• Microsoft pushes update KB5008215 for Windows 11 as build 22000.376.
  • Build 22000.376 brings new Fluent 2D emojis and Focus Assist improvements.
  • The December 14 update also fixes a slew of problems, including NVMe drive performance issues.

As part of the last cumulative update of 2021, Microsoft is rolling out the Windows 11 update KB5008215 as a massive update with a slew of fixes and improvements.

Update KB5008215 bumps the version number to build 22000.376, and according to the official company notes, Windows 11 updates the emojis to the Fluent 2D emoji style and brings support for version 13.1, which updates the dictionary, search in supported languages, and updates the panel to enable you to enter emojis in your applications. In addition, there is a new option to automatically turn on Focus Assist for the first hours after a feature update.

As part of the fixes, Windows 11 build 22000.376 fixed an issue that prevented Explorer and desktop menus from displaying shortcuts. Addressed a problem that caused Explorer to close unexpectedly after you close an Explorer window, and the Bluetooth volume control has been updated to resolve issues affecting certain devices.

Also, and perhaps more importantly, the update KB5008215 also fixes an issue that affects performance on NVMe, Solid-State Drives, and traditional hard drives by performing unnecessary actions each time a write operation occurs while the NTFS USN journal is enabled.

The update download and install automatically, but you can always force it from Settings > Windows Updates and click the Check for Updates button. Alternatively, you can download the update KB5008215 directly from the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

Microsoft also said that there won’t be a “C” preview update in December as the company prepare to slow down work due to holidays. However, everything will return to normal in January 2022.

Windows 11 update KB5008215 fixes and improvements

Here are all the non-security changes for the December 14 rollout:

Uninstall update KB5008215

If the system update is causing issues, you can always uninstall it using these steps:

  • Open Start on Windows 11.
  • Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
  • Type the following command to view the update history and press Enter:
  • wmic qfe list brief /format:table
  • Check the Windows Update history of your device, and identify the update by its HotFixID and InstalledOn information.
  • Type the following command to uninstall the update from your computer and press Enter:
  • wusa /uninstall /kb:5008215
  • Quick note: In the command, replace “5008215” for the KB number corresponding to the update you are trying to uninstall.
  • Click the Yes button.
  • Continue with the on-screen directions (if applicable).

Once you complete the steps, the recently installed update will be removed from your installation, fixing any issues resulting from the release.

Open Start on Windows 11.

Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

Type the following command to view the update history and press Enter:

wmic qfe list brief /format:table

Check the Windows Update history of your device, and identify the update by its HotFixID and InstalledOn information.

Type the following command to uninstall the update from your computer and press Enter:

wusa /uninstall /kb:5008215

Click the Yes button.

If your computer doesn’t boot after installing KB5008215, you can remove the update from the Advanced startup environment using these steps.