Windows 11 makes it easier to edit photos from your phone with Patch Tuesday update

It's the second Tuesday of March, and like clockwork, Microsoft has released a new mandatory cumulative update for Windows 11. These include the ability to see your phone's photos pop up on your PC when you connect the two devices.

As you may recall, at the end of February, Microsoft released the latest set of features for Windows 11 through an optional update. Some of those features are now rolling out more broadly with this update.

Window with light shining through and Windows 11 text

Windows 11: Everything you need to know

Windows 11 is the latest and greatest operating system from Microsoft, and it packs a ton of changes. Here's what you need to know.

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By João Carrasqueira

Edit your phone's photos with Snipping Tool

Windows 11 versions 22H2 and 23H2 are getting the same updates and features, which are arriving with an update labeled KB5035853, which you can download manually here. However, this update itself includes almost nothing new, as all the changes included are the ones from the cumulative preview update from last month.

Screenshot of a Windows 11 notification displaying a photo taken on an Android phone

If you've connected your Android phone to your PC using the Phone Link feature in Windows 11, this update enables a new experience, where new photos from your photo automatically appear on your PC as a notification, similar to taking a screenshot with the Snipping Tool. In fact, by clicking on that notification, you can edit the photo from your phone using the Snipping Tool, so you can make it easier to share with friends or anyone else. Microsoft has also renamed the Phone Link of the Settings app to Mobile devices, to distinguish it from the Phone Link app, which includes additional features for connected phones.

This update also adds support for USB4 version 2, or USB 80Gbps, which doubled the bandwidth from the previous version USB4. Currently, no device on the market supports these speeds, but this preemptively enables it for devices like the upcoming Razer Blade 18.

Otherwise, there are a few fixes mentioned in the changelog for the preview update from last month, all of which still apply here:

This update affects games you install on a secondary drive. Now, they remain installed on the drive.
This update addresses an issue that affects long-edge fed printers. The alignment of stapling or hole punch locations is wrong.
This update addresses an issue that affects the Windows Settings Home page. It randomly stops responding when you go to the page.
This update addresses an issue that affects networking. A device fails to make the automatic switch from cellular to Wi-Fi when it can use Wi-Fi.
This update addresses an issue that stops a system from going to sleep. This occurs when you connect an external device to the system.
This update affects the Windows Backup app. It will no longer show on the user interface in regions where the app is not supported. To learn more, see KB5032038.
This update addresses an issue that affects Notepad. It does not open for the standard user account. This occurs when you use cmd.exe to open it based on file type association.
This update addresses an issue that affects 8 Zip archives. It stops you from opening them by double-clicking them in File Explorer.
This update addresses an issue that affects the CrashOnAuditFail registry value. When you set it to one (1), only admins can sign in to a machine that has stopped working. After you install this update, standard users can sign in to the machine.
This update addresses an issue that affects Azure Virtual Desktop virtual machines. At random, they restart. This occurs because of an access violation in lsass.exe.
This update addresses an issue that affects a machine that is used as a remote desktop session host. You get stop error RDR_FILE_SYSTEM (0x27). Because of this, all users are signed out from the machine.
This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Edge. The UI is wrong for Internet Options Data Settings.
This update addresses an issue that affects an embedded SIM (eSIM) profile. When you delete it, you do not get a notification.
This update addresses an issue that affects Remote Desktop Web Authentication. You might not be able to connect to sovereign cloud endpoints.
This update addresses an issue that makes the troubleshooting process fail. This occurs when you use the Get Help app.
This update addresses an issue that affects the Certificate Authority snap-in. You cannot select the "Delta CRL" option. This stops you from using the GUI to publish Delta CRLs.
This update addresses an issue that affects Steps Recorder. Some of the UI and steps are not localized to Chinese.

The only thing that's truly new in this update is a fix for an issue in last month's updates where some updates may get stuck and fail at 96%. That should make it easier to install this update, at least. However, many new features like the new commands for Copilot, voice access improvements, and more, are still not available. Microsoft plans to finish rolling them out in time for Patch Tuesday in April.

Updates for older versions of Windows

Of course, if you're running older versions of Windows 11 or 10, there are some updates in tow for you as well, but they're far less exciting. These are also limited to specific update channels, in many cases. Windows 10 version 22H2, however, is still supported for all users, and it's getting updates. Today's update is KB5035845, which you can download manually here. It also includes some features from the previous optional update, such as the ability to share content to more apps, like WhatsApp and Facebook. Otherwise, it's mostly focused on fixes:

This update affects games you install on a secondary drive. Now, they remain installed on the drive.
This update affects the Windows Backup app. It will no longer show on the user interface in regions where the app is not supported. To learn more, see KB5032038.
This update addresses an issue that affects Azure Virtual Desktop sessions. There are delays when you sign in.
This update addresses an issue that affects Azure Virtual Desktop virtual machines. At random, they restart. This occurs because of an access violation in lsass.exe.
This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Hello for Business. You cannot use it to authenticate to Microsoft Entra ID on certain apps. This occurs when you use Web Access Management (WAM).
This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Edge. The UI is wrong for Internet Options Data Settings.
This update addresses an issue that affects the Japanese Input Method Editor (IME). It fails to work for custom desktops.
This update addresses an issue that affects Remote Desktop Web Authentication. You might not be able to connect to sovereign cloud endpoints.

Otherwise, all the operating systems that are still getting updates are only doing so for customers in business scenarios. That includes Windows 11 version 21H2 (the original release) and multiple Windows 10 versions. You can find information about all these updates below:

Windows version	Build number	Changelog	Supported editions	Manual Download
Windows 11 version 21H1	22000.2836	KB5035854	Enterprise and Education	Microsoft Update Catalog
Windows 10 version 1809	17763.5576	KB5035849	Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019	Microsoft Update Catalog
Windows 10 version 1607	14393.6796	KB5035855	Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2016	Microsoft Update Catalog
Windows 10 version 1507	10240.20526	KB5035858	Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2015	Microsoft Update Catalog

These updates are all mandatory, meaning if you don't install them yourself, they will eventually be installed automatically. That being said, certain editions of Windows let you pause or stop updates altogether, though this isn't recommended. Downloading the updates manually may give you more control over when to install the updates, though.