Windows 11’s March 10, 2026 cumulative update, KB5079473, is for versions 25H2 and 24H2. A Windows Central roundup describes nine practical changes, ranging from a taskbar speed-test shortcut to File Explorer archive support. Microsoft’s own update notes specifically highlight four improvement areas, so the nine-item list should be understood as reported feature changes—not as Microsoft’s official list of nine.
Microsoft uses a controlled rollout for some features. Installing KB5079473 therefore does not guarantee that every change will appear on your PC immediately.
What the March 2026 update includes
KB5079473 is the March 10, 2026 cumulative security update for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2. Microsoft says it contains security fixes and improvements as well as non-security changes from February’s optional preview. Its release calendar identifies the release as a hotpatch for these versions; that designation applies to eligible managed configurations and does not mean every home PC gets an identical update experience without a restart. See Microsoft’s KB5079473 release notes and Microsoft’s Windows release calendar.
The nine practical changes below were described in Windows Central’s March 5 feature roundup. They are best read as changes affecting everyday use, device configuration, recovery, and administration—not as nine items all enumerated in Microsoft’s official “Improvements” section.
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Nine reported practical enhancements
Everyday Windows tasks
- Network speed-test shortcut from the taskbar. Open the taskbar network icon or the Wi-Fi or Cellular page in Quick Settings and select the speed-test option. It opens a browser-based network test; it is a shortcut to a web service, not a new local diagnostic engine.
- A Microsoft-account benefits link in Start. The Start menu account manager gains a link to benefits associated with the signed-in Microsoft account.
- A dedicated Widgets settings page. Windows adds a settings page for managing Widgets. The roundup describes a change to settings, not a redesign of the Widgets dashboard.
- WebP desktop backgrounds. WebP images can be set as wallpapers through the desktop taskbar context option or the Background settings page.
- Updated storage and printer dialogs. Some dialogs in Storage and printer settings receive design updates; this is not a claim that all Settings dialogs have changed.
- More archive folders offer “Extract All.” File Explorer adds the “Extract All” option for non-ZIP archive folders, extending the extraction workflow beyond ZIP files.
Device configuration and recovery
- Camera pan and tilt controls. Camera properties gain pan and tilt settings. Whether those controls work depends on whether the connected camera supports them; their appearance in Windows does not make an unsupported camera movable.
- Quick Machine Recovery enabled by default on unmanaged Pro devices. The roundup reports this default for Windows 11 Pro devices that are not managed. It is a recovery-related change, not a general guarantee that every device or managed PC has the same configuration.
Administration and diagnostics
- Native Sysmon installation through Optional features. The roundup reports that Sysmon can be installed as a Windows optional feature. If you already use the Sysinternals version, uninstall it before installing the native version, as the roundup advises.
Four improvements Microsoft calls out in its KB
Microsoft’s official release notes highlight these four improvement areas; they do not enumerate the nine roundup items as a single official feature list:
- Secure Boot certificate targeting: Microsoft adds high-confidence device-targeting data. Certificates are delivered through a controlled, phased process after devices provide sufficient successful update signals.
- File Explorer search reliability: Searching across multiple drives or “This PC” becomes more reliable.
- Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC): COM-object handling is improved so allowlisted COM objects are allowed as expected when policy levels previously caused them to be blocked.
- Windows System Image Manager: A warning dialog helps users confirm that a selected catalog file comes from a trusted source.
The KB also says the cumulative update includes non-security updates from February’s optional preview. For the full Microsoft wording, see the KB5079473 notes.
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Why a feature may not appear after installation
Some changes use Microsoft’s Controlled Feature Rollout, which means availability can be gradual. If a feature is missing immediately after installing KB5079473, that alone does not show that the installation failed or that your PC is permanently excluded. Check Windows Update and Microsoft’s Windows release-health information for current availability and known issues.
Microsoft releases Windows 11 security updates on the second Tuesday of each month, and the updates are cumulative. The March release is recorded as a hotpatch for 25H2 and 24H2, but hotpatch status is relevant to eligible managed configurations; it should not be treated as a promise of a no-restart update for every consumer device.
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Later-documented issues and their scope
Microsoft’s later hotpatch notes document two problems associated with the March hotpatch or later updates. They differ in scope and should not be treated as general problems affecting all Windows 11 installations.
- Some Microsoft-account app sign-ins: Sign-ins could fail in apps such as Teams Free and OneDrive even when an internet connection was available. Microsoft Entra ID business authentication was not affected.
- Reset this PC on a narrow managed configuration: The failure affected certain commercial devices managed with Windows Autopatch, with hotpatch enabled and monthly security updates installed without restarting. Microsoft says retail consumer devices were not affected.
Microsoft’s notes identify subsequent updates that addressed these issues. Check the applicable update details and installation guidance in Microsoft’s Windows 11, version 25H2 known-issues page.
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