KB5124006

Microsoft has released preview update KB5124006 (Build 28000.3086) Preview for Windows 11, version 26H1. Preview update KB5124006 (Build 28000.3086) 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 28000.3086.

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