A bug in Windows 10 KB5015878 (July 2022 optional update) affects the notification area which typically appears in the taskbar. As a result, some users may be unable to switch the input method or language as the notification area bug blocks the language and input bars in the taskbar.
KB5015878 is an optional update that won’t download or install automatically on your device unless you manually check for updates, and click on the “Download & Install” button below the clearly worded “optional updates” section.
Windows 10 July 2022 optional update comes with a couple of new features. For example, you can now receive important notifications when focus assist is on. For those unaware, Focus Assist is a feature similar to “Do not disturb mode” on your Android or iOS device, and it hides annoying notifications when you want to stay focused.
Another new addition is specifically aimed at enterprise customers. Microsoft noted that it has enabled “restores functionality” for Windows Autopilot deployment scenarios. Likewise, the update also improved the OS upgrade experience. Microsoft also fixed an issue that causes consecutive video clip playback to fail in games.
Microsoft acknowledges a new bug in Windows 10 July 2022 update
In some cases, the update is causing more trouble for users.
In the updated support document, Microsoft noted that Input Indicator and Language Bar might not appear in the notification area. The bug has also been reported in the mandatory Windows 10 KB5015807 update, but it doesn’t appear to be widespread.
Thankfully, Microsoft is aware of the reports and it has already started pushing an emergency update that resolves issues with the taskbar notification area.
According to Microsoft, it only affects devices that have more than one language pack installed, and it’s particularly hitting the ‘switcher’ feature of the notification area that lets you quickly toggle between input or keyboard languages.
This has been fixed in a server-side update that simply turns off the code change causing the issue. Since it’s a server-side update, it may take up to 24 hours to propagate automatically to your devices, but you can always restart the device to apply the fix to your device faster.
Enterprise customers can also manually configure a special Group Policy in Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates to deploy the fix. As always, you can also directly download the patch from Microsoft’s website.
Other issues in KB5015878
Remember that KB5015878 is an optional update and it may cause other issues for some folks as well. For example, users have reported that the July 2022 optional update fails to install on their devices with a vague error message.