​Microsoft has released the August 2024 preview update for Windows 10, version 22H2, with fixes for issues causing system freezes and memory leaks.

Today’s KB5041582 optional cumulative update is a maintenance release that enables Windows administrators to test fixes and improvements and ensure a more reliable experience for end users when rolling out security updates via the mandatory September 2024 Patch Tuesday update cycle.

KB5041582 fixes memory leaks impacting the Input Method Editor (IME) and Bluetooth devices, issues causing system freezes and preventing restarts, and also brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for some mobile operators.

You can install the update from the Settings app by going to ‘Windows Update’ and clicking on ‘Check for Updates.’ Because this is an optional update, you will be asked if you want to install it by clicking the ‘Download and install’ link.

Windows 10 users can also manually download and install KB5041582 from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

​​More highlights in Windows 10 KB5041582

Once installed, this preview release will update Windows 10 22H2 systems to build 19045.4842.

The complete list of fixes and changes in this month’s non-security preview update includes the following:

• [Input Method Editor (IME)] When a combo box has input focus, a memory leak might occur when you close that window
• [Country and Operator Settings Asset] This update brings COSA profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
• [Bluetooth] An app stops responding because of a memory leak in a device.
• [Bind Filter Driver] Your system might stop responding when it accesses symbolic links.
• [Unified Write Filter (UWF) and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)] An SCCM task to re-enable UWF fails because of a deadlock in UWF. This stops the device from restarting when you expect it.

Systems running Windows 10 versions 2004, 20H2, 21H1, or 21H2 can be upgraded to Windows 10 version 22H2 using the KB5015684 enablement package. This package activates inactive Windows 10 22H2 features that are still dormant.

Microsoft says this update is affected by two known issues preventing customers from changing their user account profile picture and causing Linux booting issues on dual-boot systems (a workaround is available here).

In early June, Microsoft reopened the Windows 10 beta channel and announced the first Windows 10 Beta build since 2021, exactly three years after the last such build was rolled out to Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview channels.

One week ago, Redmond released the second Windows 10 22H2 beta build since June, with fixes for the Unified Write Filter (UWF) and Bind Filter Driver.