Microsoft is once again refining Windows 11 with a new optional update — KB5067036 — now rolling out in the Release Preview Channel for Insiders running Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2.
This update is a bug-fix cum feature preview build, meaning it focuses on both polishing existing features and quietly introducing several upcoming improvements.
If you’re an Insider, you might already see it in Windows Update, but Microsoft has confirmed that this will reach the general public in the final week of October 2025 — likely starting Tuesday, October 28.
Let’s go through everything in detail — the new Start Menu, Copilot Plus PC features, File Explorer enhancements, and dozens of fixes — to see what’s new in KB5067036.
📅 Overview of Update KB5067036
Before diving into the detailed features, let’s summarize what this update is and why it matters.
- Build Target: Windows 11 25H2 (and 24H2)
- Channel: Release Preview
- Release Type: Optional Non-Security “C” Update
- Expected Public Rollout: October 28–30, 2025
- Key Improvements: Redesigned Start Menu, Copilot Plus features, Voice Access updates, new Taskbar icons, File Explorer fixes, and display performance enhancements
This is part of Microsoft’s final testing phase before the November Patch Tuesday rollout, so all changes here are stable enough for broad use.
🪟 1. Redesigned Start Menu — Scrollable Layout & Smart Adaptation
Microsoft has completely overhauled the Start Menu design, bringing a scrollable “All” section, category grouping, and better scaling across screen sizes.
Key highlights:
- Scrollable All Apps View: You can now browse apps through a scrollable list instead of the cramped paginated layout.
- Category & Grid Views: Apps can be grouped by category (like Productivity, System Tools, etc.), making navigation cleaner.
- Adaptive Layout: On larger displays, the Start Menu now automatically expands to show more pinned apps, recommendations, and category icons.
- New “Mobile Device” Button: A small but important addition — you’ll now see a mobile device icon next to the search bar, providing quick access to Phone Link integration.
This feature will roll out gradually to users — so don’t panic if it doesn’t appear immediately after installing KB5067036.
🎙️ 2. Voice Access — Smoother Dictation & New Language Support
Voice Access continues to improve for accessibility users, with three major upgrades:
- Fluid Dictation:
Voice-based typing now feels smoother, smarter, and more accurate. Microsoft has added an on-device small language model (SLM) that processes speech locally for faster and more private dictation. It even corrects grammar and punctuation in real time. - Delay Configuration:
You can now set a delay between issuing a voice command and it being executed — useful if you need time to cancel or adjust commands. - Japanese Support:
Voice Access now supports Japanese, expanding accessibility for more regions.
These enhancements make voice control more natural, particularly for users relying on speech-to-text workflows.
🤖 3. Copilot Plus PC Features — Click-to-Do Gets Smarter
If you’re running a Copilot Plus PC, you’ll see several new additions under the Click-to-Do interface — Microsoft’s AI-driven quick action panel.
What’s new in Click-to-Do:
- New Prompt Box: Simplifies how you interact with Copilot, making tasks and prompts easier to type.
- On-Screen Translation: Hover over any on-screen text, and Copilot can now translate it instantly.
- Unit Conversions: Hovering over measurements like 5 km or 10°C shows quick conversion tooltips for length, volume, temperature, etc.
- Touch Gesture Launch: Press and hold two fingers on the screen to open Click-to-Do instantly.
- Freeform Selection: Select text or objects using freeform, rectangle, or multi-click methods.
- Table Detection: Click-to-Do now recognizes table structures, letting you copy or analyze data more intelligently.
- Microsoft 365 Persona Cards: Live profile cards from Outlook and Teams appear in context inside Click-to-Do.
- Visual Cues: Important items like emails or tables “light up” when Click-to-Do is launched for easier identification.
Additionally, Microsoft fixed an issue where Click-to-Do would open unexpectedly when pressing Windows + P.
📂 4. File Explorer — New Features and 5 Important Fixes
File Explorer continues to evolve, focusing on stability and user convenience.
🆕 New Features:
- Recommended Files for All Accounts: Previously limited to enterprise users, “Recommended Files” in the Home section are now available to personal and local account users too.
- Quick Actions on Hover: Hovering over a file now shows quick action buttons like Open File Location or Ask Copilot.
- New Developer APIs: Microsoft added Storage Provider APIs allowing third-party cloud services (like Dropbox or Mega) to integrate into File Explorer’s Home panel.
🩹 Key Fixes:
- Context Menu Flicker Fixed: The right-click menu no longer toggles between “Show More Options” and the compact view randomly.
- View Reset Issue Resolved: File sorting and layout preferences no longer reset when reopening a folder from another app.
- Mouse Click Freeze Fixed: The file window body no longer stops responding after using the context menu.
- Large Archive Extraction Fixed: Files larger than 1.5 GB now extract correctly, resolving the catastrophic error
0x80FFFF. - Unresponsive Home Section Fixed: File Explorer no longer freezes when accessing the Home page.
These improvements make File Explorer much more reliable for both regular and professional users.
🧮 5. Taskbar & Battery Indicator Improvements
The Taskbar gets a subtle but meaningful facelift with two new features and a fix.
New Additions:
- Colorful Battery Icons:
The battery indicator now displays color-coded states (charging, low, full) and simplified overlays that don’t block the percentage bar. You can also toggle the percentage display on/off directly from Taskbar settings. - Share with Copilot Button:
Hover over an app thumbnail in the taskbar and you’ll now see a new “Share with Copilot” button under the preview window — handy for quick AI-assisted actions.
Fix:
- Resolved a bug where clicking a window preview sometimes failed to bring the app to the foreground.
Additionally, the lock screen now shows the same colorful battery icons with percentage, positioned at the bottom-right corner — a small but polished touch.
🧑💻 6. OOBE & Setup Experience — Name Your User Folder
In the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) during Windows setup, users can now customize the default user folder name.
For example, instead of the generic C:\Users\Admin, you can name it C:\Users\Rakesh or C:\Users\WorkPC.
This is a long-requested personalization feature, especially useful for developers or professionals managing multiple systems.
⚙️ 7. Settings & UI Tweaks
A few UI changes have been spotted in Settings:
- “Emails and Accounts” is now renamed to “Your Accounts” under the Accounts page.
- Copilot Agent Language Support: If you’re using a Copilot Plus PC, the built-in AI agent in Settings now supports French.
Small changes, but they contribute to UI consistency and accessibility.
🔄 8. Windows Update — Two Major Fixes
Microsoft addressed two long-standing update issues that frustrated many users:
- Shutdown After Update Fix:
Some PCs would refuse to shut down properly after selecting “Update and Shut Down.” This behavior is now fixed. - Failed Installation Error 0x80F983 Fixed:
Certain devices that couldn’t complete Windows Update installations should now proceed smoothly.
These changes ensure smoother patch cycles, especially for users who regularly install optional builds.
🖥️ 9. Display & Graphics — Visual Stability Restored
Three display-related fixes improve visual consistency across apps and games:
- Frozen Frames Issue Fixed:
Some maximized apps or browsers would freeze while background apps updated — this is now resolved. - Red Tint Bug in Games Fixed:
A rare issue causing games and videos to appear with a red overlay has been fixed. - Display Settings Crash Fixed:
The Settings → System → Display menu no longer crashes if the “Connected Devices Platform Service” is disabled.
These are small but essential improvements for gamers and creative professionals.
💾 10. Open & Save Dialog Freeze Fixed
Microsoft has also patched an issue where apps would hang when trying to open or save files through the standard Windows dialog box.
This fix benefits productivity software like Photoshop, Word, and CAD tools that rely on these file operations frequently.
🔐 11. Protected Content Playback Fixed
A particularly notable fix:
After the earlier KB5064081 update, protected content playback (like DRM video streams) failed on some devices. KB5067036 resolves that bug, restoring smooth playback for streaming services and protected videos.
🧠 12. Summary — What This Update Brings Altogether
Here’s a quick recap of the key updates introduced in Windows 11 KB5067036:
| Category | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Start Menu | Scrollable layout, category view, adaptive sizing |
| Voice Access | Fluid dictation, delayed commands, Japanese support |
| Copilot Plus PC | 8 new Click-to-Do features, translations, AI shortcuts |
| File Explorer | Hover actions, cloud API support, 5 major bug fixes |
| Taskbar | New battery icons, Share with Copilot, window fix |
| Setup (OOBE) | Custom user folder naming |
| Settings UI | Renamed accounts section, new Copilot language |
| Windows Update | Fixed shutdown & error 0x80F983 |
| Display/Graphics | Red tint, freeze, and crash fixes |
| Miscellaneous | Protected video playback restored |
Altogether, KB5067036 includes 22 new features and multiple critical fixes, making it one of the most substantial optional updates before the next cumulative rollout.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. When will KB5067036 be available to everyone?
➡️ The update is expected to roll out between October 28–30, 2025 via Windows Update as an optional preview.
Q2. Do I need to install this update manually?
If you’re not in the Insider channel, you can wait for the optional release through Settings → Windows Update. Advanced users can also download it from the Microsoft Update Catalog.
Q3. Is KB5067036 safe to install?
Yes. It’s a Release Preview build — nearly identical to final public versions. However, as with all optional updates, you can skip it and still get all fixes later in the November cumulative patch.
Q4. Will this update change my Windows version?
No. It keeps you on Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2, depending on your device, but adds new features and bug fixes.
Q5. My PC doesn’t show the update yet — why?
Microsoft rolls these updates out gradually to test stability. You may receive it a few days later depending on your region and hardware.
⚠️ Disclaimer
This article summarizes the official Microsoft KB5067036 update changelog and Insider Release Preview details for informational purposes only. Always create a system restore point or backup before applying optional updates. For official files, visit Microsoft’s verified download portal:
🔗 Microsoft Update Catalog – KB5067036
#Windows11 #KB5067036 #WindowsUpdate #Microsoft #CopilotPlusPC #FileExplorer #Windows25H2 #Windows24H2 #VoiceAccess #TechNews
