Windows 11’s latest optional update brings Windows Spotlight desktop experience to more people

Arif Bacchus

The latest optional Cumulative Update for Windows 11 is now out. The preview update bumps the newest version of the initial Windows 11 release up to build 22000.708. More importantly, though, it adds Windows spotlight on the desktop. Here’s what you need to know (via Neowin.)

As always, the new features first. We do invite you to check out our featured post about Windows Spotlight if you want to learn more about how it works. Basically, it’s a new wallpaper on your desktop each day. Anyway, check the highlights below and visit Microsoft’s changelog for all the details

  • New! Improves the Family Safety verification experience for a child account when you send a request for additional screen time.
  • Addresses an issue that fails to maintain the display brightness after you change the display mode.
  • Addresses an issue that affects the IE mode window frame.
  • Addresses an issue that prevents internet shortcuts from updating.
  • Addresses an issue that causes an Input Method Editor (IME) to discard a character if you enter the character while the IME is converting previous text.
  • Addresses an issue that might cause a system to stop responding when a user signs out if Microsoft OneDrive is in use.
  • Addresses an issue that causes Widgets to appear on the wrong monitor when you hover over the Widgets icon on the taskbar.
  • Adds animation to the Widgets icon when you click or tap the icon and the taskbar is aligned on the left.
  • Addresses an issue that affects the rendering of the default Widgets icon on a taskbar that is aligned in the center.
  • Addresses an issue that causes blurry app icons in Search results when the display’s dots per inch (dpi) scaling is greater than 100%.
  • Addresses an issue that causes file copying to be slower.
  • Addresses an issue that fails to automatically give the search box input focus when you select the Start menu and start typing.
  • Addresses an issue that causes the Input (TextInputHost.exe) app to stop working.

Note that this release brings no security fixes, as is usual with optional updates. It also patches the issue where you might not have been able to use recovery disks created using the Backup and Restore feature (Windows 7) in Windows. A patch for issues with GPUs causing apps to close has been corrected, too.

Typically, if you skip this release, it’ll hit you again for Patch Tuesday in the second week of June. There’s only one known issue too, relating to where after installing this update, some .NET Framework 3.5 apps might have issues or might fail to open. There’s a workaround for this from Microsoft.