Windows 11 can finally move its taskbar to the top, bottom, left or right—but our advice is not to rush this update onto an important PC. Microsoft released optional preview update KB5120998 on August 27, 2026 for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2. It adds major Taskbar, Start and Search personalization while early, unconfirmed reports describe cursor and wallpaper problems on some systems.[1][6]
Features may arrive later
Installing the KB does not guarantee that every Taskbar, Start and Search change appears immediately.[1]
What KB5120998 is—and is not
Microsoft identifies KB5120998 as the August 27 optional preview for all editions of Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2. Microsoft’s release-information table classifies it as the General Availability Channel’s August “D” preview: a production-quality, non-security release that previews changes expected to flow into a later cumulative security update.[1][7]
This is different from the Release Preview build we covered on August 17. That earlier stage used builds 26100.9267 and 26200.9267.[8] The public optional update ends in .9278.[1] The move from Insider testing to a public optional package is real progress, but “public” does not mean mandatory or universally enabled.[1]
The headline Taskbar changes
Top, bottom, left or right
The native selector moves the taskbar without a registry hack or third-party shell replacement. Tooltips, flyouts and animations follow the selected edge.[1]
A genuinely smaller taskbar
A new compact option reduces taskbar height and icon size. Microsoft currently limits the smaller layout to top and bottom positions.[1]
Never combine works around the screen
Microsoft says most existing customization—including never combining taskbar buttons—works in all locations.[1]
Search is more compact vertically
The full Search box is currently supported only at the top or bottom. Side-mounted bars use a reduced Search presentation.[1]
Microsoft’s earlier engineering preview said alternate taskbar positions still lacked auto-hide, the tablet-optimized taskbar and completed touch gestures, while per-monitor placement and drag-and-drop movement were still being evaluated. The final KB does not repeat every one of those caveats, so treat them as items to test—not as final promises or confirmed continuing limitations.[1][4]
Start and Search get more personal
Small, Large or Automatic
Start gains explicit size choices. “Recommended” is renamed “Recent,” and Pinned, Recent and All can be shown or hidden independently. Users can also hide their account name and profile picture—a useful privacy improvement for presentations and streams.[1]
Clearer result sources
Search home is simplified, with clearer labels for apps, settings, files, web results and Microsoft Store suggestions. A setting controls whether web and Store suggestions appear beside local results.[1]
Frequently used folders
Windows can automatically add frequently used folders to the search index. The behavior is controllable under Settings › Privacy & security › Search.[1]
Faster Home, touchable carousel
Microsoft says File Explorer Home should open faster, and its Recommended carousel gains touch scrolling.[1]
Why IT departments should look past the colorful interface
KB5120998 carries several operational changes that matter more than taskbar placement on a managed network.
| Change | Confirmed detail | Practical action |
|---|---|---|
| WMIC removed | wmic.exe is no longer included in 24H2/25H2 and is no longer available as a Feature on Demand. WMI itself remains supported.[1] | Practical guidance: Search scripts, monitoring agents and vendor tools for WMIC calls; migrate to PowerShell/CIM or supported WMI APIs. See our full WMIC migration guide.[1] |
| Secure Boot restart | Microsoft says a limited number of consumer and business devices may receive one extra, one-time restart while updated Secure Boot certificates are applied.[2] | Practical guidance: Warn users and avoid interpreting that extra restart as a failed deployment.[2] |
| Installation media | Dynamic-update media needs a version- and architecture-matched boot.stl. Missing it can prevent startup from the media with error 0xc0430001.[1] | Practical guidance: Update WinPE or copy the correct file, then test an actual boot—not only image servicing.[1] |
| Administrator Protection | Just-in-time administrative privileges begin gradual rollout. Microsoft explicitly says the feature is not a formal security boundary and leaves it off by default.[1] | Practical guidance: Evaluate as defense-in-depth and test policy/application compatibility before enabling it.[1] |
| Copilot+ AI components | Image Search, Content Extraction, Semantic Analysis and Settings Model move to version 1.2608.951.0, but Microsoft says these component updates apply only to Copilot+ PCs.[1] | Practical guidance: Do not assume an ordinary Windows 11 PC receives or uses these local AI components.[1] |
Microsoft also introduces Execution Containers for isolating coding agents and model-generated code, preview agent-process tagging, standalone ML-KEM post-quantum TLS key exchange, and general availability of Windows Autopilot device association. Our practical reading is that these substantial platform changes still do not make an optional preview urgent for an ordinary home PC.[1]
What Microsoft lists as fixed
The gradual-rollout portion includes smoother virtual-desktop switching, more reliable Display settings and brightness persistence, improved Task Manager app-history display, easier keyboard selection during Setup, restoration of sleep state after updates, app-update coordination through Windows Update, VPN process resilience, Japanese IME and WLAN-report fixes, and voice-typing setting persistence.[1]
The normal-rollout portion includes Narrator Natural Voices setup improvements, Japanese RemoteApp input, Japanese Outlook search corrections and touchpad reliability.[1]
BleepingComputer describes the package as containing 35 changes and fixes.[5] That is the publication’s count—not a number Microsoft states in the KB—so we are attributing it rather than presenting it as an official total.[1][5]
The early cursor and wallpaper warning
Windows Latest reports custom or high-DPI cursors reverting to a large white/default pointer and resisting personalization changes. It also reports wallpapers resetting to solid black—sometimes again after a restart or sign-out—and a smaller number of complaints about blurry or pixelated text.[6]
The same outlet says its own test PC was unaffected and cites users who installed the update cleanly across multiple machines. It reports that uninstalling KB5120998 restored cursor and wallpaper behavior for affected users who tried that remedy. Microsoft has not added these reports to the KB’s known-issues section, and no measured failure rate or confirmed hardware, scaling or theme trigger is available.[1][6]
PCWorld separately advised readers to skip the preview because of the cursor complaints, but its account relies on Windows Latest and user reports rather than an independent technical reproduction. That corroborates that the complaints are circulating; it does not establish prevalence.[9]
How to install KB5120998—if you choose to test it
- Open Settings and select Windows Update.[1]
- Open Advanced options, then Optional updates.[1]
- Select KB5120998 and choose the download/install action shown by Windows Update.[1]
- After restart, run winver and confirm build 26200.9278 for 25H2 or 26100.9278 for 24H2.[1]
- As practical guidance, check cursor size/style, wallpaper, text clarity, Taskbar settings, Search behavior, VPN connectivity and any business-critical apps.[1][6]
The Microsoft Update Catalog also offers x64 and Arm64 packages. Catalog entries are approximately 5.0 GB for x64 and 4.8 GB for Arm64; those are full package sizes and are not necessarily the amount Windows Update downloads to a current PC.[3] Microsoft documents multi-package ordering for manual installation, so normal Windows Update is the simpler path for most testers.[1]
Our installation recommendation
Wait unless you want to test
This preview has no new security fixes, its biggest features may not appear immediately, and early personalization complaints remain unresolved. Waiting is our low-friction practical guidance.[1][6]
No broad deployment
Our practical guidance is to use a small pilot across different hardware, display scaling and multi-monitor setups, then validate rollback and WMIC dependencies before the changes become part of a later mandatory cumulative update.[1][6]
Reasonable with recovery ready
As practical guidance, record cursor and wallpaper settings, confirm recovery options, install through Windows Update and test again after restart and sign-out.[1][6]
Do not force-enable them
If the build is correct but the feature is absent, wait for Microsoft’s controlled rollout instead of using hidden flags on a machine that matters.[1]
A five-minute business pilot checklist
- Inventory WMIC. Search login scripts, RMM jobs, inventory tools and vendor packages for
wmicorwmic.exe.[1] - Cover display diversity. Include custom cursors, 125%/150% scaling, multiple monitors, vertical displays and third-party taskbar utilities.[1][6]
- Exercise privacy controls. Verify the intended Search indexing scope and whether web/Store suggestions match policy.[1]
- Test operations. Check VPN, Remote Desktop, line-of-business apps, sleep/wake and the real installation-media boot path.[1]
- Keep rollback bounded. Document the uninstall/recovery decision before promoting the update beyond the pilot ring.[1][6]
Frequently asked questions
Is KB5120998 a security update?
No. It is an optional non-security preview containing production-quality improvements. The next cumulative security update is expected to carry these changes forward.[1]
Which Windows 11 builds does it install?
Windows 11 25H2 becomes build 26200.9278, while 24H2 becomes 26100.9278.[1]
Why do I not see the new taskbar position after installing?
Microsoft is gradually rolling out the headline features. Correct build numbers do not guarantee immediate feature enablement.[1]
Does the full Search box work on a vertical taskbar?
Not currently. Microsoft says the full Search box and Small taskbar are supported only at the top and bottom.[1]
Has Microsoft confirmed the cursor and wallpaper bugs?
Not in the KB’s known-issues section as of August 29, 2026. The reports are meaningful early field signals, but their prevalence and trigger remain unknown.[1][6]
Should I uninstall it if everything works?
Our practical guidance is no—not automatically. If your test system is stable, keep monitoring. If a cursor, wallpaper or text problem appears, document it. Windows Latest describes removing KB5120998 through Windows Settings for affected users, but Microsoft has not confirmed these reports in the KB.[1][6]
Is WMIC the same as WMI?
No. The legacy WMIC command-line utility is removed; Windows Management Instrumentation remains supported.[1]
The IT Guys’ final verdict
KB5120998 is one of the most interesting Windows 11 preview updates in years. Microsoft has moved the long-requested taskbar restoration into the public channel and paired it with meaningful Start, Search, enterprise and platform work.[1]
It is also optional, gradually enabled and already surrounded by plausible—but not yet formally confirmed—personalization regressions. That combination supports our practical conclusion: enjoy the feature list, but pilot the update before you trust it.[1][6]
Sources and further reading
- Microsoft Support: KB5120998 official release notes — release identity, builds, rollout phases, features, installation, fixes and official known-issue status.
- Microsoft Windows Message Center — Secure Boot restart note and enterprise servicing guidance.
- Microsoft Update Catalog: KB5120998 — architecture, channel and package-size metadata.
- Windows Insider Blog: Making Taskbar and Start more personal — feature provenance and earlier engineering limitations.
- BleepingComputer: KB5120998 released with 35 changes and fixes — independent release summary and attributed count.
- Windows Latest: reported cursor, wallpaper and text issues — early user reports, unaffected test system and uncertainty.
- Microsoft: Windows 11 release information — General Availability Channel and D-release classification.
- Microsoft: Windows 11 Insider Release Preview Build 26100.9267/26200.9267 — the earlier KB5120998 Release Preview build numbers and channel.
- PCWorld: optional August update cursor warning — secondary reporting on the early complaints.
Reporting cutoff: August 29, 2026, 10:17:54 a.m. EDT. Microsoft’s official known-issue status and early user reports can change after publication. The hero is original editorial concept art by The IT Guys and is not an actual Windows screenshot.