Microsoft has acknowledged a bug in the KB5120998 August 2026 preview update that reverts mouse cursor personalization to default settings on Windows 11.
- The KB5120998 non-security preview update is causing mouse personalization settings to reset.
- Affected users are unable to restore their previous custom cursor configurations.
- The issue primarily impacts Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2.
Software giant Microsoft has officially confirmed that the KB5120998 August 2026 non-security preview update is causing mouse settings to revert to defaults on Windows 11 systems. User reports indicate that cursor personalization—including size, color, and animations—is being automatically reset following the installation of the update.
Critically, users have reported that they are unable to restore their previous settings once the reset occurs. Microsoft stated that the issue manifests as "appearance regressions," where high-DPI mouse cursors are replaced by larger, standard white cursors, and custom animations are stripped away. The company confirmed these reports surfaced following the release of the update on August 27, 2026.
Why This Matters
BozokMedia analysis shows that while this is a non-security update, such regressions highlight a gap in the quality assurance (QA) pipeline for preview builds. For users who rely on specific cursor visibility for accessibility or professional design work, these "minor" UI glitches can significantly hinder productivity and user experience.
"When an OS overrides user-defined personalization and prevents its restoration, it creates a friction point that erodes trust in optional update cycles."
The KB5120998 update was intended to bring improvements to the Start menu, taskbar, and Windows search functionality. Because this is an optional update, it only affects users who manually triggered the installation or those with the "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" setting toggled on.
This is not the first time Microsoft has struggled with input device stability. In October, an emergency patch was required to fix a critical flaw that disabled USB mice and keyboards within the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). Furthermore, a persistent bug causing the mouse pointer to disappear in classic Outlook remains under investigation.
| Update/Issue | Affected Component | Status |
|---|---|---|
| KB5120998 | Mouse Cursor/Animation | Under Investigation |
| WinRE Patch | USB Input Devices | Resolved |
| Outlook Bug | Pointer Visibility | Under Investigation |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Should I install the KB5120998 update?
A: If you use custom mouse cursor settings, it is recommended to avoid this optional update until a fix is deployed.
Q2: How can I fix the reset mouse settings?
A: Currently, there is no known manual fix to restore the lost settings; Microsoft is investigating the root cause.
