Release Date:

21/03/2023

Version:

OS Builds 19042.2788, 19044.2788, and 19045.2788

3/21/23 REMINDER After this March 21, 2023, release there are no more optional, non-security preview releases for the supported editions of Windows 10, version 20H2 and Windows 10, version 21H2. Only cumulative monthly security updates (known as the "B" or Update Tuesday release) will continue for these versions. Windows 10, version 22H2 will continue to receive security and optional releases.

NEW 3/21/23 IMPORTANT Starting in April 2023, optional, non-security preview updates will release on the fourth Tuesday of the month. For more information, see Windows monthly updates explained.

2/21/23 REMINDER The retired, out-of-support Internet Explorer 11 desktop application was permanently turned off as part of the February 2023 Windows security update ("B" release) on  February 14, 2023. Go to Internet Explorer 11 desktop app retirement FAQ for more information.

11/17/20

For information about Windows update terminology, see the article about the types of Windows updates and the monthly quality update types. For an overview of Windows 10, version 22H2, see its update history page.  

Note Follow @WindowsUpdate to find out when new content is published to the Windows release health dashboard.

 Highlights

  • This update addresses an issue that affects USB printers. The system classifies them as multimedia devices even though they are not.

Improvements

Note: To view the list of addressed issues, click or tap the OS name to expand the collapsible section.

Important: Use EKB KB5015684 to update to Windows 10, version 22H2.

This non-security update includes quality improvements. Key changes include:

  • This build includes all the improvements from the supported Windows 10, version 20H2 editions.

  • No additional issues were documented for this release.  

Important: Use EKB KB5003791 to update to Windows 10, version 21H2.

This non-security update includes quality improvements. Key changes include:

  • This build includes all the improvements from the supported Windows 10, version 20H2 editions.

  • No additional issues were documented for this release. 

Important: Use EKB KB4562830 to update to the supported editions of Windows 10, version 20H2.

This non-security update includes quality improvements. When you install this KB:

  • This update affects the ms-appinstaller URI. It now works with the DesktopAppInstaller policy.

  • The update addresses an issue that affects the Remote Procedure Call Service (rpcss.exe). The issue might cause a race condition between the Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) and the Microsoft Remote Procedure Call (RPC) endpoint mapper.

  • This update addresses an issue that affects the Microsoft HTML Application Host (HTA). This issue blocks code execution that uses Microsoft HTA. This occurs when you turn on Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) User Mode Code Integrity (UMCI) enforced mode.

  • This update addresses an issue that affects Desired State Configuration. It loses its previously configured options. This occurs if metaconfig.mof is missing. 

  • This update addresses compatibility issues that affect some printers. These printers use Windows Graphical Device Interface (GDI) printer drivers. These drivers do not completely adhere to GDI specifications.

  • This update addresses an issue that affects the Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP) certificate. The system reports some SCEP certificate installations as failed. Instead, the system should report them as pending.

  • This update addresses an issue that affects the Fast Identity Online 2.0 (FIDO2) PIN credential icon. It does not appear on the credentials screen of an external monitor. This occurs when that monitor is attached to a closed laptop.

  • This update affects applications that use the Windows UI Library in the Windows App SDK (WinUI 3). It makes printing for them possible on Windows 10 devices.

  • This update addresses an issue that affects the SharedPC account manager. It cannot delete multiple accounts during cleanup.

  • This update addresses an issue that might affect lsass.exe. It might stop responding. This occurs when it sends a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query to a domain controller that has a very large LDAP filter.

If you installed earlier updates, only the new updates contained in this package will be downloaded and installed on your device.

Windows 10 servicing stack update - 19042.2780, 19044.2780 and 19045.2780

This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates.

Known issues in this update

Symptoms

Workaround

Devices with Windows installations created from custom offline media or custom ISO image might have Microsoft Edge Legacy removed by this update, but not automatically replaced by the new Microsoft Edge. This issue is only encountered when custom offline media or ISO images are created by slipstreaming this update into the image without having first installed the standalone servicing stack update (SSU) released March 29, 2021 or later.

Note Devices that connect directly to Windows Update to receive updates are not affected. This includes devices using Windows Update for Business. Any device connecting to Windows Update should always receive the latest versions of the SSU and latest cumulative update (LCU) without any extra steps.

To avoid this issue, be sure to first slipstream the SSU released March 29, 2021 or later into the custom offline media or ISO image before slipstreaming the LCU. To do this with the combined SSU and LCU packages now used for Windows 10, version 20H2 and Windows 10, version 2004, you will need to extract the SSU from the combined package. Use the following steps to extract the SSU:

  1. Extract the cab from the msu via this command line (using the package for KB5000842 as an example): expand Windows10.0-KB5000842-x64.msu /f:Windows10.0-KB5000842-x64.cab <destination path>

  2. Extract the SSU from the previously extracted cab via this command line: expand Windows10.0-KB5000842-x64.cab /f:* <destination path>

  3. You will then have the SSU cab, in this example named SSU-19041.903-x64.cab. Slipstream this file into your offline image first, then the LCU.

If you have already encountered this issue by installing the OS using affected custom media, you can mitigate it by directly installing the new Microsoft Edge. If you need to broadly deploy the new Microsoft Edge for business, see Download and deploy Microsoft Edge for business.

After installing updates released January 10, 2023, and later, kiosk device profiles that have auto log on enabled might not sign in automatically. After Autopilot completes provisioning, affected devices will stay on the sign-in screen prompting for credentials.

This issue is addressed in KB5025221.

You might have intermittent issues saving, copying, or attaching files using 32-bit apps, which are large address aware and using the CopyFile API. Windows devices are more likely to be affected by this issue when using some commercial or enterprise security software that uses extended file attributes. Microsoft Office apps, such as Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel are only affected when using 32-bit versions and you might receive the error, "Document not saved."

This issue is unlikely to be experienced by consumers using Windows devices in their home or on non-managed commercial devices. Apps are not affected by this issue if they are 64-bit or 32-bit and NOT large address aware.

This issue is resolved in KB5027215.

How to get this update

Before installing this update

Microsoft now combines the latest servicing stack update (SSU) for your operating system with the latest cumulative update (LCU). For general information about SSUs, see Servicing stack updates and Servicing Stack Updates (SSU): Frequently Asked Questions.

Prerequisite:

Based on your installation scenario, choose one of the following:

  1. For offline OS image servicing:

    If your image does not have the March 22, 2022 (KB5011543) or later LCU, you must install the special standalone May 10, 2022 SSU (KB5014032) before installing this update.

  2. For Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) deployment or when installing the standalone package from Microsoft Update Catalog: 

    If your devices do not have the May 11, 2021 (KB5003173) or later LCU, you must install the special standalone August 10, 2021 SSU (KB5005260) before installing this update.

Install this update

Release Channel

Available

Next Step

Windows Update or Microsoft Update

Yes

Go to Settings Update & Security > Windows Update. In the Optional updates available area, you’ll find the link to download and install the update.

Windows Update for Business

No

None. These changes will be included in the next security update to this channel.

Microsoft Update Catalog

Yes

To get the standalone package for this update, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)

No

You can import this update into WSUS manually. See the Microsoft Update Catalog for instructions.

If you want to remove the LCU

To remove the LCU after installing the combined SSU and LCU package, use the DISM/Remove-Package command line option with the LCU package name as the argument. You can find the package name by using this command: DISM /online /get-packages.

Running Windows Update Standalone Installer (wusa.exe) with the /uninstall switch on the combined package will not work because the combined package contains the SSU. You cannot remove the SSU from the system after installation.

File information

For a list of the files that are provided in this update, download the file information for cumulative update 5023773.  

For a list of the files that are provided in the servicing stack update, download the file information for the SSU - versions 19042.2780, 19044.2780, and 19045.2780

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