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A Long-Overdue Windows 11 Refresh
Microsoft is giving Windows 11 users something many have been asking for since the operating system first arrived: more control over the desktop experience.
The company has released KB5120998, an optional preview cumulative update for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2. While this release does not contain security fixes, it introduces a surprisingly large collection of usability improvements, interface changes, administrative features, and system-level fixes that could significantly influence how Windows 11 feels over the coming months.
At first glance, KB5120998 might look like just another optional Windows update. It is not.
The August 2026 preview release contains 35 changes, including expanded taskbar positioning, a smaller taskbar mode, greater Start menu customization, improved Windows Search behavior, better update coordination, and the beginning of Microsoft’s rollout of Administrator protection.
For ordinary users, some of these changes are about convenience. For power users, they represent something more important: Microsoft is gradually giving people back control over parts of Windows 11 that have historically felt unnecessarily restrictive.
KB5120998 Is a Preview, Not a Security Update
KB5120998 is an optional preview update, meaning Microsoft is essentially giving users, administrators, and organizations an early look at improvements scheduled for broader deployment through a future Patch Tuesday release.
That distinction matters.
Unlike
For businesses, this makes preview releases particularly useful for testing.
IT administrators can deploy the update to selected machines, monitor application compatibility, investigate unexpected behavior, and identify potential problems before the changes reach a much larger portion of the Windows ecosystem.
For ordinary users, however, the decision is less straightforward.
If your computer is stable and you do not need any of the new functionality, there is usually little reason to rush.
If you enjoy testing new Windows features or specifically want the new taskbar and Start menu controls, KB5120998 becomes much more interesting.
The Taskbar Finally Gets Its Position Back
Perhaps the most emotionally significant change is the return of taskbar positioning flexibility.
After installing KB5120998, Windows 11 users can move the taskbar to the:
Bottom
Top
Left
Right
This can be changed through:
Settings → Personalization → Taskbar → Taskbar behaviors → Taskbar position
For longtime Windows users, this is more than a cosmetic option.
The taskbar has traditionally been one of the most customizable elements of the Windows desktop. Microsoft significantly reduced that flexibility when Windows 11 launched, creating frustration among users who preferred a vertical taskbar or wanted it positioned at the top of the screen.
The new option signals a noticeable shift in Microsoft’s approach.
Rather than forcing everyone into one interface philosophy, Windows 11 is increasingly allowing users to shape the desktop around their own workflow.
Taskbar Customization Goes Even Further
The taskbar improvements do not stop at positioning.
Microsoft is also introducing a smaller taskbar option designed to reduce both taskbar height and icon size.
This could be particularly useful on laptops, compact displays, tablets, and other devices where every pixel matters.
A smaller taskbar means more usable vertical screen space.
That may sound like a minor adjustment, but on a small laptop display, reclaiming even a modest amount of screen real estate can make applications feel noticeably less cramped.
Microsoft is also retaining several customization options regardless of taskbar position, including features such as icon-combining behavior.
That combination is important because simply moving the taskbar would not be particularly useful if users immediately lost their preferred taskbar configuration.
The Start Menu Becomes More Flexible
The Start menu is receiving another substantial customization upgrade.
KB5120998 introduces small and large Start menu size options, giving users more control over how much screen space the menu occupies.
Microsoft is also separating several Start menu sections so they can be controlled independently.
Users can choose whether to display:
Pinned apps
Recommended content
All apps
The update also allows users to hide the account name and profile picture.
That may appeal to users who want a cleaner Start menu with less visual clutter.
For organizations deploying shared computers, kiosks, or managed systems, these controls could also prove useful because administrators and users can potentially create a more focused interface.
Windows Search Gets More Intelligent
One of the quieter but potentially more useful changes involves Windows Search.
With KB5120998, Windows can automatically index frequently used folders so that files stored in those locations are more likely to appear in future search results.
The relevant setting can be found under:
Settings → Privacy & Security → Search → Automatically find additional relevant locations
The idea is straightforward: Windows learns which locations matter to you and makes those files easier to find.
This is especially useful for users who frequently work with files stored outside the standard Documents, Pictures, or Desktop folders.
Instead of repeatedly navigating through directories, Windows Search can become more aware of where your frequently accessed data actually lives.
Windows Update Gets Better at Coordinating With Applications
Another interesting change is happening beneath the surface.
Microsoft is adding support for participating applications to coordinate their own updates with Windows Update.
This is part of
The goal is to create a more coordinated update process.
Instead of Windows updating itself while applications independently perform their own update operations, supported applications can potentially synchronize their update schedules with Windows.
That could eventually reduce situations where users are confronted with several independent update processes competing for system resources or demanding restarts at inconvenient times.
It is a relatively technical improvement, but one that could become increasingly important as Windows systems manage more applications automatically.
Sleep and Restart Behavior Is Also Being Refined
KB5120998 includes a fix for a particularly unusual behavior involving system sleep and updates.
When a PC has been manually placed into sleep mode, the machine can now return to sleep after completing an update—even if automatic sleep is configured as Never.
This is the kind of fix that rarely makes headlines but can make a system feel more predictable.
Computers often behave strangely around updates because Windows has to balance power-management settings, installation requirements, restart conditions, and maintenance operations.
Microsoft’s change appears designed to preserve the user’s previous intent rather than unexpectedly leaving the machine awake after an update.
VPN Reliability Receives Attention
Microsoft is also improving resilience around VPN-related background processes.
The update addresses potential background issues that can cause processes to stop responding.
VPN software interacts with networking components, security controls, background services, and sometimes third-party drivers, meaning failures can have consequences beyond simply losing an internet connection.
Improving recovery behavior could therefore prevent certain VPN-related problems from turning into broader system instability.
For remote workers and business environments that rely heavily on VPN infrastructure, this is a welcome behind-the-scenes improvement.
WMIC Is Finally Disappearing
One of the most important administrative changes is the continued removal of Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line, better known as WMIC.
Starting in August 2026, Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 will no longer include WMIC.
The utility has already been removed by default from new Windows 11 installations of these versions, but Microsoft is now taking the next step by removing it as a Feature on Demand.
This matters because WMIC has been part of Windows administration for decades.
System administrators and legacy scripts have relied on it for tasks involving hardware information, processes, services, operating-system data, and system management.
Microsoft has been encouraging administrators to transition toward more modern alternatives, particularly PowerShell and direct WMI/CIM interfaces.
Deep Analysis: What WMIC Removal Means for Administrators
For organizations with modern infrastructure,
For organizations running older scripts, however, it could expose years of technical debt.
A simple legacy command such as:
wmic os get Caption,Version,BuildNumber
may no longer be available on affected systems.
Administrators should begin replacing WMIC-based automation with PowerShell.
For example:
Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystem | Select-Object Caption, Version, BuildNumber
For processor information:
Get-CimInstance Win32_Processor | Select-Object Name, NumberOfCores, NumberOfLogicalProcessors
For memory information:
Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystem |
Select-Object TotalPhysicalMemory
For running processes:
Get-CimInstance Win32_Process
And for services:
Get-CimInstance Win32_Service
The broader lesson is important: WMIC removal is not simply a Windows feature disappearing; it is a signal that organizations should audit their automation environments.
Administrators should search scripts, deployment systems, monitoring platforms, login scripts, RMM tools, and internal documentation for references to wmic.exe.
A migration strategy is considerably safer than discovering a dependency after a fleet-wide Windows update.
Administrator Protection Begins Rolling Out
Security-conscious organizations should pay close attention to another KB5120998 feature: Administrator protection.
Microsoft describes Administrator protection as a mechanism designed to harden systems against elevation-of-privilege attacks by introducing profile separation and just-in-time administrative privileges.
The feature is disabled by default and can be enabled through Microsoft Intune using OMA-URI or through Group Policy.
The important concept here is temporary privilege.
Instead of allowing administrative privileges to remain continuously available, administrator protection aims to reduce the amount of time during which elevated access exists.
That aligns with the broader security principle of least privilege.
The less time an attacker can spend operating with elevated permissions, the fewer opportunities they may have to turn an initial compromise into full system control.
Administrator Protection Is Not a Complete Security Boundary
Microsoft makes an important qualification: Administrator protection is not considered a formal security boundary.
That distinction should not be ignored.
Organizations should not treat the feature as a magical barrier capable of stopping every privilege-escalation technique.
Instead, it should be viewed as another layer in a broader security architecture.
Endpoint protection, application control, identity security, patch management, credential protection, network segmentation, and strong monitoring still matter.
The value of Administrator protection comes from reducing unnecessary exposure—not from eliminating the possibility of compromise.
A Secure Boot Restart Warning
Microsoft has also warned customers about an unusual behavior affecting some systems during upcoming Windows updates.
A limited number of consumer and business devices may experience one additional restart during installation.
The extra restart is connected to a Secure Boot certificate update.
For most users, this should be more of an inconvenience than a serious problem.
However, businesses managing large numbers of endpoints should account for it in maintenance windows, deployment policies, and user communications.
Unexpected reboots can be particularly disruptive when machines are used for critical workloads or remote operations.
KB5120998 Can Be Installed Through Windows Update
Installing the preview update is relatively straightforward.
Open:
Settings → Windows Update
Then select:
Check for updates
Because KB5120998 is optional, users will generally need to select Download and install to manually receive it.
Users who have enabled Microsoft’s option to Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available may receive optional updates differently depending on Microsoft’s rollout behavior.
The update can also be downloaded manually through the Microsoft Update Catalog.
For businesses, however, manual installation is generally not the preferred approach for large-scale deployments. Testing and controlled rollout through enterprise management systems is safer.
New Build Numbers After Installation
Once KB5120998 is installed, Windows 11 devices move to the following builds:
Windows 11 25H2 → Build 26200.9278
Windows 11 24H2 → Build 26100.9278
These build numbers are useful for administrators because they provide a quick way to verify whether a device has received the preview release.
PowerShell can be used to inspect Windows version information:
Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object WindowsProductName, WindowsVersion, OsBuildNumber
Administrators can also query the operating-system build directly:
(Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystem).BuildNumber
Windows 11 24H2 Support Is Becoming More Complicated
Microsoft is also reminding customers about the approaching support deadline for some Windows 11 24H2 editions.
Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro editions are scheduled to stop receiving updates in the coming months.
Enterprise and Education editions have a longer support lifecycle, with mainstream support extending into October 2027 according to the information in the original report.
This creates an increasingly important upgrade decision for organizations and individual users still operating 24H2.
Windows 11 25H2 is the newer target release, and Microsoft is encouraging users to move forward rather than remain indefinitely on an older version.
Why This Update Matters More Than Its Size Suggests
KB5120998 is interesting because it combines several seemingly unrelated changes.
There is interface customization.
There is search optimization.
There are administrative changes.
There are security improvements.
There are legacy-management removals.
There are update orchestration improvements.
And there are fixes for system behavior.
Together, these changes tell a bigger story.
Microsoft appears to be moving Windows 11 toward an operating system that is simultaneously more customizable for consumers and more controlled for enterprise administrators.
That balance is difficult to achieve.
Consumers want freedom.
Enterprises want consistency.
Security teams want restrictions.
Power users want control.
Windows has to serve all of them.
What Undercode Say:
1. Microsoft Is Listening—At Least a Little
The return of taskbar positioning is arguably the most visible sign that Microsoft has listened to years of user complaints.
Windows 11 initially sacrificed customization for a cleaner design philosophy.
That approach created unnecessary frustration.
KB5120998 represents a partial correction.
- The Taskbar Change Is Bigger Than It Looks
Moving the taskbar is not simply about aesthetics.
Vertical taskbars can make sense on widescreen monitors.
Top-mounted taskbars can suit certain professional workflows.
Some users simply prefer the environment they have used for years.
Giving them the choice improves Windows without forcing everyone else to change.
- The Smaller Taskbar Is Excellent for Compact Displays
Laptop screens have become sharper, but they have not necessarily become physically larger.
Every pixel matters.
A smaller taskbar can make applications feel less constrained.
That could be particularly valuable on 13-inch and smaller devices.
- Start Menu Customization Is Finally Becoming Mature
Windows
The new controls reverse that philosophy.
Users can increasingly decide what belongs there.
That is a healthier direction.
- Search Improvements Could Have a Larger Impact Than UI Changes
People interact with files constantly.
Making frequently used locations easier to search could save more time over months than a visual customization feature.
Microsoft should continue investing in search relevance.
6. WMIC Removal Is Necessary but Painful
WMIC is old technology.
Its retirement makes sense.
But Microsoft cannot assume every organization has modernized its scripts.
Large enterprises often contain decades of accumulated automation.
Removing a legacy utility can expose hidden dependencies.
7. PowerShell Is Becoming More Important
WMIC’s disappearance reinforces Microsoft’s long-term preference for PowerShell and CIM-based administration.
Organizations should treat this transition as an opportunity.
Modernizing scripts now is safer than waiting until an update breaks production automation.
- Administrator Protection Is the More Important Security Feature
The taskbar will receive more attention from consumers.
Security teams should be paying attention to Administrator protection.
Reducing unnecessary administrative exposure is a meaningful security improvement.
9. Just-in-Time Privileges Are Becoming Normal
The security industry has increasingly moved toward temporary privileges.
Permanent administrative access creates unnecessary risk.
Temporary elevation reduces the
10. It Will Not Stop Every Attack
Administrator protection should not be treated as a silver bullet.
Attackers can exploit credentials, applications, misconfigurations, vulnerable drivers, and legitimate administrative tools.
Defense in depth remains essential.
11. Secure Boot Changes Deserve Attention
The additional restart warning may sound insignificant.
In enterprise environments, however, unexpected reboots can become operational incidents.
Administrators should test update behavior before broad deployment.
12. Preview Updates Are Still Testing Ground
The word preview matters.
KB5120998 is not something every production machine necessarily needs immediately.
Organizations should evaluate it through staged deployments.
- IT Departments Should Build a Pilot Ring
A small group of representative machines should receive preview updates first.
That group should include different hardware models, business applications, VPN clients, security software, and peripherals.
- Compatibility Testing Matters More Than Build Numbers
A successful update is not simply one that installs.
Applications must continue functioning.
Printers must work.
VPNs must connect.
Security agents must remain operational.
Internal scripts must execute.
15. Windows Update Is Becoming More Orchestrated
The UOP-related improvements indicate that Microsoft wants Windows Update to become more than an operating-system patch mechanism.
It increasingly looks like a coordination layer.
- Applications May Eventually Behave More Like Windows Components
Better update coordination could reduce fragmented software-update experiences.
That could make Windows environments easier to maintain.
- Microsoft Is Balancing Consumer and Enterprise Needs
The same release demonstrates both extremes.
Consumers receive more customization.
Administrators receive stronger control mechanisms.
Legacy administrators lose WMIC.
Security teams gain Administrator protection.
18. This Is a Strategic Direction
These changes should not be viewed individually.
They reflect
Windows is becoming increasingly managed, automated, and security-oriented.
But Microsoft is also slowly restoring personalization.
19. The Timing Is Significant
The release arrives while organizations are already dealing with increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Identity attacks, credential theft, ransomware, and privilege escalation remain major concerns.
Reducing unnecessary privileges is therefore especially relevant.
20. Security and Usability Are Converging
Historically, security features often made systems harder to use.
Modern Windows is trying to make security invisible where possible.
Administrator protection is an example of that philosophy.
- Users Should Not Install Every Preview Blindly
Optional does not mean dangerous.
But it does mean users have a choice.
If a system is business-critical, stability may be more valuable than early access to features.
- Enthusiasts Have More Reason to Install It
Power users who have been waiting for taskbar positioning may consider KB5120998 worth testing.
The customization improvements provide a tangible benefit.
23. Enterprises Need a Different Strategy
Organizations should validate KB5120998 before mass deployment.
The additional Secure Boot restart behavior makes controlled rollout even more sensible.
24. WMIC Auditing Should Start Now
Administrators should search their environment for WMIC dependencies.
Do not wait until the executable disappears from a production endpoint.
25. Scripts Are Often the Hidden Problem
A single forgotten script can break an otherwise successful migration.
Documentation and automation inventories are therefore essential.
- PowerShell Migration Should Be Treated as Modernization
Replacing WMIC commands with CIM-based PowerShell is not merely a workaround.
It creates a more maintainable administration environment.
27. Windows 11 Is Still Evolving
Microsoft has not finished shaping Windows 11.
The operating system continues to change significantly years after launch.
- User Feedback Is Clearly Influencing Some Decisions
The return of previously removed functionality demonstrates that Microsoft can reverse course.
That should encourage users to continue providing meaningful feedback.
29. Customization Is Becoming a Competitive Feature
Users increasingly expect operating systems to respect personal workflows.
Windows cannot afford to treat customization as irrelevant.
30. Small Features Can Create Big Loyalty
Being able to put the taskbar where you want may sound trivial.
For someone who uses Windows every day, it can dramatically improve comfort.
31. Search Could Become More Predictive
Automatic indexing of frequently used folders could be an early step toward more contextual Windows Search.
Microsoft has the infrastructure to make file discovery substantially smarter.
32. Privacy Will Remain Important
Smarter search means more awareness of user behavior.
Microsoft therefore needs to make search controls transparent and understandable.
- The Administrator Protection Rollout Should Be Watched Closely
Its effectiveness will ultimately depend on how well it integrates with real-world enterprise environments.
Security teams should test it rather than assume its benefits.
34. Microsoft Is Moving Toward Least Privilege
The direction is unmistakable.
Temporary elevation and stronger privilege separation are becoming central Windows security concepts.
35. Legacy Windows Habits Are Disappearing
WMIC is only one example.
Organizations that depend heavily on decades-old Windows administration techniques should expect more changes.
36. Automation Needs to Keep Up
Modern Windows administration increasingly requires PowerShell, APIs, management platforms, and cloud-based controls.
Manual administration will become less practical.
- The Windows Update Experience Is Becoming More Intelligent
Coordination between Windows and applications could eventually reduce update fragmentation.
That is good news for both administrators and users.
38. Reboots Will Remain a Pain Point
Even with better orchestration, operating-system updates sometimes require restarts.
Microsoft’s Secure Boot warning demonstrates that reality has not disappeared.
39. 25H2 Is Becoming the Natural Destination
For supported Home and Pro systems approaching the 24H2 lifecycle deadline, moving toward 25H2 makes increasing sense.
Organizations should plan migrations rather than wait for support deadlines.
40. KB5120998 Is a Preview of
Ultimately, this update is about more than a taskbar.
It shows Windows moving toward a combination of personalization, automation, security, and centralized management.
That combination could define the next phase of Windows 11.
✅ KB5120998 Is an Optional Preview Update
The article correctly identifies KB5120998 as an optional, non-security preview release.
Its primary purpose is to provide quality improvements, fixes, and features ahead of broader monthly servicing.
✅ Taskbar Positioning Is a Major Change
The update introduces the ability to move the Windows 11 taskbar to different screen edges.
This is one of the most notable user-facing changes in the release.
✅ WMIC Removal Is a Real Transition
Microsoft has been phasing out WMIC, and Windows 11 24H2/25H2 are moving further toward its complete removal.
Administrators relying on WMIC should migrate their automation.
✅ Administrator Protection Is Designed Around Reduced Privilege Exposure
Microsoft describes Administrator protection as a mechanism for strengthening defenses against elevation-of-privilege attacks.
However, it is important not to misrepresent it as a complete security boundary.
⚠️ Support Dates Require Edition-Specific Attention
Windows support timelines vary according to edition.
Home, Pro, Enterprise, and Education releases do not necessarily share identical lifecycle dates, so organizations should verify the exact edition and Microsoft lifecycle information before planning a migration.
❌ The Update Should Not Be Described as a Security Patch
KB5120998 is a preview quality update rather than a normal monthly security release.
Installing it should not be confused with installing Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday security fixes.
Prediction
(+1) Windows 11 Will Become Noticeably More Customizable
Microsoft is likely to continue restoring or expanding customization options that disappeared during the early Windows 11 transition.
The return of taskbar positioning is a strong indication that the company recognizes the value of user choice.
(+1) Administrator Protection Will Become More Important
As identity-based attacks and privilege escalation continue to dominate enterprise security concerns, Microsoft is likely to expand Administrator protection and integrate similar concepts more deeply into Windows management.
(+1) WMIC Replacements Will Become Standard Enterprise Practice
PowerShell and CIM-based management will increasingly replace legacy WMIC automation.
Organizations that modernize early will face fewer compatibility problems during future Windows upgrades.
(+1) Windows Update Will Become More Coordinated
Microsoft’s investment in update orchestration suggests that Windows Update could eventually coordinate more closely with applications, drivers, security tools, and other system components.
(-1) Legacy Administrative Scripts Will Face Increasing Breakage
Organizations that continue depending on outdated Windows utilities may experience more failures as Microsoft removes additional legacy components.
The lesson is simple: Windows administration is moving forward, whether every enterprise environment is ready or not.
(-1) Preview Updates May Still Introduce Unexpected Problems
Even well-tested Windows updates can create hardware, driver, application, or compatibility issues.
Organizations should therefore continue using staged deployment rather than treating preview releases as automatically production-ready.
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