Microsoft has released cumulative update KB5124061 (Build 26220.9343) for Windows 11 version 25H2, intended for insiders on the Beta channel. The update contains numerous interface improvements, increased stability of system components, and new system recovery capabilities. Among the key changes are a redesigned AutoPlay dialog, improved personalization performance, expanded networking capabilities in the Windows Recovery Environment, and a new cloud system rebuild mechanism. The update also affects File Explorer, Magnifier, the emoji panel, and fonts.
- AutoPlay. The AutoPlay dialog, which offers to choose an action when connecting a phone, camera, or removable drive, has been rewritten using WinUI. It has become consistent with the rest of the Windows interface, supports dark theme, and retains the familiar set of actions. The dialog adapts more neatly to text scaling and screen settings, and its notifications now remain in the notification center — they can be returned to later.
- Personalization. Stability of the “Settings > Personalization > Background” page has been improved. Support for DIB images as desktop wallpapers has been added. Desktop slideshow has become more reliable on newly created accounts. Thumbnail resolution when selecting a background in “Personalization > Background” has been improved. Display of wallpaper preview in “Settings” on portrait-oriented monitors has been fixed. Stability of wallpaper change processing has been improved if it occurs several times in a row. Slideshow now works with multiple desktops: the system no longer switches the background back to a single image. Fixed a bug from the previous build that caused wallpapers to turn black after every reboot for some insiders.
- Windows Recovery Environment. The Recovery Environment (WinRE) has learned to connect to Wi-Fi profiles saved in the system, including supported networks with certificate-based authentication. Previously, it only automatically connected to a wired network without authorization or to a Wi-Fi access point pre-configured separately for WinRE, while passwords for other WPA2 and WPA3 networks had to be entered manually. Now, if a recovery scenario requires internet access, the environment will use data from an already saved profile. This applies to quick machine recovery and cloud system rebuild: neither the user nor the administrator will have to pre-enter Wi-Fi credentials in WinRE. The feature is enabled by default, and administrators can disable it.
- Cloud rebuild. A new way to return the computer to a known working state by fully reinstalling Windows, even when the system does not boot. Unlike the “Reset this PC” feature, cloud rebuild downloads both the Windows image and the drivers for the specific device from Update Center: no installation flash drive, no custom image, and no working current system are required. The rebuild is launched from the recovery environment — Troubleshoot > Recovery and uninstall > Cloud rebuild (menu item names may differ in localized builds). You can connect to the network directly in WinRE, via cable or Wi-Fi. Before starting, the system shows which build, edition, and language of Windows will be installed, and warns about data loss.
- File Explorer. The address bar understands paths with double backslashes and in quotes — for example, C:\Users\user and "C:\Users\user". The dropdown list of suggestions in the address bar now closes immediately after selecting an item. Fixed repeated text selection when renaming files and folders in the content area. Names changed only by letter case are immediately displayed in the folder — both for local files and for cloud files. Keyboard navigation through File Explorer context menus in pop-up panels has been improved. The File Explorer Home page remembers the state of sections — whether they are expanded or collapsed — and opens in the same state as it was left.
- Camera roll backup. New entry points for setting up camera roll backup have appeared in “Settings > Home” and “Settings > Accounts” — photos and videos from the phone are automatically saved to OneDrive.
- Magnifier. The Magnifier toolbar has received an updated design: icons have been brought to the Windows 11 style, and padding and spacing have been aligned. The tool’s behavior has not changed — viewing modes, zoom control, keyboard shortcuts, and read aloud work as before.
- Emoji. Support for Emoji 17.0 set has been added. New symbols include a distorted face, a fight cloud, and a hairy creature. The emoji panel can be opened with Win + . (period). Some existing emoji have also been redrawn — for consistency with other platforms.
- Fonts. Unicode has encoded two African scripts: Garay — in version 16.0, released in September 2024, and Beria Erfe — in version 17.0 from September 2025. Ebrima became the first Microsoft font to support both scripts. The Adlam font has also been refined: glyphs have been brought to the current Unicode standard and have become more consistent.
- Print management. The updated print management interface has been temporarily removed from insider builds — Microsoft is refining it based on feedback. The previous print management tools remain in place and work as before. The company plans to return the new interface version in one of the future builds.
You can install the update through Windows Update. To do this, go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates. A computer restart is required to complete the installation. The update is available only to insiders on the Beta channel.
| Feature / Change | Performance Impact | Optimization | PC Speed | Gaming Optimization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AutoPlay dialog rewritten with WinUI | 🟢 Slight improvement (faster UI rendering) | 🟢 Modernized, consistent with Windows 11 | 🟢 Marginal (less legacy code) | ⚪ No impact |
| Personalization background stability improvements | 🟡 Minor improvement (fewer crashes) | 🟢 Better wallpaper/slideshow handling | 🟡 Slight (smoother background changes) | ⚪ No impact |
| DIB image support as desktop wallpaper | 🟡 Slight improvement (faster decoding) | 🟢 Extended format support | 🟡 Marginal | ⚪ No impact |
| Desktop slideshow reliability on new accounts | 🟢 Improved (less background switching lag) | 🟢 More stable multi-desktop handling | 🟡 Slight | ⚪ No impact |
| Fixed black wallpaper after reboot | 🟢 Removed visual glitch overhead | 🟢 Stability fix | 🟡 Marginal | ⚪ No impact |
| WinRE Wi-Fi profile support | 🟡 Slight improvement (faster recovery) | 🟢 Automated network connection | 🟢 Faster recovery scenarios | ⚪ No impact |
| Cloud rebuild feature | 🟡 Neutral (depends on network) | 🟢 Streamlined system reinstall | 🟡 Variable (download-heavy) | ⚪ No impact |
| File Explorer path parsing improvements | 🟢 Minor improvement (faster navigation) | 🟢 Better input handling | 🟡 Marginal | ⚪ No impact |
| File Explorer Home section state memory | 🟡 Slight improvement (less re-rendering) | 🟢 Smoother UX | 🟡 Marginal | ⚪ No impact |
| Magnifier toolbar redesign | 🟡 Neutral | 🟢 Cosmetic consistency | ⚪ No impact | ⚪ No impact |
| Emoji 17.0 support | ⚪ No impact | 🟡 Minor (font rendering) | ⚪ No impact | ⚪ No impact |
| New African scripts (Garay, Beria Erfe) | ⚪ No impact | 🟡 Font rendering optimization | ⚪ No impact | ⚪ No impact |
| Print management UI temporarily removed | 🟡 Neutral (reverted to stable version) | 🟡 Rollback for refinement | ⚪ No impact | ⚪ No impact |
Find and Change Settings
| Setting | Where to find | How to change |
|---|---|---|
| AutoPlay | Settings > Bluetooth & devices > AutoPlay | Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > AutoPlay. Use the toggle to turn AutoPlay on or off. Choose a default action for removable drives, memory cards, phones, or cameras from the dropdown menus. The redesigned dialog supports dark theme and text scaling automatically; its notifications stay in the notification center and can be opened later. |
| Personalization - Background | Settings > Personalization > Background | Go to Settings > Personalization > Background. Select Picture, Solid color, or Slideshow from the dropdown. To set a DIB image as wallpaper, choose Browse and select the file. For a slideshow with multiple desktops, pick a folder and set the change interval; the slideshow now works across desktops without reverting to a single image. Thumbnail previews and portrait monitor display are improved automatically. |
| Windows Recovery Environment Wi-Fi | Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup | The Recovery Environment now connects to saved Wi-Fi profiles automatically, including certificate-based networks. No manual action is needed for quick machine recovery or cloud rebuild. To disable this behavior, administrators can configure the relevant policy in Group Policy or Intune; end users can manage saved Wi-Fi profiles under Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks. |
| Cloud Rebuild | Recovery Environment > Troubleshoot > Recovery and uninstall > Cloud rebuild | Boot into the Recovery Environment via Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now. Select Troubleshoot > Recovery and uninstall > Cloud rebuild. Connect to a network using Wi-Fi or cable when prompted. Review the Windows build, edition, language, and data loss warning, then confirm to download a fresh Windows image and drivers from Update Center. |
| File Explorer Address Bar | File Explorer | Open File Explorer and click the address bar. Enter a path with double backslashes, such as C:\Users\user, or with quotes, such as "C:\Users\user", then press Enter. The suggestion dropdown closes immediately after selecting an item. Renaming files in the content area no longer repeats text selection, and case-only name changes now appear instantly. |
| Camera Roll Backup | Settings > Home / Settings > Accounts | Go to Settings > Home or Settings > Accounts. Select the camera roll backup entry point and sign in with your Microsoft account. Follow the prompts to automatically save photos and videos from your phone to OneDrive. You can turn the feature off later from the same location. |
| Magnifier Toolbar | Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier | Open Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier and turn on Magnifier. The toolbar now shows updated Windows 11-style icons with aligned spacing. Use the toolbar buttons to switch viewing modes, adjust zoom, or activate Read aloud. Keyboard shortcuts remain unchanged, such as Win + Plus to zoom in and Win + Esc to exit. |
| Emoji 17.0 | Emoji panel (Win + .) | Press Win + . (period) to open the emoji panel. New symbols from Emoji 17.0, such as a distorted face, a fight cloud, and a hairy creature, are available in the picker. No additional setting is required; existing emoji have also been redrawn for consistency. Use the search box or browse categories to insert them. |
| Fonts - Garay and Beria Erfe | Settings > Personalization > Fonts | Open Settings > Personalization > Fonts. The Ebrima font now includes support for Garay and Beria Erfe scripts automatically after updating. To use the scripts, select Ebrima in an application that supports font selection. The Adlam font glyphs have also been updated to the current Unicode standard without any extra configuration. |
| Print Management | Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners | The updated print management interface has been temporarily removed from insider builds. The previous print management tools remain available under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners and Control Panel > Devices and Printers. No action is needed; Microsoft will return the new interface in a future build. |
Official announcement on the Microsoft website.
The last 10 Windows updates:
| Update | Build | Version | Windows | Channel | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| KB5122880 | 22631.7582 | 23H2 | Windows 11 | Stable | 2026-09-08 |
| KB5122878 | 19045.7725 | 22H2 (ESU) | Windows 10 | Stable | 2026-09-08 |
| KB5124012 | 28000.2954 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Stable | 2026-09-08 |
| KB5124008 | 26300.9445 | 26H2 | Windows 11 | Stable | 2026-09-08 |
| KB5121157 | 28020.2818 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-08-31 |