Windows 11 KB5029263 update is now rolling out to the general public, and it comes with a couple of important bug fixes. Microsoft has also published direct download links for Windows 11 KB5029263 offline installers. The .msi installers are particularly useful if you cannot download the Patch Tuesday via Windows Update.
KB5029263 for Windows 11 is a mandatory security update, and Microsoft has confirmed it will install updates automatically. One of the main parts of this update is better support for tools related to handwriting on the computer. There are also improvements in the notification system of Windows that help save battery life.
August 2023 Patch Tuesday update (Windows 11 Build 22621.2134) improves how the OS handles notifications. In one support document, Microsoft officials highlighted that this update makes several changes to the operating system to ensure you receive all notifications sent via apps like WhatsApp or Skype.
Other improvements in the Build 22621.2134 update include better text editing, fixes for certain fonts, and solutions for problems with printing. Lastly, the update has added security features to protect your computer against attacks. In short, this update fixes many old issues and adds new features to improve using Windows.
To install the August 8 Patch Tuesday update on Windows 11, use these steps:
- Open Settings via Windows Search.
- Go to ‘Windows Update‘ and click ‘Check for updates‘.
- You’ll see several new updates on the page, click ‘Download and install‘.
- Click Restart now.
In case you’re confused, look for the following patch in the Settings:
2023-08 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5029263)
If you’re on Windows 10, Microsoft has released another update (KB5029244) with identical changes.
Download Links for Windows 11 KB5029263
Windows 11 KB5029263 Direct Download Links: 64-bit.
Windows 11 KB5029263 (build 22621.2134) changelog
So, what’s new in Windows 11 Build 22621.2134? According to official release notes, one of the biggest highlights of the security patch is support for improved Handwriting Software Input Panel and Handwriting Engine. This should allow users to draw better on their touch-enabled devices, particularly Microsoft Surface products.
As mentioned at the outset, Microsoft has been working on many changes for notifications in Windows. The last update for Windows 10 improved notifications support, and Microsoft is bringing the same set of improvements to Windows 11 via the August 2023 cumulative update.
After the update, you will not encounter frequent notification problems, such as a bug where users cannot get alerts from WhatsApp, Telegram, Skype and other apps that rely on built-in notification platforms.
A bug in Windows previously blocked some apps from sending toast alerts, but the software giant has finally fixed it.
Another related bug has been fixed where users reported potential issues with their device’s battery performance, including a bug that causes high power consumption when notifications are on for all apps.
Finally, there’s a fix for connectivity issues affecting business customers using Windows Push Notification Services (WNS).
August 2023 update fixes Autopoliot, IMI issues, blocks unsafe drivers, and more
Microsoft has fixed many issues for businesses and enterprises, including a bug that affected customers dependent on Windows Autopilot profiles. This update should bring “robustness to the Windows Autopilot profiles” download process, which makes it particularly useful during unstable network connections.
Microsoft is improving Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) by tracking installation errors caused by the feature. This allows the enterprises to use the log data to investigate the root problems and make changes to their configuration. Finally, Microsoft is tweaking the Verdana Pro font family to ensure printer drivers remain stable.
Microsoft is adding vulnerable drivers to the Windows Kernel Driver Blocklist.
This ensures your device remains safe, and Windows Security can block potentially unsafe drivers. Let’s say you download a driver from third-party sites and run it, but Windows detects it as a security risk. In this case, the Windows Security app will block the driver installation.
Moreover, text editing has been made more user-friendly, and the Narrator will now announce the “Change product key” label.
Here’s a list of all critical bug fixes in Patch Tuesday August 2023 updates:
- Microsoft has fixed Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) mode issues where a bug disrupted a print job.
- Microsoft has fixed issues related to Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC), the fastfat file system driver, and I/O operations over Server Message Block (SMB) with specific compression algorithms.
- Microsoft is improving sign-in when using Windows Hello for Business PIN or biometric credentials in a cloud trust deployment.
Additionally, the Event Forwarding Subscriptions have been fine-tuned to avoid forwarding unnecessary events after adding an Event Channel.
