On Windows 11, you can uninstall the update KB5034765 and revert to the previous good working state if your computer is experiencing problems, and in this guide, I’ll show you how.
A small scope of users are noticing various problems after installing the Windows 11 update KB5034765 (as well as the update KB5034763 for Windows 10), which Microsoft released as the February 2024 Patch Tuesday update.
According to reports (via Windows Latest), after installing the update, the Taskbar disappeared from the desktop. Other users reported missing features from the Taskbar instead, including missing sound, network, and security icons from the System Tray.
Furthermore, there is evidence that pins are not loading the application on click from the Taskbar. Some users even mentioned at the Feedback Hub and forums app pins disappearing from the Taskbar and problems trying to sign in from the Lock screen with a PIN.
Microsoft hasn’t confirmed the problem, but it seems it’s aware of the complaints and is investigating. In the meantime, if your computer is experiencing issues with the Taskbar after installing the February update, the most effective way to get around this problem is to uninstall the KB5034765 update and pause the Windows Update service until the company releases a permanent fix.
To uninstall the update KB5034765 from Windows 11, use these steps:
- Open Settings on Windows 11.
- Click on Windows Update.
- (Optional) Click the “Pause for 1 week” button.
- Click the Update history tab.
- Click the Uninstall updates setting under the “Related settings” section.
- Click the Uninstall option for the KB5034765 update.
- Restart the computer.
Once you complete the steps, the February 2024 update (KB5034765) will be removed from the computer.
Remove problematic updates from PowerShell
As I was writing these instructions, I noticed that the update couldn’t be removed from Settings. However, I was able to uninstall the update through PowerShell, and here’s how:
- Open Start.
- Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type the following command to install the PowerShell module to update Windows 11 and press Enter:
Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate
- Type “Y” and “A” to accept and install the module, and press Enter.
- Type the following command to view a list of the 20 most recent updates and press Enter:
Get-WUHistory | Select-Object -First 20
Quick note: If the command doesn’t work, you may need to change the PowerShell execution policy. You can try this command:
Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned. After changing the execution policy, you should be able to run the commands. After completing the steps, you can make the policy restricted again with theSet-ExecutionPolicy Restrictedcommand. - Type the following command to select and remove the update with PowerShell and press Enter:
Remove-WindowsUpdate -KBArticleID KBNUMBER
In the command, replace KB NUMBER with the update number you want to block. This example blocks the KB5034765 update:
Remove-WindowsUpdate -KBArticleID KB5034765
- Type “A” to accept and install the module and press Enter.
After you complete the steps, the device may need to restart to complete the process.
It has been suggested that reinstalling the update can resolve the Taskbar issue with this particular release. You can try this solution by clicking the “Check for updates” button after removing the update. If the problem persists, remove the update again and wait until Microsoft offers a resolution.
It’s important to note that running the operating system unpatched can make your computer vulnerable, but in some cases, you may need to remove an update to roll back the device to a working state. However, as soon as Microsoft releases a new update, it’s critical to install it.
If you prefer to remove updates with commands, you can always use Command Prompt and PowerShell to complete this task.
Update February 20, 2024: This guide has been updated to highlight the problems with the February 2024 update and how to fix them.