Windows 11 KB5074105 introduced a User Account Control prompt when opening Settings > System > Storage. The prompt was intentional: Microsoft added elevation to help ensure that only authorized users could access protected system files through Storage settings.
The behavior has since changed. On current Windows 11 builds containing the May 2026 refinement, the main Storage page opens normally and UAC appears only after selecting Temporary files. A PC that still prompts immediately when Storage opens is probably running an older cumulative-update state or has not yet received the refined implementation.
What KB5074105 Changed
KB5074105 was an optional non-security preview released on January 29, 2026, for:
- Windows 11 version 25H2, OS Build 26200.7705
- Windows 11 version 24H2, OS Build 26100.7705
Microsoft’s KB5074105 release notes state that Windows began displaying UAC when users opened Storage settings. The change was intended to restrict access to system files to authorized users.
Storage settings can do more than display a disk-usage chart. The Temporary files section may enumerate or remove system-wide data, including Windows Update cleanup files, previous Windows installation files, delivery optimization files, error reports, and device-driver packages. Some categories affect the operating system or every account on the computer.
An administrator still receives UAC because Windows normally runs applications with standard privileges. Selecting Yes grants the requested elevated permission for that action.
The Current Storage Prompt Behavior
Microsoft refined the feature in the May 26, 2026 preview update, KB5089573. Its official release notes say that UAC now appears only when the user chooses to view Temporary files instead of immediately when opening Storage.
| Windows state | Expected behavior |
|---|---|
| Older KB5074105-era implementation | UAC may appear when opening Settings > System > Storage |
| Current build with the later refinement | Storage opens normally; UAC appears when selecting Temporary files |
| Standard account without admin credentials | Protected cleanup details remain unavailable unless an administrator approves |
Feature rollout and managed update schedules can make two PCs behave differently even when both use Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2. The safest response is to install the latest applicable cumulative security update rather than manually installing an old preview package.
Is It Safe to Approve the UAC Prompt?
Approve it when all of these conditions are true:
- You deliberately opened Windows Settings.
- The prompt appeared after opening Storage or Temporary files.
- The dialog identifies Windows Settings, not an unfamiliar executable.
- The request occurs as part of the action you initiated.
Select No when the prompt appears unexpectedly, repeatedly opens without any Storage action, or names an unknown program from Downloads or a temporary folder. Cancelling a legitimate prompt does not damage Windows. It only prevents the protected Storage operation from continuing.
A standard user should ask the device owner or IT administrator to approve the action. Do not convert a limited account to Administrator merely to avoid one Storage prompt.
What to Do When Storage Prompts Immediately
A prompt at the moment the main Storage page opens usually reflects the earlier implementation.
- Open Settings > Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates.
- Install the latest cumulative security update available for the PC.
- Restart Windows.
- Return to Settings > System > Storage.
- Check whether UAC now appears only after selecting Temporary files.
Do not search for KB5074105 and install it manually. It was an optional preview, and later cumulative updates carry newer fixes and security protection. A managed work or school computer may receive updates on an administrator-controlled schedule, so contact IT instead of bypassing policy.
How to Check Whether the Original Update Was Installed
Open Settings > Windows Update > Update history, expand Quality Updates, and look for KB5074105. You can also press Windows + R, enter winver, and note the Windows version and OS build.
The original builds were 26100.7705 for Windows 11 24H2 and 26200.7705 for 25H2. A larger build number means later updates have been installed.
Do not use the absence of KB5074105 from Update history as proof that the Storage change is missing. Preview updates are optional, and their changes can be included in later cumulative releases without the original KB appearing as a separate installed item.
When Temporary Files Is Blank or Keeps Loading
Temporary files can take several minutes to calculate, especially after a major update or on a slow or nearly full drive. Approve the expected UAC prompt once and allow the scan to finish.
When it remains blank:
- Close Settings and restart Windows.
- Install pending cumulative updates.
- Reopen Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files.
- Confirm that the system drive remains visible and responsive.
- Check whether only one cleanup category is missing.
A category such as Windows Update Cleanup appears only when eligible files exist. Its absence does not automatically mean Storage is broken.
Disk Cleanup can provide a second check. Search for Disk Cleanup, select the Windows drive, choose Clean up system files, approve UAC, and wait for the scan. Review every category before deleting it. Do not manually erase the WinSxS component store.
Drive errors, freezes during disk access, or an SSD that intermittently disappears require storage diagnosis rather than repeated Settings repairs. Use these Windows 11 SSD health checks when the problem extends beyond the Temporary files page.
When the Entire Settings App Is Failing
The normal UAC prompt does not require SFC, DISM, a Windows reset, or a new administrator account. Use broader repairs only when Settings, Windows Update, and other built-in components also fail.
Start with a restart and the latest cumulative update. Test another authorized administrator account when one already exists. System repair commands become reasonable only when there is separate evidence of damaged Windows components.
An intentional security prompt is not a system-file error. A long list of unrelated repair commands would waste time and could introduce new problems.
Should You Uninstall KB5074105?
No, not solely because Storage requests administrator approval.
The elevation behavior was documented, and Microsoft later refined where the prompt appears. Removing an old preview is unlikely to be useful after newer cumulative updates have superseded it. Removing a current security update can also reduce protection.
Consider an update rollback only when a serious reproducible fault began immediately after installation, newer updates do not resolve it, and Microsoft or the computer manufacturer recommends removal. Create a backup and recovery plan first.
Should You Disable UAC?
Disabling User Account Control system-wide to avoid one Storage prompt weakens protection for every program that requests administrator rights. Windows does not provide a normal consumer switch that exempts only Storage while preserving equivalent protection elsewhere.
Avoid registry bypasses, scheduled-task workarounds, modified system files, and tools that suppress UAC. The safe choices are to approve the expected prompt, ask an administrator to approve it, or update Windows so the request occurs only when protected Temporary files information is opened.
Users trying to free disk space should also avoid aggressive scripts that remove system components. My guide to debloating Windows 11 safely separates removable applications from security and servicing components that Windows still needs.
Common Questions
Why does Windows 11 Storage ask for administrator permission?
Storage can access protected cleanup categories and system-wide files. KB5074105 introduced elevation to limit that access to authorized users.
Why does another PC prompt only after selecting Temporary files?
The other PC probably has the later storage refinement delivered with KB5089573 or a newer cumulative update. Rollout timing and managed update schedules can also create differences.
What happens when I select No?
Windows cancels the elevated action. The protected page may close, remain blank, or display limited information, but cancelling does not damage the PC.
Why is KB5074105 missing from Update history?
It was an optional preview. The computer may have skipped it and received the same changes through a later cumulative update.
Is the prompt evidence of malware?
Not when it appears directly after you open Storage or Temporary files and identifies Windows Settings. An unexpected prompt naming an unfamiliar executable should be declined and investigated.
KB5074105’s Storage prompt was an intentional security change, not a reason to disable UAC or reinstall Windows. Keep the PC on its latest supported cumulative update, approve the prompt only when it follows an action you initiated, and investigate broader Windows or drive problems only when symptoms extend beyond the protected Temporary files page.
