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Is the Latest Windows 11 Update KB5055629 Causing Frustrating Lock Screen Widget Problems?
Microsoft’s optional preview update KB5055629 for Windows 11 23H2, released on April 22, 2025, introduces several improvements and new features. However, some users are experiencing a negative side effect: unexpected issues with the weather widget on the lock screen, particularly for those in the European Economic Area (EEA).
Key Highlights of Update KB5055629
- Performance Fixes: Addresses issues like slow Excel loading on network shares.
- Security Enhancements: Updates the Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist (DriverSiPolicy.p7b).
- Microsoft Teams Integration: The free version of Teams (Chat) is now pinned to the taskbar by default.
- Start Menu Improvements: System components are now listed under “System” in All Apps, streamlining app management.
- CoPilot Preview: Microsoft CoPilot is now available as a preview in select regions (North America, parts of Asia, and South America).
- Widget Platform Upgrades: Developers can create interactive widgets for multiple interfaces.
- Lock Screen Widgets in EEA: New support for lock screen widgets, allowing users to add, remove, or rearrange items like weather, sports, and traffic.
Lock Screen Weather Widget Issue
A blog reader, Marina S., reported a frustrating experience after installing KB5055629:
- Upon restarting her device, a weather widget unexpectedly appeared on the lock screen.
- This new feature, intended for EEA users, made it difficult to log out. The logout option only appeared after navigating through additional settings.
- Even after removing the widget, it sometimes reactivated itself, requiring multiple attempts to fully disable it.
- The issue persisted across different user profiles, causing repeated annoyance.
User Frustration
Many users, like Marina, prefer minimal lock screen activity and had previously disabled unnecessary features such as animations and sounds. The forced reactivation of the weather widget-despite user preferences-has led to negative feedback and frustration.
How to Manage or Disable Lock Screen Widgets
If you encounter similar issues, try these steps:
- Go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
- Add, remove, or rearrange lock screen widgets as desired.
- Widgets can also be disabled through the graphical interface, registry edits, or group policies.
Summary
While Windows 11 23H2 Update KB5055629 brings valuable enhancements, the unintended activation of the weather widget on the lock screen has caused inconvenience for some users. Microsoft is likely monitoring feedback and may address this issue in future updates. In the meantime, affected users can manually adjust or disable lock screen widgets through system settings or advanced configuration methods.