Microsoft just fixed the Windows 11 problem caused by an expired digital certificate
Ahead of November's Patch Tuesday, Microsoft has rolled out an update to the Windows 11 Beta and Release Preview Channels to address a bug created by expired digital certificates.
Earlier this week, Microsoft admitted that the expired certificate broke built-in Windows 11 features including the snipping tool, touch keyboard, voice typing, and emoji panel. It also affected the locked down S-mode variant of Windows. The certificate expired on October 31.
Windows 11
"We fixed a known issue that might prevent some users from opening or using certain built-in Windows apps or parts of some built-in apps. This issue occurs because of a Microsoft digital certificate that expired October 31, 2021," says Brandon LeBlanc, a program manager for the Windows Insider team.
SEE: Windows 11 upgrade: Five questions to ask first
The issue affected: the snipping tool; inputs including the touch keyboard, voice typing and emoji; the international input method editor user interface; and system tips about getting started with and using Windows 11. It also fixed the S-mode issues.
"After installing KB5008295, the build number will not be revised or show as updated in "winver" or other areas in the OS. To confirm this update is installed, please check Settings > Windows Update > Update history," LeBlanc adds.
Digitally signed apps are an important part of Windows security. Microsoft requires hardware drivers are digitally signed. Last month, security researchers discovered hackers managed to get a valid Microsoft signature to install a rootkit, or malware below the operating system layer.
Windows 11 hasn't had a totally smooth rollout thus far. In October, Microsoft and the second biggest desktop chip-maker AMD released fixes to address performance issues caused by hardware and the OS and this week Microsoft released an update to address bugs in core UI features, including the Taskbar, Start menu, and Search.
Windows 11 was also meant to arrive with the ability to install Android apps from the Amazon App Store. That wasn't available at the time it released Windows 11 to mainstream users on October 5.
It did, however, release a test build of the Windows Subsystem for Android on Windows 11 in late October. It was released to Beta Channel testers in the US only on eligible devices running Intel, AMD and Qualcomm processors. But it wasn't available to testers on the bleeding-edge Dev Channel.
Microsoft yesterday addressed this and released it to the Dev Channel for its US users on Windows 11.
"The preview of Android apps on Windows 11 is now available for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel in the U.S," Microsoft said in an updated blogpost.
SEE: Microsoft's Windows 11: How to get it now (or later)
KB5008295 will roll out to all Windows 11 users in December's Patch Tuesday update, which will take place on 9 November, the second Tuesday of the month. Microsoft usually rolls out non-security fixes for the latest version of Windows to the Insider Program in the Beta and Release Preview channels a few weeks ahead of Patch Tuesday.
Microsoft has just started ramping up the roll out of Windows 11 to users on Windows 10 machines. However, due to its stringent hardware requirements, adoption will likely be slow.
Businesses have about four years to upgrade their hardware for Windows 11. Windows 10 will reach end of life on October 14, 2025.