Microsoft has officially rolled out its mandatory Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. Designated as KB5124008, this release marks one of the most substantial quality-of-life additions to the operating system in years, bringing back long-awaited desktop customization options alongside critical security hardening and system performance enhancements.
As covered in our ongoing Windows 11 news reporting, if your device is set to update automatically, KB5124008 is likely already queued. Here is a breakdown of the top new features, UI upgrades, and bug fixes included in this update.
Top New Features & Enhancements
1. Movable and Smaller Taskbar
After years of user requests, Microsoft is restoring core taskbar flexibilities originally found in Windows 10:
Taskbar Repositioning: You can now position the taskbar at the top, bottom, left, or right side of your screen (
Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors).True Small Taskbar Mode: Selecting the smaller taskbar option now shrinks both the icons and the taskbar height itself, freeing up valuable vertical screen space on laptops and compact monitors.
2. Resizable Start Menu & Custom Layout Controls
The Start menu receives its biggest functional refresh yet:
Size Presets: Switch between Small, Large, and Automatic sizes (
Settings > Personalization > Start > Start menu size).Cleaner Sections: You can now hide your profile name/picture, toggle off the “Recommended” (now renamed “Recent”) section entirely, and independently show or hide Pinned, Recent, and All apps sections.
3. Bing-Free Local Windows Search
Windows Search now offers a dedicated toggle to strip out web recommendations:
Local-Only Results: Turn off web and Microsoft Store suggestions under
Settings > Privacy & security > Search. Searching for files, settings, and apps now delivers pure local results with zero online clutter.Faster Load Times: Disabling web querying significantly speeds up local search indexing and menu rendering.
4. File Explorer & Touch Improvements
Faster Home Launch: Opening File Explorer Home is noticeably snappier thanks to optimized shell rendering.
Touch-Friendly Recommended Section: The Recommended section on File Explorer Home now supports smooth touch scrolling for easier file browsing on touchscreen laptops and tablets.
Important Bug Fixes & System Upgrades
Beyond visual enhancements, KB5124008 fixes critical reliability issues previously highlighted in recent Windows 11 updates:
Mouse Cursor Fix: Resolves the widespread bug where mouse pointers reverted to legacy pixelated cursors or misaligned hitboxes.
Arm64 App Stability: Patches an issue that caused Microsoft Teams and Outlook to crash unexpectedly on Snapdragon and Arm64 PCs.
Kernel & Remote Desktop Hardening: Fixes several elevation-of-privilege and remote code execution vulnerabilities across core Windows memory modules.
Voice Access Isolation: Enhances Voice Access with AI-driven voice isolation to filter out ambient room noise and secondary speakers.
How to Get KB5124008
Since KB5124008 is a cumulative security update, Windows Update will download and install it automatically over the coming days.
To trigger the installation manually:
Open Settings (
Win + I).Select Windows Update.
Click Check for updates.
Restart your system once KB5124008 finishes downloading.
Manual Download link
You can download and manually install Windows 11 update KB5121003 by clicking here. If you need help in understanding how to install these updates manually on your PC, you can refer to our step-by-step noob-friendly tutorial.
Note: Microsoft is enabling some UI features—such as the movable taskbar—in a phased rollout. For the latest rollout updates and troubleshooting guides, follow our Windows 11 coverage as more details emerge.
