Microsoft releases Windows 11 August 2026 Patch Tuesday update

Microsoft has begun rolling out KB5121003, its August 2026 Patch Tuesday cumulative update, for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. The update moves systems to builds 26100.9165 and 26200.9165 and pairs the month's security fixes with a batch of quality-of-life changes first previewed in July's optional update.

Windows Hello gets a fingerprint reader boost

The headline change is an expansion of Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security. Previously limited to devices with built-in fingerprint sensors, ESS now supports compatible external, plug-in fingerprint readers, extending hardware-isolated authentication to desktops and other Windows 11 PCs, including Copilot+ machines that lack an onboard sensor. Standard Windows Hello already encrypts sign-in data, but ESS goes further by isolating the biometric process into a secure memory space kept separate from the rest of the operating system. Setup runs through Settings, Accounts, Sign-in options, once a supported reader is plugged in.

File Explorer and search get smaller fixes

File Explorer's Details view now shows file sizes in KB, MB, or GB depending on scale, rather than just kilobytes across the board. Users can also middle-click folders in the address bar or Home view to open them in new tabs. Windows Search picks up better typo tolerance when matching installed apps, now supports searches starting from just two characters, and ranks Settings results to surface more relevant options higher in the list.

Voice Access, touchpad, and Copilot+ changes

Voice Access adds a voice isolation mode that filters out background speakers and noise, joining existing options to filter non-speech sounds only or apply no filtering at all. Precision touchpads gain adjustable scroll and zoom speeds plus an optional accelerated scrolling toggle. On supported Copilot+ PCs, users can now remove the image generation AI component independently of the rest of the system's AI features via Settings, System, and AI components.

Deployment and other housekeeping

KB5121003 is rolling out automatically through Windows Update. Enterprise IT teams managing devices through WSUS or Intune can stage the update through their usual deployment rings, with feature rollout continuing to follow Microsoft's staged Controlled Feature Rollout process. Separately, Microsoft is still distributing renewed Secure Boot certificates ahead of the original certificates' expiration, a rollout underway since June 2026. Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro editions reach the end of updates on October 13, 2026.