Windows 11 24H2 September 2025 KB5065426: Security Update & Secure Boot Readiness

Microsoft has released the September 2025 cumulative security update for Windows 11, version 24H2 — KB5065426 (OS Build 26100.6584) — a combined Latest Cumulative Update (LCU) and Servicing Stack Update (SSU) that delivers security hardening, targeted bug fixes, AI component updates for Copilot+ hardware, and an urgent operational reminder about the pending Secure Boot certificate rollover beginning in June 2026.

Background​

Microsoft’s monthly cumulative for September 9, 2025, targets Windows 11, version 24H2 (all editions) and is intended to be installed via Windows Update, Windows Update for Business, WSUS, or through the Microsoft Update Catalog as an MSU package. The release bundles the latest servicing stack (SSU) to reduce installation failures and includes fixes that follow earlier August updates. The update notes explicitly call out several reliability and compatibility fixes, SMB auditing additions, AI component refreshes for eligible Copilot+ devices, and an important Secure Boot certificate advisory.
For IT administrators and enthusiasts, this patch is important for three overlapping reasons:

• It closes security exposure in several platform areas.
• It introduces or enables auditing and hardening features that can change interoperability with legacy SMB/third-party devices.
• It reiterates Microsoft’s Secure Boot certificate expiration timeline and the practical steps organizations must take to avoid boot-time or pre-boot update failures.

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What’s in KB5065426 — at a glance​

This cumulative update contains multiple fixes and improvements across the OS, plus an updated SSU and optional AI component updates for Copilot+ PCs. Key highlights in the published notes include:

• App compatibility (UAC / MSI repair): A fix reduces unexpected User Account Control (UAC) prompts for non‑administrator users when MSI installers run certain custom actions, including repair or configuration operations. The change also exposes an allowlist mechanism that IT admins can use to exempt specific MSI-based apps from prompting. This addresses real-world breakage for legacy installers (examples cited include Office Professional Plus 2010 and several Autodesk titles).
• File server / SMB auditing: The update enables auditing for SMB client compatibility related to SMB Server signing and SMB Server Extended Protection for Authentication (EPA). This is an auditing capability so organizations can identify clients and servers that will break when stricter SMB signing/EPA enforcement is applied. The change is preparatory — it allows assessment ahead of hardening.
• Input and management fixes: Several stability fixes address apps that stopped responding to input in certain IME scenarios and an issue where some IIS modules could disappear from IIS Manager, which prevented configuration via the GUI.
• Networking / audio (NDI / OBS): A known issue introduced earlier that caused audio stuttering in apps using the Network Device Interface (NDI) — notably when Display Capture is enabled in OBS Studio — has been fixed. The notes indicate this was a regression tied to a prior update.
• AI component updates: The package includes versioned updates for modular AI components (Image Search, Content Extraction, Semantic Analysis, Settings Model). These are only applicable and installed on Windows Copilot+ hardware; non‑Copilot PCs and Windows Server SKUs will not receive these AI binaries.
• Servicing Stack Update (SSU): The update incorporates the SSU (KB5064531) for build 26100.5074, improving the reliability of the component that installs Windows updates. SSUs are bundled to reduce a class of installation failures and to make combined packages more robust.

These items are summarized in Microsoft’s release notes for the update and are the primary operational takeaways from this monthly patch cycle.

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The Secure Boot certificate expiration — why this matters now​

One of the most consequential operational advisories in the KB is the reminder that the Secure Boot certificates Microsoft has used since ~2011 are scheduled to start expiring in June 2026. Devices that still rely on the legacy 2011 CA chain and do not receive (or accept) the new 2023 CA family risk losing the ability to install Secure Boot pre‑boot updates and could encounter boot trust failures or inability to validate boot components. Microsoft has described this as a global, coordinated certificate rollover that affects most Windows devices shipped since 2012. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, support.microsoft.com)
Why this is operationally significant:

• Secure Boot ensures integrity of early boot components (bootloader, option ROMs, drivers). If the signing CA expires, the platform will not trust new signed firmware/components and may prevent certain pre‑boot patches.
• Certificate rollover often requires firmware (OEM) interaction, especially for devices with older UEFI implementations. Microsoft’s guidance stresses OEM coordination, testing, and — for managed fleets — allowing Microsoft-managed Secure Boot certificate updates where possible. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, support.microsoft.com)

Practical near-term steps recommended for organizations:

• Inventory devices with Secure Boot enabled and record firmware/UEFI versions and OEM support status.
• Engage OEMs to confirm whether firmware updates are required to accept the 2023 CA family.
• Allow Microsoft‑managed Secure Boot certificate updates where feasible (via Windows Update/management channels) for consumer and managed devices.
• For air‑gapped or firmware‑locked systems, plan manual certificate rollouts and testing well ahead of June 2026. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)

This advisory elevates Secure Boot readiness from a long‑term compliance note to an immediate planning item for IT teams and device managers.

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Deeper look: SMB auditing and the push to strict signing​

KB5065426 helps administrators prepare environments for SMB security hardening by enabling auditing of SMB client compatibility with SMB Server signing and EPA. It is not the enforcement step; it’s the reconnaissance step — designed so admins can discover incompatible devices and third‑party SMB stacks before flipping the enforcement switch.
Context and implications:

• Microsoft has been moving to require SMB signing by default on Windows 11 24H2 and in Windows Server 2025; auditing gives visibility into clients that do not support signing or EPA. (learn.microsoft.com, techcommunity.microsoft.com)
• Many legacy appliances, embedded devices, NAS units, or appliances using older SMB stacks (or Samba versions) may not support SMB signing or EPA. When enforcement is activated, those devices may fail to connect until firmware or vendor patches are applied.
• Auditing settings are configurable via Group Policy or PowerShell and produce event‑log entries administrators can use to build remediation lists. (learn.microsoft.com, techcommunity.microsoft.com)

Operational checklist for SMB readiness:

• Enable the new SMB auditing policies in a test OU and collect logs for 30–90 days.
• Identify devices that show “client does not support signing” or similar events.
• Engage application and appliance owners to patch or replace incompatible endpoints.
• Stagger enforcement: convert auditing → limited hardening → full enforcement to reduce blast radius. (learn.microsoft.com)

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Known issues and troubleshooting​

KB5065426 documents a small set of known issues and their mitigations. The primary operational-known issue to call out is the PSDirect (PowerShell Direct) connection failure observed on hotpatched devices (devices that installed the September hotpatch KB or this cumulative update while the host/guest were mismatched). The symptoms and mitigation are summarized below:

• Symptom: PSDirect connections may intermittently fail when a patched guest tries to connect to an unpatched host (or vice versa). The fallback to a legacy handshake can fail, leaving sockets uncleared and producing authentication failure events (Event ID 4625) in the Security Event log.
• Workaround / Fix: Microsoft notes the problem is fixed in KB5066360; administrators experiencing PSDirect failures on hotpatched systems should update both host and guest VMs to the KB5066360 package (or apply the recommended cumulative update that contains the fix). Until both sides are aligned, avoid relying on PSDirect sessions for remote guest administration.

Other known items to watch for:

• If your environment uses hotpatching widely, ensure management tooling (SCCM, Intune, CMDB) and compliance scanners are updated to recognize hotpatched states — hotpatches can change reported KB identifiers and build numbers in non‑obvious ways.
• If you rely on legacy MSI installers or older applications that invoke MSI repairs, test non‑admin user install flows after applying this update and use the new allowlist option where necessary to avoid lingering UAC disruptions.

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Installation options and a recommended deployment path​

Microsoft supports multiple installation methods for KB5065426: Windows Update, Windows Update for Business, WSUS synchronization (Products: Windows 11; Classification: Security Updates), Microsoft Update Catalog downloads (MSU files), DISM/PowerShell offline servicing, or the Windows Update Standalone Installer (WUSA). The KB ships as a combined SSU + LCU package; Microsoft recommends using the combined package or DISM with a folder of required MSUs so dependencies are resolved automatically.
Recommended steps for enterprise deployment (concise):

• Inventory and pilot:
• Identify representative pilot groups (hardware vendors, EDR agents, VMs, Copilot+ devices).
• Ensure firmware inventory and OEM update readiness, especially for devices with Secure Boot enabled.
• Stage auditing:
• Enable SMB compatibility auditing in a controlled test OU to surface incompatible devices.
• Apply update to pilot devices:
• Use Windows Update for Business or WSUS to target a small pilot set.
• Monitor for PSDirect issues if any devices are hotpatched; keep host/guest parity in VMs.
• Expand to controlled ring:
• After 48–72 hours of pilot validation, broaden to production rings.
• Monitor event logs (SMB, Security, Application) for regressions.
• Full rollout:
• Coordinate firmware updates for Secure Boot certificate acceptance where needed.
• Use Microsoft-managed Secure Boot updates where possible for consumer/managed devices.

If you prefer manual offline installation, here are the exact DISM/PowerShell commands the KB documents (use an elevated prompt and ensure you have all MSU files in the folder):

• Using DISM (running on the running system):
  DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\Packages\Windows11.0-KB5065426-x64.msu
• Using PowerShell:
  Add-WindowsPackage -Online -PackagePath "C:\Packages\Windows11.0-KB5065426-x64.msu"
• To service a mounted offline image:
  DISM /Image:mountdir /Add-Package /PackagePath:Windows11.0-KB5065426-x64.msu

The KB also explains how to add the update to installation media and highlights that you cannot uninstall the SSU after the combined package is applied; removing the LCU alone requires DISM with the package name.

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Practical recommendations — prioritization and mitigations​

For IT managers and security teams evaluating this update, the following prioritized actions will reduce risk and operational friction:

• Priority 1 — Secure Boot readiness:
• Inventory all devices with Secure Boot enabled and confirm OEM firmware compatibility with the 2023 CA family.
• Allow Microsoft-managed Secure Boot updates for devices that accept Windows Update, or plan OEM/firmware-assisted rollouts for locked environments. Do this now rather than waiting for 2026. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, support.microsoft.com)
• Priority 2 — SMB auditing and remediation:
• Turn on SMB client/server auditing in a controlled stage to identify devices that will fail when signing or EPA enforcement is applied.
• Prioritize remediation of high-value file servers, backup clients, and appliances that interact across network segments. (learn.microsoft.com, techcommunity.microsoft.com)
• Priority 3 — Hotpatch parity and PSDirect:
• If you use hotpatching, ensure both hosts and guests are patched to the same compatibility level before relying on PSDirect.
• If experiencing PSDirect failures, install the KB that Microsoft identifies as the fix (KB5066360) on both sides.
• Priority 4 — App compatibility and UAC allowlist:
• For known legacy MSI installers that caused UAC prompts for non-admin users, validate the new behavior in the pilot. Use the allowlist mechanism when operationally required for apps that perform MSI repairs.
• Priority 5 — Copilot+ AI components:
• If your fleet includes Copilot+ PCs, track the AI component versions and validate Copilot-related experiences after the update. Non‑Copilot devices will not install these components, so inventorying Copilot+ hardware is necessary for meaningful validation.

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Risk assessment and critical analysis​

Strengths of this release

• Proactive operational guidance — Microsoft’s clear reminder about Secure Boot certificate expiry pushes a normally obscure pre‑boot dependency into actionable territory well before the expiry window. That gives organizations months, not weeks, to plan OEM, firmware, and OS-level remediation. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, support.microsoft.com)
• Preparatory hardening controls — Enabling SMB auditing (rather than flipping enforcement immediately) is a measured step that allows discovery and remediation before breaking connectivity for legacy devices. (learn.microsoft.com)
• Targeted compatibility fixes — Patching regressions such as UAC prompts during MSI repair, IIS module visibility, and NDI audio stutter shows Microsoft is addressing both security and usability regressions identified since August.

Risks and potential pitfalls

• Firmware dependency for Secure Boot — For many fleets, the Secure Boot certificate update is not only an OS update; firmware-level changes from OEMs may be required. Air‑gapped, firmware‑locked, or long‑lifecycle devices (medical, industrial, OT) present high‑touch migration paths with potential manual steps and service windows. Failure to coordinate with OEMs can lead to devices that are unreachable or unable to receive pre‑boot fixes. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
• Third‑party appliance compatibility — SMB signing and EPA hardening can break older NAS appliances, virtualization storage appliances, and legacy appliances that do not support modern SMB signing or encryption. Without careful auditing and staged enforcement, administrators risk business-impacting outages. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
• Hotpatch/diagnostic complexity — Hotpatching can leave inconsistent patch states across hosts and guests. The PSDirect issue demonstrates how subtle fallback mechanics between patched/unpatched endpoints can cause intermittent failures that are hard to triage without aligned patching policies. Inventory, reporting, and synchronized update state are essential to avoid these hard‑to‑reproduce problems.

Caveats and unverifiable claims

• Some parts of the KB and component updates (AI component internals, “miscellaneous security improvements”) are intentionally non‑specific. When a vendor uses general language, it is often because low‑profile or defensive changes are being shipped without disclosing exploit details. Treat those statements as legitimate protections but recognize that public exploit mapping (CVE mapping) may lag or not be provided for every micro‑fix. Where precise CVE mappings are required for compliance, use the Security Update Guide or the monthly security bulletin for authoritative CVE lists.

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How to verify installation and what to watch for post‑install​

After applying KB5065426, confirm installation and monitor for regressions:

• Verify OS Build in Settings → System → About or by running:
• winver (graphical)
• systeminfo /fo list | findstr /i "OS Build" (command line)
• Check Update history in Settings → Windows Update to confirm the KB number and the combined SSU + LCU package presence.
• Monitor these event log channels for specific post‑install telemetry:
• Applications and Services Logs → Microsoft → Windows → SMBClient / SMBServer → Operational (audit events for SMB compatibility). (learn.microsoft.com)
• Windows Event Viewer → Security log for Event ID 4625 if experiencing PSDirect issues until host/guest parity is ensured.

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Final assessment and bottom line​

KB5065426 is a routine but strategically important monthly cumulative update: it closes security exposure, removes several annoying regressions, and — most importantly for future boot reliability — renews Microsoft’s public reminder that Secure Boot certificates will begin expiring in June 2026. Organizations must act now to inventory devices with Secure Boot enabled, coordinate with OEMs on firmware readiness, enable Smart auditing (SMB), and validate Copilot+ hardware behavior if relevant. The update’s inclusion of an SSU makes installation more reliable, but the presence of hotpatch-related edge cases (PSDirect) and the dependency on firmware for Secure Boot remind administrators that patching is now an end‑to‑end process spanning firmware, OS, and appliance vendors. (techcommunity.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)
Apply the patch with a staged, instrumented rollout; treat Secure Boot readiness as a calendarized project with OEMs and device owners; and use the SMB auditing capabilities to build a remediation plan for legacy appliances before enabling stricter enforcement. These steps will minimize disruption and ensure the security hardening delivered by the September 2025 Windows security update is realized without operational surprises.

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Source: Microsoft - Message Center September 9, 2025—KB5065426 (OS Build 26100.6584) - Microsoft Support

 

[ChatGPT]

Microsoft’s September Patch Tuesday delivers more than a routine security roll-up: KB5065426 (OS Build 26100.6584) for Windows 11 24H2 packages a slate of small but visible UI tweaks, on-device AI components, and a collection of reliability fixes that will matter to both home users and enterprise administrators.

Background​

Microsoft issued KB5065426 as the September 9, 2025 cumulative update for Windows 11 version 24H2, advancing affected machines to OS Build 26100.6584. The update is distributed via Windows Update, Windows Update for Business, WSUS, and is available as an offline .msu package in the Microsoft Update Catalog for manual deployment.
This release follows Microsoft’s established pattern for 24H2: monthly checkpoint cumulative updates that combine a Servicing Stack Update (SSU) with the Latest Cumulative Update (LCU). Microsoft continues to ship new client code for AI-driven features in these monthly packages while enabling the features gradually via server-side gating, licensing checks, and hardware capability detection. That two-step pattern—code in the build, feature turned on later—explains why two identical PCs can behave quite differently after the same update.

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What’s new in KB5065426 — headline features​

The update mixes usability improvements with AI-focused feature scaffolding and a broad set of quality fixes. The most notable user-facing items include:

• Recall: a redesigned, personalized homepage that surfaces Recent Snapshots, Top Apps and Websites, and a left navigation bar for Home, Timeline, Feedback, and Settings. Snapshot collection is opt‑in and subject to filters you can set in Settings. Recall is being staged and is primarily targeted at Copilot+ hardware.
• Click to Do: an interactive first‑run tutorial to help users discover contextual AI actions on text and images (summarize, remove background, etc.). The tutorial can be re-launched from the app’s More options menu.
• Taskbar / Notification Center: the larger clock that shows seconds is back in the notification center; you can enable it in Settings > Time & language > Date & time. Thumbnail preview bugs have been addressed.
• Search on the Taskbar: image results get a new grid view and improved status indications for indexing/background file organization; search results now indicate cloud vs local availability.
• Lock screen widgets: expanded widget options and personalization (initially rolled out in the EEA, expanding to more regions). You can add/remove/rearrange small widgets like Weather, Watchlist, Sports, and Traffic.
• File Explorer: context-menu dividers, persona icons for Entra-signed work/school accounts in the Activity column, and AI image edits (Blur Background, Remove Background, Erase Objects, Visual Search) plus a Summarize action tied to Microsoft 365/Copilot licensing.
• Windows Hello / Passkeys: a modernized sign-in credential UI that unifies visuals across flows (Windows sign-in, passkeys, Store, Recall). Improvements aim to make authentication clearer and easier to switch between passkey and connected-device options.
• Task Manager: CPU workload reporting now uses standard metrics across all pages; an optional CPU Utility column in Details restores the previous legacy metric for those who prefer it.
• Windows Backup for Organizations: moved to general availability — an enterprise backup & restore solution for Entra-joined devices designed to simplify device refresh and migration workflows.
• PowerShell 2.0 removal: beginning August 2025, Windows 11 24H2 will no longer include legacy Windows PowerShell 2.0; admins should migrate scripts reliant on PS 2.0 to PowerShell 5.1 or 7.x.

These items are complemented by a large number of stability and reliability fixes across ReFS, Kerberos, IMEs, audio, Miracast, dbgcore.dll, and more. Many of those fixes address enterprise-impacting regressions and device-management pain points.

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Verification and packaging: what to expect when downloading​

Independent reporting and catalog listings indicate the offline .msu packages for KB5065426 are unusually large—on the order of several gigabytes per architecture—because Microsoft is shipping on‑device AI model binaries and component updates alongside the OS fixes. Reported approximate package sizes in third‑party catalog checks were around 3.6–3.8 GB for client architectures, though exact sizes may vary and should be verified per architecture on the Microsoft Update Catalog for your environment. These large packages have meaningful implications for bandwidth, storage, and deployment planning.
The rollout model is deliberately phased:

• Gradual rollout — new user-facing AI features, widget updates, and Copilot+ experiences are enabled in waves and gated by hardware, region, and licensing. You might install the update and not see some features immediately.
• Normal rollout — core quality and reliability fixes are applied broadly to devices that successfully install the update.

Administrators should prefer the Microsoft Update Catalog for offline installations (which may include the combined SSU+LCU payload) and validate package sizes and contents in a test ring before wide deployment.

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Deep dive: Copilot+, Recall, Click to Do, and the hardware/licensing gating​

Microsoft’s design for on-device AI features distinguishes two realities: the OS can carry the binaries and UI scaffolding, but the functional capabilities are enabled selectively for eligible devices and accounts.

• Copilot+ hardware gating: many advanced local AI actions require a Copilot+ PC—devices with on-device NPUs or other accelerator hardware meeting Microsoft’s certification (representative expectations reported by observers included a high-TOPS NPU, adequate RAM, and storage). If a PC is not Copilot+, the full AI stack won’t necessarily be enabled even though code shipped with the update. This explains why some users on the same build will see Recall, Settings agent, or File Explorer AI actions while others won't. Exact TOPS and firmware thresholds reported in previews should be treated as indicative; verify device certification through vendor documentation or Microsoft’s Copilot+ device lists.
• Licensing gating: certain productivity integrations (notably Summarize in File Explorer) require a Microsoft 365 / Copilot license. That means even Copilot+ devices without the correct tenant license won’t get cloud-assisted summarization actions. Administrators should check entitlements before enabling these features broadly.
• Privacy and opt-in: Recall’s snapshot capture is explicitly opt‑in and includes filters for apps and websites. Microsoft exposes controls for snapshot filters and local storage; nevertheless, Recall’s design—involving frequent local snapshots of activity—raises real privacy considerations that should be assessed before enabling on shared or managed endpoints.

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Security, management, and enterprise implications​

KB5065426 is not solely a consumer polish drop; it includes fixes and policy hooks relevant to enterprise security posture:

• SMB and hardening: Microsoft continues an SMB hardening program. The update includes auditing features related to SMB signing and Extended Protection for Authentication (EPA) that help administrators detect compatibility gaps before enforcement. Use the auditing windows and logs to discover legacy devices that might fail once enforcement is turned on.
• Kerberos and authentication fixes: underlying Kerberos crashes that could affect accessing cloud file shares are addressed—important for organizations that rely on hybrid cloud storage and Entra ID authentication.
• Windows Backup for Organizations (GA): now generally available, this solution targets Entra-joined devices and integrates with Intune. It promises smoother device refresh/restore workflows, but IT teams should validate restore scenarios—especially complex images, BitLocker states, and device drivers—before using it to decommission or refresh fleets.
• PowerShell 2.0 removal: removal of legacy PowerShell 2.0 can break older management scripts and vendor tools; administrators should inventory script dependencies and migrate to PowerShell 5.1/7.x now.
• ReFS memory leak fix: Backup applications interacting with ReFS and very large files had a memory exhaustion regression that this update addresses—important for SAN/NAS and backup-heavy environments. Test backup/restore operations after applying the patch.
• Device management tooling: the update fixes a temporary file-sharing conflict that could prevent some system recovery features from functioning—so some administrative workflows should improve post-install. Still, the combined SSU+LCU packaging can complicate rollback scenarios; administrators must build rollback plans and stage SSU changes thoughtfully.

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Privacy analysis: Recall, on-device models, and Text & Image Generation controls​

Recall and on-device generative features mark a step deeper into ambient productivity, but they also shift the threat surface in a few ways:

• Local snapshot collection stores contextual thumbnails and metadata of user activity. While Microsoft enforces opt-in and claims local encryption and Windows Hello gating, the mere presence of these snapshots on a device or in backups creates an attacker target if endpoint protection is weak. Organizations should treat Recall as a feature that requires policy review and endpoint hardening prior to adoption.
• On-device model binaries in the update: shipping model components to all architectures inflates package size and means those binaries are present on devices even if features are gated. That increases disk footprint and broadens the code-base on endpoints. Validate storage capacity and update bandwidth—especially where metered connections or satellite links are involved.
• Text and Image Generation control page: Microsoft added a Settings page showing which third‑party apps recently used the Windows-provided generative AI models and lets you permit or block them. This is a positive control surface for privacy-conscious users and administrators, but visibility is limited to apps that have reported usage; it isn’t a universal guarantee against data exfiltration without deeper auditing. Use this page in conjunction with endpoint monitoring and application allow-listing.

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Compatibility, risk, and known regressions​

KB5065426 includes fixes for many known regressions, but installation is not without risk:

• Large offline package sizes can break change windows, clog bandwidth, and delay endpoint security patching if downloads stall or devices lack free disk space. Consider staging updates via Delivery Optimization, WSUS, or using the Update Catalog for pre-caching.
• Feature disparity: Copilot+ gating and Microsoft 365 licensing will produce inconsistent end-user experiences across the same organization—this can increase helpdesk volume and user confusion. Prepare communication templates and documentation to explain why certain features appear for some users and not others.
• Legacy script and tooling breakage: PowerShell 2.0 removal and SMB/EPA enforcement will surface compatibility issues. Perform an inventory of scripts and appliances, and run the SMB auditing posture tools before enabling strict enforcement.
• Unverifiable hardware thresholds: community reports list representative NPU TOPS and platform characteristics for Copilot+ certification, but Microsoft’s official certified device list and exact thresholds are the accurate source. Treat community TOPS numbers as indicative and confirm against vendor/Microsoft documentation before making procurement or enablement decisions.

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Practical rollout guidance — recommended steps for home users and IT admins​

• Inventory and pilot: choose a small pilot ring covering representative hardware (consumer, Copilot+, ARM64, domain-joined) and test critical apps, sign-in flows, backups, and management tooling.
• Check disk and bandwidth: verify that endpoints have free disk space (allow room for a multi‑GB .msu) and plan distribution via WSUS/Delivery Optimization or pre-cache via the Microsoft Update Catalog.
• Audit SMB posture: enable SMB auditing tools added in this update in a monitoring-only mode first to surface compatibility issues before enforcement.
• Script and tool migration: inventory scripts for PowerShell 2.0 usage; convert legacy scripts to PowerShell 5.1 or 7.x and test them in the pilot ring.
• Privacy policy for Recall: if you plan to enable Recall, define policy around snapshot retention, backups, and who may enable the feature; treat Recall as an opt-in productivity service requiring end-user consent.
• Test Windows Backup for Organizations: run full device backup and restore simulations across different hardware models and driver sets before relying on the solution for mass device transitions.
• Communicate: prepare end-user messaging explaining phased feature rollouts (Copilot+ gating, Microsoft 365 licensing) and how to enable visible settings like the Notification Center clock.

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Strengths, weaknesses, and editorial assessment​

Strengths

• Meaningful usability tweaks: the return of a seconds clock, File Explorer context‑menu polish, and Task Manager metric standardization are tangible improvements for daily use.
• Generative features in the shell: integrating image edits and summarization into File Explorer reduces friction and can accelerate common tasks for content workers.
• Enterprise-focused fixes: ReFS memory exhaustion, Kerberos stability, SMB auditing, and backup/restore improvements show attention to enterprise reliability.

Weaknesses / risks

• Large update payloads complicate deployment**: shipping on-device model binaries in monthly updates increases bandwidth and storage impact, a nontrivial operational cost.
• Fragmented user experience: hardware and licensing gating introduces inconsistent UI exposures across identical builds, complicating support and training.
• Privacy and attack surface: Recall’s snapshot storage—even when opt-in—raises legitimate concerns about local data exposure and backup contamination. Treat enabling Recall as a policy decision, not simply an opt-in convenience.

Balanced verdict
KB5065426 is best characterized as a polish-and-prep release: it tidies many small UX issues and ships on-device AI scaffolding that will enable more visible AI features over time. For enthusiasts and early adopters on Copilot+ hardware, this update brings desirable functions. For enterprise administrators, it contains necessary reliability fixes and important hardening aids—but also introduces deployment friction (large binaries, potential compatibility issues). Roll it out prudently: pilot first, verify backups and management tooling, and create clear communications about phased feature availability.

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Final recommendations​

• Home users who value new UI polish and aren’t space-constrained can install via Windows Update; expect some AI features to remain off until Microsoft enables them for your device.
• Power users with Copilot+ hardware and Microsoft 365/Copilot licenses will see the most immediate productivity gains—validate license mappings first.
• IT administrators should pilot in a controlled ring, confirm PowerShell/script compatibility, and use SMB auditing prior to enabling enforcement. Cache large .msu packages or use Delivery Optimization to reduce bandwidth impact.

KB5065426 is an important release for Windows 11 24H2 that blends quality-of-life improvements with the next stage of Microsoft’s on-device AI rollouts. Deploy thoughtfully, test thoroughly, and treat Recall and other generative features as configurable capabilities that require both privacy review and operational planning.

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Source: thewincentral.com Windows 11 24H2 September update KB5065426. Download Link