KB5077239: Cumulative update for Windows 11, version 26H1, February 2026. New camera, accessibility and gaming features; recovery hangs fixed

For: Copilot+ PC users

• The Settings Agent supports more languages, including German, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Hindi, Italian and Simplified Chinese.¹
  For Copilot+ PCs.
• The Settings search results menu shows more results and adds a scroll bar so you can browse them.²
  For Copilot+ PCs.
• Recommended settings can show an inline agent option for settings you changed recently.³
  For Copilot+ PCs.
• A dialog explains when a setting cannot be adjusted further and offers an option to modify it.⁴
  For Copilot+ PCs.

For: Copilot+ PC users

• The context menu opens automatically when a large image or table appears on screen.⁵
  Functionality varies by device and market.

For: Copilot+ PC users with a supported camera

• Windows Studio Effects can be used with an additional camera, such as a USB webcam or a built-in rear camera.⁶
  Choose a connected camera in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras, then enable Use Windows Studio Effects under Advanced camera options.

• Enterprise customers can use File Explorer Home on-hover actions for faster file management.⁷
• File Explorer has a more consistent dark mode for file operations, progress displays and confirmation and error dialogs.¹⁵
  Updates cover copy, move and delete dialogs, progress bars, chart views, skip and override confirmations, file selection and multiple error dialogs.
• A simplified context menu groups common actions such as Share, Copy and Move in one menu.¹⁶
  Initially available to a small group of devices while Microsoft evaluates the approach.
• The Recommended section on the File Explorer homepage helps you find frequently used and recently downloaded files.¹⁷
  Turn on Show Recommended under File Explorer > Options. Available to all users, including those signed in with personal Microsoft accounts.

• You can turn Virtual Workspaces on or off in Advanced Settings to enable or disable virtual environments such as Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox.⁸
  Find Virtual Workspaces at Settings > Systems > Advanced.
• You can turn Virtual Workspaces on or off in Advanced Settings to enable or disable virtual environments such as Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox.⁸
  Find Virtual Workspaces at Settings > Systems > Advanced.

For: Users with supported Android phones

• You can continue more activities from an Android phone on your PC, including Spotify playback, Office work and browsing.⁹
  Vivo phone users can continue browsing from Vivo Browser. Users with phones from HONOR, OPPO, Samsung, vivo or Xiaomi can resume online files opened in the Microsoft Copilot app; files open in the corresponding Microsoft 365 app if installed, otherwise in the default browser. Offline files stored only on the phone are not supported.

For: Musicians and MIDI users

• Windows adds expanded support for MIDI 1.0 and MIDI 2.0, shared MIDI ports, custom port names, app-to-app MIDI and performance improvements.¹⁰
  The separate App SDK and Tools package enables inbox MIDI 2.0 features and includes MIDI Console and the MIDI Settings app. Releases are currently unsigned and might show a security warning.

For: Narrator users

• You can choose which details Narrator speaks about on-screen controls and change their order.¹¹
  These settings apply throughout the app.

For: Voice Access users

• A redesigned setup helps you download a speech model, select an input microphone and learn about Voice Access.¹²
  The speech model is for the language you choose.

For: Voice Typing users

• The Wait time before acting setting lets you change how long Voice Typing waits before running a voice command.¹³
  The setting is intended to accommodate different speech patterns and improve recognition accuracy.

For: Users with a supported ESS fingerprint reader

• Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security can use supported external fingerprint readers, including on desktop PCs.¹⁴
  Connect a supported ESS fingerprint reader, then enroll under Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.

For: Windows Spotlight users

• When Windows Spotlight is your desktop background, its context menu offers Learn more about this background and Next desktop background.¹⁸
  Set Windows Spotlight under Settings > Personalization > Background.

For: Users of supported Windows 11 handheld devices

• The full screen experience is available on more Windows 11 handheld devices, with a console-style Xbox interface and fewer background tasks.¹⁹
  Turn it on at Settings > Gaming > Full screen experience and set Xbox as the home app. It can open from Task View or Game Bar, or start when the handheld boots.

For: Users with a supported haptic-feedback pen

• Pens with haptic feedback can provide small vibrations when you interact with Windows, such as hovering over Close or snapping and resizing windows.²⁰

For: Users of Arabic keyboard layouts

• The Arabic 101 layout uses the right Alt key as AltGr for additional symbols, including the Saudi Riyal symbol with AltGr+S.²¹
  Arabic 102 and Arabic 102 AZERTY layouts are updated similarly. The Saudi Riyal symbol is also available on the touch keyboard symbols page and expressive input panels currency tab. Language switching remains available with left Alt+Shift or Windows logo key+Spacebar.

• You can add and manage mobile devices in Settings, including connected-camera use and access to phone files in File Explorer.²²
  Find the page under Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Mobile Devices.

• A new OneDrive icon appears on the Settings Accounts homepage.²³

• Keyboard character-repeat delay and rate settings, and cursor blink rate, move from Control Panel into Settings.²⁴
  Find them under Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and Settings > Accessibility > Text cursor, respectively.

• You can share an open app window with Copilot from the taskbar and ask Copilot Vision about what is displayed.²⁵
  Hover over an app icon and select Share with Copilot.

• Drag tray supports sharing multiple files, shows more relevant apps and helps move files to a chosen folder.²⁶
  The feature is gradually rolling out; availability varies by device and market.
• You can turn Drag tray on or off in Nearby sharing settings.²⁷
  Find the setting under Settings > System > Nearby sharing. Availability varies by device and market.
• You can share OneDrive files through other apps using the options under Share using after selecting Copy link.²⁸
  You must be signed in to your Microsoft account. This feature is not available in the European Economic Area.

• New PowerShell features help manage the Secure Boot key rollout and check whether a device follows the latest Secure Boot policy.²⁹
  Get-SecureBootUEFI supports -Decoded to display keys and certificates in readable form. Get-SecureBootSVN checks the Secure Boot Security Version Number of the device's UEFI firmware and bootloader.

For: Copilot+ PC users

• The context menu has a streamlined design that makes common actions such as Copy, Save, Share and Open easier to find.³⁰
  Functionality varies by device and market.

• The File Explorer search box placeholder now highlights the enhanced Windows Search experience.³¹
  For Copilot+ PCs.
• File Explorer responds better when you browse network locations.³⁴
• File Explorer addresses cases where video thumbnails might not appear because of certain EXIF metadata.³⁵
• File Explorer is less likely to show a toolbar unexpectedly.³⁶

For: Windows Insider Program users

• Joining the Windows Insider Program through Settings is less likely to get stuck.³²
  The change applies to joining through Settings > Windows Update.

• Underlying changes address cases where the lock screen becomes unresponsive.³³

• The first sign-in is more reliable when certain apps are configured to start automatically, reducing the chance that the taskbar does not appear.³⁷
  Addresses cases where Explorer.exe stops responding during the first sign-in.

For: Devices upgrading Windows

• Windows license migration during upgrades is more reliable, reducing cases where the Activation troubleshooter is needed to complete the process.³⁸
  Addresses cases where a valid license does not migrate because the device cannot register its digital license.

• Desktop icons are more likely to stay in place when you open or rename files.³⁹

• The keyboard character-repeat delay labels are clearer in Settings.⁴⁰
  The labels are under Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Keyboard.

For: Users running Windows Terminal as an administrator from a non-admin account

• Running Windows Terminal as an administrator from a non-administrator account is more reliable and is less likely to make the PC unresponsive.⁴¹

• Keyboard backlights perform better on supported HID-compliant keyboards, helping keys remain visible in low light while adjusting to conserve power.⁴²

• The About page organizes device details and related options in one place, including a shortcut to Storage settings.⁴³
• Settings is less likely to become unresponsive when you open Network & Internet.⁴⁴
• The Settings search bar no longer overlaps the Minimize and Maximize buttons in the title bar.⁴⁵

• Automatically hide the taskbar works more reliably and no longer turns off unexpectedly after a hidden-toolbar message.⁴⁶
• Voice Access responds more reliably when you use the taskbar, including when you call out a number to choose an item.⁴⁷
• Taskbar icons keep their expected size when enough space is available.⁴⁸

• Apps that check a monitor's supported display modes are less likely to cause momentary stuttering on very high-resolution monitors.⁴⁹
• All-in-one PCs are more likely to keep your chosen brightness level instead of changing brightness unexpectedly.⁵⁰

For: Game Pass users

• References to Game Pass in Settings reflect updated branding and benefits.⁵¹

• On devices with the new Start menu, the Windows Search panel matches the menu's size.⁵²

For: BitLocker users

• BitLocker recovery is more reliable: the device no longer stops responding after you enter the recovery key.⁵³

• When you right-click a file, its Open option shows the file type's default app icon instead of a generic icon.⁵⁴

For: Windows Sandbox users

• Windows Sandbox no longer has the startup issue that could make it stop responding and show error 0x800705b4.⁵⁵

• Supported graphics cards no longer trigger the Unsupported graphics card detected message in affected games.⁵⁶

• Signing in to a new account is no longer unusually slow the first time.⁵⁷
• A lock-screen slideshow no longer causes the memory leak described in the update notes.⁵⁸
  Memory leaks can affect performance or reliability over time.

• You are less likely to see STATUS_NOT_SUPPORTED (0xc00000bb) when signing in with an ECC Smart Card Logon Credential.⁵⁹