KB5041980: Microsoft released a new Windows 11 24H2 Recovery update

As is usually the case, towards the end of last month, Microsoft released its non-security preview update for Windows 10 (KB5041582) and Windows 11 (KB5041587), for the month of August 2024.

Alongside the latter, we noticed that the tech giant also published Safe OS Dynamic Update for Windows 11 24H2 regarding recovery. WinRE, or Windows Recovery Environment, helps users troubleshoot booting issues. Microsoft, alongside this, also released a new update for Setup binaries under KB5042580.

The update is available under KB5041980, and Microsoft writes:

KB5041980: Safe OS Dynamic Update for Windows 11, version 24H2: August 27, 2024

Summary

This update makes improvements to the Windows recovery environment in Windows 11, version 24H2.

In a Techcommunity blog post about Windows 10 Dynamic Updates, Microsoft explained Dynamic Updates in more detail regarding its various components and uses. These packages include fixes to Setup.exe binaries, SafeOS updates for Windows Recovery Environment, and more:

As soon as a Windows 10 feature update initiates, whether from media or a Windows Update service-connected environment, Dynamic Update is one of the first steps invoked. Windows 10 Setup reaches out to an Internet-facing URL hosted by Microsoft to fetch Dynamic Update content, then applies those updates to your OS installation media.

Content acquired includes:

• Setup Updates: Fixes to Setup binaries or any files that Setup uses for feature updates.
• Safe OS Updates: Fixes for the "safe OS" that are used to update Windows recovery environment (WinRE).
• Servicing Stack Updates: Fixes that are necessary to address the Windows 10 servicing stack issue and thus required to complete the feature update.
• Latest Cumulative Update: Installs the latest cumulative quality update.
• Driver Updates: Latest version of applicable drivers that have already been published by manufacturers into Windows Update and specifically targeted for Dynamic Update.

In addition to these updates, Dynamic Update will preserve Language Pack (LP) and Features on Demand (FODs) content during the upgrade process. These are not updates to LPs and FODs, but reacquisition to ensure the user has these elements present with the update completes.

These dynamic updates are not pushed through Windows Update and are only available for manual downloading from the Windows Update Catalog website. You can find it here. The update is applicable for both Arm64 and AMD64 Copilot+ PCs.