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Windows 11 24H2 / 25H2 Windows 11 24H2 / 25H2 Optional preview
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KB5079391

KB5079391: Cumulative update for Windows 11, versions 24H2 and 25H2, March 2026. Installation error pauses rollout; Narrator adds Copilot descriptions

In short

Adds Narrator image descriptions through Copilot and other Windows changes, but Microsoft has stopped offering it to new devices after some installations failed. KB5086672 includes these changes and fixes the installation problem.

Does it affect you? Applies to: This preview applies to Windows 11, versions 25H2 and 24H2, on x64 and Arm64 devices. AI component updates apply only to Copilot+ PCs.

Builds
26100.8116 · 26200.8116
Restart
Required
Review notes Additional details from the official release notes (1) Read note
  • What changes This release updates Image Search, Content Extraction, Semantic Analysis, and Settings Model to version 1.2603.377.0.

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

What changes

Improvements 20 changes

Settings

Gradual rollout Verified in package 2 items
  • Opening the Home page in Settings is more reliable and performs better.1
  • Required updates download more reliably when Settings prompts you to get them.2
    The prompt appears in Settings > System > Advanced.

File Explorer

Gradual rollout Verified in package 2 items
  • Files downloaded from the internet can be unblocked more reliably so you can preview them.3
  • You can sort a folder's permission entries by Principal in Advanced Security Settings.4

Display

Gradual rollout 5 items
  • Monitors can report refresh rates higher than 1000 Hz.5
  • A native USB4 monitor connection can use less power while the PC sleeps, helping save battery life.6
    The USB controller can enter its lowest power level during sleep.
  • Auto rotation works more reliably after the PC resumes from sleep.7
  • HDR works more reliably with displays that have non-compliant DisplayID 2.0 blocks.8
  • Monitor size is reported more accurately when Windows monitor APIs are used.9
    Applies to monitors with DisplayID when using the WMI monitor APIs.

Printing

Gradual rollout Verified in package

For: IT administrators managing printer connections

  • Printer connection support now includes older Windows and Windows Server baselines.10
    The downlevel baseline is Windows 10, version 1607, and Windows Server 2016 (Build 14393).

Safe mode

Gradual rollout
  • Taskbar components load more reliably in Safe mode.11

Voice Access

Gradual rollout

For: People using Voice Access in English

  • Voice Access detects and writes numbers more accurately in English.12

Start menu

Gradual rollout

For: IT administrators using Group Policy for Start menu layouts

  • Applying a Start menu layout through Group Policy is more reliable in the described configuration.13
    The issue concerns layouts whose JSON contains desktopAppLink.

Remote Desktop

Gradual rollout Verified in package
  • A Remote Desktop configuration command now recognizes an additional setting.14
    Set-RDSessionCollectionConfiguration now recognizes DisableSeamlessLanguageBar.

Audio

Gradual rollout Verified in package
  • Short MIDI messages are handled better when an application starts without providing long message buffers.15

Windows Hello

Gradual rollout

For: Certain devices using Windows Hello Fingerprint

  • Fingerprint sign-in is more reliable on certain devices.16

Application Control for Business

For: Organizations using Application Control for Business

  • Apps receive policy tags more accurately, and tagging works more reliably.17
    Improves Application ID tagging in Application Control for Business policies.

Narrator

For: People using Natural Voices in Narrator

  • Narrator's Natural Voices experience and setup are more reliable.18

Performance & Reliability

For: ARM64 devices running x64 apps in Windows Recovery Environment

  • Windows Recovery Environment is more stable when x64 apps run on ARM64 devices.19
    The apps run more smoothly and respond as expected in Windows RE.

Servicing stack

For: Windows 11 devices receiving this update

  • The component that installs Windows updates receives quality improvements.20
    The included servicing stack update is KB5079387, build 26100.8112.

New features 8 changes

Narrator

Gradual rollout

For: Windows 11 devices; on-device descriptions on Copilot+ PCs

  • Narrator can use Copilot to describe a focused image or the full screen. Copilot+ PCs also get instant on-device image descriptions.21
    Press Narrator key + Ctrl + D to describe the focused image or Narrator key + Ctrl + S to describe the full screen. The image is shared only after you choose to describe it.

Smart App Control

Gradual rollout Verified in package
  • You can turn Smart App Control on or off without reinstalling Windows.22
    Change the setting in Settings > Windows Security > App & Browser Control > Smart App Control settings.

Account Settings

Gradual rollout Verified in package 2 items
  • Microsoft 365 Family subscribers can upgrade to a different Microsoft 365 plan from Settings.23
    The upgrade option is in Settings > Accounts. Suggested content can be turned off to remove the option.
  • Dialog boxes under Other users get a refreshed design that supports dark mode.24
    The option's visibility depends on whether the device has a domain-joined work or school account.

Input

Gradual rollout Verified in package

For: Devices with pen settings

  • A new pen setting lets the pen tail button open the same app as the Copilot key.25
    The Pen settings page adds the “Same as Copilot key” option for the pen tail button.

Settings

Gradual rollout Verified in package 2 items
  • The About page has a more structured layout, clearer device specifications, and easier access to related settings such as Storage.26
    The page is in Settings > About.
  • The Settings Home device information card makes key specifications easier to scan and understand.27
    The card's information is more consistent with Settings > System > About. Availability varies by device and market.

File Explorer

Gradual rollout
  • Voice Typing can be used when renaming a file.28
    Start Voice Typing with Windows logo key + H.

Fixes 2 changes

System File Checker

Gradual rollout
  • An extra error message no longer unexpectedly appears when you run System File Checker.29
    The message could appear when running sfc /scannow.

Windows Update Deployment

Verified in package

For: Windows 11, version 25H2 devices using WUSA

  • On Windows 11, version 25H2, installing .msu updates no longer fails with ERROR_BAD_PATHNAME in the described situations.30
    The issue can occur when you double-click an .msu file or run WUSA from a network share containing multiple .msu files.

Known issues

  1. Resolved Affects: Everyone Resolved by KB5086672

    Installation of this update might fail with error 0x80073712

    Some devices might encounter error 0x80073712 while installing this update. KB5086672 addresses the issue.31

    Resolution Fixed in KB5086672

    Install KB5086672 (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
2026-03-26
Classification
Updates
Type
Cumulative update
Restart
Required
Replaces
KB5085516, KB5079473, KB5077241, KB5077181
+46 earlier KB5074105, KB5078127, KB5077744, KB5074109, KB5072033, KB5070311, KB5068861, KB5067036, KB5070773, KB5066835, KB5065789, KB5068221, KB5065426, KB5064081, KB5063878, KB5062660, KB5064489, KB5062553, KB5060829, KB5063060, KB5060842, KB5058499, KB5061977, KB5058411, KB5055627, KB5059087, KB5055523, KB5053656, KB5053598, KB5052093, KB5051987, KB5050094, KB5050009, KB5048667, KB5046740, KB5046617, KB5044384, KB5044284, KB5043178, KB5043080, KB5041865, KB5041571, KB5040529, KB5040435, KB5039304, KB5039239
Replaced by
KB5086672
VersionBuildChannel
24H2 26100.8116 General availability
25H2 26200.8116 General availability

Security

No vulnerabilities are listed for this update.

Updated components

10,555 files changed since the previous update for the same versions.

Top changed componentsFiles
Settings158
Graphics and display71
Networking63
Printing61
Bluetooth51
Hyper-V and virtualization50
Security and sign-in48
Remote Desktop46
Audio41
.NET networking38
File Explorer and shell35
Storage and file systems26

Verified in package: changed files confirm Settings, File Explorer, Printing, Remote Desktop, Audio, Smart App Control, Account Settings, Input, Windows Update Deployment.

Sources

Updated
Cited passages from Microsoft's official notes (31)
  1. 1. This update improves the reliability and performance of opening the Home in Settings. support.microsoft.com
  2. 2. This update improves the reliability of downloading required updates when you’re prompted in Settings > System > Advanced. support.microsoft.com
  3. 3. You can more reliability unblock files downloaded from the internet in order to preview them in File Explorer. support.microsoft.com
  4. 4. You can now sort the permissions entries in the Advanced Security Settings window for a folder in File Explorer by Principal. support.microsoft.com
  5. 5. Monitors can now report refresh rates higher than 1000 Hz. support.microsoft.com
  6. 6. When you use a native USB4 monitor connection, the USB controller can now enter its lowest power level while the PC is sleeping, which helps save battery life. support.microsoft.com
  7. 7. Auto rotation reliability has improved after resuming from sleep. support.microsoft.com
  8. 8. HDR reliability has improved for displays with non-compliant DisplayID 2.0 blocks. support.microsoft.com
  9. 9. Monitors with DisplayID now report a more accurate size when the WMI monitor APIs are used. support.microsoft.com
  10. 10. Updated downlevel baseline support for printer connections to be Windows 10, version 1607 and Windows Server 2016 (Build 14393). support.microsoft.com
  11. 11. This update improves the reliability of loading taskbar components in safe mode. support.microsoft.com
  12. 12. This update improves how numbers are detected and written when using Voice Access in English. support.microsoft.com
  13. 13. This update improves the reliability of applying the Start menu layout through Group Policy when desktopAppLink is present in the JSON. support.microsoft.com
  14. 14. The Set-RDSessionCollectionConfiguration PowerShell command now recognizes DisableSeamlessLanguageBar. support.microsoft.com
  15. 15. This update improves how short MIDI messages are handled in cases where an application is initialized without providing long message buffers. support.microsoft.com
  16. 16. This update improves Windows Hello Fingerprint reliability for certain devices. support.microsoft.com
  17. 17. This update improves Application ID tagging in Application Control for Business policies. support.microsoft.com
  18. 18. This update improves the Natural Voices experience in Narrator. It also makes Natural Voices setup more reliable. support.microsoft.com
  19. 19. This update improves stability in Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) when you run x64 apps on ARM64 devices. 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. Narrator provides rich image descriptions on Copilot+ PCs and now works with Copilot on all Windows 11 devices. support.microsoft.com
  22. 22. You can turn Smart App Control (SAC) on or off without needing a clean install. support.microsoft.com
  23. 23. Microsoft 365 Family subscribers can upgrade to a different Microsoft 365 plan from Settings > Accounts. support.microsoft.com
  24. 24. This update improves the design of the dialog boxes in Settings > Accounts > Other users to match the modern Windows look and support dark mode. support.microsoft.com
  25. 25. The new “Same as Copilot key” option enables the pen tail button to open the same app as the Copilot key. support.microsoft.com
  26. 26. The Settings About page (Settings > About) has been improved to provide a more structured and intuitive experience, offering clearer device specifications and easier navigation to related device components, including quick access to Storage settings. support.microsoft.com
  27. 27. The device information card on the Settings Home page simplifies key device specifications and improves consistency across the end-to-end flow from the Home Card to the Settings > System > About page, making information easier to scan and understand. support.microsoft.com
  28. 28. You can use Voice Typing (Windows logo key + H) when renaming a file in File Explorer. support.microsoft.com
  29. 29. This update removes an extraneous error message you might unexpectedly see when running sfc /scannow. support.microsoft.com
  30. 30. This update addresses an issue in Windows 11, version 25H2, where updates installed using the Windows Update Standalone Installer (WUSA) might fail with error code ERROR_BAD_PATHNAME. support.microsoft.com
  31. 31. Some devices might encounter the following error while installing this update: "Some update files are missing or have problems. We'll try to download the update again later. Error code: (0x80073712)" support.microsoft.com
Checked automatically: 8 of 8 checks passed, 31 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 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