KB5023778: A closer look at this new cumulative update

The time has come for stable Windows 11 users to get new features delivered via cumulative updates, so Insiders need to sit on the sideline for this one.

If you haven’t yet upgraded to the latest Windows 11 version (22H2), we have a guide that will show you where to get it and how to install it.

And, speaking of upgrading, know that the Steam gaming platform will no longer work on older versions of the Windows OS, such as Windows 7, 8, and 8.1.

Also, don’t forget to check out a new security tool that can prevent hacking attempts in Microsoft’s cloud, in case you were on the lookout for something of that nature.

What should I look for in KB5023778?

Now, if you use a stable Windows 11 release and do not mind installing a cumulative update, here is a new release from the Redmond giant for you.

That being said, KB5023778 (build 22621.1485), is now available with several notable changes and non-security fixes.

Please note that Microsoft is changing how it delivers preview versions of its cumulative updates, so another thing you should definitely check out.

On that note, beginning April 2023, the company will ship optional non-security updates every fourth Tuesday of the month.

In other words, Windows users will now have two Patch Tuesdays rollouts, one mandatory and one that is optional.

This latest update introduces notifications for Microsoft accounts in the Start menu. This is only available to a small audience right now, and it will deploy more broadly in the coming months.

Furthermore, the search box on the taskbar will be lighter when you set Windows to a custom color mode, which can be changed in the Settings app.

KB5023778 also addresses an issue that affects the Notepad combo box in Settings, one that fails to show all the available options.

The issue that affects Microsoft PowerPoint, making it stop responding when you use accessibility tools, is history and we no longer have to deal with it.

There was also an annoying problem that affected Microsoft Narrator and it failed to read items in dropdown lists in Microsoft Excel. Microsoft has dealt with that as well.

Before we get into the rest of the changelog, know that this update addresses an issue that affects USB printers, so you can kiss that goodbye.

Improvements

• This update adds many new features and improvements to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. For more information, see Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
• This update addresses an issue that affects complexity policy settings for PINs. They are ignored.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Fast Identity Online 2.0 (FIDO2) PIN credential icon. It does not appear on the credentials screen of an external monitor. This occurs when that monitor is attached to a closed laptop.
• This update addresses an issue that affects a Clustered Shared Volume (CSV). The CSV fails to come online. This occurs if you enable BitLocker and local CSV managed protectors, and the system recently rotated the BitLocker keys.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Active Directory Users & Computers. It stops responding. This occurs when you use TaskPad view to enable or disable many objects at the same time.
• The update addresses an issue that affects the Remote Procedure Call Service (rpcss.exe). The issue might cause a race condition between the Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) and the Microsoft Remote Procedure Call (RPC) endpoint mapper.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft PowerPoint. It stops responding on the Azure Virtual Desktop. This occurs while you are using Think-Cell Features.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Search. Windows Search fails inside of Windows container images.
• This update affects the Group Policy Editor. It adds Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3 to the list of protocols that you can set.
• This update affects the Arab Republic of Egypt. The update supports the government’s daylight saving time change order for 2023.
• This update affects jscript9Legacy.dll. It adds ITracker and ITrackingService to stop MHTML from not responding.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Microsoft HTML Application Host (HTA). This issue blocks code execution that uses Microsoft HTA. This occurs when you turn on Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) User Mode Code Integrity (UMCI) enforced mode.
• This update affects the Group Policy Management Console. It addresses a scripting error in the Group Policy Preferences window.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Windows Remote Management (WinRM) client. The client returns an HTTP server error status (500). This error occurs when it runs a transfer job in the Storage Migration Service.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Desired State Configuration. It loses its previously configured options. This occurs if metaconfig.mof is missing.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) option 119 – Domain Search Option. The issue stops you from using a connection-specific DNS Suffix Search List.
• This update addresses a rare issue that might cause an input destination to be null. This issue might occur when you attempt to convert a physical point to a logical point during hit testing. Because of this, the computer raises a stop error.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP) certificate. The system reports some SCEP certificate installations as failed. Instead, the system should report them as pending.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the new Windows Runtime (WinRT) API. This issue stops an application from querying for location information using MBIM2.0+.
• This update addresses a known issue that affects kiosk device profiles. If you have enabled automatic logon, it might not work. After Autopilot completes provisioning, these devices stay on the credential screen. This issue occurs after you install updates dated January 10, 2023, and later.

Known issues

• Using provisioning packages on Windows 11, version 22H2 (also called Windows 11 2022 Update) might not work as expected. Windows might only be partially configured, and the Out Of Box Experience might not finish or might restart unexpectedly. Provisioning packages are .PPKG files which are used to help configure new devices for use on business or school networks. Provisioning packages which are applied during initial setup are most likely to be impacted by this issue. For more information on provisioning packages, please see Provisioning packages for Windows.
• Copying large multiple gigabyte (GB) files might take longer than expected to finish on Windows 11, version 22H2. You are more likely to experience this issue copying files to Windows 11, version 22H2 from a network share via Server Message Block (SMB) but local file copy might also be affected.Windows devices used by consumers in their home or small offices are not likely to be affected by this issue.
• Updates released February 14, 2023 or later might not be offered from some Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) servers to Windows 11, version 22H2. The updates will download to the WSUS server but might not propagate further to client devices. Affected WSUS servers are only those running Windows Server 2022 which have been upgraded from Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019. This issue is caused by the accidental removal of required Unified Update Platform (UUP) MIME types during the upgrade to Windows Server 2022 from a previous version of Windows Server. This issue might affect security updates or feature updates for Windows 11, version 22H2. Microsoft Configuration Manager is not affected by this issue.
• After installing this or later updates, Windows devices with some third-party UI customization apps might not start up. These third-party apps might cause errors with explorer.exe that might repeat multiple times in a loop. The known affected third-party UI customization apps are ExplorerPatcher and StartAllBack. These types of apps often use unsupported methods to achieve their customization and as a result can have unintended results on your Windows device.

What can I do if I can’t install KB5023778?

1. Press Win+ I to access Settings.
2. Select the System category and click on Troubleshoot.
3. Press the Other troubleshooters button.
4. Press the Run button next to Windows Update.

Make sure to report any other issues you might come across, in order for Microsoft to address and improve the overall OS experience for us all.

This is everything you can expect if you are a Windows 11 user. Leave a comment below if you found any issues since installing this build.