Microsoft's KB5120998 Update Breaks Custom Mouse Cursors

Microsoft has confirmed that its Windows 11 KB5120998 update can cause custom mouse cursors and animations to revert to standard settings. The issue affects users running Windows 11 version 24H2 and 25H2, who may experience larger or missing pointers after installing the optional update.

The problem began after updates released on August 27, with affected users reporting high-DPI cursors being replaced by larger white pointers, custom animations reverting to standard behavior, and changes failing to save when trying to restore preferred settings.

Microsoft is investigating whether Windows Update caused the issue and asks affected users to submit reports through Feedback Hub. TechPowerUp reported that some users also saw their wallpaper replaced by a plain black background, although this symptom is not included in Microsoft's current release-health notice.