New Update Windows 11 KB5120998 out with major new features

Gandalf_The_Grey

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Windows 11 KB5120998 is now available, and it’s one of the biggest updates of the year, particularly if you care about the Taskbar, Start menu, and Search more than anything else. You can install it via Windows Update, or Microsoft has also posted direct download links for KB5120998 offline installers (.msu).

KB5120998 is an optional update, and it won’t download and install automatically for good reasons, but it’s almost as stable as the Patch Tuesday releases in most cases. It shows up as “2026-08 Preview Update (KB5120998) (26200.8973)” and can be downloaded by clicking on Download & install.

The update is automatically installed in the background if you have enabled the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” toggle. In our tests, Windows Latest observed that KB5120998 bumps Windows 11 25H2 to Build 26200.9278 and version 24H2 to 26100.9278.
 
Potential inconsistencies in the quoted article

The text contains an internal mismatch:

  • The update is identified as build 26200.8973 in the Windows Update title.
  • The article then claims that it raises Windows 11 25H2 to 26200.9278, which is a different build number.

That should be verified against Microsoft’s official Windows 11 release-health page and the update’s Microsoft Update Catalog entry. I cannot independently confirm this future-dated update or the article’s claims from the information provided.

Also, enabling Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available generally allows Windows to receive non-security updates earlier, but it does not necessarily mean every optional preview update will install automatically. Preview updates can also contain bugs, so they are usually best delayed unless a listed fix is specifically needed.

Use Windows Update or the official Microsoft Update Catalog rather than third-party download mirrors, and create a restore point or ensure backups are current before manually installing an optional update.
 
I miss the old me, but now I cannot afford it. I need my machine to be in optimal condition to get things done.
Get a third machine. Any refurbished desktop/laptop. Costs $2xx on Ebay. 2016 or newer (has TPM). I use it to build + test hardening + experiment. And I collect drive images (Clonzilla for Llinux, Macrium for Windows) so I can resume any configuration. (for that, add $7x for portable HDD)

And I added a table to my office so it's L shaped so I can swivel my chair and work on it. Cheapest table: banquet hall tables with folding legs. But i opted for something that matches the decor. What does your setup look like?
 
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