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Windows 11 23H2 Windows 11 23H2 Optional preview
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KB5050092

KB5050092: Cumulative update for Windows 11, version 23H2, January 2025. USB printers may print random data; File Explorer fixes arrive

In short

Adds File Explorer and sharing features and fixes problems with USB audio, cameras, and more. Some USB-connected dual-mode printers may print random data; KB5053657 later resolves that issue.

Does it affect you? Applies to: This update applies to Windows 11, version 23H2, and to version 22H2 Enterprise and Education editions. Some listed changes apply only to version 22H2 Enterprise and Education.

Build
22631.4830
Restart
Required

What changes

Fixes 18 changes

File Explorer

Gradual rollout Verified in package 4 items
  • A search in File Explorer no longer repeats unexpectedly.1
  • A file’s date and time properties no longer unexpectedly change after you copy it.2
  • Icons in the details pane update as expected when you change between dark and light themes.3
  • The search box no longer loses input focus while you type.4

Snipping Tool

Gradual rollout

For: devices with multiple monitors using different display scaling

  • Screenshots are no longer distorted when you use two or more monitors with different display scaling.5

Chinese Pinyin Input Method Editor (IME)

Gradual rollout

For: users of the Chinese Pinyin IME

  • Switching app windows no longer changes the IME language unexpectedly from Chinese to English.6

Exporting chart objects

  • Files containing a chart object can be exported to PDF and XLSX formats.7

Windows Backup

Verified in package

For: people restoring a backup on a new Windows PC

  • Restoring from a backup during Windows Setup on a new PC now gives you a standard Windows 11 taskbar. You can find your apps in Start and Search and pin the ones you want.8
    Applies when restoring through the Windows Setup experience (OOBE).

Digital/Analog converter (DAC)

Verified in package

For: users of USB audio devices

  • USB audio devices are less likely to stop working and interrupt playback, especially with a DAC audio driver based on USB 1.0.9

USB audio device drivers

Verified in package

For: users of certain external audio management devices

  • The Code 10 “This device cannot start” error is fixed when connecting certain external audio management devices.10

USB cameras

For: users of USB cameras

  • Your device recognizes when a USB camera is on after installing the January 2025 security update.11

Task Manager

  • The CPU index number is correct when you set process affinity on servers with two or more NUMA nodes.12
    Applies to Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education editions.

Remote desktop

Verified in package 2 items
  • Reconnecting to a console session no longer causes it to stop responding.13
    Applies to Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education editions.
  • The Action Center displays in scenarios where it previously did not.14
    Applies to Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education editions.

Virtual memory

  • An issue that depletes virtual memory and might cause some apps to fail is fixed.15
    Applies to Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education editions.

Near Field Communication (NFC) readers

  • NFC readers can read card UUIDs more reliably after many point-of-sale app scans.16
    Applies to Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education editions.

USB Print and IPP Over USB

  • An installed printer no longer fails when the print spooler initializes.17
    Applies to Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education editions.

Remote Desktop Gateway

Verified in package
  • Connecting to Windows 11 workstations no longer produces errors or prevents sign-in when device redirection is enforced.18
    Applies to Windows 11, version 22H2 Enterprise and Education editions.

New features 8 changes

Windows Studio Effects

Gradual rollout Verified in package
  • On devices with an NPU, an icon appears when an app uses Windows Studio Effects. Select it to open Studio Effects in Quick Settings, or hover over it to see which app is using the camera.19
    The system tray icon appears only on devices with a neural processing unit (NPU).

Fonts

Gradual rollout
  • The new simplified Chinese font Simsun-ExtG includes the Biangbiang noodles character. Some apps might not display its new extension characters.20
    The font contains 9,753 ideographs supporting Unicode Extensions G, H, and I.

File Explorer

Gradual rollout Verified in package 3 items
  • The New Folder command appears when you right-click items in File Explorer’s left pane.21
  • File Explorer restores previously open tabs in each window when Restore previous folder windows at logon is enabled.22
  • File Explorer settings are turned on when Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign back in is enabled.23
    The setting is under Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.

Windows Share

Gradual rollout
  • You can share local files directly to apps that support sharing in Windows by right-clicking files in File Explorer or on the desktop.24

Magnifier app

Gradual rollout Verified in package 2 items
  • The Ctrl+Alt+Minus sign shortcut quickly switches between the current zoom and 1X zoom.25
  • New buttons reset magnification to fit the screen or return to your last or preferred magnification.26

Improvements 4 changes

Taskbar

Gradual rollout
  • Previews that appear when you hover over taskbar apps and their animations are improved.27

Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform (WARP)

  • WARP supports additional formats for HEIF images.28
    Adds support for Y210, Y216, Y410, and Y416 for the High Efficiency Image File (HEIF) format.

Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file

Verified in package
  • The list of drivers considered at risk of being used in attacks is expanded.29
    Adds drivers to DriverSiPolicy.p7b for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attack protection.

Servicing stack

  • The component that installs Windows updates receives quality improvements to help devices receive and install Microsoft updates.30
    Includes servicing stack update KB5050114.

Removal 1 change

Chinese Pinyin IME

Verified in package

For: users of the Chinese Pinyin IME

  • Bing no longer provides automatic search-box suggestions for search engine sites such as Baidu. You can still request manual suggestions with Ctrl+Tab or the chevron button.31

Known issues

  1. Resolved Affects: Everyone Resolved by KB5052094

    Following the installation of the October 2024 security update, some customers report that the OpenSSH (Open Secure Shell) service fails to start, preventing SSH connections.

    After the October 2024 security update, some customers report that the OpenSSH service fails to start, preventing SSH connections. Microsoft says the issue is addressed in KB5052094.32

    Resolution Fixed in KB5052094

    Install KB5052094 (or a later cumulative update) on affected devices. No manual workaround is required after updating.

  2. Resolved Affects: Organizations and IT administrators

    Devices that have certain Citrix components installed might be unable to complete installation of the January 2025 Windows security update.

    Devices with certain Citrix components, including Citrix Session Recording Agent version 2411, might fail to complete installation of the January 2025 security update and revert changes. The issue is resolved in Citrix Session Recording Agent version 2503 and newer.33

    How to apply the workaround Workaround

    Update Citrix Session Recording Agent to version 2503 or newer.33

  3. Resolved Affects: Organizations and IT administrators Resolved by KB5053657

    After installing this update, you might observe issues with USB connected dual-mode printers that support both USB Print and IPP Over USB protocols.

    After installing this update, some USB-connected dual-mode printers might print random text and data, including network commands. KB5053657 resolves this issue.34

    Resolution Fixed in KB5053657

    Install KB5053657 (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
2025-01-29
Classification
Updates
Type
Cumulative update
Restart
Required
Replaces
KB5050021, KB5048685, KB5046732, KB5046633
+20 earlier KB5044380, KB5044285, KB5043145, KB5043076, KB5041587, KB5041585, KB5040527, KB5040442, KB5039302, KB5039212, KB5037853, KB5037771, KB5036980, KB5036893, KB5035942, KB5035853, KB5034848, KB5034765, KB5034204, KB5034123
Replaced by
KB5051989
VersionBuildChannel
23H2 22631.4830 General availability
23H2 22631.4825 Release Preview Channel

Security

No vulnerabilities are listed for this update.

Updated components

4,077 files changed since the previous update for the same versions.

Top changed componentsFiles
Settings95
Graphics and display48
Windows Update34
Hyper-V and virtualization32
Security and sign-in30
File Explorer and shell28
Remote Desktop27
Printing24
Bluetooth21
Networking19
Search16
Audio14

Verified in package: changed files confirm File Explorer, Windows Backup, Digital/Analog converter (DAC), USB audio device drivers, Remote desktop, Remote Desktop Gateway, Windows Studio Effects, Magnifier app, Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file, Chinese Pinyin IME.

Sources

Updated
Cited passages from Microsoft's official notes (34)
  1. 1. Fixed: After you do a search, that search might repeat when you don’t want it to. support.microsoft.com
  2. 2. Fixed: The date and time properties of a file might update after you copy it. support.microsoft.com
  3. 3. Fixed: Icons on the details pane might not update as you expect when you change a theme. support.microsoft.com
  4. 4. Fixed: The search box might lose input focus as you type. support.microsoft.com
  5. 5. Fixed: Snipping Tool screenshots might be distorted. This occurs when you use two or more monitors that have different display scaling. support.microsoft.com
  6. 6. Fixed: When you switch app windows, the IME language might change from Chinese to English. support.microsoft.com
  7. 7. Fixed: You can’t export a file to PDF and XLSX formats if the file has a chart object. support.microsoft.com
  8. 8. You will now have a standard Windows 11 taskbar after restoring from a backup via the Windows Setup experience (OOBE) on a new Windows PC. support.microsoft.com
  9. 9. This is more likely when you use a DAC audio driver based on USB 1.0. USB audio devices might stop working, which stops playback. support.microsoft.com
  10. 10. Fixed: The code 10 error message, “This device cannot start” appears. This occurs when you connect to certain external audio management devices. support.microsoft.com
  11. 11. Fixed: Your device does not recognize the camera is on. This issue occurs after you install the January 2025 security update. support.microsoft.com
  12. 12. Fixed: The CPU index number might be wrong when you set process affinity. This occurs on servers that have two or more non-uniform memory access (NUMA) nodes. support.microsoft.com
  13. 13. Fixed: When you reconnect to a console session, it stops responding. support.microsoft.com
  14. 14. Fixed: The Action Center does not display in certain scenarios. support.microsoft.com
  15. 15. Fixed: An issue depletes virtual memory, which might cause some apps to fail. support.microsoft.com
  16. 16. Fixed: At times, they fail to read card Universal Unique Identifiers (UUID). This occurs after many point-of-sale (POS) app scans. support.microsoft.com
  17. 17. Fixed: An installed printer fails when the spooler initializes. support.microsoft.com
  18. 18. Fixed: You get errors or cannot sign when you connect to Windows 11 workstations. This occurs when you enforce device redirection. support.microsoft.com
  19. 19. An icon will appear in the system tray when you use an app that supports Windows Studio Effects. This only occurs on a device that has a neural processing unit (NPU). support.microsoft.com
  20. 20. This update adds Simsun-ExtG, a new simplified Chinese font. It includes the Biangbiang noodles character. support.microsoft.com
  21. 21. When you right-click items in the left pane, the “New Folder” command appears on the context menu. support.microsoft.com
  22. 22. Windows restores all the previously open tabs in each File Explorer window. This occurs when you enable “Restore previous folder windows at logon.” support.microsoft.com
  23. 23. Windows turns on specific File Explorer settings for you. This occurs when you enable “Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign back in.” support.microsoft.com
  24. 24. You can now share directly to apps that support sharing in Windows. Just right-click local files in File Explorer or on the desktop. support.microsoft.com
  25. 25. This update adds a new keyboard shortcut: CTRL+ALT+Minus sign. Use it to quickly switch between the current zoom and 1X zoom. support.microsoft.com
  26. 26. This update adds buttons to reset zoom. You can reset zoom to fit to the screen and reset zoom to your last or preferred magnification. support.microsoft.com
  27. 27. This update improves the previews that show when your cursor hovers over apps on the taskbar. The update also improves their animations. support.microsoft.com
  28. 28. This update adds support for Y210, Y216, Y410, and Y416 for the High Efficiency Image File (HEIF) format. support.microsoft.com
  29. 29. This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks. support.microsoft.com
  30. 30. This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. support.microsoft.com
  31. 31. Bing will stop giving automatic suggestions in the search box for search engine sites, like Baidu. To get manual suggestions, use Ctrl+Tab or the chevron button (>). support.microsoft.com
  32. 32. Following the installation of the October 2024 security update, some customers report that the OpenSSH (Open Secure Shell) service fails to start, preventing SSH connections. support.microsoft.com
  33. 33. The issue has been resolved in Citrix Session Recording Agent version 2503, released on April 28, 2025, and newer versions. support.microsoft.com
  34. 34. This issue is addressed in KB5053657. 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 4/5, 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