Windows 11's August update arrives with File Explorer improvements
Image: Windows LatestMicrosoft has released the August cumulative update for Windows 11 (KB5121003), which speeds up app launches on modest PCs, shows file sizes in more readable units in File Explorer and improves search with typo handling.
What changes in File Explorer
The most visible change: the size column no longer shows everything in kilobytes. A 10 MB file now shows as 10 MB, not 10,240 KB, and a 1 GB file no longer appears as 1,048,576 KB. The address bar responds better when navigating recent paths, and you can now middle-click a folder to open it in a new tab, like in browsers.
Performance and security
The update, part of the August Patch Tuesday, is mandatory and downloads automatically. In Windows Latest’s testing, apps launch faster on low-end hardware and Windows Search handles typos better. With it, Windows 11 25H2 advances to build 26200.9165 and 24H2 to 26100.9165.
How to install it
It installs from Settings > Windows Update. Microsoft also published direct download links (.msu) in the Update Catalog for offline or multi-device installation. The full package now exceeds 5 GB, reflecting the AI models bundled into the updates.
The key figure
5,376 MB. The size of the full update for Windows 11 25H2, a sign of how Microsoft’s update packages keep growing as integrated AI arrives in the operating system.
