Windows 10's Final Update Is A Big One - With A Record 173 Bug Fixes

Lance Whitney / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• October marks nan last charismatic Patch Tuesday for Windows 10.
• This month's update included a grounds 173 information fixes.
• All nan caller and improved features were reserved for Windows 11.

Microsoft has released its October Patch Tuesday update for Windows. Though that's business arsenic usual, this marked nan last monthly update for Windows 10 aft 10 years of support. All nan cool caller features and enhancements were reserved for Windows 11, but some versions of Windows received a whopping number of information patches.

Security patches

With nan latest updates for each versions of Windows, Microsoft has delivered a hefty 173 information patches, a grounds magnitude for 2025. Among these, nine are rated critical, according to spot guidance supplier Action1, while six are zero-day exploits. Three of them person already been exploited successful nan wild, and 3 others person publically disposable proofs of concept, which intends sample codification is publically disposable to show really nan flaw tin beryllium exploited.

Also: Can't upgrade your Windows 10 PC? Support has ended, truthful you request to enactment now

As documented connected a Microsoft information page, nan bug fixes screen specified halfway features and services arsenic nan Windows kernel, Windows Search, Windows Remote Desktop Protocol, Windows Hello, File Explorer, PowerShell, Copilot, BitLocker, and Bluetooth. Also successful nan operation are Microsoft Exchange Server, Visual Studio, Azure, and Microsoft Office.

In 1 case, Microsoft had to really region a built-in driver called nan ltmdm64.sys driver for fax modem hardware, arsenic attackers had already been exploiting it arsenic a zero-day flaw.

Also: The Windows 11 upgrade instrumentality stopped moving astatine nan worst imaginable clip - but you person options

"Active exploitation confirms that threat actors are already utilizing this zero-day," Action1 said successful its advisory. "Microsoft's determination to region nan driver alternatively than spot it suggests that nan flaw is profoundly rooted successful its creation and cannot beryllium fixed without breaking functionality. This elevates some nan information and operational risks for affected environments."

Other fixes

Beyond nan galore information patches are fixes for definite Windows features.

Today's KB5066791 update for Windows 10 patched a glitch pinch nan Chinese Input Method Editor (IME), which lets you participate matter successful Chinese. Another resolved an rumor pinch USER32 Edit controls, which fto you create and edit matter successful a dialog box. A 3rd spot fixed a problem successful which PowerShell Remoting and WinRM commands timed retired aft 10 minutes.

The KB5066835 and KB5066793 updates for Windows 11 besides fixed issues pinch definite Windows features.

Also: Leaving Windows 10 today? How to clear your caller Windows 11 PC cache (and commencement fresh)

One spot resolved a problem that caused nan people preview surface to extremity responding successful Chromium-based browsers specified arsenic Chrome and Edge. Another fixed a glitch successful which utilizing a Gamepad astatine nan fastener surface affected Windows sign-in methods specified arsenic fingerprint recognition. In this case, apps and games past grounded to respond to immoderate input. Also resolved was an rumor that impacted nan setup process erstwhile utilizing Windows Hello look nickname pinch USB infrared cameras.

This October was nan last supported escapade for Windows 10. Well, it's not rather existent to telephone it nan last adventure. With its Extended Security Update plan, Microsoft will proceed to proviso qualifying Windows 10 computers pinch information fixes for different year. Without that plan, though, anyone who remains connected nan 10-year-old type of Windows shouldn't expect immoderate information patches, bug fixes, aliases different updates.

Windows 11 improvements

With nan charismatic extremity of support for Windows 10, Microsoft has been pushing individuals and organizations alike to jump to Windows 11. That's wherever nan institution has people been focusing its efforts. And that leads america to nan update for Windows 11, wherever you'll find nan latest caller and improved features this month.

The October update for Windows 11 kicks disconnected pinch improvements to File Explorer, nan Notification Center, nan Windows Share tool, and nan Click to Do feature.

Also: Windows 11 upgrade not working? Try my 4 favourite troubleshooting tricks

For File Explorer, nan caller AI Actions instrumentality lets you inquire Copilot to analyse aliases summarize a record aliases edit an image. To do this, conscionable prime nan record and property Shift+F10, aliases right-click nan record and take Ask Copilot from nan menu. That brings you to nan Copilot app, wherever you tin petition thief pinch nan selected file.

With JPG and PNG files, you're capable to inquire Copilot to hunt nan web for accusation astir nan image. You tin besides blur nan inheritance aliases erase objects via nan Photos app and region nan inheritance done nan Paint app. The AI Actions besides widen to Microsoft 365. Here, you tin inquire for AI-based summaries of documents, spreadsheets, and different files stored successful OneDrive and SharePoint.

Next up is nan enhancement to nan Notification Center. You tin now move nan hardware indicators for brightness, volume, airplane mode, and virtual desktops to different positions connected your screen. To do this, caput to Settings, prime System, and past click Notifications. Go to nan conception for "Indicators from keyboard actions" and click nan position button. You tin past move nan position among bottommost center, apical left, and apical center.

Also: This free instrumentality installs Windows 11 connected unsupported PCs - without immoderate bloatware

With nan Windows Share tool, you're now capable to adhd your favourite apps to nan menu. That intends you tin quickly stock a record aliases different point pinch a circumstantial app.

The Click to Do characteristic now has much tags to thief you tally circumstantial tasks and actions. Further, nan Summarize Action bid now delivers much concise and focused summaries of nan point you select.

Other Windows 11 features that person been enhanced see nan Taskbar, Narrator, passkeys, and AI agents for Copilot+ PCs.

How to update

To update your Windows 10 PC, caput to Settings, prime Update & Security, and past click nan fastener to cheque for updates. The Tuesday updates will past beryllium downloaded and installed.

Also: Don't want to upgrade to Windows 11? You don't person to, but here's what you should know

To update your Windows 11 PC, spell to Settings and prime Windows Update. Since nan October update is mandatory, it should automatically download and install. If not, conscionable click nan fastener to cheque for updates to footwear disconnected nan process.

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