Microsoft has released March 2023 cumulative updates for Windows 11 and 10

Microsoft has released monthly cumulative updates for all supported operating systems. Traditionally, the updates are intended to fix bugs, and ship general improvements to the end user.

Windows 11

Highlights

  • New! This update improves the search box experience on the taskbar. As you type in the search box, search results now appear in the search flyout box. You can also change the search experience you want for your taskbar by going to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar. For commercial customers, this update adds a new policy for IT administrators to manage how the search box on the taskbar appears in your organization. For more information, see Customizing search on the Windows 11 taskbar.
  • New! You can now access Windows Studio effects directly from quick settings on the taskbar for devices that have a supported neural processing unit (NPU). This makes it quick and easy to turn on and configure camera effects. These effects include Background blur, Eye contact, Automatic framing, and Audio effects (Voice focus). You can still access these effects in the Settings pages.
  • New! This update makes it easier to get help if you are having PC issues. You can now find Quick Assist in the Start menu’s All apps list.
  • New! This update introduces a touch-optimized taskbar for 2-in-1 devices that you can use as a tablet. There are two states of this taskbar: collapsed and expanded. To switch between the two states, swipe up and down on the bottom of your screen. When collapsed in tablet mode, the taskbar recedes to give you more screen space and keeps you from accidentally opening the taskbar. When expanded in tablet mode, the taskbar is optimized to be easier to use with touch. Your taskbar will automatically change to this optimized version when you disconnect or fold back the keyboard.This feature only works on devices that can be used as tablets and is on by default. To change that, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors. The setting is called “Optimize taskbar for touch interactions when this device is used as a tablet.” If your company manages Windows updates for your device, this feature will be off by default. Administrators can turn it on using the new commercial control for continuous innovation.
  • New! This update provides enhanced support for braille devices. They will continue working while you switch between Microsoft Narrator and third-party screen readers. Narrator will automatically change braille drivers. For more information, see Chapter 8: Using Narrator with braille.
  • New! This update also adds support for new braille displays and new braille input and output languages in Narrator. Some of the new braille displays include the APH Chameleon, the APH Mantis Q40, the NLS eReader, and many more. For more information, see Chapter 8: Using Narrator with braille.
  • New! Windows now provides energy recommendations. If you use them, they can help to improve the energy efficiency of your PC and reduce your carbon footprint. Go to Settings > System > Power & Battery > Energy Recommendations.
  • New! For devices that are joined to Azure Active Directory (AAD), Windows now provides AI-powered recommended content on your Start menu. On the Start menu, you will find content to help you to prepare for meetings, quickly access files you're collaborating on, and more.
  • New! This update enhances the system tray. All icons will have a rounded focus and hover treatment in the lower right, including the “Show hidden icons” flyout menu. You can move icons to rearrange them in the “Show hidden icons” flyout menu or move icons to the taskbar.
  • New! This update makes voice access more flexible and supports interaction with more user interface (UI) controls. For example, voice now interacts with controls that contain:
    • Names that have numbers, such as “Click 5”
    • Names without whitespaces between them, such as “click PivotTable” or “click PivotChart”
    • Names that have special characters, such as Bluetooth & devices (“click Bluetooth and devices”) or Dial – up (“click dial hyphen up”)
  • New! Voice now supports spin controls, thumb controls, and split buttons. You interact with these controls by using the “click” command or number overlays. This update also addresses issues that affect snapping commands that snap a window left or right. Commands that move the cursor in a text box now run instantly.
  • New! This update also provides voice scrolling enhancements. You can use voice to scroll to the extreme left and right on a page. You can also use continuous scrolling to the left or right like what is already present for vertical scrolling. For more information about the new voice access commands, see Voice access command list.
  • New! This update makes enhancements to Task Manager. These include:
    • Filtering—You can now filter processes using the binary name, PID, or publisher name. The filter also applies when you switch between pages. The keyboard shortcut is ALT+F.
    • More theme options—You can now choose a theme for Task Manager that is different from the Windows theme. Also, all dialogs, except for Run new task and the Properties dialog, now support themes. The dialogs will use app-specific themes or the Windows theme.
    • Efficiency mode—You can now opt out of confirmation dialogs when you turn on Efficiency mode.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects the Color filters setting. When you select Inverted, the system sets it to Grayscale instead.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects IE mode. The text on the status bar is not always visible.
  • This update addresses an issue that displays a blue screen during video playback. This occurs after you set high dynamic range (HDR) on your display.
  • This update addresses an issue that might affect the touch keyboard and the PIN entry keyboard. You might not be able to use them to enter text when you sign in to your device.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects which folders appear in the Browse for Folder picker.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects File Explorer. When you use Shift+Tab or Shift+F6, the input focus does not move.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects the user interface (UI). The volume up and volume down commands from a Bluetooth keyboard do not display.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects Xbox subscribers. If you buy an Xbox subscription using the "Redeem code" option, the Xbox subscription card does not appear on the Settings Accounts page. This issue occurs when recurring billing is off.

Windows 10

Highlights

  • This update implements phase three of Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) hardening. See KB5004442. After you install this update, you cannot turn off the changes using the registry key.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects a computer account and Active Directory. When you reuse an existing computer account to join an Active Directory domain, joining fails. This occurs on devices that have installed Windows updates dated October 11, 2022 or later. The error message is, “Error 0xaac (2732): NERR_AccountReuseBlockedByPolicy: ‘An account with the same name exists in Active Directory. Re-using the account was blocked by security policy.’” For more information, see KB5020276.

The updates are already available on Windows Update.

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Author: Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube.

3 thoughts on “Microsoft has released March 2023 cumulative updates for Windows 11 and 10”

  1. Dear Sergey,

    Reporting a problem with this month’s 64-bit Windows 11, 22H2 update 10.0.22621.1413, which I have just installed.

    I have WinAero Tweaker V1.40.0.0, and I have Taskbar Size set to Small. This has always worked, but after updating Windows 11, the taskbar has returned to its ‘normal’ larger size, which is too high and ugly.

    I tried setting the radio button successively to the four values, but there was no change with any of them.

    So M$ strikes again! They really have become impossible! If you can possibly bring your expertise to bear, so that your Taskbar Size tweak works again, that would be much appreciated.

    Reply

  2. Dear Sergey,

    Hello; thank you and yours for your continued work to make Windows usable.
    I have a question I have been unable to find an answer for anywhere; I suspect it is impossible, or perhaps simply broken with Win 10’s 22H2.

    I disable quick access, and use the remaining objects – This PC, and the directories under it, e.g. Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures as quick jumps. I do /not/ want them to expand, as the expansion pushes reveals the hundreds of subfolders I use in my organisational structure in my sidebar… My sidebar I keep those ‘base’ directories clean in so that I can navigate back to them with a single click if necessary.

    Only, now there are at least three clicks per return trip; navigating up, closing the expanded folders, and then returning to a folder… Which opens to an expanded folder anew. A total eyesore!

    Naturally, I’ve already got NavPaneExpandToFolder at 0, same with NavPaneShowAllFolders.
    But they do /nothing./ Typical Microsoft of course.

    And I was wondering if there is some tweak in WinAero that might work to force MS to behave properly. Well, I can dream, surely… c;

    Thank you, again, for all you do. Let’s hope the future is brighter.

    – T.

    Reply

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