Microsoft has released the KB5064081 preview cumulative update for Windows 11 24H2, which includes thirty-six new features or changes, with many gradually rolling out. These updates include new Recall features and a new way of displaying CPU usage in Task Manager.
The KB5064081 update is part of the company’s optional non-security preview update schedule, which releases updates at the end of each month to test new fixes and features coming to the next month’s Patch Tuesday.
Unlike regular Patch Tuesday cumulative updates, monthly non-security preview updates do not include security updates and are optional.
You can install the KB5064081 update by opening Settings, clicking on Windows Update, and then "Check for Updates.”
Because this is an optional update, you will be asked if you want to install it by clicking the "Download and install" link unless you have the "Get the latest updates as soon as they're they're available" option enabled, which will cause the update to automatically install.
Source: BleepingComputer
You can also manually download and install the KB5064081 preview update from the Microsoft Update Catalog.
Windows 11 KB5064081 highlights
Once installed, this optional cumulative release will update Windows 11 24H2 systems to build 26100.5074.
The August 2025 preview update features numerous new additions that are gradually rolling out, including an updated method for displaying CPU workload metrics in Task Manager.
For years, Windows Task Manager's Processes tab displayed CPU usage using a "Processor Utility" metric, which could display confusing or incorrect results.
The method ignored the number of cores a processor had, so a single, maxed-out core on a 16-core CPU could show overall usage at 100%. It also compared workload against the chip's base clock speed rather than its actual operating frequency, so when turbo boost pushed cores above their regular speed, usage could spike beyond 100% and then get clipped in the display.
These quirks meant the numbers shown in the Processes tab usually did not match what was displayed in the Performance or Users tabs, or within third-party monitoring tools.
According to WindowsLatest, Microsoft has now standardized CPU reporting throughout Task Manager, with the Processes tab now using the same formula already used in the Performance and Users tabs.
The new CPU load is calculated as:
(Δ Process CPU Time) ÷ (Δ Elapsed Time × Logical Processors)
This updated CPU utilization formula is now rolling out with this update.
For users who prefer the legacy view, Microsoft has added an optional "CPU Utility" column in the Details tab. However, by default, Task Manager will now show consistent CPU metrics across the entire application.
The complete list of changes that are gradually rolling out includes:
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[Recall]New! Recall opens to a personalized homepage that puts your recent activity and top-used apps and websites front and center, making it easy to pick up where you left off. After turning on snapshot collection, the homepage highlights key productivity features like Recent Snapshots, which show the latest snapshots to help you quickly resume tasks, and Top Apps and Websites, which display the three apps and websites you’ve used most in the past 24 hours. You can set filters in Settings to control which apps and websites are saved in snapshots. A new navigation bar on the leftmost side of the screen provides quick access to Home, Timeline, Feedback, and Settings.
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[Click to Do]New! When you launch Click to Do for the first time, you’ll see a quick interactive tutorial. It shows how to complete tasks faster by demonstrating actions on both text and images—such as summarizing large blocks of text or removing image backgrounds. To revisit the tutorial later, select More options > Start tutorial.
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[General] New! When an app requests access to location, camera, microphone, or other device capabilities, Windows shows a redesigned system dialog box. To emphasize the privacy prompt, the screen dims slightly, and the prompt appears at the center of the screen.
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[Taskbar]
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New! The larger clock with seconds is now back in the notification center, displayed above the date and calendar. To turn this option on, go to Settings > Time & language > Date & time, and turn on Show time in the Notification Center.
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Fixed: If you accidentally click and drag your mouse across the taskbar preview thumbnail, the preview might stop working.
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[Search on the Taskbar]
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New! When you use Search from the Windows taskbar, a new grid view will help you more quickly and accurately identify the desired image within your search.
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New!Search on the taskbar now provides clearer status information. If your search results are incomplete while your PC is organizing files in the background, Windows shows a notice with a link to check progress. You can dismiss the notice when you’re done. There is also a status for files and folders, so you can easily tell whether they’re available online (cloud) or stored on your device.
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[Lock screen]New! More widget options and support for lock screen widget personalization (previously referred to as “Weather and more”) are rolling out. After initial launch with Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA), these updates are expanding to all regions. You can add, remove, and rearrange lock screen widgets such as Weather, Watchlist, Sports, Traffic, and more. Any widget that supports the small sizing option can be added. To customize your lock screen widgets, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
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[File Explorer]
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New!Dividers now separate top-level icons in the File Explorer context menu.
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New! When you’re signed in with a work or school account (Entra ID), File Explorer will display people icons in the Activity column and the Recommended section at the top of File Explorer Home. Hover over or select a person’s icon to open their Microsoft 365 Live Persona Card, which shows who they are and how they’re connected to the file.
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Fixed: If you try to use the unblock open in Properties for a file, it still shows as blocked when you open Properties the next time.
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[Windows Hello]
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New! As part of the enhanced passkey features released in September 2023, you’ll see a redesigned Windows Hello interface. These modernized visual updates support fast, clear communication that appear across multiple authentication flows, including the Windows sign-in screen, passkey, Recall, the Microsoft Store, and more.
The Windows security credential experience for passkey offers a cleaner, more intuitive interface designed to support fast, secure sign-in. You can now easily switch between authentication options such as passkeys or connected devices. -
Fixed: Windows Hello might recognize your face on the login screen, however it would still fail and then prompt you to enter your pin. If you continue experiencing issues, you might need to go to the Facial Recognition section under Settings > Accounts >Sign-in options and select Improve recognition.
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Improved: Fingerprint login after standby is now more robust.
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[Settings]
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New! Windows activation and expiration prompts match the Windows 11 design and appear as system notifications when action is required. There also have been improvements to messaging under Settings > System > Activation.
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New!You can go to Settings > Privacy & security > Text and Image Generation to see which third-party apps have recently used generative AI models provided by Windows. You can also choose which apps are permitted to use them—putting you in charge of your device’s AI experience.
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New! As part of the Copilot+ PC experience, the agent in Settings helps you quickly find and change settings. Initially available on Snapdragon®-powered Copilot+ PCs, agent in Settings now supports AMD- and Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs. It currently works only when your primary display language is set to English.
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Fixed: Settings might crash if you attempt to add a security key under Settings > Account > Sign-in options.
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[Task Manager]New!Task Manager now uses standard metrics to show CPU workload consistently across all pages, aligning with industry standards and third-party tools. If you prefer the previous view, you can enable a new optional column called CPU Utility in the Details tab to display the earlier CPU usage value shown on the Processes page.
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[Widgets]
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New!Multiple dashboards are now available in your Widgets Board. This gives you more space for your favorite widgets and helps you stay informed with a feed that connects you to current events. A new navigation bar on the left side makes it easy to switch between your widget’s dashboard and other views like the Discover feed. After initial launch in the EEA, these updates are expanding to all regions.
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New! A new visual experience is available for the Discover feed on the Widgets Board. The layout is more organized, personalized, and engaging. Copilot-curated stories are now included, offering a well-rounded view of each topic with summaries, videos, and images from trusted MSN premium publishers. To customize your feed, go to Widgets > Discover dashboard > Personalization settings.
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[Windows Backup for Organizations]New! Windows Backup for Organizations is now generally available! Experience seamless device transitions with enterprise-grade backup and restore. Whether you’re refreshing your organization’s devices, upgrading to Windows 11, or deploying AI-powered PCs, this solution helps sustain productivity with minimal disruption, ensuring business continuity and organizational resilience.
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[PowerShell 2.0] Starting in August 2025, Windows 11, version 24H2, will no longer include Windows PowerShell 2.0. This legacy component was introduced in Windows 7 and officially deprecated in 2017. Most users won’t be affected, as newer versions such as PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell 7.x remain available and supported. If you use older scripts or tools that depend on PowerShell 2.0, update them to avoid compatibility issues.
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[Live captions] Fixed: Changing the opacity of live captions in Settings > Accessibility > Captions > Caption Style, has no effect.
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[Input]
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Fixed: Attempting to type Chinese with an IME after copying something with CTRL + C can result in the first character not displaying.
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Fixed: An underlying issue related to textinputframework.dll could result in certain apps like Sticky Notes and Notepad crashing.
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[dbgcore.dll] Fixed: An underlying issue with dbgcore.dll could result in certain apps, including explorer.exe, crashing.
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[Kerberos] Fixed: There might be an underlying crash in Kerberos when attempting to access a cloud file share.
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[Login] Improved: Addressed some underlying cases which could lead to you seeing a blank white screen, or a screen saying, “just a moment”, for a few minutes when logging into your PC.
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[Miracast] Fixed: An issue where, on certain devices, audio would initially play but stop a few seconds after casting to a TV.
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[Audio] Improved: Addressed an underlying audio service stops responding which could impact the ability to play audio in certain cases.
The good news is that some fixes or improvements in the KB5058502 update are available immediately:
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[Device management] Fixed: This update addresses an issue that prevented some system recovery features from working properly due to a temporary file sharing conflict. This affected certain device management tools and disrupted key functions on some devices.
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[File system] Fixed: An issue in Resilient File System (ReFS) where using backup apps with large files could sometimes exhaust system memory.
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[Input]
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Fixed: This update addresses an issue with the Chinese (Simplified) Input Method Editor (IME) where some extended characters appear as empty boxes.
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[Fixed This update addresses an issue that prevents typing on the touch keyboard when using the Microsoft Changjie, Microsoft Bopomofo, or Microsoft Japanese Input Method Editors (IMEs). The issue occurs after switching to a previous version of the IME.
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[Performance] Fixed: This update addresses an issue that slows application installation on ARM64 devices. Some installers might take longer to complete.
Microsoft reports two known issues with this release: a bug that causes incorrect CertificateServicesClient (CertEnroll) errors to appear, and lag/stuttering in audio and video performance when using Network Device Interface (NDI) to stream or transfer feeds between PCs.
The company is now rolling out a fix for the CertificateServicesClient (CertEnroll) errors , but it is gradually rolling out over the next four weeks.
The full release notes for KB5064081 can be found in this support bulletin.
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Original Article Published at Bleeping Computer
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