Overview
- KB5120998, an optional Windows 11 preview update released Thursday, Aug. 27, added UI changes and was followed immediately by user reports that cursors vanished, grew oversized, changed color, or reverted to default schemes.
- Microsoft updated its Windows 11 known-issues notes to confirm that cursor personalization settings are being changed or reset and it says attempts to restore prior customizations have failed for some users.
- Users and multiple outlets report that uninstalling the optional KB5120998 preview restores normal cursor behavior and, in many cases, fixes wallpapers without removing the month’s security updates.
- As of Aug. 31 Microsoft has not issued a patch or rollback and is investigating the root cause while asking affected customers to submit Feedback Hub reports; a fix could come as an out-of-band update or with the next Patch Tuesday cycle.
- The bug affects personalized and high-DPI cursor schemes and desktop appearance for both home and enterprise machines, so users who rely on custom cursor sizes or animations should avoid installing the preview update until Microsoft releases a resolution.