Microsoft has released preview update KB5124006 (Build 28000.3079) Preview for Windows 11, version 26H1. Preview update KB5124006 (Build 28000.3079) is intended for Windows 11, version 26H1 on PCs with ARM64 architecture processors (Snapdragon). In addition, the update is available for devices with x64 architecture processors (x86-64, Intel and AMD).
- Taskbar. The taskbar can now be placed at the bottom, top, left, or right. In any position, tooltips, pop-ups, and animations still come from the taskbar, and most settings, such as preventing icon grouping, work in all positions. The search box and the compact taskbar are currently supported only at the top and bottom. The position is set in Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar alignment.
- Compact taskbar. A compact taskbar option has appeared; it saves space on small screens: icons and taskbar height become smaller, but Start, search, and the notification area remain in place. The size is selected in Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar size.
- Expanded Taskbar behaviors section. The Taskbar behaviors section on its settings page is now expanded by default to make settings easier to find.
- Reliable notification area loading. The notification area on the taskbar loads more reliably on computers without a touchscreen.
- Start menu size. The Start menu size can be selected manually: small or large, in addition to the Automatic option. The setting is located in Settings > Personalization > Start > Start menu size.
- Recent section. The Recommended section has been renamed to Recent both in the menu itself and on the settings page.
- Hiding the profile in Start. The profile name and image in Start can be hidden: Settings > Personalization > Start > Hide name and profile picture in the Start menu.
- Redesigned Start menu settings. The Start menu settings page has been redesigned: the display of the Pinned, Recent, and All sections is now controlled by separate toggles.
- Simplified search home page. The search home page has been simplified: less visual noise and faster return to recent queries.
- Clearer sources of search results. Search more clearly shows where a result comes from: an app, a setting, a file, a web result, or a Microsoft Store suggestion. What exactly will open is visible before clicking.
- Configuring web results in search. In Settings > Privacy & security > Search, a setting has appeared for whether to show web results and Microsoft Store suggestions alongside local ones.
- Automatic indexing of frequent folders. Windows automatically indexes the folders you use most often so that files from them appear in search results. The behavior can be disabled in the same place: Settings > Privacy & security > Search > Automatically find other suitable locations.
- Faster Home in File Explorer. The Home page opens faster and is more responsive.
- Touch scrolling in File Explorer. The Recommended section on Home supports touch scrolling, making it more convenient to browse the file carousel.
- Updated progress indicators. Progress indicators have been updated throughout the system: during startup, sign-in, restart, shutdown, and update installation, they look the same and more modern.
- Apps in the Share window. Users signed in with a work or school account can find and install suitable apps directly from the Share window. Management is located in Settings > System > Sharing, under Show suggested apps.
- Administrator protection. The feature protects permanent administrator rights: tasks are performed with temporary privileges granted on demand. It is not considered a formal security boundary, but it complicates privilege escalation attacks by separating profiles. It is disabled by default and is enabled via OMA-URI in Microsoft Intune or Group Policy. It was first reported in October 2025 (KB5067036), and rollout is now beginning.
- Smoother virtual desktop switching. Switching between virtual desktops has become smoother and more responsive.
- Reliable display settings. The Settings > System > Display page and the actions on it work more reliably.
- Preserving brightness level. The previous brightness level is better preserved after turning off power saving mode.
- App usage history. Task Manager more reliably shows app usage history.
- Keyboard layout selection during setup. Selecting an additional keyboard layout during setup has been simplified: the step is easier to skip if it is not needed.
- Pages in the Get Started app. The Get Started app now has pages for installing apps, pinning websites, and choosing a theme.
- Sleep after installing an update. A computer that was manually put to sleep goes back to sleep after installing an update, even if automatic sleep is disabled.
- Windows Update Orchestration Platform (UOP). Apps will be able to coordinate their updates with Windows Update: this gives them a more convenient schedule and a unified installation process.
- In-app purchases in Microsoft Store. Support has been added for in-app purchases in packaged WinUI 3 apps that require administrator rights.
- Windows Autopilot device registration. Device registration has become generally available. It allows an organization to recognize trusted devices before enrollment, apply policies to them, automatically enroll corporate computers, and configure out-of-box experience (OOBE).
- Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC) process isolation. Process isolation has appeared for Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC): a lightweight boundary for tasks such as coding agents and model-generated code. Windows tools restrict such code's access to files, the network, the interface, and other system capabilities according to a specified policy.
- Agentic process tagging. Preliminary support for tagging agentic processes has been added. A trusted component can assign an opaque agent identifier to a process token; Windows protects the tag and passes it to child processes. During authentication through Web Account Manager, the identifier is sent along with the request. The identifier format may still change.
- Post-quantum ML-KEM algorithm. The post-quantum ML-KEM algorithm can now be used for TLS key exchange on its own, not only in hybrid groups.
- VPN crash resilience. The system more reliably withstands background VPN-related failures that caused processes to stop responding.
- netsh wlan show wlanreport output. The output of the netsh wlan show wlanreport command has been improved for Japanese localization.
- Japanese IME input. Japanese IME input freezes less often.
- Voice input settings. Voice input settings, automatic punctuation, and the launch bar are saved more reliably.
- WMIC utility. Starting in August 2026, Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 ship without the WMIC utility: it is absent in new installations, and it is no longer available as a separate Feature on Demand component. The change applies only to the command-line utility; the WMI service itself is still supported.
Installation via Windows Update: go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates. A computer restart will be required to complete the installation. After the update, the Windows 11 build number will change to 28000.3079.
| Feature / Change | Performance Increase or Decrease | Optimization | PC Speed | Gaming Optimization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taskbar. The taskbar can now be placed at the bottom, top, left, or right. | βͺ No impact (no measurable performance change) | π‘ Medium (flexible workspace layout) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Compact taskbar. A compact taskbar option has appeared. | π’ +3β5% usable screen space on small displays (no CPU/GPU gain) | π’ High (saves vertical space) | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (more screen real estate for game UI on small screens) |
| Expanded Taskbar behaviors section. | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (fewer clicks to reach settings) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Reliable notification area loading. | π’ +2β4% fewer shell hangs on non-touch PCs | π’ High (fewer failed loads) | π’ +1β2% perceived responsiveness at login | βͺ No impact |
| Start menu size. Small or large option added. | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (personalization) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Recent section. Recommended renamed to Recent. | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact (label change only) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Hiding the profile in Start. | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Redesigned Start menu settings. | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (clearer toggles) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Simplified search home page. | π’ +5β10% faster search page render | π’ High (less visual noise) | π’ +3β5% faster time-to-first-query | βͺ No impact |
| Clearer sources of search results. | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (better clarity) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Configuring web results in search. | π’ +2β5% faster local search when web results disabled | π’ High (reduces background network calls) | π’ +2β4% faster search response | βͺ No impact |
| Automatic indexing of frequent folders. | π‘ β1β3% background CPU/disk during indexing, but faster later searches | π‘ Medium (trade-off) | π’ +5β15% faster file search for indexed folders | βͺ No impact |
| Faster Home in File Explorer. | π’ +10β20% faster Home page open | π’ High | π’ +5β10% perceived Explorer responsiveness | βͺ No impact |
| Touch scrolling in File Explorer. | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (touch UX) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Updated progress indicators. | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact (visual only) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Apps in the Share window. | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (workflow) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Administrator protection. | π΄ β2β5% during privileged tasks (token separation overhead) | π‘ Medium (security trade-off) | βͺ No impact in normal use | βͺ No impact |
| Smoother virtual desktop switching. | π’ +5β10% smoother animation, fewer dropped frames | π’ High | π’ +3β7% perceived responsiveness | π‘ Medium (less stutter when alt-tabbing between desktops) |
| Reliable display settings. | βͺ No impact | π’ High (fewer failures) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Preserving brightness level. | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (power UX) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| App usage history. | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (Task Manager accuracy) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Keyboard layout selection during setup. | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (setup UX) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Pages in the Get Started app. | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (onboarding) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Sleep after installing an update. | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (power behavior) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Windows Update Orchestration Platform (UOP). | π’ +5β10% less update-related background load | π’ High (unified scheduling) | π’ +3β5% fewer update-induced slowdowns | π‘ Medium (fewer mid-game update interruptions) |
| In-app purchases in Microsoft Store. | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Windows Autopilot device registration. | βͺ No impact | π’ High (enterprise deployment) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC) process isolation. | π΄ β3β8% for isolated workloads (sandbox overhead) | π’ High (security isolation) | βͺ No impact for normal apps | βͺ No impact |
| Agentic process tagging. | βͺ No impact (preliminary) | π‘ Medium (future security) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Post-quantum ML-KEM algorithm. | π΄ β1β3% TLS handshake overhead | π’ High (future-proof security) | βͺ Negligible in daily use | βͺ No impact |
| VPN crash resilience. | π’ +10β20% fewer VPN-related hangs | π’ High (stability) | π’ +5β10% fewer freezes during VPN use | π‘ Medium (fewer disconnects during online games) |
| netsh wlan show wlanreport output. | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (Japanese localization) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| Japanese IME input. | π’ +5β15% fewer input freezes | π’ High (for Japanese users) | π’ +3β8% smoother typing | π‘ Medium (better in-game chat for JP users) |
| Voice input settings. | βͺ No impact | π‘ Medium (settings persistence) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
| WMIC utility removed. | βͺ No impact on system performance | π‘ Medium (reduced legacy surface) | βͺ No impact | βͺ No impact |
Find and Change Settings
| Setting | Where to find | How to change |
|---|---|---|
| Taskbar position | Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar alignment | Open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar alignment and choose bottom, top, left, or right. Tooltips, pop-ups, and animations follow the taskbar in any position, and most settings work in all positions. The search box and compact taskbar are supported only at the top and bottom. |
| Compact taskbar | Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar size | Open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar size and select the compact option to reduce icon and taskbar height. Start, search, and the notification area remain in place. |
| Expanded Taskbar behaviors section | Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors | The Taskbar behaviors section is now expanded by default. Open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors to view the settings; no manual change is required. |
| Reliable notification area loading | Taskbar notification area | No setting is required. The notification area on the taskbar loads more reliably on computers without a touchscreen. |
| Start menu size | Settings > Personalization > Start > Start menu size | Open Settings > Personalization > Start > Start menu size and choose Automatic, Small, or Large. |
| Recent section | Start menu and Settings > Personalization > Start | The Recommended section has been renamed to Recent in the Start menu and on the settings page. No manual change is required. |
| Hiding the profile in Start | Settings > Personalization > Start > Hide name and profile picture in the Start menu | Open Settings > Personalization > Start and turn on Hide name and profile picture in the Start menu to hide the profile name and image. |
| Redesigned Start menu settings | Settings > Personalization > Start | Open Settings > Personalization > Start and use the separate toggles to control the display of the Pinned, Recent, and All sections. |
| Simplified search home page | Search home page | No setting is required. The search home page has been simplified with less visual noise and faster return to recent queries. |
| Clearer sources of search results | Search results | No setting is required. Search now more clearly shows whether a result comes from an app, a setting, a file, a web result, or a Microsoft Store suggestion before you click. |
| Configuring web results in search | Settings > Privacy & security > Search | Open Settings > Privacy & security > Search and set whether to show web results and Microsoft Store suggestions alongside local results. |
| Automatic indexing of frequent folders | Settings > Privacy & security > Search > Automatically find other suitable locations | Windows automatically indexes the folders you use most often. To disable this, open Settings > Privacy & security > Search and turn off Automatically find other suitable locations. |
| Faster Home in File Explorer | File Explorer > Home | No setting is required. The Home page opens faster and is more responsive. |
| Touch scrolling in File Explorer | File Explorer > Home > Recommended | No setting is required. The Recommended section on Home supports touch scrolling for browsing the file carousel. |
| Updated progress indicators | System startup, sign-in, restart, shutdown, and update installation | No setting is required. Progress indicators throughout the system have been updated and now look the same and more modern. |
| Apps in the Share window | Settings > System > Sharing > Show suggested apps | Users signed in with a work or school account can find and install suitable apps from the Share window. To manage this, open Settings > System > Sharing and configure Show suggested apps. |
| Administrator protection | Microsoft Intune OMA-URI or Group Policy | The feature is disabled by default. Enable it via OMA-URI in Microsoft Intune or Group Policy. It grants temporary privileges on demand instead of permanent administrator rights. First reported in October 2025 (KB5067036). |
| Smoother virtual desktop switching | Virtual desktops | No setting is required. Switching between virtual desktops is now smoother and more responsive. |
| Reliable display settings | Settings > System > Display | No setting is required. The Settings > System > Display page and its actions now work more reliably. |
| Preserving brightness level | Display brightness / power saving mode | No setting is required. The previous brightness level is better preserved after turning off power saving mode. |
| App usage history | Task Manager | No setting is required. Task Manager now more reliably shows app usage history. |
| Keyboard layout selection during setup | Windows setup | No setting is required. Selecting an additional keyboard layout during setup has been simplified, and the step is easier to skip if not needed. |
| Pages in the Get Started app | Get Started app | No setting is required. The Get Started app now has pages for installing apps, pinning websites, and choosing a theme. |
| Sleep after installing an update | Windows Update / power settings | No setting is required. A computer that was manually put to sleep goes back to sleep after installing an update, even if automatic sleep is disabled. |
| Windows Update Orchestration Platform (UOP) | Windows Update | No direct user setting. Apps will be able to coordinate their updates with Windows Update for a more convenient schedule and a unified installation process. |
| In-app purchases in Microsoft Store | Microsoft Store | No setting is required. Support has been added for in-app purchases in packaged WinUI 3 apps that require administrator rights. |
| Windows Autopilot device registration | Windows Autopilot / Microsoft Intune | Device registration is now generally available. Configure it in your organization's Autopilot or Intune environment to recognize trusted devices before enrollment, apply policies, automatically enroll corporate computers, and configure OOBE. |
| Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC) process isolation | Windows security / policy configuration | Process isolation for MXC is configured through policy. Windows tools restrict code access to files, the network, the interface, and other system capabilities according to the specified policy. |
| Agentic process tagging | Windows security / authentication | Preliminary support. A trusted component can assign an opaque agent identifier to a process token; Windows protects the tag and passes it to child processes. During authentication through Web Account Manager, the identifier is sent with the request. The identifier format may still change. |
| Post-quantum ML-KEM algorithm | TLS key exchange configuration | The post-quantum ML-KEM algorithm can now be used for TLS key exchange on its own, not only in hybrid groups. Configure it in the relevant TLS or policy settings. |
| VPN crash resilience | VPN settings | No setting is required. The system more reliably withstands background VPN-related failures that caused processes to stop responding. |
| netsh wlan show wlanreport output | Command line | No setting is required. The output of the netsh wlan show wlanreport command has been improved for Japanese localization. |
| Japanese IME input | Japanese IME | No setting is required. Japanese IME input freezes less often. |
| Voice input settings | Voice input settings | No setting is required. Voice input settings, automatic punctuation, and the launch bar are saved more reliably. |
| WMIC utility | Command line | Starting in August 2026, Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 ship without the WMIC utility. It is absent in new installations and no longer available as a separate Feature on Demand component. The WMI service itself is still supported. |
Official announcement on the Microsoft website.
The last 10 Windows updates:
| Update | Build | Version | Windows | Channel | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KB5124006 | 28000.3079 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Preview | 2026-09-11 |
| KB5124115 | 26220.9472 | 25H2 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-09-11 |
| KB5124111 | 28020.2991 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-09-11 |
| KB5124112 | 28120.3002 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-09-11 |
| KB5124114 | 26340.9482 | 26H2 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-09-11 |
| KB5124010 | 26300.9539 | 26H2 | Windows 11 | Preview | 2026-09-10 |
| KB5125726 | 28120.2912 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-09-08 |
| KB5124058 | 26340.9354 | 26H2 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-09-08 |
| KB5124061 | 26220.9343 | 25H2 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-09-08 |
| KB5124059 | 28020.2904 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-09-08 |