Explorer now uses libarchive to handle uu, cpio, xar and nupkg. View and Sort settings are stored in a per‑folder ShellBag file even when opened directly by apps. Fixed white flash by correcting dark‑theme rendering; explorer.exe termination now more strictly kills child threads.

Haptic feedback for compatible input devices. When dragging windows or aligning objects, the compatible device driver receives signals via the haptic feedback API. The system sends short vibration commands with intensity and duration, which the device interprets as tactile pulses. Settings in Bluetooth & devices.

Voice input on the touch keyboard. The microphone on the touch keyboard activates the local Windows speech recognition module without a full‑screen overlay. Animations appear directly on the dictation key, while transcription runs in the background via SpeechRuntime.exe, not blocking other windows or input.

Arabic 101 Legacy keyboard layout. Added layout that mimics the old keyboard driver behaviour before AltGr changes. It uses different scan codes for right‑Alt combinations, crucial for legacy application compatibility and user muscle memory. Enabled via Time & language > Language & region.

Drop Tray (formerly Drag Tray). The temporary file‑holding mechanism when dragging now activates by hovering on the top screen edge and shows a compact panel. Logic moved from Nearby sharing to Multitasking, reducing false triggers and making it easier to close without covering the desktop area.

Agents on the taskbar with progress display. Third‑party apps via Windows.UI.Shell.Tasks API can send long‑task status (progress, text) to the OS. Windows renders an indicator right on the app's taskbar button using standard TaskbarProgress elements. Hover shows a tooltip, completion triggers a system notification.

Enterprise State Roaming (ESR) via Windows Backup for Organizations. ESR through Windows Backup for Organizations policies lets IT admins centrally manage user settings sync (passwords, language, themes) between Entra ID‑joined devices, replacing the old ESR Group Policy mechanism.

Dynamic removal of preinstalled Microsoft apps by policy. Admin specifies a list of package names (MSIX/APPX) to remove via Group Policy. Windows dynamically removes them upon policy application, without waiting for sysprep. Not yet available in Intune – only via GPO or OMA‑URI with package family name attributes.

New icon for Windows Protected Print Mode. In print dialogs, the system checks if the printer driver supports Protected Print Mode (Mopria‑compatible drivers only). If yes, it shows a new icon (shield with printer), visually informing the user that printing uses ippsampledriver.dll without vulnerable classic drivers.

Changed trust principle for cross‑signed drivers. Windows kernel now blocks cross‑signed drivers (signed by a third‑party root) by default, except those passing WHCP or on the trusted legacy list. Enforcement activates after ~100 hours of monitoring and 3 reboots.

Secure batch file handling (LockBatchFilesWhenInUse). When enabled via registry (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor with LockBatchFilesWhenInUse=1), cmd.exe opens .bat/.cmd with an exclusive lock. Any modification attempt during execution fails with "file in use" error.

Microsoft Store error fixes. Fixed error codes: 0x80070057 (invalid parameter) – installation path validation reworked; 0x80240008 – licensing timeout fixed; 0x80073d28 – package version conflict during update resolved.

Leelawadee UI font improvements. Font engine updated: improved glyph rendering for Thai, Lao, Khmer and Lontara via OpenType features (sequence, positioning). Fixed incorrect metrics and kerning at small sizes for screen display.

Improved driver compatibility with the audio service. MIDI driver side‑threads now use isolated memory pools and asynchronous calls to midisrv.exe, not blocking the main service loop, reducing conflicts with non‑standard driver implementations.

System tray loading reliability. Improved initialization order: Explorer now waits for replies from system notification icons (Volume, Network) and re‑requests them via ITrayNotification on timeout, instead of skipping icons permanently.

Windows Hello reliability. Face recognition: increased frame capture timeout and improved infrared distortion handling. Fingerprint: TPM sandbox with templates is preserved during updates, not reset after sensor driver update.

Faster storage details viewing and increased FAT32 limit. fsutil and Get-Volume now use cached NTFS/exFAT metadata for fast display of volumes >1 TB. format command: FAT32 limit raised programmatically from 32 GB to 2 TB (Windows mounts such volumes as FAT32).

RAM usage optimization in Delivery Optimization. Delivery Optimization (DO) now dynamically limits its RAM cache to 10% of free memory using MemoryResourceNotification. Under memory pressure, DO flushes hash fragments and metadata to disk instead of keeping them in RAM.

Color profile reliability for monitors. Color Management (WCS) service now saves ICC profiles to a separate protected folder and verifies their checksums. When a monitor is connected, the profile is applied via SetDeviceGammaRamp before the graphical session starts, preventing reset.

Simplified kiosk mode configuration with Microsoft Edge. In kiosk mode configuration (via Assigned Access), Edge no longer requires a complex XML manifest. The policy auto‑generates AppUserModelID to launch Edge in an isolated shell with InPrivate support, blocking the address bar.

Faster startup of auto‑start applications. Task Scheduler and Userinit service now launch startup apps in SmartScreen rating order: "clean" apps start in parallel (up to 3 simultaneously), reducing sequential delay per exe initialization.

Improved overall reliability of explorer.exe. Fixed handle leaks in CTaskBand thread during fast Task View clicks and resolved a race in CFSIcon::Unpin when unpinning from Quick Access, reducing explorer crash frequency.

The last 10 Windows updates: