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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteKB5036980 was Microsoft’s April 11, 2024 Release Preview update for Windows 11. It delivered build 22621.3520 to version 22H2 and 22631.3520 to version 23H2, with fixes for TCP timestamp performance on low-latency networks, a multiboot bootloader startup race, intermittent WSL2 split-DNS resolution and many infrastructure, security, printing and reliability problems. It was an Insider preview, not a universal public Windows Update release.
What KB5036980 actually was
Microsoft announced KB5036980 on April 11, 2024, in the Windows Insider Release Preview Channel. The announcement covered two parallel builds:
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| Windows 11 version | Build | Channel | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22H2 | 22621.3520 | Release Preview | April 11, 2024 |
| 23H2 | 22631.3520 | Release Preview | April 11, 2024 |
The abbreviated identifier “KB503698” is incomplete. Microsoft’s KB number for these builds was KB5036980. The announcement is a historical preview-release notice, not an August 2026 production-update announcement.
Microsoft’s release post is available at the Windows Insider announcement.
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Release Preview is not the same as a normal public update
Release Preview is intended for near-final servicing validation before wider distribution. Eligible Windows Insiders could seek the build through Windows Update, but ordinary Windows 11 installations were not automatically included simply because they ran 22H2 or 23H2.
- Useful for: Insiders, IT validation teams and people affected by one of the narrowly targeted bugs.
- Not a reason by itself: Typical Home users without WSL2, multiboot, enterprise management or specialized hardware did not need to join Insider to obtain a general performance boost.
- Deployment caution: A fix documented in Release Preview was not a guarantee that every later production build would contain the same change at the same time.
The three most important fixes
TCP timestamps on low-latency networks
Microsoft addressed a case where TCP throughput could degrade substantially when TCP timestamps were enabled on a low-latency network. This was a targeted correction, not a general internet-speed upgrade. Users on ordinary home connections should not expect faster browsing merely from this build.
Multiboot bootloader startup race
A race condition in a bootloader configured to start multiple operating systems could prevent the machine from starting. The fix applies to that multiboot failure mode; it does not repair every Windows Boot Manager, BCD, Secure Boot or GRUB problem, and it does not add multiboot support.
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WSL2 split-DNS resolution
The build addressed intermittent name-resolution failures in WSL2 when split DNS was in use. Split DNS commonly routes different domains through different DNS answers or resolvers, as can happen on corporate networks and VPN connections. This is not a blanket fix for every WSL networking, VPN, /etc/resolv.conf or DNS issue.
Networking, containers and memory fixes
netstat -cwas corrected so it could provide more effective port-exhaustion troubleshooting.- Container networking ARP handling was fixed where external ports could receive the wrong Virtual Subnet ID.
- Host Networking Service memory allocation was corrected to reduce high memory use that could affect service and pod deployment or scaling.
- Media-allocation changes improved memory granularity for some hardware configurations, reducing overcommitment and improving efficiency.
- An accelerator backing-store management path that could leak memory on some devices was addressed.
- Dynamic Transaction Coordinator mapping retrieval could leak memory; that condition was fixed.
- Under high load, ReFS could make the system unresponsive and slow sign-in; Microsoft addressed that failure condition.
These are fixes for specific scenarios, not promises of faster networking, universal memory savings or higher ReFS performance.
Security, boot and driver handling
- HVCI was updated to accept drivers that had become compatible.
- The quarterly Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist update added drivers associated with bring-your-own-vulnerable-driver risk.
- An issue that could allow a bypass of PPL protection was addressed.
- A PIN-related elevation problem could stop an application from running when a standard user elevated to Administrator; this was fixed.
- The multiboot bootloader race was corrected as described above.
These changes are security-relevant, but Microsoft’s announcement did not present the Release Preview build as a standalone emergency security release.
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Enterprise administration and Windows LAPS
- The AllowScreenRecorder mobile-device-management policy was added for Snipping Tool, allowing administrators to disable screen recording.
- Arm64
.msipackages gained support through Group Policy and the Group Policy Management Console. - Windows LAPS Post Authentication Actions were corrected so they run at the end of the grace period instead of waiting for a restart.
The announcement identifies the policy and Group Policy support without limiting them to a particular management provider.
Hardware, input, printing and interface fixes
- The Japanese 106-key touch keyboard layout was corrected at sign-in.
- Universal Print could create duplicate print queues; that behavior was fixed.
- COSA profiles were updated for some mobile operators.
- Bluetooth A2DP hardware offload could trigger a stop error on supported PCs; the issue was addressed.
- Settings could stop responding after a flyout menu was dismissed; this was fixed.
- Lock-screen Widgets became more reliable and received quality improvements. Microsoft added this item to the changelog on April 15, 2024.
A taskbar Widgets detail was not yet rolling out
The clearer, less pixelated animated taskbar Widgets icon change was later marked as not yet rolling out. It should not be described as a feature definitely delivered to every device in build 22631.3520.
Who was most likely to benefit?
| Reader or environment | Relevance | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Release Preview Insider | High | Could test the complete servicing payload before broad release. |
| Dual-boot PC | High if affected | The build addressed a specific multiboot startup race. |
| WSL2 on a split-DNS corporate or VPN network | High if affected | The fix targeted intermittent name resolution in that configuration. |
| Arm64 device managed with Group Policy | High for administrators | Arm64 MSI support was added to Group Policy tooling. |
| Windows LAPS, HVCI, ReFS, HNS or Universal Print deployment | Situational | Several documented fixes apply to these technologies. |
| Typical unmanaged Windows 11 Home PC | Limited | Most specialized fixes would not apply. |
How the historical Insider installation worked
In April 2024, an eligible device could receive the payload through the following general process. Interface labels and eligibility rules may have changed since then.
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- Join the Windows Insider Program.
- Select the Release Preview Channel.
- Open Windows Update and check for updates.
- If offered through Microsoft’s seeker experience, select the preview build and restart when Windows requests it.
Joining Insider solely for one narrow fix carried a trade-off: earlier access and troubleshooting value in exchange for the possibility of preview regressions.
How to identify the installed build
Use Winver
- Press Win + R.
- Type
winver. - Press Enter.
- Check whether the OS build is 22621.3520 or 22631.3520.
Check Settings
Open Settings > System > About and inspect Windows specifications. Settings labels can change between releases, so winver is the more stable diagnostic.
Use PowerShell
Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object WindowsProductName, WindowsVersion, OsBuildNumberThe expected build numbers are:
22621.3520
22631.3520These commands identify the installed build; Microsoft’s Insider announcement establishes its association with KB5036980.
Should you install or seek this build?
- For Insiders: It was a sensible validation target if your test hardware or workload involved the listed networking, boot, WSL2, storage, management or driver scenarios.
- For businesses: Test representative hardware, boot configurations and workloads before broad deployment. Pay particular attention to VPN/DNS behavior, container networking, ReFS load, printing and security-policy interactions.
- For nontechnical users: Do not join Release Preview solely because a headline promises faster TCP or a universal boot repair. Wait for a supported production release unless you have a specific, reproducible problem and understand the preview risks.
Because the announcement dates to April 11, 2024, KB5036980 should be treated as a historical Windows Insider servicing event, not as a current August 2026 update notification.
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