Microsoft has released the Windows 11 22H2 KB5026446 update, aka 'Moment 3,' bringing quite a few new and long-awaited features to the operating system.
The KB5026446 update is a monthly preview update allowing users to test upcoming fixes and features that will be installed as part of the following month's mandatory Patch Tuesday.
While the KB5026446 update is supposed to be optional, it was automatically installed on our device when we checked for new updates.
In addition to the new Moment 3 features announced yesterday, this update brings twenty-two additional changes, fixes, and features to Windows 11, with the highlighted ones listed below.
-
New! This update provides the total amount of storage capacity of all your Microsoft OneDrive subscriptions. It also displays the total storage on the Accounts page in the Settings app.
-
New! This update adds Bluetooth LE Audio. This improves audio fidelity and battery life when you pair your device with Bluetooth audio devices.
-
This update addresses an issue that affects Narrator. It now announces text attributes correctly for words, such as "misspelled," "deletion change," and "comment."
-
This update addresses an issue that affects access to Tab settings for IE mode sites.
-
This update addresses a multi-function label printer issue. It affects the installation of some of them.
-
This update addresses an issue that affects audio playback. It fails on devices that have certain processors.
-
This update addresses an issue that affects the touch keyboard. It shows the wrong layout for the French-Canadian language.
-
This update addresses an issue that affects the touch keyboard. Sometimes, it does not show the correct layout based on the current input scope.
-
This update addresses an issue that affects the Chinese and Japanese Input Method Editor (IME). When you search within the Emoji Panel (Windows key + period (.) ), search might fail for some of you.
After installing this update, Windows 11 22H2 will have a new build number of 22621.1778.
However, with only this update installed, the new Moment 3 features remain dormant until activated with another update, as described in the next section.
How to enable the new Moment 3 features
Microsoft's approach to updating its operating system has changed in Windows 11, with it receiving only one major feature update per year.
However, Microsoft has now introduced a new update process called "Moments," which allows Windows 11 to receive new feature-rich updates throughout the year.
Microsoft released the first Moment update in November 2022, the second in February 2023, and Moment 3 was released today as part of the KB5026446 update.
However, even with the KB5026446 update installed, you will only get access to the new Moment 3 features once you install another new 'Windows configuration update' that enables these features.
To receive the Windows configuration update, you must first go into Settings > Windows Update, enable the 'Get the latest updates as soon as they're available' setting, and then click on the 'Check for updates' button.
After installing the Windows configuration update and restarting your computer, you will now have access to various new features slowly released by Microsoft over the coming months.
Some of the features released as part of Moment 3 include a new VPN status icon, a two-factor authentication code copy button, the ability to display seconds on the taskbar clock, support for USB4 hubs, Live Kernel Memory Dumps in Task Manager, Content Adaptive Brightness Control (CABC) for laptops, new Presence sensing setting, and user interface changes.
However, only some of these features are available, with Microsoft saying more will be rolled out over time.
All of these features are scheduled to become enabled by default in the June preview update and then for everyone as part of the mandatory July 2023 Patch Tuesday.
BleepingComputer will be performing a hands-on review of the new available Moment 3 features later today.
Comments
Hammerfest - 11 months ago
We really need to specify what kind of released, everyone spamming its RELEASED, yes, PREVIEW was released, FINAL has NOT...
lonegull - 11 months ago
Microsoft's logic and torture of the English language makes this difficult to understand. KB5026446 is a preview release (update title) of Moments 3, but a preview release will happen in June. The release to everyone will happen in July, even though this update is optionally available to everyone now. But all the features will be rolled out at unspecified future date(s), leaving July as being either a release of all features in total or just the previewed features. In order to get these updates upon release you must select within updates, to get these updates immediately even though they are available to you when updates are released. You can't get updates any sooner than when they are released, so this expedited release option is useless.
Lawrence Abrams - 11 months ago
It's a confusing rollout to be sure.
Sadly, it's becoming all too common. There is still no official documentation on Microsoft's , Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection that they quietly added, while removing the LSA Protection setting.
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-defender-update-causes-windows-hardware-stack-protection-mess/
AMDGamer016 - 10 months ago
I Installed the Preview update and restarted, checked Windows update again, and some reason don't even see the Windows Configuration update as yet, and yes Get Latest Windows Updates is selected as on in my Windows 11 Pro install, clean installed system even on 5/8/2023 if that matters any
Nevermind looked back in update History and actually did get it on 5/24/2023, so must've came in with that days reboot when another program updated next day
Hmm888 - 10 months ago
I always come here now to see what the users are saying. I'm not updating unless absolutely necessary and I'll be returning back to W10 anyways this year. I have all the necessary "safeguards" in place to ensure that I'm not visiting any questionable and vulnerable sites.
All you need is a good backup system, a strong password/passphrase, and a healthy dose of skepticism. Don’t open suspicious attachments, and don’t click on shady links, It's as simple as that.