New Windows 11 24H2 Update – New Features and Fixes in the Main Release (26100.2161)

In this article, we will talk about the latest Windows 11 Update for the 24H2 Main Release, which is the Build 26100.2161 or KB5044384.

For those of you who are not familiar with how Windows 11 Updates for the Main Release work, I will explain it to you in the following lines.

Every month Windows 11 has a B and a C Release for Windows 11. Usually, the B Release is launched on the second Tuesday of the month and contains all the features that were tested in the previous month’s C Release.

Features that are gradually rolling out

• [Notifications] You can now stop the suggestions to turn off notifications from certain apps. Select the ellipses (…) in the notification and turn it off. You can also go to Settings > System > Notifications and turn it off from there. Look for “Notification Suggestions” in the senders list. An entry will only appear in the list after you receive a notification.
• [Wi-Fi password dialog] The dialog now has the Windows 11 visual design. Go to Settings > Network & internet.​​​​​​​
• [Narrator]
  • This update adds a new Narrator shortcut. Press the Narrator key + Ctrl + X to copy what Narrator last spoke to the clipboard. This shortcut is useful when you want to quickly copy some content, like codes or numbers for use.
  • It will now auto read the contents of an email message in the new Outlook. This is like the behavior in Outlook classic.

• [Gamepad keyboard] This update starts the roll out of a new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard. With it, you can use your Xbox controller to move around the screen and type. Button accelerators are also available; these include the X button for backspace and the Y button for the spacebar. For better movement patterns, the keyboard keys are aligned vertically.
• [Start menu] “All apps” has the new name, “All.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
• [ALT + Tab] Fixed: The screen goes black on some PCs for a few seconds when you switch between certain windows.
• ​​​​​​​[Scanning apps] Fixed: They don’t detect certain scanners although they are connected.

Features that are normally rolling out

• [Web sign-in] Fixed: You cannot sign in to your account from the web because the screen stops responding.
• [Copilot key settings] You can configure the Copilot key on the keyboard. On new devices, the key opens the Copilot app. If you sign in to your account using a Microsoft Entra ID, the key opens the M365 app. You can make the key open a different app or open Search. To do this, go to Settings > Personalization > Text input. To make the key open a different app, the app must be in a signed MSIX package. This ensures that the app meets security and privacy standards to keep you safe. If your PC’s keyboard does not have a Copilot key, changing this setting will do nothing.
• [WindowsDisk Cleanup app] Fixed: This update addresses some of the causes for the wrong free space estimates and improves its accuracy.

New Improvements in this Update

• [Virtual hard disk (VHD/VHDx)] This update adds a detach virtual hard disk button to Settings. In the properties for your VHD or VHDx, go to Settings > System > Storage > Disks & Volumes. This might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.​​​​​
• [Networking] If you use the netsh wlan show networks command, it can now read SSIDs that are encoded using UTF-8. This means that Wi-Fi SSIDs that have Unicode characters (like emoji) will display properly in netsh output. This might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.​​​​​
• [Windows Sandbox Client Preview]This update adds the Windows Sandbox Client Preview. It includes:
  • Runtime clipboard redirection
  • Audio and video input control
  • The sharing of folders with the host at runtimeTo access these, select the ellipses (…) at the upper right on the app. This preview also includes a version of command-line support. (The commands might change over time). To learn more, use the wsb.exe–help command. You can find new updates for this app in the Microsoft Store. This might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.​​​​​
• [User interface (UI)] Fixed: You cannot view some parts of the UI when you run certain apps.
• [HTML Applications (HTA)] Fixed: HTA optional components (OC) are now in ARM64 Windows PE.
• [Live kernel debug files (dumps)] Fixed: win32kbase.sys creates live kernel debug files when it should not.
• [Winlogon] Fixed: A stop error occurs during shutdown.
• ​​​​​​​[Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
• [sfc /scannow command] Fixed: You get errors every time you run the command. 
• [Service for User to Self (S4U2self)] Fixed: Your device might have issues using S4U2self to authenticate. This occurs if Credential Guard is off, and the device joins an Active Directory domain that does not allow the RC4 cipher.
• [DirectAccess (known issue)] Fixed: After a clean install or an in-place upgrade to Windows 11, version 24H2, you might face issues using DirectAccess. The connection might not complete and stays in a ‘connecting’ state.

Windows 11 Servicing Stack Update – 26100.2160

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, 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.