Windows 11 KB5053656 is now available on Windows 11 24H2, and it’s one of the biggest feature drops in 2025. The March 27 update is shipping via Windows Update, but Microsoft has also posted direct download links for KB5053656 offline installers (.msu) on Update Catalog. Today’s update is optional and adds AI search, Xbox GamePad layout, and more.
KB5053656 is an optional update for Windows 11 24H2. It’s not supposed to download or install automatically, but you can go ahead and install it if you need the features shipping today. Remember that if you skip today’s optional update, you’ll still get everything on April 11 (Patch Tuesday), so you’re not losing out on anything.
Today’s optional release is called “2025-03 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 Version 24H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5053656)” and it advances PCs to Windows 11 Build 26100.3624.
Since it’s an optional release, even if you install the update, you might not immediately notice all the new features. New features are being rolled out in stages.
Download Links for Windows 11 KB5053656
Windows 11 KB5053656 Direct Download Links: 64-bit and ARM-64 | Microsoft Update Catalog.
What’s new in Windows 11 Build 26100.3624?
1. New AI features
As soon as you install today’s update, you’ll notice a couple of new AI additions, but sadly, they’re locked to Copilot+ PCs.
Starting with Windows 11 KB5053657, Search uses AI to optimize the search results, and it’s all powered by the Semantic Search Index API.
In our tests, Windows Latest observed that AI search works very well. It allows you to describe the file or image in everyday language, and Search can locate it for you.
AI-powered search is not limited to the Start menu. You can also open the search bar in File Explorer and start searching for files or pictures using everyday language.
Just type what comes to your mind when you think about the file or picture, and File Explorer’s AI search will locate it for you. It might sound like a dream come true moment especially when we know how terrible search is in Windows, but everything is changing with Semantic Index shipping today.
This is exclusive to AI PCs with 40+ TOPs.
Gamepad Keyboard layout
Windows 11 is betting big on handheld gaming after losing traction to SteamOS.
Microsoft is now trying to catch up, so it’s testing support for Gamepad layout for the built-in touch keyboard in Windows 11 KB5053656.
This means, if you open the touch keyboard, then tap on Gamepad layout mode, you’ll notice these changes:
- It now has X button for backspace and Y button for spacebar. The idea is to bring button accelerators to the touch keyboard, so it feels like a native experience, and not touch.
- Microsoft has aligned the keys vertically, which makes it easier to play games on a handheld-like device, as the controller navigation is much better this way.
I think it’s a significant move and could mean more than just an update for the touch keyboard. It’s likely tied to handheld-based Windows/Xbox gaming devices.
Emoji panel
Windows 11 has a built-in emoji/clipboard panel that can be accessed using Windows Key + . or ‘. With Windows 11 KB5053656, Microsoft is bringing the emoji panel as a button to the taskbar, so you can easily open the emoji/clipboard panel if you’re using mouse or touch screen.
The emoji panel appears at the bottom of the screen, but if you don’t like the icon on the taskbar, you can always turn it off from the Settings.
Lock Screen widgets are now available in EU
Who doesn’t love the MSN widgets on the lock screen? We all do right? Well, it doesn’t matter whether you like them or not, they’re coming after us.
In Windows 11 KB5053656, Microsoft has turned on MSN widgets in Europe. The feature was previously limited to the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Asia, but now it’s also shipping in Europe.
41+ countries in the EU will now see widgets for MSN Money, News, Weather and Sports on the lock screen.
If you don’t want to keep these widgets, open Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and turn it off by selecting other options under Lock screen status.
File Explorer’s menu, which appears outside the screen, is now fixed
I can’t believe Microsoft has FINALLY heard the feedback and released a patch for the annoying menu bug in File Explorer.
With KB5053656, Microsoft has fixed an issue where the “See more” or three dots menu in File Explorer appears outside the screen because it opens in the opposite direction.
Instead of expanding below, it opens upside down, which causes it to appear outside the screen if you’re using File Explorer in full screen (maximized).
Microsoft is killing off two features, but will you miss them?
KB5053656 turns off Suggested Actions and Location History in Windows 11.
This shouldn’t surprise anyone because these features barely worked. I’m talking about the Suggested actions feature, which appears when you copy a date or phone number. The feature offered suggestions, such as “Create an event” if you copied a date.
It was a neat idea, but it never rolled out to users properly, and it also didn’t work most of the time.
Lastly, Microsoft is finally removing the Location History API, which allowed apps like Cortana to maintain 24-hour location history for the device. This change means Microsoft has also pulled the plug on the “location page” inside Settings > Privacy & security > Location page.
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