Home windows 11 KB5079473 & KB5078883 cumulative updates launched

Microsoft has launched Home windows 11 KB5079473 and KB5078883 cumulative updates for variations 25H2/24H2 and 23H2 to repair safety vulnerabilities, bugs, and add new options.

As we speak’s updates are necessary as they comprise the March 2026 Patch Tuesday safety patches for vulnerabilities found in earlier months.

You can set up right now’s replace by going to Begin > Settings > Home windows Replace and clicking on ‘Verify for Updates.’

You may also manually obtain and set up the replace from the Microsoft Replace Catalog.

That is the third ‘Patch Tuesday’ launch in 2026, and it is based mostly on 24H2, which implies 25H2 will get the identical replace. There aren’t any unique or particular modifications. You may get the identical fixes throughout the 2 variations of Home windows 11.

What’s new within the March 2026 Patch Tuesday replace

After putting in right now’s safety updates, Home windows 11 25H2 (KB5079473) could have its construct quantity modified to 26200.8037 25H2 and 26100.8037 (24H2), and 23H2 (KB5078883 ) will likely be modified to 22631.6783.

Microsoft says this replace contains extra high-confidence gadget focusing on information, rising protection of units eligible to robotically obtain new Safe Boot certificates. This implies extra units ought to get a Safe Boot replace, however the set up is robotically dealt with by Microsoft.

As well as, a bug has been fastened that improves File Explorer search reliability when looking out throughout a number of drives or “This PC”.

Microsoft says this replace additionally improves how Home windows Defender Utility Management (WDAC) handles COM objects, permitting itemizing insurance policies.

Here is the total listing of fixes and enhancements:

• [Emoji] New! The Emoji 16.0 launch introduces a small thoughtfully curated set of latest emojis, one from every main class. Every emoji carries timeless symbolism and sensible versatility. These new emojis now seem within the emoji panel.

•  [Backup & Restore] New! The primary sign-in restore expertise is now a part of Home windows Backup for Organizations, bringing this restore functionality to extra gadget varieties. This expertise restores person settings and Microsoft Retailer apps robotically at first sign-in on Microsoft Entra hybrid joined units, Cloud PCs, and multi‑person environments. This functionality helps create a constant setup course of throughout gadget refreshes, upgrades, or migrations.

• [Quick Machine Recovery] New! Fast Machine Restoration (QMR) now activates robotically for Home windows Skilled units that aren’t area‑joined and never enrolled in enterprise endpoint administration. These units obtain the identical restoration options accessible to Home windows Dwelling customers. For area‑joined or enterprise managed units, QMR stays off except it’s enabled by the group.

•  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  
  

  • New!  A constructed‑in community pace check is now accessible from the taskbar. You possibly can open it from the Wi‑Fi or Mobile Fast Settings, or by right-clicking the community icon within the system tray. The pace check opens within the default browser and measures Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, and mobile connections. This function helps verify community efficiency and troubleshoot points.

  • Improved: When the taskbar is about to uncombined and you’ve got an app open with a number of home windows, they now not all transfer as a set to the overflow space when there may be not sufficient area on the taskbar. Solely the home windows that don’t match transfer to the overflow menu. This variation prevents the overflow menu from showing with giant unused area.

• [Accounts] New! The account menu on the Begin menu now features a new choice that directs you to the advantages web page, making it simpler to discover and handle your Microsoft account advantages.

• [Camera Settings] New! You possibly can management pan and tilt for supported cameras within the Settings app. The controls seem below Settings > Bluetooth & units > Cameras, within the “Basic settings” part in your chosen digital camera.

• [Built-in Sysmon] New! Home windows now brings System Monitor (Sysmon) performance natively to Home windows. Sysmon helps you seize system occasions for risk detection, and you should utilize customized configuration recordsdata to filter the occasions you need to monitor. Home windows writes captured occasions to Home windows Occasion Log, which permits safety instruments and different functions to make use of them.

  
  

  Constructed‑in Sysmon is off by default. You have to allow it earlier than you should utilize it.

  
  

  Possibility 1: Settings

  
  

  1. Go to Settings > System > Elective options > Extra Home windows options, then choose Sysmon.

  Possibility 2: PowerShell or Command Immediate

  
  

  1. Run the next command: Dism /On-line /Allow-Function /FeatureName:Sysmon

  2. After the function installs, full the setup by operating: sysmon -i

  Observe: In case you already put in Sysmon from the Sysinternals, uninstall it earlier than enabling the constructed‑in model.

  
  

  Study extra about Sysmon performance.

•  [Widgets] New! Widget Settings now open as a full‑web page expertise within the Widgets app as an alternative of opening in a dialog. 

• [Desktop Background] New! You possibly can set WebP (.webp) pictures as your desktop background from Settings > Personalization > Background, or by proper‑clicking the picture in File Explorer.

• [Search on Taskbar]

  
  

  • New! Group headers now present the variety of outcomes, so you possibly can rapidly see when extra outcomes can be found. Choose a bunch header to see all outcomes for that group and conceal outcomes from different teams.

  • New! You possibly can preview search outcomes by hovering over a end result and choosing Preview to see the content material with out opening it.

  • Improved: Up to date the icon for the Search course of in Process Supervisor so it now reveals a magnifying glass.

• [Storage Settings] Enhancements for Storage Settings embrace:

  
  

• [Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT)] New! This replace provides help for Distant Server Administration Instruments (RSAT) on Home windows 11 Arm64 units. IT directors can now set up and use instruments akin to Energetic Listing Area Providers and Light-weight Listing Providers Instruments, Energetic Listing Certificates Providers Instruments, Server Supervisor, Group Coverage Administration Instruments, DNS Server Instruments, and DHCP Server Instruments. These instruments can be found as optionally available options and could be put in by means of Settings > System > Elective Options or from Management Panel > Applications > Flip Home windows options on or off.

• [Windows Update Settings] Improved: Responsiveness of the Home windows Replace settings web page.

• [Login and lock screens] Improved: Signal‑in display screen reliability.

• [Nearby Sharing] Improved: Reliability when sending bigger recordsdata with Close by Sharing.

• [Projecting] Improved: Reliability of displaying the mission menu after urgent Home windows brand key + P.

• [Printing] Improved: Efficiency of the Home windows printing service (spoolsv.exe) to assist printing run extra easily and scale back slowdowns throughout excessive‑quantity printing.

• [File Explorer] 

  
  

  • Improved: Now you can open a brand new File Explorer window extra reliably. Holding the Shift key and choosing the File Explorer icon on the taskbar, or utilizing the center mouse button, now opens a brand new occasion of File Explorer as an alternative of the present one.

  • Improved: File Explorer now contains an Extract all choice on the command bar whenever you browse non‑ZIP archive folders.

  • Improved: Reliability of displaying units on the Community web page in File Explorer.

• [Display] 

  
  

  • Improved: This replace improves reliability when your PC wakes from sleep.

  • Improved: Show-related efficiency enhancements to assist scale back the time for a PC to resume from sleep, particularly when the system is below heavy load and in different eventualities.

• [Other] Improved: This replace improves visible consistency throughout Home windows, together with the taskbar when auto‑disguise is on, credential fields within the Home windows Safety dialog, and the print dialog.

Microsoft will not be conscious of latest points with this month’s Patch Tuesday.