Microsoft released KB5089573 on May 26, 2026 — the optional non-security preview update for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2. It moves systems to OS builds 26200.8524 and 26100.8524.
Windows 11 KB5089573 is a major update that bumps the OS to Build 26200.8524 and adds multiple new features, including Low Latency Profile for better performance. This update is available via Windows Update, but Microsoft has also posted direct download links to the KB5089573 offline installers on the Update Catalog. May 2026’s optional update shows up as “2026-05 Preview Update (KB5089573) (26200.8524)” when you check for updates under Settings, Windows Update, but it won’t download unless you click the Download and Install button.
The update is labeled “preview” because it includes all changes that will ship on the next Patch Tuesday — June 9, 2026.
This is an optional update — it does not include security patches and does not install automatically. But with 30 changes including a genuine app launch speed improvement, Shared Audio for Bluetooth headphones, Multi-App Camera access, Windows Hello as the default sign-in method, and a fix for the error 0x800f0922 EFI partition issue, it is more substantive than most preview releases.
What Is KB5089573?
KB5089573 is a cumulative preview update for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2, released on May 26, 2026, with OS builds 26200.8524 and 26100.8524. This production-quality update delivers a comprehensive set of improvements spanning AI-powered features, system reliability, performance enhancements, and quality fixes. The update is distributed through both gradual and normal rollout phases to ensure stability across diverse hardware configurations.
It is a C-release — the category of optional preview updates Microsoft releases in the third week of each month, three weeks after Patch Tuesday. C-releases do not contain security patches. They are the vehicle Microsoft uses to preview the following month’s quality improvements before locking them into the mandatory Patch Tuesday release.
Unlike regular Patch Tuesday cumulative updates, monthly preview updates are optional and do not include security updates.
Everything in KB5089573 shipped to all Windows 11 users as part of the June 9, 2026 Patch Tuesday update KB5094126. Installing KB5089573 in May gave early access to those improvements three weeks ahead of the mandatory rollout.
App Launch Speed and Core Shell Performance
“This update accelerates app launch and core shell experiences such as Start menu, Search, and Action Center,” Microsoft said in a Tuesday support document.
Microsoft is not selling this as a grand redesign — it is tuning the everyday friction points that make an operating system feel slow even when benchmarks say otherwise. The question is not whether the patch is optional, but whether Microsoft has finally decided that perceived latency is a first-class Windows bug.
This is the most broadly impactful change in KB5089573. The improvement targets the delay between an action and its result — the time between clicking Start and seeing the Start menu, between clicking the Search bar and seeing results, between pressing Alt+Tab and seeing the switcher. These micro-delays have been one of the most common Windows 11 complaints since its launch.
The update’s lasting importance will depend on whether users notice consistent responsiveness improvements on real, cluttered Windows PCs rather than clean test systems. KB5089573 will not settle every argument about Windows 11 performance, and it should not be mistaken for a universal speed switch. But it points to the right battlefield: the tiny delays, authentication stumbles, device quirks, and shell hesitations that make a modern PC feel older than its specifications.
In practical testing, the improvement is most noticeable on systems that have accumulated months of updates and installed software — exactly the kind of real-world Windows installation that usually diverges from clean-install benchmarks.
Every New Feature and Fix in KB5089573
Shared Audio — Two Headphones, One PC
Shared Audio enables two people to listen to the same audio simultaneously on a single Windows 11 PC using Bluetooth LE Audio technology.
KB5089573 previews the Shared Audio feature that shipped to all users in KB5094126. Two pairs of Bluetooth earbuds or headphones can connect to the same Windows 11 PC and receive identical audio simultaneously. Both devices must support Bluetooth LE Audio — the newer Bluetooth audio standard that enables multiple simultaneous streams.
The use cases are practical: two people watching the same video on a laptop, two collaborators listening to the same audio recording, or a parent and child sharing audio from a single device.
Low Latency Performance Profile — CPU Boost for Games
The most notable changes in KB5089573 are shared audio support, improved NPU tracking in Task Manager, multi-camera support, the new low-latency mode, and more.
The Low Latency Performance Profile adjusts how Windows schedules CPU resources to prioritize low-latency task completion over maximum throughput efficiency. For gaming and latency-sensitive applications, the result is faster input response and more consistent frame pacing.
The profile activates automatically when the system detects a supported workload — no manual configuration is required.
Multi-App Camera Access
Windows 11’s Multi-App Camera feature allows multiple applications to access your camera stream at the same time.
Previously, Windows limited camera access to one application — if one app was using your webcam, any other app trying to access it received an error. KB5089573 removes this restriction, allowing simultaneous camera access across multiple apps.
This means you can run a video call and a recording application at the same time, or use a meeting platform and a dedicated camera control tool without conflict. The feature shipped to all users in KB5094126.
Windows Hello as Default Sign-In Method
“This update improves sign-in behavior on the lock screen and sign-in screen. When Windows Hello face or fingerprint is set up and available, it is now the default sign-in method every time you sign in, even if you used a different method previously.”
Before KB5089573, Windows could revert to PIN or password sign-in after certain events — sleep, hibernation, or signing in with an alternate method once. The update ensures that if Windows Hello face or fingerprint is configured and available, it is consistently presented as the primary sign-in option on every lock screen and sign-in prompt.
For users who have set up Windows Hello, this eliminates the frustration of arriving at a lock screen that defaults to PIN entry instead of face or fingerprint recognition.
Task Manager — CPU Speed Fix for VMs and NPU Improvements
This update improves CPU speed display on the Performance page of Task Manager for VMs, so it no longer shows higher-than-expected numbers after resuming from hibernation.
Virtual machine users running Hyper-V or other virtualization platforms noticed that Task Manager’s Performance page would display inflated CPU speed numbers after resuming a VM from hibernation — sometimes showing speeds significantly above the processor’s actual clock speed. KB5089573 corrects this display error.
For Copilot+ PCs, NPU monitoring in Task Manager receives additional improvements that expand the metrics available for AI processing workloads.
Sensor Hub Battery Drain Fix
This update improves resiliency against apps that could keep the sensor hub powered on and drain power, impacting battery life.
Some applications were incorrectly keeping the Windows sensor hub — the component that aggregates data from motion sensors, ambient light sensors, and other hardware sensors — in an active powered state even when the app was minimized or backgrounded. This caused unnecessary battery drain on laptops. KB5089573 adds guardrails that prevent apps from keeping the sensor hub powered on when it should be in a low-power state.
HID and Input Stack Battery Life Fix
This update improves HID and Input stack battery life for failed HID devices.
When a Human Interface Device — keyboard, mouse, or other input device — fails to initialize correctly, the Windows input stack was previously maintaining the device in a higher-power state while repeatedly trying to recover it. KB5089573 improves how the input stack handles failed HID devices, reducing the power overhead when a device cannot be initialized.
Device Naming During Windows Setup
KB5089573 introduces the ability to name your device during the Windows setup experience — a quality-of-life addition for users setting up new PCs or reinstalling Windows. Previously, device naming happened after initial setup was complete. This brings the naming step earlier in the process, making new PC configuration feel more organized from the start.
Magnifier Improvements
The Windows Magnifier accessibility tool receives reliability improvements in KB5089573. The changes address intermittent focus tracking issues where Magnifier would lose the cursor or active element position during rapid navigation across the screen.
USB Reliability Improvements
KB5089573 includes improvements to USB device connection stability, particularly for devices that were intermittently disconnecting and reconnecting on USB hubs or when the system resumed from sleep. The changes target the USB driver stack’s handling of device re-enumeration after power state transitions.
Secure Boot Certificate Update
KB5089573 also includes Secure Boot certificate updates. These prevent compatibility failures when the current certificates expire in June 2026 — a quiet but important background fix.
The phased Secure Boot certificate rollout that has been progressing through 2026 updates continues in KB5089573. Devices that qualify receive the updated certificates as part of this optional preview.
Full Change Summary Table
| Feature / Fix | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| App launch speed | Improved | Start, Search, Action Center faster |
| Shared Audio | New | Two Bluetooth LE Audio devices simultaneously |
| Low Latency Profile | New | CPU boost for games and latency-sensitive apps |
| Multi-App Camera | New | Multiple apps share same camera stream |
| Windows Hello default | Improved | Always default sign-in, not just first time |
| Task Manager CPU display | Fixed | VMs no longer show inflated clock speed |
| NPU monitoring | Improved | Better AI chip tracking |
| Sensor hub battery drain | Fixed | Apps cannot keep sensor hub active unnecessarily |
| HID battery drain | Fixed | Failed devices no longer drain power |
| Device naming at setup | New | Name PC during initial Windows setup |
| Magnifier focus tracking | Improved | Reliability improvements |
| USB reconnection | Improved | More stable after sleep/hub transitions |
| Secure Boot certificates | Ongoing | Phased rollout continues |
| Error 0x800f0922 | Fixed | EFI partition low space install error resolved |
Important Fix — Error 0x800f0922 and EFI Partition
This update addresses an issue where some devices might fail to complete installation with error code 0x800f0922. This can happen when the EFI System Partition has limited free space, especially when 10 MB or less is available. This might occur after installing the May 2026 security update KB5089549.
Error 0x800f0922 has been one of the most searched Windows Update errors through 2026 — it appears during feature updates and some cumulative updates when the EFI System Partition does not have enough free space for the update to process correctly.
KB5089573 addresses the specific instance of this error that was triggered by the combination of the May 2026 security update and limited EFI partition space. If you were experiencing 0x800f0922 after installing the May security update, KB5089573 resolves the underlying cause.
Is KB5089573 Worth Installing? Or Wait for KB5094126?
This is the key practical question about any optional preview update.
The update is labeled “preview” because it includes all changes that will ship on the next Patch Tuesday — June 9, 2026.
Since we are now in July 2026 and KB5094126 — the June 9 Patch Tuesday — has already shipped, all of KB5089573’s content is already available through the mandatory June update. If you have KB5094126 or KB5101650 installed, you already have everything KB5089573 contained.
Install KB5089573 separately only if: you are specifically researching the May 2026 preview window, testing update behavior on an unpatched system, or building a historical understanding of the 2026 Windows 11 update sequence.
For most users: check whether KB5094126 or KB5101650 are installed. If either is present, KB5089573’s content is already on your system.
How to Install KB5089573
Method 1 — Windows Update (Optional — Manual Click Required)
The KB5089573 update is part of the company’s non-security preview schedule, designed to introduce new features and fixes at the end of each month, allowing IT admins and users to test them before rolling them out to the general user base during next month’s Patch Tuesday.
Go to Settings, Windows Update, Check for updates. KB5089573 appears as “2026-05 Preview Update (KB5089573) (26200.8524)” but does not download automatically — you must click Download and install manually.
Method 2 — Microsoft Update Catalog
Go to catalog.update.microsoft.com. Search for KB5089573. Select the package for your Windows version and architecture. Download the .MSU file and run it.
If you encounter error 0x80244022 during connection to Windows Update or the catalog, our full fix guide covers every resolution.
KB5043080 must be installed as a prerequisite. Most up-to-date systems already have it — if KB5089573 fails with 0x800F0838, install KB5043080 first.
Where KB5089573 Sits in the 2026 Update Chain
KB5089573 is the May preview — the bridge between the April mandatory update and the June mandatory update.
KB5079473 — March 10, 2026. Emoji 16, Sysmon, Taskbar speed test.
KB5083769 — April 14, 2026. 167 vulnerabilities, Narrator Copilot, Smart App Control toggle.
KB5089573 — May 26, 2026. This article. Optional preview — app speed, Shared Audio, Multi-App Camera, Windows Hello default.
KB5094126 — June 9, 2026. Mandatory — ships all of KB5089573’s content plus security patches.
KB5095093 — June 23, 2026. Optional preview — Point-in-Time Restore debut, Bluetooth fixes, USB-C Connection Manager change.
KB5101650 — July 14, 2026. Mandatory — 570 vulnerabilities, Point-in-Time Restore for all users.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is KB5089573?
KB5089573 is the optional non-security preview cumulative update for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2, released May 26, 2026. It moves systems to OS builds 26200.8524 and 26100.8524 and previews the improvements that shipped to all users in the June 9, 2026 Patch Tuesday update KB5094126.
Is KB5089573 mandatory?
No. KB5089573 is an optional preview update. It does not install automatically and does not contain security patches. You must manually click Download and install in Windows Update to receive it. All its changes were delivered to all users via the mandatory June 2026 update KB5094126.
What is the biggest change in KB5089573?
The most impactful change is the app launch and core shell speed improvement — accelerating Start menu, Search, and Action Center responsiveness. This targets the perceived sluggishness many Windows 11 users experience on real-world systems even when hardware benchmarks suggest the PC should be fast.
Does KB5089573 fix error 0x800f0922?
Yes. KB5089573 addresses the specific instance of error 0x800f0922 that occurred when the EFI System Partition had 10MB or less of free space, triggered by the May 2026 security update KB5089549.
Do I need to install KB5089573 if I have KB5094126?
No. KB5094126 — the June 9, 2026 Patch Tuesday — includes all of KB5089573’s content plus June security patches. If KB5094126 or KB5101650 is installed, KB5089573’s improvements are already on your system.
What OS build does KB5089573 install?
KB5089573 installs OS build 26200.8524 on Windows 11 25H2 and build 26100.8524 on Windows 11 24H2.
What is Shared Audio in KB5089573?
Shared Audio is a Bluetooth LE Audio feature that lets two pairs of headphones or earbuds receive the same audio simultaneously from one Windows 11 PC. Both devices must support Bluetooth LE Audio. The feature was previewed in KB5089573 and shipped to all users in KB5094126.
Why does KB5089573 improve battery life?
KB5089573 includes two battery drain fixes: one that prevents apps from keeping the sensor hub unnecessarily powered on, and one that improves how the input stack handles failed HID devices that were previously maintained in a higher-power recovery state indefinitely.
