KB5101650: Everything New in Windows 11’s July 2026 Update — Record 570 Fixes, Point-in-Time Restore, and the Dell Block Explained

Microsoft released KB5101650 on July 14, 2026 — the July Patch Tuesday cumulative update for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2.

The headline number is 570 vulnerabilities fixed — a record for any single Windows update, representing a 316% increase over the 137 fixes in July 2025. Three of those vulnerabilities are zero-days. That number generated alarming headlines, so this guide unpacks what it actually means, what the real security priorities are, and how worried you should be.

Beyond the security content, KB5101650 delivers something Windows users have been asking for since Windows XP: a proper Point-in-time Restore. Plus the biggest Bluetooth fix Windows 11 has seen in years, a faster File Explorer, and quieter Widgets.

Here is everything in one place — every new feature, every security fix that matters, every known issue, and exactly how to install or download it.

What Is KB5101650?

KB5101650 is Microsoft’s mandatory July 2026 Patch Tuesday cumulative security update for Windows 11. It applies to Windows 11 version 25H2 and Windows 11 version 24H2, moving them to OS builds 26200.8875 and 26100.8875 respectively.

If you are on Windows 11 version 23H2, you receive a different update — KB5099414 — which moves your system to build 22631.7376.

The update is mandatory. It will install automatically on your PC whether you manually check for updates or not, subject to Microsoft’s gradual rollout schedule. You can install it immediately by going to Settings, Windows Update, Check for updates rather than waiting for it to arrive automatically.

It is the complete vehicle for July 2026’s security content. All CVEs patched this month are delivered through KB5101650 — there is no separate security-only package for Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2 users.

The 570 Vulnerabilities — What You Actually Need to Know

570 vulnerabilities in one update is a record number. Before you panic, here is what it actually means.

Security researchers counted 570 vulnerabilities addressed in Microsoft’s July 14 release, including three zero-days. But reports describing these as “570 critical security fixes” overstate the situation. BleepingComputer counted 59 vulnerabilities rated Critical, while Qualys counted 57 under its methodology — the remainder were primarily rated Important.

The distinction matters. Critical vulnerabilities are ones where an attacker could potentially execute code on your system with no user interaction required. Important vulnerabilities typically require some form of user action or specific conditions to exploit. The 570 number includes both categories, plus lower-severity findings.

The three zero-days are the ones that require immediate attention. Zero-day vulnerabilities are ones that attackers were actively exploiting or that had been publicly disclosed before Microsoft’s patch was ready. The specific CVE numbers for the July 2026 zero-days have been published by Microsoft on the Security Response Center blog — check there for the latest details if you are managing enterprise systems where specific CVE tracking is required.

The high-priority areas for enterprise administrators are internet-facing systems. The broader July release includes fixes across Windows TCP/IP, Windows Media, Hyper-V, NTFS, Bluetooth, Secure Boot, SMB, Win32k, and Windows Server Update Services, among other components. There are numerous remote-code-execution and elevation-of-privilege issues, making the cumulative update relevant even to PCs unaffected by the headline zero-days. For enterprise administrators, this is a month to prioritize internet-facing SharePoint Server systems, ADFS infrastructure, and exposed Windows services.

For individual users and standard office PCs, the practical answer to “should I install this?” is yes — install it, and install it soon.

Every New Feature in KB5101650

Point-in-Time Restore — The Headline Feature

This is what Windows users have been asking for across multiple generations of the operating system.

The headline is Point-in-time restore, a full-system rollback that finally reaches a broad rollout after months of hiding in Insider builds.

Point-in-time Restore is a new recovery capability that lets you return your system to a previous working state faster than any previous Windows recovery mechanism. Unlike System Restore — which only saves a snapshot of registry and system files — Point-in-time Restore captures the full system state, making it more comprehensive. Unlike Reset This PC — which can take 30 to 90 minutes and may require reinstalling applications — Point-in-time Restore is designed to be significantly faster.

The feature appears in Settings under System, Recovery. You can create restore points manually, schedule automatic point creation, and roll back to any saved point when your system runs into trouble after a bad update, driver installation, or software change.

For anyone who has ever spent hours troubleshooting a Windows problem that started after installing something, this feature alone makes KB5101650 worth installing.

Bluetooth — Biggest Fix in Years

The biggest Bluetooth fix Windows 11 has had in years is included in KB5101650.

The Bluetooth improvements address long-standing connectivity issues that affected a range of devices — headphones, speakers, keyboards, and mice that would occasionally disconnect, fail to reconnect after sleep, or experience audio quality degradation after extended use. The fix includes both connection stability improvements and audio quality improvements for Bluetooth audio devices.

Users who have been dealing with Bluetooth audio cutting out, devices failing to appear after sleep mode, or inconsistent connection behavior should find KB5101650 provides noticeable improvement.

File Explorer Improvements

File Explorer in Windows 11 received speed and reliability improvements in this update. The changes reduce load time for folders with large numbers of files, improve the responsiveness of the search function, and address stability issues that occasionally caused File Explorer to stop responding on systems with certain network drive configurations.

Redesigned Widgets — Quieter and Less Distracting

The Widgets experience in Windows 11 has been redesigned with a focus on reducing distractions. The new layout is more compact and less visually intrusive on the taskbar. Notification behavior has been revised so Widgets surface information when you request it rather than pushing unsolicited updates into your field of view.

New Windows Update Pause Controls

KB5101650 introduces updated Windows Update pause controls that give users more granular options for delaying updates. The new controls include the ability to pause updates by category — deferring feature updates independently of security updates — and improved visibility into what is in each pending update before you install it.

RDP Security Hardening Against Phishing

Remote Desktop Protocol connections now support SHA-2 certificate thumbprints for authentication verification. This is a security hardening change specifically aimed at protecting against phishing attacks that target RDP connections by presenting fraudulent certificates. Organizations using RDP should ensure their infrastructure supports SHA-2 certificate thumbprints following this update.

curl Upgrade to Version 8.21.0

This update upgrades the curl tool in Windows to version 8.21.0 and includes security improvements that help protect your device. curl is a command-line tool included in Windows that developers and system administrators use for data transfer and API testing. The upgrade to 8.21.0 includes security patches and performance improvements relevant to developer and enterprise workflows.

Secure Boot Certificate Rollout

KB5101650 continues Microsoft’s phased rollout of new Secure Boot certificates. These certificates update the trusted certificate store used by the system’s boot security chain. With this update, Windows quality updates include additional high-confidence device targeting data, increasing coverage of devices eligible to automatically receive new Secure Boot certificates. Devices receive the new certificates only after demonstrating sufficient successful update signals, maintaining a controlled and phased rollout.

Windows K2 Features

KB5101650 includes additional Windows K2 features continuing the Windows 11 next-generation platform improvements that have been rolling out since early 2026. These improvements are delivered gradually through Controlled Feature Rollout technology and may not be visible immediately on all devices.

Full Feature Summary Table

Feature	What Changed
Point-in-time Restore	Full system rollback — now broadly available
Bluetooth	Major stability and audio quality fix
File Explorer	Faster load, improved search, stability fixes
Widgets	Redesigned — quieter and less distracting
Windows Update controls	New pause-by-category options
RDP security	SHA-2 certificate thumbprint support
curl	Upgraded to version 8.21.0
Secure Boot	Continued certificate rollout
Windows K2	Additional platform improvements
Accessibility	Multiple improvements across Windows

Known Issues and Problems

Dell PCs with Intel IPF Driver — Compatibility Block

The most significant known issue with KB5101650 is not caused by KB5101650 itself — it is caused by an interaction between the June 2026 preview update KB5095093 and a specific Intel driver present on many Dell PCs.

Microsoft blocked KB5101650 on affected Dell devices to prevent unexpected shutdowns, overheating, poor performance, and battery drain. Those devices temporarily could not receive July’s security patches.

The fix arrived on July 18, 2026 as two emergency out-of-band updates. Standard Windows 11 devices received KB5121767. Windows 11 Enterprise devices enrolled in hotpatching received KB5121768. If you have an affected Dell PC, install the appropriate OOB update first, after which KB5101650 will be delivered normally.

Office Apps Failing to Launch

After installing the June 2026 security update KB5094126, some apps might fail to launch Office or open documents. If you encounter this issue after KB5101650 installs, try repairing your Microsoft Office installation — go to Settings, Apps, find Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365, click Modify, and select Quick Repair.

Keyboard Shortcuts Temporarily Stopping

This update changes hotkey unregister and cleanup behavior. In rare cases, some built-in Windows experiences that rely on previous hotkey lifecycle behavior might temporarily stop responding to certain keyboard shortcuts. This issue can typically be resolved by restarting the app affected.

Gaming Crashes When Combined With KB5100998

Multiple users reported that installing KB5101650 alongside KB5100998 — the July .NET Framework update released on the same Patch Tuesday — caused gaming PCs to freeze, crash, or reboot. This was particularly reported on ASUS ROG systems with AMD Ryzen processors. If you are experiencing gaming instability after July’s updates, try uninstalling KB5100998 separately to identify whether it is the cause.

Which Windows Version Does KB5101650 Apply To?

Windows Version	Update	OS Build
Windows 11 25H2	KB5101650	26200.8875
Windows 11 24H2	KB5101650	26100.8875
Windows 11 23H2	KB5099414	22631.7376
Windows 10	Different KB	—

To check your Windows version, go to Settings, System, About, and look under Windows specifications. The Version field shows 25H2 or 24H2, and the OS build number confirms which update you have installed. For a quick explanation of how to read that build number, and the date each version stops receiving security updates, see check which Windows version you have.

How to Install KB5101650

Method 1 — Windows Update

Go to Settings. Click Windows Update. Click Check for updates. KB5101650 will appear as “2026-07 Security Update (KB5101650) (26200.8875).” Click Download and install. Restart when prompted.

Method 2 — Microsoft Update Catalog (Manual / Offline)

For offline installation or manual deployment across multiple machines, download directly from catalog.update.microsoft.com.

Search for KB5101650. Select the package matching your Windows version and architecture. Click Download and run the downloaded .MSU file. Restart when prompted.

Note that this KB contains one or more MSU files that require installation in a specific order. You can install this update using Method 1 — install all MSU files together — or Method 2 — install each MSU file individually in order. Download all MSU files for KB5101650 from the Microsoft Update Catalog and place them in the same folder before installing.

How to Verify KB5101650 Is Installed

Go to Settings, System, About. Under Windows specifications, check the OS build number. If it shows 26200.8875 (Windows 11 25H2) or 26100.8875 (Windows 11 24H2), KB5101650 is successfully installed.

Alternatively, go to Settings, Windows Update, Update History, and look for KB5101650 in the list of installed updates.

Should You Install KB5101650?

Yes — for virtually everyone. This is a mandatory security update that patches three active zero-days and hundreds of other vulnerabilities. The security case for installing it is strong regardless of whether the new features interest you.

Install immediately if you use your Windows 11 PC for any internet-connected activities — which is essentially everyone. The zero-days and the RCE vulnerabilities make delaying this update a meaningful security risk.

Wait if you have an affected Dell PC that was blocked from receiving this update. Install the appropriate emergency fix first — check if KB5121768 (Enterprise hotpatch) or KB5121767 (standard) applies to your device, install it, and then allow KB5101650 to come through normally.

Consider pausing briefly if you use your PC primarily for gaming and are concerned about the reported crashes with KB5100998. You can install KB5101650 on its own without KB5100998 and see if the stability issue resolves.

The security content in this update is substantial enough that pausing indefinitely is not recommended for any user. The Dell Intel IPF issue was blocked before it reached most users, and the hotkey and Office issues have straightforward workarounds.

Frequently Asked Questions