The news
Microsoft released update KB5122878 for various Windows 10 versions on September 8, 2026. The package forms part of the regular Patch Tuesday cycle. The release follows the same schedule applied to Windows 11 builds.
The update targets multiple Windows 10 editions without additional feature announcements in the initial notices. Separate reporting confirms that the same Patch Tuesday cycle for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2 restores the ability to select taskbar location and size.
Context
Prior monthly updates for Windows 10 focused on security and reliability fixes delivered through numbered KB packages. The September 2026 release continues that pattern with KB5122878. Windows 10 users receive the update through standard Windows Update channels.
Windows 11 updates in the same cycle address both security items and selected interface adjustments. The return of taskbar controls marks a reversal of earlier restrictions on placement and scaling options that had been removed in previous builds.
The two operating systems therefore received coordinated but distinct changes on the same date. Windows 10 received only the expected security maintenance, while Windows 11 received both security maintenance and one visible interface correction.
Details
The Neowin report identifies KB5122878 as the designated package for Windows 10 systems. No further breakdown of individual fixes appears in the release notice. The update applies across supported Windows 10 configurations as part of the coordinated monthly distribution.
Thurrott coverage states that Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2 gain the restored taskbar selection feature in the September 2026 updates. Users can now choose taskbar location and adjust its size once the update installs. Both sources place the changes within the single Patch Tuesday event dated September 8, 2026.
No public statements from Microsoft elaborate on the decision to restore the taskbar options. The coverage from both outlets simply records the presence of the restored controls after installation.
Why it matters
Windows 10 users obtain the required security maintenance without new interface alterations, preserving the existing experience until support ends. The concurrent Windows 11 adjustment shows Microsoft responding to feedback on core desktop controls. Organizations managing mixed fleets must verify deployment across both operating systems to maintain consistent update status.
The limited public detail on KB5122878 contents leaves administrators reliant on the standard Microsoft update catalog for full change lists. The taskbar restoration in Windows 11 demonstrates that previously removed settings can return when user demand persists. Continued monthly releases remain the primary mechanism for keeping both platforms current.
For administrators, the September 2026 cycle illustrates the practical difference between the two platforms. Windows 10 continues to receive only the security and reliability fixes required to keep systems patched. Windows 11 receives those same fixes plus incremental interface corrections that address earlier design choices. Mixed environments therefore face two slightly different update experiences on the same calendar date.
The restoration of taskbar placement and sizing options also carries a longer-term signal. Earlier Windows 11 builds removed those controls without replacement options that satisfied all users. Their return after sustained feedback indicates that Microsoft will sometimes reinstate previously withdrawn settings rather than maintain the restriction. This pattern affects how users and IT teams evaluate future interface changes.
The absence of any listed individual fixes in the initial KB5122878 notice reinforces a familiar administrative reality. Monthly security updates arrive with minimal public documentation, and detailed change lists appear later in the update catalog or through separate support articles. Teams that need precise impact assessment must therefore plan additional verification steps after deployment rather than rely on the initial announcement.
In practice, the September 2026 Patch Tuesday event delivered two outcomes on one schedule. Windows 10 received its expected maintenance package. Windows 11 received maintenance plus one visible correction to a frequently used desktop element. Both results fit within the established monthly cadence that organizations already track.
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Sources:
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