A new optional update for Windows 10 includes critical fixes, such as the resolution of certain performance problems and bugs with File Explorer, one of the operating system’s core components.
File Explorer basically refers to the windows on your desktop that you use to search through your folders and files for the uninitiated. Patch KB5000842 addresses a memory leak in this central part of the UI, which could cause your PC to slow down. It also resolves some issues with freezing in File Explorer when filters are used in an in-line scan.
KB5000842 is an optional (preview) update for the two most recent versions of Windows 10, namely the May 2020 Update and the October 2020 Update, which were released last year. Since it’s an optional update, you’ll have to check for it under Windows Update manually to install it; otherwise, it won’t show up on your device.
These fixes were already visible in a recent preview of the 21H1 update, but they can now be installed on non-testers computers (though keep in mind that they’re only in preview form).
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HDR contentment
In addition to the significant performance improvements for File Explorer, the patch includes a workaround for those that have HDR monitors and are seeing colors that are ‘much darker than they should be.
KB5000842 also fixes issues with 7.1 surround sound, video playback being out of sync while using duplicate mode across multiple monitors, and a nasty bugbear where a computer might stop working if you remove it OneDrive-synchronized data.
As with every optional update, it’s best to only install it if one of the above issues is causing you a lot of trouble. It’s still in development as a preview update, so installing it may have unintended consequences.
