Microsoft releases mandatory KB5033372 update, pushing Copilot on Windows 10 users

The time of the month for Microsoft to release its security updates for Windows has rolled around again. The company has released the KB5033372 update for Windows 10, bringing not only security fixes, but other improvements and new features -- including Copilot.

As the KB5033372 update includes security fixes, it is rolling out to all Windows 10 users automatically. This means that everyone will be given access to a preview version of Microsoft's AI-powered digital assistant.

See also:

• Microsoft opens up Extended Security Updates to consumers so everyone can pay for Windows 10 support
• Microsoft releases KB5032288 update for Windows to fix Copilot issues and more
• Microsoft finally confirms Windows bug that renames printers and forcibly installs the HP Smart app

Whether what amounts to a forced rollout of Copilot is widely appreciated remains to be seen, but it will come as a surprise to many people who were not expecting Windows 10 to be receiving any more new features.

For Microsoft, aside from the security fixes, Copilot is the highlight of this update, but the company also draws attention to the following:

• New! This update adds the Copilot in Windows (in preview) button to the right side of the taskbar. This only applies to devices that run Home or Pro editions (non-managed business devices). When you select it, Copilot in Windows appears at the right on your screen. It will not overlap with desktop content or block open app windows. This is available to a small audience initially and deploys more broadly in the months that follow. To learn more, see How to get Copilot in Windows (in preview) on Windows 10 and Welcome to Copilot in Windows.
• New! The news & interests feature on your device is now larger! This will help you use the feature more effectively and show the content you care about most on a larger scale.
• New! If you use Home or Pro consumer devices or non-managed business devices, you can get some of the newest experiences as soon as they are ready. To do so, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Set the Get the latest updates as soon as they are available toggle to on. Note that this toggle is not turned on for devices that your IT department manages unless IT configures a new policy.
• This update addresses an issue that causes IE mode to stop responding. This occurs when you have multiple IE mode tabs open.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the cursor. Its movement lags in some screen capture scenarios.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the touch keyboard. It might not appear during the out-of-box experience (OOBE).

The full list of changes for the KB5033372 update is as follows:

• New! This update adds new functionality that affects app defaults. To learn more, see A principled approach to app pinning and app defaults in Windows.
• New! This update adds Windows Update opt-in notifications to the screen when you sign in.
• This update affects the Netherlands time zone. It adds the recent man-made landmass outside of Rotterdam to the shape files.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Trusted Sites Zone logon policy. You cannot manage it using mobile device management (MDM).
• This update addresses an issue that causes IE mode to stop responding. This occurs if you press the left arrow key when an empty text box has the focus and caret (cursor) browsing is on.
• This update addresses an issue that affects IE mode. A webpage stops working as expected when there is an open modal dialog.
• This update addresses app cursor issues. These issues occur when apps use the WebView2Standalone XAML control.
• This update addresses an issue that affects fontdrvhost.exe. It stops responding when you use Compact Font Format version 2 (CFF2) fonts.
• This update addresses an issue that affects non-admin processes. Game performance goes down, and the video stutters.
• This update addresses an issue that affects protected content. It stops cross-process windows from being created. Because of this update, you can keep using out-of-process hosting for things like WebView2 under protected, top-level windows.
• This update affects Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE). It enables Conditional Access (CA) scenarios.
• This update addresses a localization issue for Great Britain English (EN-GB) locales. The error message for invalid characters in a new Windows Hello PIN is wrong.
• This update addresses a leak in volatile notifications. This might stop you from signing in to your machine.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows LAPS. Its PasswordExpirationProtectionEnabled policy fails to turn on the setting.

The update should be automatically installed for you, but it can also be downloaded from the Microsoft Update Catalog .

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