Windows 11 just received a new update that comes with a slew of bug fixes for versions 23H2 and 22H2, including the resolution of a video chat issue and an issue with the Start menu.
Patch KB5034204 just became available, but it’s worth noting up front that this is a preview update, so it’s actually still in beta.
As mentioned, one of the main fixes here is to fix a bug related to video calling. Now that this has been resolved, these calls should be more reliable. (So if you were somehow having issues with video chat stability, hopefully that’s no longer the case after this update).
If you own a pair of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Audio earbuds, you may have experienced audio dropouts while streaming music – that’s also been resolved with KB5034204. An issue with Bluetooth phone calls – where the audio isn’t routed through your PC when you answer the call on the computer – has also been resolved in the same way.
Another bug that Microsoft fixed is that the search functionality does not work in the Start menu.
Microsoft also addressed an issue where troubleshooters fail – not very helpful since you’d only run a troubleshooter if you’re already trying to fix an issue with your Windows 11 system. That bug occurs when using the Get Help app, we are told.
There are also a slew of other fixes, including one for Gallery in File Explorer, which means you can’t close a tooltip (a minor glitch, but an annoying one). For the full list of implemented solutions, visit The Microsoft support document.
Analysis: Take a chance – or not?
Should you download a preview update? This is a topic we’ve discussed before, and the short answer is probably not – unless you really need one of the solutions provided.
As mentioned, a preview update is not ready by nature. Therefore, these are marked as optional and will not be automatically forwarded to your PC (you must download them manually via Windows Update). In short, the chance of something going wrong is greater with a preview update.
However, if you’re one of the Windows 11 users experiencing a more serious problem, such as video calling or streaming music playback failure, then you might decide that installing the update is probably worth the risk (which is a limited risk). should be). , after all, these updates are almost ready at this stage).
However, that’s the other point to keep in mind: since they’re almost ready, you won’t have to wait long until the fully completed cumulative update arrives next month. In this case, this preview will be the February Update for Windows 11, which will be released on February 13, so that’s only a few weeks away now.
Overall, it’s probably worth hanging in there unless there’s something that’s really bothering you (pardon the pun) in Windows 11 at the moment, and it’s one of the solutions mentioned.