Microsoft says September updates fix mouse settings reset issues

Recorded: Sept. 10, 2026, 12:10 p.m.

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HomeNewsMicrosoftMicrosoft says September updates fix mouse settings reset issues

Microsoft says September updates fix mouse settings reset issues

By Sergiu Gatlan

September 10, 2026
07:14 AM
0

Microsoft has fixed a known issue that wiped mouse settings on some Windows 11 systems after installing the KB5120998 August 2026 preview update.
According to user reports, mouse cursor personalization settings automatically changed or reset after installing this buggy update, and users couldn't restore them even after uninstalling KB5120998 from affected devices.
Microsoft confirmed the issues on Friday, one day after releasing KB5120998, which brought Start menu, taskbar, and Windows search improvements to devices running Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2.
As the company later explained, the issues stem from "code components" in non-English Windows installations, which cause settings load failures and result in a default being used instead.
"Following installation of Windows updates released August 27 2026 (KB5120998), mouse personalization settings are being reverted to certain standard settings. This includes cursor and cursor animations that are selected in the Mouse Properties options under Windows," Microsoft said.
"In impacted locales, these settings will fail to load, causing a default to be used instead. Attempting to manually restore the settings values is not successful, as the issue prevents loading these settings regardless of their value."
On Tuesday evening, Microsoft said it had resolved the bug in the KB5124008 September 2026 cumulative update and advised users to update their devices.
"This issue was resolved by Windows updates released September 8, 2026 (KB5124008), and later. We recommend you install the latest security update for your device as it contains important improvements and issue resolutions, including this one," it noted.
KB5120998 is an optional update that requires users to click the "Download and install" link, reducing the number of potentially affected Windows users. However, it will install automatically if the "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" option is toggled on.
In recent months, Microsoft has addressed several other issues causing mouse problems on Windows devices.
For instance, in October, it released emergency updates to fix a known issue that made the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) unusable by disabling USB mice and keyboards, and, more recently, it confirmed an ongoing investigation into a bug causing the mouse pointer to disappear for some classic Outlook users when moving it over the interface.
On Tuesday, Microsoft also resolved a known issue that wiped custom desktop settings on some Windows devices after installing the KB5120998 preview update.

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Related Articles:
Microsoft: KB5120998 mouse reset bug affects only non-English PCsMicrosoft says Windows 11 KB5120998 update resets mouse settingsMicrosoft fixes bug that wiped Windows desktop settingsMicrosoft says KB5120998 Windows update resets desktop settingsWindows 11 KB5120998 update released with 35 changes and fixes

KB5120998
Known Issue
Mouse
Optional Updates
Preview Update
Windows
Windows 11

Sergiu Gatlan
Sergiu is a news reporter who has covered the latest cybersecurity and technology developments for over a decade. Email or Twitter DMs for tips.

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Microsoft addressed a specific issue where mouse settings were reset on certain Windows 11 systems following the installation of the KB5120998 August 2026 preview update. User reports indicated that mouse cursor personalization settings would automatically change or revert to default values after this update, and these settings could not be manually restored even after uninstalling the update. Microsoft confirmed that the root cause of this malfunction stemmed from "code components" within non-English Windows installations, which led to failures in loading settings and the subsequent use of default values instead. This failure mechanism prevented users from successfully restoring specific settings, regardless of their stored values.

The bug related to mouse settings was eventually resolved through subsequent updates. Microsoft resolved this issue in the September 2026 cumulative update, KB5124008, which was released on September 8, 2026. The company advised users to install the latest security updates, as these contain necessary improvements and issue resolutions, including the fix for the mouse settings reset bug. The optional update KB5120998, which required a direct installation prompt, was noted as an optional action, though it could be installed automatically if the user enabled the option to receive the latest updates.

Beyond this specific problem, Microsoft has been actively addressing other issues involving mouse functionality on Windows devices in recent months. These included emergency updates released in October to correct an issue that rendered the Windows Recovery Environment unusable by disabling USB mice and keyboards. Furthermore, Microsoft confirmed an ongoing investigation into a separate bug that caused the mouse pointer to disappear for some classic Outlook users when they moved it across the interface. This activity underscores Microsoft’s continuous effort to maintain system integrity and user experience through timely patching and bug resolution across its operating system.