Download Windows 11 22H2 KB5028254 Preview Update Fixes Notification And VPN Issues [July 2023]

Microsoft releases a non-security preview update every 4th Tuesday of each month. This allows them to make any further changes and fixes before next month’s Patch Tuesday release.

For July 2023, Microsoft has released KB5028254 for Windows 11 v22H2. However, this came a day later than it was supposed to. Regardless, it still includes the fixes and improvements that we all anticipate. Installing this update on your Windows 11 OS will update its build to 22621.2070.

This update focuses on fixing issues with the Windows Push Notification Service (WNS). On some devices, the applications fail to push notifications, and therefore, you do not see a notification in the notification center or a flyout. Additionally, it also fixes some issues with VPN connectivity. Further details are discussed below.

You can choose to install this update on your Windows 11 PC today using the direct download link shared below, or through Windows Update. Alternatively, the new features and improvements will automatically install in August 2023’s Patch Tuesday release.

KB5028254 Release Summary

• KB Article: KB5028254
• OS Version: Windows 11 version 22H2
• Build: 22621.2070
• Size: 370.1 MB
• Release Date: 26th July 2023

New in KB5028254

There is a long list of new features and improvements in KB5028254. However, since it is a preview update, it does not include any security patches for the OS.

Below is a list of new items in KB5028254:

• This update affects the Handwriting Software Input Panel (SIP), the Handwriting Engine, and the Handwriting Embedded Inking Control. They now support GB18030-2022 conformance level 2. Because of this, they meet the level 3 requirements.
• This update makes brightness settings more accurate.
• This update addresses an issue that affects certain display and audio devices. They are missing after your system resumes from sleep.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Widgets. They unpin from the taskbar when you do not expect it.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Virtual Private Networks (VPN). There might be excessive Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) requests to the network gateway. This occurs when the VPN is on a wireless mesh network that uses an aggressive throttling algorithm. Because of this, network performance is poor.
• This update addresses an issue in the Windows Notification Platform. The issue affects how much power your device uses. 
• This update affects the Windows Push Notification Services (WNS). It makes the connection between the client and the WNS server more reliable.
• This update addresses an issue that affects hybrid joined devices. You cannot sign in to them if they are not connected to the internet. This occurs when you use a Windows Hello for Business PIN or biometric credentials. This issue applies to a cloud trust deployment. 
• This update affects Windows Autopilot profiles. This update increases the retry attempts when you try to download the Windows Autopilot profile.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Event Forwarding Subscriptions. When you add an Event Channel to the subscription, it forwards events you do not need.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) repository. This causes an installation error. The issue occurs when a device does not shut down properly.
• This update addresses an issue that affects certain CPUs. There is inconsistent reporting of the L2 cache.
• This update enhances hinting for some of the letters of the Verdana Pro font family.
• This update affects user-mode printer drivers. They unload unexpectedly. This occurs when you print from multiple print queues to the same printer driver.
• This update affects text edit controls in XAML and browser controls. You cannot make text edit controls editable again after they become read-only. This occurs when you use the new Microsoft Input Method Editor for Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.
• This update makes the Narrator announce the “Change product key” label.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Defender Firewall Profile. It fails to automatically switch from a LAN that is trusted to a public network.
• This update makes Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date.
• This update addresses an issue that affects a printing job. An unexpected Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) mode switch can cause the print job to abruptly stop. This occurs when there is an independent hardware vendor (IHV) driver.
• This update addresses an issue that affects certain wireless wide area network (WWAN) devices. After every restart, a dialog reappears. It asks you to switch to an embedded SIM (eSIM) even when you choose “No.”
• This update addresses a deadlock in Internet Protocol Security (IPsec). When you configure servers with IPsec rules, they stop responding. This issue affects virtual and physical servers.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the MPSSV service. The issues cause your system to restart repeatedly. The stop error code is 0xEF.
• This update affects the Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist, DriverSiPolicy.p7b. It adds drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). The issue copies unsigned WDAC policies to the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) disk partition. This partition is reserved for signed policies.
• This update addresses an issue that affects WDAC. The “Disabled: Script Enforcement” option might create audit events you do not need.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the fastfat file system driver. It stops responding because of a race condition.
• This update addresses an issue that affects I/O over Server Message Block (SMB). It might fail when you use the LZ77+Huffman compression algorithm.

With these fixes and improvements, there are also some known issues with this update. Read about the issues with Windows 11 here:

Windows 11 Known Issues and Fixes

Download and install Windows 11 KB5028254

This optional non-security update can be installed through Windows Update and standalone installers.

We have given the direct download links to the standalone installers below, using which you can install the update on your respective Windows 11 version, or you can simply update to the latest build using Windows Update through the given guide below.

Offline Installers

Download KB5028254 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 Version 22H2 64-Bit [370.1 MB]

Download KB5028254 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 Version 22H2 ARM64 [487.2 MB]

To install the update, simply run the downloaded MSU file and Windows will automatically install the update. To download any other updates related to any of the above, please check the Microsoft Catalog.

Windows Update

To install this update via Windows Update, you need to be running Windows 11 version 22H2. To check your version of the operating system, type in “winver” in the Run Command box and press Enter.

Once ensured you have the right OS version, perform the following steps to install KB5028254:

1. Navigate to the following:

   Settings app >> Windows Update

2. Here, click “Check for updates.”

   

3. Click “Download and install” under the available optional update.

   

   You will see the following update available under Optional quality update available:

   2023-07 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5028254) is available

4. [Conditional] If you haven’t opted to get the latest Windows updates as soon as they are available, you may see a dialog box pop up. Choose whether you want to opt in or not.

   

5. Once the update is downloaded and installed, click “Restart Now.”

   

Once the computer restarts, the update will be successfully installed. To confirm this, check the updated build number by typing in “winver” in the Run Command box.

Rollback/Remove Windows 11 Cumulative Update

If you do not wish to keep the installed update for some reason, you can always roll back to the previous build of the OS. However, this can only be performed within the next 10 days after installing the new update.

To roll back after 10 days, you will need to apply this trick.

Cleanup After Installing Windows Updates

If you want to save space after installing Windows updates, you can run the following commands one after the other in Command Prompt with administrative privileges:

dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore
dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

Block KB5028254 from installing

Although this is an optional update, which means that it won’t install without you manually pressing any buttons. However, you can completely block it from installing, both temporarily or permanently, using these steps:

1. Download the “Show or hide updates” tool from Microsoft.

2. Run the utility and click Next to start the scanning process.

   

3. Next, click the “Hide updates” button.

   

4. Select the updates you want to block and click Next.

   

   This automatically hides the update from Windows Update and it will not be installed during the next update process.

5. Click the Close button.

If you want to unhide or show hidden updates, run the tool again and select “Show hidden updates” instead of “Hide updates.” The rest of the process is the same.

Final analysis

KB5028254 is an optional, non-security update Microsoft has released to test the new features and improvements beforehand. Note that it may include some issues, as it is not the final product. However, after user feedback, some additional changes may or may not be made before releasing the following month’s Patch Tuesday update.

KB5028254 does not patch any security vulnerabilities but is definitely worth installing. As mentioned above, it includes a plethora of new features, improvements, and fixes for the Windows 11 operating system. After having tested it out ourselves, we recommend that you update your OS today.

Windows 11 optional non-security update history

KB Article	OS Version	Build	Release Date	Significant Changes	Announcement
KB5031455	22H2	22621.2506	26-Oct-23	Introduces Moment 4 features that are enabled by default, fixes issues with touchscreen amongst others	Microsoft Announcement of KB5031455
KB5030310	22H2	22621.2361	26-Sep-23	– Introduces new features of Windows 11 23H2 – Made major fixes and resolved issues	Microsoft Announcement of KB5030310
KB5029351	22H2	22621.2215	22-Aug-23	– Improves app defaults and app pinning – Includes hover behavior to search box gleam	Microsoft Announcement of KB5029351
KB5028254	22H2	22621.2070	26-Jul-23	– Addresses issues with push notifications – Fixes issues with VPN connectivity	Microsoft Announcement of KB5028254
KB5027303	22H2	22621.1928	27-Jun-23	– Includes all Moment 3 features and improvements, including the option to show seconds in the taskbar clock. – Improves the sharing of a local file in File Explorer with Microsoft Outlook contacts – Several additions and changes to the Settings app pages.	Microsoft Announcement of KB5027303
KB5026446	22H2	22621.1778	24-May-23	– Fixes speech recognition known issue, adds total OneDrive storage view in Accounts Settings page, adds Bluetooth LE to supported hardware. – Introduces a new issue with 32-bit apps while saving, attaching, and moving them.	Microsoft Announcement of KB5026446