Windows 11’s October 2026 Patch Tuesday update lands on October 13, but you don’t have to wait to see what’s in it. Microsoft already shipped KB5124010 as an optional preview, and it shows exactly which features are about to become mandatory for everyone.
What KB5124010 Actually Is
KB5124010 is a non-security preview update, offered as an optional install through Windows Update in the Stable channel. It brings build 26300.9550 for version 26H2, 26200.9550 for 25H2, and 26100.9550 for 24H2 — all three versions get the same feature set, which is why Microsoft treats them as functionally identical at this point. Version 23H2 isn’t included here; it only receives security fixes going forward, with no new features.
The Features Worth Knowing About
- File Explorer: the preview pane can now show downloaded HTML files after you confirm a security warning, PDFs preview automatically, and the Home page remembers which sections you’d expanded or collapsed.
- Open apps maximized: a new accessibility option under Settings > Accessibility > Visual Effects that launches apps maximized instead of in a floating window.
- Touchpad gestures: precision touchpads gain one-finger vertical scrolling from the left or right edge, and continuous scrolling by swiping upward without lifting your finger.
- Copilot key remapping: you can now send the Copilot key to Right Ctrl or the Context Menu key instead, under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Keyboard.
- Tips widget: short, built-in guidance about Windows features, available on the widgets board and optionally the lock screen.
- Camera Roll backup: a new OneDrive photo-protection option added directly to Settings.
- WinRE Wi-Fi reuse: Windows Recovery Environment can now reuse Wi-Fi profiles already saved on the PC, including certificate-based networks, enabled by default.
- Smaller changes: Bluetooth audio and connection reliability fixes, Emoji 17.0 characters in the emoji picker, more Kiosk mode shortcut restrictions, and Windows Backup formally taking over from the retired PC-to-PC Migration tool.
Why This Release Matters More Than a Normal Month
This is being described as the last quality update version 24H2 receives before it reaches end of support. If you’re still running 24H2, this isn’t a reason to panic — your PC won’t stop working — but it is the point where you should start planning your move to 25H2 or 26H2, since 24H2 won’t keep getting the monthly security patches that every other supported version continues to receive after this cycle.
Should You Install the Preview Now, or Wait?
KB5124010 is optional precisely because it’s a preview — it gives you early access to everything above, but preview builds occasionally carry rough edges that the final Patch Tuesday release has had a few more weeks to iron out. If this is your main work machine, there’s a reasonable case for waiting until October 13, when the mandatory security update bundles the same features together with that month’s security fixes. If you’re on a secondary PC and want to try the new File Explorer and touchpad behavior early, installing the preview through Windows Update now is low-risk and easy to uninstall if something feels off.
Don’t Expect Everything to Appear Instantly
Microsoft rolls these features out gradually through what it calls Controlled Feature Rollout, so installing the update doesn’t flip every switch on immediately for every PC. Two machines on the identical build number can show a different subset of these features for weeks, which is normal and not a sign that the update failed to install correctly. If a specific feature you’re expecting doesn’t show up right away, that’s the most likely explanation — not a broken update.
What Not to Do
Resist the urge to force-enable staged features with unofficial registry tweaks or third-party feature-unlock tools on a PC you rely on daily — those tools reach into flags Microsoft hasn’t finished testing for your specific configuration, and the instability that can cause is harder to diagnose than just waiting a few weeks for the rollout to reach you. On the other side, don’t skip the actual October 13 security update out of caution about the preview; the preview and the mandatory release aren’t the same risk level, and the security fixes in the Patch Tuesday release aren’t optional in any practical sense.
Related: Catch up on what changed last month in our September 2026 Windows 11 update breakdown, and if you’re still unclear on how 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2 relate to each other, our explainer on Windows 11’s version numbers covers it.
FAQ
What is KB5124010?
KB5124010 is an optional, non-security preview update for Windows 11 that previews the features coming in the mandatory October 13, 2026 Patch Tuesday release, covering versions 26H2, 25H2, and 24H2.
Do I have to install the October preview update manually?
Yes. Unlike the mandatory Patch Tuesday release, preview updates like KB5124010 only install if you manually select it under optional updates in Windows Update; they never install automatically.
What happens to Windows 11 24H2 after this update?
This is described as the last quality update 24H2 receives before it reaches end of support, after which it stops getting the monthly security patches that other supported versions continue to receive.
Why don’t I see all these new features right after updating?
Microsoft rolls features out gradually through Controlled Feature Rollout, so identical builds can show different features to different PCs for a period of weeks after the update installs.