A new AI feature called ” Take notes for me ” will be soon be rolled out to Google Meet users. It’s a feature that creates automatic notes using Google’s AI tool.
When the meeting is over, participants are given the opportunity to download a Google document with a transcrip of what was said. The function can also be used by meeting participants who entered the conversation late to find out what was said earlier.
Initially, “Take notes for me” will only work with conversations in English.
Adobe has introduced a new Workfront feature that it claims will ease marketing project planning and provide new ways to visualize ongoing work.
Adobe brought project management capabilities to its Experience Cloud app suite with the acquisition of Workfront in 2020. The new Workfront Planning module, now available, provides a “single source of truth” for marketing projects, said Richard Whitehead, product marketing director for Adobe Workfront.
In combination with Workfront’s existing work execution and automation functions, the Planning module enables customers to set up “marketing system of record, similar to a financial system of record you might see with an SAP or a NetSuite,” said Whitehead.
In each Workfront Planning workspace, users select “records” that correspond to marketing plans, campaigns, activities, and more — and users can create their own record types.
There are different ways to visualize campaigns in the tool. A timeline view displays connected records such as campaigns in a chronological format, while a table view highlights more in-depth information, with details on individual contributors and project status, for example.
Records can be filtered according to related metadata to provide a view of all campaigns in one region, for instance.
Planning records can be connected to projects in the core Workfront app to keep information synced across both planning and execution processes, Adobe said.
Workfront Planning also features a generative AI (genAI) assistant that can be used to query data relating to projects and generate marketing briefs based on uploaded documents to include in records.
The Workfront Planning module is available at an additional cost for Workfront customers. According to Adobe, there are two Workfront Planning tiers: Planning and Planning Plus, the latter increasing the limit of records per workspace and instance.
Adobe declined to provide pricing information for the add-on or the Workfront app generally.
The rollout is just the latest of a series of updates and features Adobe has introduced in recent months.
As your company begins to assess which providers, platforms, and devices it intends to base its AI efforts on, don’t ignore the value of security, privacy, and resilience across whatever ecosystem you choose.
While you weigh the options, it’s worth asking when, if ever, Apple’s Mac or any of its other platforms have caused a global business disaster at the same scale we recently experienced from Crowdstrike/Microsoft.
It’s time to be frankly, brutally honest while you consider the matter. Ask yourself: has the company (or you) ever suffered outages, breaches, or damages from using Apple equipment? I’m sure there will be some examples, usually around brief iCloud service outages or weak backup and archiving policy (data can become corrupted, so back it up before it does). Some companies might well have experienced some degree of cyberattack, and we all know about the deeply corrupt surveillance-as-a-service entities that struggle to make the entire planet more unhappy.
But, in all honesty, how often has Apple (with its Lockdown Mode) left the doors wide open to enable any of that? That’s a tricky question to answer, but we do have some data points:
Apple shared this information as it sought a more pragmatic understanding of how it runs its App Store from regulators. They didn’t listen. But what the data does tell us is that Apple is a target; criminals are working to undermine its security; and the company maintains constant security situation awareness. If it did not do so, more such attacks would succeed.
Apple has published more than 60 security updates for its products far this year. In doing so, it works more actively with security researchers than ever before. The fact that we frequently learn that new flaws have been identified and subsequently patched is testament to this.
While security experts (with a vested interest in the cash they make through Windows support) usually say that as Apple’s market share grows it will become a bigger attack target, the truth is it already is subject to attack, responds swiftly to any new vulnerability, and is nothing like as insecure as other platforms. Microsoft, meanwhile, was recently named and shamed for leaving potential vulnerabilities within Office for Mac completely unpatched.
For real insight into the relative security cost of Apple’s platforms, you might consider relatively recent data from Cisco, IBM, Forrester, and SAP.
All this data demands attention. But CFOs eager for evidence to demand entrenched Windows-loyal CIOs to deploy Apple hardware might want to ask auditors, compliance, and risk analysis teams to gather information about the risk of using Apple’s equipment in their own business and in other enterprises they work with.
When it comes time for insurance renewal, insurance teams may be able to obtain vendor-level claims data from their partners to assess the relative risk differences between all available platforms. Even the legal department can play a part, seeking insight into any ongoing lawsuits or damage payments made in cases that concern Apple’s platform security.
They will want to find out which IT vendors and products are generating the largest number of damage and insurance claims; Merck’s case around the NotPetya attack or the United Healthcare case concerning Windows ransomware will probably appear on those lists.
Yes, Apple’s platforms get attacked by malware, too — the recently disclosed Cthulhu Stealer attack sounds pretty frightening, until you learn it is distributed within maliciously crafted applications that pose as the legitimate article and are distributed outside of the App Store. For enterprises, the protection against that involves forbidding employees from downloading applications from outside trusted app stores on company equipment.
Of course, such a directive would now have made a blind spot of difference when it came to Crowdstrike and the billions of dollars in damage it created. But perhaps regulators will have a meeting to discuss a response to that one day.
Ultimately, you have to decide — do the relative risks really reflect market share, or does they reflect that Apple’s systems are inherently more secure than Windows? And if the latter is the case (which it is), to what extent do you want to trust the AI-driven future of your business to an operating system that is already proven to be inherently insecure?
Once you arrive at this point, you might also want to consider the extent to which Apple Intelligence APIs can be used by your own developers to build solutions that could potentially be hosted on your own or perhaps even on Apple’s own secure and private AI cloud.
While the battle for platform security is ongoing, eternal, and endless, if you’ve got an opportunity to upgrade your kit to harvest the AI opportunity, then it really makes sense to ask yourselves all the above questions before slapping the company credit card down for your next failed tech investment. After all, must the AI-driven future of work really need to be a repeat of the last few decades of inherent platform insecurity?
I don’t see any compelling reason for such an unsatisfactory outcome. Do you?
Please follow me on LinkedIn, Mastodon, or join me in the AppleHolic’s bar & grill group on MeWe.
A Windows launch isn’t the end a process — it’s really just the beginning. Microsoft continually works on improving Windows 11 by fixing bugs, releasing security patches, and occasionally adding new features.
In this story we summarize what you need to know about each update released to the public for the most recent version of Windows 11 — currently version 24H2. For each build, we’ve included the date of its release and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it. The most recent updates appear first.
The easiest way to install updates is via Windows Update. Not sure how? See “How to handle Windows 10 and 11 updates” for full instructions. Note that Windows 11 version 24H2 is being released as a phased rollout and may not be available to you in Windows Update yet.
If you’re still using Windows 10, see “Windows 10: A guide to the updates.” And if you’re looking for information about Insider Program previews for upcoming feature releases of Windows 11, see “Windows 11 Insider Previews: What’s in the latest build?”
Release date: November 12, 2024
This update has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and November 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5046617.)
Release date: October 24, 2024
In this build, you can now configure the Copilot key on the keyboard. On new devices, the key opens the Copilot app. If you sign in to your account using a Microsoft Entra ID, the key opens the M365 app. You can make the key open a different app or open Search. To do this, go to Settings > Personalization > Text input.
In addition, a variety of features are being rolled out gradually, including one in which you can stop the suggestions to turn off notifications from certain apps. Select the ellipsis (…) in the notification and turn it off. You can also go to Settings > System > Notifications and turn it off from there.
A variety of bugs have also been fixed, including one in which you were unable to view some parts of the UI when you run certain apps.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows.
(Get more info about KB5044384 Preview.)
Release date: October 8, 2024
This update has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and October 2024 Security Updates.
This build also fixes one bug in which the Remote Desktop Gateway Service stopped responding when a service used remote procedure calls (RPC) over HTTP.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5044284.)
Release date: October 1, 2024
The Windows 11 24H2 update (also called Windows 11 2024 Update) is now being gradually rolled out. It may take some months before it reaches everyone, so you may not have it yet. As with previous annual Windows updates, it’s not a major upgrade, but does include a variety of minor new features.
Following are the highlights for end users:
For IT admins, highlights include:
See this blog post from Microsoft’s Harjit Dhaliwal for more information.
Release date: September 30, 2024
This build for Windows 11 24H2 offers a variety of new features, some of which will show up immediately and some of which are being rolled out gradually. Among the features that will roll out gradually is a new energy recommendation to turn off high dynamic range (HDR). This helps to conserve energy on devices that have HDR displays. Go to Settings > Power & battery > Energy recommendations.
Among the features available immediately is one that lets you manage your Copilot Pro subscription in Settings. Sign in to your Microsoft account and go to Settings > Accounts.
Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which Task Manager stopped responding when you switched from a high-contrast theme to a normal theme.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows.
(Get more info about KB5043178 Preview.)
Release date: September 10, 2024
This update has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and September 2024 Security Updates.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5043080.)
Release date: August 27, 2024
This build for Windows 11 24H2 offers a variety of new features that are being rolled out gradually, including one in which you can share content to your Android device from the Windows Share window.
Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which a deadlock occurred in the domain controller when it started up in the DNS client.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows.
(Get more info about KB5041865 Preview.)
Release date: August 13, 2024
This update has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and August 2024 Security Updates. It also fixes several bugs, including one in which the “Use my Windows user account” checkbox was not available on the lock screen to connect to Wi-Fi.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5041571.)
Release date: July 30, 2024
This build for Windows 11 24H2 offers a variety of new features that are being rolled out gradually, including the new account manager being on the Start menu. When you use a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows, you will get a glance at your account benefits. This feature also makes it easy to manage your account settings.
One feature is being rolled out immediately, in which Widgets icons on the taskbar are no longer pixelated or fuzzy. You also get a larger set of animated icons.
Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which devices that use certain WLAN cards stopped responding.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows.
(Get more info about KB5040529 Preview.)
Release date: July 9, 2024
This update has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and July 2024 Security Updates. It also This update adds PCR 4 to PCR 7 and 11 for the default Secure Boot validation profile.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5040435.)
Release date: June 28, 2024
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) failed to verify the policies of some apps.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows.
(Get more info about KB5041865 Preview.)
Release date: June 15, 2024
This build pins Copilot to the taskbar and makes it behave like a traditional app that can be resized and moved. The build also fixes several bugs, including one in which the volume of Bluetooth devices were automatically set to maximum when you connected to them.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows.
(Get more info about KB5039239.)
Release date: September 24, 2024
This build, for both Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, offers a variety of new features and bug fixes, some of which will show up immediately, and some of which are being rolled out gradually. Among the features that will roll out gradually is the ability to share local files directly from the search results that appear in the Search box on the taskbar. Among the bug fixes that roll out immediately are one that addresses an issue in which Task Manager stopped responding when you switched from a high contrast theme to a normal theme.
(Get more info about KB5043145 Preview.)
Release date: September 10, 2024
This update has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and September 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There is one known issue in this build, in which you might face issues with booting Linux if you have enabled the dual-boot setup for Windows and Linux in your device. Your device might fail to boot Linux and show the error message “Verifying shim SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation. Something has gone seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation.”
(Get more info about KB5043076.)
Release date: August 27, 2024
This build, for both Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, includes the ability to share content to your Android device from the Windows Share window. To do it, must pair your Android device to your Windows PC and use the Link to Windows app on your Android device and Phone Link on your PC.
In Voice Access, you can also now dictate the characters that you spell at a faster speed, and you have more editing options for the commands that select, delete, and move within text. The build also fixes several bugs, including one in which when you pressed Ctrl + F, sometimes the search did not start.
The new features and bug fixes will roll out to users gradually.
(Get more info about KB5041587 Preview.)
Release date: August 13, 2024
This update has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and August 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5041585.)
Release date: July 25, 2024
This build, for both Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, offers a variety of new features and bug fixes, some of which will show up immediately and some of which are being rolled out gradually. Among the features that will roll out gradually is pinning apps to the taskbar by dragging them from the Pinned section of the Start menu, and right-clicking a tab in File Explorer to duplicate it. Among the bug fixes that will roll out gradually is a memory leak that occurred when you interacted with archive folders.
Among the bugs fixed immediately is one in which in Group Policy Preferences you could not choose a group from the target domain for ILT or choose an account from Local Users and Groups.
(Get more info about KB5040527 Preview.)
Release date: July 9, 2024
This update has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and July 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There is one known issue in this update, in which enterprise users may face issues while upgrading from Windows Pro to a valid Windows Enterprise subscription. OS upgrade operations may fail, and this might be shown in the LicenseAcquisition scheduled task in Task Scheduler > Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > Subscription as ‘Access denied error (error code 0x80070005)’ under ‘Last Run Result.’
(Get more info about KB5040442.)
Release date: June 25, 2024
This build, for both Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, offers a variety of new features and bug fixes, some of which will show up immediately and some of which are being rolled out gradually. Among the bug fixes that will show up immediately is one that addresses an issue in which ejecting USB devices using the Safely Remove Hardware option failed when Task Manager was open.
Among the features that will roll out gradually is a new account manager on the Start menu that makes it easier to manage your account settings and lets you see your account benefits. Also being rolled out gradually is support for Emoji 15.1.
(Get more info about KB5039302 Preview.)
Release date: June 11, 2024
This update fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the taskbar might briefly glitch, not respond, or disappear and reappear.
In addition, it has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and June 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5039212.)
Release date: May 29, 2024
This build introduces a variety of minor feature updates, including one that lets you use your mouse to drag files between breadcrumbs in the File Explorer address bar and another that lets you create QR codes for webpage URLs and cloud files from the Windows share window.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which File Explorer stopped responding when you swiped from a screen edge after turning off edge swiping, and another in which handwriting panels and touch keyboards did not appear when you used a pen.
(Get more info about KB5037853 Preview.)
Release date: May 14, 2024
This update fixes a bug that caused VPN connections to fail, and another in which Server Message Block (SMB) clients failed to make SMB Multichannel connections, making file transfers are slow.
In addition, it has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and May 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5037771.)
Release date: April 23, 2024
In this build, the Recommended section of the Start menu will show some Microsoft Store apps. In addition, widgets icons on the taskbar are no longer pixelated or fuzzy, and Windows widgets on the lockscreen are more reliable.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Windows Local Administrator Password Solution’s Post Authentication Actions (PAAs) did not occur at the end of the grace period. Instead, they occurred at restart.
There is one known issue in this build, in which you might be unable to change your user account profile picture.
(Get more info about KB5036980 Preview.)
Release date: April 9, 2024
This build offers a wide variety of minor new features, including dedicated mode for Windows 365 Boot. When you sign in on your company-owned device, you also are signed into to your Windows 365 Cloud PC. This uses passwordless authentication, like Windows Hello for Business.
The update also adds suggestions to Snap Layouts. When you hover over the minimize or maximize button of an app to open the layout box, app icons will display various layout options. Use them to help you to choose the best layout option.
In addition, the update changes the apps that appear in the Windows share window. The account you use to sign in affects the apps that are in “Share using.” For example, if you use a Microsoft account (MSA) to sign in, you will see Microsoft Teams (free). When you use a Microsoft Entra ID account (formerly Azure Active Directory) to sign in, your Microsoft Teams (work or school) contacts show instead.
This build also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and April 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5036893.)
Release date: March 26, 2024
In addition, in Windows Hello for Business admins can now use mobile device management to turn off the prompt that appears when users sign in to an Entra-joined machine. To do it, turn on the “DisablePostLogonProvisioning” policy setting. After a user signs in, provisioning is off for Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Windows devices using more than one monitor might experience issues with desktop icons moving unexpectedly between monitors or other icon alignment issues when attempting to use Copilot in Windows.
(Get more info about KB5035942 Preview.)
Release date: March 12, 2024
This build fixes a bug that affected the February 2024 security and preview updates. They might not have installed, and your device might shave stopped responding at 96% with the error code “0x800F0922” and the error message, “Something did not go as planned. No need to worry – undoing changes. Please keep your computer on.”
This build also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and March 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5035853.)
Release date: February 29, 2024
In this build, you can now use the Snipping Tool on your PC to edit the most recent photos and screenshots from your Android device. You will get an instant notification on your PC when your Android device captures a new photo or screenshot. To turn this on, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices. Choose Manage devices and allow your PC to access your Android device.
The build also adds support for the USB 80Gbps standard, the next generation of USB4 that has twice the bandwidth of USB 40Gbps. To use USB 80Gbps, you must have a compatible PC and USB4 or Thunderbolt peripheral.
The build also fixes several bugs, including one in which the Windows Settings Home page randomly stopped responding when you went to the page, and another in which devices failed to make the automatic switch from cellular to Wi-Fi when they could use Wi-Fi.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Windows 11 devices attempting to install the February 2024 security update, released February 13, 2024 (KB5034765), might face installation failures and the system might stop responding at 96%.
(Get more info about KB5034848 Preview.)
Release date: February 13, 2023
In this build, the Copilot in Windows icon now appears on the right side of the system tray on the taskbar. Also, the display of “Show desktop” at the rightmost corner of the taskbar will be off by default. To turn it back on, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar. You can also right-click the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings. These changes will be gradually rolled out.
This build also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and February 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5034765.)
Release date: January 23, 2024
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one that stopped search from working on the Start menu for some users because of a deadlock, and another that that caused devices to intermittently stop responding after you installed a print support app.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Windows devices using more than one monitor might experience issues with desktop icons moving unexpectedly between monitors or other icon alignment issues when attempting to use Copilot in Windows (in preview).
(Get more info about KB5034204 Preview.)
Release date: January 9, 2024
This build fixes several bugs, including one in which devices shut down after 60 seconds when you used a smart card to authenticate on a remote system, and another in which some Wi-Fi adapters could not connect to some networks, particularly those that use 802.1x to authenticate.
It also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and January 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are three known issues in this build, including one affecting ID admins, in which using the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP) node in mobile device management apps might incorrectly show a 65000 error in the “Require Device Encryption” setting for some devices in your environment. To mitigate the issue in Microsoft Intune, you can set the “Enforce drive encryption type on operating system drives” or “Enforce drive encryption on fixed drives” policies to not configured.
(Get more info about KB5034123.)
Release date: December 12, 2023
This build has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and December 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are four known issues in this build, including one which affects ID admins, in which using the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP) node in mobile device management (MDM) apps might incorrectly show a 65000 error in the “Require Device Encryption” setting for some devices in your environment. To mitigate the issue in Microsoft Intune, you can set the “Enforce drive encryption type on operating system drives” or “Enforce drive encryption on fixed drives” policies to not configured.
(Get more info about KB5033375.)
Release date: December 4, 2023
In this update, Copilot in Windows (in preview) can be used across multiple displays, and it can be used with Alt+Tab. When you press Alt+Tab, the thumbnail preview for Copilot in Windows appears among other thumbnail previews of open windows. You can switch between them using the Tab keystroke. This is available to a small audience initially and will deploy more broadly in the months that follow.
The update also fixes a wide range of bugs, including one in which the Copilot icon did not show as being as active when it’s open on the taskbar.
There are four known issues in this update, one applicable to IT admins, in which using the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP) node in mobile device management (MDM) apps might incorrectly show a 65000 error in the “Require Device Encryption” setting for some devices in your environment.
(Get more info about KB5032288 Preview.)
Release date: November 14, 2023
This build introduces a preview of the Copilot for Windows AI assistant and a File Explorer with a new interface that includes new files displayed as a carousel, and that recognizes local and cloud folders. It also introduces the Windows Backup app that can be used to quickly get your current PC backed up and ready to move to a new PC. In addition, there are many other new features and interface changes throughout Windows, including for Settings, Windows Spotlight, security graphics, voice access, Narrator, and others.
It also includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and November 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are three known issues in this build, including one that affects ID admins in which using the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP) node in MDM apps might incorrectly show a 65000 error in the “Require Device Encryption” setting for some devices in your environment. To mitigate the issue in Microsoft Intune, you can set the “Enforce drive encryption type on operating system drives” or “Enforce drive encryption on fixed drives” policies to not configured.
(Get more info about KB5032190.)
Release date: Oct. 31, 2023
This update introduces a preview of the Copilot for Windows AI assistant and File Explorer with a new interface that includes new files displayed as a carousel, and that recognizes local and cloud folders. It also includes minor interface changes to many parts of the operating system, including taskbar, system tray, security notifications, and more.
There is one known issue, which applies to IT admins: using the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP) node in mobile device management (MDM) apps might incorrectly show a 65000 error in the “Require Device Encryption” setting for some devices in your environment.
(Get more info about KB5031455 Preview.)
Release date: Oct. 26, 2023
This build introduces a preview of the Copilot for Windows AI assistant and a File Explorer with a new interface that includes new files displayed as a carousel, and that recognizes local and cloud folders. It also introduces the Windows Backup app that can be used to quickly get your current PC backed up and ready to move to a new PC.
There is one known issue in this build that applies to IT admins: using the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP) node in mobile device management (MDM) apps might incorrectly show a 65000 error in the “Require Device Encryption” setting for some devices in your environment.
(Get more info about KB5031455 Preview.)
Release date: October 10, 2023
This build includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and October 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5031354.)
Release date: September 26, 2023
This update adds websites to the Recommended section of the Start menu. These websites come from your browsing history. You can remove any website URL from the Recommended section using the shortcut menu. To turn off the feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Start.
It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the search box tooltip did not appear in the correct position, and another in which the search button disappeared when you interacted with the search flyout box.
In addition, if you want to use a variety of new features, such as the AI-driven Copilot for Windows and improvements to File Manager, Paint, and other apps, go to Settings > Windows Update, toggle on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available,” and then restart your PC. For more details, see Microsoft’s blog post.
(Get more info about KB5030310 Preview.)
Release date: September 12, 2023
This build removes a blank menu item from the Sticky Keys menu and includes a variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and September 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5030219.)
A Windows launch isn’t the end a process — it’s really just the beginning. As with Windows 10, Microsoft continually works on improving Windows 11 by fixing bugs, releasing security patches, and occasionally adding new features.
In this story we summarize what you need to know about each update released to the public for the most recent version of Windows 11 — currently version 23H2. For each build, we’ve included the date of its release and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it. The most recent updates appear first.
The easiest way to install updates is via Windows Update. Not sure how? See “How to handle Windows 10 and 11 updates” for full instructions. Note that Windows 11 version 23H2 is being released as a phased rollout and may not be available to you in Windows Update yet.
If you’re still using Windows 10, see “Windows 10: A guide to the updates.” And if you’re looking for information about Insider Program previews for upcoming feature releases of Windows 11, see “Windows 11 Insider Previews: What’s in the latest build?”
Release date: August 27, 2024
This build, for both Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, includes the ability to share content to your Android device from the Windows Share window. To do it, must pair your Android device to your Windows PC and use the Link to Windows app on your Android device and Phone Link on your PC.
In Voice Access, you can also now dictate the characters that you spell at a faster speed, and you have more editing options for the commands that select, delete, and move within text. The build also fixes several bugs, including one in which when you pressed Ctrl + F, sometimes the search did not start.
The new features and bug fixes will roll out to users gradually.
(Get more info about KB5041587 Preview.)
Release date: August 13, 2024
This update has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and August 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5041585.)
Release date: July 25, 2024
This build, for both Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, offers a variety of new features and bug fixes, some of which will show up immediately and some of which are being rolled out gradually. Among the features that will roll out gradually is pinning apps to the taskbar by dragging them from the Pinned section of the Start menu, and right-clicking a tab in File Explorer to duplicate it. Among the bug fixes that will roll out gradually is a memory leak that occurred when you interacted with archive folders.
Among the bugs fixed immediately is one in which in Group Policy Preferences you could not choose a group from the target domain for ILT or choose an account from Local Users and Groups.
(Get more info about KB5040527 Preview.)
Release date: July 9, 2024
This update has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and July 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There is one known issue in this update, in which enterprise users may face issues while upgrading from Windows Pro to a valid Windows Enterprise subscription. OS upgrade operations may fail, and this might be shown in the LicenseAcquisition scheduled task in Task Scheduler > Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > Subscription as ‘Access denied error (error code 0x80070005)’ under ‘Last Run Result.’
(Get more info about KB5040442.)
Release date: June 25, 2024
This build, for both Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, offers a variety of new features and bug fixes, some of which will show up immediately and some of which are being rolled out gradually. Among the bug fixes that will show up immediately is one that addresses an issue in which ejecting USB devices using the Safely Remove Hardware option failed when Task Manager was open.
Among the features that will roll out gradually is a new account manager on the Start menu that makes it easier to manage your account settings and lets you see your account benefits. Also being rolled out gradually is support for Emoji 15.1.
(Get more info about KB5039302 Preview.)
Release date: June 11, 2024
This update fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the taskbar might briefly glitch, not respond, or disappear and reappear.
In addition, it has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and June 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5039212.)
Release date: May 29, 2024
This build introduces a variety of minor feature updates, including one that lets you use your mouse to drag files between breadcrumbs in the File Explorer address bar and another that lets you create QR codes for webpage URLs and cloud files from the Windows share window.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which File Explorer stopped responding when you swiped from a screen edge after turning off edge swiping, and another in which handwriting panels and touch keyboards did not appear when you used a pen.
(Get more info about KB5037853 Preview.)
Release date: May 14, 2024
This update fixes a bug that caused VPN connections to fail, and another in which Server Message Block (SMB) clients failed to make SMB Multichannel connections, making file transfers are slow.
In addition, it has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and May 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5037771.)
Release date: April 23, 2024
In this build, the Recommended section of the Start menu will show some Microsoft Store apps. In addition, widgets icons on the taskbar are no longer pixelated or fuzzy, and Windows widgets on the lockscreen are more reliable.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Windows Local Administrator Password Solution’s Post Authentication Actions (PAAs) did not occur at the end of the grace period. Instead, they occurred at restart.
There is one known issue in this build, in which you might be unable to change your user account profile picture.
(Get more info about KB5036980 Preview.)
Release date: April 9, 2024
This build offers a wide variety of minor new features, including dedicated mode for Windows 365 Boot. When you sign in on your company-owned device, you also are signed into to your Windows 365 Cloud PC. This uses passwordless authentication, like Windows Hello for Business.
The update also adds suggestions to Snap Layouts. When you hover over the minimize or maximize button of an app to open the layout box, app icons will display various layout options. Use them to help you to choose the best layout option.
In addition, the update changes the apps that appear in the Windows share window. The account you use to sign in affects the apps that are in “Share using.” For example, if you use a Microsoft account (MSA) to sign in, you will see Microsoft Teams (free). When you use a Microsoft Entra ID account (formerly Azure Active Directory) to sign in, your Microsoft Teams (work or school) contacts show instead.
This build also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and April 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5036893.)
Release date: March 26, 2024
In addition, in Windows Hello for Business admins can now use mobile device management to turn off the prompt that appears when users sign in to an Entra-joined machine. To do it, turn on the “DisablePostLogonProvisioning” policy setting. After a user signs in, provisioning is off for Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Windows devices using more than one monitor might experience issues with desktop icons moving unexpectedly between monitors or other icon alignment issues when attempting to use Copilot in Windows.
(Get more info about KB5035942 Preview.)
Release date: March 12, 2024
This build fixes a bug that affected the February 2024 security and preview updates. They might not have installed, and your device might shave stopped responding at 96% with the error code “0x800F0922” and the error message, “Something did not go as planned. No need to worry – undoing changes. Please keep your computer on.”
This build also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and March 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5035853.)
Release date: February 29, 2024
In this build, you can now use the Snipping Tool on your PC to edit the most recent photos and screenshots from your Android device. You will get an instant notification on your PC when your Android device captures a new photo or screenshot. To turn this on, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices. Choose Manage devices and allow your PC to access your Android device.
The build also adds support for the USB 80Gbps standard, the next generation of USB4 that has twice the bandwidth of USB 40Gbps. To use USB 80Gbps, you must have a compatible PC and USB4 or Thunderbolt peripheral.
The build also fixes several bugs, including one in which the Windows Settings Home page randomly stopped responding when you went to the page, and another in which devices failed to make the automatic switch from cellular to Wi-Fi when they could use Wi-Fi.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Windows 11 devices attempting to install the February 2024 security update, released February 13, 2024 (KB5034765), might face installation failures and the system might stop responding at 96%.
(Get more info about KB5034848 Preview.)
Release date: February 13, 2023
In this build, the Copilot in Windows icon now appears on the right side of the system tray on the taskbar. Also, the display of “Show desktop” at the rightmost corner of the taskbar will be off by default. To turn it back on, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar. You can also right-click the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings. These changes will be gradually rolled out.
This build also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and February 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5034765.)
Release date: January 23, 2024
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one that stopped search from working on the Start menu for some users because of a deadlock, and another that that caused devices to intermittently stop responding after you installed a print support app.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Windows devices using more than one monitor might experience issues with desktop icons moving unexpectedly between monitors or other icon alignment issues when attempting to use Copilot in Windows (in preview).
(Get more info about KB5034204 Preview.)
Release date: January 9, 2024
This build fixes several bugs, including one in which devices shut down after 60 seconds when you used a smart card to authenticate on a remote system, and another in which some Wi-Fi adapters could not connect to some networks, particularly those that use 802.1x to authenticate.
It also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and January 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are three known issues in this build, including one affecting ID admins, in which using the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP) node in mobile device management apps might incorrectly show a 65000 error in the “Require Device Encryption” setting for some devices in your environment. To mitigate the issue in Microsoft Intune, you can set the “Enforce drive encryption type on operating system drives” or “Enforce drive encryption on fixed drives” policies to not configured.
(Get more info about KB5034123.)
Release date: December 12, 2023
This build has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and December 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are four known issues in this build, including one which affects ID admins, in which using the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP) node in mobile device management (MDM) apps might incorrectly show a 65000 error in the “Require Device Encryption” setting for some devices in your environment. To mitigate the issue in Microsoft Intune, you can set the “Enforce drive encryption type on operating system drives” or “Enforce drive encryption on fixed drives” policies to not configured.
(Get more info about KB5033375.)
Release date: December 4, 2023
In this update, Copilot in Windows (in preview) can be used across multiple displays, and it can be used with Alt+Tab. When you press Alt+Tab, the thumbnail preview for Copilot in Windows appears among other thumbnail previews of open windows. You can switch between them using the Tab keystroke. This is available to a small audience initially and will deploy more broadly in the months that follow.
The update also fixes a wide range of bugs, including one in which the Copilot icon did not show as being as active when it’s open on the taskbar.
There are four known issues in this update, one applicable to IT admins, in which using the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP) node in mobile device management (MDM) apps might incorrectly show a 65000 error in the “Require Device Encryption” setting for some devices in your environment.
(Get more info about KB5032288 Preview.)
Release date: November 14, 2023
This build introduces a preview of the Copilot for Windows AI assistant and a File Explorer with a new interface that includes new files displayed as a carousel, and that recognizes local and cloud folders. It also introduces the Windows Backup app that can be used to quickly get your current PC backed up and ready to move to a new PC. In addition, there are many other new features and interface changes throughout Windows, including for Settings, Windows Spotlight, security graphics, voice access, Narrator, and others.
It also includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and November 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are three known issues in this build, including one that affects ID admins in which using the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP) node in MDM apps might incorrectly show a 65000 error in the “Require Device Encryption” setting for some devices in your environment. To mitigate the issue in Microsoft Intune, you can set the “Enforce drive encryption type on operating system drives” or “Enforce drive encryption on fixed drives” policies to not configured.
(Get more info about KB5032190.)
Release date: Oct. 31, 2023
This update introduces a preview of the Copilot for Windows AI assistant and File Explorer with a new interface that includes new files displayed as a carousel, and that recognizes local and cloud folders. It also includes minor interface changes to many parts of the operating system, including taskbar, system tray, security notifications, and more.
There is one known issue, which applies to IT admins: using the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP) node in mobile device management (MDM) apps might incorrectly show a 65000 error in the “Require Device Encryption” setting for some devices in your environment.
(Get more info about KB5031455 Preview.)
Release date: Oct. 26, 2023
This build introduces a preview of the Copilot for Windows AI assistant and a File Explorer with a new interface that includes new files displayed as a carousel, and that recognizes local and cloud folders. It also introduces the Windows Backup app that can be used to quickly get your current PC backed up and ready to move to a new PC.
There is one known issue in this build that applies to IT admins: using the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP) node in mobile device management (MDM) apps might incorrectly show a 65000 error in the “Require Device Encryption” setting for some devices in your environment.
(Get more info about KB5031455 Preview.)
Release date: October 10, 2023
This build includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and October 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5031354.)
Release date: September 26, 2023
This update adds websites to the Recommended section of the Start menu. These websites come from your browsing history. You can remove any website URL from the Recommended section using the shortcut menu. To turn off the feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Start.
It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the search box tooltip did not appear in the correct position, and another in which the search button disappeared when you interacted with the search flyout box.
In addition, if you want to use a variety of new features, such as the AI-driven Copilot for Windows and improvements to File Manager, Paint, and other apps, go to Settings > Windows Update, toggle on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available,” and then restart your PC. For more details, see Microsoft’s blog post.
(Get more info about KB5030310 Preview.)
Release date: September 12, 2023
This build removes a blank menu item from the Sticky Keys menu and includes a variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and September 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5030219.)
Release date: August 22, 2023
This update makes a variety of changes to the way app defaults are handled. For details, see “A principled approach to app pinning and app defaults in Windows.” It also adds a new policy called “Enable optional updates,” which administrators can use to configure the monthly, optional cumulative updates for commercial devices. You can also use this policy for the gradual Controlled Feature Rollouts (CFR). To learn more, see “Enable and control optional updates for your organization.”
It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Start menu icons were missing after you signed in for the first time, and another in which settings did not sync even if you turned on the toggle on the Windows Backup page in the Settings app.
(Get more info about KB5029351 Preview.)
Release date: August 8, 2023
This build includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and August 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There is one known issue in this update, in which using provisioning packages might not work as expected.
(Get more info about KB5029263.)
Release date: July 26, 2023
This update makes brightness settings more accurate and fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which the Defender Firewall Profile failed to automatically switch from a trusted LAN to a public network. Another fix makes the connection between the client and the Windows Push Notification Services (WNS) server more reliable.
There is one known issue in this update, applicable to IT admins, in which using provisioning packages might not work as expected.
(Get more info about KB5028254 Preview.)
Release date: July 13, 2023
This build introduces a wide variety of new features, including improved sharing of a local file in File Explorer with Microsoft Outlook contacts, the rollout of notification badging for Microsoft accounts on the Start menu, and new text selection and editing voice access commands, such as for selecting a range of text in a text box and deleting all text in a text box. It also adds a “USB4 hubs and devices” Settings page at Settings > Bluetooth & devices > USB > USB4 Hubs and Devices.
The build also includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and July 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There is one known issue in this update, in which using provisioning packages might not work as expected.
(Get more info about KB5028185.)
Release date: June 27, 2023
This update improves the sharing of a local file in File Explorer with Microsoft Outlook contacts. You now have the option to quickly email the file to yourself. In addition, loading your contacts from Outlook has been made simpler. This feature is not available for files stored in Microsoft OneDrive folders; OneDrive has its own sharing functionality.
The build also adds a VPN status icon, a small shield, to the system tray. It displays when you are connected to a recognized VPN profile. The VPN icon will be overlayed in your system’s accent color over the active network connection.
It also adds new features and improvements to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. For more information, see Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. It also lets you authenticate across Microsoft clouds. This feature also satisfies Conditional Access checks if they are needed.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which Narrator read the wrong state when you canceled the selection of an option button, and another that stopped Teams from alerting you about missed calls or messages.
There is one known issue in this update, applicable to IT admins, in which using provisioning packages might not work as expected.
(Get more info about KB5027303 Preview.)
Release date: June 13, 2023
The update fixes several bugs, including one that affects 32-bit apps that are large address aware and use the CopyFile API. You might have issues when you save, copy, or attach files. If you use some commercial or enterprise security software that uses extended file attributes, this issue will likely affect you. For Microsoft Office apps, this issue only affects the 32-bit versions. You might receive the error, “Document not saved.”
This build also includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and June 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There is one known issue in this update, in which using provisioning packages might not work as expected.
(Get more info about KB5027231.)
Release date: May 24, 2023
This update shows the full amount of storage capacity of all your Microsoft OneDrive subscriptions on the Accounts page in the Settings app. It also adds Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio, which improves audio fidelity and battery life when you pair your device with Bluetooth LE Audio earbuds and headphones. To use the feature, your device needs to support Bluetooth LE Audio.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one that did not let you access the Server Message Block (SMB) shared folder and another in which the Windows Firewall dropped all connections to the IP address of a captive portal when you chose the Captive Portal Addresses option.
There is one known issue in this update, applicable to IT admins, in which using provisioning packages might not work as expected.
Get more info about KB5026446 Preview.)
Release date: May 9, 2023
This update adds a new toggle control on the Settings > Windows Update page. When you turn it on, your device will be prioritized to get the latest non-security updates and enhancements when they are available for your device. For managed devices, the toggle is disabled by default.
The update also fixes several bugs, including a race condition in the Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) in which the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) stopped responding when the system processed multiple local account operations at the same time.
It includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and May 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are two known issues in this update, one in which using provisioning packages might not work as expected, and another in which some apps might have intermittent issues with speech recognition, expressive input, and handwriting when using Chinese or Japanese languages.
(Get more info about KB5026372.)
Release date: April 25, 2023
This update lets you configure application group rules for firewall settings. It also adds a new toggle control on the Settings > Windows Update page. When you turn it on, your device will be prioritized to get the latest non-security updates and enhancements when they are available. For managed devices, the toggle is disabled by default.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one that stopped mobile device management customers from printing, and another in which the Tab Window Manager stopped responding in IE mode.
There are two known issues in this update, both of which are applicable to IT admins: one in which copying large multiple gigabyte files might take longer than expected to finish, and another in which using provisioning packages might not work as expected.
(Get more info about KB5025305 Preview.)
Release date: April 11, 2023
This build includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and April 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are three known issues in this update, two of which are applicable to IT admins: one in which copying large multiple gigabyte files might take longer than expected to finish, and another in which using provisioning packages might not work as expected.
(Get more info about KB5025239.)
Release date: March 28, 2023
This build includes several new features, including one in which notifications for Microsoft accounts are now on the Start menu. (Note that this feature is available to only a small number of people and will roll out to more in the next several months.) The build also offers a variety of new features and improvements in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint — go here for details.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which USB printers were classified as multimedia devices even though they are not, and another in which Microsoft PowerPoint stopped responding when you used accessibility tools.
There are four known issues in this update, three of which are applicable to IT admins, including one in which copying large multiple gigabyte (GB) files might take longer than expected to finish, and another in which using provisioning packages might not work as expected.
(Get more info about KB5023778 Preview.)
Release date: March 14, 2023
This build implements phase three of Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) hardening. After you install this update, you cannot turn off the changes using the registry key. See KB5004442 for details. It also fixes a bug in which trying to join an Active Directory domain when reusing an existing computer account failed. See KB5020276 for details.
It also includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and March 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are four known issues in this update, three of which are applicable to IT admins, including one in which copying large multiple gigabyte (GB) files might take longer than expected to finish, and another in which using provisioning packages might not work as expected.
(Get more info about KB5023706.)
Release date: February 28, 2023
This build, Micorosoft’s second “moments” build, introduces a wide variety of new features, including an improved search box. As you type in the search box, search results now appear in a search flyout pane. And those who have preview access to Bing’s AI-powered search can now perform searches directly from the search box. (You can sign up get access to Bing’s AI-powered search.)
There are a variety of other new features as well, including the ability to link iPhone devices to Windows 11 PCs using a new preview of Phone Link for iOS. The update also lets you adjust Windows Studio Effects settings directly from quick settings in the taskbar. You can adjust background blur, eye contact, and automatic framing and apply them to your communications applications, with integration into Microsoft Teams.
You can also open Quick Assist directly from the Start menu. The update also includes new widgets for Phone Link, Xbox Game Pass, and Spotify. In addition, the Snipping Tool has been given the ability to capture video, and Notepad gets tabs.
Windows 11 Pro devices and higher that are Azure Active Directory (AAD) joined can now get AI-powered recommended content on the Start menu, and touch devices get a variety of new ways to interact via touch. The Quick Assist app has been redesigned and can be opened directly from the Start menu. Windows will now offer energy recommendations to improve the energy efficiency of your PC and reduce your carbon footprint. Task Manager gets a variety of enhancements, including being able to filter processes using the binary name, PID, or publisher name.
For more information about these changes, see Microsoft’s blog post announcing today’s release.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which provisioning packages on Windows 11 failed to apply in certain circumstances when elevation was required, and another that caused reliability issues in Task View.
(Get more info about KB5022913 Preview.)
Release date: February 14, 2023
This build includes wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and February 2023 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are three known issues in this update, each applicable to IT admins, including one in which copying large multiple gigabyte (GB) files might take longer than expected to finish, and another in which using provisioning packages might not work as expected.
(Get more info about KB5022845.)
Release date: January 26, 2023
This build changes the way you view and control preview (optional) .NET Framework updates. All preview.NET Framework updates will now display on the Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates page. On that page, you can control which optional updates you want to install.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in searchindexer.exe that randomly stopped you from signing in or signing out, and another in which you would not be able to use AutoPilot to set up some systems with Trusted Platform Modules (TPM) firmware.
There are two known issues in this update, both of which affect IT admins. In one, using provisioning packages on Windows 11, version 22H2 might not work as expected. In the other, copying large multiple gigabyte (GB) files might take longer than expected to finish.
(Get more info about KB5022360 Preview.)
Release date: January 10, 2023
This build fixes Local Session Manager (LSM) bugs that allowed users who did not have admin rights to perform admin actions.
It also includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and January 2023 Security Updates. It also fixes a bug in the Camera app, which stopped responding when memory was low.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are two known issues in this update, each applicable to IT admins, one in which copying large multiple gigabyte (GB) files might take longer than expected to finish, and another in which using provisioning packages might not work as expected.
(Get more info about KB5022303.)
Release date: December 13, 2022
This build includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and the December 2022 Security Updates. It also fixes a bug in which Task Manager sometimes displayed certain elements in the user interface in unexpected colors, making some parts of the UI unreadable.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are four known issue in this update, each applicable to IT admins, including one in which After you install this update, you might be unable to reconnect to Direct Access after temporarily losing network connectivity or transitioning between Wi-Fi networks or access points.
(Get more info KB5021255.)
Release date: November 29, 2022
In this build, Microsoft OneDrive subscribers get storage alerts on the Systems page in the Settings app. The alert appears when someone is close to their storage limit. You can also manage your storage and purchase additional storage in Settings. The build also combines Windows Spotlight with Themes on the Personalization page. This makes it easier to discover and turn on the Windows Spotlight feature.
Several bugs have been fixed, including one that stopped some modern applications from opening, and another that caused File Explorer to stop working when you close context menus and menu items.
There are two known issues in this update, both of which affect IT admins. In one, using provisioning packages on Windows 11, version 22H2 might not work as expected. In the other, copying large multiple gigabyte (GB) files might take longer than expected to finish.
(Get more info about KB5020044 Preview.)
Release date: November 8, 2022
This build fixes a bug in Windows Explorer in which Explorer failed to localize folders. It also includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and November 2022 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are two known issues in this update, applicable to IT admins, including one in which file copies using Group Policy Preferences might fail or might create empty shortcuts or files using 0 (zero) bytes. Known affected Group Policy Objects are related to files and shortcuts in User Configuration > Preferences > Windows Settings in Group Policy Editor.
(Get more info KB5019980.)
Release date: October 25, 2022
This build adds Task Manager to the context menu when you right-click the taskbar. It is not yet enabled on all PCs, and will roll out in the coming weeks. Microsoft says the build also “enhances search visual treatments on the taskbar to improve discoverability.” Only a small group of people will get this feature right away. It will be deployed more broadly over the next few months.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused vertical and horizontal line artifacts to appear on the screen, and another that stopped the credential UI from displaying in IE mode when you use Microsoft Edge.
There are two known issues in this build that affect IT admins, including one in which copying large multiple-gigabyte files might take longer than expected to finish.
(Get more info about KB5018496 Preview.)
Release date: October 18, 2022
This build, Microsoft’s first “moment” update for Windows 11, introduces several new features, the most significant of which is the addition of tabs in File Explorer like those in browsers. Among other File Explorer improvements are the ability to pin important files on its home page for easy access to them. You’ll also be able to see actions that colleagues take on your shared files.
In addition, with a new feature called Suggested Actions, when you copy phone numbers or future dates, Windows provides suggestions for what you might want to do with them, such as making a call with Teams or Skype or adding an event in the Calendar app.
The new taskbar overflow menu shows all of your taskbar apps on a single menu entry. Also, there are new sharing features, letting you discover and share to more devices.
(Get more info about KB5019509.)
Release date: October 11, 2022
This build includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and October 2022 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There is one known issue in this update, applicable to IT admins, in which files copied using Group Policy Preferences might fail or might create empty shortcuts or files using 0 (zero) bytes. Known affected Group Policy Objects are related to files and shortcuts in User Configuration > Preferences > Windows Settings in Group Policy Editor.
(Get more info KB5018427.)
Release date: September 30, 2022
This build for Windows 11 22H2 fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that caused updates to the Microsoft Store to fail, another that stopped you from signing in to various Microsoft 365 apps, and another in which Task Manager stopped working when you switched between light and dark mode or changed the accent color.
(Get more info about KB5017389 Preview.)
Release date: September 20, 2022
Version 22H2, called the Windows 11 2022 Update, is the first feature update released for Windows 11. Here’s a quick summary of what’s new:
There are also these changes for IT and businesses:
For more information about Windows 11 22H2, see our in-depth review.
Release date: September 20, 2022
This build adds more dynamic Widgets content to the taskbar with notification badging. When you open the Widgets board, a banner appears at the top of the board. It provides more information about what triggered the notification badge.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused a “blue screen of death” after you changed the display mode while using more than one display. It also fixes a bug that forced the IE mode tabs in a session to reload.
(Get more info about KB5017383 Preview.)
Release date: September 13, 2022
This build fixes a bug in Microsoft accounts (MSA) in which the web dialog that you use to sign in or sign out might not appear. This issue occurs on devices that have installed KB5016691.
The build also includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are two known issues in this update, including one in which XPS Viewer might be unable to open XML Paper Specification (XPS) documents in some non-English languages, including some Japanese and Chinese character encodings.
(Get more info KB5017328.)
Release date: August 25, 2022
This build gives IT admins the ability to remotely add languages and language-related features. Additionally, they can now manage language scenarios across several endpoint managers. It also enhances Microsoft Defender for Endpoint’s ability to identify and intercept ransomware and advanced attacks.
It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused ServerAssignedConfigurations to be null in a few full configuration scenarios, and another that caused Microsoft Edge to stop responding when you use IE mode.
There is one known issue in this build: After installing this update, XPS Viewer might be unable to open XML Paper Specification (XPS) documents in some non-English languages, including some Japanese and Chinese character encodings.
(Get more info about KB5016691 Preview.)
Release date: August 9, 2022
This build fixes a bug that can prevent opening the Start menu. It also includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There is one known issue in this update, in which IE mode tabs in Microsoft Edge might stop responding when a site displays a modal dialog box, which is a form or dialog box that requires the user to respond before continuing or interacting with other portions of the web page or app.
(Get more info about KB5016629.)
Release date: July 21, 2022
This build lets you receive urgent notifications when focus assist is on, and gives you the option to update to a newer Windows 11 version at the very first startup of Windows if your device is eligible. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that prevented troubleshooters from opening, one that caused port mapping conflicts for containers, and another that caused Windows to stop working when you enable Windows Defender Application Control with the Intelligent Security Graph feature turned on.
There are two known issues in this update, including one which IE mode tabs in Microsoft Edge might stop responding when a site displays a modal dialog box. In the other issue, after installing this update, some devices might be unable to open the Start menu. On affected devices, clicking or selecting the Start button or using the Windows key on your keyboard might have no effect.
(Get more info about KB5015882 Preview.)
Date: July 12, 2022
This build addresses an issue that redirects the PowerShell command output so that transcript logs do not contain any output of the command. That means the decrypted password is lost. The build also includes improvements made in the KB5014668 update.
There are two known issues in this update, one in which after installing the update, some .NET Framework 3.5 apps might have issues or might fail to open. In the other, after installing this update, IE mode tabs in Microsoft Edge might stop responding when a site displays a form or dialog box that requires the user to respond before continuing or interacting with other portions of the web page or app.
(Get more info about KB5015814.)
Release date: June 23, 2022
This build adds IP address auditing for incoming Windows Remote Management (WinRM) connections in security event 4262 and WinRM event 91. This addresses an issue that fails to log the source IP address and machine name for a remote PowerShell connection.
The build also introduces search highlights — daily notable events and anniversaries and, for corporate customers, updates from your organization. Search highlights will roll out to Windows 11 customers over the next several weeks.
The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that affected the Cloud Clipboard service and prevented syncing between machines after a period of inactivity. It also fixes a bug that failed to hide the Windows Sandbox startup screen after Sandbox starts to run.
There are two known issues in this update, one in which after installing the update, some .NET Framework 3.5 apps might have issues or might fail to open. In the other, after installing this update, IE mode tabs in Microsoft Edge might stop responding when a site displays a form or dialog box that requires the user to respond before continuing or interacting with other portions of the webpage or app.
(Get more info about KB5014668 Preview.)
Release date: June 20, 2022
This out-of-band build, which is only available for Windows devices that use Arm processors, fixes a bug that prevented Windows Arm-based devices from signing in using Azure Active Directory (AAD). Apps and services that use AAD to sign in, such as VPN connections, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft Outlook, might also be affected.
This build has two known issues. In one, for IT admins, some .NET Framework 3.5 apps might have issues or might fail to open. In the other, for all users, Windows devices might be unable use the Wi-Fi hotspot feature. When attempting to use the hotspot feature, the host device might lose the connection to the internet after a client device connects.
(Get more info about KB5016138.)
Release date: June 14, 2022
This build includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There is one known issue in this update, in which after installing this update, some .NET Framework 3.5 apps might have issues or might fail to open.
(Get more info about KB5014697.)
Release date: May 24, 2022
This build introduces Windows spotlight on the desktop, which automatically displays new pictures on your desktop. It already exists for the lock screen. To turn it on, go to Settings > Personalization > Background > Personalize your background and choose Windows spotlight.
The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that caused the Input (TextInputHost.exe) app to stop working, another that caused some users to see a black screen when they sign in and sign out of Windows, and another that caused the Remote Desktop client application to stop working when you end a session.
There is one known issue in this update, in which after installing the update, some .NET Framework 3.5 apps might have issues or might fail to open.
(Get more info about KB5014019 Preview.)
Release date: May 10, 2022
This build includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and the May 2022 Security Updates notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There is one known issue in this update, in which after installing Windows updates released January 11, 2022 or later on an affected version of Windows, recovery discs created using the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) app in Control Panel might be unable to start. Recovery discs that were created by using the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) app on devices that have installed Windows updates released before January 11, 2022 are not affected by this issue and should start as expected.
(Get more info about KB5013943.)
Release date: April 25, 2022
This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including a memory leak issue that affected Windows systems that are in use 24 hours each day of the week, another that caused video subtitles to be partially cut off, and another that prevented you from using the minimize, maximize, and close buttons on a maximized app window.
There is one known issue in this update: after IT admins install the Windows updates released January 11, 2022 or later, recovery discs created by using the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) app in Control Panel might be unable to start. Recovery discs that were created with this app on devices running Windows updates released before January 11, 2022 are not affected by this issue.
(Get more info about KB5012643 Preview.)
Release date: April 12, 2022
This build includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and the April 2022 Security Updates notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There is one known issue in this update, in which after installing the Windows updates released January 11, 2022 or later on an affected version of Windows, recovery discs (CD or DVD) created by using the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) app in Control Panel might be unable to start. Recovery discs that were created by using the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) app on devices that have installed Windows updates released before January 11, 2022 are not affected by this issue and should start as expected.
(Get more info about KB5012592.)
Release date: March 28, 2022
This build allows Windows to display up to three high-priority “toast” (popup) notifications simultaneously for apps that send notifications for calls, reminders, or alarms using Windows notifications. It also fixes more than two dozen bugs, including one that crashed SystemSettings.exe, and another that affected searchindexer.exe and prevented Microsoft Outlook’s offline search from returning recent emails.
There is one known issue in this update, in which when after IT admins install the Windows updates released January 11, 2022 or later, recovery discs (CDs or DVDs) created by using the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) app in Control Panel might be unable to start. Recovery discs that were created by using the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) app on devices which have installed Windows updates released before January 11, 2022 are not affected by this issue and should start as expected.
(Get more info about KB5011563 Preview.)
Release date: March 8, 2022
This build fixes a bug that occurs when you attempt to reset a Windows device and its apps have folders that contain reparse data, such as Microsoft OneDrive or OneDrive for Business. When you select Remove everything, files that have been downloaded or synced locally from OneDrive might not be deleted.
It also includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and the March 2022 Security Updates notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5011493.)
Release date: February 15, 2022
This build lets you share cookies between Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode and Microsoft Edge, and adds support for hot adding and the removal of non-volatile memory (NVMe) namespaces. It also adds a variety of other features, including the ability to instantly mute and unmute a Microsoft Teams call from the taskbar, and quickly share open application windows directly from your taskbar to a Microsoft Teams call.
It also fixes many bugs, including one that affected the Windows search service and occurred when you queried using the proximity operator, and one that prevented printing properly for some low integrity process apps.
(Get more info about KB5010414 Preview.)
Release date: February 8, 2022
The build fixes a bug that causes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) modify operation to fail if the operation contains the SamAccountName and UserAccountControl attribute. It also includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and the February 2022 Security Updates notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5010386.)
Release date: January 25, 2022
The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which Windows’ audio service stopped responding on some devices that support hardware-accelerated Bluetooth audio, another that prevented icons from appearing on the taskbar of a secondary display, and another that prevented the touch keyboard from appearing on the lock screen when a device has a Microsoft account (MSA).
There is one known issue in this update, in which recent emails might not appear in the search results of the Microsoft Outlook desktop app. For a short-term fix, you can disable Windows Desktop Search, which will cause Microsoft Outlook to use its built-in search.
(Get more info about KB5008353.)
Release date: January 17, 2022
The out-of-band build fixes two bugs, one of which caused IP Security (IPSEC) connections that contain a Vendor ID to fail. VPN connections using Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) or IP security Internet Key Exchange (IPSEC IKE) could have also been affected. The other fixed bug prevented removable media formatted using the Resilient File System (ReFS) from mounting or caused the removable media to mount in the RAW file format. This issue occured after installing the January 11, 2022 Windows update.
There is one known issue in this update, in which some image editing programs might not render colors correctly on certain high dynamic range (HDR) displays.
(Get more info about KB5010795.)
Release date: January 11, 2022
The build fixes a bug in the Japanese Input Method Editors (IME), and includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and the January 2022 Security Update notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There is one issue in this update, in which after installing Windows 11, some image editing programs might not render colors correctly on certain high dynamic range (HDR) displays.
(Get more info about KB5009566.)
Release date: December 14, 2021
The build includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and the December 2021 Security Update notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
There are no known issues in this update.
(Get more info about KB5008215.)
Release date: November 22, 2021
This optional update can be downloaded from the Microsoft Update Catalog or by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Optional updates available.
This builds fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that caused File Explorer to stop working after you closed a File Explorer window, and another that caused flickering when you hovered over icons on the taskbar if you’ve applied a high contrast theme.
There are no known issues in this update.
(Get more info about KB5007262 Preview.)
Release date: November 9, 2021
The build includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and the November 2021 Security Update notes. It also fixes a bug that causes improper rendering of some user interface elements or when drawing within some apps. And it makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5007215.)
Release date: October 21, 2021
This non-security build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that caused distortion in the audio captured by voice assistants, and another in Windows Defender Exploit Protection that prevented some Microsoft Office applications from working on machines that have certain processors.
There are two known issues in this build, including one in which Windows print clients might encounter errors when connecting to a remote printer shared on a Windows print server after the build is installed.
(Get more info about KB5006746.)
Release date: October 12, 2021
This build fixes a bug related to compatibility issues between some Intel “Killer” and “SmartByte” networking software and Windows 11 (original release). It also makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates.
The build also includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and the October 2021 Security Update notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about KB5006674.)
Release date: October 5, 2021
Windows 11 is the first new version of Windows that Microsoft has released since July 2015, when it launched Windows 10. Here’s a quick summary of what’s new in it. (For more details, see our in-depth review of Windows 11.)
For IT, these features are notable:
Wall Street loves winners — winners of a specific kind, that is. Winners who beat short-term earnings and profit estimates, who can tout the best quarterly financial reports.
As for the long term — especially the very long term — Wall Street seems to care little at all. Stock prices are much more likely to spike when a company’s quarterly earnings show a sudden surge than when corporate execs detail a carefully thought-out long-range plan to dominate a fast-growing technology several years from now.
That’s the lesson behind the stock market’s reaction to Microsoft’s earnings report in late July. The big news for investors? That Microsoft’s cloud-based Azure business grew “by only” 30% in the quarter, a single point less than the 31% that the company had projected.
The next day, traders punished Microsoft. The company’s stock dropped more than four points while the overall market rose — the S & P Index, for example, was up a full 86 points. And all that, even as the company reported its revenue was up 15% and net income up 10%.
The much more important news from the latest earnings call — that Microsoft is all in on artificial intelligence (AI) and spending heavily on long-term infrastructure that might not pay for itself for years — didn’t appear to count for Wall Street, at least as measured by the company’s stock price.
Microsoft CFO Amy Hood told analysts on the call that the company’s $19 billion in capital spending was almost all related to AI and the cloud. That’s more than double what that number was two years ago, before the AI boom began in earnest. (Half the spending was for infrastructure-related costs, specifically, building the data centers required for the massive computing power AI requires.
As The New York Times described it: “The earnings report showed how the company is spending mightily to build the data centers and acquire the pricey chips that power A.I. technology. Microsoft’s capital expenses have grown every quarter since late 2022, when Mr. Nadella pushed his top executives to make big investments in A.I.”
All that spending bothered Wall Street, even though it’s necessary if Microsoft is to continue to dominate the AI market — and reap billions in profits from it in the future. Hood likely spooked investors when she explained that the big spending “will support monetization over the next 15 years and beyond.”
To Wall Street, 15 years might as well be 15 eons; it’s looking for results now and in the short term, not over a distant horizon in the next decade.
There is a reason financial markets are leery of companies that invest big in technologies that won’t pay off for years: they might not pay off at all. Technology changes quickly and companies can be fickle in their pursuit of the Next Big Thing. What seems like a sure shot today can turn into a big miss tomorrow. History is rife with examples — just look back at the hype around virtual reality. The payoff for it remains as elusive as ever and may not ever arrive.
That’s not likely to happen with AI. It’s more likely that the bigger the bet, the bigger the payoff. Virtual reality, after all, has never brought in truly significant amounts of revenue. AI already has, and it’s still in its infancy.
In fact, Microsoft’s earnings were hurt this past quarter because the company can’t keep up with the demand for its AI services. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Hood said on their earnings call that Microsoft could have sold more AI services this quarter if their data centers had the capacity to supply it.
“As soon as we get capacity available to sell, we are selling it,” Brett Iversen, Microsoft’s head of investor relations, told The New York Times.
Those demand constraints on Microsoft’s AI services are expected to last through the remainder of the year. But by 2025, thanks to the new investments, Hood said, the company will soon start to see results. She expects cloud revenue, driven by AI demand, will grow somewhere between 28% and 29% in the first quarter of fiscal 2025.
And that’s just a start.
Nadella put it this way: “These are generational things once they get going with you.” He also noted that the company’s Copilot generative AI (genAI) companion to Microsoft 365 (formerly called Microsoft Office) “is on a growth rate that’s faster than any other previous generation of software we launched” for the Office suite.
I’m generally pretty cynical when it comes to the hype surrounding new technologies. More often than not, when tech CEOs promise the sun, the moon and the stars, they don’t even deliver earth-bound results, much less celestial ones.
This time is different. I’ve reviewed Copilot for Microsoft 365, and although it’s still got some problems, notably its penchant for occasional hallucinations, it’s a solid product that delivers real results. Demand will only increase.
The same holds true for many other genAI and AI technologies (and Microsoft is building infrastructure for them as well.) So yes, Microsoft’s bet on AI is big, and true, it might not pay off for years. But there’s no doubt it’s a winner.
Betting big will mean winning big as well.
Physical keyboards are great, but microphone input has long been a staple for many PC power users. Sometimes, you can just speak faster than you can type. And it’s not just about typing with your voice — it’s about controlling your operating system, too.
Modern smartphones brought voice input to the masses. Many years ago, Dragon NaturallySpeaking was a major speech recognition tool beloved by many professionals for productivity. Dragon’s software is still around, but it’s now owned by Microsoft, which offers powerful voice-recognition tools in Windows.
Those tools are getting better all the time, and they’re surprisingly capable. If you’re interested in controlling your PC with your voice, you should whether these options meet your needs before spending $699 on Dragon Professional.
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Windows has an assortment of built-in speech recognition options.
With Windows 11, you can choose from two separate features: Voice Typing and Voice Access. Voice Typing is just for dictating text into documents and other text boxes. Voice Access lets you control your PC — and it lets you dictate text, too. Voice Access is a newer feature, and it works offline; Voice Typing requires an internet connection.
Windows 10 has Windows Dictation. This is an older version of Voice Typing. Like the version in Windows 11, Windows Dictation requires an internet connection to function.
Both versions of Windows also have a much older feature named Windows Speech Recognition — for now. Windows Speech Recognition will be removed from Windows 11 starting in September, though it will continue to work on Windows 10.
Additionally, if you use Microsoft Word via a Microsoft 365 subscription, you’ll have a Dictate feature built into Word. This uses technology similar to Voice Typing and Windows Dictation and requires an internet connection.
To get started with Voice Typing (on Windows 11) or Windows Dictation (Windows 10), just press Windows+H on your keyboard at any time. You’ll see a floating dictation box (on Windows 11) or bar (on Windows 10).
To dictate text, click the microphone button or press Windows+H again. Then, speak into your microphone. Windows will convert your speech into words and insert them in the current text box.
Chris Hoffman, IDG
By default, Windows makes you speak your punctuation marks. You will need to say things like “comma” and “period” out loud while dictating text. This may be helpful for accurately typing professional documents.
You can, however, have Windows 11 insert punctuation automatically, if you like. Just click the gear icon in the voice typing window and activate “Automatic punctuation.” (This option doesn’t appear to be present on Windows 10, but you can use the Dictate feature within Word — more on that in a moment — to get automatic punctuation while typing documents on the older OS.)
You can also say commands like “Delete that” or “Scratch that” to delete the last word or phrase you spoke. Then when you’re done, you can say “Stop listening,” click the microphone button, or press Windows+H again.
One last thing: If you have a touch-screen device, you can also start using voice typing by tapping the microphone on the touch keyboard.
For a full list of voice commands in each supported language, consult this Microsoft support page.
On a Windows 11 PC, you can use Voice Access to control your PC. If you say something out loud that doesn’t sound like a voice command, Voice Access will simply insert it into the current text box. As a bonus, this feature also works offline, unlike Voice Typing and Windows Dictation.
To access it, open your Start menu and search for “Voice access.” Launch the “Voice access” shortcut. You’ll see a voice access bar at the top of your screen. You can say “Voice access wake up” or click the microphone icon on the bar to activate it.
Chris Hoffman, IDG
Want a full list of everything you can accomplish with this system? Just say, “What can I say?” out loud, and you’ll get a menu of all the voice access commands available.
The options are surprisingly diverse. For example, you can say “Click [something]” to click a clickable button with that name on your screen — like “Click OK.” You can say “Show numbers” to see a list of numbers superimposed over clickable items on your screen, and you can then say any of those numbers to click it. There are also voice commands for selecting, editing, and formatting text.
Voice Access even lets you create your own custom voice commands to perform specific actions when you say certain phrases. From the “What can I say?” window, select “Voice shortcuts” in the sidebar to get started.
You can use the gear menu at the top-right corner of your screen, meanwhile, to activate options like automatic punctuation and make voice access automatically launch every time you sign into your PC.
Voice Access is just for Windows 11 PCs, but you can issue similar voice commands with the older Windows Speech Recognition feature on Windows 10.
Windows-level features aside, you can also use the dictation feature built directly into Word — if you have a Microsoft 365 subscription. Within the Word Windows app, either click the “Dictate” button on the Home tab on the ribbon or press Alt+` (that’s a grave accent character — it’s the key you’ll find above the Tab key).
You can then simply speak into your microphone to type into a document. Press Alt+` to quickly toggle it on and off. As with voice typing and dictation, you’ll need to speak punctuation marks by default. But you can also click the gear icon and activate “Enable auto-punctuation.”
Chris Hoffman, IDG
As a bonus, Microsoft Word also offers a built-in transcription feature in Microsoft 365. You can click the down arrow below Dictate on the ribbon bar and select “Transcribe” to pull up the transcription sidebar.
With this sidebar, you can upload your own audio files or start recording. Microsoft will transcribe the audio and convert it to text.
Of course, you don’t have to use the tools built into Windows. Lots of applications have built-in powerful dictation systems of their own. If you use Google Docs, for example, you can press Ctrl+Shift+S or click Tools > Voice Typing to start dictating text into a document.
You can also use voice search in search engines like Google. On the main Google website, click the microphone icon or press Ctrl+Shift+. (that’s the Ctrl key, the Shift key, and a period) to activate voice search.
Windows is the only major computing platform today that doesn’t include a voice assistant. Microsoft removed Cortana from the OS, so Windows doesn’t have this built in anymore.
However, there’s still one voice assistant you can use: Amazon offers an official Alexa app for Windows PCs. You can download Alexa from the Microsoft Store and then use Alexa voice commands on your PC.
If you have Alexa automations set up for your business or home office, this might be the ideal solution. (Google doesn’t offer an official Google Assistant app for Windows PCs.)
The classic (and not-long-for-this-world) Windows Speech Recognition feature offered ways to better train Windows to understand your individual voice and way of speaking. These newer tools don’t have anything like that, unfortunately — if they don’t seem to be understanding you, there’s no way to train them to do so.
So if you’re having trouble getting your PC to reliably understand your speech, you should consider getting a better microphone. Sound quality often isn’t optimal with the built-in microphone on an average laptop, and that can be enough to cause voice recognition errors. A good headset or a solid desktop microphone like a Blue Yeti will likely do much better.
Just be sure to select the right microphone in the voice typing feature you’re using — in each of them, you’ll see a settings menu where you can select your microphone input device.
Naturally, your environment also matters — background noise will make it harder for this sort of software to understand you. It’s worth tweaking your microphone settings and perhaps trying to speak more slowly and enunciate more clearly if the software has trouble parsing your words.
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If you go by Google’s marketing, the most important part of its new Pixel 9 devices revolves almost entirely around two tremendously trendy letters: “A” and “I.”
Yes, indeedly: Google’s gung ho about pushing its assorted AI elements as a defining differentiator of the Pixel 9 experience. In reality, though, lemme tell ya: Having lived with the latest Pixels for a solid couple weeks now, those aren’t the advantages that actually matter.
The latest Pixels’ less flashy features make much more of a meaningful difference in your day-to-day life — and, combined with the Pixel 9 series’ exceptional hardware, its unusually unmuddled Android user experience, and its unmatched software support promise, they are really the reasons to consider these devices.
But beyond things like the Pixel calling conveniences and the awesome new Call Notes system, one Pixel 9 possibility in particular has jumped out at me and become a real highlight in my time with the devices.
It’s something Google’s never so much as mentioned, as far as I’m aware, and something you could easily overlook entirely if you weren’t paying close attention. But it’s shaping up to be my favorite Pixel 9 addition and quite possibly my favorite all-around Android invention in recent memory — and it may just convince me to make the leap from my own personal Pixel 8 Pro, solely to have access to this smart new system.
[Psst: Got a Pixel? Any Pixel? Check out my free Pixel Academy e-course to find all sorts of advanced intelligence lurking within whichever model you’re using!]
Let me show you what it’s all about.
Real quick, a fast flash of context: Here in the land o’ Android, those of us obsessed with organization have had quite the rocky roller coaster ride when it comes to reminders.
‘Twas a time when setting reminders on Android was delightfully easy and effective, no matter what specific need or purpose might be involved. We had a brilliantly versatile cross-platform Google Assistant system for setting and managing reminders on any device — based on date and time, location, you name it — and we even had a handy option for setting reminders specific to incoming messages within Google Messages.
Then, Google…Googled. It clunked up the Assistant reminders system, killed off its cross-platform capabilities, and eliminated some of its most useful options. (And then — well, y’know.) It also mysteriously removed the Messages reminder feature, with no fanfare and for no apparent reason.
So with that context in mind, I mean it when I say this: A new Pixel-specific reminders system that’s quietly launching on the Pixel 9 devices really is remarkable. It makes me forget all the lost Android reminder options from the past and appreciate the simple, seamless, system-wide ability to set myself a reminder about anything, anytime, at an operating-system level — then rest easy knowing it’ll pop back up to command my attention exactly when I need it.
The system is connected to the new Pixel Screenshots app present on Google’s new Pixel 9 devices. That app, in case you haven’t heard, encourages you to capture screenshots whenever you see something you want to remember and then makes it easy to search through, ask questions about, and generally revisit that info later.
That’s all well and good — and it’s a welcome touch within the Pixel 9 experience. (It’s also one of the few genuinely clever and practical applications of generative AI right now, both within the Google universe and within tech in general.) But it isn’t the Android-wide reminders revelation I most relish.
The feature that’s really won me over is a small, easily overlooked added icon that appears alongside the standard system screenshot pop-up anytime you capture a screenshot on a Pixel 9 — by pressing the phone’s power and volume-down buttons or by using any other Android screenshot shortcut.
See for yourself — it’s the innocuous-looking little bell icon in the lower-left corner of the screen, right alongside the screenshot sharing command and the option for editing.
JR Raphael, IDG
Tap that thing and tap it with gusto, and wouldya look what pops right up — no matter where you are on the device or what else you were doing:
JR Raphael, IDG
Wha-wha-wha-whaaaat?! I literally did a double-take and had a jaw-dropping-in-astonishment moment when I first noticed this and decided to try tapping it.
When you do, the system does exactly what you’d expect in return: You can select any of the suggested times for your reminder or opt to choose your own, and as soon as that moment arrives, your phone pops up a new notification with whatever you’d captured in your screenshot — including an AI-generated title, based on the screenshot’s contents, and a scaled-down thumbnail of the screenshot itself.
JR Raphael, IDG
Tapping on that notification takes you into the Pixel Screenshots app, which shows your saved screenshot in its entirety along with an AI-aided summary of what the screenshot contains and built-in buttons pointing to any relevant links.
JR Raphael, IDG
And that’s just the mechanical part of this process. The real magic comes from how you put it to use.
As I’ve been learning, the ways you can use this new Pixel reminders system are practically endless:
The list just keeps going from there — from travel planning to ticket purchasing, bank transferring to bill paying, even document reviewing or spreadsheet editing, creating a reminder around anything you’re doing on your phone is never more than a press and a tap away.
Snap a screenshot, set a reminder. It doesn’t get any simpler than that.
This is the type of real-life, value-adding benefit that makes Pixels so special. This is the type of subtle but significant productivity-booster that makes technology exciting. And this is the type of advantage that makes people like me want to drop droves of dough on a new phone that’s for all intents and purposes otherwise pretty darn similar to the one I’m already using.
On that note: For the moment, at least, this new reminders system is specific to the new Pixel 9 models. (It’s possible that Google could bring it to other Pixel devices eventually, but so far, the company won’t comment either way about if or when that might happen.) If you’re planning on picking one up — or you’ve already got one in those suspiciously sticky salamander paws of yours — be sure to start snapping screenshots and get in the habit of using that handy new universal option.
And if you don’t expect to be using a Pixel 9 series device anytime soon, don’t despair. I’ve got a special little somethin’ to share soon that might just have you feeling a little less envious of this new organizational superpower.
Look for my next Android Intelligence newsletter issue in your inbox on Friday to be the first to find out — and/or keep an eye on this column for all the illuminating info.
Don’t let yourself miss an ounce of Pixel magic. Start my free Pixel Academy e-course to uncover tons of hidden features for your favorite Pixel phone!
Office 365 and Microsoft 365 subscribers get more frequent software updates than those who have purchased Office without a subscription, which means subscribers have access to the latest features, security patches, and bug fixes. But it can be hard to keep track of the changes in each update and know when they’re available. We’re doing this for you, so you don’t have to.
Following are summaries of the updates to Office 365/Microsoft 365 for Windows, with the latest releases shown first. We’ll add info about new updates as they’re rolled out.
Note: This story covers updates released to regular Office 365/Microsoft 365 for Windows subscribers. If you’re a member of Microsoft’s Office Insider preview program or want to get a sneak peek at upcoming features, see the Microsoft 365 Insider blog.
Release date: September 10, 2024
This update will remove Flip video support when the service goes offline on October 1, 2024. The build also includes a variety of security updates. Go here for details.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2408 (Build 17928.20156).
Release date: August 26, 2024
This build allows you to disable connected experiences for privacy concerns without impacting data security policies, such as sensitivity labels. Services associated with Microsoft Purview (e.g., sensitivity labels and rights management) are no longer controlled by policy settings to manage privacy controls for Microsoft 365 Apps. Instead, these services will rely on their existing security admin controls in Purview portals.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Outlook that caused default SMIME labels to fail to apply when a user replied to or forwarded an unlabeled message, and one for the entire suite in which people couldn’t install Microsoft 365 apps on an enrolled device.
Get more info about Version 2408 (Build 17928.20114).
Release date: August 13, 2024
This build includes a variety of security updates for Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Project, Visio, and the entire Office suite. See Microsoft’s Release notes for Office security updates for details.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2407 (Build 17830.20166).
Release date: August 1, 2024
This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which coauthoring on text boxes in Excel sometimes gave unexpected results, another in PowerPoint in which line widths were not preserved when exporting arrow shapes to PDF, and another in Word in which revisions were sometimes skipped when reviewing using VBA.
Get more info about Version 2407 (Build 17830.20138).
Release date: July 9, 2024
This build fixes several bugs, including one in Word and Excel in which characters don’t appear correctly in Text Box Gallery. It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2406 (Build 17726.20160).
Release date: June 26, 2024
This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which Excel documents might be unexpectedly edited when a mandatory sensitivity label has not been applied, one that caused Outlook to exit unexpectedly shortly after launch for some users, and one in which pasting data from Word or Excel to an Outlook template as a link would cause an error message to appear.
Get more info about Version 2406 (Build 17726.20126).
Release date: June 19, 2024
This build includes a variety of unspecified bug and performance fixes.
Get more info about Version 2405 (Build 17628.20164).
Release date: June 11, 2024
This build fixes one bug, which prevented users from sending mail for a few hours after updating add-ins with on-send events. It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2405 (Build 17628.20144).
Release date: May 30, 2024
This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which an embedded workbook in .xls format might not have closed properly, one that that caused Outlook to close when using Copilot Summarize, one in Word in which content controls may have been removed when coauthoring, and one for the entire Office suite in which the Organization Chart Add-In for Microsoft programs was not loading properly.
Get more info about Version 2405 (Build 17628.20110).
Release date: May 14, 2024
This build fixes a number of bugs, including one in Word where content controls might be removed when coauthoring, and one that caused Sovereign users to be unable to create ToDo tasks from Outlook.
It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2404 (Build 17531.20152).
Release date: May 7, 2024
This build fixes two bugs in Outlook, one in which it closed unexpectedly using the Scheduling Assistant when creating a new meeting or viewing an existing meeting, and another that caused add-in developers to hit timeouts when retrieving notifications from an Outlook client context.
Get more info about Version 2404 (Build 17531.20140) .
Release date: April 29, 2024
This build reduces workbook size bloat from unnecessary cell formatting with a new “Check Performance” task pane. In addition, it fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which the default font could not be set; one in Outlook in which custom forms from MAPI form servers stopped responding; one in PowerPoint in which online videos did not play in some cases; one in which when opening certain Word documents would cause the error, “Word experienced an error trying to open the file”; and one in which the Office update installer appeared to be unresponsive.
Get more info about Version 2404 (Build 17531.20120) .
Release date: April 9, 2024
This build fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2403 (Build 17425.20176).
Release date: March 12, 2024
This build fixes three bugs: one in which Access closed unexpectedly, one in which Excel closed unexpectedly when opening files with pivot tables and table design in macro-enabled files, and one in which Word closed unexpectedly when the undo function was used.
This build also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2402 (Build 17328.20184).
Release date: March 4, 2024
This build fixes several bugs, including one that crashed Outlook when a link was clicked on, and another for the entire Office suite in which opened Office apps didn’t automatically start when a laptop was reopened, and an error message appeared after manual relaunch.
Get more info about Version 2402 (Build 17328.20162).
Release date: February 28, 2024
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused Outlook to exit unexpectedly when expanding a conversation in the search results from a search of “All Mailboxes,” and another in which users were not able to create a bullet list with hyphens in PowerPoint.
Get more info about Version 2402 (Build 17328.20142).
Release date: February 13, 2024
This build fixes several bugs, including one in which macros were being corrupted when saving Excel files and another that affected the entire Office suite in which add-ins would not load after Click trust for content add-in was selected.
This build also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2401 (Build 17231.20236).
Release date: February 1, 2024
This build fixes a single bug in which expanded groups in the message list collapsed when users changed which column they were arranged by.
Get more info about Version 2401 (Build 17231.20194).
Release date: January 30, 2024
This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which Excel would stop responding when saving changes, one in PowerPoint in which Notes and Slide layout would open with incorrect proportions when a file was opened from a protected view, and one in Word in which comment cards appeared too wide and cut off text when changing or switching the screen in use.
Get more info about Version 2401 (Build 17231.20182).
Release date: January 9, 2024
This build fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2312 (Build 17126.20132).
Release date: January 4, 2023
This build introduces a new sensitivity toolbar in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint that helps users understand the security policies that apply to their documents. It’s available when users are creating copies of their documents in File / Save As. In addition, Office now had a new default theme, which Microsoft says is “more modern and accessible.”
It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which Custom Menu text was truncated when right-clicking in a cell, one in PowerPoint in which restoring a previous version of a presentation was not working as expected when using Version History, and one in Word in which the content control end tag was marked at the end of the document automatically if the document was edited in Word Online and then opened in Word desktop.
Get more info about Version 2312 (Build 17126.20126).
Release date: December 12, 2023
This build fixes one bug in Outlook, in which the message list was blank when switching between the “Focused” and “Other” views.
It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2311 (Build 17029.20108).
Release date: November 29, 2023
This build automatically inserts image captioning for Excel’s images. When you insert an image into a spreadsheet, accessibility image captioning is automatically generated for you.
It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which list box controls would not respond to mouse clicks after scrolling using the mouse wheel, and one in Word in which the language of a presentation was not retained when saving or exporting the presentation to a PDF file.
Get more info about Version 2311 (Build 17029.20068).
Release date: November 14, 2023
This build fixes several bugs, including one in which Outlook failed to comply with the default browser settings for some users, and another in which new lines were added to an Outlook signature when pressing Enter in the body of the email.
It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2310 (Build 16924.20150).
Release date: Oct. 31, 2023
This build fixes a bug that caused Outlook to exit unexpectedly when clicking the More link in the Search results list.
Get more info about Version 2310 (Build 16924.20124).
Release date: Oct. 25, 2023
In this build, the Teams Meeting App works in Outlook, too. With it, you’ll be able to configure a meeting app while scheduling an invite in Outlook. The meeting app will be ready to use when you chat or join the meeting on Teams.
A wide variety of bugs have also been fixed, including one in Excel where certain Pivot Tables would load slowly; one in which OneNote would close unexpectedly when rapidly navigating from one .PDF file to another .PDF file between different sections, or when performing an undo operation on a .PDF printout insertion; and one in the entire Office suite that caused unexpected black borders to appear around screen captures added with the Insert Screenshot functionality.
Get more info about Version 2310 (Build 16924.20106).
Release date: October 10, 2023
This build fixes two bugs, one in which users were missing their Outlook add-ins, and another in Word in which subheading numbering with a custom Style would disappear if the file was saved and reopened. It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2309 (Build 16827.20166).
Release date: September 28, 2023
This build introduces two new features, including the ability to disable specific types of automatic data conversions in Excel and support for the “Present in Teams” button to present local files in PowerPoint Live in Microsoft Teams.
Several bugs have also been fixed, including one in which the setting to control how Outlook opens previous items at start-up was missing from the Options window, and another in Word in which the Add-ins tab was not visible when using custom toolbar information.
Get more info about Version 2309 (Build 16827.20130).
Release date: September 12, 2023
This build fixes several bugs, including one that caused Outlook to close unexpectedly when viewing an email, and another in PowerPoint in which the presenter view slide section zoomed in and out when zooming in the notes section.
It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2308 (Build 16731.20234).
Release date: August 28, 2023
This build introduces several new features, including adding AutoComplete functionality to the Data Validation dropdown list in Excel, designed to make data entry and validation more efficient. In Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with 256-bit key length in Cipher Block Chaining mode (AES256-CBC) is now the default Microsoft Purview Information Protection encryption mechanism. (More details here.)
Several bugs in Outlook have also been fixed, including one that that caused Outlook to quit unexpectedly when users executed a search with the “All Mailboxes” scope, and another that caused Outlook to crash when non-HTTP links were clicked.
Get more info about Version 2308 (Build 16731.20170).
Release date: August 8, 2023
This build fixes several bugs, including one in Excel in which certain macros used for updating charts caused Excel to close unexpectedly, and another in Outlook that caused Outlook to fail to show Top Search Results in some views. It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2307 (Build 16626.20170).
Release date: July 27, 2023
This build fixes an extended range of supported characters to prevent display issues in Office apps.
Get more info about Version 2307 (Build 16626.20134).
Release date: July 26, 2023
This build includes several new features, including an improved way to recover from errors when collaborating in Word, and the ability to insert a live camera feed in all slides with one click in PowerPoint.
A number of bugs have also been fixed, including one in Excel, PowerPoint, and Word in which sensitivity labeling was unavailable for documents opened from SharePoint on-premises servers, and one in which Outlook would prompt you to save changes to a meeting when no changes were made.
Get more info about Version 2307 (Build 16626.20132).
Release date: July 11, 2023
This build fixes an alert to better communicate text support for picture-to-drawing object conversion in Excel and Word. It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2306 (Build 16529.20182).
Release date: June 26, 2023
This build includes several new features, including adding autocomplete capabilities to Excel’s Data Validation dropdown list, and giving Outlook pop-up messages that warn, justify, or block emails being sent based on sensitivity labels.
A number of bugs have also been fixed, including one in Outlook’s Me control that showed the wrong display name in Office apps, and one in Word in which doing a mail merge displayed the error “Microsoft Word is required to run the Mail Merge Wizard.”
Get more info about Version 2306 (Build 16529.20154).
Release date: June 13, 2023
This build fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2305 (Build 16501.20210).
Release date: June 1, 2023
This build offers faster filtering when cells contain unique or duplicate rules in Excel, as well as a new accessibility ribbon tab in Outlook and PowerPoint for making emails and presentations more accessible.
It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which Conditional Formatting rules were not being preserved after closing and reopening a workbook, one in Outlook in which people were shown the error “We cannot render Actionable Messages right now” when reading some email messages, and one in Access in which refreshing an ODBC connection to an Access database caused the operation to stop working after refreshing the link several times.
Get more info about Version 2305 (Build 16501.20196).
Release date: May 9, 2023
This build fixes several bugs, including one in Outlook that caused users of the Event-Based feature to be unable to utilize some of the new APIs included in Mailbox Requirement Set 1.13, and one in Project in which users were unable to connect Project Client from the desktop to a Project Web Access site in Project Server 2016.
It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2304 (Build 16327.20248).
Release date: April 25, 2023
This build offers several new features, including adding closed captions to audio objects in PowerPoint and web browser control for Edge in Access. (Access still supports Internet Explorer browser control.)
The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which an Excel file could not be previewed in File Explorer if the file’s extension included a capital letter such as XLSX or Xlsx, and one in which PowerPoint sometimes crashed when opening a file.
Get more info about Version 2304 (Build 16327.20214).
Release date: April 11, 2023
This build fixes two bugs, one that causes Access to close unexpectedly when exporting from an SAS application to a Microsoft Office format, and another in Outlook that hat caused some users to see the wrong Data Loss Prevention policy annotations in a multi-account profile.
It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2303 (Build 16227.20280).
Release date: April 4, 2023
This build fixes two bugs in Outlook, one that caused the new labels to fail to appear for some users of the Label Inheritance feature, and another that caused the Suggested Replies feature to not be disabled when connected experiences are disabled.
Get more info about Version 2303 (Build 16227.20258).
Release date: March 28, 2023
This build offers a variety of new features, including the ability to assign a sublabel as the default when a parent label is selected in Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word. When using built-in sensitivity labels, admins can specify a sublabel to get applied automatically when a parent label is selected.
The build also disables the Azure Information Protection Add-in by default in Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word. The apps will now automatically disable the legacy Azure Information Protection add-in and use the built-in sensitivity labels to view and apply labels powered by Microsoft Purview Information Protection.
In addition, there is a new Sensitivity toolbar in Excel, PowerPoint, and Word that makes it easier to prevent data leaks. New sensitivity labels powered by Microsoft Purview Information Protection are now displayed alongside the filename in the app’s title bar, allowing you to easily recognize and adhere to your organization’s policies. The sensitivity toolbar is also available while saving new documents or renaming existing ones.
The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that caused Outlook to close unexpectedly when using Loop Components in an email, and another in which the task pane add-in API for Microsoft Project was not returning the proper value for the Summary, Milestone, and Active properties. A bug for the entire Office suite was fixed as well, in which spaces were not inserted properly when inserting text with dictation.
Get more info about Version 2303 (Build 16227.20212).
Release date: March 20, 2023
This build fixes two bugs, one in Outlook in which some settings did not roam between machines when switching to Focused Inbox, and another in Project in which the task pane add-in API for Microsoft Project was not returning the proper value for the Summary, Milestone, and Active properties.
Get more info about Version 2302 (Build 16130.20332).
Release date: March 14, 2023
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Outlook that caused users to see an inaccurate count of the number of new notifications present when opening the notification pane, and another in which the error message “The last time you opened filename, it caused serious error. Do you still want to open it?” may appear when creating Word documents through automation using templates.
It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2302 (Build 16130.20306).
Release date: February 28, 2023
This build offers several new features, including one for Excel, Word, and PowerPoint in which user-defined permissions support domain name restrictions. Now, when you choose a sensitivity label configured for user-defined permissions, domain names can be used to restrict file access to all individuals from that domain.
Three bugs have also been fixed, including one in which when clicking on an email notification of @mention in a comment, the Excel app would close unexpectedly if the workbook was already open and was in a hidden window.
Get more info about Version 2302 (Build 16130.20218).
Release date: February 14, 2023
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which when clicking on an email notification of an @mention in a comment, the Excel app would close unexpectedly if the workbook was already open and was in a hidden window, and one for the entire Office suite that caused users to experience the application to close unexpectedly when clicking on some non-HTTP links.
It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2301 (Build 16026.20200).
Release date: January 26, 2022
This build makes several improvements in Excel’s pivot tables, including new data support for pivot tables connected to Power BI, as well as new alerts about pivot table compatibility issues and providing documentation and workarounds for them.
It also fixes two bugs, one in Excel in which when you inserted a People Graph add-in in RTL Excel, the application closed unexpectedly, and another in PowerPoint in which you could not add or copy/paste a new slide to the presentation.
Get more info about Version 2301 (Build 16026.20146).
Release date: January 10, 2023
This build fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2212 (Build 15928.20216).
Release date: January 4, 2022
This build lets you code-sign your Microsoft Access database and VBA code. Signing a database will allow VBA code in the database to be run even if Trust Center settings specify that only digitally signed code should be enabled.
In addition, you can now create tasks and assign them to team members without leaving Word by adding a comment, @mentioning your team member, pressing Ctrl + Enter, and checking Assign.
It also fixes a number of bugs, including one in Excel in which when you right-clicked on a chart and selected Edit, the application closed unexpectedly.
Get more info about Version 2212 (Build 15928.20198).
Release date: December 13, 2022
This build fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2211 (Build 15831.20208).
Release date: December 6, 2022
This build improves the spacing of the buttons in the Ribbon in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel when tablet posture is being used. It also adds the ability to insert images directly in cells in Excel, and to save media to a file in PowerPoint with closed captions included.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which when toggling the visibility of the Ribbon with sheet tabs hidden, the application would close unexpectedly, and one in Word in which changing the reading speed for Read Aloud would cause Word to stop working.
Get more info about Version 2211 (Build 15831.20190).
Release date: November 8, 2022
This build fixes two bugs: One in Word in which when using Admin Managed Plugin and the Group Policy “Block all unmanaged add-ins,” the registry key name was case-sensitive, and one in OneNote that affected scrolling with touch.
It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2210 (Build 15726.20202).
Release date: October 27, 2022
This build lets you link charts to Dynamic array calculations in Excel, which can produce results of variable length. When the array recalculates, the chart will automatically update to capture all data instead of being limited to a specific number of data points. The build also lets you create e-signature approvals containing signature fields within Teams.
It fixes a number of bugs, including one in Outlook that caused emails to get stuck in the outbox for some profiles with multiple Exchange accounts configured, and another in PowerPoint that caused problems when updating links when the linked file was already open.
Get more info about Version 2210 (Build 15726.20174).
Release date: October 11, 2022
This build fixes a number of bugs, including one in Excel in which some content could have stopped working and not appear correctly after zooming with a touchpad, and another in Outlook that caused emails to get stuck in the outbox for some profiles with multiple Exchange accounts configured.
It also fixes a number of security holes in Word and the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2209 (Build 15629.20208).
Release date: September 26, 2022
This build adds several new features to Teams, including allowing meeting organizers to assign seats to participants in Together Mode, and the ability for people to see up to 49 videos (7×7) on their screen by default without any explicit action.
It also fixes a number of bugs, including one Outlook that caused users to experience a close unexpectedly when switching views in the calendar module, and another that crashed Outlook shortly after a boot.
Get more info about Version 2209 (Build 15629.20156).
Release date: September 13, 2022
This build fixes a number of bugs, including one in Outlook that that caused the Customization Quick Access Toolbar file (.exportedUI) to not import when the simplified Ribbon is in use, and one in the entire Office suite that caused issues in Color Picker text selection scenarios with Shapes and SmartArt.
It also fixes a number of security holes in PowerPoint and Visio. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2208 (Build 15601.20148).
Release date: August 31, 2022
This build introduces a variety of new features, including protecting PDFs created using Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, taking voice notes in OneNote, the addition of fourteen new text and array functions in Excel, and the ability to join Teams meeting by meeting ID and passcode from Teams rooms on Windows.
It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Access that caused memory leaks when iterating over DAO record sets in VBA code in Excel, one in Word in which you could not copy rows of a table from older versions in Version History to the current version, and one in which Outlook sometimes closed unexpectedly when right-clicking on an app in the new app bar.
Get more info about Version 2208 (Build 15601.20088).
Release date: August 9, 2022
This build fixes a bug in Outlook, which would sometimes crash after being opened.
It also fixes a number of security holes in Excel, Outlook, and the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2207 (Build 15427.20210).
Release date: August 3, 2022
This build optimizes Excel recalculation on devices with constrained resources. On resource-constrained devices (two cores or less and eight gigabytes of RAM or less), Excel now by default makes recalculation more optimal by running calculations on a single thread.
In addition, Outlook gets a suggested replies feature that offers you three possible replies to simple messages. Word makes voice dictation easier.
A number of bugs were also fixed, including one in Excel in which cell references in charts were displaying incorrectly, and one in Word in which “paste as link” might not update automatically.
Get more info about Version 2207 (Build 15427.20194).
Release date: July 18, 2022
This build fixes one bug in Access, in which when opening an ACCDE/MDE file, users may receive an error message with the text “Requested type library or wizard is not a VBA project.” Go here for more details.
Get more info about Version 2206 (Build 15330.20264).
Release date: July 12, 2022
This build fixes one bug, in which Excel closed unexpectedly when interacting with fonts.
It also fixes a Windows Graphics Component Information Disclosure Vulnerability and a Microsoft Office Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability, both for the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2206 (Build 15330.20246).
Release date: July 6, 2022
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Excel crashed when showing a live preview of a chart, one that caused OneNote to crash, one in Outlook in which users could not add room mailboxes to the calendar, and one in Word in which nested fields in headers displayed incorrectly while scrolling.
Get more info about Version 2206 (Build 15330.20230).
Release date: June 29, 2022
This build introduces new Excel features such as the ability to quickly copy data from the status bar, including information from aggregations like “Sum,” “Average,” and “Count.” It also lets you find data more quickly in Excel by speeding up the AutoFilter function. In PowerPoint, you can now anchor comments to specific ranges of text.
The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which shared workbooks in .xls format improperly merged changes, one in Outlook in which users were not able to add room mailboxes to the calendar, and one in Word in which nested fields in headers displayed incorrectly while scrolling.
Get more info about Version 2206 (Build 15330.20196).
Release date: June 14, 2022
This build fixes several bugs, including one in Word in which while coauthoring, some replies to comments weren’t shown until the next time a document was opened, and one in Outlook that caused users to see multiple copies of a shared calendar rendered in certain circumstances.
It also fixes a remote code execution vulnerability security for the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2205 (Build 15225.20288).
Release date: May 24, 2022
This build offers new automatic groupings in Teams as suggestions to use in channel posts. For example, you can @TeamOwners in a channel posting and all Team Owners will be notified. It also fixes several bugs, including one in Excel in which the letter “j” was not being properly inserted, one in Outlook that caused users to see the error “Cannot perform the requested operation…” when attempting to expand a local contact group, and one in which the entire Office suite crashed when rendering code.
Get more info about Version 2205 (Build 15225.20204).
Release date: May 17, 2022
This build fixes several bugs, including one in Outlook that caused users to see the error “Cannot perform the requested operation…” when attempting to expand a local contact group; one in Word in which the Office “Insert Screenshot” showed blank/incomplete screenshots for Office Apps; and one in the entire Office suite in which font download requests for endpoints that don’t support font service were being issued.
Get more info about Version 2204 (Build 15128.20248).
Release date: May 10, 2022
This build fixes several bugs, including one that caused Excel to consume excessive memory, one in Word in which in which a document scrolled to the end after deleting a paragraph mark, and an issue with rendering in Excel and Project when using certain older versions of Windows 11.
It also offers a security update for Excel and one for the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2204 (Build 15128.20224).
Release date: April 26, 2022
This build reduces unwanted fragmenting of conditional formatting rules in Excel, and also improves Power BI dataset request access from Excel.
It also fixes several bugs, including one in Access that that prevented Outlook event-based add-ins from functioning properly, one that caused Outlook to close unexpectedly during launch when connected to a OneDrive for Business endpoint with no service URL, and one for the entire Office suite in which the font drop-down would not accurately reflect what font was selected in a shape.
Get more info about Version 2204 (Build 15128.20178).
Release date: April 20, 2022
This build fixes three bugs, one in Access that prevented Outlook Event-Based Add-Ins from functioning properly, one in Outlook that caused EU users to see information missing from person cards, and another in Outlook that caused users to experience a “stop responding” when responding to certain contacts.
(Get more info about Version 2203 (Build 15028.20228).
Release date: April 12, 2022
This build fixes several bugs, including one in Outlook in which the “Move to Other” functionality stopped working properly, and another for the entire Office suite in which the font drop-down would not accurately reflect what font was selected in a shape.
It also offers security updates for Excel. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2203 (Build 15028.20204).
Release date: March 30, 2022
This build introduces one new feature, a navigation pane for Excel that lets you see the layout of your workbook at a glance and navigate through its elements quickly. The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which using custom command bars could cause Excel to crash, one in Outlook that caused the “Index out of date” message to display too often, one in Word that caused a performance issue when opening Word documents with thousands of track changes, and one for the entire Office suite that caused contact cards to display improperly
Get more info about Version 2203 (Build 15028.20160).
Release date: March 8, 2022
This build fixes several bugs, including one in Outlook that caused users to experience performance issues when switching folders due to a corrupt view setting. It also offers security updates for Visio and Word. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2202 (Build 14931.20132).
Release date: February 28, 2022
This build offers a wide variety of new features, including one in Excel that disables Excel 4.0 (XML) macros by default to improve security; one in Word that lets you proofread selected text with Editor; one in Outlook that lets you visualize and explore your company’s internal structure, work teams, and individual roles; and one on PowerPoint that lets you pre-record video with animation. It also has many new Teams features, including enabling Teams app developers to test their monetized apps within Teams clients, and the addition of a new compact view in Chat.
Many bugs were also fixed, including one in Outlook in which the folder hierarchy did not synchronize all folders for very large primary mailboxes with more than 100,00 folders, and another in Word in which SVG images that contain external content weren’t showing up.
Get more info about Version 2202 (Build 14931.20120).
Release date: February 16, 2022
This build fixes a single bug in Access that caused errors while running an application.
Get more info about Version 2201 (Build 14827.20198).
Release date: February 8, 2022
This build fixes several bugs, including one in which people could not save their files in Project. It also offers security updates for Excel, Visio, and the entire Office suite. For details, see the Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2201 (Build 14827.20192).
Release date: January 26, 2022
This build includes a variety of feature updates, including easier scrolling through Excel spreadsheets that are large or that have very wide cells, new Cortana features for Teams, and an improved address book search in Outlook.
A number of bugs were fixed, including one in Outlook that caused applications to become unresponsive after loading a contact card, one in Word in which “Repeat style” applies Normal instead of repeating the style, and another in Access that caused the Insights add-in to stop working intermittently.
Get more info about Version 2201 (Build 14827.20158).
Release date: January 12, 2022
This build includes a variety of bugs and performance fixes.
Get more info about Version 2112 (Build 14729.20260).
Release date: January 11, 2022
This build fixes a bug in Excel in which shapes and form controls could not call VBA macros. It also offers security updates for two Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities. For details, see “Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.”
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2112 (Build 14729.20248).
Release date: January 4, 2022
This build offers a variety of new features, including the ability to track only your own changes in Word when collaborating, an improved way to search Outlook’s calendar, and several new features in Teams, including one that lets you “raise your hand” virtually to let people know you want to contribute without interrupting the conversation.
It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Access that that caused an application to close unexpectedly when connection to an Access or Jet database using multiple threads, and one in Outlook that caused users to see garbled text in some fields when exporting contacts to a CSV.
Get more info about Version 2112 (Build 14729.20194).
Release date: December 16, 2021
This build fixes two bugs, one in Access that prevented multiple users from opening a database on a network file share, and for the entire Office suite related to refreshing elements that may contain text.
Get more info about Version 2111 (Build 14701.20262).
Release date: December 14, 2021
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which opening an XLSM file in the SpreedsheetCompare tool sometimes caused the tool to stop responding, and one in which the teaching callouts (tips) about the new look of Office did not appear in Outlook.
It also offers security updates for Excel and the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2111 (Build 14701.20248).
Release date: December 3, 2021
This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which newly created PivotTables could lose custom settings if the data source range was changed; another in PowerPoint and Word in which some pop-up UI elements could not be clicked, such as the Join Meeting pop-up in Outlook or the Welcome Back pop-up in PowerPoint; and another in Project in which some projects would close unexpectedly when loading customized reports.
Get more info about Version 2111 (Build 14701.20226).
Release date: December 1, 2021
This build fixes several bugs, including one that wouldn’t allow people to insert their signatures into new emails, replies, or forwards after a restart of Outlook, and another in which the theme picker in Word’s File > Options menu for x64 users didn’t work.
Get more info about Version 2110 (Build 14527.20312).
Release date: November 9, 2021
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which when opening linked tables to Dynamics, numbers may appear as small squares when the data is displayed, and one in Project in which when tasks are rescheduled, manually scheduled tasks may be scheduled earlier than they should be. It also offers security updates for Excel, Word, and the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2110 (Build 14527.20276).
Release date: October 28, 2021
This build fixes several small bugs, including one in Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word in which each app stopped responding when drawing an image.
Get more info about Version 2110 (Build 14527.20234).
Release date: October 25, 2021
This build includes a wide variety of new features, including several dozen in Teams, ranging from making Live Transcript available for web users of Teams meetings, a new Question & Answer application for Teams webinars & meetings, and allowing people to join meetings in other clouds anonymously from the Teams desktop app.
Several Office bugs were also fixed, including one in Excel in which a query update caused Excel to stop responding, and one in Outlook that caused a sync failure to occur when generating a preview.
Get more info about Version 2110 (Build 14527.20226).
Release date: October 14, 2021
This build offers a variety of unnamed bug fixes and performance fixes.
Get more info about Version 2109 (Build 14430.20306).
Release date: October 12, 2021
This build offers security updates for Excel, Visio, Word, and the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2109 (Build 14430.20298).
Release date: October 6, 2021
This build fixes a bug in Outlook that caused some users to experience a stop responding when attempting to retrieve AutoDiscover settings.
Get more info about Version 2109 (Build 14430.20270).
Release date: September 28, 2021
This build introduces more than a dozen new Teams features, including one in which you can now define a default number of days to keep Teams meeting recordings saved to OneDrive and SharePoint before they are automatically deleted, and the introduction of the Network Planner for government clouds to help you determine and organize network requirements for connecting Microsoft Teams users across an organization.
It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint in which some users could not export documents to PDF or XPS formats, and another in Word in which the insert online video button was disabled.
Get more info about Version 2109 (Build 14430.20234).
Release date: September 14, 2021
This build fixes a single small bug and includes security updates. The bug fixed is one that caused a loss of HTML formatting when a draft of an email was saved to disk.
The security updates are for Access, Excel, Visio, Word, and the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2108 (Build 14326.20404).
Release date: September 7, 2021
This build fixes several bugs, including one in Excel in which not all columns appeared when linking to or importing from a Dynamics table, one in Outlook that that caused Room Finder to fail to load, and one in Word in which the print preview was not loading when using Print.
Get more info about Version 2108 (Build 14326.20348).
Release date: August 25, 2021
This build introduces many new features for Microsoft Teams, including the ability for meeting participants to transfer calls between desktop and mobile, a “top hits” section added to the top of search autosuggestions, and live captions being made available to users accessing Teams meetings via the web.
The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which connecting to a data source from within the PowerPivot window in Excel was not working, one that crashed Outlook while email was being composed, one in Word in which the Insert Online Video button was disabled, and one for the entire Office suite in which some documents failed to load after using some web add-ins.
Get more info about Version 2108 (Build 14326.20238).
Release date: August 10, 2021
This build fixes a variety of small bugs and includes security updates. Among the bugs fixed are one in Excel that caused some linked Dynamics tables to stop responding and one in multiple Office apps in which document exports to PDF or XPS formats stopped responding due to recent updates.
The security updates are for Word and the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2107 (Build 14228.20250).
Release date: August 3, 2021
This build fixes two bugs in Outlook. One caused emails resent by a different user to appear to have been sent by the original sender in organizations that enable Send From Alias. The other caused users to see duplicate time entries in the end meeting time drop-down when the start of the meeting and the end of the meeting were on different dates.
Get more info about Version 2107 (Build 14228.20226).
Release date: July 26, 2021
This build offers several minor new features and fixes a variety of bugs. Among the new features are one in which you can use the Immersive Reader in Outlook to create custom text spacing, page colors, column width, and line focus, and another in PowerPoint adds Flipgrid video support.
Among the bugs fixed are one Word in which comment cards next to the Word canvas were the incorrect size, and one in which Outlook crashed for some people when performing searches.
Get more info about Version 2107 (Build 14228.20204).
Release date: July 20, 2021
This build fixes several small bugs in Outlook, including one that caused some users to experience an unexpected close when Outlook was collecting diagnostic information, and another that caused Cloud Settings users to experience an unexpected close when an incompletely configured account was present in the profile.
Get more info about Version 2106 (Build 14131.20332).
Release date: July 13, 2021
This build fixes a variety of small bugs and includes security updates. Among the bugs fixed are one in Outlook that caused some systems to crash while retrieving service-powered search suggestions, and one for the entire Office suite related to instability during DirectX device loss and recovery situations.
The security updates are for Excel, Word, and the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2106 (Build 14131.20320).
Release date: June 29, 2021
This build introduces several new minor features for Outlook, including one that includes the most relevant files related to your search when you type in the Search box, and another alerts you if any suspicious sign-in activity is detected and tells you when and where you last signed into your account.
It also fixes a variety of small bugs, including one in Outlook that disabled translation options for some people, and one in PowerPoint in which people couldn’t to enter credentials into a Windows Security dialog to open a file, because a PowerPoint dialog box obstructed it.
Get more info about Version 2106 (Build 14131.20278).
Release date: June 18, 2021
This build fixes several small bugs, including one in Outlook that caused users to experience an unexpected property change prompt when closing a message they had replied to or forwarded, and other for the entire Office suite in which Office crashed when reopening certain files.
Get more info about Version 2105 (Build 14026.20308).
Release date: June 8, 2021
This build fixes a variety of small bugs and includes security updates. Among the bugs fixed are one in Excel in which extra entries appeared in the Excel Add-in list for some users, one in Outlook that caused it to close when interacting with Outlook Mail or Calendar Views, and one for the entire Office suite that caused a performance regression on opening SyncBacked files.
The security updates are for Access, Excel, Outlook, and the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2105 (Build 14026.20270).
Release date: May 24, 2021
This build includes nearly two dozen new features in Teams: anonymous users can join a Live Event so that they can present during the event, webinars can be scheduled and delivered for up to 1,000 people at a time, and users can create group chats that include people external to their organization who use Teams.
Word, Excel and PowerPoint now allow documents encrypted with sensitivity labels to be AutoSaved and co-authored with others in real time. (Unencrypted documents have this feature already.)
There are also a wide variety of resolved issues, including fixing a bug in Word in which the Editor Pane didn’t open, and one in PowerPoint in which the Reuse Slides option was not available for some users.
Get more info about Version 2105 (Build 14026.20246).
Release date: May 18, 2021
This build fixes two issues with Outlook, one that caused the people picker in Outlook to expand upward rather than downward for users with a perpetual license, and another that caused the feedback option to fail to appear for users of the Office Perpetual 2021 preview.
Get more info about Version 2104 (Build 13929.20386).
Release date: May 11, 2021
This build fixes a variety of small bugs and includes security updates. Among the bugs fixed are one in which a major version build rollback could result in crashes when opening files in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, and one that caused Word to unexpectedly close when the user logged off or restarted their computer.
The security updates are for Access, Excel, Word, and the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2104 (Build 13929.20372).
Release date: April 29, 2021
This build offers a variety of feature updates, including the addition of new linked data types in Excel, improved collaboration and a dark mode in Word, a set of ready-made graphics in Visio, and the ability to create an out-of-office message in Teams.
There are also a variety of bug fixes, including for one in Excel in which some automation add-ins for Excel couldn’t load, another in Excel that caused users to see signatures disappear unexpectedly, one in Project in which users were unable to remove projects from the resource pool, and one in Word in which some texts weren’t visible when using the dark mode theme in reading mode.
Get more info about Version 2104 (Build 13929.20296).
Release date: April 13, 2021
This build fixes several small bugs throughout Office and includes security updates. Among the bugs fixed are ones in Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word that caused a resource contention issue when drawing an image.
The security updates are for Excel, Outlook, Word, and the entire Office suite. For details, see Microsoft’s Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2103 (Build 13901.20400).
Release date: April 2, 2021
This build fixes a bug in Outlook in which a component of Outlook used by MAPI-enabled applications on computers with ARM processors caused searches to fail or put extra load on the computer as background apps restarted repeatedly.
Get more info about Version 2103 (Build 13901.20336).
Release date: March 30, 2021
This build offers several new features, including getting meeting suggestions when you search for someone in Outlook; being able to send a copy of email messages or conversations, including attachments, from Outlook into Teams chats and channels; and drafting documents with your voice in Word.
In addition, a number of bugs were resolved, including fixing an issue that crashed Outlook when it was syncing folder hierarchy changes, and fixing a bug in Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word in which disabled commands in the Office Ribbon would only have the icon grayed out but not the text in Dark Gray Office Theme.
Get more info about Version 2103 (Build 13901.20312).
Release date: March 18, 2021
This build fixes several bugs, including one in Outlook that caused users of the Cloud Settings feature to see customized settings overridden by default setting after configuring Outlook on a new device, and one in Word in which typing at the end of a hidden paragraph cased Word to hang.
Get more info about Version 2102 (Build 13801.20360).
Release date: March 9, 2021
This build fixes several small bugs with Outlook and includes security updates. Among the bugs fixed are one that in which newly added calendars didn’t appear in the navigation pane until after Outlook had been restarted, and one in Word in which Narrator skipped over paragraphs.
The security updates are for Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, and the entire Office suite. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2102 (Build 13801.20294).
Release date: March 1, 2021
This build introduces a number of new features. In Excel, you can now unhide multiple sheets at a time, and you can also resize Conditional Formatting dialogs. Outlook gets an updated Contacts view list. Teams lets you send “reactions” to others during meetings. In addition, you can add a channel to a calendar tab. Excel, PowerPoint, and Word now require that users apply sensitivity labels to documents if their organization’s policy requires it.
The build also fixes a number of issues. In Excel, an issue was fixed that prevented users from exporting an Excel workbook to PDF. In Outlook, an issue was fixed that caused users to see duplicate calendar groups appearing after creating a new group. In Word, an issue was fixed in resolving conflicts while in coauthoring.
Get more info about Version 2102 (Build 13801.20266).
Release date: February 16, 2021
This build fixes several bugs, including one in which Outlook sometimes closed unexpectedly when users were doing a search, and another in Outlook that caused mails to be sent as digitally signed after the user unchecked that option.
It also fixes two bugs for the entire Office suite, including one related to media controller event notifications and another related to media player engine timing.
Get more info about Version 2101 (Build 13628.20448).
Release date: February 9, 2021
This build fixes several issues with Outlook and includes security updates for Excel. Among the Outlook bugs fixed are one that caused Cloud Settings users to experience a hang when updating settings, and another that caused issues with displaying the correct default signature in OWA.
The security updates fixed three Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities. For details, see the release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2101 (Build 13628.20380).
Release date: January 26, 2021
This build offers a variety of new features, including allowing government customers to apply sensitivity labels to documents and emails in Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word. It also automatically sends audit data about that sensitivity labeling to Microsoft 365 administrators. Additionally, in Outlook, you can now delete conversations based on message owners.
There are also a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which Excel would fail to launch or close unexpectedly if certain Windows Security exploit protection settings (SimExec, CallerCheck) were in use, another in which Outlook closed unexpectedly in certain search scenarios, and another in Project in which borders weren’t showing up for tasks in the Team Planner view.
Get more info about Version 2101 (Build 13628.20274).
Release date: January 21, 2021
This build fixes a handful of bugs, including one in Outlook that caused users that have Shared or Delegated Mailboxes with large hierarchies in their profile to encounter hangs, and other that caused Outlook to close unexpectedly in certain search scenarios.
Get more info about Version 2012 (Build 13530.20440).
Release date: January 12, 2021
This build fixes two bugs, one in which Excel would fail to launch or close unexpectedly if certain Windows Security exploit protection settings (SimExec, CallerCheck) were in use, and another in Outlook that that caused an edited signature to fail to save after prompting the user to do so.
There are also a variety of security fixes for Excel, Word, and the entire Office suite.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2012 (Build 13530.20376).
Release date: January 5, 2021
This build lets you change your Outlook settings in the cloud, such as for Automatic Replies, Focused Inbox, and Privacy, and have them available on all of your PCs. PowerPoint gets a new feature called Presenter Coach that helps you helps you prepare to give more effective presentations.
There are also a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in Outlook that that caused some people to encounter a hang while loading their calendar, and another in PowerPoint in which fonts didn’t properly display inside equations.
Get more info about Version 2012 (Build 13530.20316).
Release date: December 21, 2020
This minor build fixes three issues, one in which Excel would incorrectly show in the message bar that a new version of a file is available and force the user to save their changes in a copy of the workbook or discard their changes; another in which Excel left macros disabled without prompting when opening an Excel Add-in file containing Excel 4.0 macros; and one for the entire Office suite, in which a file would be opened as NOT SyncBacked when the URL from cache and the URL from OneDrive did not match.
Get more info about Version 2011 (Build 13426.20404).
Release date: December 8, 2020
This minor fixes a single issue for the entire Office suite in which SaveRequestManagerCam was causing the application to close instead of returning an error.
It also has security updates for Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint. Get details here.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2011 (Build 13426.20332).
Release date: December 2, 2020
This minor build fixes several minor issues, including one in Outlook that caused the original attendees of some meetings to receive a cancellation when another attendee forwards the meeting, and another in which installing a newer version of Office over certain older versions caused impaired functionality, such as being unable to use Power Query.
Get more info about Version 2011 (Build 13426.20308).
Release date: November 30, 2020
This build fixes two minor issues, one that caused problems when copying and pasting an equation from Word to PowerPoint, and another in Word in which document styles were being replaced with other styles from the template.
Get more info about Version 2011 (Build 13426.20294).
Release date: November 23, 2020
This build offers a variety of minor new features, including the ability to paste SVG files from Office into third-party apps, and being able to switch Office themes automatically to match your Windows 10 theme settings. There are also several bug fixes, including fixing an issue in Outlook that caused the To field to be blank when sending a status report on a task, and one in PowerPoint in which some corrupt PowerPoint files were not opening correctly, even after a document repair operation.
Get more info about Version 2011 (Build 13426.20274).
Release date: November 17, 2020
This build fixes a handful of minor bugs in Office, including one that broke the MailItem.BeforeAttachmentAdd event in Outlook, and one that affected the entire Office suite in which Save As would fail in certain scenarios.
Get more info about Version 2010 (Build 13328.20408).
Release date: November 10, 2020
This build fixes two minor bugs and includes security updates. It fixes an Outlook issue in which users couldn’t grant Editor permission to their delegates, and an issue with the entire Office suite in which files that were transitioned from synced to server-only couldn’t be saved.
There are also security updates for Excel, Word and the entire Office suite. For details, see the release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2010 (Build 13328.20356).
Release date: October 27, 2020
This build offers several new features, including the ability to insert iPhone photos directly into Office apps. You can now also create data types with Power Query from any power source. Outlook can now check your grammar as you type. In Teams, you can pin any message in a channel onto the channel info pane.
There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in Outlook that that caused Cloud Settings not to be turned on by default, one in which Project could crash when opening files where resource contours were specified in a certain manner, and one for the entire Office suite in which when printing to an inkjet printer, the printer reports “Toner Low” or “No Toner” even though inkjet printers don’t use toner.
Get more info about Version 2010 (Build 13328.20292).
Release date: October 21, 2020
This build fixes several minor bugs, including one that closed Outlook unexpectedly when selecting a search result, and one in PowerPoint in which the forms content add-in didn’t render after insertion until the user clicked to another slide to make it show.
Get more info about Version 2009 (Build 13231.20418).
Release date: October 13, 2020
This build fixes one minor bug and includes several security fixes. It fixes an issue in which Project may have crashed on opening files where resource contours were specified in a certain manner.
It has security fixes for Access, Excel, Outlook, Word, and the entire Office suite. For details, see the release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2009 (Build 13231.20390).
Release date: October 8, 2020
This build fixes several minor bugs and has a security fix. It fixes an issue that caused Outlook to unexpectedly start in an offline state, and one for the entire Office suite in which when printing to an inkjet printer, the printer reports “Toner Low” or “No Toner” even though inkjet printers don’t use toner.
It also fixed a security issue in PowerPoint that disabled IRM protections when opening a PowerPoint file in Protected View.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2009 (Build 13231.20368).
Release date: September 28, 2020
This build offers several minor new features and fixes a number of bugs. In Excel, you can now save shapes as pictures and can create named variables in new or pre-existing formulas. Outlook has a new profile card with an improved organization view, which matches the card style of Outlook on the web.
Among the bugs fixed are an issue with the Style Gallery dialog in Word, one in PowerPoint that caused slow coauthoring on files containing large numbers of the E2o data object, and one for the entire Office suite in which the Export to Animated GIF feature was not working.
Release date: September 22, 2020
This build fixes several small bugs, including one in which Excel could crash when using the Quick Analysis after freezing the top row of the sheet, and another in Outlook that caused users to be unable to close shared calendars by clicking on the “X” in the corner.
Get more info about Version 2008 (Build 13127.20508).
Release date: September 9, 2020
This build fixes several small bugs, including one in which Excel could crash in certain circumstances when using the Format Painter, and another in Word in which a user might lose content when resizing a shape.
Get more info about Version 2008 (Build 13127.20408).
Release date: August 31, 2020
This build offers a variety of new features and includes several bug fixes. You can now pin folders from the Save dialog in Excel, Word and PowerPoint. Across the entire Office suite, you can switch among multiple panes using a tab on the right side of an app. (The tab only appears if you have two or more panes open.) In Teams, you can use a variety of Cortana voice skills, such as for meetings or collaboration. In Outlook, when you include a link in an email, the file name automatically replaces the URL.
Among the bugs fixed are one that caused crashes when replying to or composing new email in Outlook, and another in Project in which project finish dates weren’t getting updated for projects connected to SharePoint tasks lists.
Get more info about Version 2008 (Build 13127.20296).
Release date: August 25, 2020
This build includes a variety of minor bug fixes, including for one in Excel that occurred when trying to save a file that contained a formula with the LET() function, another in Outlook that caused issues when navigating in compact views, and another for the entire Office suite in which a crash could occur when a document was closed while the Share pane was open.
Get more info about Version 2007 (Build 13029.20460).
Release date: August 11, 2020
This build includes 13 security updates, including for Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities for Excel, Access, and the entire Office suite, as well as Information Disclosure Vulnerabilities for Excel, Word, Outlook and the entire Office suite. For details, see the Release notes for Microsoft Office Security Updates.
This build also fixes several small bugs, including one that caused Outlook to fail to retrieve search suggestions, and another that caused devices to occasionally crash when retrieving personal information from Outlook.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2007 (Build 13029.20344).
Release date: July 30, 2020
This build offers a variety of new features and squashes several bugs. You can now create pivot tables from datasets in Power BI within Excel, and also connect to, import, and refresh data from a PDF in Excel.
In Outlook you can create polls with Quick Poll and quickly reopen items from previous sessions. PowerPoint and Word now let you auto-apply or recommend sensitivity labels. Teams gets a variety of changes, including simplified notification settings and turning off previews for your chat notifications.
Among the issues fixed are one that caused and error or hang in Excel when loading a workbook with multiple sheets in page break preview and another in Project in which the task selected in the assign resources dialog wasn’t the same as the task selected in the task board view. A bug was fixed for the entire Office suite that caused a runtime message to show even though the transition to the full product is complete.
Get more info about Version 2007 (Build 13029.20308).
Release date: July 28, 2020
This build fixes several minor issues, including one in Word and Outlook that caused problems when copying and pasting SVG images, and a timing issue for the entire Office suite that caused crashes when closing office files.
Get more info about Version 2006 (Build 13001.20498).
Release date: July 14, 2020
This build squashed a number of bugs and includes security updates. Among the issues resolved are one in Access that caused a problem when inserting linked SQL tables that include an identity (e.g., autonumber) field, and one in Excel that could cause a crash when trying to create a data connection if you have signed out from your account.
Among the security updates are ones that fixed a Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities in Excel, Outlook, Project, Word and the entire Office suite, among others. For details and a complete list, see the Microsoft 365 Apps Security Updates release notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2006 (Build 13001.20384).
Release date: June 30, 2020
This build offers a variety of new Office feature and squashes a number of bugs. Excel now supports OneDrive/SharePoint files with names and paths of up to 400 characters. Among other changes, PowerPoint has improved streaming video performance, Teams gets a simplified way to manage channel notification settings, and Outlook offers an option to disable @ mention suggestions when you’re composing mail in Outlook.
Among the issues resolved are one that which caused CustomUI XML for a custom ribbon tab to be removed when saving to SharePoint/OneDrive, one that caused users of the Shared Calendar improvements to see calendar failures in Outlook, and another that wouldn’t allow projects to be opened in the Project desktop client from Project Web App if the URL ended in .com.
Get more info about Version 2006 (Build 13001.20266).
Release date: June 24, 2020
This build fixes a variety of issues throughout Office 365/Microsoft 365. In Excel, a bug that caused CustomUI XML for a custom ribbon tab to be removed when saving to SharePoint/OneDrive was fixed. Among the several Outlook problems resolved are one that caused users to see Outlook continuously prompt them to run the Inbox Repair tool. Word resolved an issue that may have caused a crash when dragging some content from the app. In PowerPoint an issue that caused the suggestion pane to crash was fixed.
Get more info about Version 2005 (Build 12827.20470).
Release date: June 9, 2020
This build fixes a number of issues and has several security updates. In Excel, a bug was fixed in which Excel could crash when PivotTables were inserted into a chart sheet. In Project, an issue was fixed in which the ProjectBeforeTaskChange event didn’t fire when there was a change to the project summary task.
This build includes security fixes for two Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities, a Microsoft Outlook Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability, a Microsoft Project Information Disclosure Vulnerability, and a Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. For details, see these release notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2005 (Build 12827.20336).
Release date: June 2, 2020
This build offers multiple feature updates and fixes a number of issues. In Excel, when you type a data value that resembles a stock or a geographic location, Excel offers to convert it to the right data type, either Stocks or Geography. Outlook’s Calendar has gotten a makeover that makes it easier to scan. PowerPoint lets you use Surface Earbuds to control your presentation. Teams has many new features, including one that allows participants to raise a virtual hand in meetings, and another that lets them customize meeting video backgrounds. Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word can now use animated GIFs.
Among the resolved issues are one in which Excel could become unresponsive after using Ctrl+Shift+Arrow keys to scroll when the Excel window is shared through Teams, one in Outlook that caused users to experience a crash when submitting feedback from an Admin Notification, and one throughout the Office suite in which in Visual Basic for Applications in Microsoft Office, certain VBA projects that contained references to code libraries with DBCS characters in the library name or library path would be viewed by the Office application as corrupt on load.
Get more info about Version 2005 (Build 12827.20268).
Release date: May 21, 2020
This minor build fixes several bugs, including one in Excel in which the external link stopped working after the file was reopened if the file path was too long, one in Outlook that that caused users to experience crashes when submitting feedback from an Admin Notification, and one that affected the entire Office suite, in which Visual Basic for Applications projects with references that were expected to be found by searching locations specified in the PATH environment variable would not be found properly at runtime, leading to VBA runtime errors.
Get more info about Version 2004 (Build 12730.20352).
Release date: May 12, 2020
This build fixes an Outlook issue that caused users to experience a crash when displaying toast notifications. It also includes a security fix for a Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. For details about the security fix, see these release notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2004 (Build 12730.20270).
Release date: May 4, 2020
This minor update fixes an issue in Visual Basic for Applications throughout Microsoft Office in which certain VBA projects that contain references to code libraries with DBCS characters in the library name or library path were viewed by the Office application as corrupt on loading.
Get more info about Version 2004 (Build 12730.20250).
Release date: April 29, 2020
This update includes a variety of minor updates and bug fixes. Excel no longer supports external data connections that use the Facebook connector, Outlook now lets you join meetings without leaving your Inbox, and Access offers several new improvements to help be more productive working in Query Designer, SQL view, and the Relationships window. Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word now have access to thousands of royalty-free stock images, icons, and stickers.
Among the bugs fixed are one that caused cause Excel to crash in some cases after copying a sheet containing a PivotTable, another that caused some users to experience a hang while exiting Outlook, and one that affected the entire Office suite, preventing users from restricting access and protecting files with a password simultaneously.
Get more info about Version 2004 (Build 12730.20236).
Release date: April 15, 2020
This update includes “various bug and performance fixes,” which Microsoft has not detailed.
Get more info about Version 2003 (Build 12624.20466).
Release date: April 14, 2020
This release includes a variety of security updates and several small bug fixes. Among the security vulnerabilities fixed are a Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, a Microsoft Word Remote Code Execution Vulnerability and a Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability for the entire suite. Get more details in the Release Notes for Office 365 Security Updates.
Among the bugs fixed are an issue that caused users to occasionally experience a crash when using the “X” button on their mouse in Word and Outlook, and Application.Evaluate (VBA) not working for user-defined functions in some cases in Excel.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2003 (Build 12624.20442).
Release date: March 31, 2020
This update improves OneNote’s sync and server stability and fixes an issue in Project in which users were unable to enter time-phased Baseline Work when the setting to protect actual work is on.
Get more info about Version 2003 (Build 12624.20382).
Release date: March 25, 2020
This update introduces several new features and fixes a number of bugs. In Outlook, you can now drag email to a group, and also more easily log into Wi-Fi networks. Co-authoring in Word has been sped up so that collaborators see changes more quickly. And throughout the Office suite, you can now apply sensitivity labels to prompt you for custom permissions.
Among the bugs fixed are one in which Excel crashed in certain cases when reopening a workbook embedded in Word or PowerPoint, and another in which copying a shape in PowerPoint slide might fail.
Get more info about Version 2003 (Build 12624.20320).
Release date: March 10, 2020
This update has a single bug fix and addresses several security issues in Word. It fixes an issue in Project in which the OnUndoOrRedo event doesn’t fire without first running the OpenUndoTransaction method. It also plugs four Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities in Word. Find more details in the security release notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 2002 (Build 12527.20278).
Release date: March 1, 2020
This update has only a single, minor change: an Outlook bug that that wouldn’t allow third-party applications to send email has been fixed.
Get more info about Version 2002 (Build 12527.20242).
Release date: February 25, 2020
This update includes a few minor new features and fixes several bugs. In Excel and Word, you can now save objects as such as charts, shapes, ink, icons and pictures as an SVG (scalable vector graphics file). Click here for details. In Excel, you can also get at-a-glance analysis of the data in your columns, identify error and empty values, and see distribution histograms using the Query Editor.
In Excel, an issue was fixed in which CUBEVALUE functions would sometimes return an incorrect result. Among several Outlook bug fixes are one that that caused commas in the location field of a meeting to turn into semicolons, and another that could cause a crash when viewing the same item in multiple windows.
Get more info about Version 2002 (Build 12527.20194).
Release date: February 19, 2020
This update includes “various bugs and performance fixes,” which Microsoft has not detailed.
Get more info about Version 2001 (Build 12430.20288).
Release date: January 30, 2020
This update includes new features for Excel, Outlook and Word, along with bug fixes. In Excel, you can now respond to comments and mentions from within email without opening the workbook. Excel also gets a new XLOOKUP function that lets you search in a table by range or row. A new group naming policy in Outlook lets IT admins standardize and manage the names of groups created by users in an organization. Word now lets you save shapes as pictures and use the Lasso tool on the Draw tab to help select objects drawn with ink.
A bug has been fixed in Access that can cause Access to fail to identify an Identity Column in a linked SQL Server table, which can cause rows to be reported as deleted incorrectly. Also fixed was a bug in Excel and Outlook that caused users to experience crashes when renaming a signature.
Get more info about Version 2001 (Build 12430.20184).
Release date: January 22, 2020
This very minor update resolves a single issue in which Microsoft Access failed to identify an Identity Column in a linked SQL Server table, which could have caused rows to be reported as deleted incorrectly.
Get more info about Version 1912 (Build 12325.20344).
Release date: January 14, 2020
This security update addresses security issues in Excel and the entire Office suite. It plugs holes in three Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities, and one in a Microsoft Office Memory Corruption Vulnerability. Find more details in the security release notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 1912 (Build 12325.20298).
Release date: January 8, 2020
This update includes a new feature that can create looping GIFs in PowerPoint, and new accessibility features for Outlook and PowerPoint. In PowerPoint, the new Accessibility Checker helps you arrange objects on your slides with screen readers in mind. And Outlook now displays an alert reminding you to make your content accessible when sending mail to a user who prefers accessible content.
There are also a variety of minor bug fixes, including fixing an issue in Outlook that caused users to experience hangs in Outlook when retrieving Cloud Settings, and an issue in Word in which the building blocks organizer had displayed an invalid alert: “You have modified styles, building blocks.”
Get more info about Version 1912 (Build 12325.20288).
Release date: December 10, 2019
This update offers a few minor bug fixes and several security updates. It fixes the right-click menu for Excel’s Pivot Charts to enable the “Show Detail” option and also fixes an issue in Outlook that allowed web add-ins to access Digital Rights Managed messages.
Among the security updates are those that fix an Excel Information Disclosure Vulnerability, a Word Denial of Service Vulnerability and a PowerPoint Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. For details, see the security update release notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 1911 (Build 12228.20364).
Release date: December 3, 2019
This update offers a few minor features and fixes a variety of bugs. Six new functions have been added in Excel: FILTER, SORT, SORTBY, UNIQUE, SEQUENCE and RANDARRAY. Excel also now has a data visualizer add-on that can create flow charts in Visio. Word’s co-authoring capabilities have been improved, making it more likely changes will be seen by others in real time.
Among the bugs fixed are one that caused crashes when users searched for recent files in Excel while no workbook was open, and another in which Office updates unexpectedly downloaded files from the Office CDN instead of the intended source, such as a local or network share or Configuration Manager-provided location.
Get more info about Version 1911 (Build 12228.20332).
Release date: November 22, 2019
Microsoft isn’t saying much about this update except that it includes “various [unnamed] bugs and performance fixes.”
Get more info about Version 1910 (Build 12130.20410).
Release date: November 18, 2019
This update includes unnamed bug and performance fixes in Microsoft’s description. It also fixes two issues with Outlook, one that caused users to see the location field in meetings change unexpectedly, and another that caused users to see an empty message box with an “OK” button when trying to contact support from the Account Creation context.
Get more info about Version 1910 (Build 12130.20390).
Release date: November 12, 2019
This security update comprises two fixes for Excel, including Remote Code Execution Vulnerability CVE-2019-1448 and Information Disclosure Vulnerability CVE-2019-1446, and two for the entire Office suite, including ClickToRun Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability CVE-2019-1449 and Information Disclosure Vulnerability CVE-2019-1402.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 1910 (Build 12130.20344).
Release date: October 30, 2019
This update introduces a wide variety of minor new features, including one for Excel, Word and PowerPoint that checks PDFs you create for accessibility issues and offers fixes, and another for Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint that applies sensitivity labels to your documents and emails to keep them compliant with your organization’s information protection policies. Word also gets coauthoring improvements.
Get more info about Version 1910 (Build 12130.20272).
Release date: October 22, 2019
This very minor non-security update fixes a bug in Microsoft Project, in which users could get several messages when opening a read-only project. And in order to protect Office users’ security, Microsoft Office updates are now being signed using the SHA-2 algorithm exclusively.
Get more info about Version 1909 (Build 12026.20344).
Release date: October 14, 2019
This very minor non-security update fixes a single bug that affects the entire Office suite. The bug didn’t allow people to save Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents when they tried to create a new file and bring up the “Save as Model Dialog” option after clicking on the Save icon or pressing Ctrl + S.
Get more info about Version 1909 (Build 12026.20334).
NOTE: On Oct. 15, 2019, Microsoft released an unnamed update that temporarily disables the Cloud Save dialog to address the saving issue addressed on Oct. 14. Microsoft says the feature will be re-enabled soon.
Release date: October 8, 2019
This build includes a security update and a number of minor bug fixes. In Outlook, several bugs were squashed, including one that wouldn’t allow people to open some instances of recurring calendar items, and another that caused Outlook to crash when a profile was being created. PowerPoint had an issue fixed that caused data loss when coauthoring and offline editing. For the entire Office suite, several issues were fixed, including one that crashed Office when files were opened. In addition, Microsoft Updates are now signed using the SHA-2 algorithm exclusively in order to improve security.
There are also fixes for two Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities, detailed in CVE-2019-1327 and CVE-2019-1331.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 1909 (Build 12026.20320).
Release date: September 30, 2019
This build offers a variety of new features and fixes several bugs. In Outlook, it’s now easier and faster to update shared calendars. In addition, when you search through your mail, the most relevant email messages are now grouped at the top of the results.
PowerPoint lets you save illustrations as SVG files, and you can now animate an ink drawing so that it replays either forward or backward during the presentation. In Excel, Word, and PowerPoint you can now more easily share files by using the “recently used” list without having to open the file.
Get more info about Version 1909 (Build 12026.20264).
Release date: September 10, 2019
This build offers several minor bug fixes and a security update. In Outlook, a bug was fixed that caused some users to encounter authentication errors when trying to retrieve their cloud settings. In PowerPoint, an issue was fixed that prevented some animations from starting. For the entire Office suite, an issue was fixed that caused large tree views to fail.
There are also security fixes for Excel and the entire Office suite, including a Microsoft Excel Information Disclosure Vulnerability, a Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, a Jet Database Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability affecting the entire suite, and a Microsoft Office Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability affecting the entire suite.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 1908 (Build 11929.20300).
Release date: August 26, 2019
This build offers a several new minor features throughout Office. You now have more control over text boxes and borders in Excel, Word and PowerPoint, and you can also more easily insert and manage icons in those applications as well as in Outlook. The entire Office suite also gets new icons. In addition, there are a variety of bug fixes.
Get more info about Version 1908 (Build 11929.20254).
Release date: August 13, 2019
This build offers two minor bug fixes and a variety of security updates for Outlook, Word and the entire Office suite. Among the security issues fixed are remote code execution vulnerabilities in Outlook and Word and a Jet database engine remote code execution vulnerability in the entire Office suite. (See the security release notes for details.)
The non-security changes include fixing an issue in Outlook in which users having their mailbox upgraded from basic to modern authentication were ending up with the wrong account associated with their Outlook profile.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 1907 (Build 11901.20218).
Release date: July 29, 2019
This build offers a variety of new features for Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word. It’s now easier to code using Power Query in Excel, with enhancements including autocomplete and syntax coloring. In Outlook, when you type a person’s name in the Search box, the most relevant email messages will now be included alongside your search suggestions. PowerPoint lets you save a video to Microsoft Stream, which lets you insert a streaming video instead of the entire file into a presentation to reduce file sizes. Word now has two different sized erasers so you can fix small inking imperfections.
In addition, Excel, PowerPoint and Word make it easier to create map charts, and also let you decide whether links to Office documents should open in the appropriate app or instead in a browser.
Get more info about Version 1907 (Build 11901.20176).
Release date: July 9, 2019
This build has security updates for Excel, Outlook, Skype for Business and the entire Office suite. For details, see these release notes. In addition, there is a fix to an Outlook bug that caused the current folder search to intermittently fail.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 1906 (Build 11727.20244).
Release date: June 27, 2019
This extremely minor build has only a single change: It fixes an issue that caused a subset of POP3 users to see all of their emails formatted as plain text, regardless of their settings. Users who want to see their messages formatted with HTML can now do so.
Get more info about Version 1906 (Build 11727.20230).
Release date: June 24, 2019
This build offers a variety of new features for several Office applications, primarily Outlook. Outlook gets a simplified Ribbon that tames its frequently complex interface. (The simplified Ribbon has been available in a preview for quite some time, but now is officially launched.) In addition, you can now synchronize more than 500 folders when syncing shared mailboxes. The previous limit was 500. The quick action menu can also be customized.
You can now insert 3D animated graphics into Excel. In Word, multiple people can co-author documents in the open, XML-based.docm format. And in Skype, you can crop video in a meeting on a 4K monitor when the “Crop and Center my video in meetings” setting is turned on.
There are also a number of undocumented bugs and performance fixes, according to Microsoft.
Get more info about Version 1906 (Build 11727.20210).
Release date: June 11, 2019
This build addresses two security holes in Word, remote code execution vulnerabilities CVE-2019-1034 and CVE-2019-1035.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 1905 (Build 11629.20246).
Release date: June 4, 2019
This build fixes a single, minor issue, one in which some add-ins caused unexpected errors to appear around shapes in PowerPoint charts.
Get more info about Version 1905 (Build 11629.20214).
Release date: May 29, 2019
This build introduces minor new features to multiple Office applications. In Word, PowerPoint and Excel, if you @mention people in document comments, they will automatically receive an email notification that they’ve been mentioned, so they can check out the comments. Across all Office applications except Outlook, a new account manager is available; it displays all Office 365 work and personal accounts in a single location, making it easier to switch among them.
In addition, in PowerPoint, presenters’ words are automatically shown on screen as captions and can be translated into subtitles in the language of your choice. In Outlook, it’s now easier to add Outlook.com and Gmail accounts that use two-factor authentication.
Get more info about Version 1905 (Build 11629.20196).
Release date: May 14, 2019
This build includes security fixes for a Microsoft Word Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, a Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability and a Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Go to the release notes for Office 365 ProPlus Security Updates for more details.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 1904 (Build 11601.20204).
Release date: May 8, 2019
This build includes “various bugs and performances fixes,” in Microsoft’s words, that Microsoft hasn’t provided any details on.
Get more info about Version 1904 (Build 11601.20178).
Release date: April 29, 2019
This build includes a few minor updates. The most notable is the ability to find files by typing into the Search box on the File > Home page in Excel, PowerPoint and Word. The entire Office 365 suite sports a new set of icons, and the suite also gets an updated set of privacy controls, covering things such as the types of diagnostic data sent to Microsoft. Administrators, not Office users, have control over setting them. Here’s an overview of the new settings.
Get more info about Version 1904 (Build 11601.20144).
Release date: April 23, 2019
This build includes “various bugs and performances fixes,” in Microsoft’s words, that Microsoft hasn’t provided any details on.
Get more info about Version 1903 (Build 11425.20244).
Release date: April 17, 2019
This build includes “various bugs and performances fixes,” in Microsoft’s words, that Microsoft hasn’t provided any details on.
Get more info about Version 1903 (Build 11425.20228).
Release date: April 16, 2019
This build includes “various bugs and performances fixes,” in Microsoft’s words, that Microsoft hasn’t provided any details on.
Get more info about Version 1903 (Build 11425.20218).
Release date: April 9, 2019
This build includes security updates for Excel and the entire office suite. Among the holes fixed are the Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, the Microsoft Graphics Components Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, and the Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. For details, go to the security update’s release notes.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about Version 1903 (Build 11425.20202).
Release date: April 1, 2019
This build includes minor updates for Excel, PowerPoint and Word. All three of them now have an accessibility checker which examines documents to see how accessible they are, and offers suggestions if they’re not. Go to Review > Check Accessibility to try it out. In addition, PowerPoint gives you more control over how its Morph feature works.
Get more info about Version 1903 (Build 11425.20202).
Release date: March 12, 2019
This build includes very minor bug and performance fixes — so minor that Microsoft has not detailed what they are.
Get more info about Version 1902 (Build 11328.20158).
Release date: March 4, 2019
This build adds a variety of features to several Office applications. It’s now easier in PowerPoint to insert videos from YouTube and Vimeo. You can also hand-draw math expressions in PowerPoint and have them turned into standard characters.
Outlook lets you set meetings to end five to ten minutes early by default, so that people can easily attend back-to-back meetings. Outlook can now also read mail aloud. Excel lets you use @mentions in comments to let co-workers know when you’re looking for their input. And a new Ideas button in Excel lets you look for patterns in your data and uses them to create personalized suggestions for how to use the data.
Access now clearly lets you see the active tab, easily drag tabs to rearrange them, and close database objects with a click.
Get more info about Version 1902 (Build 11328.20146).
Release date: January 31, 2019
This minor build includes small changes to Excel, Outlook, Visio and the entire Office suite. A reply box has been added to Excel, making it easier to make comments during collaboration. Outlook now lets you use animated GIFs in your emails. Visio gets a series of Azure stencils so you can design a cloud app or plan a cloud architecture. And the entire Office suite now allows Office add-ins to insert graphics in SVG format.
Get more info about Version 1901 (Build 11231.20130).
Release date: January 14, 2019
This minor build addresses performance issues.
Get more info about Version 1812 (Build 11126.20266).
Release date: January 8, 2019
This build includes both security fixes and a minor bug fix. The bug was an issue in Project in which you couldn’t uncheck the Critical, Late and Slack bar styles for the Gantt chart after you had checked one of them.
Security patches include closing an information disclosure vulnerability in Outlook, fixing a remote execution vulnerability and an information disclosure vulnerability in Word, and closing a remote code execution vulnerability for the entire Office suite.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
Get more info about non-security changes in Version 1812 (Build 11126.20196) and security fixes in Version 1812 (Build 11126.20196).
Release date: January 3, 2019
This build offers minor improvements to several Office applications. In Word, you can now use a feature called line focus that lets you move through a document with one, three, or five lines in view at a time. A new feature also lets you create a web page from a Word document by going to File > Transform > Transform to Web Page.
PowerPoint now lets you convert your ink to standard shapes and text, then get smart slide-design ideas from PowerPoint Designer. Outlook has new options for encrypting messages. And Word, Excel and PowerPoint all now let you keep track of accessibility issues in your documents without having to keep the accessibility checker open all the time.
Get more info about Version 1812 (Build 11126.20188).
Meta has signed an agreement with Sage Geosystems to purchase up to 150 megawatts of geothermal energy to power its US data centers. The first phase of the project is expected to be operational in 2027, according to Reuters. And, according to Meta, it will significantly increase the use of geothermal energy in the United States.
Geothermal energy is renewable energy that uses the heat stored in the earth’s crust, which originates in the earth’s formation and decay of radioactive elements.
The new agreement is part of Meta’s ongoing efforts to meet the increasing demand for energy that has arisen with the company’s major investment in generative AI (genAI) technology, which is very energy-intensive. The financial terms of the agreement were not released.
