Feb 2023 preview update KB5022913 is now available for Windows 11 version 22h2 users and this will upgrade their PCs to OS Build 22621.1344. Microsoft has introduced several new things on this cumulative update including a new Search bar experience, Touch keyboard or Virtual Touchpad, Task Manager, and others.
If are interested in this cumulative update, and want to go for it, here’s a direct download link to this patch update for Windows 11, version 22h2.
Windows 10 KB5022906 Improves Windows Spotlight
Windows 11 22h2 KB5022913 Changelog
Microsoft has brought several new features to Windows 11, version 22h2 with its preview update KB5022913. The key changes are as follows –
1] New Search bar Experience
- When you install the latest preview update, you will notice a new search bar appearing on the taskbar. In case you want to get back the previous Search bar, right-click anywhere on the taskbar, and select Taskbar Settings. Under Taskbar items, you may use the Search drop-down menu and change it to Search box, Search icon only, or Search icon and label.
2] Quick Assist is now available under All Apps
- Quick Assist is now available inside the Start menu’s All apps list. This app supports two functionalities and they are Get help and Help someone.
3] Touch Keyboard and Virtual Touchpad
After you upgrade your system to OS Build 22621.1344, you will find two new icons appearing on the system tray. These are Touch Keyboard and Virtual Touchpad. With these two icons available on the taskbar, your device becomes relatively optimized for 2-in-1 devices that you can use as a tablet.
There are two states of the taskbar in Windows 11 version 22h2 and they are collapsed and expanded. In case you want to switch between these two states, swipe up and down on the bottom of your screen.
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Note: This feature works only on those devices that can be used as tablets. You may change the taskbar behavior by reaching out to the below path –
Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors
Here, you will find a setting called “Optimize taskbar for touch interactions when this device is used as a tablet.” This feature will remain disabled for those devices that are being operated or managed by your organization. Admins can turn it on using the new commercial control for continuous innovation.
4] Task manager now supports new enhancements
Microsoft has added new enhancements and features to the Task Manager and they are –
- Filtering: With this, one can filter processes based on the binary name, PID, or publisher name. This filter also lets you switch between pages. For this, Microsoft has included a new shortcut and that is ALT + F.
- More theme options: With KB5022913, you may now choose a separate theme for Task Manager that is different from the Windows theme. Additionally, all dialogs, except for the Run new task and the Properties dialog, now support themes. You may configure the dialogs to use app-specific themes or simply the Windows theme.
- Efficiency Mode: Users may now opt out of confirmation dialogs when they turn on Efficiency mode.
5] Improvements to Voice Control
After you install this update, you will find that the Voice now supports spin controls, thumb controls, and split buttons. Users may interact with these controls by using the “click” command or number overlays. KB5022913 also addresses the issue affecting snapping commands that snap a window left or right. Commands that move the cursor in a text box now run instantly.
Moreover, this update also provides voice-scrolling enhancements. Meaning, you may now scroll to the extreme left or right on a page by simply using your voice. To know more about Voice controls and the supported command list, visit this page.
6] Improvements to Voice Access
In this update, Microsoft has worked hard to make voice access more flexible and supports interaction with more user interface (UI) controls. For example, voice now interacts with controls that contain –
- Names bearing a number on them like “Click5”
- Names without whitespaces between them, such as “click PivotTable” or “click PivotChart”
- Or, Names that have special characters, such as Bluetooth & devices (“click Bluetooth and devices”) or Dial-up (“click dial hyphen up”)
7] Focus and hover treatment to System tray icons
KB5022913 has now introduced some great enhancements to the system tray icons. This includes rounded focus and hover treatment when you see the taskbar items in the lower right.
There’s a “Show hidden icons” flyout menu available on the right end of the system tray. If you want, you may move icons to rearrange them in the “Show hidden icons” flyout menu or move icons back on the taskbar.
8] Braille Devices and Displays Improvements
- With this update, Microsoft provides enhanced support for braille devices. You need not worry about switching between Microsoft Narrator and third-party screen readers, as they will continue working. To change braille drivers, one may now use the Narrator itself.
- This update also brings support for new braille displays and new braille input and output languages in Narrator. A few examples include the APH Chameleon, the APH Mantis Q40, the NLS eReader, and many more.
To know more about this, see Chapter 8: Using Narrator with braille.
Other New Features that came along with this preview update
- Windows users may now access Windows Studio effects directly from quick settings on the taskbar for devices that have a supported neural processing unit (NPU). You will now find it quite easy to turn on and configure camera effects on your computer. These effects include blurring the background, Eye Contact, Automatic framing, and Audio effects (Voice focus). You may find these settings under Settings (Win + I).
- Devices that have already joined Azure Active Directory (AAD) are now protected by AI-powered recommended by Windows. With this setting enabled, you will find content to help you to prepare for meetings, quickly access files you’re collaborating on, and more.
- Though a bit old, Windows nowadays provides energy recommendations as well. Enabling this, you may manage the energy efficiency of your PC and reduce your carbon footprint. To configure its settings, navigate to the below path and make the appropriate changes –
Settings > System > Power & Battery > Energy Recommendations
Improvements available with this cumulative update
After you install this update on your computer, you may notice the following changes on your computer –
- Resolves an issue affecting the Color filter settings on Windows 11. Users may now select the Inverted color and the same won’t change to Grayscale instead.
- Addresses a key issue that affects File Explorer on Windows 11, version 22h2. You may now use Shift + Tab or Shift + F6 to move the input focus.
- Fixes an issue that affects which folders appear in the Browse for Folder picker.
- Resolves an issue that affects IE mode wherein the text on the status bar becomes invisible.
- Addresses an issue that is known to affect the user Interface. With this fix, users may now use volume up and down commands from a Bluetooth keyboard and see the corresponding changes on the display screen.
- Earlier, users who buy an Xbox subscription using the “Redeem code” option were not able to find the related settings on the Settings Accounts page. With this update, Microsoft resolves this issue as well.
- Users may now use the touch keyboard or the PIN entry keyboard to enter texts. This was previously causing some issues and as a result of this, the virtual keyboards were not working.
- With this preview update, Microsoft addresses an issue that displays a blue screen during video playback. This was previously happening when you set high dynamic range (HDR) on your display.
How to download and install this Cumulative update
Since this is a preview update, it is not mandatory to install the KB5022913 update. However, considering so many fixes and improvements that it brings to your Windows 11 version 22h2 PC, we suggest going for this update.
1] Through Windows Update
- Press Win + I to launch Settings.
- Go to Windows Update and hit the Check for updates button on the right pane.
- The system will check for any pending updates for your Windows version and will display this preview update.
- Click Download & Install all and soon this update starts downloading on your computer.
- After the download completes, the system will automatically install this patch update on your Windows PC.
- Your device may restart a few times while this update is going on, so make sure to keep your device connected to a power source.
2] Microsoft Update Catalog
In case you have disabled auto-updates on your computer or you don’t want to go through the above, you may directly download the standalone package for KB5022913. To do this, visit Microsoft’s Update Catalog, pick the update matching your system architecture, and hit the Download button.
On the next screen, click the top link to begin downloading the setup file. After the downloading completes, double-click on the downloaded file to upgrade your system to OS Build 22621.1344.
Note: The latest Windows 11 Servicing Stack update for this preview update is 22621.1344. You need not worry about it as the system will automatically take care of this.
Known Issues on KB5022913
After you install this patch update, you may encounter one or more of the following issues on your computer –
Issue #1:
- If you are using some third-party UI customization apps on your Windows PC, your device might not start up. Two known apps that might affect your operating systems are – ExplorerPatcher and StartAllBack. If you do use these apps and are facing trouble starting up your PC, boot your device into Safe Mode, and uninstall these apps.
Issue#2:
- Windows Server Updates Services (WSUS) are currently not offering the latest update to Windows 11 version 22h2. Although updates are downloading to the WSUS server, however, they are not further propagating to the client devices.
The affected WSUS servers are only those which were earlier running on Windows Server 2016/2019 and have been currently upgraded to Windows Server 2022. As per Microsoft, during the upgrade process, Unified Update Platform (UUP) MIME types were accidentally removed. And as a result of this, you are facing issues installing the latest cumulative updates.
Note: Microsoft Configuration Manager is not affected by this issue.
To solve this issue, please see Adding file types for Unified Update Platform on-premises.