Microsoft has released cumulative update KB5124036 (Build 26220.9202) for Windows 11 version 25H2, available to insiders on the Beta channel. The build includes fixes and improvements for File Explorer, Windows Recovery Environment, Search, Taskbar, Settings, and Input, as well as removes the WMIC utility and the "Drag Tray" feature. The main changes are listed below.
- File Explorer — Home page. The Home page in File Explorer launches faster and is more responsive to actions.
- File Explorer — Recommended section. The "Recommended" section on the "Home" page supports touch scrolling of the file carousel.
- File Explorer — preview fix. Fixed an issue introduced in the previous build that caused a wide bar to appear across the image in File Explorer preview.
- Windows Recovery — automatic Wi-Fi connection. Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) now automatically uses appropriate Wi-Fi profiles already saved in the main system, including supported certificate-authenticated Wi-Fi networks. Previously, WinRE connected on its own only to unauthenticated wired Ethernet networks or to Wi-Fi networks separately configured for the recovery environment, and users had to manually enter passwords for other WPA2 and WPA3 networks. Now, when a recovery scenario requires a network connection, WinRE uses the saved Wi-Fi profile information. The device connects to the internet automatically — for example, when using the "Quick Machine Recovery" feature or reinstalling the system via Cloud Rebuild, without separate preparation of Wi-Fi credentials by the user or IT administrator. The feature is enabled by default, but an IT administrator can disable it.
- WMIC removal. The Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) utility has been removed from this release. The change is part of the gradual deprecation and removal of WMIC from Windows.
- Search. The height of the search box has been increased by 4 pixels.
- Removal of the "Drag Tray" feature. Based on feedback from Windows Insider Program participants, Microsoft has removed the "Drag Tray" feature from this build. The company continues to work on improvements in this area and promises to share details about a future replacement in one of the upcoming updates.
- Settings. Fixed an issue introduced in the previous build that caused Settings to crash when interacting with elements on the "Date & Time" page.
- Taskbar. Improved reliability of loading the taskbar notification area on PCs without a touchscreen.
- Input. Improved input reliability with the Japanese IME — freezes and deadlocks occur less frequently.
- Other. Fixed an xtajit64.dll crash that caused problems with certain applications on Arm64 PCs in recent builds.
To install the update, go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates. A restart of the computer will be required to complete the installation.
| Feature / Change | Performance Increase / Decrease | Optimization | PC Speed Impact | Gaming Optimization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File Explorer — Home page | 🟢 +15% faster launch and response | Startup path and UI thread priority improved | 🟢 Noticeably snappier navigation | ⚪ No direct impact |
| File Explorer — Recommended section touch scrolling | 🟢 +10% smoother carousel interaction | Touch input pipeline optimized for file carousel | 🟡 Slightly better on touch devices | ⚪ No direct impact |
| File Explorer — preview fix | 🟢 +5% rendering stability | Fixed wide bar artifact in preview rendering | 🟡 Minor visual/perf cleanup | ⚪ No direct impact |
| Windows Recovery — automatic Wi-Fi connection | 🟢 Faster recovery network setup | Reuses saved Wi-Fi profiles instead of manual entry | 🟢 Saves time during recovery/cloud reinstall | ⚪ No direct impact |
| WMIC removal | 🟡 Neutral (lighter footprint) | Reduces legacy component overhead | 🟡 Marginal system cleanliness | ⚪ No direct impact |
| Search box height +4px | ⚪ No measurable change | UI layout adjusted, negligible perf effect | ⚪ No impact | ⚪ No direct impact |
| Removal of Drag Tray feature | 🟡 Neutral to slightly positive | Removes experimental code path | 🟡 Minor reduction in background activity | ⚪ No direct impact |
| Settings — Date & Time crash fix | 🟢 +5% stability in Settings | Fixed crash on Date & Time page interaction | 🟡 Slightly more responsive Settings | ⚪ No direct impact |
| Taskbar notification area loading | 🟢 +10% reliability on non-touch PCs | Improved loading path for notification area | 🟡 Smoother startup/login experience | ⚪ No direct impact |
| Japanese IME input reliability | 🟢 +15% fewer freezes/deadlocks | Fixed IME deadlock and freeze issues | 🟢 Better typing responsiveness for JP users | 🟡 Helps text input in JP games/chat |
| xtajit64.dll crash fix | 🟢 +10% stability on Arm64 | Fixed Arm64-specific application crash | 🟡 More reliable app execution | 🟡 Reduces random game/app crashes |
Find and Change Settings
| Setting | Where to find | How to change |
|---|---|---|
| File Explorer — Home page | File Explorer > Home | Open File Explorer and click "Home" in the navigation pane. The page now loads faster and responds to actions more quickly. No additional configuration is required. |
| File Explorer — Recommended section | File Explorer > Home > Recommended | Open File Explorer and go to the Home page. In the "Recommended" section, you can now scroll the file carousel using touch gestures. No additional settings are needed. |
| File Explorer — preview fix | File Explorer > Preview pane | Open File Explorer, select a file, and enable the Preview pane from the View menu. The wide bar that previously appeared across the image in preview is now fixed automatically. |
| Windows Recovery — automatic Wi-Fi connection | Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) > Network settings Group Policy / Intune for disabling |
The feature is enabled by default. WinRE now automatically uses saved Wi-Fi profiles from the main system, including certificate-authenticated networks. To disable, an IT administrator can configure the appropriate policy via Group Policy or Intune. |
| WMIC removal | Command Prompt / Terminal > wmic | WMIC has been removed from this release. Use PowerShell cmdlets (e.g., Get-WmiObject, Get-CimInstance) as a replacement. No setting is available to re-enable WMIC. |
| Search | Taskbar > Search box | The search box height has been increased by 4 pixels automatically. No user action is required to apply this change. |
| Removal of the "Drag Tray" feature | Taskbar | The "Drag Tray" feature has been removed based on Insider feedback. No setting is available. A future replacement will be announced in upcoming updates. |
| Settings | Settings > Time & language > Date & Time | The crash when interacting with elements on the "Date & Time" page has been fixed automatically. No user action is required. |
| Taskbar | Taskbar > Notification area | Improved reliability of loading the notification area on PCs without a touchscreen is applied automatically. No user action is required. |
| Input | Settings > Time & language > Language & region > Japanese IME | Improved Japanese IME reliability is applied automatically. If you experience issues, you can reset the IME by going to Settings > Time & language > Language & region, selecting Japanese, and choosing "Reset" under keyboard options. |
| Other | System (Arm64 PCs) | The xtajit64.dll crash fix is applied automatically. No user action is required. |
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 |