KB5101681

Microsoft has released the preliminary update KB5101681 (Build 28000.2605) for Windows 11, version 26H1. The update is intended for devices with ARM64 architecture processors (Snapdragon), as well as for PCs with x64 processors (Intel and AMD). KB5101681 includes new features that are gradually rolling out to compatible devices, and standard quality improvements available to all users immediately after installation.

• Update pause calendar. A calendar has appeared in Settings > Windows Update, allowing you to pause updates by selecting a specific pause end date within 35 days. The pause can be extended by choosing another date, and updates can be paused repeatedly as needed.
• Quiet and focused widgets interface. Widgets no longer open on hover. Notifications and taskbar icons are minimized by default. The widgets board opens on first use. Settings can be changed via the navigation pane options. Board icons show the number of notifications, and counters automatically reset when leaving the board. Some default settings are preserved based on usage, others have been adjusted to reduce interruptions. Widgets reliability, responsiveness, and visual quality have been improved.
• Screen tint. A full-screen color overlay helps reduce eye strain and improve readability. You can choose one of the preset tints, adjust the intensity, or set up automatic activation. The feature is located in Settings > Accessibility.
• Screen magnifier. You can now enter the zoom percentage directly and change it with a defined step in the magnifier window for more precise and flexible control. The screen magnifier settings menu allows you to change the zoom step directly from the magnifier panel, without going to Windows settings each time.
• Quick actions in File Explorer. When hovering over a file on the File Explorer Home page, quick actions such as Open file location and Ask Copilot are displayed. This capability is now supported for work and school accounts (Entra ID).
• File Explorer improvements. File Explorer launch speed and performance have been improved. Responsiveness when mounting disk images has been improved. The address bar now supports paths with double backslash and quotes, improving compatibility with a wider range of input values. The address bar suggestion dropdown has become more reliable and closes consistently after selecting an item. Fixed an issue on the Home page where OneDrive files could be duplicated in the Favorites section. When renaming files and folders, fixed an issue where text was re-selected and an issue where changing only the case in the name did not immediately appear for items stored locally or in the cloud.
• Bluetooth microphone mute synchronization. Windows now synchronizes the microphone mute state between the volume mixer and the Hands-Free Profile (HFP) for more consistent operation of Bluetooth headsets with mute buttons or indicators.
• Bluetooth accessories compatibility. Improved compatibility with specific Bluetooth audio devices: AirPods appear faster in pairing mode, improved microphone reliability on Beats Studio Pro headphones.
• Bluetooth audio transmission stability. Improved overall Windows stability with certain PC manufacturer drivers (error 0x9F). Improved voice call reliability when using Classic Audio devices with Hands-Free Profile (HFP). Reduced time to audio playback start on LE Audio accessories when using the microphone.
• Bluetooth device management. Windows no longer shows the Remove failed message when trying to remove Bluetooth devices if the Bluetooth adapter is unavailable or was replaced after pairing. Improved Bluetooth & devices page stability for smoother and more predictable operation.
• Bluetooth connection reliability and speed. Reduced reconnection time for classic Bluetooth audio devices after Windows resumes from hibernation. Improved handling of LE Audio accessory disconnection, such as when another device (phone) connects. Improved LE Audio streaming reliability after connection drop and re-establishment.
• Audio routing for calls via connected phone. For an outgoing call dialed from a paired phone, audio stays on the phone during dial tones and switches to the PC only after the call is answered on the PC. When Do not disturb mode is enabled in Windows, the incoming call sound from the paired phone no longer plays on the PC.
• Voice access and voice typing in new languages. Voice access and voice typing are now available in French, German, and Spanish. During dictation, the computer improves text in real time: correcting grammar, punctuation, and recognition errors, improving clarity even with background noise. Dictation becomes smoother, and the need for manual corrections is reduced.
• Audio improvements. Improved built-in HD Audio driver reliability.
• Taskbar improvements. Improved reliability of opening the Start menu when clicking the left edge of the taskbar when icons are left-aligned.
• Network improvements for virtualized environments. Confidential Virtual Machines (CVM) now use SR-IOV hardware acceleration by default to increase network throughput. Fixed a network configuration issue in Hyper-V nested virtualization, ensuring reliable virtual machine network deployment.
• Windows network stack reliability. Reduced the number of critical errors (blue screens) related to Wi-Fi power. Improved cellular connectivity (WWAN), including IPv6 VPN support. Improved compatibility with third-party VPN software and SR-IOV configurations on server hardware. Network adapter settings and bindings are now preserved during OS upgrades.
• IPP protocol printing. New printer installations use the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) by default when supported, simplifying setup and increasing reliability.
• WSL improvements. Improved Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) operation in mirrored network mode with VPN.
• Display and graphics improvements. Improved content rendering reliability when scrolling in certain applications stretched across multiple monitors. Improved reliability and consistency of color profile application.
• Location settings. When location services are disabled, settings like Default location and Allow location override are grayed out to avoid confusion about when they apply.
• Search improvements. Improved reliability of applying group policies related to search.
• Right-click zone size setting. In Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad, you can configure the right-click zone size: Default, Small, Medium, or Large. The setting is available only on touchpads with a pressable surface. If the manufacturer provides the setting through their own app, Custom option is displayed.
• Handwriting input. Improved recognition of English characters when handwriting in Japanese.
• General performance. Reduced shutdown time of the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) when shutting down the PC.
• General stability. Improved explorer.exe reliability. Fixed issues on sign-in and lock screens related to third-party credential providers. Reduced the likelihood of taskbar icons appearing as empty gray placeholders. Improved transition to Home in File Explorer during OneDrive synchronization. Improved explorer.exe reliability when switching between desktops, improved app launch with shell extensions, and improved acrylic blur effects reliability in the Start menu, Settings, and lock screen.
• Applications. Fixed an issue where some installers and applications could show unexpected User Account Control (UAC) prompts after installing KB5089549.
• Remote Desktop. Updated the design of the dialog window when enabling Remote Desktop in Settings > System > Remote Desktop.
• Graphics kernel. Improved memory management policy, allowing PCs with more than 32 GB of RAM to run larger local AI models.

The standard deployment also includes the following improvements and fixes:

• Start menu. Improved reliability of saving Start menu view settings — the selected view is now preserved. Improved keyboard navigation when focus is set on the app list in the Start menu.
• Voice typing. The Fluid dictation feature is now disabled by default for new users. A training tooltip is displayed when the feature is first used.
• Screen magnifier on touch screens. The horizontal and vertical touch bars used for panning the magnified area are now disabled by default and no longer overlap the magnified content. If you use touch panning, the bars can be re-enabled in Settings > Accessibility > Screen magnifier.
• Windows Hello. Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) now supports external fingerprint scanners. Secure sign-in becomes available not only on devices with built-in scanners, but also on desktop computers and other Windows 11 PCs, including Copilot+ PCs. To get started, connect a supported fingerprint scanner with ESS, open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, and follow the instructions to enroll.
• Fonts. Restored support for Unicode variation sequences in the Myanmar Text font. Improved shaping and rendering of Mongolian Baiti font characters for more accurate and consistent text display.
• Account management. Updated the design of the account control in the Start menu, added an icon with subscription status. To open the control, open the Start menu and select your account picture in the lower-left corner. Available for users signed in with a Microsoft account.
• Taskbar. Improved reliability of taskbar notification area loading.
• AI component. You can now remove the Image Generation AI component on supported Copilot+ PCs where this component is installed.
• Windows Setup. During Windows installation, a parental control notification has been added with information about available family safety features.
• Power and battery. Changes to global power settings — display turn-off time, sleep and hibernation time, power and sleep button actions, and lid close actions — now apply to all power schemes. Improved power settings reliability: changes made in Settings apply to all power schemes, so settings are preserved consistently.
• Windows Update. Improved update progress calculation in Windows Update settings. Changed post-update cleanup logic to improve system performance immediately after update installation.
• System sounds. Improved system sounds when using Windows in dark mode.
• Date and time. Improved detection of conditions for showing time zone change notifications.
• Network. Improved DHCP lease renewal reliability in several scenarios, particularly when receiving NACK from the DHCP server and on Modern Standby devices.
• Printing. Improved printing speed (pages per minute) for IPPS (Internet Printing Protocol Secure) printers.
• Clipboard. Improved clipboard reliability in certain Remote Desktop and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) scenarios.
• Battery. Restored the ability to set the charge threshold at which battery saver turns on in Settings > System > Power & battery.
• General stability. Improved explorer.exe reliability, including when opening jump lists and recent files, when sending files and folders, and when using task view and multiple desktops. Improved Windows sign-in and lock screen reliability, especially when low on RAM. Also improved Start menu and taskbar reliability during system startup.

Feature availability depends on the device and market.

To install the update, go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates.

The last 10 Windows updates: