Introduction

Microsoft has recently released Windows 11 Build 22621.2359 to users in the Release Preview Channel. This update introduces a range of new features, enhancements, and fixes aimed at improving user experience and system performance.

Key Features and Enhancements

Compliance with GB18030-2022 Standards

This update finalizes Microsoft's efforts to comply with the GB18030-2022 requirements, a Chinese government standard for information technology. It removes and remaps characters for Microsoft Wubi input and Microsoft Pinyin U-mode input, ensuring that users can no longer enter unsupported character codepoints. All required codepoints are now up to date.

Personalized Website Recommendations in Start Menu

A notable addition is the introduction of personalized website recommendations in the Start menu's Recommended section. These suggestions are derived from the user's browsing history, providing quick access to frequently visited sites. Users have the option to remove any website URL from the Recommended section via the shortcut menu. To disable this feature, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Start.

Daylight Saving Time Adjustments for Greenland

The update includes support for daylight saving time changes in Greenland, ensuring accurate timekeeping for users in that region.

Correction of Ukraine's Capital Spelling

Reflecting geopolitical changes, the spelling of Ukraine's capital has been updated from "Kiev" to "Kyiv."

Technical Fixes and Improvements

  • Account Lockout Event 4625 Format Correction: Addresses an issue where the format of account lockout event 4625 was incorrect in the ForwardedEvents log when an account name was in the user principal name (UPN) format.
  • Key Distribution Center (KDC) and User Security Identifiers (SID): KDC now reads the user SID from the Subject Alternative Name (SAN) of a certificate, allowing mobile device management (MDM) providers to use offline templates to fill in the user SID.
  • Microsoft Excel Stability: Resolves an issue causing Microsoft Excel to stop responding when attempting to share a file as a PDF in Microsoft Outlook.
  • Event Forwarding and Rendering: Fixes issues related to the forwarding and rendering of events containing TAB characters.
  • Application Virtualization (App-V) Environment: Addresses a problem where copy operations within an App-V environment ceased functioning after the April 2023 update.
  • Microsoft Print to PDF Author Metadata: Corrects an issue where Microsoft Print to PDF used the sign-in name metadata as the author of a printed PDF instead of the display name.
  • USB Printer Compatibility with Microsoft Defender: Fixes an issue where Microsoft Defender prevented some USB printers from printing.
  • Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) Performance: Resolves a problem where AppID Tagging policies significantly increased device startup time.
  • Korean Touch Keyboard Behavior: Addresses an issue where the Korean touch keyboard unexpectedly completed the first character in the taskbar search box.
  • IMEPad Functionality: Fixes an issue causing IMEPad to stop working when entering end-user-defined characters (EUDC).
  • Sleep Mode Recovery: Resolves an issue where a blank window titled "Windows Input Experience" appeared after resuming from sleep mode.
  • Remote Apps Display Alignment: Fixes misalignment issues in the display of some elements in Remote Apps.
  • Search Box Tooltip Positioning: Addresses an issue where the search box tooltip did not appear in the correct position.
  • Search Button Visibility: Fixes an issue where the search button disappeared when interacting with the search flyout box.
  • Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC) Handle Leak: Resolves a handle leak issue in DTC that caused the system to run out of memory.
  • System Responsiveness with Compressed OneDrive Files: Addresses a problem that could cause Windows to stop responding when using Microsoft OneDrive files compressed by NTFS.
  • User-Mode Memory Leak: Fixes a potential user-mode memory leak that could occur when calling CopyFile() or MoveFile().
  • Application Compatibility with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: Addresses issues affecting application compatibility related to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
  • External Binding Failures: Resolves an issue where external binding failed after installing Windows updates dated May 2023 or later, affecting LDAP queries and authentication.

Implications and Impact

This update underscores Microsoft's commitment to enhancing user experience and system stability. By introducing personalized website recommendations, users can access frequently visited sites more efficiently. Compliance with international standards like GB18030-2022 demonstrates Microsoft's dedication to global user needs. Additionally, the numerous technical fixes address critical issues, ensuring a more reliable and secure operating environment.

Conclusion

Windows 11 Build 22621.2359 brings a comprehensive set of features and improvements that cater to both general users and IT professionals. By addressing a wide range of issues and introducing user-centric enhancements, Microsoft continues to refine the Windows 11 experience.

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