Microsoft finally fixes the broken taskbar in Windows 11

One of the most frustrating issues in Windows 11 is the broken taskbar, which is often unresponsive or absent from the operating system for many users. However, the latest Patch Tuesday updates should now fix this.

The issue mostly impacted those who use Windows N editions—these are versions without some media functions—and others who switched off “Media Features” through the Control Panel.

The KB5040442 update for Windows 11 explicitly mentions fixing the annoying broken taskbar. Microsoft’s release notes confirmed that the taskbar should work correctly now. For those impatient to return their systems to normal, installing this update becomes necessary. It also contains crucial security improvements—hence, it will be downloaded and installed automatically.

Taskbar (known issue) You might not be able to view or interact with the taskbar after you install KB5039302. This issue occurs on devices that run the Windows N edition. This edition is like other editions but lacks most media-related tools. The issue also occurs if you turn off “Media Features” from the Control Panel.

Microsoft

But if you cannot wait, you can manually search for updates in the Settings or download an offline installation package from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

Although this fix is a relief, one issue remains for enterprise users. People using Windows 11 versions 22H2 and 23H2 cannot upgrade from Pro to Enterprise Edition even with valid licenses. Microsoft is investigating and working on a solution.

On a wider view, Microsoft has also notified users that the backing for Windows 11 in 21H2 and 22H2 versions is getting close to an end. Less than 90 days are left, and users on these versions will be automatically updated to version 23H2 to run the most recent version.