Windows 11 features break due to an expired certificate

Windows 11 early adopters might not be able to use the Snipping Tool, touch keyboard, or emoji panel unless they manually update the operating system. Microsoft issued a patch to fix most of the problems, citing an expired certificate as the cause.

The patch will go out to affected devices as an automatic update, but you can manually install the preview patch, KB5006746, if you want it immediately. It fixes the touch keyboard, voice typing, emoji panel (Windows key + period, for those of you who haven't had the pleasure), and the getting started and tips sections in Windows 11. It doesn't fix the Snipping Tool (Windows key + Shift + S), however. Microsoft recommends using the Print Screen key as an alternative.

Windows 11 users running the security-focused S mode (a version of Windows that limits you to Microsoft Store apps and Microsoft Edge), or who want to use the input method editor (a keyboard macro tool, basically) might encounter issues regardless of the patch as well.

Certificates essentially verify parts of your operating system as official, like a contract. This particular one expired on October 31, causing all of these programs and features to crash for some users. Normally, expired certificates can continue to work past their expiration date, but, for whatever reason, this one causes crashes now that we're past the end of October.

The Verge reported that you can manually change your device's date back to October 30 to get the Snipping Tool to work if you've experiencing crashes related to this problem. Otherwise, you might have to wait for another patch.

Such is the way of brand new operating systems. If you're still using Windows 10, you might consider holding off on that upgrade to 11, as Wes noted last month.