KB5053657 Preview Update for Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2 (OS Builds 22621.5126 and 22631.5126) - March 25, 2025

Summary

This is a non-security preview update for Windows 11, covering both version 22H2 (Enterprise and Education) and version 23H2 (all editions). It produces OS builds 22621.5126 and 22631.5126 and was released on March 25, 2025. It is optional and delivers quality improvements ahead of the next scheduled monthly security update. See the Microsoft Support page for full details.

Highlights

• New: The Gamepad keyboard layout is now available for the Windows 11 touch keyboard. It includes button accelerators (for example, X for backspace, Y for spacebar), and keys are vertically aligned to improve controller navigation.
• New: A new system tray icon on the taskbar improves discoverability of the emoji and other panels in Windows 11.
• Fixed: ctfmon.exe could stop responding when copying data from certain applications.
• New: "Top cards" now appear under Settings > System > About, giving a quick at-a-glance view of key PC specifications including processor, RAM, storage, and GPU.
• Fixed: For Japanese users, the account name at the top of Settings > Accounts was displaying in "First Name" "Last Name" order instead of the correct "Last Name" "First Name" order.
• Updated (EEA): Windows Search now has improved support for third-party web search providers in the European Economic Area (EEA), including increased discoverability and merged results in the All scope.
• Updated (EEA): In the EEA, the Microsoft Bing app's web search provider in Windows Search now opens results in the default browser.
• Deprecated: Suggested actions - which appear after copying a phone number or future date - are now deprecated and being removed from Windows 11.

Improvements and fixes

• File Systems (Filters) - gradual rollout: A new function has been added to Filter Manager that improves the operating system's ability to notify applications of directory changes while reducing I/O operations.
• Noto Fonts - gradual rollout: The Noto font family has been introduced for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (CJK) languages to enhance text quality in web browsing when websites or applications do not specify appropriate fonts.
• File System: A blue screen error that could occur when a user profile was redirected to a network Virtual Hard Disk v2 (VHD(X)) has been resolved.
• Mobile Operator Portal: Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles have been updated.
• Printers: A fix addresses an issue where USB-connected dual-mode printers supporting both US Print and IPP Over USB protocols could unexpectedly produce incorrect or unwanted text output.
• Remote Desktop: Certain Get-Help troubleshooters that were failing to run inside a Remote Desktop session have been fixed.
• Windows 11 version 23H2: This build includes all improvements present in Windows 11 version 22H2. No additional issues specific to 23H2 are documented for this release.

Known issues

Citrix Session Recording Agent blocks update installation

Symptom: Devices with certain Citrix components installed - specifically Citrix Session Recording Agent (SRA) version 2411, released in December 2024 - may be unable to complete installation of the January 2025 Windows security update. Affected devices may initially download and apply the update correctly, but upon restart an error similar to "Something didn't go as planned. No need to worry - undoing changes" appears and the device reverts to the previously installed Windows updates. This issue is expected to affect a limited number of organizations and does not affect home users.

Workaround: The issue has been resolved in Citrix Session Recording Agent version 2503, released on April 28, 2025, and newer versions. Refer to Citrix documentation titled "Microsoft's January Security Update Fails/Reverts on a machine with 2411 Session Recording Agent" for additional details.

Blurry CJK text in Chromium-based browsers at 96 DPI

Symptom: There are reports of blurry or unclear Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (CJK) text when displayed at 96 DPI (100% scaling) in Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome. This issue stems from the Noto CJK fonts introduced in this March 2025 Preview Update. At 96 DPI, limited pixel density can reduce the clarity and alignment of CJK characters.

Workaround: Increasing display scaling improves text clarity. Microsoft has shared its findings and potential solutions with Google. Users can also report issues related to Noto CJK fonts through the official Google Noto Fonts GitHub repository.

How to get this update

Before installing, note that Microsoft combines the latest servicing stack update (SSU) with the latest cumulative update (LCU). The associated servicing stack update is KB5053665 (versions 22621.5120 and 22631.5120).

• Windows Update: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. The update appears in the "Optional updates available" section. Select it to download and install.
• Windows Update for Business: This preview will be included automatically in the next monthly security update delivered through Windows Update for Business.
• Microsoft Update Catalog: The standalone package for KB5053657 can be downloaded directly from the Microsoft Update Catalog.
• Windows Server Update Services (WSUS): The update can be imported manually into WSUS via the Microsoft Update Catalog.

To remove only the LCU after installing the combined SSU and LCU package, use the DISM /Remove-Package command with the LCU package name as the argument. Running wusa.exe /uninstall against the combined package will not work because the SSU is included and cannot be removed after installation.

Frequently asked questions

Is this update mandatory or optional?

This is an optional preview update. It is not a security update and will not be pushed automatically through Windows Update for most devices. Administrators must actively select it under Optional updates in Windows Update. Its fixes and improvements will, however, be included in the next mandatory monthly security cumulative update.

Which Windows 11 versions does KB5053657 apply to?

This update applies to Windows 11 version 22H2 (Enterprise and Education editions) and Windows 11 version 23H2 (all editions). It is not applicable to Windows 10 or Windows Server. To update a device to version 23H2, the enablement package KB5027397 must be used first.

Can this update be uninstalled if it causes problems?

Because this update is delivered as a combined SSU and LCU package, only the LCU portion can be removed. Use DISM /online /get-packages to find the LCU package name, then remove it with DISM /Remove-Package. The SSU component cannot be removed from the system once it has been installed.

Are Citrix environments safe to update with this release?

Organizations running Citrix Session Recording Agent (SRA) version 2411 have experienced update rollback failures related to the January 2025 security update. This preview update may carry similar risk. Citrix has resolved the issue in SRA version 2503 (released April 28, 2025). Administrators should upgrade to SRA version 2503 or later before deploying this or recent Windows updates in affected environments.