It's that time of the month again when Microsoft rolls out new cumulative updates for all supported versions of Windows, which now includes just Windows 11 and Windows 10. While all versions of Windows 11 are supported, Windows 10 users are only supported on specific versions, depending on the edition they're running. The more interesting updates are also exclusive to Windows 11, since that's the more active platform.

Windows 11 version 22H2 gets built-in LAPS and design tweaks (22621.1555)

Starting things off with the latest version of Windows 11, version 22H2, this update includes a couple of notable changes, particularly if you skip the optional updates each month. These changes are rolling out with build 22621.1555 for Windows 11 version 22H2, and the update itself is labeled as KB5023778. You can download it manually here if you're interested.

The one thing that's completely new with this update, even if you have the March optional update, is the inclusion of the Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) as part of Windows itself. This administrative tool was previously as a free download, but now it's more easily accessible. This has been available for Windows Insiders for a few months at this point, so it's nice to finally see it become widely available.

As for the changes that were in the previous optional update, Microsoft has made some design changes. The search box now adapts better to custom color modes, specifically when using a dark mode for Windows and the app mode to light (under Settings -> Personalization -> Colors). You may also see a Bing button if you've been given access to the Bing preview. Another change is that the user menu in the Start menu can now display certain messages prompting users to take specific actions. Finally, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint has also been updated with a few new features.

Screenshot of different messages shown on the Start menu when Windows 11 recommends the user back up their files

n addition to the changes above, there are a lot of fixes and smaller improvements in this release, particularly when you consider all the changes from the previous optional update. You can see the full list of changes, including the ones from the optional update from last month:

Windows 11 initial release (22000.1817)

The updates for the initial release of Windows 11 also include the addition of the Local Administrator Password Solution, and there isn't much else that's new in terms of big new features. This update brings the OS build number to 22000.1817, and the update itself is labeled KB5025224. You can download it manually here.

Aside from LAPS, the only other notable change here is an improved search experience. You can also now customize how the search box looks in the taskbar settings page. Aside from this, it's mostly fixes, and once again, the full list of changes is split between today's update and the optional update released at the end of March. We've compiled everything below:

Windows 10 (multiple supported versions)

Finally, Windows 10 is also getting some updates, particularly for Windows 10 version 22H2 and version 21H2, which are the only ones supported for Home and Pro editions. Enterprise and Education editions are also still supported for Windows 1 version 20H2. The update is labeled as KB5025221 — which you can download here — and depending on the version you have, you'll have build 19045.2846, 19044.2846, or 19042.2846.

This update also includes LAPS integration, so Microsoft is making this available to as many users as possible. Otherwise, it's all about fixes with this release, and there's only a handful of them. You can check them out below:

Very specific channels are also still getting updated for older versions of Windows 10. You can find more information about these updates using the links below:

Windows version

KB article

Build number

Download

Windows 10 version 1809

KB5025229

17763.4252

Update Catalog

Windows 10 version 1607

KB5025228

14393.5850

Update Catalog

Windows 10 version 1507

KB5025234

10240.19869

Update Catalog

As per usual, since these are mandatory updates, they'll be installed automatically sooner or later. You can use the links in this article to install them manually at a more convenient time so you don't get interrupted when you don't want to.