Microsoft’s latest non-security preview for Windows 11 — released to the Release Preview channel under KB5067112 — quietly flips a small but visible switch during the initial Out‑of‑Box Experience (OOBE): “Personalized Offers” will now appear as part of device setup and later in Settings, putting Microsoft’s recommendations and promotional prompts front and center during first-run and after setup. The same preview also bundles a handful of targeted bug fixes — most notably a fix for a touch‑keyboard regression that blocked input after resume, and a Hyper‑V virtual switch binding issue that could sever VM networking after host restarts — but the OOBE change is the update most likely to draw attention from privacy‑minded users and IT pros.
Windows cumulative updates routinely include both fixes and small feature adjustments, but changes to the Out‑of‑Box Experience (OOBE) are rare because OOBE shapes the first impression of the OS for new devices and freshly installed systems. In October 2025 Microsoft shipped a Release Preview build tied to KB5067112 that increments Windows 11, version 23H2 to Build 22631.6132 and explicitly enables a renamed recommendations surface — Personalized Offers — during setup and later in the Settings UI. The rollout is currently staged through the Windows Insider Release Preview channel, and the update is offered as a non‑security preview (optional) release rather than a mandatory Patch Tuesday package.
This change comes amid Microsoft’s broader repositioning of in‑OS recommendation controls (previously called Tailored Experiences) and a period when Windows 11 versions are being consolidated and evolved (24H2 and 25H2 feature more visible UI changes, while 23H2 is nearing end of servicing). That timing matters: enabling recommendation prompts in OOBE during a preview lets Microsoft test engagement and UI behavior before any optional release to the stable channel.
Source: Neowin Windows 11 KB5067112 update brings a change to initial Setup that you may not like
Background
Windows cumulative updates routinely include both fixes and small feature adjustments, but changes to the Out‑of‑Box Experience (OOBE) are rare because OOBE shapes the first impression of the OS for new devices and freshly installed systems. In October 2025 Microsoft shipped a Release Preview build tied to KB5067112 that increments Windows 11, version 23H2 to Build 22631.6132 and explicitly enables a renamed recommendations surface — Personalized Offers — during setup and later in the Settings UI. The rollout is currently staged through the Windows Insider Release Preview channel, and the update is offered as a non‑security preview (optional) release rather than a mandatory Patch Tuesday package. This change comes amid Microsoft’s broader repositioning of in‑OS recommendation controls (previously called Tailored Experiences) and a period when Windows 11 versions are being consolidated and evolved (24H2 and 25H2 feature more visible UI changes, while 23H2 is nearing end of servicing). That timing matters: enabling recommendation prompts in OOBE during a preview lets Microsoft test engagement and UI behavior before any optional release to the stable channel.
What KB5067112 contains
Short summary
- The package is an optional preview update released to the Release Preview channel for Windows 11, version 23H2. It moves the OS to Build 22631.6132 and is published under KB5067112.
- The update primarily contains a small set of quality and reliability fixes, plus the OOBE Personalized Offers enablement. The main items called out by Microsoft are:
- Input fix: touch keyboard keystrokes not registering after the device resumes from sleep.
- Networking fix: external virtual switches losing physical NIC bindings and reverting to internal switches after host restarts, impacting VM connectivity.
- Shell/OOBE: enabling the Personalized Offers feature during OOBE and exposing it in Settings after reaching the desktop.
- Storage fix: resolving disk communication errors that caused connectivity problems during Azure Stack Hub or Azure Local cluster upgrades.
The build and channel nuance
This preview targets machines still running version 23H2; separate preview packages exist for 24H2/25H2 (for example KB5067036 for those newer branches). Microsoft’s Release Preview channel is where these preview, non‑security cumulative updates are made available to Insiders before any optional distribution to general consumers. If you are not enrolled in the Release Preview channel, you will not receive KB5067112 unless Microsoft releases the package more broadly as an optional preview for the stable channel.The Personalized Offers change — what it is and why it matters
What is “Personalized Offers”?
The Personalized Offers control is the latest label Microsoft is using for its recommendations and promotional experience that can surface product suggestions, Microsoft service sign‑ups, and device‑specific offers during setup and in the Settings app. Functionally, it replaces what was previously marketed under names like Tailored Experiences, and it is implemented as a toggleable option under a Settings page now called Recommendations & offers (or similar), located in Settings > Privacy & security. Microsoft describes the control as a way to “enhance Windows” using device data, and it can be turned off if users choose not to share device information for recommendations.How it appears in OOBE
With KB5067112 the recommendation surface is enabled during OOBE, meaning that the first‑time setup wizard — the screens a user sees the first time they boot a new Windows PC or after a clean install — can prompt for or display personalized offers. Where previously the setup flow emphasized account selection, privacy controls, and basic personalization, this change adds a visible moment where Microsoft may show promotional content or recommendation toggles as part of initial configuration. That content is governed by the Personalized Offers feature flag and tied to the Recommendations & offers settings after setup.Why some users dislike this
- First impressions: OOBE is the first interaction many users have with Windows; adding promotional content there risks the impression that Microsoft’s priority is upsell rather than user setup.
- Privacy and telemetry concerns: Personalized Offers uses device information to enhance Windows experiences, which means some telemetry or device‑context data may be used to tailor recommendations — an obvious privacy consideration for cautious users and administrators.
- Enterprise and kiosk setups: In environments where OOBE is scripted, automated, or locked down, introducing a visible offers screen can complicate zero‑touch provisioning unless the setting is controlled by policy.
These are not hypothetical: privacy advocates and corporate IT teams have repeatedly pushed back on making recommendation prompts default or prominent during OOBE. Enabling the feature in preview lets Microsoft gather telemetry on behavior and refine the experience, but it also brings those same debates into the setup flow.
Privacy and policy implications
What data is in play?
Microsoft’s public descriptions indicate Personalized Offers operates by using system information to deliver recommendations — that includes the device configuration, OS version, region, and potentially non‑sensitive telemetry data used to target offers. The company provides a Settings toggle to disable the feature, which prevents device information from being used to tailor recommendations. However, the exact scope of data used for specific promotional content is not exhaustively documented in the update note, and may depend on other privacy and diagnostic settings configured on the device.Control surfaces and enterprise management
For enterprises, the important controls are:- Group Policy / MDM policies: administrators can manage privacy and telemetry controls centrally, and most organizations can suppress OOBE screens and personalized recommendations by applying enrollment and provisioning policies.
- Autopilot / imaging workflows: automated provisioning tools (like Windows Autopilot) already include options to bypass or script OOBE behaviors; IT teams should validate their deployment flows against this preview to ensure no new prompts disrupt automation.
- Registry and CSPs: where an organization needs a granular block, registry keys or Configuration Service Provider (CSP) settings may be used to default the Recommendations & offers toggle to Off during setup.
If an organization operates at scale, the preview provides a chance to test and confirm provisioning behaviors before any potential wider rollout.
Consumer-level opt‑out
Individual users can disable Personalized Offers after setup by going to Settings > Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers (or a similarly named page) and switching off the recommendation/offer toggle. For users who encounter the prompt during OOBE, the toggle is presented during setup and can be declined there as well. Because this update currently ships via the Release Preview channel, many home users will not see the change until Microsoft elevates the package to the optional preview for the general channel.The other fixes in KB5067112 — why they matter
Touch keyboard input fix
A regression introduced in a prior build caused the touch keyboard to show normal animations but fail to insert characters after the device woke from sleep. This is a high‑impact issue for touchscreen‑first devices like tablets and 2‑in‑1s where users may not have immediate access to a physical keyboard; affected users could be locked out at the sign‑in screen or forced to use alternative unlock mechanisms. KB5067112 addresses that bug, restoring expected input delivery after resume. For organizations with large fleets of convertible devices, this reduces potential helpdesk calls and field escalations.Hyper‑V vSwitch NIC binding fix
Some Hyper‑V hosts were experiencing a failure mode where external virtual switches would lose their physical NIC bindings on host restart and become internal switches, leaving virtual machines with no external network path. The root cause was incorrect detection of orphaned virtual switch objects during Host Network Service startup. The KB fixes that detection logic so external vSwitch objects retain their NIC bindings across restarts, preventing unexpected VM network outages. This is particularly important for small lab hosts, edge appliances, or test clusters that run on Hyper‑V.Storage and cluster upgrades
Kits performing Azure Stack Hub or Azure Local cluster upgrades reported disk communication errors during in‑place upgrades. KB5067112 includes a fix to stabilize disk communication during those upgrade paths. While this affects a narrower audience (cloud operators running Azure Stack or local cluster tooling), for those environments the fix reduces the risk of upgrade failure and associated downtime.How to get KB5067112 and test safely
For Windows Insiders (Release Preview)
- Open Settings > Windows Update.
- Choose Windows Insider Program.
- Enroll in the Release Preview channel (if not already enrolled).
- Enable “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” and return to Windows Update.
- Click Check for updates; KB5067112 should appear as an optional preview download.
For regular users (optional Preview / manual install)
- Microsoft typically publishes these preview packages to the Microsoft Update Catalog where they can be downloaded and installed manually; if Microsoft makes the package available as an optional update to the stable channel, it will also appear under Settings > Windows Update > Optional updates. For cautious users, manual download and offline testing in a VM is recommended before installing on production hardware.
Test checklist (recommended)
- Create a snapshot or system image before installing the preview.
- Validate OOBE behavior in a VM to see how the Personalized Offers prompt appears and whether it affects automated provisioning flows.
- If you run Hyper‑V hosts, restart the host and confirm external vSwitch NIC bindings persist.
- On touchscreen devices, sleep and resume and then verify touch keyboard input and sign‑in behavior.
- Confirm Settings > Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers exposes the expected toggle and that disabling it prevents further offers.
Practical recommendations for users and IT admins
- Home users who are privacy conscious should keep an eye on the Recommendations & offers toggle and turn it off during OOBE or in Settings after setup if they prefer not to receive promotional content tied to device signals.
- Small businesses and IT administrators should test this preview with their provisioning pipelines (Autopilot, images, MDT, etc.) to ensure no new prompts interfere with zero‑touch deployments.
- Organizations that prohibit in‑OS upsell screens should deploy the appropriate Group Policy or MDM configuration to set the Personalized Offers toggle to Off by default and validate the setting survives OOBE.
Strengths and potential risks — balanced analysis
Strengths
- The update addresses tangible, high‑impact regressions: the touch keyboard and Hyper‑V vSwitch bugs were causing user lockouts and VM networking outages, respectively. Fixing these items improves day‑to‑day reliability for affected devices and workloads.
- Making Personalized Offers a controlled, toggleable option means users retain agency; the experience is not forced on those who opt out during setup or later in Settings. The staged rollout via Release Preview also gives IT teams time to test behavior before any wider deployment.
Risks and concerns
- Surface placement: putting promotional content within OOBE increases the likelihood users will be exposed to upsell prompts at a moment when they expect a clean, distraction‑free setup. Even with an Off toggle, the presence of the option in OOBE is a UX regression for users aiming for a minimalist, privacy‑focused initial experience.
- Visibility and comprehension: OOBE screens are often clicked through quickly; users may inadvertently accept personalized offers without fully understanding the data implications, which could have privacy consequences if device data is used for targeting.
- Enterprise automation: even if the feature is toggleable, any change to OOBE introduces a risk of breaking custom provisioning scripts or workflows unless it is properly accounted for and tested. IT teams need to proactively validate deployments against this preview.
What to watch next
- Will Microsoft roll this OOBE change into the general optional preview or stable channel? Track Release Preview rollout notes and Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday communications for whether Personalized Offers becomes widely available beyond Insiders.
- Regulatory and regional differences: previous Microsoft rollout patterns show some features are restricted or delayed in specific regions (notably the European Economic Area) due to regulatory considerations. Watch for any region‑specific gating of the Personalized Offers experience.
- Admin tooling: expect Microsoft to publish or update administrative policies and CSPs that explicitly control the Recommendations & offers behavior. Enterprises should acquire those controls and test them before the feature reaches production channels.
Conclusion
KB5067112 (Build 22631.6132) is a compact Release Preview update that combines real fixes for annoying, high‑impact regressions with a subtle but meaningful change to the Out‑of‑Box Experience: the introduction of Personalized Offers during setup and the relocation of the recommendation control into Settings as Recommendations & offers. The technical fixes make the update valuable to users impacted by touch input or Hyper‑V networking regressions, but the OOBE enablement raises understandable privacy and UX concerns that merit testing and attention from both consumers and IT teams. The practical path forward is straightforward: test the preview in a controlled environment, verify provisioning and automation workflows, and if needed, deploy policy‑level controls to keep the setup experience free from upsells for managed fleets.Source: Neowin Windows 11 KB5067112 update brings a change to initial Setup that you may not like
