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Windows 11 users have a new update to install. As is usually the case, Microsoft released a Patch Tuesday update on the second Tuesday of the month.
The March 2025 Patch Tuesday update (KB5053598) brings systems to Windows 11 Build 26100.3476.
You won’t find much in the change log from Microsoft for this update. The improvements section simply states, “This update makes miscellaneous security improvements to internal OS functionality. No additional issues were documented for this release.”
Security updates are important to keep your system running and files protected, but they aren’t particularly exciting.
While relatively minor, there are also some new features that ship with the update. It also includes the changes that were part of the KB5052093 update, which entered preview late last month.
My favorite addition is the ability for multiple applications to access a camera stream simultaneously. The feature makes it possible to stream a webcam to a sign language interpreter and another person at the same time.
Windows 11 March 2025 Patch Tuesday Update: Highlights
- [Task Manager] Fixed: It might identify an HDD as an SSD.
- [Taskbar] New! You can now share files directly from a jump list on the taskbar. Jump lists appear when you right-click an app that has a jump list
- [Windows Spotlight]
- New! There’s a quick and easy way to find out more information about a background image. Simply hover over the image or click the “Learn about this picture” icon.
- New! This update makes Windows Spotlight easier to find. You’ll notice changes to the icon color and background. Also, the icon will show at the lower right area on your desktop.
- [Lock screen] New! This update makes it easier to learn more about the image on your lock screen when you select the “Like” button.
- [Narrator] New! There are new functions for Narrator scan mode. Skip past links (n) allows you to go to the text after a link. Use the comma (,) to jump to the start of an item (large table, long list, or another item.) Use the period (.) to jump to the end of an item. This is most helpful when you read long emails, news articles, and wiki pages. Jump to lists (l) allows you to quickly access a list on a web page or in a document. To use these new functions, turn on Narrator first (Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter). Then turn scan mode on by pressing Caps lock + Spacebar. Note that scan mode is on by default on most web pages (like news articles, wiki page, and so on).
- [Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers] New! Some of you might see a new referral card for a PC Game Pass subscription on the Settings home page. With it, you can invite friends and family to try a PC Game Pass for free. If you qualify, the card only appears when you sign in to your PC using your Microsoft account.
- [File Explorer]
- New! You can now snooze or turn off the “Start backup” reminder in the File Explorer address bar. This only applies if you are not already backing up your files and folder. To view this new option, right-click Start backup.
- Fixed: Improves performance when it loads folders that have a large number of media files.
- Fixed: When you enter a URL in the address bar, it might not go to the location.
- Fixed: The address bar overlaps files when you use the F11 full-screen mode.
- Fixed: The context menu opens slowly when you right-click cloud files.
- Thumbnails for cloud files display more consistently in search results.
- [HTML Help Viewer] New! This update adds text scaling support.
- [Start menu] Fixed: The colors are wrong when you open the account manager flyout menu. This occurs when you use a mixed dark and light custom mode in Settings > Personalization > Colors.
- [Scanners] Fixed: Apps might not recognize a scanner is available when it is connected.
- [Audio]
- Fixed: The volume might increase to 100% when you wake your PC from sleep.
- Fixed: You might hear a mute and unmute sound several times.
- Fixed: A USB audio device might stop working after your PC is idle for a short time.
- [GDI+] Fixed: After you use GDI+ to shrink an image, the colors of the image might be wrong.
- [Shared PC] Fixed: Using a Guest account to sign in to a PC that is in Shared PC mode might fail. This occurs if you set up DeviceLock password policies.
- [Mouse] Fixed: In Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch, you can choose a color for the mouse that is not the default. When you chose a color, it reverts to white after the User Account Control (UAC) dialog appears.
- [Live captions] Fixed: If you disconnect an external monitor, the live captions window might not show.
- [Camera]
- New! Multi-app camera: Allows multiple applications to access the camera stream simultaneously, developed with people with hearing disability to provide video streaming for both a sign language interpreter and the end audience at the same time.
- New! Basic camera: Enables basic camera functionality for improved debugging, recommended as a last resort when your camera is not functioning correctly.
- [Hyper-V] Fixed: Hyper-V Quick Create shows error “Could not load file or assembly Newtonsoft.Json”
- [Daylight saving time (DST)] This update supports (DST) changes in Paraguay.
- [Open Secure Shell (OpenSSH) (known issue)] Fixed: The service fails to start, which stops SSH connections. There is no detailed logging, and you must run the sshd.exe process manually.
- [Get Help app] Fixed: It fails to open on Windows Server 2025.
- [Settings] Fixed: Opening Settings shows an error message, “The instruction at 0x00007FFEDEBDC003 referenced memory at 0x0000000000000010. The memory could not be read,” because it stopped responding. If impacted, you might also see a similar error message with RuntimeBroker.exe.
- [Remote Desktop]
- Fixed: There are display rendering issues when you connect to certain PCs.
- Fixed: It stops responding.
- [Drag and Drop] Fixed: The drag and drop functionality wasn’t properly moving objects (such as files, emails, or attachments) in certain applications and monitor configurations. This issue occurred on devices using high DPI displays and apps using legacy DPI scaling modes.
