Microsoft has released optional cumulative update KB5026435 Preview for Windows 10 22H2 with two new features and 18 additional fixes or changes.

This release is primarily a maintenance release, fixing many bugs causing crashes or network connection issues. However, Microsoft has released two new features related to the taskbar search experience and toast notifications.

Preview of Cumulative Update KB5026435 is part of the new “optional non-security preview versionreleased the fourth week of each month, allowing admins to test upcoming patches released on the Tuesday of the following month’s mandatory patch.

Unlike Patch Tuesday cumulative updates, preview updates do not include security updates.

Windows users can install this update by going to Settingsclicking on Windows Update, and manually perform a ‘Check for updates.’

Since this is an optional update, you will be asked if you want to install it by clicking on the “Download and Install” link, as shown in the image below.

After installing this update, Windows 10 22H2 will be updated to build 19045.3031.

Windows 10 users can also manually download and install the KB5026435 preview update from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

What’s new in Windows 10 KB5026435

With this update, Microsoft did not introduce two new features and fixed a total of 18 issues in Windows 10.

The fixes and new features highlighted in the KB5026435 update are:

• New! This update brings back an improved search box experience to the Windows 10 taskbar. If you have a top, bottom, regular, or small icon taskbar, you’ll see the search box appear. You can use it to easily access apps, files, settings, and more from Windows and the web. You will also have access to the latest research updates, such as research highlights. If you want to restore your previous search experience, you can do so easily. To do this, use the context menu on the taskbar or respond to a dialog box that appears when you use the search.

• New! This update now displays up to three high priority toast notifications at the same time. This feature affects apps that use Windows OS notifications to send call, reminder, or alarm notifications. Up to four toast notifications can appear at the same time. This means that there can be three high priority notifications and one normal priority notification.

• This update fixes an issue that affects access to tab settings for sites in IE mode.

• This update resolves an issue with the Multi-Function Label Printer. This affects the installation of some of them.

• This update fixes an issue that affects the touch keyboard. Sometimes it doesn’t show the correct layout based on the current input scope.

• This update fixes an issue that sometimes prevented the touch keyboard from opening.

Microsoft warns of an issue with this release: A long-standing bug causing Windows installations created from offline media or an ISO image may cause Microsoft Edge Legacy to be removed, but not replaced by the new modern Microsoft Edge.

You can find a full list of fixes in the Support Bulletin KB5026435.