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Windows 11 23H2 Windows 11 23H2 Optional preview
Preview

KB5040527

KB5040527: Cumulative update for Windows 11, version 23H2, July 2024. File Explorer fixes and new taskbar keyboard controls

In short

Adds taskbar and Start menu features and fixes several File Explorer problems, including hangs and missing search results. It also includes fixes for Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education.

Does it affect you? Applies to: This preview is for Windows 11, version 23H2. Its listed improvements also apply to Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education editions.

Build
22631.3958
Restart
Required

What changes

Fixes 26 changes

File Explorer

Gradual rollout 9 items
  • Interacting with archive folders no longer causes a memory leak.1
  • File Explorer no longer stops responding while you browse.2
  • A first search from Home can return results.3
  • The address bar dropdown menu no longer appears unexpectedly.4
  • Saving a file to Gallery through the Save dialog saves it to the Pictures library instead of producing an error.5
  • The search box shows the correct folder name when you are in Gallery.6
  • The blank area at the top of File Explorer is fixed.7
  • The back and forward mouse buttons work when you hover over Recommended Files on Home.8
  • Images no longer flash while you view them in Gallery.9

Desktop icons

Gradual rollout
  • Icon spacing no longer becomes very wide.10

Bluetooth

Verified in package

For: Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • You can put calls on hold from Bluetooth peripherals again.11

FrameShutdownDelay

For: Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • The browser now honors the FrameShutdownDelay value.12
    The value is in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main.

Windows Server vNext

For: Windows Server vNext users

  • The cache size display in the latest build now behaves as expected.13

Group Policy Preferences Item Level Targeting (ILT) and Local Users and Groups

For: Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education administrators

  • In multiple-forest deployments with a one-way trust, you can choose groups from the target domain for ILT and accounts from Local Users and Groups.14
    The issue affected Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE), Hardened Forests (HF), and Privileged Access Management (PAM) deployments.

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCPIP)

For: Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • The issue causing high CPU use, packet loss, and lower TCP connection success rates is addressed.15

NetAdapterCx module

For: Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education devices with certain wireless network cards

  • A system no longer stops responding when large amounts of data travel over Wi-Fi on devices with certain wireless network cards.16

Universal Print clients

Verified in package

For: Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • Universal Print clients can communicate with the service again when Web Proxy Auto Discovery is turned on, restoring printing functions.17
    Web Proxy Auto Discovery (WPAD) is the condition identified for this issue.

Print Support App

For: Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education users of the app with a USB device

  • The app no longer stops responding or fails to print when used with a USB device, and its user interface functions are restored.18

Autopilot

For: Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education administrators provisioning Surface Laptop SE devices

  • Autopilot can provision Surface Laptop SE devices again.19

Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC)

2 items
  • A memory leak that could exhaust system memory over time during device provisioning is addressed.20
  • Some apps no longer fail when WDAC Application ID policies are applied.21

Windows Backup

For: Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education devices with an EFI system partition

  • Backup no longer sometimes fails on devices with an EFI system partition.22
    EFI means Extensible Firmware Interface.

Cache manager

For: Windows Server 2022 users with Hyperthreading

  • The cache manager issue that could make it stop responding is addressed on Windows Server 2022 when Hyperthreading is in use.23

Windows Update Agent API (WUA)

Verified in package

For: Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education users of Windows Update Agent APIs

  • Scripts can query Windows update properties without encountering the described empty results or error.24
    The issue affected IUpdate objects in IUpdateCollection when scripts called methods on the objects; the reported error was 0x8002802B (TYPE_E_ELEMENTNOTFOUND).

Windows Enterprise subscription

For: Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • Upgrading from Windows Professional to a Windows Enterprise subscription no longer has the described upgrade failure.25
    The issue showed an “Access denied error (error code 0x80070005)” in the LicenseAcquisition scheduled task.

PowerShell and VBScript

Verified in package

For: Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education users of PowerShell or VBScript

  • The issue blocking Windows Update Agent APIs in PowerShell and VBScript scripts is addressed.26

New features 4 changes

Notification for Windows Share in China

Gradual rollout Verified in package
  • For nearby sharing in China, Windows asks before turning on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if they are off.27

Start menu

Gradual rollout
  • You can drag an app from the Pinned section of Start and pin it to the taskbar.28

Taskbar

Gradual rollout
  • With the taskbar focused, you can press a letter to move to an app or window whose name starts with it. Home and End move focus to the first and last taskbar items.29
    Repeated letters cycle through matching apps only when multiple pinned or open apps have names starting with that letter. On an uncombined taskbar, the letter selects a matching window.

File Explorer

Gradual rollout
  • You can duplicate a File Explorer tab from its right-click menu.30

Improvements 3 changes

Taskbar

Gradual rollout Verified in package

For: people who enable End task

  • The End task option stops a task without first showing a not responding dialog.31
    The option is available only when End task is turned on in Settings > System > For Developers.

Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)

Verified in package

For: Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • The blocklist adds drivers at risk of being used in Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver attacks.32
    Adds drivers to DriverSiPolicy.p7b.

Servicing stack

  • The update includes servicing stack quality improvements to help devices receive and install Microsoft updates reliably.33
    The combined package includes servicing stack update KB5040568.

Known issues

  1. Resolved Affects: Everyone Resolved by KB5041585

    After installing the July 9, 2024, Windows security update, you might see a [BitLocker recovery](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/security/operating-system-security/data-protection/bitlocker/recov…

    After the July 9, 2024 Windows security update, some devices might show a BitLocker recovery screen at startup, especially when Device Encryption is enabled. KB5041585 resolves this issue.34

    Resolution Fixed in KB5041585

    Install KB5041585 (or a later cumulative update) on affected devices. No manual workaround is required after updating.

Technical details

Data sheet · Security · Downloads · Components Click to collapse or expand

Data sheet

Released
2024-07-25
Classification
Updates
Type
Cumulative update
Restart
Required
Replaces
KB5040442, KB5039302, KB5039212, KB5037853
+9 earlier KB5037771, KB5036980, KB5036893, KB5035942, KB5035853, KB5034848, KB5034765, KB5034204, KB5034123
Replaced by
KB5041585
VersionBuildChannel
23H2 22631.3958 General availability

Security

No vulnerabilities are listed for this update.

Updated components

2,548 files changed since the previous update for the same versions.

Top changed componentsFiles
Settings40
Graphics and display29
File Explorer and shell26
Windows Update20
Audio19
Security and sign-in15
Hyper-V and virtualization12
Networking12
Emoji and input10
Kernel10
Secure Boot10
Bluetooth9

Verified in package: changed files confirm Bluetooth, Universal Print clients, Windows Update Agent API (WUA), PowerShell and VBScript, Notification for Windows Share in China, Taskbar, Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b).

Sources

Updated
Cited passages from Microsoft's official notes (34)
  1. 1. A memory leak occurs when you interact with archive folders. support.microsoft.com
  2. 2. File Explorer stops responding when you browse within it. support.microsoft.com
  3. 3. When you search from Home for the first time, you might not get any results. support.microsoft.com
  4. 4. The address bar dropdown menu might appear when you do not expect it. support.microsoft.com
  5. 5. When you use the Save dialog to save a file to Gallery, an error occurs. Because of this update, your file saves to the Pictures library instead. support.microsoft.com
  6. 6. The search box does not show the correct folder name when you are in Gallery. support.microsoft.com
  7. 7. A blank area shows at the top of File Explorer. support.microsoft.com
  8. 8. The back and forward mouse buttons do not work when you hover over the Recommended Files section of Home. support.microsoft.com
  9. 9. Images flash when you view them in the Gallery. support.microsoft.com
  10. 10. Spacing between them might become very wide. support.microsoft.com
  11. 11. You cannot put calls on hold from Bluetooth peripherals. support.microsoft.com
  12. 12. The browser ignores its value in the “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main” registry key. support.microsoft.com
  13. 13. In the latest build, the cache size display behavior is not what you expect. support.microsoft.com
  14. 14. You cannot choose a group from the target domain for ILT. Also, you cannot choose an account from Local Users and Groups. support.microsoft.com
  15. 15. The issue causes high CPU usage and loss of packets. It also affects TCP connection success rates. support.microsoft.com
  16. 16. A system stops responding when large amounts of data travel over Wi-Fi. This issue occurs on devices that have certain wireless network cards. support.microsoft.com
  17. 17. They fail to communicate with the Universal Print service. This affects printing functions. This issue occurs when you turn on Web Proxy Auto Discovery (WPAD). support.microsoft.com
  18. 18. When you use the app with a USB device, the app stops responding and does not print. support.microsoft.com
  19. 19. Using it to provision Surface Laptop SE devices fails. support.microsoft.com
  20. 20. A memory leak occurs that might exhaust system memory as time goes by. This issue occurs when you provision a device. support.microsoft.com
  21. 21. When you apply WDAC Application ID policies, some apps might fail. support.microsoft.com
  22. 22. Backup sometimes fails. This occurs when a device has an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) system partition (ESP). support.microsoft.com
  23. 23. It might stop responding. This occurs when you use Hyperthreading on Windows Server 2022. support.microsoft.com
  24. 24. You might get an empty result when you query the properties of IUpdate objects in the IUpdateCollection for Windows updates. support.microsoft.com
  25. 25. When you upgrade from Windows Professional, the upgrade might fail. support.microsoft.com
  26. 26. The issue stops you from using Windows Update Agent (WUA) APIs in your scripts. support.microsoft.com
  27. 27. For nearby sharing to work, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth must be on. If they are off when you turn on nearby sharing, Windows will ask you to allow them to be turned on. support.microsoft.com
  28. 28. You can drag apps from the Pinned section of the menu and pin them to the taskbar. support.microsoft.com
  29. 29. When the taskbar has keyboard focus (WIN + T), you can press a letter, and you will go to the app whose name starts with that letter. support.microsoft.com
  30. 30. When you right-click a tab, you have the choice to duplicate it. support.microsoft.com
  31. 31. The End task option no longer shows a not responding dialog before it stops a task. support.microsoft.com
  32. 32. This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks. support.microsoft.com
  33. 33. This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. support.microsoft.com
  34. 34. This issue is addressed in KB5041585. support.microsoft.com
Checked automatically: 8 of 8 checks passed, 34 quoted passages · compared with Microsoft's page on Oct 20, 2026
  • Quotes found in the official pages: passed
  • Numbers found in the sources: passed
  • Vulnerabilities from the dossier only: passed
  • Links to allowed domains only: passed
  • Every official change covered: passed
  • Readable plain text: passed
  • Changes confirmed by the file list: passed
  • Sources agree: passed

A second AI read the text against the sources: correctness 5/5, clarity 4/5, completeness 5/5. How we work

Published by The Update Bureau. Written with AI from Microsoft's own documents, checked by rules and a second AI. How we work · Report a mistake