Microsoft has released the KB5120998 preview cumulative update for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2, bringing 35 changes that include improvements to the Start menu, taskbar, and Windows search. This optional update is designed for IT administrators to test fixes and new features before they are included in next month’s Patch Tuesday release. Unlike standard cumulative updates, this preview does not include security fixes and focuses only on quality improvements.
After installing the August 2026 preview update, users can reposition the taskbar to the bottom, top, left, or right side of the screen through Settings under Personalization, Taskbar, and Taskbar behaviors. Most customization options, such as never combining taskbar icons, will work in any position. The update also introduces a smaller taskbar mode that reduces the taskbar height and icon size to save screen space on compact devices, plus size options for the Start menu and independent toggles for showing or hiding the Pinned, Recommended, and All sections.
The KB5120998 update begins rolling out administrator protection, a security feature that grants just-in-time privileges for admin tasks. Microsoft stated that administrator protection is not a formal security boundary but hardens defenses against elevation-of-privilege attacks through profile separation. The feature is disabled by default and can be enabled using OMA-URI in Microsoft Intune or through Group Policy.
Users can install the update by opening Windows Settings, navigating to Windows Update, and selecting Check for Updates. Because it is optional, a Download and install link will appear unless the device has the Get the latest updates as soon as they are available setting enabled, which triggers automatic installation. The update is also available for manual download from the Microsoft Update Catalog. Once installed, the update brings Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2 devices to builds 26200.9278 and 26100.9278, respectively.
The August 2026 preview update includes several other changes, though the source article did not list them in detail. Microsoft also warned customers on Thursday that systems may reboot one additional time after deploying this update and others rolling out over the coming months. The company explained in a message center update that a limited number of consumer and business devices might experience this extra restart during installation, which occurs after a Secure Boot certificate update is applied as part of the Secure Boot update process.
Earlier this month, Microsoft reminded customers that devices running Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 24H2 will stop receiving updates in two months. Windows 11 24H2 Enterprise and Education editions will continue to receive mainstream support until October 2027. Users are advised to upgrade to Windows 11 25H2, also known as the Windows 11 2025 Update, which became generally available in September 2024.
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