Windows 11 updates ship with typo-aware search fixes

The latest round of Windows 11 cumulative updates is rolling out, and while the headline is security — the August 2026 Patch Tuesday batch patches 400 vulnerabilities — the release also packs a surprising number of quality-of-life tweaks. Microsoft has shipped KB512103 for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2, and KB5120240 for version 23H2, and both are mandatory because they contain the month's security fixes.

A Patch Tuesday built on 24H2

This is the eighth Patch Tuesday of 2026, and it's based on the 24H2 codebase, which means 25H2 gets the same update. There are no exclusive or special changes for either version — users on both will receive identical fixes.

The updates can be installed via Start > Settings > Windows Update and clicking 'Check for Updates,' or manually downloaded from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

Search gets a typo-tolerant brain

One of the more noticeable additions is an improvement to Windows Search that helps it better handle typos and partial app names when finding installed apps. Settings search also gets a boost, with more useful settings surfacing higher in results.

These changes are part of a broader effort to make the OS feel less rigid when users don't type exactly the right terms — a small but meaningful shift for anyone who's ever fumbled a search query.

Voice Access adds Voice Isolation

Voice Access is getting a significant upgrade with the introduction of Voice Isolation, a feature designed to filter out other speakers and background noise so the system can better recognize your voice. It requires a one-time voice setup.

Users can also choose from two other modes under Voice Access settings > Improve speech recognition: 'Remove background noise only,' which filters out non-speech sounds like typing or door slams without extra setup, and 'No filtering,' which uses the default microphone input with no additional processing.

Korean language support for voice access is also newly added, and the update improves the reliability of starting Voice Access.

File Explorer and touchpad refinements

File Explorer gets several tweaks in this release. File sizes in the Details view now display using appropriate units (KB, MB, GB) instead of KB-only, making them easier to read at a glance. Middle click to open a folder in a new tab is now supported in the Address Bar and the Home page, and a grey flash on load plus unexpected scrolling to the top on the Home page have been eliminated. Thumbnails in the Recommended section are also crisper.

Precision touchpad users get new gesture controls under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad, including scroll and zoom speed adjustment and accelerated scrolling, which lets you scroll faster the more you repeat the gesture — handy for long documents.

Widgets, Start menu, and account badges

Taskbar notification badges now use your Windows accent color instead of red, which Microsoft says helps reduce unnecessary attention-grabbing alerts. The Lock screen Widgets experience is simplified for new users, with Weather as the only widget shown by default.

The Start menu gets a reliability improvement for view preferences, ensuring your selected view is retained, plus better keyboard navigation when focus is on the apps list. The account control in the Start menu has a refreshed design and now shows a badge displaying your subscription status for users signed in with a Microsoft account.

Security and power management updates

Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) now supports peripheral fingerprint sensors, extending secure sign-in beyond built-in sensors to desktops and other Windows 11 PCs, including Copilot+ PCs. This feature was previously disclosed in January 2026 (KB5074105) and is now beginning to roll out. To use it, plug in a supported ESS fingerprint reader, go to Settings > Accounts > Sign in options, and follow the prompts.

Power and battery settings get a reliability boost — changes made in Settings are now applied to all power plans, including display, sleep, hibernate, power button, sleep button, and lid-close settings. The ability to set a threshold for when energy saver should enable within Settings > System > Power & Battery is also restored.

The update also improves calculation of update progress progression and includes changes to update clean-up logic to improve system performance immediately following an update. Microsoft is not aware of any new issues with this month's Patch Tuesday, though the company says it will update the article if major problems come up.

What this means for your system

The sheer volume of fixes — 400 vulnerabilities — underscores the importance of applying these updates promptly. As the Blue Report 2026 highlights, even with valid credentials, only 37% of attacker actions are blocked, so keeping systems patched is a baseline defense, not a complete solution.