The Windows 11 KB5120998 update has arrived as Microsoft’s August 2026 optional preview cumulative update for versions 25H2 and 24H2, packing 35 changes across the taskbar, Start menu, Windows Search, and security. According to 4sysops, it is the largest optional Windows 11 update of August 2026, combining shell customisation, Administrator protection rollout, and the removal of a long-standing command-line utility.
As a preview update, KB5120998 gives IT administrators an early look at fixes and features before they reach the broader user base during next month’s Patch Tuesday. Optional updates like this carry no security fixes (only quality improvements) so organisations can evaluate them on their own schedule.
Taskbar goes everywhere in the Windows 11 KB5120998 update
The headline cosmetic change is taskbar repositioning. After installing KB5120998, users can move the taskbar to the bottom, top, left, or right of their screen via Settings > Personalisation > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviours > Taskbar position. Microsoft says most customisation options, including never combining taskbar icons, work in every position.
There is also a new smaller taskbar option that reduces the taskbar’s height and icon size, aimed at maximising screen space on compact devices. The Start menu gets similar treatment: users can now choose small or large sizes, independently show or hide the Pinned, Recommended, and All sections, and opt to conceal the account name and profile picture. These are the kinds of settings power users have requested for years, and they are now accessible through a single Settings dialog.
Administrator protection and the end of WMIC
Beyond the visual tweaks, KB5120998 begins rolling out Administrator protection, a security feature that keeps administrator accounts in a reduced-privilege state and grants elevation only when needed. As 4sysops notes, the feature uses Windows Hello for verification, granting just-in-time privileges only when a user approves a specific action.
Microsoft was clear about its scope: ‘Administrator protection is not classified as a formal security boundary; it hardens the security against elevation-of-privilege attacks with the introduction of profile separation.’ The feature is off by default and can be enabled via OMA-URI in Microsoft Intune or through Group Policy.
Also departing with this update cycle: the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) utility. Starting in August 2026, Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 will no longer include WMIC. It was already removed by default in new installations, but it had remained available as a Feature on Demand. That option is now gone.
Search, VPN resilience, and a Secure Boot restart warning
On the quality side, Windows will now automatically index a user’s most-used folders so files surface in subsequent search results. The setting lives at Settings > Privacy & Security > Search > Automatically find additional relevant locations. This update also improves restart behaviour so PCs that were manually put to sleep return to sleep after completing an update, even when automatic sleep is set to Never.
VPN reliability gets attention too: the update improves resiliency and recovery from VPN process-related background issues that can cause processes to stop responding. There is also new support for participating apps to coordinate their updates with Windows Update through the Windows Update Orchestration Platform (UOP), promising improved scheduling and a more streamlined update experience.
One thing to watch after installation: Microsoft has warned that a limited number of consumer and business devices may experience one additional restart during installation of this and upcoming updates over the next several months. ‘This one-time restart occurs after a Secure Boot certificate update is applied as part of the Secure Boot update process,’ Microsoft said.
Build numbers, availability, and end-of-support context
Once installed, KB5120998 brings Windows 11 25H2 to build 26200.9278 and Windows 11 24H2 to build 26100.9278. According to Microsoft Learn, the update first appeared in the Release Preview Channel on 14 August 2026.
To install it, open Windows Settings, navigate to Windows Update, and click ‘Check for Updates.’ Because it is optional, you will need to select ‘Download and install’ unless you already have ‘Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available’ switched on. It is also available via the Microsoft Update Catalog for manual download.
Microsoft also used the moment to remind users that Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 24H2 will stop receiving updates in two months, while Enterprise and Education editions remain under mainstream support until October 2027. The recommended path is upgrading to Windows 11 25H2, which became generally available in September 2024.
