Windows 11 KB5086672 out-of-band fix for KB5079391 install failures released

Microsoft has released KB5086672 for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, an out-of-band cumulative update dated March 31 that moves affected systems to OS Builds 26100.8117 and 26200.8117. Microsoft says the package includes the changes from the March 26 optional preview update KB5079391 and adds a fix for the installation problem that affected some devices trying to install that release.

KB5086672 replaces the pulled March preview

KB5079391 is no longer being offered to new devices after Microsoft identified an installation issue following its release. On its support pages, Microsoft says some PCs trying to install the preview could encounter error 0x80073712 and see a message stating that some update files were missing or had problems. Microsoft now says that the issue has been addressed in KB5086672.

That matters because KB5079391 was not a throwaway preview build. Microsoft’s March 26 notes say the update included a wider rollout of the option to turn Smart App Control on or off without a clean install, removed an extra error message that could appear during sfc /scannow, and improved Windows Hello fingerprint reliability on certain devices. Those changes now carry forward into KB5086672 because Microsoft says the March 31 release includes the improvements and features introduced in KB5079391.

The new package also rolls earlier fixes into one update

Microsoft describes KB5086672 as cumulative, which means it also rolls in updates from earlier March releases, including KB5079473 and KB5085516. In practice, that gives Microsoft a cleaner replacement for the paused preview: one package that restores the pulled non-security changes while also resolving the setup failure that blocked some users from getting them in the first place.

How Microsoft is offering the update

According to Microsoft, KB5086672 is available through Windows Update for devices already running KB5079473 or a later update, and it is also available through the Microsoft Update Catalog. Systems with the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” setting turned on may see the update automatically when it is ready for that device, while others can install it manually through Windows Update.

For now, Microsoft says it is not aware of any known issues with KB5086672. That makes the update a straightforward one to watch for users on Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 who skipped KB5079391, never saw it again after the rollout pause, or ran into the 0x80073712 installation error.

The out-of-band release also arrives as Microsoft is putting more emphasis on core Windows quality and responsiveness. As Notebookcheck reported separately, the company has been signaling a broader push toward more native Windows experiences and greater use of WinUI 3 across key parts of the OS, making KB5086672 part of a wider effort to steady and refine Windows 11.