Windows 11 23H2 Update: Phone Link and Start Menu Enhancements in KB5055629

Upgrade Alert: Optional Updates for Windows 11 Users

Following the April 2025 non-security updates for Windows 10, Microsoft has commenced a rollout of optional updates for Windows 11 users on versions 23H2 and 22H2 (specifically for Enterprise and Education editions).The new update, identified as KB5055629 (build numbers 22621.5262 and 22631.5262), introduces several enhancements including Phone Link integration, improved File Explorer functionalities, modifications to Windows Widgets, and more.

Key Features and Improvements Rolling Out

File Explorer

New! Enjoy pivot-based curated views within File Explorer Home, designed to enhance accessibility to Microsoft 365 content. This feature aims to boost productivity by providing relevant resources right at your fingertips.

Fixed: Enhanced performance for extracting zipped files, particularly when handling numerous small files.

Narrator
New! The Narrator now includes a speech recap feature that allows users to quickly access and reference previously spoken content. This assists in following live transcriptions and copying the last spoken utterance through easy keyboard shortcuts.

Phone Link
New! Access a wealth of cross-device functionalities directly from the Start menu. This allows users to make calls, send SMS, manage photos, and share materials seamlessly between their mobile devices and Windows PC.

Widgets

New! Web developers can create interactive widgets using existing content, which can be integrated into various surfaces.

New! Lock screen widgets, previously known as “Weather and more, ”are now available for devices in the European Economic Area (EEA).Users can customize their lock screen by adding, removing, or rearranging widgets such as Weather, Watchlist, and Sports. For customization, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.

Desktop Icons
The display logic for desktop-pinned apps has been refined. Packaged apps now present without an accent-colored backplate, making icons like Snipping Tool more visible when dragged from the Start menu to your desktop.

Share Sheet
Users can now make last-minute adjustments to images—such as cropping, rotating, or applying filters—directly through the Share Sheet feature.

Start Menu Enhancements

Fixed: Resolved an issue preventing users from using touch gestures to access the list of pinned apps in the Start menu.

Fixed: The Sign Out and More options in the account manager may have been obscured when text size was increased, but this has now been resolved.

Taskbar Fixes
Fixed: After pressing Windows key + T, the navigation of the app list using arrow keys was malfunctioning for Arabic and Hebrew languages, which has now been corrected.

Additional Enhancements for Windows 11 Version 22H2 Users

Server Message Block (SMB)
Fixed: Addressed an issue where opening Excel files hosted on a SMB file share with Access Based Enumeration enabled took longer than expected, particularly when linked to multiple network shares.

Sign-in Improvements
Fixed: An issue affecting the USBxHCI controller and devices connected via USB on Intel® Core™ Ultra 200V processors has been resolved. Ensure that Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) is toggled off in Settings for proper functionality seamless usage of Windows Hello.

Xbox Controller Issues

This update addresses compatibility issues affecting Xbox Elite Wireless Controllers with specific firmware, resolving keyboard functionality errors.

Fixed: An issue where the driver verifier halted operations during gamepad controller driver certification has been resolved, benefiting Windows Hardware Quality Labs testing.

Windows Kernel Vulnerability Protection
This update enhances the DriverSiPolicy.p7b file to include additional drivers susceptible to Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.

How to Get These Updates

If you prefer not to install a preview release, opting out of the C-updates is always an option. However, for those eager to enhance their Windows experience, check for available updates in the Settings app under Windows Update. Alternatively, the Microsoft Update Catalog offers KB5055629 for direct download. Expect the month’s non-security updates for Windows 11 version 24H2 to be announced shortly.

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