Skip to the content
The Update Bureau
Windows 11 23H2 Windows 11 23H2 Optional preview
Preview

KB5041587

KB5041587: Cumulative update for Windows 11, version 23H2, August 2024. Android sharing and File Explorer fixes; Linux dual-boot issue noted

In short

Adds Android sharing from Windows Share and fixes several File Explorer problems. A separate Linux dual-boot issue is linked to the August 2024 Windows security update’s SBAT setting.

Does it affect you? Applies to: This preview applies to Windows 11 version 23H2 and to version 22H2 Enterprise and Education editions. Version 22H2 Home and Pro do not receive non-security preview updates.

Build
22631.4112
Restart
Required
Review notes Additional details from the official release notes (2) Read notes
  • In detail KB5027397 is used to upgrade to Windows 11 version 23H2; the page does not list it as a prerequisite for installing KB5041587.
  • What to do Microsoft lists this preview as unavailable through the Business channel. Its changes will be included in the next security update to Windows Update for Business.

The official sources are linked at the end of the page.

What changes

Fixes 13 changes

File Explorer

Gradual rollout Verified in package 6 items
  • When you open File Explorer with Windows logo key + E, a screen reader no longer incorrectly reports that a pane has focus, and focus is set.1
  • Search starts when you press Ctrl + F.2
  • Keyboard focus no longer gets lost when you press Shift + Tab.3
  • Screen readers announce when you open or browse items in the breadcrumb of the Open or Save dialog.4
  • Screen readers announce when you open or browse items in the column header.5
  • The navigation pane updates when you browse folders in a shell namespace extension.11

Input Method Editor (IME)

For: Windows 11 23H2; 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • Closing a window no longer causes a memory leak when a combo box has input focus.6

Bluetooth

Verified in package

For: Windows 11 23H2; 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • External devices keep their connection when certain Bluetooth policies are deployed.7

Bind Filter Driver

For: Windows 11 23H2; 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • The system no longer stops responding when it accesses symbolic links.8

Unified Write Filter (UWF) and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)

For: Windows 11 23H2; 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • An SCCM task to re-enable UWF no longer fails because of a deadlock, so the device can restart as expected.9

Hibernate stop error

For: Windows 11 23H2; 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • A laptop no longer stops responding after resuming from hibernate after the lid has been closed and opened many times.10

Microsoft Entra single sign-on (SSO)

For: Windows 11 23H2; 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • When you authenticate using a certificate, the European Digital Markets Act notice no longer prompts too often.12

BitLocker

For: Windows 11 23H2; 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • You can decrypt a BitLocker data drive moved from a newer version of Windows to an older version.13

Improvements 7 changes

Narrator

Gradual rollout

For: Narrator users

  • Narrator scan mode responds faster, especially when you read large documents in Microsoft Edge.14
    Turn on Narrator with Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter. During a Narrator session, press Caps lock + Spacebar to turn on scan mode.

Voice access

Gradual rollout

For: Voice access users

  • Voice access lets you dictate spelled characters faster and gives you more editing options for selecting, deleting, and moving through text.15

Widgets Board

Gradual rollout 3 items
  • The Widgets Board gets a security and API update for users in EEA regions, laying the groundwork for new widgets and features.16
    The update improves security and the APIs for creating widgets and feeds.
  • Microsoft Start Experiences powers the Microsoft Start widget and feed experiences.17
  • Other existing widgets are modified, which temporarily affects their functionality.18

Country and Operator Settings Asset

Verified in package

For: Windows 11 23H2; 22H2 Enterprise and Education

  • Mobile operator profiles are brought up to date for certain operators.19
    Updates COSA profiles for certain mobile operators.

Servicing stack

  • The component that installs Windows updates gets quality improvements to help devices receive and install Microsoft updates.20
    The combined package includes servicing stack update KB5041586.

New feature 1 change

Windows Share

Gradual rollout

For: Devices paired with an Android device

  • You can share content from Windows to a paired Android device.21
    Pair the Android device with the PC using Link to Windows on Android and Phone Link on the PC.

Removal 1 change

Widgets Board

Gradual rollout

For: Users in EEA regions

  • Some existing widgets are removed as part of the Widgets Board update.22

Known issues

  1. Open Affects: Everyone

    After installing this security update, you might face issues with booting Linux if you have enabled the dual-boot setup for Windows and Linux in your device.

    Some devices set up to dual-boot Windows and Linux might fail to boot Linux after the August 2024 Windows security update. The error can report “Verifying shim SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation.” Microsoft says the security update applied an SBAT setting when some customized dual-boot setups were not detected.23

    How to apply the workaround Workaround

    Install the September 2024 Windows security update or a later update. Dual-boot systems need no additional steps afterward; Windows-only systems can set the registry key documented in the linked CVE articles.23

    Step-by-step workaround instructions
    2 steps
    Show steps Hide steps
    Step-by-step procedure
    1. Install the September 2024 Windows security update or a later update.
    2. On Windows-only systems, set the registry key documented in the CVE-2022-2601 and CVE-2023-40547 articles.

Technical details

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

Data sheet

Released
2024-08-27
Classification
Updates
Type
Cumulative update
Restart
Required
Replaces
KB5041585, KB5040527, KB5040442, KB5039302
+11 earlier KB5039212, KB5037853, KB5037771, KB5036980, KB5036893, KB5035942, KB5035853, KB5034848, KB5034765, KB5034204, KB5034123
Replaced by
KB5043076
VersionBuildChannel
23H2 22631.4112 General availability

Security

No vulnerabilities are listed for this update.

Updated components

2,282 files changed since the previous update for the same versions.

Top changed componentsFiles
Settings35
File Explorer and shell26
Graphics and display22
Security and sign-in16
Bluetooth15
Windows Update13
Secure Boot12
Hyper-V and virtualization11
Emoji and input10
Audio9
Networking7
Remote Desktop6

Verified in package: changed files confirm File Explorer, Bluetooth, Country and Operator Settings Asset.

Sources

Updated
Cited passages from Microsoft's official notes (23)
  1. 1. When you press Windows logo key + E, a screen reader might say a pane has focus, or the focus might not be set at all. support.microsoft.com
  2. 2. When you press Ctrl + F, sometimes the search does not start. support.microsoft.com
  3. 3. Keyboard focus sometimes might get lost when you press Shift + Tab. support.microsoft.com
  4. 4. Screen readers do not announce when you open or browse items that are in a breadcrumb of the Open or Save dialog. support.microsoft.com
  5. 5. Screen readers do not announce when you open or browse items in the column header. support.microsoft.com
  6. 6. When a combo box has input focus, a memory leak might occur when you close that window. support.microsoft.com
  7. 7. External devices lose their connection when you deploy certain Bluetooth policies. support.microsoft.com
  8. 8. Your system might stop responding when it accesses symbolic links. support.microsoft.com
  9. 9. An SCCM task to re-enable UWF fails because of a deadlock in UWF. This stops the device from restarting when you expect it. support.microsoft.com
  10. 10. Your laptop stops responding after you resume it from hibernate. This occurs if you have closed and opened the lid many times. support.microsoft.com
  11. 11. The navigation pane does not update when you browse folders that are in a shell namespace extension. support.microsoft.com
  12. 12. The SSO notice that the European Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires prompts too often. This occurs when you authenticate using a certificate. support.microsoft.com
  13. 13. You might not be able to decrypt a BitLocker data drive. This occurs when you move that drive from a newer version of Windows to an older version. support.microsoft.com
  14. 14. This update makes scan mode respond quicker. This is especially helpful when you use Microsoft Edge and read large documents. support.microsoft.com
  15. 15. You can now dictate the characters that you spell at a faster speed. You also have more editing options for the commands that select, delete, and move within text. support.microsoft.com
  16. 16. This update sets the foundation for new widgets and other features in development, set to roll out soon. support.microsoft.com
  17. 17. The Microsoft Start Experiences app will power the Microsoft Start widget and feed experiences. support.microsoft.com
  18. 18. others will be modified, temporarily affecting their functionality. support.microsoft.com
  19. 19. This update brings COSA profiles up to date for certain mobile operators. support.microsoft.com
  20. 20. This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. support.microsoft.com
  21. 21. You can now share content to your Android device from the Windows Share window. To do this, you must pair your Android device to your Windows PC. support.microsoft.com
  22. 22. some existing widgets will be removed support.microsoft.com
  23. 23. The August 2024 Windows security update applies a Secure Boot Advanced Targeting (SBAT) setting to devices that run Windows to block old, vulnerable boot managers. support.microsoft.com
Checked automatically: 8 of 8 checks passed, 23 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 3/5, clarity 4/5, completeness 4/5. 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