KB5120996 (Build 28000.2796) for Windows 11 26H1 drops as part of the September 2026 update

Windows 11 build 28000.2796 brings a large collection of new features, improvements, and reliability fixes to version 26H1.
File Explorer and Windows Search get several usability improvements, including friendlier file sizes, new-tab support, two-character searches, and better typo recognition.
Voice Access, Precision Touchpad, and power settings also receive notable new features and improvements.
Windows Hello gets Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) support for external fingerprint readers.

Microsoft has made Windows 11 build 28000.2796 available as part of the upcoming September 2026 update for devices running version 26H1. This update introduces new features and changes already available on Windows 11 25H2. The rollout will be available starting September 8, 2026, and the company usually starts the deployment at 1PM Eastern Time.

According to the changelog, build 28000.2796 for Windows 11 is packed with a large collection of new features, improvements, and fixes for File Explorer, Windows Search, Widgets, Start menu, Voice Typing, input, windowing, accessibility, fonts, Taskbar, AI components, Windows Search, and more.

In addition, Voice Access gets a new Voice Isolation feature. The company brings Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) support for external peripheral fingerprint sensors, and the Account Control menu gets interface refinements in the Start menu.

If you want to keep up with every Windows release, including Insider Preview builds and cumulative updates, the Windows Build Tracker has the full timeline.

Windows 11 26H1 is not a version for current devices. Microsoft has explicitly stated that version 26H1 is not an upgrade path for Windows 11 25H2 or earlier releases.

According to the company’s newly published Microsoft Health Dashboard page, version 26H1 is a hardware-optimized release designed to enable next-generation silicon developed in partnership with device manufacturers and silicon partners. This release will be available exclusively as a preinstalled experience on select new devices beginning in early 2026, with capabilities tailored specifically for those platforms.

Microsoft is referring to the new ARM64 PCs, starting with devices powered by the Snapdragon X2 Plus, Elite, and Extreme processors. If you own a computer running on Intel or AMD hardware, Windows 11 26H1 will never be offered to your system.

What’s new on Windows 11 26H1 build 28000.2796
Windows 11 September 2026 Patch Tuesday – Manual installation process
Windows 11 September 2026 Patch Tuesday – Update history

Important: Usually, Microsoft doesn’t release new features immediately. When a feature is announced as part of an update, it usually signals the start of a gradual rollout using the Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR) technology. Availability can vary based on region, hardware, and software configuration. For instance, some features take longer to reach users in Europe due to regulatory requirements.

What’s new on Windows 11 26H1 build 28000.2796

Microsoft is gradually rolling out new features and improvements with Windows 11 build 28000.2796 for version 26H1. Since these changes are part of a controlled rollout, availability may vary depending on the device configuration.

File Explorer improvements

The company is making improvements to File Explorer with several usability and reliability enhancements.

In “Details” view, file sizes now display using the appropriate units, such as KB, MB, and GB, instead of showing every value in kilobytes. The company is also making tabbed browsing more consistent by allowing users to middle-click folders in the address bar and “Home” page to open them in a new tab.

File Explorer new details new / Image: Mauro Huculak

The update also fixes a gray flash that could appear while the “Home” page was loading and resolves an issue that sometimes caused the page to scroll back to the top unexpectedly. In addition, thumbnails in the “Recommended” section are now sharper and easier to read.

The update also improves the reliability of Start menu and Taskbar startup behavior, helping these experiences load more consistently when the operating system starts.

Windows Search changes

The search experience can now find files across local storage, cloud services, and connected content more effectively, including support for searching with as few as 2 characters.

Search query with typos / Image: Mauro Huculak

Microsoft has also improved app search to better recognize partial names and typing mistakes, making it easier to locate installed applications. In the Settings app, search results have been refined to prioritize more relevant options higher in the results.

Windows Hello new feature

Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) now supports external fingerprint readers. This means desktop computers, such as Copilot+ PCs (with built-in sensors), and other devices without built-in fingerprint sensors can now use supported ESS-compatible fingerprint readers for more secure authentication.

You can enable the feature in Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options using the “Enhanced sign-in security” toggle switch.

Enhanced Sign in security option / Image: Mauro Huculak

The feature was first announced in the January 2026 preview update and is now beginning to roll out more broadly.

Account Control flyout design update

The Account Control flyout available through the Start menu is getting a refresh on Windows 11, with a more modern design and clearer account information.

Account Control new UI / Image: Mauro Huculak

The updated experience adds a visible subscription badge, making it easier for users to quickly understand their current account state, view available benefits, and discover upgrade options. The flyout also provides additional details, including account benefits and storage information, giving users a more centralized place to manage their Microsoft account experience.

The redesigned Account Control flyout is part of Microsoft’s broader effort to improve account-related experiences across Windows 11 by making important information easier to find without requiring users to navigate through multiple settings pages.

You’ll only see the new design if you are signed in with a Microsoft Account. If you are using a local account, or if your device is managed by an organization, you may see the classic menu instead. If you meet these requirements but the new Account Control flyout hasn’t appeared, the company is likely still enabling the feature in your specific region.

AI components uninstall option

Copilot+ PCs now allow users to uninstall the Image Generation AI component when it is installed, giving them more control over the AI features available on supported devices.

Voice Access new features

Voice Access receives several new capabilities, including Voice Isolation, a feature designed to improve speech recognition by filtering out background noise and other speakers.

Users can now choose from three speech recognition modes in Settings > Voice Access > Improve speech recognition. The “Voice Isolation” option requires a one-time voice setup and filters both background noise and nearby conversations. The “Remove background noise only” mode suppresses sounds such as typing or doors closing without additional setup, while “No filtering” uses the microphone input without any processing.

The company is also expanding Voice Access with support for Korean.

Widgets improvements

In Widgets, notification badges on the Taskbar now use your selected system accent color instead of the previous red indicator.

On the Lock screen, new users will now only see the Weather widget by default, creating a cleaner experience while still allowing additional widgets to be added later.

Touchpad new features

Precision touchpads gain new customization options under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad.

Users can now adjust the base speed for scroll and zoom gestures and enable accelerated scrolling, which increases gesture speed as they are repeated, making it easier to navigate long documents and webpages.

Power and battery

The software giant is making power management settings more consistent across Windows 11.

Changes to display timeouts, sleep and hibernate timers, power button behavior, and laptop lid actions in the Settings app are now automatically applied to every power plan, not just the active one. The update also improves the reliability of saving those preferences.

In addition, Windows once again allows users to configure the battery percentage at which Energy Saver automatically turns on from Settings > System > Power & battery.

Voice Typing tweaks

For new users, Fluid Dictation is now disabled by default. Windows 11 also displays a teaching tip the first time the feature is used to help users understand how it works.

Accessibility improvements

The Magnifier experience has been refined for touch-enabled devices. The horizontal and vertical touch bars used to move around the magnified screen are now disabled by default so they no longer cover on-screen content.

Anyone who relies on touch panning can re-enable the controls from Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier.

Windows Setup new parental notice

Windows Setup now displays a parental controls notice during installation, highlighting the family safety features available after setup is complete.

Other fixes

This update includes a broad set of reliability improvements and small changes across Windows 11:

Start menu: Improved reliability during startup, and this update ensures your preferred Start menu layout is retained consistently, while keyboard navigation has also been improved when moving through the apps list.
Input: Improved the reliability of mouse cursor size settings, ensuring the selected cursor size is maintained more consistently.
Windowing: System dialogs now open at the appropriate size on small tablets.
Font: Restored support for Unicode variation sequences in the Myanmar Text font and improved character shaping and rendering for the Mongolian Baiti font, resulting in more accurate text display.
Taskbar: Improved reliability during startup and when loading the system tray when the operating system is used in tablet posture on touch-enabled devices.
Windows Update: Provides more accurate progress estimates while updates are being downloaded and installed. The company has also updated the cleanup process that runs after installing updates to improve system performance immediately upon completion.
Sounds: Improved several system sounds when Windows 11 is running in dark mode.
Date and time: Improved the detection of time zone changes and updated daylight saving time information for several regions, including Beirut, Casablanca, Jerusalem, and Nuuk.
Networking: Improved the reliability of DHCP lease renewals in certain scenarios, particularly when DHCP servers return NACK responses and on devices using Modern Standby.
Print: Improved performance for IPPS (Internet Printing Protocol Secure) printers, enabling faster page printing in supported environments.
Clipboard: Improved clipboard reliability when using Remote Desktop and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD).
File Explorer: Fixed stability issues affecting explorer.exe when opening jump lists, accessing recent files, sharing files and folders, and switching between Task View and multiple desktops. Also, this update fixed an issue in which files stored on DFS-mapped drives could be incorrectly identified as originating from the Internet after reconnecting to the network. This issue could trigger unnecessary security warnings in the “Preview” pane and incorrectly apply the “Mark of the Web” to copied files.

Windows 11 September 2026 Patch Tuesday – Manual installation process

Since there’s always a chance of problems during and after applying a quality update, it’s recommended to prepare your computer by creating a restore point and a full backup before proceeding with the installation.

To download and install this Windows 11 update, open the “Windows Update” settings, and from the Windows Insider Program page, enroll your computer in the Release Preview channel, and then turn on the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” toggle switch from the main “Windows Update” page, and click the “Check for Updates” button.

Why the August preview becomes the September update

Microsoft builds updates in stages, which can make the naming and release dates confusing. The changes for a specific month’s update typically begin appearing in the Release Preview channel during the previous month. The same update then moves to the Stable Channel as an optional non-security update, usually near the end of the month, before becoming the final security update on the following month’s Patch Tuesday.

For example, the changes previewed in August 2026 are part of the September 2026 update. Microsoft first tests them through the Release Preview Channel, then offers them as an optional update in the Stable Channel, and finally rolls them into the September 8 Patch Tuesday update. The final release includes the changes from those earlier stages, along with any additional fixes and security updates.

This means an update can appear in August without being the August update. In this case, the August Release Preview build is previewing what will become the September 2026 update.

Windows 11 September 2026 Patch Tuesday – Update history

Initial Release – Patch Tuesday (Release Preview):
- Windows 11 26H1 build 28000.2796 release date: August 14, 2026. Official notes.
Second Release – Optional Install (Stable Channel):
- Windows 11 25H2 build 26200.xxxx release date: TBD, 2026. Official notes.
Final Release – Patch Tuesday (General Availability):
- Windows 11 26H1 build 28000.2796 release date: September 8, 2026. Official notes.