Microsoft Releases Out Of Band Update For ARM Devices

The last week was full of updates for the Windows stable channel as well as for the insiders. But that did not stop Microsoft from releasing yet another out-of-band update for both Windows 11 and Windows 10. Yesterday, Microsoft released KB5016138 and KB5016139 for Windows 11 and 10, respectively.

An out-of-band update is a regular Windows update that is published apart from the usual release schedule. This means that the two updates named above were not anticipated.

That said, both of these updates are only applicable to ARM devices. other platforms with different processors will not receive these updates.

If you are using an ARM processor and on either Windows 11 or 10 operating system, you should definitely install this update using the Windows Update, or through the direct download links given below.

The following table states the updated OS build number after installing the respective update:

New in KB5016138, KB5016139

As for the improvements in both these updates, the same fix has been applied to both operating systems.

An issue that prevents the user from signing in using Azure Active Directory (AAD) has been fixed. This issue used to affect other applications as well that use AAD to sign in, such as VPN connections, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, etc.

Of course, as with every update, there are some known problems too that are yet to be resolved.

Known Issues

KB5016138 – Windows 11

• Some users might experience issues with applications that use .NET Framework 3.5 after installing this update. The affected applications use certain components of the Framework, like Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) and Windows Workflow (WWF). As a workaround, Microsoft recommends that you uninstall .NET framework 3.5 and then reinstall it.
• Users may not be able to use the device’s hotspot feature after installing this update. As soon as a device connects to the hotspot, the host device will lose internet connectivity. Currently, there is no fix for this problem.

KB5016139 – Windows 10

• An issue with the standalone (clean) installation of Windows 10 with this update is causing Microsoft Edge Legacy to be removed. However, it is not being replaced by the new Chromium-based Edge. This occurs only when Windows has a custom offline media or an ISO image installed that does not include the 29th March 2021 SSU update. Microsoft suggests that you either install the March SSU update through slipstreaming or simply update an existing OS through Windows Update, so you will not be facing this issue. Alternatively, you can simply download and install the new Microsoft Edge if you have already encountered this problem.
• Some users might be unable to install it entirely and receive the error message “PSFX_E_MATCHING_BINARY_MISSING.” This may be because of a previously installed update KB5003690. If that is the case, you can find a workaround for it here in Microsoft’s post.
• Some users might be unable to use the Snip & Sketch tool as it may fail to open or not capture the screen at all. Even the keyboard shortcut to open the tool isn’t working (Windows Key + Shift + S). There is currently no fix for it, but will hopefully be addressed in a future update.
• Users may not be able to use the device’s hotspot feature after installing this update. As soon as a device connects to the hotspot, the host device will lose internet connectivity. Currently, there is no fix for this problem.

Our take: If you use the hotspot feature on your ARM device, we suggest you stay clear from these updates as you may no longer be able to use it unless Microsoft fixes this issue in a future update, and we are not sure when might that be.

How to Install KB5016138 / KB5016139

You can install these updates on the respective operating system through Windows Update, or by downloading the standalone installers below.

From Windows Update

Perform the following steps to install the update through Windows Update:

1. Navigate to the following:

   • For Windows 11:

     Settings app >> Windows Update

   • For Windows 10:

     Settings app >> Update & Security >> Windows Update

2. Here, click Check for updates.

   

3. You shall now see the respective update available under “Available updates.” Click Download and install.

4. When it installs, click Restart Now to finalize it.

When the computer restarts, check to see if the OS build has been upgraded. You can check your operating system’s information by typing in winver in the Run Command box.

Offline Installers

For Windows 11 Version 21H2

Download KB5016138 for Windows 11 for ARM64 devices [384.0 MB]

For Windows 10 Version 21H2

Download KB5016139 for Windows 10 Version 21H2 for ARM64 devices [706.1 MB]

For Windows 10 Version 21H1

Download KB5016139 for Windows 10 Version 21H1 for ARM64 devices [706.1 MB]

For Windows 10 Version 20H2

Download KB5016139 for Windows 10 Version 20H2 for ARM64 devices [706.1 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.

Rollback/Remove Windows Updates

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