By Ken Muthomi - Reporter
US , August 27, 2026 - Microsoft has announced the release of its August 2026 non-security preview updates for Windows 11, introducing fresh customisation options for the taskbar and Start menu, as well as improvements to Windows Search and File Explorer.
The company said on Thursday that the updates are for Windows 11 version 26H1 through KB5120996, which brings the operating system to Build 28000.2804, and for versions 24H2 and 25H2 through KB5120998, which brings the operating systems to Builds 26200.9278 and 26100.9278 respectively.
Users can check for the update by going to Settings > Windows Update and selecting Check for updates.
One of the key changes introduced by the company is the improved flexibility over the position and size of the taskbar. According to the tech giant, users can now move the taskbar to the top, left, or right side of the screen, which will be an addition to the traditional position at the bottom.
Microsoft said most taskbar customisation features will continue to work regardless of its position, although the search box and smaller taskbar option are currently supported only at the top and bottom.
The company has further introduced a smaller taskbar option designed to maximise screen space on smaller devices. The setting reduces the size of taskbar icons and the taskbar height while retaining access to features such as Start, Search and the system tray.
“To change your taskbar size, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar size. When set to Small, both the icons and the taskbar height become smaller,” the company said.
On the other hand, the company is also introducing new personalisation options for the Start menu. This will allow users to choose between small and large layouts alongside the default automatic setting.
Furthermore, the company has also renamed the “Recommended” section to “Recent” and added an option to hide a user's name and profile picture from the Start menu. The Start menu settings page has also been redesigned to enable users to independently show or hide the Pinned, Recent and All sections.
The company has also updated Windows Search and has simplified the Search home, whereby the results will indicate whether they come from an app, setting, file, web result, or Microsoft Store suggestion.
Users can also control whether web and Microsoft Store suggestions appear alongside local search results. Windows will additionally be able to automatically index frequently used folders, helping files stored in those locations appear in future searches.
The update also brings refreshed progress indicators across Windows, including during startup, sign-in, restart, shutdown and update installation.
Lastly, the company has also assured that the File Explorer Home will launch faster and will become more responsive, while the Recommend section will also support touch and scrolling to make it easier for users to browse files.
The company has also confirmed that the August updates will mark the beginning of the rollout of Administrator Protection, a feature designed to reduce the risks associated with persistent administrator privileges.
Microsoft said the feature allows administrative tasks to be performed using just-in-time privileges and introduces profile separation to strengthen protection against elevation-of-privilege attacks. Administrator Protection is turned off by default and can be enabled through Microsoft Intune or Group Policy.
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