Windows 11 KB5044284 and KB5044285 cumulative updates released

Microsoft has released the KB5044284 and KB5044285 Windows 11 cumulative updates for versions 24H2 and 22H2/23H2 to fix security vulnerabilities and resolve 27 bugs and performance issues.

Both are mandatory cumulative updates containing the October 2024 Patch Tuesday security updates for vulnerabilities discovered in previous months.

Windows 11 users can install them by going to Start > Settings > Windows Update and clicking on 'Check for Updates.'

The two updates can also be manually downloaded and installed from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

What's new in this month's Windows 11 cumulative updates

Today's KB5044284 update for Windows 11 24H2 contains 13 fixes and changes, including a fix for the Remote Desktop Gateway Service stopping when using remote procedure calls (RPC) over HTTP.

Other highlights included with this cumulative update include:

• A new energy recommendation to turn off high dynamic range (HDR). This helps to conserve energy on devices that have HDR displays. Go to Settings > Power & battery > Energy recommendations.
• A new option to turn off enhanced mouse pointer precision to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Mouse. There is also a new option to change the direction in which the mouse scrolls.
• When your device's battery power is running low, a pop-up window will appear that asks you to plug in your device. This occurs when the battery level reaches 20% and while Energy Saver is set to "Always On."​

The KB5044285 cumulative update for Windows 11 23H2 and 22H2 includes 14 improvements and bug fixes, including fixes for Edge and task manager freezes.

Among other highlights, it also addresses the following key issues:

• [Windows identity protection] Users no longer need to enter their credentials more than once for Outlook or another encrypted email app. A user will be prompted for their PIN one time only.
• [Copilot Pro subscription] New! You can now manage your Copilot Pro subscription in Settings. Sign in to your Microsoft account and go to Settings>Accounts.
• [Outlook and other encrypted email apps] This issue prompts for your PIN each time you open an encrypted email.
• [Microsoft Defender for Endpoint] Work Folders files fail to sync when Defender for Endpoint is on.

After installing this update, Windows 11 24H2 will be updated to build 26100.2033, while Windows 10 23H2 will be on build 22631.4317.

Microsoft is only aware of one issue that may impact Windows 11 24H2 systems after installing the KB5044284 update, where Roblox players cannot download and play the game via the Microsoft Store on Windows Arm devices.

The KB5044284 support bulletin and last month's KB5043178 preview update bulletin contain complete lists of fixes for Windows 11 24H2.

Windows 11 22H2/23H2 users can also find the full list of changes in the KB5044285 bulletin and the September 2024 preview update bulletin.