Windows 11 KB5101684 out with a speed boost, direct download links for offline installer (.msu) - Windows Latest

What the report says

WindowsLatest reports that Microsoft has begun rolling out Windows 11 KB5101684, an optional July 2026 preview update focused on quality and performance improvements. The update is described as a late-month “D” release and appears in Windows Update as “2026-07 Preview Update (KB5101684) (26200.8973).” According to the report, it is not meant to install automatically unless users have enabled Microsoft’s “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” setting; otherwise, users must choose “Download & Install.”

The update moves Windows 11 25H2 to Build 26200.8973 and Windows 11 24H2 to Build 26100.8973. WindowsLatest says Microsoft has also published offline .msu installers through the Update Catalog, which may help users whose Windows Update installation fails or administrators updating multiple PCs. The report lists download sizes of roughly 5.3GB for x64 systems and about 4.9GB for ARM64 packages, while noting that Windows Update remains the recommended installation route.

Among the main changes, WindowsLatest highlights performance and reliability work affecting Windows Search, File Explorer, the Start menu, taskbar, lock screen and explorer.exe. Search is said to better handle misspellings and surface relevant settings, while File Explorer gains clearer file-size units and support for opening folders in new tabs with a middle-click. The article also points to smoother behavior on lower-memory or lower-end PCs, including improvements around sign-in, Task View, jump lists and Start menu customization.

The report adds that the update continues Microsoft’s broader rollout of Secure Boot 2023 certificates to more PCs and introduces new precision touchpad scrolling controls on supported hardware. As with many optional Windows preview releases, WindowsLatest says some improvements are being rolled out gradually and may not appear for every user immediately.