Windows 11: Update Guide

On October 5, 2021, Microsoft Announces Windows 11 Availability, which started out as a slow, phased release, expected to reach all eligible devices by mid-2022. But the Windows launch isn’t the end of a process – it’s really just the beginning. Like Windows 10, Microsoft continuously improves Windows 11 by fixing bugs, releasing security patches, and adding new features from time to time.

In this story, we summarize what you need to know about each publicly released update for Windows 11. For each build, we’ve included a release date and a link to Microsoft’s announcement. about that version. The most recent updates appear first.

Note: If you are still using Windows 10, see “Windows 10: Update Guide. And if you’re looking for information on Insider Program previews for upcoming feature releases of Windows 11, check out “Windows 11 Insider Preview: What’s in the Latest Build? ”

Update for Windows 11 Original Release

KB5007215 (OS Build 22000.318)

Release date: November 9, 2021

The build includes many security updates. For details, see Microsoft Security Update Guide and November 2021 security update notes. It also fixes a bug that caused some UI elements to display incorrectly or when drawing in some apps. And it improves the quality of the service stack, which installs Windows updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it will be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports of problematic issues and if all seems fine, apply the update.

(Get more information about KB5007215.)

KB5006746 (OS Build 22000.282) Preview

Release date: October 21, 2021

This unsecured build fixes a number of bugs, including one that caused voice assistant distortion and another in Windows Defender Exploit Protection that prevented some Microsoft Office applications from working on Windows Defender. machines with certain processors.

There are two known issues in this build, including one where the Windows print client may crash when connecting to a shared remote printer on the Windows print server after the build is installed.

(Get more information about KB5006746.)

KB5006674 (OS Build 22000.258)

Release date: October 12, 2021

This build fixes a bug related to a compatibility issue between certain Intel “Killer” and “SmartByte” networking software and Windows 11 (original release). It also improves the quality of the service stack, which installs Windows updates.

The build also includes many security updates. For details, see Microsoft Security Update Guide and October 2021 security update notes.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it will be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports of problematic issues and if all seems fine, apply the update.

(Get more information about KB5006674.)

Windows 11 Original Release

Release date: October 5, 2021

Windows 11 is the first new version of Windows that Microsoft has released since July 2015, when it rolled out Windows 10. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new in it. (For more details, see our Windows 11 in-depth review.)

• The Start menu has been redesigned and collapsed, and Live Tiles have been removed. It’s now easier to find apps to launch and files you’ve worked on recently.
• Snap Layouts let you group your open windows into one of half a dozen pre-made desktop layouts. Snap Groups help you quickly switch from one Snap Layout to another.
• The Windows interface has been overhauled, with rounded windows, sharper animations, and a softer overall feel. Some built-in apps, such as File Explorer, have a simpler, easier-to-use interface.
• You can chat and videoconference directly from the taskbar using Microsoft Teams. However, this is not a full Teams service, so the full suite of Enterprise Teams features, such as using channels and being able to search the message archive, is not available.
• Cortana is still available in Windows 11 but does not appear on the taskbar and is not enabled by default.

For IT, these features are worth noting:

• Windows 11 requires hardware with TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0 built in for security. TPM uses hardware-based encryption to encrypt disks using Windows features like BitLocker and can prevent dictionary attacks on passwords, among other capabilities.
• Windows 11 has a feature update schedule once a year instead of the bi-annual cycle in Windows 10. That will reduce update time, effort, and headache.
• To help ensure business applications and other software can run on Windows 11, Microsoft released Test facility for Microsoft 365, an automated testing tool for application compatibility testing.