Microsoft Releases July 2026 Patch Tuesday Updates

Microsoft has just released the July 2026 Patch Tuesday updates for the 26H1, 25H2, and 24H2 versions of Windows 11. These updates introduce a new recovery feature to help Windows 11 users quickly roll back their PCs to a recent automatic restore point. Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2 are also getting a “quieter” Widgets experience that makes widgets easier to ignore.

I’ll list below the main new features that will be rolling out to users on Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2. As you may know, the version 26H1 of the OS is only shipping on new devices powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon chips for ARM-based PCs, and this version is actually not where new Windows features are shipping first.

Here’s what to expect in the KB5101650 update for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2:

Point-in-time restore: This new recovery feature will help Windows 11 users to quickly roll back their PC, including apps, settings, and personal files, to a recent automatic restore point.

Quieter Widgets: To reduce distractions, Widgets no longer open on hover, and Insiders will also see reduced alerts and an updated taskbar badge behavior. To optimize memory use, Widgets will also have a smaller default memory footprint, especially on devices with lower memory capacity.

Windows Update improvements: It’s now possible to pause updates for up to 35 days and re‑pause them as needed.

Screen tint: This new accessibility feature applies a color overlay across the entire display to reduce eye strain.

Magnifier zoom controls: Magnifier now offers preset step increments for zoom levels, and Insiders can also type an exact zoom percentage directly in the magnifier toolbar

Bluetooth connectivity improvements: Microsoft is improving compatibility with certain Bluetooth audio devices such as Apple’s AirPods, which will now appear faster in pairing mode. The update also improves the reliability of microphones on Beats Studio Pro headphones, and it also reduces the time it takes for Bluetooth audio devices to reconnect after Windows resumes from sleep.

Voice access and voice typing improvements: Insiders can now use the voice access and voice typing accessibility features in French, German, and Spanish.

Right-click settings on touchpads: On PCs with touchpads with a pressable surface, it’s now possible to customize the size of the right-click zone in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad.

GIPHY integration: Following the deprecation of Google’s Tenor API, the emoji panel on Windows 11 (Windows key + period (.)) now uses GIPHY for GIF content.

Taskbar improvements: Notification counts and badge visuals now update correctly.

For users with new Qualcomm-powered PCs running Windows 11 version 26H1 out of the box, today’s KB5101649 update includes the Point-in-time restore feature I mentioned before, as well as other features that previously shipped on the versions 25H2 and 24H2 of the OS. Users should notice new NPU usage metrics in Task Manager, as well as the option to choose a custom name for the user folder on the Device Name page during Windows setup.

This update allows multiple applications to access the camera stream simultaneously and includes underlying changes to improve the performance of Windows Hello authentication and the Microsoft Store. Lastly, Microsoft detailed yesterday new efforts to declutter Windows Search, and with today’s update, Windows Search will now find and prioritize files with as few as two characters.