Windows 11 KB5067036 Release Preview: Start Menu Redesign and Copilot

Microsoft’s Release Preview push for Windows 11 on October 28, 2025 is a feature‑rich, optional preview cumulative (KB5067036) that ships updated OS binaries for both the 24H2 and 25H2 servicing lanes while intentionally gating many visible features server‑side — meaning installing the package does not guarantee immediate exposure to every change. The package brings a practical Start menu redesign, File Explorer “Recommended Files” and Copilot quick actions, on‑device voice improvements (Fluid Dictation), taskbar and task thumbnail refinements, and several targeted reliability fixes — and Microsoft provides both a folder-based DISM installation flow for bundled MSU files and a two‑MSU ordered-install alternative for manual deployments.

Background / Overview​

Windows servicing in 2025 continues Microsoft’s “shared servicing branch + enablement package” model: most feature binaries are distributed across monthly cumulative updates and then activated later through server flags or small enablement packages (eKBs). That approach keeps downloads small and reboots minimal for many upgrades, but it also creates variability in feature exposure across identical devices during staged rollouts. KB5067036 is published to the Release Preview channel as an optional, non‑security preview intended for validation and pilot testing — not as a mandatory security rollup.
Key points to understand before you act:

• KB5067036 updates the servicing binaries for Windows 11’s 24H2 and 25H2 families; many UI/AI features are server‑gated and will appear gradually.
• Microsoft supplies the preview via Windows Update (Release Preview ring) and as standalone MSU files through the Microsoft Update Catalog for manual or offline deployment.
• This is a preview quality update: pilot broadly before mass rollouts in managed environments.

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What’s in KB5067036 — feature and fix summary​

KB5067036 is a mixed bag of visible UX polish, platform APIs for third parties, on‑device AI improvements where supported, and reliability/compatibility fixes. Below are the most consequential items reported in Microsoft’s Release Preview notes and independent community coverage.

Major user‑facing changes​

• Redesigned Start menu: a single, scrollable “All apps” surface plus new Category and Grid views, a remembered view state, and a Phone Link access button near Search to surface cross‑device content more easily. These are navigational and discoverability improvements rather than a ground-up redesign.
• File Explorer Home: a Recommended Files section for local and personal Microsoft accounts, plus hover quick actions such as Open file location and Ask Copilot / Get summary. Microsoft also added StorageProvider APIs for third‑party cloud providers to integrate recommended items. Note: some AI actions may require Copilot licensing or hardware entitlements.
• Copilot and Click‑to‑Do touches: contextual Copilot prompts surfaced in menus, taskbar thumbnail “Share with Copilot”, and expanded Click‑to‑Do summarization and categorized suggestions. Availability is gated by hardware (Copilot+ NPUs) and subscription entitlements in many cases.
• Voice Access / Fluid Dictation: a new real‑time dictation mode powered by on‑device small language models (SLMs) that applies punctuation, suppresses filler words, and improves grammar as you speak — when running on qualifying hardware. This is intended to reduce latency and improve privacy by keeping intermediate data local.
• Taskbar and battery UI tweaks: colorized battery icons (green when charging/healthy, yellow at low battery), refined overlays that avoid obscuring the percentage bar, and hover previews showing Copilot shortcuts for supported apps.

Reliability and targeted fixes​

• DRM/playback issues: a patch addressing certain Blu‑ray/DVD/TV playback regressions involving the legacy Enhanced Video Renderer (EVR) and HDCP/digital audio DRM scenarios. This has been a high‑impact regression in prior months and is specifically called out in the preview’s notes.
• WinRE / SafeOS updates: companion SafeOS dynamic updates refresh WinRE behaviors (for example, replacing developer debug prompts with user‑facing message boxes during recovery) and are distributed as separate catalog packages. These are important when refreshing recovery media or imaging workflows.
• Quality fixes across shell, input, networking and virtualization: the preview bundles many smaller fixes for taskbar rendering, File Explorer stability, update reliability, Hyper‑V host behaviors, and storage connectivity in certain cluster scenarios.

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Technical specifics and delivery model​

Microsoft packages KB5067036 as one or more MSU files available from the Microsoft Update Catalog. The company documents two methods to install the update manually:

• Method 1 — Install all MSU files together (folder-based DISM discovery)
  Place all required MSU files in a single folder (for example C:\Packages) and run DISM with PackagePath pointing to a target MSU; DISM will scan the folder and automatically discover/install prerequisite MSUs in the right order. Example command from an elevated Command Prompt:
• DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:c:\packages\Windows11.0-KB5067036-x64.msu
  Microsoft also documents the equivalent PowerShell command:
• Add-WindowsPackage -Online -PackagePath "c:\packages\Windows11.0-KB5067036-x64.msu"
• Method 2 — Install each MSU file individually, in order
  When packages must be installed in strict sequence, download each MSU separately and run DISM or the Windows Update Standalone Installer (wusa.exe) for each file in the documented order. Microsoft explicitly lists the install order in the KB notes for this preview (for example: windows11.0-kb5043080-x64.msu first, then windows11.0-kb5067036-x64.msu in one historically observed packaging). Follow the order Microsoft specifies for the specific KB entry you downloaded.
• Updating installation media
  To add the preview to mounted offline images, use DISM /Image:<mountdir> /Add-Package /PackagePath:<msu> or PowerShell Add-WindowsPackage with -Path for offline servicing. Microsoft’s guidance for Dynamic Update in media creation stresses matching Dynamic Update packages to the same month as the LCU (or using the most recent paired SafeOS/Setup Dynamic Updates if same-month packages aren’t available).

Build numbers and mapping​

The preview update targets the 26100 and 26200 build families:

• Windows 11 24H2 devices see preview build numbers in the 26100.xx series.
• Windows 11 25H2 devices see preview build numbers in the 26200.xx series. The preview notes and community tracking commonly referenced build snapshots in the low‑to‑mid 7000s range for the October Release Preview window; confirm the exact minor build on a device via winver or Settings → System → About before documenting support or troubleshooting flows.

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Deployment guidance — consumer and enterprise paths​

This preview is specifically intended for validation and pilot testing. Treat it as a test candidate, not a production push, and follow these recommended steps.

Staged pilot plan (recommended)​

• Identify a small set of representative devices (touch laptops, Copilot+ hardware if you plan to test Fluid Dictation, Hyper‑V hosts, and devices with imaging/OOBE dependencies).
• Ensure recovery options: bootable ISOs, system images, and an offline restore plan. Community reports show some cumulative/install failures in prior October servicing windows; having a rescue plan is critical.
• Apply KB5067036 to the pilot cohort (via WUfB/WSUS if managing or via Windows Update → Check for updates for Release Preview Insiders). If installing manually, use the folder-based DISM method to allow automatic prerequisite sequencing.
• Validate key scenarios for 48–72 hours: sign-in flows, File Explorer and shell behavior, VoIP/media playback, virtualization networking, and any line‑of‑business applications. Monitor event logs, Windows Update logs, and telemetry channels if available.
• If the pilot is successful, expand to broader rings with continued monitoring and a holdback group for rollback if needed.

Practical notes for imaging / media​

• Update WinRE and Setup images: if you maintain custom install media, refresh DRU/SafeOS dynamic updates (WinRE) and integrate the appropriate SafeOS/Setup dynamic update packages — these are published separately and should match the servicing month when possible. Using up‑to‑date WinRE reduces recovery failures during reset or cloud reinstall flows.
• Keep canonical ISOs and offline catalogs for imaging: the eKB model reduces runtime upgrade size but does not replace the need for an up‑to‑date ISO in enterprise preinstallation and certification scenarios.

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Troubleshooting, known pitfalls and rollback​

Common installation errors and recovery​

• Community reports from the October servicing window indicate typical install failure signatures (for example, 0x800f0983 variants). Standard remediation includes running the servicing health checks (DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth), SFC scans, Windows Update component resets, and finally installing via offline MSU packages or in Windows PE with an updated servicing stack. Keep a rescue ISO handy.
• If feature exposure is inconsistent (you installed KB5067036 but don’t see Start redesign or Copilot quick actions), that’s expected: many features are server‑activated gradually. Wait 24–72 hours or confirm entitlement/hardware gating (Copilot licensing, Copilot+ hardware). Do not assume a failed install if UI changes don’t appear.

Rollback strategies​

• For a machine that fails after the preview install, use System Restore or a best‑effort Offline Servicing approach: boot to WinRE, use DISM to remove the offending package(s) if possible, or restore a system image. For enterprise rollback at scale, keep a holdback group and image snapshots to restore quickly.

Flagging unverifiable or variable claims​

• Availability timelines, region gating, and hardware gating are controlled server‑side and can change day‑to‑day. Any claim that “this feature will appear on date X” is inherently uncertain until Microsoft flips the feature flag more broadly. Treat exposure timing as variable.
• Claims about exact Copilot entitlements (which specific Copilot actions require Microsoft 365 Copilot vs. Copilot+ hardware) may be updated by Microsoft after preview notes; validate license requirements in your tenant admin center and through official commercial support if this matters for procurement decisions. If a precise licensing or hardware dependency is mission‑critical for your deployment, confirm it with Microsoft support.

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Security, privacy and compliance considerations​

KB5067036 edges Windows further into assistant‑first interactions: sharing window content with Copilot, File Explorer recommendations, and on‑device vs. cloud AI both present practical productivity gains and potential exposure vectors.

• Data sharing and DLP: features like “Share with Copilot” and Copilot Vision can surface sensitive window contents. Administrators should audit Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies, Intune/GPO controls, and consent workflows to ensure regulated or sensitive content is excluded or controlled. Microsoft documents policy controls and plans for administrative controls, but many dialogs are still under iterative development; treat these features as policy‑sensitive until controls are fully proven.
• On‑device AI (privacy tradeoffs): on‑device SLMs reduce the need to send raw audio or local content to cloud endpoints, improving privacy and latency. However, not all devices can run SLMs; where cloud-assisted variants are used, ensure tenant-level governance for telemetry and consent.
• Auditability and compliance: if your organization requires e‑discovery, legal hold, or strict telemetry controls, validate how Copilot interactions are logged and whether they are covered by your Microsoft 365 retention and audit settings. Do not enable broad Copilot sharing without coordination with legal and security teams.

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Practical tips for enthusiasts and power users​

• To trigger the new Start views when available: open Start → go to the “All” area → use the layout control to switch between Category and Grid; Start will remember your selection. If Recommended files are noisy, use Settings → Personalization → Start to hide recently added apps or recommended items.
• To install manually and let DISM resolve prerequisites automatically: place all downloaded MSU files into a single folder and run the DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:<one-of-the-msu-files> command from an elevated prompt. This method reduces mistakes caused by incorrect install order.
• If you rely on Click‑to‑Do or File Explorer AI actions in production workflows, do not roll out this preview broadly until the pilot verifies those specific actions, since some text/image AI flows are region/hardware/licensing gated.

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Final analysis — strengths, risks and what this update signals​

KB5067036 is a practical, iterative Release Preview package that reveals Microsoft’s continued strategy: deliver incremental UX polish, fold AI into context‑aware actions, and gate higher‑value experiences behind hardware and licensing checks while keeping the binary servicing unified across lanes.
Strengths:

• Usability wins: the Start menu changes directly address discoverability and app sprawl complaints. Category/Grid views and a remembered layout state are thoughtful and low‑risk UX improvements.
• Productivity integration: File Explorer quick actions and Click‑to‑Do/Copilot hooks reduce friction for common tasks, especially for users with Microsoft 365/Copilot entitlements.
• On‑device AI momentum: Fluid Dictation’s SLM approach is meaningful for latency‑sensitive and privacy‑minded users on qualifying hardware.

Risks and mitigations:

• Staged rollout confusion: users and help desks may see inconsistent experiences across identical builds because features are server‑gated. Mitigate with clear pilot policies and screenshots from representative devices.
• Installation regressions: prior October servicing has seen install failures — always pilot and keep recovery ISOs ready. Mitigate with a holdback group and offline servicing skills for your support staff.
• Privacy and compliance exposure: Copilot sharing actions and recommendation feeds can surface sensitive content — enforce DLP and Intune/GPO controls before broad rollouts.

Taken together, KB5067036 is both evolutionary (polish and manageability) and indicative — it shows Windows moving toward assistant‑first, context‑aware workflows while attempting to balance performance, privacy, and manageability via hardware and licensing gates. For IT teams the sensible posture is cautious optimism: pilot early, require governance for Copilot flows, and maintain robust rollback and recovery processes. fileciteturn0file12turn0file0

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Conclusion​

KB5067036 (Release Preview) packages meaningful UX polish, practical on‑device AI improvements, and a raft of reliability fixes into the Windows 11 servicing stream — but it also exemplifies Microsoft’s modern delivery tradeoffs: smaller installs, server‑side staged activation, and hardware/licensing gating that create variability in visible outcomes. Administrators and power users should treat this release as a validation milestone: pilot widely across representative hardware, ensure recovery options and imaging workflows are current, and govern Copilot and recommendation features through policy before opening them broadly in production environments. When installing manually, prefer the folder‑based DISM approach so prerequisite MSUs are discovered automatically, and follow Microsoft’s documented MSU sequencing when explicit ordered installs are required. fileciteturn0file4turn0file3
Note: feature availability and exact entitlements can vary by device, region, and subscription; if a particular Copilot action, on‑device capability, or licensing requirement is critical for your business, confirm the exact dependency with Microsoft commercial support or your licensing representative. fileciteturn0file6turn0file5

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Source: Microsoft Support October 28, 2025—KB5067036 (OS Builds 26200.7019 and 26100.7019) Preview - Microsoft Support

 

[ChatGPT]

Microsoft’s Release Preview drop KB5067036 delivers one of the biggest visible Start-menu refreshes to Windows 11 in months while bundling a broad set of Copilot and accessibility improvements, taskbar and File Explorer refinements, and a pile of reliability fixes — but it’s a staged, server‑gated rollout, so installing the update does not guarantee immediate exposure to every feature.

Background / Overview​

Microsoft published KB5067036 to the Release Preview channel on October 21, 2025, shipping identical servicing binaries for both Windows 11 version 24H2 (Build 26100.7015) and 25H2 (Build 26200.7015). That package’s manifest splits changes into items that will roll out gradually (feature flags, server-side gating) and items that roll out normally (immediate to installing devices). This mixed delivery model means the update is important for pilots and Insiders but not a universal, instantaneous consumer experience.
Why this matters: Microsoft’s servicing strategy in 2024–2025 often backports binaries into servicing branches and then flips new user experiences on with small enablement packages or server flags. Administrators and enthusiasts must therefore treat KB5067036 as a functional milestone (binaries in the field) rather than a promise that everyone will see the new Start menu or Copilot actions the moment the MSU is installed.

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What’s in KB5067036 — the headline items​

• Redesigned Start menu: single, vertically scrollable surface with a prominent “All” section, Category and Grid views, remembered view state, and Phone Link integration. The Recommended section can be turned off.
• File Explorer Home: a Recommended files feed for personal and local accounts, hover quick actions (for example, “Open file location” and “Ask Copilot”), and new StorageProvider APIs for cloud integrators.
• Taskbar & Lock screen battery UX: color-coded battery icons (green = charging/healthy, yellow = battery saver/≤20%, red = critical) and an option to show battery percentage in the tray and lock screen.
• Copilot / Copilot+ enhancements (Click to Do, Copilot Vision/Ask Copilot, Live Persona Cards): typed prompt box for Click to Do, on-screen translation, unit conversions, multi-selection modes and Freeform selection, and contextual Copilot quick actions. Many of these features are gated to Copilot+ hardware or Microsoft 365 entitlements.
• Voice Access — Fluid Dictation: on‑device small language models (SLMs) provide real-time punctuation/grammar fixes, and Voice Access gains Japanese support and configurable delays. Fluid Dictation is enabled by default on Copilot+ PCs for English locales.
• Administrator Protection Preview for just‑in‑time admin privileges (off by default, manageable via Intune OMA‑URI or Group Policy).
• Numerous reliability and compatibility fixes across File Explorer, input/pen APIs, Open/Save dialogs, Remote Credential Guard, Windows Update, and DRM playback regressions introduced in earlier previews.

These are the big-ticket items; the remainder of this article goes deeper into each area — what changed, how it behaves, verification of claims, operational implications, and recommended testing and governance steps for power users and IT teams.

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Redesigned Start: what changed, and why it matters​

The new single-surface Start explained​

The Start menu is now a single, vertically scrollable canvas where Pinned, Recommended, and the All apps view coexist without page boundaries. The All section is no longer a separate page; instead it’s available on the main surface and offers three viewing modes:

• Category view — system-generated buckets (Productivity, Games, Creativity, etc.) that surface frequently used apps inside each category. Categories form automatically when the system finds enough related apps.
• Grid view — alphabetized tile grid optimized for horizontal scanning and denser icon display.
• List view — the classic alphabetical list preserved for users who prefer deterministic ordering.

The Start menu remembers your last selected view and adapts layout density to screen size (larger displays show more pinned apps and recommendations). A small Phone Link button next to Search expands a collapsible phone pane that surfaces messages, photos and phone notifications inline with Start.

What Microsoft and testers say​

Microsoft’s official Release Preview notes describe the Start redesign as a responsiveness and discoverability update that reduces clicks and makes app launching faster. Independent testing and community hands‑on reports confirm that, on high‑DPI and multi‑monitor setups, the single-surface model reduces context switching and speeds discovery. But the experience is still being tuned and is gated by server flags, so not every device will see the new Start immediately after installing KB5067036.

Limits and design trade-offs​

• Categories are auto-generated and cannot yet be manually edited, which reduces determinism for admin-managed images and some power users.
• The single-surface approach can feel visually dense on very large displays unless you adjust the pinned/recommended toggles.
• Because the rollout is staged, visibility will vary across identically configured devices and may frustrate pilots expecting uniform results. Evidence of this variability already appears in Microsoft Q&A threads where users report seeing no visual changes after installing the update; moderators point to gradual rollout as the explanation.

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File Explorer Home: recommended files, hover actions, and StorageProvider APIs​

What’s new for Explorer​

File Explorer Home can now show up to three Recommended files for personal Microsoft accounts and local accounts by default. These recommendations aim to surface content you frequently use, recently downloaded files, or items you’ve added to the File Explorer Gallery. If you prefer not to see the recommended section, you can disable it from File Explorer Folder Options; doing so replaces the area with pinned Quick Access folders.
Explorer also gains quick hover actions when you mouse over items in Home; in Microsoft account scenarios you’ll see actions such as Open file location and Ask Copilot as contextual quick actions. StorageProvider APIs allow cloud providers to suggest files into the Home surface, enabling third‑party cloud integrations to participate in the recommendations flow.

Quality fixes for Explorer​

KB5067036 addresses several annoying Explorer regressions reported in earlier releases: context menu flicker between modern and legacy views, loss of custom folder view settings when opening folders from other apps, unresponsive Explorer bodies after invoking context menus, and catastrophic failures extracting very large archives (reported around 1.5 GB in some previews). Those fixes are explicitly called out in the release notes.

Privacy and operational considerations​

• Recommended files are surfaced locally but the feature’s logic may consult cloud accounts when you’re signed in with a Microsoft account. Organizations should evaluate whether this behavior aligns with their data policies and consider disabling the section in images targeted at tightly regulated environments.
• StorageProvider APIs are a welcome platform extension for cloud integrators, but they also increase the attack surface in Explorer; administrators should validate any third‑party provider before enabling integrations.

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Copilot, Click to Do, and on‑device AI: what’s realistically available​

Click to Do enhancements (Copilot+ focus)​

KB5067036 significantly expands Click to Do (the contextual Copilot surface) on Copilot+ devices with features designed to make context-based assistance smoother:

• A typed prompt box where you can type a custom Copilot query that sends the prompt and selected content to Copilot. Suggested prompts (locally generated by a model Microsoft calls Phi‑Silica) appear beneath the box for English, Spanish and French.
• On‑screen translation — when selected text appears to be in a different language than your Windows display language, Copilot suggests a translation and delivers the translated text back into the Copilot app.
• Unit conversion hover tooltips — hover a number+unit and get quick conversions, with richer conversions opened in Copilot.
• Selection modes — Freeform selection (draw a lasso), Rectangle selection, and Ctrl+Click multi-select for mixed content (text + images).
• Live Persona Cards from Microsoft 365 appear in Click to Do for organizational email addresses (Win+Click), and visual cues highlight key items such as tables and emails.

Important gating: many Click to Do features require Copilot+ hardware (on‑device NPU support) and, for some experiences like Excel’s “Convert to table,” an active Microsoft 365 subscription. Availability is regionally restricted in certain markets (notably the EEA phases) during rollout.

On‑device small language models and Voice Access​

KB5067036 enables Fluid Dictation in Voice Access on Copilot+ PCs. This mode uses on‑device SLMs to perform grammar and punctuation correction, remove filler words, and provide near real‑time smoothing of dictated text. Fluid Dictation runs locally (privacy + latency benefits), is enabled by default on Copilot+ PCs for English locales, and is disabled in secure fields (passwords, PINs). Voice Access also adds Japanese language support and a configurable delay option before commands execute.

Privacy, telemetry, and enterprise governance​

• On‑device processing lowers cloud exposure, but Copilot’s share flows (for example, “Share with Copilot” on taskbar thumbnails or Ask Copilot in Explorer) can surface sensitive window or file content to Copilot. Admins need to treat those affordances as functional sharing surfaces and apply governance (GPO/Intune) accordingly.
• Cloud-backed Copilot actions (summaries, table conversion into Excel, Live Persona Cards that pull M365 data) involve network calls and corporate tenants should evaluate licensing and DLP implications before wide deployment.

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Taskbar, lock screen, and battery UX changes​

KB5067036 updates battery indicators across the OS:

• Color indicators in the system tray and Quick Settings: green for charging/healthy, yellow for battery saver/≤20%, red for critical. Simplified overlays keep the progress bar visible.
• A new option to show Battery Percentage next to the tray icon is available at Settings > System > Power & battery. The same battery icons are planned to appear on the lock screen as well (lock screen support is rolling out).

These are small but practical changes that improve status visibility at a glance and fix longstanding complaints that overlays sometimes hid the percentage bar.

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Fixes, known issues, and compatibility notes​

KB5067036 includes a broad laundry list of fixes and resolves multiple known issues introduced by previous updates:

• Fixes to File Explorer (context menu flickering, folder view reset, unresponsive Explorer bodies).
• Pen and handwriting API exception fixes that previously caused apps to crash.
• Narrator launch errors when setting up Windows from ISO installs.
• Remote Credential Guard authentication fixes for mixed build domain controller scenarios.
• A resolution for protected content playback failures caused by KB5064081 in some systems (DRM/EVR/HDCP scenarios).

Notable known issues the update addresses (some of which were previously reported and are now fixed):

• A Media Creation Tool error on Arm64 devices (version 26100.6584) that could prevent the tool from running is acknowledged and fixed.
• Web server HTTP request rejection issues (IIS NOT_SUPPORTED errors) were addressed.

Operational caveat: some fixes are delivered only to the preview servicing branch and the public impact may vary until the changes migrate into the mainstream cumulative updates distributed on Patch Tuesday or via separate servicing packages.

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Critical analysis: strengths, risks, and unknowns​

Strengths​

• The Start redesign is a pragmatic improvement: consolidating the app surface into a single scrollable canvas reduces friction for users with many apps and gives them view options (Category/Grid/List) — a real UX win for discoverability.
• On‑device SLMs for Fluid Dictation strike a meaningful balance between utility and privacy — less cloud exposure and lower latency for dictation.
• File Explorer’s Recommended files and hover Copilot actions increase productivity for personal and consumer accounts, and StorageProvider APIs open a long‑needed integration path for third‑party cloud vendors.
• The update corrects several practical stability regressions (Explorer, input, DRM playback), improving day‑to‑day reliability for many users.

Risks and trade‑offs​

• Gradual rollout confusion: Because features are server‑gated, organizations can see mixed UX across fleets. That complicates helpdesk troubleshooting, user training, and automated UI-driven scripts. Microsoft’s forum and Q&A threads already show users puzzled when the update installs with no visible changes.
• Privacy and data‑flow concerns: Copilot integration surfaces local window content and file metadata into an assistant context; unless administrators lock down sharing controls, sensitive information could be exposed to cloud services or aggregated telemetry.
• Hardware and licensing fragmentation: Many higher-value experiences are gated by Copilot+ hardware and Microsoft 365 subscriptions. Enterprises and consumers should not assume parity of experience across devices.
• Unverifiable or variable claims: Some numerically precise layout claims (for example, explicit column counts visible on “larger displays”) vary by device and scaling and are not uniformly guaranteed across every display configuration. Where numerical defaults are quoted in community writeups, treat them as typical examples rather than strict guarantees until Microsoft publishes fixed layout matrices for all scale factors.

Flagging unverifiable claims​

• When coverage or community posts mention exact column counts (e.g., “up to 8 columns of pinned apps on large displays”), that is an observed default on some configurations but not an absolute across all displays or scale settings. This article flags such numeric defaults as observational examples rather than universal guarantees.

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Deployment guidance: recommended steps for pilots and IT​

1. Inventory & scope: Identify devices that are candidate pilots, especially Copilot+‑capable hardware and machines where users rely on Copilot or Voice Access features. Note which devices use personal Microsoft accounts vs. Entra ID.
2. Image & test: Apply KB5067036 in a controlled Release Preview pilot ring first. Verify that the installer and reboot complete, and then validate whether the server‑gated features appear. Expect staggered exposure and track feature flags with device telemetry.
3. Privacy & DLP review: Confirm data governance for Copilot actions; disable “Share with Copilot” and Ask Copilot flows for regulated environments until DLP controls and admin policies are in place. Use Group Policy or Intune to restrict sharing where necessary.
4. Policy configuration: If you plan to adopt Administrator Protection Preview, test enabling it via Intune OMA‑URI or Group Policy on test devices and verify just‑in‑time elevation workflows behave as expected.
5. Disable intrusive recommendations: If you prefer a cleaner Start or Explorer Home for enterprise images, preconfigure Settings > Personalization > Start toggles and File Explorer Folder Options to turn off Recommended items before broad deployment.
6. Monitor telemetry & support queues: Collect feature‑availability telemetry across pilot devices and monitor helpdesk tickets for mixed‑UI issues caused by the staged rollout. Expect a window of mixed visibility that can last days or weeks as Microsoft flips server flags.

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How to get KB5067036 (practical note)​

KB5067036 is available via the Release Preview channel (Windows Update) and as standalone MSU packages in the Microsoft Update Catalog for manual deployments. Because features are server‑gated, installing the MSU may update low‑level binaries but not immediately flip visible UI changes; feature exposure can be controlled by Microsoft server flags or separate enablement packages.

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Bottom line — what this update signals for Windows 11​

KB5067036 is a consequential preview update that crystallizes Microsoft’s dual priorities for Windows in 2025: make the UI more productive and discoverable (Start and Explorer refinements) while progressively weaving AI assistants and on‑device ML into everyday workflows (Click to Do, Fluid Dictation). The practical effect for most end users will be incremental improvements: a cleaner Start experience if the feature reaches their device, slightly smarter Explorer suggestions, clearer battery indicators, and richer Copilot‑adjacent actions on supported hardware.
For IT: treat KB5067036 like a platform‑level staging point. Test widely, apply governance to Copilot sharing features, and expect a mixed visibility window as Microsoft flips features progressively. The fixes included in this preview also resolve genuine pain points (Explorer crashes, DRM playback issues), so the binary updates themselves are worth validating even if the staged features don’t appear immediately on every machine.

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KB5067036 is optional and available now in Release Preview; administrators and power users should plan careful pilots, use the new personalization toggles to silence unwanted recommendations, and place particular emphasis on Copilot governance before enabling AI‑driven sharing features widely.

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Source: Neowin Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2 get the new Start menu and a lot of new features in KB5067036