Microsoft fixes Windows 11 bug causing flickers in safe mode

Microsoft has addressed a newly acknowledged known issue that caused flickering screen problems and made some Windows apps (e.g., File Explorer, Start Menu, and Taskbar) seem unstable in Safe Mode without Networking.

The problems only affect systems running Windows 11, version 21H2, where users have installed the KB5012643 optional preview cumulative update.

"Devices experiencing this issue can log a System error on the Windows Event Log, with Source 'Winlogon' and the following description: 'The shell stopped unexpectedly and explorer.exe was restarted'," Microsoft explained.

Microsoft addressed the issue using Known Issue Rollback (KIR), a Windows capability that allows reverting problematic non-security fixes delivered via Windows Update.

While the fix has likely reached all consumer devices and non-managed business devices within 24 hours, over the weekend, you might be able to speed up the process if your system hasn't yet received it by restarting your Windows device.

Since the issue only impacts devices that started using the "Safe Mode without Networking" option, you can also work around the display problems by booting into "Safe Mode with Networking."

Group policies for enterprise systems

Windows admins can resolve this Windows 11 Safe Mode issue for affected enterprise-managed devices by installing and configuring the following KIR Group Policy.

The step-by-step procedure you have to go through to configure the policies is available in the Windows Health dashboard.

It requires opening the Group Policy Editor and navigating to either Local Computer Policy or the Domain policy on your domain controller to choose the Windows version you want to use the group policy on.

Detailed info on how to deploy and configure KIR Group Policies is available on the How to use Group Policy to deploy a Known Issue Rollback support page.

Last month, Microsoft also resolved an issue causing WebView2-based Windows apps to render Internet content outside their windows after installing the March 2022 optional preview cumulative updates.