Microsoft releases important KB5019961 and KB5019980 updates for Windows 11

It is the time of the month when Microsoft publishes its Patch Tuesday updates, and as part of this, the company has just released two significant security updates for Windows 11 -- KB5019961 and KB5019980.

Available for Windows 11 21H2 and 22H2 respectively, the KB5019961 and KB5019980 updates not only address key security issues, but also add new features and options, as well as fixing non-security related bugs.

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The release notes for Windows 11 21H2's KB5019961 update are brief, simply pointing out that "it addresses security issues for your Windows operating system". The same is true of Windows 11 22H2's KB5019980 update, with the additional note that:

It addresses an issue that affects File Explorer. It fails to localize folders.

But there is slightly more to this pair of updates than it first appears. The KB5019961 update also includes the improvements and changes made by the KB5018483 update preview from last month, while the KB5019980 update also includes the changes from last month's KB5018496 update preview.

Microsoft shares the following notable highlights:

• New! It enhances search visual treatments on the taskbar to improve discoverability. This is available to a small audience initially and deploys more broadly in the months that follow. Some devices might notice different visual treatments as we gather feedback. To learn more about why you might be seeing these changes, see Search for anything, anywhere.
• New! It enhances the backup experience when using your Microsoft Account (MSA). Some devices might notice visual treatments for this enhancement. This is available to a small audience initially and deploys more broadly in the months that follow.
• New! It adds improvements to the Microsoft Account experience in Settings. For instance, you can manage your Microsoft OneDrive subscription and related storage alerts.
• New! It adds Task Manager to the context menu when you right-click the taskbar. This feature rolls out in the coming weeks.
• It addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Edge when it is in IE Mode. The titles of pop-up windows and tabs are wrong.
• It addresses an issue that might cause vertical and horizontal line artifacts to appear on the screen.
• It addresses an issue in that stops the credential UI from displaying in IE mode when you use Microsoft Edge.
• It addresses an issue that might fail to sync the audio when you record game play using the Xbox Game Bar.
• It addresses an issue that affects File Explorer. It is less dependable when you browse for Microsoft OneDrive folders.
• It addresses an issue that affects the Start menu. It stops working when you use keyboard commands to move pinned items to a folder at the end of a list.
• It stops the start of daylight saving time in Jordan at the end of October 2022. The Jordan time zone will permanently shift to the UTC + 3 time zone.

The KB5019961 and KB5019980 updates are available from Microsoft Update or via the Microsoft Update Catalog.

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