Windows 11 KB5120998 out with major new features, direct download links for offline installer (.msu)

Windows 11 KB5120998 is now available, and it’s one of the biggest updates of the year, particularly if you care about the Taskbar, Start menu, and Search more than anything else. You can install it via Windows Update, or Microsoft has also posted direct download links for KB5120998 offline installers (.msu).

KB5120998 is an optional update, and it won’t download and install automatically for good reasons, but it’s almost as stable as the Patch Tuesday releases in most cases. It shows up as “2026-08 Preview Update (KB5120998) (26200.8973)” and can be downloaded by clicking on Download & install.

The update is automatically installed in the background if you have enabled the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” toggle. In our tests, Windows Latest observed that KB5120998 bumps Windows 11 25H2 to Build 26200.9278 and version 24H2 to 26100.9278.

Download Links for Windows 11 KB5120998

Windows 11 KB5120998 Direct Download Links: 64-bit and ARM64 | I am also dropping direct links to the Microsoft Update Catalog, which should be used only when the patch is failing via the traditional Windows Update method. In most cases, I recommend using Windows Update because it offers the update in a smaller size and installs faster.

If you download this update outside Windows Update Settings, you’re going to need 5GB of bandwidth, as Update Catalog bundles include AI models, which increases the size of the download even if the AI is never enabled on regular/non-AI PCs.

What’s new in Windows 11 Build 26200.9278 (25H2) / Build 26100.9278 (24H2)?

All features are rolling out gradually and will be enabled over the coming days.

1. Movable taskbar

The wait is finally over, as Windows 11 KB5120998 lets you move the taskbar to the top, left, or right sides, similar to Windows 10 and other versions.

Microsoft is restoring the movable taskbar feature in Windows 11 five years after its launch, and I still remember that the company once justified its removal for “animations” and better “flow” of the interface. Five years later, as Windows 11 failed to grab the eyeballs, the company finally heard the feedback and added back the movable taskbar.

But you can’t just get started with the movable taskbar right away. On Windows 10, you could hold and drag the taskbar to any corner of the screen, and that moved it, but in the case of Windows 11, that implementation isn’t ready just yet. Instead, you need to open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar position, and choose your preferred layout.

I personally use the top taskbar because it allows me to easily switch back and forth between apps, browser tabs, and tabs in Windows Terminal.

There’s another notable taskbar feature rolling out today, and it’s called “smaller taskbar.” If you can recall, you might remember that Windows 10 has a feature that lets you make the taskbar smaller, so it uses less screen space, and it also makes it easier for you to see more apps/open windows on the taskbar. It is an optional feature that needs to be turned on.

In the case of Windows 11, you have a smaller taskbar buttons feature, which makes the taskbar icons and everything smaller, but the taskbar itself remains big. So while you can have more apps on the taskbar, you cannot reduce its screen space, and it clearly looks odd.

With Windows 11 KB5120998, Microsoft is adding back a Windows 10-like smaller taskbar, so you can also shrink the taskbar, not just the icons.

2. Resizable Start menu

Unlike Windows 10, Windows 11 barely lets you customize the Start menu because Microsoft assumes its designers have already found the best fit for everyone, but that’s far from reality. Most users want to customize their Start menu, change the layout, modify the categories, or at least resize the menu that can take over your screen!

Windows Latest has been complaining about how the new Start menu with the Categories layout takes up to 70% of screen space on PCs with smaller screen sizes, or in fact, the now-standard 14-inch laptop screen. It’s barely usable on my Spectre until I manually change the scaling settings to make everything smaller, including the Start menu.

But Windows 11 KB5120998 finally lets you change the size of the Start menu without playing with scaling settings.

If you go to Settings > Personalization > Start, you can now choose the Start menu size. By default, it automatically adapts to the screen resolution, but you can switch between Small and Large.

In addition, it’s now possible to fully remove the Recommended/Recent feed and just show your pinned apps. Or you can also remove the Pinned section and just have your “All apps” list. Microsoft is now letting you hide sections in the Start menu, giving you greater control over how it appears by default.

The ability to turn off the Recommended feed was added to Windows 11 earlier this year, but when you disabled it, you also broke the Recent integration in File Explorer and the taskbar’s jump list (right-click). Microsoft is fixing that, as it has decoupled the two settings, and turning off Recent/Recommended in the Start menu does not have any effect on other areas.

Last but not least, Windows Latest noticed that it’s now possible to disable your name and profile picture in Start, which may not sound like a huge deal unless you frequently share your screen for livestreams and gameplay.

3. Windows Search without Bing and Microsoft Store

This is probably the most exciting change, and the only thing I was patiently waiting for. You can now turn off Bing in Windows Search, and even Microsoft Store results, which means Windows Search will now only show local results. This includes your files, pictures, and, of course, Windows apps.

Microsoft also confirmed that it’ll now do a better job of surfacing items that you actually want, so the results will be much easier to scan and clearer.

You can turn off Bing and Microsoft Store results in Settings > Privacy & security > Search.