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KB5037853 was an optional, non-security preview cumulative update released on May 29, 2024, for Windows 11 versions 22H2 and 23H2. It brought those releases to builds 22621.3672 and 22631.3672, respectively. It was not a Windows 11 24H2 upgrade. As of August 18, 2026, it has been superseded; install the latest applicable update through Windows Update rather than seeking out this old preview.
The release included File Explorer and Windows Share changes, backup improvements and targeted fixes. Some interface features were introduced through gradual rollouts, so installing the update did not guarantee that every feature appeared immediately. Microsoft later documented taskbar instability and an ARM-based Parallels installation failure; both were addressed by later updates.
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KB5037853 at a glance
| Detail | What it means |
|---|---|
| Release date | May 29, 2024 |
| Type | Optional, non-security cumulative preview update |
| Supported Windows releases | Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2 |
| Resulting build, 22H2 | 22621.3672 |
| Resulting build, 23H2 | 22631.3672 |
| Current status | Superseded by later cumulative updates |
This was a monthly quality preview, not a major Windows version upgrade. It should not be confused with the regular May security update, KB5037771, released May 14, 2024. Microsoft said the 23H2 build included the improvements from 22H2; its support article documented no additional issues specific to 23H2. The update applied to all editions of the two supported releases, but some individual interface features had their own account, edition, region or rollout conditions. Microsoft’s KB5037853 release notes list applicability and servicing details.
Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2 had separate x64 and ARM64 packages. The Microsoft Update Catalog listed the x64 package at about 717.6 MB and the ARM64 package at about 841.4 MB; choose the package matching both the Windows release and device architecture. The Microsoft Update Catalog search for KB5037853 lists four applicable packages.
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New features and interface changes
Drag files between File Explorer address-bar breadcrumbs
File Explorer gained the ability to drag a file onto a breadcrumb segment in the address bar to move it to that location. For example, a file could be dragged to a folder represented by a component in a path such as This PC > Windows (C:) > Program Files. Microsoft identified this as a gradual rollout, so its absence did not by itself indicate a failed installation.
More ways to share from Windows
The Windows Share window received several changes, also subject to staged availability. Clicking outside the window no longer immediately closed it; users could close it with the button in its upper-right corner. Sharing destinations included specific Microsoft Teams channels and group chats, but sharing to those destinations required signing in with a Microsoft Entra ID. Windows could also create QR codes for webpage URLs and cloud files, and users could email content to themselves using the address associated with their Microsoft account.
Linked devices and Start-menu account controls
A new page at Settings > Accounts > Linked devices was intended for managing associated Windows PCs and Xbox consoles. It was limited to Home and Pro editions and required signing in to Windows with a Microsoft account.
Microsoft also began rolling out a Start-menu account-management experience intended to show Microsoft account benefits and provide easier access to account settings. The new control was not guaranteed to appear on every device with the update.
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Windows Backup gained the option to sign in to a Microsoft account in the app and to back up more sound preferences, including the sound scheme. To include these preferences, users needed to open Settings > Accounts > Windows backup, enable Remember my preferences and select the relevant personalization or Windows-settings categories.
A gradually rolling-out Add now button in Microsoft-account settings let users add a recovery email address if they had not already supplied one. It was for Microsoft-account users.
PC Manager availability in China
Microsoft added PC Manager to devices in China. This was geographically limited; KB5037853 did not make PC Manager a worldwide addition.
Microsoft described the feature changes and their rollout conditions in its Release Preview announcement.
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Fixes included in the preview
The update also addressed specific bugs. These were targeted fixes for the listed scenarios, not a promise that every user would notice a change.
Accounts, sign-in and encrypted email
- Fixed a problem that could stop users from changing their account profile picture and return error
0x80070520. - Fixed repeated credential prompts in an app handling encrypted email, even after the user had entered a PIN.
- Fixed missing smart-card icons at sign-in when multiple certificates were present.
File Explorer, shell and display
- Fixed File Explorer becoming unresponsive when a user swiped from a screen edge after edge swiping had been disabled.
- Addressed a File Explorer startup delay of up to two minutes in a particular upgrade scenario: after moving from Windows 11 21H2 to 22H2, opening a folder on a network share pinned to Quick Access could be slow.
- Fixed a folder context-menu command that could add items rather than remove them when a third-party synchronization service was involved.
- Addressed a hidden-window rendering issue in some screen-sharing applications.
- Fixed distortion in parts of the screen when playing video in a Chromium-based browser. This was a specific rendering fix, not a general browser-performance improvement.
Printers, drivers and virtual environments
- Fixed printers behaving unexpectedly in AppContainer or restricted environments.
- Fixed deleted IPP-over-USB printers that continued to appear as unavailable in Control Panel.
- Addressed TWAIN drivers becoming unresponsive in virtual environments.
Touch, Bluetooth and gaming
- Fixed handwriting panels and touch keyboards that failed to appear when used with a pen.
- Fixed Bluetooth Low Energy Audio headsets that did not show the expected connect or disconnect option.
- Fixed the Share button on some USB controllers that did not work with Game Bar.
Networking, enterprise management and setup
- Fixed
Get-LocalGroupMemberthrowing an exception on a server removed from a domain when local groups still contained domain members. - Fixed Host Networking Service load-balancer policies not being restored correctly after the service restarted.
- Fixed Enhanced Fast Reconnect with third-party Remote Desktop Protocol providers.
- Fixed Unified Write Filter WMI shutdown and restart calls that returned an access-denied exception.
- Updated Country and Operator Settings Asset profiles for certain mobile operators.
- Updated AMSI
AmsiUtilto help detect attempts to bypass antimalware scanning and address longer-running exposure issues. - Addressed an out-of-box experience failure associated with a policy that prevents security questions for local accounts.
The cumulative update was delivered with servicing-stack update KB5037959, corresponding to servicing-stack builds 22621.3662 and 22631.3662. The full list of changes is in Microsoft’s Release Preview announcement.
Known problems and later fixes
Taskbar glitches or disappears
Microsoft later documented taskbar instability after KB5037853. The taskbar could glitch temporarily, stop responding, or disappear and reappear. In affected cases, Event Viewer could show Application Error, Event ID 1000, with Explorer.EXE as the faulting application and Taskbar.View.dll as the faulting module. Microsoft said KB5039212, released June 11, 2024, addressed this issue. The KB5037853 support article and Windows release health history document the issue and later update.
ARM-based Parallels virtual machines could roll back
On Windows 11 running in Parallels Desktop virtual machines on ARM-based Macs, installation could fail during restart and roll back to the previous update with error 0x800f0845. Microsoft listed this issue as addressed in KB5039212. If this is happening on a system today, use the current applicable Windows update rather than attempting to install this old preview.
Windows Pro to Enterprise subscription upgrade could fail
Some enterprise users upgrading from Windows Pro to a valid Windows Enterprise subscription after KB5037853 or a later update could encounter a failure associated with the LicenseAcquisition scheduled task and error 0x80070005. Microsoft listed KB5040527 as the update that addressed this problem.
Should you install KB5037853 now?
No. As of August 18, 2026, KB5037853 is an old, superseded update. Windows 11 23H2 has received later cumulative updates, and Microsoft lists Windows 11 22H2 as having reached the end of updates. Use Windows Update to get the latest update applicable to the installed Windows release. Check Microsoft’s Windows 11 release information for current release and servicing status.
When it was offered in May 2024, the preview could make sense for users who needed a particular fix or wanted to evaluate upcoming changes. Because it was optional and non-security, and because of the subsequently documented taskbar and Parallels issues, waiting for the regular update was the more cautious choice for risk-sensitive production devices. IT administrators could assess it in a test environment before broader deployment.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to install it: historical steps
These are the release-era installation routes, not a recommendation to install KB5037853 today. Microsoft made it available through Windows Update or Microsoft Update, but it was not automatically offered through Windows Update for Business.
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Windows Update
- Open Settings and go to Windows Update.
- Open Advanced options if needed, then select Optional updates.
- Find the May 2024 preview cumulative update and select Download and install.
- Restart when prompted, then verify the resulting build.
Microsoft Update Catalog
- Open the Microsoft Update Catalog search for KB5037853.
- Choose the package for Windows 11 22H2 or 23H2 and the device’s architecture: x64 or ARM64. These packages are not interchangeable.
- Download the matching
.msufile and run it on the target device. - Restart Windows and check the build number.
How to verify the installed build
Run winver from Start or the Run dialog to see the Windows version and OS build. For KB5037853, the historical expected results were build 22621.3672 on Windows 11 22H2 or build 22631.3672 on Windows 11 23H2.
An administrator can also check from PowerShell:
Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object WindowsProductName, WindowsDisplayVersion, OsBuildNumberA build number later than the one shown for KB5037853 generally means the system has moved on to a newer cumulative update; it does not mean KB5037853 is missing.
Troubleshooting missing features, installation failures and removal
A feature is missing after installation
First check whether the feature had conditions beyond the update itself:
- File Explorer, Share, Start-menu account controls and the recovery-email button could be subject to gradual rollout.
- Linked devices required Windows Home or Pro and a Microsoft account sign-in.
- Teams channel or group-chat sharing required a Microsoft Entra ID sign-in.
- PC Manager was limited to China.
- Sound preference backup required Remember my preferences and the relevant settings categories to be selected.
A missing control under those conditions does not by itself show that installation failed. Microsoft’s feature announcement describes the rollout and eligibility details.
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Installation rolls back with 0x800f0845
If the device is a Windows 11 ARM virtual machine on an ARM-based Mac using Parallels Desktop, this matches the documented failure. The issue was addressed in KB5039212; for a current system, install the latest applicable update through Windows Update rather than retrying KB5037853.
Removing the update
Microsoft warned that the combined servicing-stack and cumulative package could not be removed with the usual wusa.exe /uninstall method. Its documented route was to identify the installed package through DISM and remove that exact package:
- Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator.
- List installed packages:
DISM /online /get-packages - Find the KB5037853 cumulative package name in the output. Copy it exactly; do not guess a package identifier.
- Run the removal command with that name:
DISM /online /remove-package /PackageName:<package-name> - Restart the computer.
If the computer is already on a later cumulative update, follow that update’s documented recovery or uninstall procedure instead of trying to remove KB5037853 separately. Microsoft’s KB5037853 support page covers the servicing-stack limitation and removal guidance.
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