Windows 11 KB5020044 Update Is Now Available — Here’s What You Need To Know

Microsoft's last preview update for Windows 11 is now up for grabs.

The Redmond-based tech giant recently released Windows 11's optional KB5020044 update, which comes with more than a handful of bug fixes and enhancements to OneDrive and File Explorer.

Windows 11's KB5020044 update is the last preview update Microsoft will release for 2022 due to the company's minimal operations during the holidays and the upcoming Western new year, per Microsoft.

Windows 11 KB5020044 Update Details

Windows 11's KB5020044 update contains 25 bug fixes and enhancements, which includes the fix for Fire Explorer's crashes and improvements to Microsoft OneDrive storage limit alerts, per Bleeping Computer.

However, Windows 11 users should note that Windows 11's KB5020044 update is optional as it doesn't have any security updates. As such, they can choose not to download it if they have no issues with OneDrive and File Explorer and have not encountered any of the bugs it fixes.

According to Microsoft's blog post on the update, it will improve OneDrive's storage alerts for subscribers on the Systems page in the Settings app, with it triggering when a OneDrive subscriber is close to their storage limit.

Additionally, OneDrive subscribers can now see the full amount of the storage capacity of all their OneDrive subscriptions. They can also find this indicator on the Accounts page in the settings app.

The update also combines Windows Spotlight with Themes on the Personalization page, making it easier for Windows 11 users to discover and toggle the Windows Spotlight feature.

It also fixes an issue affecting the Input Method Editor (IME), as certain applications might stop responding if Windows 11 users use keyboard shortcuts to change the IME's input mode.

Finally, the update also fixes the issue that causes File Explorer to stop working when closing context menus and menu items.

As for bug fixes, the update remedies an issue causing some modern applications from opening, while also providing a fix on the issue regarding the reliability of app installations of some devices an enterprise manages.

The update also raises the authentication level for all non-anonymous activation requests from Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) clients to RPC_C_AUTHN_LEVEL_PKT_INTEGRITY. Microsoft found an issue affecting DCOM authentication hardening if the level is below Packet Integrity.

Most importantly, Windows 11's KB5020044 update comes with a fix to the bug that sometimes causes high levels of CPU usage when opening a file in Windows 11's File Explorer.

These bus fixes and improvements are part of Microsoft's November 2022 monthly "C" update, enabling Windows Admins to text fixes rolling out to all users with the upcoming December 2022 patch.

You know more about the update's bug fixes on Microsoft's blog post.

How To Get Windows 11 KB5020044 Update

Installing Windows 11's KB5020044 update requires it to be manually downloaded since it is optional. To do so, open the Settings app and then go to Windows Update, and click the "Check for Updates" button to let your computer look for updates.

After your computer finds the update, manually install it by clicking "Download and Install."

You can also opt to download and install Windows 11's KB5020044 update through Microsoft's Update Catalog.