QTTabBar no longer works on Windows 11 25H2 after March 2026 Security update (build 26200.8037)

[jochenpeters]

After fixing QTTabBar for Windows 11 25H2 with vivetool along #429,
the problem re-appeared after the after March 2026 Security update (build 26200.8037).

Before and after running vivetool /disable /id:57048216 again,
vivetool /query /id:57048216 did not show any change, and a reboot did not resolve the problem.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/march-10-2026-kb5079473-os-builds-26200-8037-and-26100-8037-9c222a8e-cc02-40d4-a1f8-ad86be1bc8b6
states: [File Explorer] Improved: This update improves File Explorer search reliability when searching across multiple drives or "This PC".

[KreNtal]

Same here. Waiting for a fix...

[litovec1]

То же самое и здесь. Жду исправления...

#429 (comment)

[Cytuslcy]

same,after install KB5079473.as a workaround,I uninstall this package and suspend updates for two weeks.

[KreNtal]

То же самое и здесь. Жду исправления...

#429 (comment)

As @litovec1 pointed

vivetool /disable /id:57048216
vivetool /disable /id:57048237
vivetool /disable /id:58988972

This worked for me.

[jochenpeters]

Thanks - I will try.

Has anyone tried / gathered experience with
"Download QTTabBar Fix Tool" from
https://windows-waza.com/en/problem-with-qttabbar-disappearing-after-update-kb5070311-and-how-to-fix-it/#KB5077241
where the vivetool thinsg are aslo discussed ?

Would that be a "wrapper" around the vivetool calls - or independent or less invasive or more future proof ?

[9812ga98sd]

То же самое и здесь. Жду исправления...

#429 (comment)

As @litovec1 pointed

vivetool /disable /id:57048216 vivetool /disable /id:57048237 vivetool /disable /id:58988972

This worked for me.

worked for me too thanks

[jochenpeters]

The three vivetool disable commands did the job.

However, after upgrading PowerToys to v.0.98.1,
QTTabbBar is again broken (I have 2048 Beta).
(Apart from that, my Desktop background turned black - this is easily fixed).

vivetool status for the above three ids has not changed,
"QTTabBar - Bottom" works (with a rather tiny initial tab) but is not sticky after closing Explorer (or when opening a new one).

Any ideas ?

[9812ga98sd]

What you describe here:

"QTTabBar - Bottom" works (with a rather tiny initial tab) but is not sticky after closing Explorer (or when opening a new one)."

Is what my PC showed prior to trying to fix qttabbar. The three vivetools commands fixed it for me. I have no idea what the vivetool commands do. I can only suggest downgrading powertoys and trying again until someone else comes up with a solution.

[megakarlach]

То же самое и здесь. Жду исправления...

#429 (comment)

As @litovec1 pointed

vivetool /disable /id:57048216 vivetool /disable /id:57048237 vivetool /disable /id:58988972

This worked for me.

Didn't work for me on 26200.8117. And btw I don't have PowerToys installed either.

[9812ga98sd]

26200.8117 - is referring to the windows update of 31 March 2026.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/march-31-2026-kb5086672-os-builds-26200-8117-and-26100-8117-out-of-band-45cc1666-b34f-4ea6-bc93-f67defff8c38

I am installing this update now.... same thing.

As before the bar can be seen at the bottom.

This will likely be fixed with another vivetool but I have no idea which command to use.

[megakarlach]

26200.8117 - is referring to the windows update of 31 March 2026.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/march-31-2026-kb5086672-os-builds-26200-8117-and-26100-8117-out-of-band-45cc1666-b34f-4ea6-bc93-f67defff8c38

I am installing this update now.... same thing.

As before the bar can be seen at the bottom.
This will likely be fixed with another vivetool but I have no idea which command to use.

I just switch to Windows 10 explorer via StartAllBack, QtTabBar shows on the bottom aswell. This is so far the only way to enable it unless we know which vivetool ID to disable. It's also only temporary since closing and opening a new explorer window will disable it again.

[hz211-dev]

i have os build 26200.8246 (forced update). vivetool query confirms that the old feature id's are no longer disable-able...
ImageOverride means cannot be disabled by user.

[57048216]
Priority : ImageOverride (15)
State : Enabled (2)
Type : Override (0)

[57048237]
Priority : ImageOverride (15)
State : Enabled (2)
Type : Override (0)

[JJRousseau]

The tool from windows-waza works.

https://windows-waza.com/en/problem-with-qttabbar-disappearing-after-update-kb5070311-and-how-to-fix-it/#KB5077241

[kbsmilk]

With regedit you can manually remove the ImageOverride priority.
Go to "Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FeatureManagement\Overrides"

With vivetool /query you can see the priority levels in parentheses (e.g. (8) for user, (15) for imageoverride). They are the same in the registry folders.

These registry IDs are not the same as the feature IDs in vivetool! I used vivetool /reset and vivetool /disable to verify feature ID = registry ID, checking in ...\FeatureManagement\Overrides\8\ to see which IDs were being toggled.

Here's my notes, now that you know how to verify them.

feature id / reg id

57048216 / 815149711
5077241 / 4070466697
57048237 / 1519792783
58988972 / 1482552975

The priority 15 overrides are owned by System, so to delete them, right click > Permissions > Advanced > "Owner: System" > Change to your user. (If you've never done this before, type your username into the object name field, then click Check Names)
Next, in the same window: Add permission entry > Principal (select a principal) > Add your own user, with Full Control permissions.
Now you can delete the override registry key, if it exists; not all of them do.
And now my QTtabbar is working again, after this wretched update that adds AI to file explorer >.>

edit: thanks to this message for the clues thebookisclosed/ViVe#139 (comment)

[jochenpeters]

Thanks for the lengthy comment. However, I am somewhat lost in "what to do" after the 26200.8246 update.
I am still before restarting (i.e. the update is not yet applied), and the vivetool queries yield:

[57048216]
Priority : ImageOverride (15)
State : Enabled (2)
Type : Override (0)

[57048237] and [58988972]
Priority : User (8)
State : Disabled (1)
Type : Override (0)

Now, when looking for 815149711 in the registry according to
feature id / reg id
57048216 / 815149711

I see this:

Which steps would I need to execute to get QTTabBar working again after the update ?

1. steps in regedit
2. steps via vivetool