Windows 11 23H2 Release Preview KB5067112 Touch Keyboard Hyper V vSwitch Azure Stack Storage Fixes

Microsoft has pushed a focused Release Preview update for Windows 11, version 23H2 — delivered as KB5067112 and tied to the OS build families used by Microsoft’s servicing branches — that addresses a handful of sharp reliability regressions (notably a touch‑keyboard sign‑in failure and a Hyper‑V external vSwitch binding bug), adds a controlled enablement of Personalized Offers in OOBE and Settings, and includes a storage‑connectivity fix aimed at Azure Stack Hub/Azure Local cluster upgrades.

Background​

Windows servicing in 2025 continues to use parallel build families (commonly the 22621 “feature‑off” and 22631 “feature‑on” branches) so a single KB can appear as slightly different OS build numbers depending on the targeted branch. The release being discussed — distributed through the Release Preview Channel as an optional preview cumulative update — is a conservative, servicing‑first package intended for validation before fixes are folded into mainstream monthly cumulative rollups. Administrators and power users should treat this as a test payload, not a mandatory security rollup.
This preview is time‑sensitive: Windows 11 23H2’s consumer servicing window is nearing its scheduled end for Home/Pro devices, which accelerates planning for upgrades to a supported baseline (24H2/25H2). Organizations still on 23H2 should view optional previews as temporary relief for specific regressions rather than a long‑term servicing strategy.

---

What KB5067112 Includes — Quick Summary​

The update is compact and narrowly scoped. The primary items reported across Release Preview communications and community tracking are:

• A fix for a touch‑keyboard regression where keystrokes fail to register after the device resumes from sleep — a symptom that can block sign‑in on touch‑first convertibles and tablets.
• A Hyper‑V networking fix that prevents external virtual switches from losing their physical NIC bindings and becoming internal switches after a host restart, which previously caused VMs to lose external network connectivity.
• A storage communication reliability fix aimed at preventing connectivity errors during in‑place cluster upgrades for Azure Stack Hub and Azure Local deployments. This is targeted to operators who run on‑premises Azure stack clusters.
• The controlled enablement of Personalized Offers during Out‑of‑Box Experience (OOBE) and the appearance of that experience in Settings for eligible devices — a UX/marketing activation that is gated and regionalized, but nonetheless significant for imaging and provisioning scenarios.

The package is being surfaced as a Release Preview (optional) cumulative — meaning devices enrolled in the Release Preview channel or admin‑managed rings that accept optional updates can get it for testing prior to any wider roll‑out.

---

Deep Dive: Each Fix, Why It Matters, and Technical Notes​

Touch keyboard input after resume — the user impact and fix​

Many modern 2‑in‑1s, tablets, and convertible PCs rely exclusively on the onscreen touch keyboard for authentication when no external keyboard is present. The reported regression left the touch keyboard visually responsive (animations and key popups appeared) but prevented characters from being delivered to the focused field after resume from sleep — sometimes blocking sign‑in entirely.
Why this matters:

• A device that cannot accept sign‑in input creates immediate support calls and can render field devices unusable.
• Unattended deployments (kiosk devices, some Autopilot flows) are vulnerable to such regressions when they rely on OOBE or local sign‑in behaviors.

What administrators should note:

• This update specifically addresses that regression; administrators who manage touch‑first hardware should pilot the preview on representative devices to confirm the symptom is resolved in their environment before a broad rollout.

Hyper‑V external vSwitch NIC binding regression — root cause and consequences​

Symptoms reported: external virtual switches were observed to lose their physical NIC bindings after host restarts and appear instead as internal switches, disconnecting VMs from the physical network.
Root cause (as summarized in Release Preview notes): the Host Network Service incorrectly handled or classified orphaned virtual switch objects during startup, which caused external switch bindings to be lost in certain conditions.
Operational impact:

• Servers hosting critical VMs, lab environments, or nested virtualization scenarios can observe sudden loss of network connectivity for dependent VMs after a reboot.
• For virtualization hosts performing automated maintenance reboots, this can cause cascading application outages.

Mitigation and testing advice:

• Apply the preview in a Hyper‑V host test cohort; reboot hosts and validate vSwitch configurations, bound physical NICs, and VM networking after restart.
• Capture Host Network Service logs and Hyper‑V event entries when testing to provide evidence if escalation to vendor/Microsoft support becomes necessary.

Azure Stack Hub / Azure Local cluster storage connectivity fix — scope and caution​

The update includes a fix to improve disk communication reliability during cluster upgrades for Azure Stack Hub and Azure Local environments. The reported symptom was connectivity errors during in‑place upgrade sequences — an operation that, when disrupted, can stall or corrupt upgrade progress in clustered, on‑prem Azure stacks.
Why it’s important:

• Azure Stack Hub and similar localized clusters perform rolling upgrades that depend on consistent storage connectivity; any I/O disruption during this delicate window can prolong downtime or create complex recovery scenarios.
• This fix is targeted and therefore especially relevant to operators who run these environments in production.

Recommendation:

• Do not apply this preview to production cluster upgrade flows without piloting. Validate storage health, run upgrade simulations if possible, and coordinate with hardware vendors for firmware/driver alignment.

Personalized Offers in OOBE and Settings — what changed and the implications​

This package flips on Microsoft’s Personalized Offers experience during OOBE and surfaces it in Settings for eligible devices. The change is controlled via feature flags and regional gating, but it is functionally an enablement of Microsoft’s tailored content/offers surfaces in setup and post‑setup Settings.
Implications for managed environments:

• Imaging, Autopilot, and Autopilot OOBE flows may now present an extra page or selection during initial setup unless policies or provisioning scripts explicitly suppress it.
• Privacy‑conscious organizations or locked‑down deployment pipelines will want to verify whether the Personalized Offers page appears and document how to disable or opt out via MDM policy or CSP if necessary.

Operational guidance:

• Test OOBE and Autopilot scenarios with the preview applied to representative devices.
• If the appearance of such user‑experience components is undesired for a managed device population, prepare opt‑out or suppression guidance and update provisioning scripts accordingly.

---

Deployment Guidance — Where the Update Shows Up and How to Install​

This package is being rolled to the Release Preview Channel as an optional/preview cumulative. There are three common ways to obtain and deploy such a package:

• Settings → Windows Update (on devices enrolled in Release Preview or configured to accept optional updates).
• Windows Update for Business / Intune rings that are configured to allow preview/optional updates as part of staged deployments.
• Manual download from the Microsoft Update Catalog (.msu) for offline or scripted installs (when the catalog entry appears).

Key operational recommendations:

• Inventory affected endpoints — prioritize touch‑first laptops/tablets, Hyper‑V host servers, and Azure Stack Hub nodes for pilot testing.
• Pilot deployment on a small representative cohort (48–72 hour soak test). Validate sign‑in flows, virtualization networking, and storage I/O under typical workloads.
• Monitor logs and capture telemetry: Windows event logs, Hyper‑V logs, Host Network Service traces, and storage/cluster logs for Azure Stack scenarios. These artifacts are essential for troubleshooting and support escalations.
• If problems appear, document the exact installed package by saving the .msu and including the OS build from winver when filing feedback or opening a support case.

Administrative note on SSU/LCU packaging: Microsoft often bundles Servicing Stack Updates (SSUs) with LCUs in combined MSU packages for Release Preview and monthly rollups. Once an SSU is installed it cannot be removed independently; ensure pilots confirm the combined package behavior before mass deployment.

---

Risk Assessment — Strengths, Limitations, and What to Watch For​

Strengths​

• The update targets hard‑failing, high‑impact regressions — a pragmatic, customer‑facing focus that reduces immediate operational pain for affected device classes. Fixing the touch keyboard and Hyper‑V networking issues addresses real, field‑reported breakages.
• Delivering the changes through the Release Preview channel allows controlled telemetry collection and early validation prior to broader rollout, which is the safest path to production deployment for many organizations.
• Including a storage fix for Azure Stack Hub upgrades is a targeted improvement for an often under‑attended but critical on‑prem infrastructure scenario.

Limitations and potential pitfalls​

• Preview updates are not as battle‑hardened as monthly LCUs. They are designed for validation and may carry a slightly higher risk of device‑specific regressions in diverse hardware estates. Testing is therefore essential.
• The Personalized Offers enablement is a behavior change that affects OOBE and provisioning. For imaging pipelines and automated deployments, even an optional extra page during setup creates friction and potential privacy or policy concerns. Teams managing Autopilot and provisioning must validate suppression methods.
• There can be slight build‑number variances depending on servicing family (22621 vs 22631), architecture, and regional gating. Administrators must confirm the specific build that applies to their SKU before applying any offline package.

Unverifiable or evolving items (flagged)​

• At the time of release to Release Preview, some preview packages may not immediately appear with a full Microsoft Support KB article or an Update Catalog entry. Where a granular file manifest or a detailed binary list is required for low‑level validation, that content may only appear later when Microsoft folds the fixes into a formal monthly cumulative update. Treat low‑level binary version claims as unverified until Microsoft publishes the Update Catalog entry or the full KB documentation.

---

Practical Rollout Checklist for IT Teams​

• Identify pilot devices that exercise the affected subsystems:
• Touch‑first convertibles and tablets for touch‑keyboard validation.
• Hyper‑V hosts and lab servers for vSwitch behavior.
• Azure Stack Hub/Azure Local cluster nodes for storage upgrade testing.
• Create a rollback plan:
• Preserve system images and create recovery media.
• Document the exact .msu applied and record winver outputs.
• Pilot and soak:
• Apply the update to pilot cohort.
• Soak for 48–72 hours under representative workloads.
• Reboot hosts and simulate expected maintenance cycles.
• Validate critical scenarios:
• Confirm OOBE and Autopilot flows for imaging pipelines.
• Reconfirm Hyper‑V vSwitch bindings after reboots.
• Run cluster upgrade rehearsals for Azure Stack where possible.
• Monitor and collect diagnostics:
• Capture event logs, netsh traces for network issues, cluster logs for storage problems, and Hyper‑V diagnostic dumps.
• Expand or rollback:
• If pilot is successful, widen rollout in staged rings.
• If regressions surface, use collected artifacts to escalate to Microsoft support or vendor channels.

---

Enterprise Considerations: Imaging, Privacy, and Servicing Lifecycle​

• Imaging and Autopilot administrators must be especially attentive to the Personalized Offers enablement in OOBE. Even when opt‑out controls exist, the presence of an extra page can disrupt unattended flows; document and script suppressions before broad deployments.
• With the 23H2 consumer servicing end date approaching for Home/Pro devices, organizations should accelerate plans to migrate to later baselines (24H2/25H2) rather than relying on repeated optional patches for ongoing security and stability. Optional previews are not substitutes for being on a supported servicing baseline.
• For fleets with older firmware or devices near OEM support end‑of‑life, be mindful of separate platform risks (for example, Secure Boot certificate lifecycle issues noted in other late‑cycle advisories). Inventory and prioritize devices that may require firmware updates or replacements.

---

Final Assessment — Balanced View​

KB5067112 (the Release Preview package associated with build families shown as 22631.x or 22621.x variants) is focused, pragmatic, and addresses meaningful, user‑facing regressions that have outsized operational impact for certain device classes. The targeted nature of the fixes — particularly the touch keyboard and Hyper‑V vSwitch binding corrections — gives the update high utility for affected pilots.
At the same time, the package is a preview cumulative and must be treated with the usual discipline: pilot thoroughly, capture diagnostics, coordinate firmware/drivers where kernel/driver interactions exist, and don’t rely on optional previews as a long‑term servicing strategy for production fleets. The OOBE/Personalized Offers enablement is the most visible non‑quality change and has concrete implications for imaging and privacy‑oriented deployments; plan to validate or suppress that behavior as part of provisioning checks.

---

Quick Reference (What to Do Next)​

• For consumers with touch or convertible devices experiencing the described touch keyboard issue: consider enrolling a test device in Release Preview or wait for the fix to appear in the monthly cumulative if you prefer not to run previews.
• For virtualization admins who run Hyper‑V hosts: pilot the update on a non‑critical host, validate vSwitch bindings after multiple reboots, and capture Host Network Service logs during testing.
• For Azure Stack Hub operators: do not apply this preview directly to production upgrade flows; stage a test upgrade and confirm storage connectivity under the updated build.
• For enterprise imaging and Autopilot teams: test OOBE and Autopilot flows with the preview applied and prepare suppression scripts or MDM policy guidance for Personalized Offers if that behavior is undesired.

---

KB5067112 exemplifies Microsoft’s conservative servicing approach: address sharp, measurable regressions quickly via the Release Preview channel while preserving the final hardening and broad rollout for later monthly cumulative updates. For administrators, the pragmatic play is disciplined testing, clear documentation of outcomes, and an accelerated plan to move devices to a currently supported servicing baseline rather than extending reliance on optional previews.

---

Source: Microsoft Support October 28, 2025—KB5067112 (OS Build 22621.6133) Preview - Microsoft Support

 

[ChatGPT]

Microsoft has released an optional, non‑security preview cumulative for Windows 11, version 23H2 — KB5067112 (Build 22631.6132) — to the Release Preview channel, delivering a compact set of reliability fixes and a controlled enablement of the new Personalized Offers experience during Out‑of‑Box Experience (OOBE) and in Settings.

Background / Overview​

Microsoft is using the Release Preview channel to stage targeted, conservative updates before they are folded into mainstream monthly rollups. KB5067112 is representative of that pattern: it is an optional preview package focused on a few high‑impact reliability issues rather than a broad feature release. Devices enrolled in the Release Preview ring or those that explicitly accept optional updates will see this package; it is not a mandatory Patch Tuesday security rollup.
This timing is notable because Windows 11, version 23H2 (Home and Pro) is approaching its end‑of‑servicing date for consumer editions — November 11, 2025 — meaning administrators must weigh short‑term preview fixes against the longer‑term requirement to move devices to a supported baseline (24H2/25H2).

---

What KB5067112 actually changes​

High‑level changelog (what Microsoft published)​

• Input: Fixes an issue where the touch keyboard appears to work visually after resume from sleep but fails to insert characters into text fields — a symptom that could block sign‑in on touch‑first devices.
• Networking (Hyper‑V): Fixes a Hyper‑V issue where external virtual switches could lose their physical NIC bindings and convert to internal switches after a host restart, isolating VMs from external networks.
• Shell / OOBE: Enables Personalized Offers during device setup (OOBE) and exposes the same Recommendations & offers control in Settings after setup.
• Storage: Addresses disk communication/connectivity errors that affected Azure Stack Hub and Azure Local cluster upgrades.

These items are explicitly small in number but targeted at problems that produced outsized operational impact for specific device classes (tablet sign‑in failure, VM networking, and on‑premises cluster upgrades). Community trackers and independent outlets corroborate the same list of changes for the Release Preview build.

Build family nuance and channel gating​

Microsoft’s servicing model uses parallel build families (e.g., 22621 vs 22631) and server‑side gating, so the exact build suffix or behavior you see can differ by device baseline, channel enrollment, and region. That means the same KB can appear with slightly different OS build numbers depending on the targeted servicing baseline. Confirm the OS build on affected devices with winver before and after testing.

---

Deep dive — each fix, why it matters, and operational impact​

Touch keyboard input after resume​

• The symptom reported by field telemetry and Insiders: the touch keyboard UI renders normally after resume (animations and key popups appear) but characters are not delivered to the focused edit control — sometimes preventing sign‑in on the lock screen or during OOBE on devices without physical keyboards.
• Why this matters: touch‑first devices (tablets, convertibles) and kiosk scenarios rely entirely on the on‑screen keyboard for authentication. A sign‑in blocker can render a device unusable in the field and drive immediate helpdesk volume.
• Operational advice: pilot KB5067112 on representative touch devices, reproduce resume → sign‑in sequences, and verify both the lock screen and desktop text input scenarios. If your environment uses Autopilot/OOBE provisioning, validate those flows with the preview applied.

Hyper‑V external vSwitch NIC binding regression​

• Symptom: after a host restart, external virtual switches could lose their binding to the physical NIC and convert to internal switches, isolating VMs from external networks. Root cause reported as incorrect detection of orphaned vSwitch objects during Host Network Service startup.
• Why this matters: virtualization hosts with external network dependency (test labs, production Hyper‑V hosts, nested virtualization scenarios) can immediately lose network connectivity for VM guests after routine reboots.
• Operational advice: test on a non‑critical Hyper‑V host, perform multiple reboots, and validate external switch bindings before promoting the preview to broader rings. Collect Host Network Service traces and Hyper‑V event logs if the issue reproduces.

Storage connectivity during Azure Stack Hub / Azure Local cluster upgrades​

• Description: fixes disk communication errors that caused connectivity problems during in‑place cluster upgrades for Azure Stack Hub and Azure Local clusters.
• Why this matters: clustered on‑premises infrastructure upgrades are sensitive operations — storage I/O errors during a rolling upgrade can escalate into service outages or failed upgrade sequences.
• Operational advice: do not apply preview updates directly to production cluster upgrade flows. Stage upgrades in a recovery lab or test cluster and validate storage health across the full upgrade window.

---

Personalized Offers in OOBE: what’s actually changing and the privacy/provisioning implications​

What “Personalized Offers” is​

Microsoft has been renaming and refining the old Tailored Experiences control to Personalized Offers and placing it under a Settings page named Recommendations & offers within Settings > Privacy & security. The setting permits Windows to use device context and diagnostic data to show tips, offers, and recommendations in Windows, including during OOBE. Users can turn Personalized Offers off in Settings.

Why the OOBE enablement matters​

• OOBE is the first user interaction with a new or freshly imaged device. Introducing promotional or recommendation surfaces there changes the first impression and can complicate unattended provisioning and imaging flows.
• For organizations using Windows Autopilot, provisioning packages, or sealed images, even a page that’s opt‑outable adds a gating point that can interfere with zero‑touch expectations unless suppressed by policy or MDM. Community reports and preview notes indicate the feature is gated and staged, but details on rollout percentages and regional gating are not published publicly — those specifics are not verifiable from Microsoft’s public transparency at the time of writing.

Controls and policy options​

Microsoft provides a user‑facing toggle and a privacy guidance page that explains how to turn Personalized Offers off: Settings > Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers. For managed fleets, verify whether Group Policy, MDM CSP settings, or provisioning options exist for suppressing this page during OOBE. Microsoft’s documentation shows the user toggle and privacy guidance, but organizations should test Autopilot/OOBE flows to confirm suppression behavior in their enrolled environment.

---

Deployment guidance for IT teams — practical checklist​

• Pilot before production
• Select a pilot cohort that exercises the affected subsystems: touch devices for input, Hyper‑V hosts for virtualization, and a non‑production Azure Stack Hub/Local cluster for storage upgrades.
• Baseline and capture diagnostics
• Record winver and Update history before and after installation. Capture Windows Event Logs, Hyper‑V diagnostics, Host Network Service logs, and netsh trace captures for networking regressions. For storage tests, collect cluster logs and disk controller events.
• Validate OOBE/Autopilot
• Run OOBE and Autopilot flows with and without enrollment in Release Preview to confirm whether Personalized Offers appears and whether it can be suppressed by MDM or provisioning scripts. Document expected UI changes for imaging teams.
• Monitor for regressions for 48–72 hours
• Look for reboots, driver load failures, device driver stability, and any recurrence of the original symptoms. Expand test horizons to include GPU, docking station, and enterprise peripheral scenarios where kernel/driver interactions can expose edge cases.
• Rollout plan
• If pilot passes, upgrade pilot rings first, then phased deployment to remaining devices. If any new regressions appear, retain rollback images and test uninstall/removal procedures. Remember: preview packages have different risk profiles than final LCUs.

---

Risk assessment — strengths vs. potential pitfalls​

Strengths​

• Targeted value: KB5067112 fixes practical problems that can block device usage (touch keyboard sign‑in) and disrupt virtualization or cluster upgrade workflows. That makes it valuable for the right pilot groups.
• Conservative channel: Release Preview is an appropriate ring for validation, letting administrators test fixes before the fixes land in monthly cumulative updates.

Potential pitfalls and cautions​

• Preview stability tradeoffs: Optional preview updates are less hardened than final monthly cumulative rollups and can expose edge‑case regressions on diverse hardware stacks; kernel/driver interactions are the largest source of risk.
• OOBE UI and provisioning friction: Even when the Personalized Offers toggle exists, its presence during OOBE complicates zero‑touch provisioning and privacy‑conscious imaging. Test suppression strategies with Autopilot/MDM ahead of broad deployment.
• Servicing context: Relying on preview fixes for a version that is about to leave Home/Pro servicing (23H2) is a stopgap. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to 24H2/25H2 or moving to an Enterprise/Education servicing path rather than relying on repeated optional previews.

---

Troubleshooting and rollback notes​

• If KB5067112 introduces new problems, gather:
• System info (winver), full Update history, event logs, and any repro steps.
• For Hyper‑V issues: Host Network Service logs and Hyper‑V switch configuration dumps.
• For input issues: reproduce with a fresh user profile and safe boot to rule out driver‑level input filter drivers.
• For storage issues: cluster and disk controller event logs during the upgrade sequence.
• Uninstall path: optional preview updates can sometimes be removed via Settings → Update history → Uninstall updates, or by applying an earlier system image. Test removal in your pilot ring to confirm a clean rollback; for cluster nodes, restore from known good images or follow vendor guidance.

---

Summary and practical verdict​

KB5067112 is a small but meaningful Release Preview package for Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631.6132). It fixes a disruptive touch‑keyboard regression, a Hyper‑V external vSwitch NIC binding issue, and a storage connectivity problem for Azure Stack Hub/Azure Local upgrades — and it enables the Personalized Offers recommendation surface during OOBE and in Settings. The fixes address real‑world pain points and therefore have high utility for the exact systems affected, but this remains an optional preview cumulative intended for testing in the Release Preview ring.
For administrators: pilot the update on representative hardware, validate Autopilot/OOBE flows for the new Personalized Offers surface, collect diagnostic logs, and — critically — accelerate your upgrade plan away from 23H2 Home/Pro (end of servicing on November 11, 2025) to a supported baseline rather than relying on preview fixes long term.
For end users with touch devices or Hyper‑V hosts experiencing the specific regressions described, the Release Preview path gives a rapid validation route to test whether this build resolves your problem. For all others, waiting for the fix to be folded into a future monthly cumulative update is the lower‑risk path.

---

Quick reference — what to do now (condensed)​

• Consumers (non‑managed, touch‑free): wait for the monthly cumulative; no urgent action required unless you have the exact issue.
• Power users & enthusiasts: enroll a test device in Release Preview and verify behavior.
• IT admins:
• Build a small pilot that includes touch devices, Hyper‑V hosts, and cluster nodes.
• Validate OOBE/Autopilot behavior and confirm whether Personalized Offers appears and can be suppressed.
• Monitor for 72 hours and expand rollout only if stable.
• Plan upgrade to 24H2/25H2 — 23H2 consumer servicing ends November 11, 2025.

KB5067112 demonstrates Microsoft’s servicing discipline: small, focused fixes delivered through Release Preview so administrators can validate before broad production deployment. That model works — as long as IT teams apply the usual pilot, monitor, and rollback discipline and treat preview updates as test payloads rather than production rollouts.

---

(If you need a concise checklist for your pilot plan or a preflight script to collect the recommended logs for Hyper‑V and touch input validation, a ready‑to‑run checklist can be provided for use in your lab or pilot ring.)

---

Source: Microsoft - Message Center October 28, 2025—KB5067112 (OS Build 22621.6133) Preview - Microsoft Support

 

[ChatGPT]

Microsoft is rolling out a Release Preview Channel build for Windows 11, version 23H2 — KB5067112 (Build 22631.6132) — as an optional, non-security preview that addresses several targeted reliability problems and flips on Microsoft’s Personalized Offers experience during Out‑of‑Box Experience (OOBE) and in Settings. This Release Preview package is not a Patch‑Tuesday security rollup; it’s an optional quality update meant for early validation and broader testing ahead of inclusion in a future mandatory cumulative update.

Background: what this update is and why it matters​

Microsoft uses multiple monthly release types: mandatory monthly security (LCU) updates, optional non‑security preview updates (the “C/D” or preview releases), out‑of‑band (OOB) releases for urgent fixes, and the continuous‑innovation model for Windows 11 feature rollouts. Optional non‑security preview updates are intentionally scheduled ahead of the next monthly security release to let organizations validate changes before the fixes go live in the required updates. KB5067112 is exactly that kind of preview package — production quality, but optional, and aimed first at Release Preview Insiders and early pilots.
Why this matters now: Windows 11, version 23H2 consumer SKUs (Home and Pro) are approaching a servicing cutoff on November 11, 2025. That deadline makes optional releases like KB5067112 a short window for fixes on still‑supported builds, while also underscoring that consumer devices should be planning upgrades to a supported in‑market version (24H2 or 25H2) rather than relying on optional previews as a long‑term fix path. Enterprise and Education SKUs for 23H2 have a different servicing timeline, but for Home and Pro users this is a clear signal to prepare upgrades.

---

What KB5067112 (Build 22631.6132) changes — the short list​

This Release Preview update is narrowly scoped. The documented fixes and functional change are:

• Touch keyboard input fix: resolves a regression where the touch keyboard showed animations but did not insert characters after the system woke from sleep (which could block sign‑in on tablet and 2‑in‑1 devices).
• Hyper‑V / external virtual switch fix: prevents external virtual switches from losing their physical NIC bindings and degrading to internal switches after the host restarts, restoring expected VM networking behavior.
• Personalized Offers enabled in OOBE and Settings: flips on the Personalized Offers feature during Out‑of‑Box Experience and surfaces it in Settings once the device reaches the desktop. Availability may be gated by region, telemetry, or controlled feature rollout.
• Storage / Azure Stack fix: addresses disk communication failures causing connectivity errors during Azure Stack Hub or Azure Local cluster upgrades — an important reliability fix for on‑premises Azure stack scenarios.

Independent coverage and community summaries confirm the same list of fixes and the Release Preview distribution of the build. That corroboration indicates Microsoft’s intent: targeted, high‑value reliability fixes rather than broad feature changes in this preview.

---

Deep dive: unpacking each fix and its impact​

Touch keyboard after resume — why this was disruptive​

Touch keyboard failures that prevent characters from being entered after resume are not just a cosmetic annoyance — they can block primary workflows on touchscreen hardware, including the sign‑in flow when password or passkey entry is needed. For tablet users and hybrid laptop owners, an inability to authenticate is a high‑friction, high‑impact regression.
The fix in KB5067112 restores expected behavior after sleep/resume and reduces a class of support tickets that typically spike after cumulative changes to input stacks. Organizations with frontline tablet deployments should prioritize validating this fix in representative hardware.

Hyper‑V virtual switch NIC binding — why administrators should pay attention​

The external virtual switch regression — where external switches lost their physical NIC bindings and became internal after host restarts — could cause unexpected loss of network connectivity for VMs hosted on Hyper‑V. For virtualized test labs, CI/CD systems, and on‑premises virtualization hosts, this is a reliability problem that can cascade into application outages.
Admins running Hyper‑V hosts should pilot KB5067112 on a small set of hosts that exercise external vSwitches, then validate VM network connectivity through host restarts and service updates prior to broad deployment. The fix targets detection logic in Host Network Service at startup to prevent orphaned‑switch misclassification.

Storage fixes for Azure Stack Hub and Azure Local — targeted but essential​

Storage communication errors during Azure Stack Hub or Azure Local cluster upgrades are niche but severe for affected environments. Cluster upgrades that fail due to disk communication faults can lead to prolonged maintenance windows and complex recovery operations.
If your organization runs Azure Stack Hub or uses Azure Local cluster scenarios on Windows Server hosts, validate the fix during a controlled maintenance window and confirm cluster health checks after applying the update. The KB text explicitly calls out connectivity fixes tied to disk communication during cluster upgrade operations.

Personalized Offers in OOBE — functionality and privacy considerations​

KB5067112 enables Personalized Offers during device setup and surfaces the same experience in Settings. This functional change affects first‑boot experience and post‑setup settings UI for new or reset devices.
Personalized Offers are a commercial/marketing feature that presents device‑tailored offers during OOBE. While Microsoft documents this as a user‑facing experience, enterprises and privacy‑conscious users should note that the feature is frequently gated (region, policy, Controlled Feature Rollout) and may respect organizational configuration. Organizations that control OOBE via imaging or provisioning should evaluate if this affects user experience or compliance requirements. If behavior is undesirable, existing management and provisioning controls can often suppress or bypass OOBE additions. The rollout may vary by region and tenant settings.

---

How Microsoft stages these updates (and what that means for you)​

Microsoft’s update rhythm is deliberately staged:

• Optional non‑security preview releases are published in the fourth week of the month to provide what Microsoft calls production‑quality, early validation updates. These previews are cumulative and often become part of the following month’s mandatory security rollup if no regressions are found.
• Monthly security updates are the mandatory, second‑Tuesday rollups that include both security fixes and prior non‑security improvements.
• Out‑of‑band releases are used for urgent or exceptional fixes and are issued as necessary.
• Continuous innovation for Windows 11 allows some features to be flagged, rolled out gradually, and tested via preview channels before broader release.

The practical effect: if you want to validate fixes early, join the Release Preview Channel or use the optional updates path. If you need conservative stability, wait for the next monthly cumulative security update on Patch Tuesday, which will likely fold in the preview’s fixes after Microsoft’s validation window.

---

Who should install KB5067112 now — recommended audiences​

• Enterprise test and pilot groups: Hyper‑V hosts, Azure Stack Hub administrators, and device management teams that want to validate the fixes before wider release.
• Insiders and early testers: Release Preview Channel devices intended to provide broad device telemetry and validation data to Microsoft.
• Power users on affected hardware: Tablet/2‑in‑1 owners experiencing the touch‑keyboard regression who need an expedited fix and are comfortable applying optional updates.

Who should wait:

• Conservative production endpoints that require maximum stability should defer to the next mandatory Patch‑Tuesday cumulative update unless the regression is directly affecting critical operations.
• Devices at or past end of servicing: If your Home/Pro device will reach end of servicing on November 11, 2025, the better long‑term plan is to upgrade to a supported Windows 11 version (24H2 or 25H2) rather than rely on a preview fix.

---

Deployment and testing checklist — practical steps for IT teams​

• Create a small pilot ring that mirrors production: include Hyper‑V hosts, representative tablet devices, and any Azure Stack nodes.
• Document current state: record current build, NIC binding configurations, cluster health checks, and sign‑in behavior.
• Enroll pilot devices in the Release Preview Channel or obtain the optional update from Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates.
• Apply KB5067112 to pilot devices and exercise the scenarios: resume from sleep and sign in on touch devices, reboot Hyper‑V hosts and verify external vSwitch bindings, run Azure Stack / cluster upgrade test procedures, and perform a fresh OOBE test on an unprovisioned device.
• Monitor logs and telemetry for unexpected regressions for 48–72 hours. Validate application and driver compatibility with vendor teams where appropriate.
• If pilot is successful, schedule phased rollout; if issues appear, roll back per your update rollback plan or hold until the monthly cumulative update.

---

Privacy, telemetry, and governance: what to watch for​

The Personalized Offers toggle in OOBE and Settings will raise questions for privacy‑aware organizations and admins who control device provisioning. While Microsoft documents the feature, the specifics of what data is used to curate offers (and the telemetry associated) are often subject to gating, region, and organizational policy.
Enterprise customers should confirm:

• Whether Microsoft’s OOBE Personalized Offers can be suppressed via provisioning packages or OOBE configuration policies.
• If the organization’s privacy policy and contractual obligations permit any data collection associated with personalization.
• How Device Guard, CSP policies, and Intune settings interact with OOBE features during enterprise enrollment.

If an organization wishes to avoid such experiences entirely for new devices, standard provisioning controls and imaging workflows typically provide that capability — but confirmation in a test OOBE scenario is recommended. Flag this as an item for compliance review if onboarding is tightly regulated.

---

Risks and caveats: what could go wrong​

• Optional previews are production‑quality but not final. There's always a modest chance a preview will introduce new regressions. That’s the reason Microsoft limits distribution and encourages pilot testing.
• Devices that are near or at end of servicing have limited windows for receiving fixes; relying on previews rather than upgrading can delay necessary security coverage. For 23H2 Home/Pro, the end of updates on November 11, 2025 is an immutable lifecycle milestone.
• Personalized Offers may change the OOBE narrative; if your organization uses automated provisioning or custom imaging, test to ensure the onboarding flow remains predictable and compliant.
• Some fixes (especially storage and virtualization) may interact with third‑party drivers and vendor firmware. Validate with hardware vendors where disks, RAID controllers, or NIC firmware are in the critical path.

When in doubt, pilot, monitor logs, and maintain a rollback path and backups before broad deployment.

---

How to get KB5067112 (practical steps)​

• Enroll affected test devices in Windows Insider Program > Release Preview Channel (Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program) and turn on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.” Then check Windows Update for the optional preview.
• For organizations that don’t use Insider channels, apply the same validation when the preview surfaces in the Optional updates section of Windows Update or use Microsoft Update Catalog/WSUS channels as they are updated.
• If you prefer to wait, the fixes in KB5067112 are likely to be included in the following month’s cumulative security update if validation is successful and no regressions are discovered. That provides a safer path for broad production deployment.

---

Bottom line and recommended action​

KB5067112 (Build 22631.6132) is a targeted, Release Preview Channel non‑security update for Windows 11, version 23H2 that corrects specific, high‑impact regressions for touch keyboards, Hyper‑V networking, and Azure Stack storage, and it enables Personalized Offers in the OOBE experience. For administrators, the prudent approach is to pilot this update on a representative set of devices that exercise the affected subsystems, validate the results, and then proceed with a phased rollout if tests are successful. For consumer Home/Pro devices, note that 23H2 reaches end of servicing on November 11, 2025 — upgrading to a supported in‑market version (24H2 or 25H2) is the recommended long‑term plan rather than depending on occasional optional previews.

---

Quick reference — essential links and terms to remember​

• KB5067112 — non‑security preview build 22631.6132 for Windows 11, version 23H2 (Release Preview Channel).
• Optional non‑security preview update — fourth‑week production preview released ahead of the monthly security rollup; install for testing, not mandatory for production.
• Out‑of‑band update (OOB) — issued when urgent fixes are needed between monthly releases.
• End of servicing: Windows 11, version 23H2 (Home, Pro) — November 11, 2025. Plan upgrades to remain supported.

---

KB5067112 is a pragmatic, targeted preview: it fixes discrete regressions that can have outsized operational impacts in affected environments, but it is not a substitute for a managed upgrade to a current supported Windows 11 release. Test smart, prioritize devices that exercise the fixed subsystems, and treat the November 11 consumer servicing cutoff for 23H2 as a schedule that should inform upgrade timelines.

---

Source: Microsoft - Message Center https://support.microsoft.com/help/5067112

 

[ChatGPT]

Microsoft’s optional Release Preview update KB5067112 for Windows 11, version 23H2, landed as a narrowly scoped cumulative package that patches several high‑impact reliability regressions and — perhaps more controversially — enables a “Personalized Offers” prompt during the Out‑of‑Box Experience (OOBE) and surfaces the control in Settings after setup.

Background / Overview​

Microsoft ships two kinds of monthly updates that matter to most users: mandatory security rollups and optional non‑security preview releases. KB5067112 is an optional, non‑security preview release distributed through the Release Preview channel; its stated aim is quality and reliability fixes rather than broad new features. The package addresses three operational bugs — a touch‑keyboard input regression, a Hyper‑V external virtual switch NIC‑binding regression, and a storage communication issue impacting Azure Stack Hub/Azure Local cluster upgrades — while also flipping on the Personalized Offers recommendation surface in OOBE for eligible devices.
A note on build numbers and channel nuance: community trackers and Microsoft’s release notes use multiple build suffixes across device baselines (22621 vs 22631 families and minor revision suffixes like .6132/.6133). These differences reflect Microsoft’s parallel servicing model and feature‑flag gating; administrators should confirm the exact build reported by winver or the Microsoft Update Catalog before acting. Some community posts and catalog entries show slightly different build suffixes for the same KB, so verify on your hardware.

---

What KB5067112 actually changes​

At a glance​

• Input fix: Restores touch keyboard character delivery after resuming from sleep; previously animations appeared but characters did not register (including at the sign‑in prompt).
• Networking (Hyper‑V): Fixes a regression where external virtual switches could lose their physical NIC bindings after a host restart and revert to internal switches, isolating VMs. The root cause is incorrect orphaned‑switch detection during Host Network Service startup.
• Storage: Addresses disk communication faults that caused connectivity errors during Azure Stack Hub or Azure Local cluster upgrades.
• Shell / OOBE: Enables the Personalized Offers feature during Out‑of‑Box Experience and exposes it later under Settings → Privacy & security → Recommendations & offers. The control is toggleable.

Build and distribution​

KB5067112 appears as an optional preview cumulative update in the Release Preview channel. If you are enrolled in Release Preview you will be offered the update via Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update; otherwise the package appears in the Microsoft Update Catalog for manual deployment. Because Microsoft sometimes issues small revisions, check winver and package manifests for the exact build number on your devices before deployment.

---

Personalized Offers in OOBE — what changed and why it matters​

What “Personalized Offers” is​

Personalized Offers is the latest label in Microsoft’s recommendations/advertising surface (previously called Tailored Experiences in earlier guidance). It's a settings control that allows Windows to use device context and diagnostic signals to surface tips, suggestions, product offers, and sign‑up prompts inside Windows — now including during the initial setup wizard (OOBE). The setting lives in Settings → Privacy & security → Recommendations & offers and can be turned off. Microsoft documents the toggle and its privacy implications on its privacy settings pages.

Why enabling it in OOBE matters​

OOBE is the user’s first interaction with a new or freshly imaged device. Adding a promotional or recommendation surface there changes that first impression and introduces a potential friction point for managed provisioning. The impact breaks down into three practical areas:

• User expectations: OOBE traditionally focuses on account setup, privacy choices, and device personalization. A visible offers screen risks the impression that upsell is part of the setup flow.
• Privacy: Personalized Offers uses some device context to tailor content. Even when opt‑out is available, the mere presence of the prompt may cause inadvertent consent by users who click through quickly.
• Enterprise provisioning: Autopilot, imaging, and other zero‑touch provisioning paths assume predictable OOBE flows. An added page — even if opt‑outable — can disrupt unattended setups unless suppressed by policy or provisioning options.

Controls and mitigation​

Microsoft offers a user toggle for Personalized Offers and documentation that shows how to change the setting post‑setup. For managed fleets, expect Group Policy, MDM CSPs, or provisioning CSPs to be the appropriate controls to suppress the offers during OOBE. Administrators should test Autopilot and sealed image flows against a preview device to confirm that the page can be bypassed or defaulted off. If the organization requires no in‑OS promotional content during setup, implement a managed configuration that sets the Recommendation & offers toggle to Off during provisioning.

---

Deep dive: the fixes that matter to admins and users​

Touch keyboard after resume — the user-facing blocker​

Symptom: On some tablets and convertibles, the touch keyboard UI rendered normally after resume (animations, key pop‑ups), but keystrokes did not insert characters into focused fields — including the lock/sign‑in screen. That’s a single‑feature bug with outsized impact: a device that cannot accept text input at sign‑in is effectively locked for users without an attached physical keyboard.
Why this fix matters: the patch restores input delivery after sleep/resume and reduces help‑desk tickets for sign‑in failures on touch‑first devices.
Testing checklist (recommended):

1. Install KB5067112 on a test device that reproduces the issue.
2. Create a local account with a password (avoid biometrics for the test).
3. Put the device to sleep, resume, then invoke the touch keyboard at the sign‑in screen and type the password to verify characters appear.
4. Test text entry in several apps (Notepad, browser) to confirm general input behavior persists.

Hyper‑V external vSwitch NIC binding regression — operational risk​

Symptom: External virtual switches could lose their binding to a host’s physical NIC after a host restart, converting to internal switches and isolating VMs from the physical network. Root cause: Host Network Service (HNS) startup logic incorrectly identified some switch objects as “orphaned,” prompting reclassification and binding loss.
Why this fix matters: For virtualization hosts — test labs, production Hyper‑V nodes, nested virtualization scenarios — routine maintenance reboots could unexpectedly break VM networking. That’s a high‑impact regression for any environment that relies on predictable vSwitch mappings.
Operational recommendations:

• Pilot the update on non‑critical Hyper‑V hosts.
• After installing, perform multiple reboots and confirm external vSwitch → physical NIC bindings persist.
• Automate a post‑restart validation script to check vSwitch bindings on production hosts until the patch is widely adopted. A simple PowerShell check (Get‑VMSwitch and associated NetAdapter bindings) can be included in post‑maintenance validation.
• Snapshot or checkpoint critical hosts before testing to allow quick rollback.

Storage fix for Azure Stack Hub / Azure Local​

Symptom: During cluster upgrade flows, disk communication errors could surface and cause connectivity failures — a severe issue for on‑premises Azure Stack Hub or Azure Local cluster upgrades where storage I/O must remain stable during rolling upgrades.
Advice for operators:

• Do not apply preview updates directly to production cluster upgrade nodes.
• Stage upgrade and patch runs in a test cluster and validate storage I/O and cluster health across the full upgrade window.
• Maintain backups and rollback plans prior to attempting an in‑place cluster upgrade.

---

Deployment guidance — who should install and how to pilot​

Recommended audiences for early adoption​

• Insiders and power users who want the fix now and are comfortable with Release Preview builds.
• Small pilot groups for enterprise testing — include representative hardware: touchscreen devices, Hyper‑V hosts that use external vSwitches, and any Azure Stack/Azure Local cluster nodes.
• IT teams who must validate that OOBE/Autopilot flows remain unattended and free of unwanted prompts.

Who should wait​

• Conservative production fleets where absolute stability is required should wait for the fixes to be folded into the next mandatory monthly cumulative update (Patch Tuesday) unless they have a pressing issue addressed by this patch. Preview packages are intended for validation and testing rather than immediate broad deployment.

Pilot checklist (short)​

1. Verify target devices are on Windows 11 version 23H2 (run winver).
2. Snapshot or image test devices before applying the update.
3. Include at least one device for each critical workload (touch sign‑in, Hyper‑V host, cluster node).
4. Validate touch keyboard behavior after resume, vSwitch bindings after multiple reboots, and cluster storage health during a simulated upgrade.
5. Verify OOBE and Autopilot flows; confirm the Personalized Offers page can be suppressed or defaulted via policy if required.

---

Strengths, risks, and broader implications​

Strengths​

• Targeted reliability improvements: The three reliability fixes address real‑world, high‑impact regressions that were generating field telemetry and user complaints. Restoring keyboard input and stabilizing Hyper‑V networking measurably improves device and host reliability.
• Controlled rollout: The Release Preview channel lets Microsoft test UI enablement and telemetry before committing the change to a broader audience, giving IT teams time to pilot and prepare.
• User control retained: Personalized Offers is toggleable under Settings → Privacy & security → Recommendations & offers, so end users can opt out after setup.

Risks and concerns​

• First‑run UX and perception: Adding promotional content in OOBE can sour the initial user experience and fuel perception that Microsoft privileges upsell over a clean setup flow. Even when opt‑outable, many users click through quickly and might not notice the privacy implications.
• Provisioning and automation disruption: Any change to OOBE introduces a risk for automated provisioning pipelines. Organizations must test Autopilot and provisioning packages to ensure automation isn't blocked by additional prompts.
• Telemetry transparency: While Microsoft says the feature uses device context to tailor offers, the precise telemetry signals used for specific promotions are not exhaustively documented in the update note. That uncertainty can worry privacy‑sensitive organizations and individuals. Flag any such claims as cautionary unless Microsoft publishes a definitive telemetry mapping.

---

Practical scripts and checks (examples)​

Quick PowerShell check for vSwitch bindings (conceptual)​

1. Run Get‑VMSwitch to list switches.
2. For each external switch, check associated NetAdapter and confirm physical NIC is present.
3. Fail the validation if an external switch has no bound physical adapter.

This validation can be scripted and run as part of post‑maintenance health checks to detect any residual binding regressions until the patch is broadly deployed.

Touch keyboard verification steps (repeatable)​

1. Create or use a local account with password.
2. Lock device or sign out.
3. Enter sleep, resume, and bring up the touch keyboard at the sign‑in screen.
4. Verify typed characters appear and authentication succeeds.

Include these steps in your lab validation checklist for touch‑first devices.

---

What remains unverifiable or needs monitoring​

• Rollout percentages and regional gating: Microsoft often gates feature rollouts server‑side and by region. The precise device eligibility or percentage of devices that will see Personalized Offers in OOBE is not publicly published for this preview; treat any specific percentage claims as unverified until Microsoft publishes official rollout telemetry.
• Exact telemetry signals used for offers: Microsoft documents general categories of data used for recommendations, but a complete mapping of signals to promotion types was not included in the update announcement; flag this as a point requiring further transparency if privacy considerations are material to your deployment.

---

Conclusion​

KB5067112 is a compact but consequential preview update: it patches annoying and operationally serious regressions — notably the touch keyboard sign‑in blocker and a Hyper‑V external vSwitch binding regression — while also surfacing a functional change to the Out‑of‑Box Experience by enabling Personalized Offers during setup and under Settings. The technical fixes are welcome for affected users and administrators; the OOBE enablement raises valid privacy and provisioning concerns that deserve careful testing and policy control in managed environments. Administrators should pilot the update in a small, representative ring, validate touch, network, and storage behaviors, and confirm that provisioning flows remain uninterrupted; privacy‑minded users and IT teams should verify that the Recommendations & offers toggle is set to the organization’s preferred default during provisioning.
Apply this preview only after completing the recommended checks and staging steps; if stability is paramount, wait for these fixes to be folded into the next mandatory cumulative update after Microsoft’s Release Preview validation window.

---

Source: Windows Report Windows 11 KB5067112 Adds "Personalized Offers" to OOBE Setup Screen