New Big Windows 11 26H1 March 2026 Update – Better Performance, New Design and Fixes (Build 28000.1764 or KB5079489)

In this article, we will talk about the New Windows 11 26H1 March 2026 Update, Build 28000.1764 or KB5079489.

Microsoft has Released Windows 11 26H1, which is a New Version that Microsoft is using to test the New Platform for the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Devices and Nvidia N1X Processors.

Windows 11, version 26H1 will only be available on new devices that will be released to the market in early 2026 and it is not offered as an in-place update from Windows 11, version 24H2 or 25H2 on existing devices.

Devices running Windows 11, version 26H1 will continue receiving monthly updates for security, quality, and new features, the same as devices running Windows 11, versions 24H2 and 25H2.

Devices running Windows 11, version 26H1 will not be able to update to the next annual feature update in the second half of 2026. This is because Windows 11, version 26H1 is based on a different Windows core than Windows 11, versions 24H2 and 25H2, and the upcoming feature update. These devices will have a path to update in a future Windows release.

For more information about Windows 11 26H1, you can check this article from the Microsoft Website.

New Features in this Update

• [Emoji] The Emoji 16.0 release introduces a small thoughtfully curated set of new emojis, one from each major category. Each emoji carries timeless symbolism and practical versatility. These new emojis now appear in the emoji panel.
•  [Backup & Restore] The first sign-in restore experience is now part of Windows Backup for Organizations, bringing this restore capability to more device types. This experience restores user settings and Microsoft Store apps automatically at first sign-in on Microsoft Entra hybrid joined devices, Cloud PCs, and multi‑user environments. This capability helps create a consistent setup process during device refreshes, upgrades, or migrations.
• [Quick Machine Recovery]
  • Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) now turns on automatically for Windows Professional devices that are not domain‑joined and not enrolled in enterprise endpoint management. These devices receive the same recovery features available to Windows Home users. For domain‑joined or enterprise managed devices, QMR stays off unless it is enabled by the organization.
  • New!  Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) now runs a one-time scan on PCs with settings quick machine recovery and automatically check for solutions are both turned on. If a fix isn’t available immediately, QMR directs you to the best recovery options to get your PC running again. 
•  [Taskbar & System Tray]
  • A built‑in network speed test is now available from the taskbar. You can open it from the Wi‑Fi or Cellular Quick Settings, or by right-clicking the network icon in the system tray. The speed test opens in the default browser and measures Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, and cellular connections. This feature helps check network performance and troubleshoot issues.
  • Improved: When the taskbar is set to uncombined and you have an app open with multiple windows, they no longer all move as a set to the overflow area when there is not enough space on the taskbar. Only the windows that don’t fit move to the overflow menu. This change prevents the overflow menu from appearing with large unused space.
• [Accounts] The account menu on the Start menu now includes a new option that directs you to the benefits page, making it easier to explore and manage your Microsoft account benefits.
• [Camera Settings] You can control pan and tilt for supported cameras in the Settings app. The controls appear under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras, in the “Basic settings” section for your selected camera.
• [Built-in Sysmon] Windows now brings System Monitor (Sysmon) functionality natively to Windows. Sysmon helps you capture system events for threat detection, and you can use custom configuration files to filter the events you want to monitor. Windows writes captured events to Windows Event Log, which allows security tools and other applications to use them.Built‑in Sysmon is off by default. You must enable it before you can use it.Option 1: SettingsOption 2: PowerShell or Command PromptNote: If you already installed Sysmon from the Sysinternals, uninstall it before enabling the built‑in version.Learn more about Sysmon functionality.
  1. Go to Settings > System > Optional features > More Windows features, then select Sysmon.
  2. Run the following command: Dism /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:Sysmon
  3. After the feature installs, complete the setup by running: sysmon -i

•  ​​​​​​​[Widgets]  Widget Settings now open as a full‑page experience in the Widgets app instead of opening in a dialog. 
• [Desktop Background] You can set WebP (.webp) images as your desktop background from Settings > Personalization > Background, or by right‑clicking the image in File Explorer.
• [Search on Taskbar]
  • Group headers now show the number of results, so you can quickly see when more results are available. Select a group header to see all results for that group and hide results from other groups.
  • You can preview search results by hovering over a result and selecting Preview to see the content without opening it.
  • ​​​​​​​Improved: Updated the icon for the Search process in Task Manager so it now shows a magnifying glass.
• [Storage Settings] Improvements for Storage Settings include:
  • ​​​Some of the dialogs in Storage Settings have been updated with a more modern design.
  • ​​​​​Improved scanning performance for temporary files.
• [Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT)]  This update adds support for Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) on Windows 11 Arm64 devices. IT administrators can now install and use tools such as Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools, Active Directory Certificate Services Tools, Server Manager, Group Policy Management Tools, DNS Server Tools, and DHCP Server Tools. These tools are available as optional features and can be installed through Settings > System > Optional Features or from Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off.
• [Windows Update Settings] Improved: Responsiveness of the Windows Update settings page.
• [Login and lock screens] Improved: Sign‑in screen reliability.
• [Nearby Sharing] Improved: Reliability when sending larger files with Nearby Sharing.
• [Projecting] Improved: Reliability of displaying the project menu after pressing Windows logo key + P.
• [Printing] Improved: Performance of the Windows printing service (spoolsv.exe) to help printing run more smoothly and reduce slowdowns during high‑volume printing.
• [File Explorer] 
  • Improved: You can now open a new File Explorer window more reliably. Holding the Shift key and selecting the File Explorer icon on the taskbar, or using the middle mouse button, now opens a new instance of File Explorer instead of the current one.
  • Improved: File Explorer now includes an Extract all option on the command bar when you browse non‑ZIP archive folders.
  • Improved: Reliability of displaying devices on the Network page in File Explorer.
• [Display] 
  • Improved: This update improves reliability when your PC wakes from sleep.
  • Improved: Display-related performance improvements to help reduce the time for a PC to resume from sleep, especially when the system is under heavy load and in other scenarios.
• [Other] Improved: This update improves visual consistency across Windows, including the taskbar when auto‑hide is on, credential fields in the Windows Security dialog, and the print dialog.
• [Application Control for Business] Improved: This update improves Application ID tagging in Application Control for Business policies. With this update, the system identifies which apps should receive tags more accurately and behaves more reliably.
• [Narrator] Improved: This update improves the Natural Voices experience in Narrator. It also makes Natural Voices setup more reliable.

Windows 11 Servicing Stack Update – 28000.1763

This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates. 

For more info about this Update, you can check this article from the Microsoft Blog.

For a more in-depth presentation of the New Update, you can watch the video below from the YouTube channel.