As a reminder we are offering the same builds to both the Dev & Beta Channel

The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7271 (Dev & Beta Channels) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

The post Full screen experience expands to more Windows 11 PC form factors for Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

What’s new in Build 28000.1199

[General]

The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 28000.1199 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 28000.1199 to the Canary Channel. (KB 5068860)

What’s new in Build 28000.1199

[General]

• This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

• The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows. Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.

• Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
• Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
• Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
• To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.

• Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.

Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/11/17/copilot-on-windows-copilot-actions-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:31:14 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178405 Hello Windows Insiders, we are excited to begin rolling out a new update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows that introduces the following changes and improvements:

Copilot Actions: Windows Insiders can now use Copilot Actions

The post Copilot on Windows: Copilot Actions begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

]]> Copilot Actions: Windows Insiders can now use Copilot Actions to perform tasks directly on local files in Windows in an Agent Workspace, a contained, policy-controlled, and auditable environment. As a general-purpose agent, simply describe the task you want to complete in your own words, and the agent will attempt to complete it by interacting with desktop and web applications in a contained environment separate from the interactive user session – like a separate desktop instance just for Copilot. Whether you need a hand sorting through your recent vacation photos, organizing your Downloads folder, converting your files, or need to extract info from a PDF, Copilot Actions can do the heavy lifting for you based on the context of what’s on your PC. At this time, Copilot Actions is an experimental Copilot Labs feature which may make mistakes or encounter challenges with complex interfaces, please monitor their work closely. We welcome your feedback as we seek to improve the experience. At any time, you can take over the task or check in on the progress of the action, including reviewing what actions have been taken. We’ll be starting with a narrow set of use cases while we optimize model performance and learn. You can find more information about our security and privacy controls here, and FAQs here. To get started, select “Take Action” from the drop down in the composer. Optionally, provide Copilot Actions with files or folders by selecting “Attach file” or “Attach folder” from the + button. Copilot will then take a few moments to create a Desktop, before starting to work on your task. [caption id="attachment_178407" align="alignnone" width="800"] UI showing how Copilot Actions performs tasks directly on local files in Windows in an Agent Workspace.[/caption] This Copilot app update (version 1.25112.74 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store.  The above-mentioned feature is gradually rolling out to Insiders worldwide, excluding EEA, so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience on Windows. FEEDBACK: Please provide feedback directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”. Thanks, Microsoft Copilot and Windows Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/11/17/releasing-windows-11-builds-26100-7296-and-26200-7296-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Mon, 17 Nov 2025 22:37:20 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178408 [UPDATE 11/26] We are releasing Builds 26100.7309 and 26200.7309 (KB 5070311) today which is a small update that includes some minor changes.

Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Builds 

The post Releasing Windows 11 Builds 26100.7309 and 26200.7309 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

]]> UPDATE 11/26] We are releasing Builds 26100.7309 and 26200.7309 (KB 5070311) today which is a small update that includes some minor changes. Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Builds 26100.7296 and 26200.7296 (KB 5070311) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100) and version 25H2 (Build 26200). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

Gradual rollout

The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented. Please note that features and improvements that gradually roll out may not begin rolling out right away nor will they immediately show up right away.

Copilot+ PC only experiences

• [Camera] New! As part of the Copilot+ PCs experience, you can use Windows Studio Effects, which provides AI-powered camera enhancements on an additional, alternative camera such as a USB webcam or your laptop’s built-in rear camera. To get started, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras and select your preferred camera from the connected cameras list. Then, open the Advanced camera options and turn on Use Windows Studio Effects. After you turn it on, you can adjust Studio Effects from the camera settings page or the quick settings menu in the taskbar. For more info on the different AI experiences, see ms/copilotpluspcs.
• [Click to Do] These improvements are rolling out to Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs.
  • New! The Click to Do context menu now has a streamlined design that makesi it easier to access frequently used actions like Copy, Save, Share, and Open. You can quickly find what you need.
  • New! Whenever a large image or table appears on your screen, the context menu automatically opens, making it quicker and easier to access the actions and results you need.
• [Agent in Settings] These improvements are rolling out to Agents Settings on Copilot+ PCs.
  • New! The search results menu now displays more available results, making it easier to quickly find and modify your settings. A scroll bar lets you view all search results.
  • New! Recommended settings now make changes faster by showing an inline agent option for recently modified settings.
  • New! A dialog now appears when settings can’t be adjusted further. It explains why and provides an option to modify the settings as needed.

• [File Explorer] New! As part of the Copilot+ PC experience, the File Explorer Search Box placeholder text has been updated to highlight the enhanced Windows Search.

Windows 11 PC experiences – all supported devices

• [Desktop Spotlight] New! When Windows Spotlight is set as your desktop background (Settings > Personalization > Background), the context menu now includes two options: Learn more about this background and Next desktop background.

• [Drag Tray] For users with the Drag Tray:¹
  • New! Drag Tray now supports multi-file sharing, shows more relevant apps, and makes it easy to move files to a chosen folder.
  • New! You can now turn Drag Tray on or off from Settings > System > Nearby sharing.

• [Keyboard] New! Keyboard backlight performance has improved on supported HID-compliant keyboards. Compatible keyboards display keys clearly in low-light environments, and the backlight adjusts to help conserve power.

• [File Explorer]
  • New! File Explorer now offers a more consistent dark mode Key actions such as copy, move, and delete dialogs have been updated in both default and expanded views. Progress bars and chart views now align with the dark theme to improve readability. Confirmation dialogs for actions like skip, override, and file selection, along with multiple error dialogs, have also been refreshed for a cohesive look.
  • New! We’re working on consolidating the share options in the context menu into a single entry point. This change will initially be available to a small group of devices as we evaluate the best approach.
  • Fixed: File Explorer may unexpectedly not show thumbnails for video files containing certain EXIF metadata.
  • Fixed: An old white toolbar may sometimes randomly appear in File Explorer.
  • Fixed: When you right click on a file, the icon next to the entry to Open may be generic rather than matching the default app for that file type.

• [Settings]
  • New! Keyboard settings for character repeat delay and rate, and cursor blink rate, have moved from the Control Panel to Settings. You can now find character repeat delay and rate under Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard, and cursor blink rate under Settings > Accessibility > Text cursor.
  • New! You can view the Device Card on the Settings home page. It shows key specifications and usage details of your PC. From the card, go directly to Settings > About page for more detailed information about your PC. This card will show when signed in with your Microsoft account and in the U.S. only.
  • New! About in Settings now has an updated layout that organizes device details and related options in one place. You can quickly access features such as Storage settings for faster navigation.
  • Fixed: Settings may become unresponsive when attempting to navigate to the Network & Internet section.

• [Windows Hello] New! Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) now supports peripheral fingerprint sensors. To enroll a supported ESS fingerprint reader, go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and follow the prompts. [UPDATE 11/19] This feature will roll out in a future update.
• [Windows Share] New! ² You can share OneDrive files through other apps. The options appear under Share using when you select the Copy link. You must be signed into your Microsoft account.

• [Mobile Device Settings] New! You can now add and manage your mobile devices in Settings Bluetooth & Devices > Mobile On this page you can manage features such as using your device as a connected camera or accessing your device’s files in File Explorer.

• [Game Pass] References to Game Pass in Settings are now modified to reflect updated branding and benefits.

• [Taskbar & System Tray]
  • New! We’re updating the animations that appear when hovering over app groups on the taskbar, so that as you slide between apps you can now see the preview transition.
  • Fixed: The “Automatically hide the taskbar” setting may unexpectedly turn off, after seeing a message saying “a toolbar is already hidden on this side of your screen”.
  • Fixed: Voice access doesn't work correctly when attempting to interact with the taskbar (calling out a number may not invoke that item).

• [Recovery] On PCs with the settings “quick machine recovery” and “automatically check for solutions” both enabled, Quick Machine Recovery now runs a one‑time scan by default instead of repeating scans in a loop. If a fix isn’t available right away, QMR will quickly point you to the most appropriate recovery options to get you back up and running.

• [Widgets]
  • New! You can choose a default dashboard in Widget Board settings. When live weather is showing, the Widget Board opens the first dashboard in your navigation bar instead of the most recently used one, making the experience consistent. To set your default dashboard, open the full-page Widgets Settings by selecting Settings (gear icon) in the navigation bar, then move your preferred dashboard to the top.
  • New! Dashboard icons in the Widget navigation bar now show numbers that correspond to the number of alerts from that dashboard. Navigation bar badges clear automatically when you leave a dashboard, making it easy to track what’s new.

• [OneDrive] The new OneDrive icon is now in Accounts and Homepages in Settings.

• [Input] Pens that support haptic feedback will now deliver tactile responses during certain interactions with the system UI. For example, you may feel vibrations when hovering over the close button or when snapping and resizing windows.

• [Lock and Login Screens]
  • Fixed: It may be very slow the first time when logging into a new account.
  • Fixed: When your lock screen is set to slide show, there may be a memory leak. Memory leaks can lead to performance or reliability issues over time.

• [Display and Graphics]:
  • Improved: We’ve improved the performance when apps query monitors for their full list of supported modes. When this happens it could previously lead to a momentary stutter on very high-resolution monitors. This work should help prevent and reduce stuttering in these scenarios.
  • Fixed: All-in-one PCs may experience issues with their brightness slider, where it unexpectedly reverts to the original brightness when interacting with it.
  • Fixed: Recently certain games may show a message saying “Unsupported graphics card detected”, although a supported graphics card is used.

• [Smart cards]: Fixed: You may unexpectedly see STATUS_NOT_SUPPORTED (0xc00000bb) during logon when using ECC Smart Card Logon Credential.

• [Advanced Settings] You can now enable Virtual Workspaces in Advanced Settings. Virtual Workspaces allow you to enable or disable virtual environments such as Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and more. To access Virtual Workspaces go to Settings > Systems > Advanced.

¹ This feature is gradually rolling out, and availability will vary by device and market. Drag tray might not be available to all devices yet. For more information on Drag Tray, see KB5058499. 2 Feature availability depends on your device and market. This feature isn’t available in the European Economic Area.

Normal Rollout

This non-security update includes quality improvements. The following summary outlines key issues addressed by the KB update after you install it. Also, included are available new features. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change.

• [Security] Fixed: This update addresses an issue that affects Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS). LSASS could become unstable due to an access violation.

The following fixes were added on 11/26:

• [Settings] Fixed: Settings may unexpectedly close when navigating to Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone, Camera, or Location pages after the latest updates.
• [Search indexer] Fixed: After the latest updates, File Explorer may no longer perform search on certain SMB shares
• [Notifications] Fixed: After the latest updates, explorer.exe may hang (leading to the taskbar becoming unresponsive) after certain notifications.

Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team *Functionality will vary by device and market; text actions will be available across markets in select character sets. See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs.]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/11/17/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26220-7262-dev-beta-channels/ Mon, 17 Nov 2025 22:04:03 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178399 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7262 (KB5070303) to the Dev & Beta Channels.

As a reminder we are offering the same builds to both the Dev & Beta Channel

The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7262 (Dev & Beta Channels) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7262 (KB5070303) to the Dev & Beta Channels. As a reminder we are offering the same builds to both the Dev & Beta Channels on Windows 11, version 25H2. If you are an Insider in the Dev Channel, you now have a window to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel if you would like. This window will only be open for as long as we’re releasing the same 25H2-based updates across both the Dev and Beta Channels. After we move Dev Channel forward to a higher build number, the opportunity to switch between these channels will close. When the Dev Channel jumps ahead, things might not be as stable as the Dev Channel is today, so we highly encourage you to evaluate which channel you would like to be in during the time in which the window to switch is open. Changes in Dev & Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev & Beta Channels. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

New features gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

HD Voices in Narrator and Magnifier

Narrator and Magnifier now support high-definition voices for English (United States), powered by Azure’s latest on-device text-to-speech models. These voices use generative AI to adjust tone and pacing for more natural, expressive speech. When reading with Narrator or listening to text in Magnifier, HD voices provide clearer audio and smoother flow. This helps reduce listening fatigue during long sessions and makes it easier to stay focused on the content. While natural voices are available in multiple languages, HD voices are currently offered in English (United States). Both Narrator and Magnifier allow you to personalize your experience by adjusting voice speed and switching between voices anytime. To enable in Narrator

1. Open Settings → Accessibility → Narrator.
2. Navigate to “add a natural voice” button
3. Download your preferred HD voice.
4. Switch voices or adjust speed anytime in Narrator settings.

Currently, HD voices are available in English (United States), with one male (Andrew) and one female (Ava) option to choose from. Magnifier also supports natural voices, including new HD options for even clearer, more lifelike speech. To enable:

1. Open Settings → Accessibility → Magnifier.
2. Navigate to “add a natural voice” button
3. Download your preferred voice.
4. Change voices or adjust speed anytime in Magnifier settings.

[caption id="attachment_178403" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] UI showing list of voices that can be downloaded in Magnifier.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please share your feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator or Accessibility > Magnifier.

Narrator now supports math

• We’re introducing the first phase of Math reading in Narrator, bringing clearer and more natural math experiences to users who are blind or have low vision. With this update, equations in Microsoft 365 apps such as Word can now be read in a structured way that reflects how they’re meant to be understood. Math is at the heart of STEM education and learning, and this improvement helps ensure that students and professionals can independently explore equations, formulas, and scientific notations with confidence.
• To try out this experience, turn on Narrator (press Win + Ctrl + Enter) and open a Word document containing mathematical equations. Use any of the standard Narrator reading commands to hear equations read aloud in a more natural, structured way. We’re continuing to refine this experience and plan to expand it to more scenarios in the future.
• FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

AI Components Setting

• New “Experimental agentic features” toggle in the Settings app. This setting, under System >AI Components, allows agents to use new Windows agentic features. More information can be found here: Experimental Agentic Features - Microsoft Support.

[caption id="attachment_178411" align="alignnone" width="1024"] UI showing the Windows Settings app, specifically under System > AI components where users can activate the “Experimental agentic features” toggle.[/caption]

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

[Click to Do]

• The Click to Do context menu is being updated with a streamlined design, making it simpler to locate what you need. Frequently used actions like Copy, Save, Share, and Open will now be easier to access directly from the context menu.
• Whenever a large image or table appears on your screen, the context menu will automatically pop up, making it quicker and easier to access the actions and results you need.

[caption id="attachment_178402" align="alignnone" width="1024"] UI showing the context menu automatically appearing to provide quick access to common actions.[/caption]

Image Object Selection Update

• We are temporarily turning off Image Object select as detailed here for Dev and Beta

Teaching Tip Updates

• Teaching tips and introduction screen in tutorial mode have been improved.
• A new "Launch Tutorial" button and refreshed instructions make it easier for users to start the tutorial.

[Input]

• Pens that support haptic feedback will now deliver tactile responses during certain interactions with the system UI. For example, you may feel vibrations when hovering over the close button or when snapping and resizing windows.

[File Explorer]

• We are reconfiguring the CFR that supported AI Actions in File Explorer – Insiders may see a temporary loss in image actions and Copilot summary actions as this is relaunched and gradually rolled out to Insiders in the Dev & Beta Channels.
• We’re temporarily stopping the roll out of the ability for newly launched File Explorer folders to open in tabs instead of windows, as it wasn’t working correctly. Appreciate your patience.
• We’re working on consolidating the share options in the context menu into a single entry point. (Updated 11/17)

[Administrator Protection]

• We're temporarily stopping the rollout of administrator protection feature. Appreciate your patience. (Updated 11/17)

Fixes gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

[General]

• Fixed an issue resulting in mouse and keyboard not working for some Insiders in WinRE / Advanced Startup.

[Recall]

• Fixed an issue recently causing some Insiders to see a message saying they don’t have an eligible camera for Recall when they did.

[Task Manager]

• Fixed an issue where the Task Manager process wasn’t stopping correctly after closing Task Manager. As a result of this, you may have also seen Task Manager unexpectedly open on boot.

[Settings]

• Fixed an issue where the Virtual Workspaces options weren’t working correctly in Settings > System > Advanced. As part of this fix, the option is now available again for Insiders.
• Fixed an issue where the CPU information in Settings > System > About may be unexpectedly truncated.

Known issues

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• We’re investigating an issue which is causing the Start menu to not open for some Insiders on click, although it will open if you press the Windows key. It’s believed this issue may also potentially impact the notification center (which you can open with WIN + N).
• We’re investigating an issue where for some Insiders apps aren’t showing in the system tray when they should be.

[File Explorer]

• Scrollbar and footer are missing and showing a white block instead when text is scaled in dark mode version of the copy dialog.

[.NET Framework and Visual Studio]

• [NEW] Insiders using ARM64 PCs may observe crashes with Visual Studio or applications that depend on .NET Framework. To resolve the problem, scan for Windows Updates and install the latest .NET Framework update.

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev & Beta Channels

• Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.xxxx).
• Many features are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
• For Windows Insiders who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
• Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
• Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
• Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.

Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team

]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/11/13/releasing-windows-11-build-22631-6269-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 13 Nov 2025 18:10:39 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178395 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.6269 (KB 5070312) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).  

The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.6269 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

]]> Windows 11 Build 22631.6269 (KB 5070312) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).   This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented. This non-security update includes quality improvements. The following summary outlines key issues addressed by the KB after you install it. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change.

• [Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)]
  • Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
• [File Explorer]
  • Fixed: This update addresses an issue where File Explorer sometimes didn’t respond to mouse clicks until you closed and reopened it.
  • Fixed: This update addresses an issue with extracting .tar files when file or folder names contain more than 34 commonly used Chinese characters.
• [Group Policy and Configuration]
  • Fixed: This update addresses an issue where the HideRecommendedSection policy didn’t work in Windows 11 Enterprise multi-session environments, such as Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). Even when configured using Group Policy or Configuration Service Provider (CSP), recommendations still appeared in AVD sessions.

Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/11/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-28000-canary-channel/ Fri, 07 Nov 2025 18:05:31 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178390 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 28000 to the Canary Channel.

What’s new in Build 28000

[General]

• This u
  

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 28000 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 28000 to the Canary Channel.

  What’s new in Build 28000

  [General]

  • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

  [Versioning]

  • With this build today, Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel will see the versioning updated under Settings > System > About (and winver) to Windows 11, version 26H1.
  • 26H1 is not a feature update for version 25H2 and only includes platform changes to support specific silicon. There is no action required from customers.
  • 25H2 remains the primary place for new features. Windows 11 continues to have an annual feature update cadence, with releases in the second half of the calendar year.
  • As a reminder, in the Windows Insider Program, new experiences will continue to land first in the Dev and Beta Channels, with Canary primarily focused on platform changes.

  Fixes

  [General]

  • Fixed an issue causing live captions to crash in the previous flight for some Insiders.
  • Fixed an issue which could cause the credentials window to not be accessible when trying to login to Outlook in recent flights.

  Known issues

  [Start menu]

  • Insiders with the new Start menu may experience it unexpectedly scrolling to the top.

  [Power and Battery]

  • We’re investigating reports that sleep and shutdown aren’t working correctly for some Insiders after the latest Canary builds.

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

  • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows. Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/11/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26220-7070-dev-beta-channels/ Fri, 07 Nov 2025 18:03:02 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178385 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7070 (KB5070300) to the Dev & Beta Channels.

  As a reminder we are offering the same builds to both the Dev & Beta Channel

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7070 (Dev & Beta Channels) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7070 (KB5070300) to the Dev & Beta Channels. As a reminder we are offering the same builds to both the Dev & Beta Channels on Windows 11, version 25H2. If you are an Insider in the Dev Channel, you now have a window to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel if you would like. This window will only be open for as long as we’re releasing the same 25H2-based updates across both the Dev and Beta Channels. After we move Dev Channel forward to a higher build number, the opportunity to switch between these channels will close. When the Dev Channel jumps ahead, things might not be as stable as the Dev Channel is today, so we highly encourage you to evaluate which channel you would like to be in during the time in which the window to switch is open. Changes in Dev & Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev & Beta Channels. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  New features gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

  Widgets

  Choose your default dashboard in an updated Widget Board Settings  
  • Launching the Widget Board when it’s showing live weather content will now open the first dashboard in your navigation bar instead of your most recently used dashboard for a more predictable Widget Board experience.
  • To modify your default dashboard, navigate to the new full-page Widgets Settings experience by clicking the gear icon at the bottom of your Widget navigation bar and re-arrange your desired default dashboard to the top position.
  [caption id="attachment_178387" align="alignnone" width="846"] Widgets board with a redesigned Widget Settings page that allows dashboard to be re-arranged[/caption]

  See numbered badges on the Widget Board navigation bar  

  Badges on the dashboard icons in the Widget navigation bar will now show numbers corresponding to the number of alerts from that dashboard. Navigation bar badges clear automatically when you leave a dashboard, making it easy to track what’s new. [caption id="attachment_178388" align="alignnone" width="300"] Numbered badge on the Discover dashboard icon in the navigation bar.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Widgets

  Changes and Improvements for everyone

  [Recovery]

  • We’re updating Quick Machine Recovery in Windows - Microsoft Support make getting back to a working PC clearer and faster. The experience in both Windows Settings and the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) has been streamlined so options are easier to find and use. On PCs with the settings “quick machine recovery” and “automatically check for solutions” both enabled, QMR now runs a one‑time scan by default instead of repeating scans in a loop. If a fix isn’t available right away, you won’t be left waiting; QMR will quickly point you to the most appropriate recovery options to get you back up and running.
  [caption id="attachment_178389" align="alignnone" width="1024"] In Settings for Systems, Recovery, “Quick machine recovery” and “Automatically check for solutions” are enabled to run a onetime QMR scan by default.[/caption]

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

  [Smart App Control]

  • We’re updating Smart App Control (SAC) so you will now be able to switch SAC off or on without any clean install requirement. To make changes, go to Windows Security > App & Browser Control > Smart App Control settings.
  • When it’s on, it helps block untrusted or potentially harmful apps. You can learn more about SAC App & Browser Control in the Windows Security App - Microsoft Support.

  [File Explorer]

  • We are re-enabling people icons under the “Activity” column in File Explorer Home detailed here.
  • We are temporarily turning off the integration supporting the StorageProvider APIs for cloud providers as detailed here.
  • We are temporarily turning off support for frequently used and recently downloaded recommended files in File Explorer as detailed here.

  Fixes gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

  [General]

  • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing interacting with the desktop to unexpectedly open Task View recently for some people.

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where Shift + Click (or middle clicking) on File Explorer in the taskbar wasn’t opening a new File Explorer instance.
  • Fixed an issue where the File Explorer active tab title might not display bolded until you hovered your mouse over it.

  [Taskbar]

  • Fixed an issue which could lead to the “Automatically hide the taskbar” setting unexpectedly turning off, after seeing a message saying “a toolbar is already hidden on this side of your screen”.

  [Settings]

  • Fixed an issue which could lead to Settings hanging when trying to navigate to the Network & Internet section.

  Known issues

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • We’re investigating an issue which is causing the Start menu to not open for some Insiders on click, although it will open if you press the Windows key. It’s believed this issue may also potentially impact the notification center (which you can open with WIN + N).
  • We’re investigating an issue where for some Insiders apps aren’t showing in the system tray when they should be.

  [File Explorer]

  • Copy progress might flash when clicking more or less details in dark mode version of the copy dialog.
  • Scrollbar and footer are missing and showing a white block instead when text is scaled in dark mode version of the copy dialog.

  [Recall]

  • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing some Insiders to see a message saying they don’t have an eligible camera for Recall when they do.

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev & Beta Channels

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.xxxx).
  • Many features are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/11/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27982-canary-channel/ Tue, 04 Nov 2025 18:04:17 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178377 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27982 to the Canary Channel.

  What’s new in Build 27982

  Changes and Improvements Rolling out to

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27982 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27982 to the Canary Channel.

  What’s new in Build 27982

  Changes and Improvements Rolling out to Insiders

  [Lock screen] 

  • We have updated the widgets experience for your lock screen, replacing what was previously referred to as “Weather and more.” You can add, remove and rearrange lock screen widgets such as Weather, Watchlist, Sports and more. We also provide suggested widgets on the lock screen to help you discover more widgets. Any widget that supports the small sizing option can be added. To customize your lock screen widgets, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
  • Note: We are beginning to roll these experiences out to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders just yet as we plan to monitor feedback before pushing it out to everyone.
  • FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Lock screen.
  [caption id="attachment_177912" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Customization settings for lock screen widgets shown in Settings and highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

  [Widgets] 

  • Multiple dashboards in Widgets give you more space for your favorite widgets and keep you informed with a personalized feed.
  • New left-side navigation bar makes it easy to switch between dashboards and views like the Discover feed.
  • Note: We are beginning to roll these experiences out to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders just yet as we plan to monitor feedback before pushing it out to everyone.
  FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Widgets.

  [Sharing]

  Making sharing files in Windows easier Sharing files in Windows is getting a lot easier and quicker with our new drag tray feature. When you start dragging a local file with mouse (or touch) from File Explorer or your desktop, a handy tray appears at the very top of your screen allowing you to drop the file into one of the displayed apps or choose “More…”  to open the Windows share window. New drag tray UI that appears at the top of your screen when dragging a local file from File Explorer or your desktop. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Share. Fixes

  [General]

  • Fixed an issue which was leading to Visio freezing when interacting with an IME.
  • Fixed an issue in the latest Canary builds for Insiders with Arm64 PCs, leading to an error message when playing certain games saying "The game has crashed with error code 0x0".
  • Fixed an issue where if you used your PC for a while without rebooting, explorer.exe might start crashing repeatedly.
  • Fixed an issue where after the latest updates, text might not render correctly when editing content within a multiline text box in certain apps.

  Known issues

  [Start menu]

  • Insiders with the new Start menu may experience it unexpectedly scrolling to the top.

  [Power and Battery]

  • We’re investigating reports that sleep and shutdown aren’t working correctly for some Insiders after the latest Canary builds.

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

  • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/31/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26220-7051-dev-beta-channels/ Fri, 31 Oct 2025 17:04:52 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178358 Update: 11/5 - We are rolling out Quality Update 26220.7052. This update does not include anything new, doesn't require a reboot, and is designed to test our servicing pipeline.

  Hello Windows Insiders, today we are

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7051 (Dev & Beta Channels) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Update: 11/5 - We are rolling out Quality Update 26220.7052. This update does not include anything new, doesn't require a reboot, and is designed to test our servicing pipeline. Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7051 (KB5067115) to the Dev & Beta Channels. Starting today, we are beginning to offer the same Dev Channel updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel as a recommended update. If you are an Insider in the Dev Channel, you now have a window to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel if you would like. This window will only be open for as long as we’re releasing the same 25H2-based updates across both the Dev and Beta Channels. After we move Dev Channel forward to a higher build number, the opportunity to switch between these channels will close. When the Dev Channel jumps ahead, things might not be as stable as the Dev Channel is today, so we highly encourage you to evaluate which channel you would like to be in during the time in which the window to switch is open. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  New features gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

  Introducing Ask Copilot in taskbar

  [caption id="attachment_178366" align="alignnone" width="467"] The Ask Copilot experience in the Windows taskbar demonstrating a query for ‘Out’ that shows apps, files, settings, and Copilot chat suggestions.[/caption] With the new Ask Copilot in taskbar, Copilot becomes a natural part of how you use your PC, ready to help, guide and collaborate the moment you need it. This opt-in experience gives you one-click access to Copilot Vision and Voice, enabling more natural interaction in your flow. Whether through text, voice, or guided support with Copilot Vision, you can engage on your terms, in the way that works best for you. You’re always in control. As you type, results appear and update instantly, making it easier than ever to find what you need. To get started go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Ask Copilot to enable the experience. You can also manage whether the Copilot app launches automatically at sign-in using the “Auto start on log in” toggle in the Copilot app settings. Ask Copilot in taskbar complements the familiar Windows Search experience, so you can continue using Search as you always have from Start while trying out this new experience. Ask Copilot uses existing Windows APIs to return apps, files, and settings—just like Windows Search—and does not grant Copilot access to your personal content. For more details, you can learn about privacy and control options for Microsoft Copilot here. Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Ask Copilot in taskbar.

  Full screen experience

  Following the initial launch of the full screen experience (FSE) on the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, today’s preview to Windows Insiders expands availability to additional Windows 11 handheld devices currently in market. Designed with console-style navigation in mind, the Xbox PC app paired with the full screen experience delivers a clean, distraction-free interface for handheld gaming. You’ll get smooth task switching and optimized performance, with background processes minimized and non-essential tasks deferred—so gameplay stays responsive and uninterrupted. [caption id="attachment_178370" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A screenshot of the full screen experience with the Xbox PC app, with game selection shown.[/caption]
  [caption id="attachment_178369" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Settings screen shot showing Gaming and full screen experience enablement options for startup.[/caption] How to enable FSE: On supported devices, go to Settings > Gaming > Full screen experience, then select Xbox as your home app. Once enabled, you can access FSE from Task View and Game Bar or configure your handheld to enter full screen experience on startup.
  Availability:

  • Currently available on ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X
  • Preview rolling out to MSI Claw models today
  • Additional OEMs enabling their handhelds in the coming months

  Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Gaming and Xbox > Gaming Handhelds.

  Shared audio (preview)

  • In this update, we are beginning rollout of shared audio (preview), a new experience built on Bluetooth® LE Audio broadcast technology, for Copilot+ PCs. Shared audio allows two family members to watch movies together while traveling, or two students to share music while studying.
  • To get started, access the “Shared audio (preview)” tile in quick settings, select two supported paired and connected accessories and click “Share” to begin.
  • For more information about shared audio (preview), including details about compatible PCs and accessories, visit Extending Bluetooth® LE Audio on Windows 11 with shared audio (preview).

  [caption id="attachment_178365" align="alignnone" width="476"] Shared audio (preview) settings showing two connected devices and the Share button to get started using the experience.[/caption]

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

  [Prism]

  • We are enabling the feature update to Prism, our emulator for Windows on Arm, that makes it possible for more 64-bit x86 (x64) applications to run under emulation by adding support for more CPU features under emulation. This support will be made available to any 64-bit x86 (x64) application under emulation by default, and 32-bit x86 applications can be opted in to the support using the emulation settings in the Properties window.
  • Please submit any feedback on compatibility issues or performance regressions through the Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Apps and the specific app you’re seeing issues with (if you don’t see the app listed, use “All other apps”) to help us to ensure that this updated Prism provides a great experience.

  Fixes gradually being rolled out with toggle on* [General]

  • Fixed an underlying issue leading to keyboards or other USB devices not working for a small number of Insiders after the latest flights.

  [Start menu]

  • Fixed an issue where interacting with a folder or its contents in Start menu could result in the folder becoming invisible.

  [File Explorer]

  • Made some underlying changes to help responsiveness of File Explorer when navigating in network locations.
  • Made some more underlying improvements to help reduce the launch time of File Explorer.
  • Fixed an issue where “Open” in File Explorer’s context menu wasn’t showing the right icon for .exe, .cmd & .bat files (was showing a generic executable icon, instead of the default app for that file type).
  • Fixed an issue where you might see your desktop icons move when interacting with files, such as opening or renaming them.
  • Fixed a couple issues where tooltips were not showing up as expected when using navigating Home with a keyboard.

  [Lock and login screens]

  • Fixed a memory leak when your lock screen was set to slide show, which could lead to performance or reliability issues over time when unlocking your PC.
  • Fixed an issue which could cause logging into be very slow the first time when logging into a new account.

  [Settings]

  • Fixed an issue where the search box in Settings could become overlapped with the minimum and maximize buttons in the title bar.

  [Other]

  • Fixed an issue where after the latest updates, screen readers might unexpectedly say "legacy window" without reading out the window contents when interacting with certain apps.
  • Fixed an issue where after the latest updates, text might not render correctly when editing content within a multiline text box in certain apps.
  • Fixed an issue where protected content playback might fail on some machines after the latest updates.
  • Fixed an issue which could cause ethernet upload speeds to be significantly lower on some PCs after the latest updates.

  Known issues

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • We’re investigating an issue which is causing the Start menu to not open for some Insiders on click, although it will open if you press the Windows key. It’s believed this issue may also potentially impact the notification center (which you can open with WIN + N).
  • We’re investigating an issue where for some Insiders apps aren’t showing in the system tray when they should be.

  [File Explorer]

  • Copy progress might flash when clicking more or less details in dark mode version of the copy dialog.
  • Scrollbar and footer are missing and showing a white block instead when text is scaled in dark mode version of the copy dialog.

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev & Beta Channels

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.xxxx).
  • Many features are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.

  Thanks, Amanda
  ]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/31/extending-bluetooth-le-audio-on-windows-11-with-shared-audio-preview/ Fri, 31 Oct 2025 17:04:03 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178363 Today’s Windows 11 Insider Preview Build (26220.7051) for Dev & Beta Channels begins gradual rollout of shared audio (preview), a new experience being previewed that allows your audio to be shared between two separate headphone

  The post Extending Bluetooth® LE Audio on Windows 11 with shared audio (preview) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> shared audio (preview), a new experience being previewed that allows your audio to be shared between two separate headphones, speakers, earbuds, or hearing aids.  Built on top of Bluetooth LE Audio broadcast technology, shared audio lets your supported Windows 11 PC transmit an audio stream to two Bluetooth audio accessories at the same time. Update 10/31: This preview is currently only supported on the Copilot+ PCs listed below, but more devices may be supported once available to general audiences. Shared audio lets students share music with a friend while studying or brings family members closer by watching a movie together on an airplane. As Insiders, you have the first opportunity to explore this feature and provide feedback before it rolls out more broadly. To use shared audio, pair and connect two compatible Bluetooth LE Audio accessories to your Windows 11 PC, then use the “Shared audio (preview)” tile in quick settings to start sharing audio. Use the “Stop sharing” button to end an active sharing session. [caption id="attachment_178365" align="alignnone" width="476"] Shared audio (preview) settings showing two connected devices and the Share button to get started using the experience.[/caption]

  Compatible Copilot+ PCs

  Shared audio (preview) is supported on select Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs listed below with compatible Bluetooth and audio driver updates, and we expect additional Windows 11 PCs to add support for shared audio later. Available today:
  • Surface Laptop, 13.8-inch and 15-inch* | Qualcomm Snapdragon X
  • Surface Laptop for Business, 13.8 and 15-inch* | Qualcomm Snapdragon X
  • Surface Pro, 13-inch** | Qualcomm Snapdragon X
  • Surface Pro for Business, 13-inch** | Qualcomm Snapdragon X
  • [UPDATE 11/20] Surface Laptop, 13-inch | Qualcomm Snapdragon X
  • [UPDATE 11/20] Surface Laptop for Business, 13-inch | Qualcomm Snapdragon X
  • [UPDATE 11/20] Surface Pro, 12-inch | Qualcomm Snapdragon X
  • [UPDATE 11/20] Surface Pro for Business, 12-inch | Qualcomm Snapdragon X
  Coming soon:
  • Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 | Intel Core Ultra Series 200
  • Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro | Intel Core Ultra Series 200
  • Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 | Intel Core Ultra Series 200
  • Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge | Qualcomm Snapdragon X
  * Previously known as Surface Laptop 7^th Edition ** Previously known as Surface Pro 11^th Edition

  Compatible Bluetooth LE Audio accessories

  Shared audio (preview) is compatible with a wide range of Bluetooth LE Audio accessories. This includes, but is not limited to, Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Buds3 and Buds3 Pro, Sony WH-1000XM6, and recent LE Audio capable hearing aids from ReSound and Beltone. Shared audio and other innovative Windows Bluetooth audio experiences, like super wideband stereo, are built on top of LE Audio technology. Look for LE Audio support when purchasing your next headphones, earbuds, speaker, or assistive hearing device.

  Requirements to try shared audio (preview)

  To try out shared audio (preview), enroll your compatible Windows 11 Copilot + PC in the Windows Insider Dev or Beta Channels, and install the latest OS and driver updates through Windows Update. For Windows Insiders who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready. If you own a Copilot+ PC on the coming soon list, look for driver updates to be offered to you through Windows Update in the coming weeks. The “Shared audio (preview)” tile will appear in Quick Settings when your system has the necessary driver updates to support the feature. It is highly recommended to use the manufacturers’ app for your Bluetooth audio accessories to ensure LE Audio support is enabled and that the latest firmware updates are installed. If after updating, your Bluetooth accessory is connected to your PC but does not show under the “Shared audio (preview)” tile, try removing it from your PC, and then re-pairing it.

  Share your feedback

  We welcome and appreciate all feedback to help refine the shared audio experience during preview. Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Bluetooth – Audio quality, glitches, choppiness and stuttering.]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/28/copilot-on-windows-vision-with-text-input-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Tue, 28 Oct 2025 20:47:13 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178345

  Hello Windows Insiders, we are excited to begin rolling out a new update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows that introduces the following changes and improvements:

  Vision with text-in, text-out: Win

  The post Copilot on Windows: Vision with text input begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Hello Windows Insiders, we are excited to begin rolling out a new update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows that introduces the following changes and improvements: Vision with text-in, text-out: Windows Insiders can now converse with Copilot Vision using text, with Copilot responding in text within the same chat window. Previously you could only use Vision using voice, and Copilot would coach you through it aloud. Share any app or screen, and Copilot can help analyze, offer insights, or answer your questions. To get started click the glasses icon in your composer, toggle off the ‘Start with voice ‘setting, and select which app or screen you want to share with Copilot. You will see a glow around the app or window that you are sharing with Copilot.  Type your questions, and Copilot will respond in text within the same chat window. Pressing the mic button will transition the text Vision session to a  voice Vision session, and you can continue the conversation using your voice. To stop sharing, press ‘Stop’ or ‘X’ in the composer. We are continuing to explore how Vision can best serve our users, so some functionality, like highlights that visually point out elements on the screen, is not supported with today’s release. Please provide feedback on your experience directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”. Whether you forget your headphones or just prefer engaging via text, Vision can support you across whichever scenario suits you best. [caption id="attachment_178349" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Click on the glasses icon, toggle off ‘Start with voice’, and share your screen to start Vision with text.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178351" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Type your questions or chat about what you’re sharing[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178350" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Copilot responds in text[/caption] This Copilot app update (version 1.25103.107 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. The above-mentioned features are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience on Windows. FEEDBACK: Please provide feedback directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”. Thanks, Microsoft Copilot Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/24/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26220-6982-dev-channel/ Fri, 24 Oct 2025 19:04:46 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178341 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6982 (KB5067109) to the Dev Channel.

  Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6982 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6982 (KB5067109) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [Windows Search Box]

  • In this update, we are introducing Copy & Search, a feature that allows you to search the text in your clipboard with a single click. When you copy text anywhere in Windows, a paste gleam will appear in your search box. Click on this gleam and your copied text will appear in the search field, allowing you to search instantly. To get started:
    • Copy text from a document, webpage, or app.
    • After copying text, the paste gleam will appear in the search box on the taskbar.
    • Click the paste gleam to search for the copied text.
  [caption id="attachment_178337" align="alignnone" width="919"] Copying any text in Windows (in this case Office) adds a paste gleam to in the Search field on Taskbar.[/caption]

  [Voice Typing]

  • We are introducing a new 'Wait time before acting' setting in Voice Typing, allowing users to configure the delay before a voice command is executed. This provides greater flexibility for users with varying speech patterns, enabling more accurate recognition whether speaking slowly or quickly. (Update: This is rolling out for all desktop types, not just Copilot+ PCs.)
  [caption id="attachment_178338" align="alignnone" width="843"] Voice typing settings supports “Wait time before acting” with timing options like “Instant - 0.1 seconds” to “Very Long - 3.0 seconds”[/caption]

  [Proactive Memory Diagnostics]

  • We’re introducing a new feature that helps improve system reliability. If your PC experiences a bugcheck (unexpected restart), you may see a notification when signing in suggesting a quick memory scan. If you choose to run it, the system will schedule a Windows Memory Diagnostic scan to run during your next reboot (taking 5 minutes or less on average) and then continue to Windows. If a memory issue is found and mitigated, you will see a notification post-reboot. Please note:
    • This early flight includes all bugcheck codes as triggers while we study the relationship between memory corruption and crashes. Future builds will refine targeting.
    • Currently this is experience not supported on Arm64 devices, systems with Administrator Protection, or BitLocker without Secure Boot.
  [caption id="attachment_178339" align="alignnone" width="577"] Windows Memory Diagnostics dialog recommending a scan during next reboot.[/caption]

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [Settings]

  • Device Cards in Settings has been updated to provide more clarity on information about your device for better readability and streamlined navigation for improved user experience.
  • In Settings About, we’ve enhanced it to deliver a more structured and intuitive experience, empowering users with device insights, and seamless navigation to related device components - including quick access to Storage settings.
  • Search: You can now scroll through all search results directly in the flyout, without needing to open a separate results page.
  [caption id="attachment_178340" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A scrollbar is added to Settings search results flyout to show all results.[/caption]

  [Click to Do]

  • We’re helping users discover more actions in Click to Do!
    • A helpful hint now appears as you launch Click to Do, assisting unfamiliar users in discovering powerful actions that help you work quickly and intuitively.
    • Known issue: When there are multiple monitors, the hint appears on every display, and closing one of them does not dismiss the others.

  [Start menu]

  • Windows Insiders with the larger Start menu flyout will now notice that the Windows Search flyout now matches in size. This update aims to create a smoother transition when searching. The feature relies on the updated Start menu rolled out to WIP earlier this year.

  [File Explorer]

  • File Explorer Home on-hover actions for faster file management (previously released to Insiders with MSA) is now available for enterprise customers.

  [Taskbar]

  • We’re restarting the rollout of the new animations on taskbar– appreciate your patience.

  [Windows Studio Effects]

  • Windows Studio Effects now offers support on additional, alternative, cameras as a part of a gradual rollout to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered and AMD Copilot+ PCs, previously only available to Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs.

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on* [General]

  • Fixed an issue causing text actions that use Phi Silica in Click to Do and Recall to not work correctly on the previous build.

  [Taskbar]

  • Fixed an issue where hovering over the taskbar with a pen was making the taskbar prematurely hide for some Insiders recently.
  • Fixed an issue where voice access wasn’t working correctly when attempting to interact with the taskbar (calling out a number wasn’t invoking that item).

  [Input]

  • Fixed an issue where if you used the touch keyboard to input your password on the login screen, it might not disappear after logging into your PC.

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where the search icon in File Explorer might infinitely loop in an animation recently.

  [Widgets]

  • If you’ve been experiencing an issue recently with widgets not being able to log in, that should be resolved now.

  [Administrator Protection]

  • Fixed an issue when running an app as administrator where the text in the UAC prompt might be truncated.

  [Task Manager]

  • Fixed an issue which was causing some apps and their processes to not be grouped correctly.

  [Other]

  • Updated the buttons to have rounded corners when you’re shutting down your PC and are prompted if you want to shut down anyway despite running apps.

   

  Known issues

  [General]

  • [NEW] We’re investigating an underlying issue leading to keyboards or other USB devices not working for a small number of Insiders after the latest flights.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • We’re investigating an issue which is causing the Start menu to not open for some Insiders on click, although it will open if you press the Windows key. It’s believed this issue may also potentially impact the notification center (which you can open with WIN + N).
  • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue where for some Insiders apps aren’t showing in the system tray when they should be.

  [File Explorer]

  • Copy progress might flash when clicking more or less details in dark mode version of the copy dialog.
  • Scrollbar and footer are missing and showing a white block instead when text is scaled in dark mode version of the copy dialog.
   

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.xxxx).
  • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/24/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-6982-beta-channel/ Fri, 24 Oct 2025 19:04:25 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178336 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6982 (KB5067109) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

  Changes in Beta Channel b

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6982 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6982 (KB5067109) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features/improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [Windows Search Box]

  • In this update, we are introducing Copy & Search, a feature that allows you to search the text in your clipboard with a single click. When you copy text anywhere in Windows, a paste gleam will appear in your search box. Click on this gleam and your copied text will appear in the search field, allowing you to search instantly. To get started:
    • Copy text from a document, webpage, or app.
    • After copying text, the paste gleam will appear in the search box on the taskbar.
    • Click the paste gleam to search for the copied text.
  [caption id="attachment_178337" align="alignnone" width="919"] Copying any text in Windows (in this case Office) adds a paste gleam to in the Search field on Taskbar.[/caption]

  [Voice Typing]

  • We are introducing a new 'Wait time before acting' setting in Voice Typing, allowing users to configure the delay before a voice command is executed. This provides greater flexibility for users with varying speech patterns, enabling more accurate recognition whether speaking slowly or quickly. (Update: This is rolling out for all desktop types, not just Copilot+ PCs.)
  [caption id="attachment_178338" align="alignnone" width="843"] Voice typing settings supports “Wait time before acting” with timing options like “Instant - 0.1 seconds” to “Very Long - 3.0 seconds”[/caption]

  [Proactive Memory Diagnostics]

  • We’re introducing a new feature that helps improve system reliability. If your PC experiences a bugcheck (unexpected restart), you may see a notification when signing in suggesting a quick memory scan. If you choose to run it, the system will schedule a Windows Memory Diagnostic scan to run during your next reboot (taking 5 minutes or less on average) and then continue to Windows. If a memory issue is found and mitigated, you will see a notification post-reboot. Please note:
    • This early flight includes all bugcheck codes as triggers while we study the relationship between memory corruption and crashes. Future builds will refine targeting.
    • Currently this is experience not supported on Arm64 devices, systems with Administrator Protection, or BitLocker without Secure Boot.
  [caption id="attachment_178339" align="alignnone" width="577"] Windows Memory Diagnostics dialog recommending a scan during next reboot.[/caption]

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [Settings]

  • Device Cards in Settings has been updated to provide more clarity on information about your device for better readability and streamlined navigation for improved user experience.
  • In Settings About, we’ve enhanced it to deliver a more structured and intuitive experience, empowering users with device insights, and seamless navigation to related device components - including quick access to Storage settings.
  • Search: You can now scroll through all search results directly in the flyout, without needing to open a separate results page.
  [caption id="attachment_178340" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A scrollbar is added to Settings search results flyout to show all results.[/caption]

  [Click to Do]

  • We’re helping users discover more actions in Click to Do!
    • A helpful hint now appears as you launch Click to Do, assisting unfamiliar users in discovering powerful actions that help you work quickly and intuitively.
    • Known issue: When there are multiple monitors, the hint appears on every display, and closing one of them does not dismiss the others.

  [Start menu]

  • Windows Insiders with the larger Start menu flyout will now notice that the Windows Search flyout now matches in size. This update aims to create a smoother transition when searching. The feature relies on the updated Start menu rolled out to WIP earlier this year.

  [File Explorer]

  • File Explorer Home on-hover actions for faster file management (previously released to Insiders with MSA) is now available for enterprise customers.

  [Taskbar]

  • We’re restarting the rollout of the new animations on taskbar– appreciate your patience.

  [Windows Studio Effects]

  • Windows Studio Effects now offers support on additional, alternative, cameras as a part of a gradual rollout to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered and AMD Copilot+ PCs, previously only available to Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs.

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [General]

  • Fixed an issue causing text actions that use Phi Silica in Click to Do and Recall to not work correctly on the previous build.

  [Taskbar]

  • Fixed an issue where hovering over the taskbar with a pen was making the taskbar prematurely hide for some Insiders recently.
  • Fixed an issue where voice access wasn’t working correctly when attempting to interact with the taskbar (calling out a number wasn’t invoking that item).

  [Input]

  • Fixed an issue where if you used the touch keyboard to input your password on the login screen, it might not disappear after logging into your PC.

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where the search icon in File Explorer might infinitely loop in an animation recently.

  [Widgets]

  • If you’ve been experiencing an issue recently with widgets not being able to log in, that should be resolved now.

  [Administrator Protection]

  • Fixed an issue when running an app as administrator where the text in the UAC prompt might be truncated.

  [Task Manager]

  • Fixed an issue which was causing some apps and their processes to not be grouped correctly.

  [Other]

  • Updated the buttons to have rounded corners when you’re shutting down your PC and are prompted if you want to shut down anyway despite running apps.

  Known Issues

  [General]

  • [NEW] We’re investigating an underlying issue leading to keyboards or other USB devices not working for a small number of Insiders after the latest flights.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • We’re investigating an issue which is causing the Start menu to not open for some Insiders on click, although it will open if you press the Windows key. It’s believed this issue may also potentially impact the notification center (which you can open with WIN + N).
  • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue where for some Insiders apps aren’t showing in the system tray when they should be.

  [File Explorer]

  • Copy progress might flash when clicking more or less details in dark mode version of the copy dialog.
  • Scrollbar and footer are missing and showing a white block instead when text is scaled in dark mode version of the copy dialog.

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
  • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
  • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/23/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27975-canary-channel/ Thu, 23 Oct 2025 17:08:33 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178333 UPDATE 10/27/25: We are starting to roll out Cumulative Update Build 27975.984 (KB5070899). This update does not include anything new and is designed to test our servicing

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27975 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> UPDATE 10/27/25: We are starting to roll out Cumulative Update Build 27975.984 (KB5070899). This update does not include anything new and is designed to test our servicing pipeline for builds in the Canary Channel. Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27975 to the Canary Channel.

  What’s new in Build 27975

  [General] 

  • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

  Fixes

  [Input]

  • Fixed an issue impacting touch keyboard launch reliability in the latest Canary builds.

  [Windows Hello]

  • Fixed an issue impacting certain devices which was causing the Windows Hello PIN to not work after upgrading to the latest Canary builds, until you set it up again.

  [Settings]

  • Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash when accessing drive information under Settings > System > Storage. This also impacted accessing the drive information from the properties when you right clicked a drive in File Explorer.

  Known issues

  [Start menu]

  • Insiders with the new Start menu may experience it unexpectedly scrolling to the top.

  [Power and Battery]

  • We’re investigating reports that sleep and shutdown aren’t working correctly for some Insiders after the latest Canary builds.

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

  • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/22/restyle-in-paint-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Wed, 22 Oct 2025 17:14:08 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178330 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out updates to Paint to Windows Insiders in the Canary, Dev & Beta Channels on Windows 11.

  Paint (version 11.2509.441.0)
  In this update we are introducing Restyle, an AI-powered

  The post Restyle in Paint begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Paint (version 11.2509.441.0) In this update we are introducing Restyle, an AI-powered feature that lets you transform the art style of images on the canvas. To get started, open Paint and select the Restyle option from the Copilot menu. Choose from a preset list of styles and select the Generate button. Once the restyled images are generated, you can click on the Add to canvas button, copy, or save it for later use. [caption id="attachment_178331" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Paint showing a sailboat styled into Pop art.[/caption]

  Restyle will be available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs. To use Restyle, you will need to sign in with your Microsoft account.

  FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint. As always, we love getting feedback from the community and we will be looking out for your thoughts and suggestions on these updates! Thanks, Dave Grochocki, Principal Group Product Manager – Windows Inbox Apps]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/22/releasing-windows-11-build-22631-6132-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Wed, 22 Oct 2025 17:10:08 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178332 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.6132 (KB5067112) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Window

  The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.6132 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Build 22631.6132 (KB5067112) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).   This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
  • [Input] Fixed: This update addresses an issue where the touch keyboard does not enter characters into text fields after the device wakes from sleep. Although touch keyboard animations appear correctly, key presses do not register—for example, when entering a password on the sign-in screen.
  • [Networking] Fixed: An issue where external virtual switches lose their physical network interface card (NIC) bindings and convert to internal switches when the host restarts, resulting in network connectivity loss. The issue was caused by incorrect detection of orphaned virtual switch objects during Host Network Service startup.
  • [Shell] This update enables the Personalized Offers feature during device setup in the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE), and in Settings after the user reaches the desktop.
  • [Storage] Fixed: This update addresses an issue that affects disk communication and causes connectivity errors during Azure Stack Hub or Azure Local cluster upgrades.
  Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/21/releasing-windows-11-builds-26100-7015-and-26200-7015-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Wed, 22 Oct 2025 03:10:17 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178328 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Builds 26100.7015 and 26200.7015 (KB5067036) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2

  The post Releasing Windows 11 Builds 26100.7015 and 26200.7015 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Builds 26100.7015 and 26200.7015 (KB5067036) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100) and version 25H2 (Build 26200). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

  Gradual rollout

  The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented. Please note that features and improvements that gradually roll out may not begin rolling out right away nor will they immediately show up right away.
  • [Start menu] New! The redesigned Start menu, built to help you access your apps more quickly and smoothly. Its redesigned layout makes it easier than ever to find what you need.
    • Scrollable ‘All’ section: The main page now includes a scrollable “All” section, making it easier to find apps.
    • Category and grid views: Switch between two new views—category view, which groups apps by type and highlights frequently used ones, and grid view, which lists apps alphabetically with more horizontal space for easier scanning. The menu remembers your last selected view.
    • Responsive layout: The Start menu adapts to your screen size. Larger displays show more pinned apps, recommendations, and categories by default. Sections like Pinned and Recommended expand or collapse based on content. You can customize these views under Settings > Personalization > Start.
    • Phone Link integration: A new mobile device button next to Search lets you expand or collapse content from your connected phone. This feature supports Android and iOS devices in most markets and will roll out to the European Economic Area (EEA) in 2025.
  • [Voice access]
    • New! Fluid Dictation in voice access makes voice-based dictation smoother and smarter. It helps correct grammar, punctuation, and filler words in real time. Powered by on-device small language models (SLMs), it offers fast and private processing. Fluid Dictation is on by default—just open the voice access app to start. To turn it on or off, go to Settings or say Turn on Fluid Dictation or Turn off Fluid Dictation. You can use it in most text input apps, but it’s disabled in secure fields like passwords or PINs Fluid Dictation is available in all English locales on Copilot+ PCs.
    • New! You can now configure a delay before a voice command is executed. To set this up, go to Voice access settings > Wait time before acting, and select the option that best matches your preferences.
    • New! Voice Access now supports Japanese, expanding accessibility for more users. You can now navigate, dictate, and interact with Windows using voice commands.  With this update, Windows users who speak Japanese can enjoy a hands-free, voice-powered PC experience.
    • Fixed: Voice access unexpectedly stops working, showing error code 9001.
  • [Agent in Settings] New! The new agent in the Settings experience now supports French.
  • [Settings] New! The “Email & accounts” section is now called “Your accounts.” You manage all your accounts under Settings > Accounts.
  • [Click to Do]
    • New! The prompt box in Click to Do streamlines interaction with Copilot, helping you work more efficiently. You can type a custom prompt directly into the text box, which sends your prompt and selected on-screen content to Copilot. Suggested prompts appear below the text box and are powered locally by https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ai/apis/phi-silica. These suggestions are available for text selections in English, Spanish, and French. This feature isn’t currently available in the European Economic Area (EEA) or China.
    • New! You can now translate on-screen text with Microsoft Copilot with Click to Do. When you select text that is in a different language from your Windows display language or preferred language setting, a translation suggestion appears. After selecting the option to translate the text, the translated text will appear in the Copilot app. You can see the supported regions and languages in Microsoft Copilot. This experience is not yet available for customers in the EEA (European Economic Area) or China.
    • New! Click to Do provides unit conversions for length, area, volume, height, temperature, and speed. When you hover over a number + unit, a floating tooltip will show you the conversation. When you select the number + unit, the context menu opens with additional conversation options. You can also access more conversions via the Copilot app. This experience is not yet available for customers in the EEA (European Economic Area) or China.
    • New! By pressing and holding two fingers anywhere on your Copilot+ PC with a touch screen, you can simultaneously launch Click to Do, select the entity under your finger and see relevant actions.
    • New! You can now select objects in Click to Do using Freeform Selection, Rectangle Selection and Ctrl + Click. To use Freeform Selection Mode, select the Freeform button on the toolbar. Then use your pen or finger to draw freely around the items you want to select. To use the Rectangle Selection Mode, select the Rectangle Selection button on the toolbar. Then drag a box around the items. Everything inside the rectangle will be selected. You can also use Ctrl + Click to select multiple types of items—such as text and images—by holding down the Ctrl key and selecting each item.
    • New! Click to Do can now detect tables. You can now highlight any simple table and send it to Excel, copy or share it. With a table in any application, you can press Win + Click to invoke Click to Do, or Win + Q or right swipe and tap to select the table. Once selected, you’ll see the actions you can take like Convert to table with Excel. Just click, capture and continue. This is available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon. You’ll need the latest Microsoft Excel application installed on your PC to see Convert to table with Excel and a Microsoft 365 Subscription. This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area).
    • New! Live Persona Cards from Microsoft 365 now appears in Click to Do. To view a profile card, press Win + Click on an email address from your organization.
    • New! Visual cues now make key items, such as emails, tables, and more, light up on your screen as you launch Click to Do.
    • Fixed: Click to Do may unexpectedly invoke sometimes when pressing Windows key + P.
  • [File Explorer]
    • New! Recommended files in File Explorer Home are now available in personal Microsoft accounts and local accounts. Recommended files show content such as files you frequently used, have recently downloaded, or added to your File Explorer Gallery. This change is not yet rolling out in the EEA (European Economic Area). If you would prefer not to see the recommended section in File Explorer Home, this can be turned off in File Explorer Folder Options. When turned off, folders pinned to Quick Access will display instead.
    • New! When you hover over a file in File Explorer Home, commands such as Open file location or Ask Copilot This experience is available if you’re signed in with a Microsoft account. Support for work and school account (Entra ID) will be available in a future update. This change is not available in the EEA (European Economic Area).
    • New! StorageProvider APIs are now available for cloud providers to integrate with File Explorer Home. Developers can learn to enable the system to query for suggested files.
    • Fixed: The File Explorer context menu may unexpectedly switch back and forth between the normal view and Show More Options on each right click.
    • Fixed: When opening a folder from another app (for example, opening the Downloads folder from a browser), your custom view — including sorting files by name, changing the icon size, or removing grouping — unexpectedly resets back to default.
    • Fixed: The body of the File explorer window may no longer respond to mouse clicks after invoking the context menu.
    • Fixed: Extracting very large archive folders (1.5gb+) may fail with a Catastrophic Error (0x8000FFFF).
    • Fixed: File Explorer may become unresponsive when opening Home.
  • [Taskbar]
    • New! The battery icons are now improved to display colored icons to indicate charging states, simplified overlays that don’t block the percentage bars, and an option to turn on battery percentage. A green battery icon shows that your PC is charging and is in a good state. A yellow icon indicates your battery is less than or equal to 20%. You can also enable the ability to see the battery percentage next to the battery icon in the system tray. To turn on this feature, go to Settings > Power & battery and toggle on the “Battery Percentage”
    • New! When you hover over an open app icon on the taskbar, a thumbnail preview of the app window appears with a new “Share with Copilot” button beneath this preview. Selecting it allows Copilot Vision to scan, analyze, and offer insights on the content displayed by the app at that time. This option can be turned off if preferred under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors, using the checkbox “Share any window from my taskbar”.
    • Fixed: If you hover over an app icon on the taskbar, and then click the window preview, the preview may dismiss and not bring the window to the foreground.
  • [Lock screen] New! The new battery icons, featuring color indicators and battery percentage, now appear in the lower-right corner of the lock screen.
  • [Microsoft 365 Copilot] New! A new Microsoft 365 Copilot page is added to the Get Started experience for commercial devices managed with an active Microsoft 365 subscription. This page helps you discover and engage with Microsoft 365 Copilot more easily.
  • [Windows Setup Experience] New! You can now name your default user folder during set up. On the Microsoft account sign in page, press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt. Type the following command: “cd oobe”, press Enter. Then type ““SetDefaultUserFolder.cmd ”. Enter a folder name of your choice and proceed with the MSA sign-in. The folder name cannot be more than 16 characters and only Unicode characters are supported. The custom folder name will be applied if valid. If not, Windows will automatically generate a profile folder name from your Microsoft email address.
  • [Logging into your PC] Improved: Made underlying changes to help improve the performance of loading the taskbar when unlocking your PC after coming out of sleep. This should also help with cases where the password field and other login screen contents didn’t render when transitioning from lock screen to login screen after sleep.
  • [Windows Update]
    • Improved: Addressed underlying issue which can cause “Update and shutdown” to not actually shut down your PC after updating.
    • Improved: Addressed underlying issue which can cause Windows Update to fail to install with error 0x800f0983.
  • [Remote Credential Guard] Fixed: Remote Credential Guard scenarios between the latest Windows 11 builds and Server 2022 (and below) may unexpectedly fail.
  • [Display and Graphics]
    • Fixed: Apps and browsers may have partially stuck onscreen content when other maximized / full screen apps are updating in the background. This is noticeable particularly when trying to scroll the window content, as only some parts update.
    • Fixed: After recent updates, some videos and games may be unexpectedly red.
    • Fixed: If Connected Devices Platform Service has been disabled, Settings may crash when trying to open Settings > System > Display (including if launched using the menu when right clicking the desktop.
  • [Input] Fixed: An issue related to microsoft.ink.dll and relevant APIs can result in pen and handwriting not working correctly in apps or app crashes recently due to unexpected exceptions being thrown.
  • [Open and Save Dialog] Fixed: Certain apps may become unresponsive when launching the Open or Save Dialog.
  • [Administrator Protection Preview] Administrator protection aims to protect free floating admin rights for administrator users allowing them to still perform all admin functions with just in time admin privileges. This feature is off by default and needs to be enabled via OMA-URI in Intune or via group policy.

  Normal rollout

  This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
  • [Authentication] Fixed: An issue that caused an ACCESS_DENIED error when users attempted to change passwords remotely on member servers or workgroup devices, even when they had the required permissions.
  • [Media] Fixed: This update addresses an issue where protected content playback fails on some machines after installing KB5064081.
  Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/17/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26220-6972-dev-channel/ Fri, 17 Oct 2025 17:04:14 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178326 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6972 (KB5067106) to the Dev Channel.

  Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6972 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6972 (KB5067106) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [Mobile Device Settings]

  • You can now directly add and manage your mobile devices from Settings on your Windows PC by navigating to “Mobile Devices” under the Bluetooth & Devices section. This page allows you to view your mobile devices, add new mobile devices, and manage features such as using your device as a connected camera or accessing your device's files in File Explorer.
  [caption id="attachment_178322" align="alignnone" width="842"] New settings page under Bluetooth & Devices to manage and add connected mobile devices.[/caption]

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [Accounts]

  • We’ve added a new entry point in the account control on the Start menu that takes you directly to the benefits page on https://account.microsoft.com/, making it easier to explore and manage the benefits that come with your Microsoft account.
  [caption id="attachment_178321" align="alignnone" width="878"] Account control in the Start menu has an option to “View my benefits” to take you directly to the benefits page on account.microsoft.com.[/caption]

  [Game Pass]

  • In this build we have modified references to Game Pass plans in Settings to reflect updated branding and benefits.
  [caption id="attachment_178320" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Settings Home page reflects new Game Pass branding and benefits.[/caption]

  [File Explorer]

  • We’re continuing to make improvements to the dark mode experience in File Explorer. You will now see a consistent dark mode experience in the Folder Options dialog.
  [caption id="attachment_178319" align="alignnone" width="354"] Updates to the Folder Options dialog in dark mode.[/caption]

  [Drag Tray]

  • We’ve added the ability to turn Drag Tray on/off from Settings->System->Nearby sharing.

   

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue which could cause File Explorer to show a Catastrophic Error (0x8000FFFF) when extracting large (1.5gb+) archive files.
  • Fixed an issue which could cause an old white toolbar to randomly appear in File Explorer sometimes.

  [Display and Graphics]

  • Fixed a recent issue which was causing some videos and games to be unexpectedly red.
  • Fixed an issue where apps and browsers could have partially stuck onscreen content when other maximized / full screen apps were updating in the background. This may have been noticeable particularly when trying to scroll the window content, as only some parts would update.
  • We've improved the performance when apps query monitors for their full list of supported modes. When this happens could lead to a momentary stutter on very high-resolution monitors, and this work should help prevent and reduce stuttering in these scenarios.

  [Windows Update]

  • Fixed an issue which could lead to updates failing to install with error 0x800f0983.

  [Other]

  • Fixed a hang which could impact Outlook in recent builds, where if prompted for your credentials, you wouldn’t be able to bring the pop up to the foreground and it would go unresponsive.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing Remote Credential Guard scenarios between the latest Windows 11 builds and Server 2022 (and below) to fail.
  • Fixed an issue which could cause the print preview screen to stop responding in Chromium-based browsers.

  Known issues

  [General]

  • [NEW] Text actions that use Phi Silica in Click to Do and Recall will not work correctly on this build. A fix is on the way.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Our new animations on taskbar previews have been turned off temporarily because they were interfering with the ability to share a window from its preview, we will note when they’re brought back.
  • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue which is causing the Start menu to not open for some Insiders on click, although it will open if you press the Windows key. It’s believed this issue may also potentially impact the notification center (which you can open with WIN + N).

  [File Explorer]

  • Copy progress might flash when clicking more or less details in dark mode version of the copy dialog.
  • Scrollbar and footer are missing and showing a white block instead when text is scaled in dark mode version of the copy dialog.

   [Gaming]

  • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.xxxx).
  • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/17/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-6972-beta-channel/ Fri, 17 Oct 2025 17:04:03 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178325 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6972 (KB5067106) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

  Changes in Beta Channel b

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6972 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6972 (KB5067106) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [Mobile Device Settings]

  • You can now directly add and manage your mobile devices from Settings on your Windows PC by navigating to “Mobile Devices” under the Bluetooth & Devices section. This page allows you to view your mobile devices, add new mobile devices, and manage features such as using your device as a connected camera or accessing your device's files in File Explorer.
  [caption id="attachment_178322" align="alignnone" width="842"] New settings page under Bluetooth & Devices to manage and add connected mobile devices.[/caption]

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [Accounts]

  • We’ve added a new entry point in the account control on the Start menu that takes you directly to the benefits page on https://account.microsoft.com/, making it easier to explore and manage the benefits that come with your Microsoft account.
  [caption id="attachment_178321" align="alignnone" width="878"] Account control in the Start menu has an option to “View my benefits” to take you directly to the benefits page on account.microsoft.com.[/caption]

  [Game Pass]

  • In this build we have modified references to Game Pass plans in Settings to reflect updated branding and benefits.
  [caption id="attachment_178320" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Settings Home page reflects new Game Pass branding and benefits.[/caption]

  [File Explorer]

  • We’re continuing to make improvements to the dark mode experience in File Explorer. You will now see a consistent dark mode experience in the Folder Options dialog.
  [caption id="attachment_178319" align="alignnone" width="354"] Updates to the Folder Options dialog in dark mode.[/caption]

  [Drag Tray]

  • We’ve added the ability to turn Drag Tray on/off from Settings->System->Nearby sharing.

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue which could cause File Explorer to show a Catastrophic Error (0x8000FFFF) when extracting large (1.5gb+) archive files.
  • Fixed an issue which could cause an old white toolbar to randomly appear in File Explorer sometimes.

  [Display and Graphics]

  • Fixed a recent issue which was causing some videos and games to be unexpectedly red.
  • Fixed an issue where apps and browsers could have partially stuck onscreen content when other maximized / full screen apps were updating in the background. This may have been noticeable particularly when trying to scroll the window content, as only some parts would update.
  • We've improved the performance when apps query monitors for their full list of supported modes. When this happens, this could lead to a momentary stutter on very high-resolution monitors, and this work should help prevent and reduce stuttering in these scenarios.

  [Windows Update]

  • Fixed an issue which could lead to updates failing to install with error 0x800f0983.

  [Other]

  • Fixed a hang which could impact Outlook in recent builds, where if prompted for your credentials, you wouldn’t be able to bring the pop up to the foreground and it would go unresponsive.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing Remote Credential Guard scenarios between the latest Windows 11 builds and Server 2022 (and below) to fail.
  • Fixed an issue which could cause the print preview screen to stop responding in Chromium-based browsers.

  Known issues

  [General]

  • [NEW] Text actions that use Phi Silica in Click to Do and Recall will not work correctly on this build. A fix is on the way.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Our new animations on taskbar previews have been turned off temporarily because they were interfering with the ability to share a window from its preview, we will note when they’re brought back.
  • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue which is causing the Start menu to not open for some Insiders on click, although it will open if you press the Windows key. It’s believed this issue may also potentially impact the notification center (which you can open with WIN + N).

  [File Explorer]

  • Copy progress might flash when clicking more or less details in dark mode version of the copy dialog.
  • Scrollbar and footer are missing and showing a white block instead when text is scaled in dark mode version of the copy dialog.

   [Gaming]

  • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
  • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
  • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/16/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27972-canary-channel/ Thu, 16 Oct 2025 17:04:28 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178317 Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27971 (Canary Channel)

  Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27971 to the Canary Channel.

  What’s n

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27971 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27971 (Canary Channel) Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27971 to the Canary Channel.

  What’s new in Build 27971 

  [Notification Center]

  • We are extending the functionality of Notification Center to secondary monitors. This means you will be able to see your calendar on any of your monitors as well as the option to show a bigger clock with seconds above calendar. You will be able to open Notification Center on any monitor by clicking the date and time in the system tray of your taskbar.
  [We are beginning to roll this out to Windows Insiders in the Canary, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders just yet as we plan to monitor feedback before pushing it out to everyone.]

  Fixes

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue in the latest Canary builds causing File Explorer to crash when transferring files to a network drive.

  [Lock and login screens]

  • Fixed an issue in the previous build where the media controls might not display on the lock screen.

  [Input]

  • Fixed an underlying issue related to microsoft.ink.dll and relevant APIs, which could result in pen and handwriting not working correctly in apps or app crashes recently due to unexpected exceptions being thrown.

  [Other]

  • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing protected content playback to fail for some apps recently.
  • Fixed an issue impacting the ability to start Hyper-V virtual machines with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) on ARM64 devices.

  Known issues

  [Settings]

  • Settings may crash when accessing drive information under Settings > System > Storage. This also impacts accessing the drive information from the properties when you right click a drive in File Explorer.

  [Start menu]

  • [NEW] Insiders with the new Start menu may experience it unexpectedly scrolling to the top.

  [Power and Battery]

  • We’re investigating reports that sleep and shutdown aren’t working correctly for some Insiders after the latest Canary builds.

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

  • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/13/copilot-on-windows-settings-support-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Mon, 13 Oct 2025 23:11:40 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178314 Hello Windows Insiders, we are excited to begin rolling out a new update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows that introduces the following changes and improvements:

  Direct Settings Access: Now, if Copilot on Windows users ask a

  The post Copilot on Windows: Settings support begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Direct Settings Access: Now, if Copilot on Windows users ask a question related to their PC settings, Copilot will provide a direct link to the relevant Windows Settings. Just ask 'Make my screen easier to read' or 'Help me focus by reducing distractions,' and Copilot will guide you to the Windows settings page. [caption id="attachment_178315" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Direct Settings access in Copilot on Windows[/caption] This Copilot app update (version 1.25095.161 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. The above-mentioned features are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience on Windows. FEEDBACK: Please provide feedback directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”. Thanks, Microsoft Copilot Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26220-6780-dev-channel/ Fri, 10 Oct 2025 17:04:31 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178306 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6780 (KB5067103) to the Dev Channel.

  Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6780 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6780 (KB5067103) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [Agent in Settings]

  The following changes and improvements are rolling out for agent in Settings on Copilot+ PCs: We’re introducing new experiences to make it easier to modify settings in both search and recommended settings. Recommend Settings: Now allows for faster changes by showing an inline agent action for recently modified settings. [caption id="attachment_178310" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Settings Homepage with options to adjust recently modified settings under “Recommended settings”.[/caption] Search: We now show more available results in the search fly out to discover what you’re looking for and to allow you to quickly modify those settings. In cases where the settings can’t be adjusted further, a dialog lets you know why and provides an option to modify the settings as needed. [caption id="attachment_178312" align="alignnone" width="1024"] More available results are displayed within search to take action and quickly modify those settings.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178313" align="alignnone" width="1024"] When searching for “increase volume” within settings, a dialog is presented indicating that volume is already at the maximum setting and provides a slider to modify the value.[/caption]

  [Drag Tray]

  • Drag Tray now supports multi-file sharing, intelligently surfaces more relevant apps, and enables seamless file movement to a chosen folder.
  [caption id="attachment_178302" align="alignnone" width="600"] Drag Tray UI shows options to share to apps like WhatsApp, Paint, Snapchat, and movement to other folders.[/caption]

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [Click to Do (Preview)]

  The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
  • We’re making it easier to act on what matters. Visual cues now make key entities, such as emails, tables, and more, light up on your screen as you launch Click to Do. Click on these entities to discover powerful actions that help you work faster and smarter.

  [Administrator Protection]

  • The ability to enable Administrator Protection via Windows Security under Account protection is now available again.

  [OneDrive]

  • We are rolling out the new OneDrive icon in Accounts and Homepages in Settings.

  [Run]

  • Dark Mode: We continue to make improvements to the dark more experience in Windows 11. This week we are updating the Run dialog. [UPDATE] This change is on a very slow rollout so not many Insiders will see it right away. We plan to expand the rollout to more Insiders over the next few flights.
  [caption id="attachment_178301" align="alignnone" width="428"] Run dialog in dark mode[/caption]

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [Click to Do (Preview)]

  The following fixes are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
  • Fixed an issue where launching Click to Do on your primary display via right-edge gesture would result in the swipe visuals appearing on the incorrect display.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Fixed an issue where pressing WIN + <number> repeatedly wasn’t cycling through the windows of an app as expected.

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue in the previous flight which was causing File Explorer to crash a lot for some Insiders.

  [Start menu]

  • Fixed an issue which was causing Start menu to unexpectedly scroll to the top when interacting with it.
  • Fixed an issue where the context menu in Start wouldn’t open with touch (just immediately dismissed).

  [Search]

  • Fixed an issue where searches might show unexpected text instead of the expected results and images.

  [Other]

  • If you were experiencing a large number of apps (including browsers) crashing in the previous flight, that should no longer repro with this update.

  Known issues

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Our new animations on taskbar previews have been turned off temporarily because they were interfering with the ability to share a window from its preview, we will note when they’re brought back.

  [File Explorer]

  • Copy progress might flash when clicking more or less details in dark mode version of the copy dialog.
  • Scrollbar and footer are missing and showing a white block instead when text is scaled in dark mode version of the copy dialog.

   [Xbox Controller]

  • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.xxxx).
  • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-6780-beta-channel/ Fri, 10 Oct 2025 17:04:14 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178299 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6780 (KB5067103) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

  Changes in Beta Channel b

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6780 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6780 (KB5067103) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [Agent in Settings]

  The following changes and improvements are rolling out for agent in Settings on Copilot+ PCs: We’re introducing new experiences to make it easier to modify settings in both search and recommended settings. Recommend Settings: Now allows for faster changes by showing an inline agent action for recently modified settings.
  [caption id="attachment_178310" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Settings Homepage with options to adjust recently modified settings under “Recommended settings”.[/caption] Search: We now show more available results in the search fly out to discover what you’re looking for and to allow you to quickly modify those settings. In cases where the settings can’t be adjusted further, a dialog lets you know why and provides an option to modify the settings as needed.
  [caption id="attachment_178312" align="alignnone" width="1024"] More available results are displayed within search to take action and quickly modify those settings.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178313" align="alignnone" width="1024"] When searching for “increase volume” within settings, a dialog is presented indicating that volume is already at the maximum setting and provides a slider to modify the value.[/caption]

  [Drag Tray]

  Drag Tray now supports multi-file sharing, intelligently surfaces more relevant apps, and enables seamless file movement to a chosen folder. [caption id="attachment_178302" align="alignnone" width="600"] Drag Tray UI shows options to share to apps like WhatsApp, Paint, Snapchat, and movement to other folders.[/caption]

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [Click to Do (Preview)]

  The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
  • We’re making it easier to act on what matters. Visual cues now make key entities, such as emails, tables, and more, light up on your screen as you launch Click to Do. Click on these entities to discover powerful actions that help you work faster and smarter.

  [Administrator Protection]

  • The ability to enable Administrator Protection via Windows Security under Account protection is now available again.

  [OneDrive]

  • We are rolling out the new OneDrive icon in Accounts and Homepages in Settings.

  [Run]

  • Dark Mode: We continue to make improvements to the dark more experience in Windows 11. This week we are updating the Run dialog. [UPDATE] This change is on a very slow rollout so not many Insiders will see it right away. We plan to expand the rollout to more Insiders over the next few flights.
  [caption id="attachment_178301" align="alignnone" width="428"] Run dialog in dark mode[/caption]

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [Click to Do (Preview)]

  The following fixes are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
  • Fixed an issue where launching Click to Do on your primary display via right-edge gesture would result in the swipe visuals appearing on the incorrect display.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Fixed an issue where pressing WIN + repeatedly wasn’t cycling through the windows of an app as expected.

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue in the previous flight which was causing File Explorer to crash a lot for some Insiders.

  [Start menu]

  • Fixed an issue which was causing Start menu to unexpectedly scroll to the top when interacting with it.
  • Fixed an issue where the context menu in Start wouldn’t open with touch (just immediately dismissed).

  [Search]

  • Fixed an issue where searches might show unexpected text instead of the expected results and images.

  [Other]

  • If you were experiencing a large number of apps (including browsers) crashing in the previous flight, that should no longer repro with this update.

  Known issues

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Our new animations on taskbar previews have been turned off temporarily because they were interfering with the ability to share a window from its preview, we will note when they’re brought back.

  [File Explorer]

  • Copy progress might flash when clicking more or less details in dark mode version of the copy dialog.
  • Scrollbar and footer are missing and showing a white block instead when text is scaled in dark mode version of the copy dialog.

   [Xbox Controller]

  • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
  • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
  • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/09/copilot-on-windows-connectors-and-document-creation/ Thu, 09 Oct 2025 21:11:36 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178296 Hello Windows Insiders, we are excited to begin rolling out a new update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows that introduces the following changes and improvements:

  Connectors: Copilot on Windows now supports connecting to pers

  The post Copilot on Windows: Connectors, and Document Creation begin rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Connectors: Copilot on Windows now supports connecting to personal services like OneDrive, Outlook (including email, contacts, and calendar), Google Drive, Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts. These connections make it easier for users to find their content across multiple accounts. In this initial release, Copilot enables natural language search across all your connected services.  For example, you can ask:
  • “What’s the email address for Sarah?”
  • “Find my school notes from last week.”
  And Copilot will retrieve relevant information from your connected accounts. You can link both Microsoft and third-party accounts to Copilot. This feature is opt-in. Access can be granted by opening the Settings page in the Copilot Windows app, scrolling to the Connectors section, and enabling OneDrive, Outlook, Google Drive, Gmail, Google Calendar, or Google Contacts. [caption id="attachment_178297" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Connectors – OneDrive file search in Copilot on Windows[/caption] Document Creation and Export: Copilot on Windows now supports creating and exporting content into multiple file formats with a simple prompt. Users can generate Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PDFs, or PowerPoint presentations and more directly from their Copilot session. Just ask Copilot, “Export this text to a Word document” or “Create an Excel file from this table,” and Copilot will create the file for you. With just a prompt, you can instantly turn ideas, notes, and data into shareable and editable documents with no extra steps or tools required. And for responses with 600 characters or more, Copilot also includes a default export button that lets you send text directly to Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or PDF. [caption id="attachment_178298" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Document creation and export in Copilot on Windows[/caption] This Copilot app update (version 1.25095.161.0 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. The above-mentioned features are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience on Windows. FEEDBACK: Please provide feedback directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”. Thanks, Microsoft Copilot Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27965-canary-channel/ Wed, 08 Oct 2025 21:04:32 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178294 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27965 to the Canary Channel.

  What’s new in Build 27965 

  Introducing the new Start menu for Win

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27965 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27965 to the Canary Channel.

  What’s new in Build 27965 

  Introducing the new Start menu for Windows 11

  [caption id="attachment_177956" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Updated Start menu shows pinned apps on the top, recommended apps and files in the middle, and installed apps which are grouped by a new category UI on the bottom.[/caption] Easily launch all your apps with scrollable Start menu We’re making it easier for you to launch your apps with our updated, scrollable Start menu. With "All” now on the top-level, apps are easily accessible without having to navigate to a secondary page. In addition, we're introducing two new views to browse and launch your installed apps in the “All” section: category and grid view. The new default Category view automatically groups your apps by category for quick access to your most used categories and apps. So, if your most used apps are Outlook and Solitaire, you can expect those apps to bubble up to the top in their respective categories. Categories are formed when there are at least 3 apps in each respective category. Otherwise, they will remain in the “Other” category. Grid view is ordered alphabetically like List view but allows for better scanning of all your installed apps with more horizontal real estate. With new view options to choose from in the “All” section, we’ll remember your last used view so you can reliably launch your apps with the view you prefer most. [caption id="attachment_177957" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Updated Start menu introduces 2 new ways to view installed apps: by category and grid views.[/caption] Experience a larger Start menu with responsive sections We're making better use of your screen real estate by adapting the size of the Start menu based on your screen size. Have a larger-screen device? You can expect to see a larger Start menu, by default, so you can see more of your apps and files. On larger devices, users can expect to see 8 columns of pinned apps, 6 recommendations, and 4 columns of categories in the Start menu. On smaller devices, you’ll see 6 columns of pinned apps, 4 recommendations, and 3 columns of categories. [caption id="attachment_177959" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Updated Start menu only shows pinned and installed apps to illustrate that sections within Start are now responsive and can collapse such as the Recommended section.[/caption] Sections within Start are also responsive so you can see more or less of your Pinned and Recommended sections. Have only a few pins? The Pinned section will shrink down to a single row and other sections will slide up. If you’d prefer to not see recommendations, then turn off the following toggles in Settings > Personalization > Start: “Show recently added apps,” “Show recommended files in Start...,” “Show websites from your browsing history,” and “Show recommendations for tips...” If there aren’t any recommendations available, the section will collapse so you can see more of your installed apps. [caption id="attachment_177960" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Toggles in Settings app to turn on/off features in Start.[/caption] Seamless cross-device integration with Phone Link Lastly, we’ve updated Start to continue allowing you to take advantage of powerful cross-device features. Now, you can easily expand and collapse mobile device content using the new mobile device button next to the Search box. This cross-device integration is generally available for connected Android and iOS devices in most markets and will be coming later in 2025 to the European Economic Area. [We are beginning to roll this out to Windows Insiders in the Canary, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders just yet as we plan to monitor feedback before pushing it out to everyone.] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Start menu.

  Changes and Improvements for everyone in the Canary channel

  [.NET Framework 3.5]

  • Starting with Build 27965, .NET Framework 3.5 is no longer a Windows Feature on Demand optional component. We encourage customers relying on the legacy framework to move to modern versions of .NET. Customers running business-critical applications that still depend on .NET Framework 3.5 can access a .NET Framework 3.5 standalone installer located here: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2337635. More information about .NET Framework products' lifecycle can be found here: Lifecycle FAQ - .NET Framework | Microsoft Learn

  [Command Line]

  • Edit, a command line text editor, is now delivered with Windows! You can quickly edit a file while in the Terminal app by typing edit followed by the file name. Edit is open source on GitHub and for a full list of its features, check out its docs.

  Fixes

  [Taskbar and System Tray]

  • If you were having issues with the taskbar not autohiding correctly in the previous flight, that should be resolved now.

  [Video Playback]

  • Fixed a recent issue which was causing some videos and games to be unexpectedly red.
  • Fixed an issue that could affect playback of protected content in certain Blu-ray, DVD, and digital TV apps that used Enhanced Video Renderer with HDCP enforcement.

  Known issues

  [File Explorer]

  • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue in the latest Canary builds causing File Explorer to crash when transferring files to a network drive.

  [Settings]

  • [NEW] Settings may crash when accessing drive information under Settings > System > Storage. This also impacts accessing the drive information from the properties when you right click a drive in File Explorer.

  [Lock and login screens]

  • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue in this build where the media controls may not display on the lock screen.

  [Power and Battery]

  • We’re investigating reports that sleep and shutdown aren’t working correctly for some Insiders after the latest Canary builds.

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

  • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/06/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-6772-beta-channel/ Mon, 06 Oct 2025 21:09:33 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178283 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6772 (KB5065797) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

  Changes in Beta Channel b

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6772 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6772 (KB5065797) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [Click to Do (Preview)]

  The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs: Image Object select in Click to Do: Image Object select is designed to help you speed up your creative flow and precisely select objects within images. Just hover over your image to preview selectable areas. Once selected, you can easily copy and paste your object into other apps or use it to kick off a chat with Copilot for deeper insights or creative actions. Update: We are temporarily turning off Image Object select due to quality issues. [caption id="attachment_178284" align="alignnone" width="624"] Image of three kittens sitting on a wooden surface with a computer context menu overlaid on the center kitten. The context menu includes options like "Copy," "Paste," and "Properties," along with other options like “Ask Copilot”.[/caption] Unit conversion: We’re introducing the ability to do unit conversion in Click to Do to help you quickly access conversions for number + unit combinations displayed on screen. Currently, we primarily support conversions for length, area, volume, weight, temperature, and speed.
  • When users hover over a number + unit, a floating tooltip appears showing the conversion.
  • When users select the number + unit, the context menu opens with additional conversion options.
  • Users can also access more conversions via the Copilot app (currently supported in Microsoft Copilot. This capability is not yet available for Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area) or China.
  [caption id="attachment_178285" align="alignnone" width="292"] Screenshot showing the conversion tool for Click to Do using the example of 2 kilometers. It displays conversions to miles (1.243 mi) and feet (6561.68 ft), with options to copy, open with, or search the web.[/caption]

  [Windows Hello]

  Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security Now Supports Peripheral Fingerprint Sensors: Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) is expanding to support peripheral fingerprint sensors in Windows 11. Previously, ESS was only available on PCs with built-in biometric sensors, but now Windows 11 PCs, including desktops and Copilot+ PCs, can benefit from the most secure sign-in experience Windows Hello has to offer. Just plug in a supported ESS fingerprint reader, head to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and follow the prompts to enroll. [caption id="attachment_178286" align="alignnone" width="625"] Settings dialog under Accounts-->Sign-in options, where Additional settings has an option outlined in red for “Enhanced sign-in security” with a button for “Set up” [/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security and Privacy > Windows Hello Fingerprint.

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [Windows Setup Experience]

  • Ability to name your default user folder in OOBE:You can now customize the name of your default user folder, “C:\User\<name>”, during set up. To do so, follow these steps:
    • On the Microsoft account sign in page,press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt.
    • Type the following commands:“cd oobe” press enter and then type “SetDefaultUserFolder.cmd <YourFolderName>”
    • <YourFolderName> can be 16 characters max.
    • Only Unicode characters are supported and special characters will be removed
    • Proceed with MSA sign-in.
    • The custom folder name will be applied if valid.
    • If not set, Windows will automatically generate a profile folder name from your Microsoft email address.
  • Local-only commands removal: We are removing known mechanisms for creating a local account in the Windows Setup experience (OOBE). While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also inadvertently skip critical setup screens, potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use. Users will need to complete OOBE with internet and a Microsoft account, to ensure device is setup correctly.

  [File Explorer]

  • Dark Mode: We’ve made improvements to the dark mode experience in File Explorer starting with key actions like copy, move, and delete dialogs. You’ll now see a consistent dark mode experience in:
    • The default and expanded state for copy, move, and delete dialogs
    • Progress bars and chart views
    • Dialogs for confirming states like skip, override, and file selection
    • Multiple confirmation and error dialogs
  [caption id="attachment_178287" align="alignnone" width="685"] The new discover dialog in dark mode.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178289" align="alignnone" width="700"] The new recycle bin dialog in dark mode.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178292" align="alignnone" width="686"] The new copy dialog in dark mode.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178290" align="alignnone" width="690"] The new replace or skip files dialog in dark mode.[/caption]

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [General]

  • Fixed an underlying issue which caused multiple features which were rolling out to unexpectedly disappear from some Insider PCs after the previous flight.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Fixed an issue after the latest updates where when “automatically hide the taskbar” was enabled sometimes you would still see the system tray peeking up while the taskbar was hidden. Also fixed an issue where it wasn’t hiding anymore when you were on the desktop with all app windows minimized.
  • Fixed a focus related issue when clicking on an app preview thumbnail which could result on it dismissing but the app window not actually coming to the foreground.

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where Encrypted File System (EFS) related dialogs in File Explorer weren’t responding to increased text scaling.

  [Windows Studio Effects]

  • Fixed an issue for some classes of external webcams, where turning on "Use Windows Studio Effects" in the advanced camera setting might result in a camera preview failure. If you were impacted by this known issue in the latest builds, and turned off Windows Studio Effects inside the camera settings to workaround it, you can enable it again now.

  [Settings]

  • Fixed an issue causing certain network adapters to show an incorrect link speed

  [Other]

  • Fixed an issue impacting the ability to start Hyper-V virtual machines with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) on ARM64 devices.
  • Fixed an issue that could affect playback of protected content in certain Blu-ray, DVD, and digital TV apps that used Enhanced Video Rendererwith HDCP enforcement.

  Known issues

  [Click to Do]

  • Launching Click to Do on your primary display via right-edge gesture will result in the swipe visuals appearing on the incorrect display. The issue is being investigated.

  [Lock and login screens]

  • [NEW] The touch keyboard may fail to launch on the login screen. If you encounter this, you can use the on-screen keyboard in the accessibility menu as a workaround.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Our new animations on taskbar previews have been turned off temporarily because they were interfering with the ability to share a window from its preview, we will note when they’re brought back.

  [Search]

  • Certain searches may show unexpected text instead of the expected results and images.

  [Xbox Controllers]

  • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
  • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
  • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/06/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26220-6772-dev-channel/ Mon, 06 Oct 2025 21:07:21 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178291 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6772 (KB5065797) to the Dev Channel.

  Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6772 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6772 (KB5065797) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [Click to Do (Preview)]

  The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs: Image Object select in Click to Do: Image Object select is designed to help you speed up your creative flow and precisely select objects within images. Just hover over your image to preview selectable areas. Once selected, you can easily copy and paste your object into other apps or use it to kick off a chat with Copilot for deeper insights or creative actions. Update: We are temporarily turning off Image Object select due to quality issues. [caption id="attachment_178284" align="alignnone" width="624"] Image of three kittens sitting on a wooden surface with a computer context menu overlaid on the center kitten. The context menu includes options like "Copy," "Paste," and "Properties," along with other options like “Ask Copilot”.[/caption] Unit conversion: We’re introducing the ability to do unit conversion in Click to Do to help you quickly access conversions for number + unit combinations displayed on screen. Currently, we primarily support conversions for length, area, volume, weight, temperature, and speed.
  • When users hover over a number + unit, a floating tooltip appears showing the conversion.
  • When users select the number + unit, the context menu opens with additional conversion options.
  • Users can also access more conversions via the Copilot app (currently supported in Microsoft Copilot. This capability is not yet available for Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area) or China.
  [caption id="attachment_178285" align="alignnone" width="292"] Screenshot showing the conversion tool for Click to Do using the example of 2 kilometers. It displays conversions to miles (1.243 mi) and feet (6561.68 ft), with options to copy, open with, or search the web.[/caption]

  [Windows Hello]

  Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security Now Supports Peripheral Fingerprint Sensors: Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) is expanding to support peripheral fingerprint sensors in Windows 11. Previously, ESS was only available on PCs with built-in biometric sensors, but now Windows 11 PCs, including desktops and Copilot+ PCs, can benefit from the most secure sign-in experience Windows Hello has to offer. Just plug in a supported ESS fingerprint reader, head to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and follow the prompts to enroll. [caption id="attachment_178286" align="alignnone" width="625"] Settings dialog under Accounts-->Sign-in options, where Additional settings has an option outlined in red for “Enhanced sign-in security” with a button for “Set up”[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security and Privacy > Windows Hello Fingerprint.

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [Windows Setup Experience]

  • Ability to name your default user folder in OOBE: You can now customize the name of your default user folder, “C:\User\<name>”, during set up. To do so, follow these steps:
    • On the Microsoft account sign in page,press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt.
    • Type the following commands:“cd oobe” press enter and then type “SetDefaultUserFolder.cmd <YourFolderName>”
    • <YourFolderName> can be 16 characters max.
    • Only Unicode characters are supported and special characters will be removed
    • Proceed with MSA sign-in.
    • The custom folder name will be applied if valid.
    • If not set, Windows will automatically generate a profile folder name from your Microsoft email address.
  • Local-only commands removal: We are removing known mechanisms for creating a local account in the Windows Setup experience (OOBE). While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also inadvertently skip critical setup screens, potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use. Users will need to complete OOBE with internet and a Microsoft account, to ensure device is setup correctly.

  [File Explorer]

  • Dark Mode: We’ve made improvements to the dark mode experience in File Explorer starting with key actions like copy, move, and delete dialogs. You’ll now see a consistent dark mode experience in:
    • The default and expanded state for copy, move, and delete dialogs
    • Progress bars and chart views
    • Dialogs for confirming states like skip, override, and file selection
    • Multiple confirmation and error dialogs
  [caption id="attachment_178287" align="alignnone" width="685"] The new discover dialog in dark mode.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178292" align="alignnone" width="686"] The new copy dialog in dark mode.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178289" align="alignnone" width="700"] The new recycle bin dialog in dark mode.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178290" align="alignnone" width="690"] The new replace or skip files dialog in dark mode.[/caption]

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [General]

  • Fixed an underlying issue which caused multiple features which were rolling out to unexpectedly disappear from some Insider PCs after the previous flight.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Fixed an issue after the latest updates where when “automatically hide the taskbar” was enabled sometimes you would still see the system tray peeking up while the taskbar was hidden. Also fixed an issue where it wasn’t hiding anymore when you were on the desktop with all app windows minimized.
  • Fixed a focus related issue when clicking on an app preview thumbnail which could result on it dismissing but the app window not actually coming to the foreground.

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where Encrypted File System (EFS) related dialogs in File Explorer weren’t responding to increased text scaling.

  [Windows Studio Effects]

  • Fixed an issue for some classes of external webcams, where turning on "Use Windows Studio Effects" in the advanced camera setting might result in a camera preview failure. If you were impacted by this known issue in the latest builds, and turned off Windows Studio Effects inside the camera settings to workaround it, you can enable it again now.

  [Settings]

  • Fixed an issue causing certain network adapters to show an incorrect link speed

  [Other]

  • Fixed an issue impacting the ability to start Hyper-V virtual machines with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) on ARM64 devices.
  • Fixed an issue that could affect playback of protected content in certain Blu-ray, DVD, and digital TV apps that used Enhanced Video Rendererwith HDCP enforcement.

  Known issues

  [Click to Do]

  • Launching Click to Do on your primary display via right-edge gesture will result in the swipe visuals appearing on the incorrect display. The issue is being investigated.

  [Lock and login screens]

  • [NEW] The touch keyboard may fail to launch on the login screen. If you encounter this, you can use the on-screen keyboard in the accessibility menu as a workaround.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Our new animations on taskbar previews have been turned off temporarily because they were interfering with the ability to share a window from its preview, we will note when they’re brought back.

  [Search]

  • Certain searches may show unexpected text instead of the expected results and images.

  [Xbox Controllers]

  • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.xxxx).
  • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/10/06/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27959-canary-channel/ Mon, 06 Oct 2025 21:04:25 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178282 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27959 to the Canary Channel.

  What’s new in Build 27959 

  Changes and Improvements

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27959 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27959 to the Canary Channel.

  What’s new in Build 27959 

  Changes and Improvements

  New setting to move hardware indicators on your screen

  We’re excited to introduce a highly requested setting, the option to move the hardware indicators for brightness, volume, airplane mode, and virtual desktops to different positions on your screen. We’ll support the current bottom position and new top left and top center positions on your screen. [caption id="attachment_178009" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Hardware indicator for volume shown at the top left.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178010" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Hardware indicator for volume shown at the top center.[/caption] To change the position of your flyouts, go to Settings > System > Notifications and use the dropdown for Position of the onscreen pop-up. [caption id="attachment_178012" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Setting to adjust position of hardware indicators highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > MTC controls and audio.

  [Input]

  • We’re adding a new keyboard shortcut to make it easier for you to insert an En dash (–) or Em dash (—) while typing anywhere in Windows. Going forward, pressing WIN + Minus (-) will insert En dash, and WIN + Shift + Minus (-) will insert Em dash. Note – if you have Magnifier running, WIN + Minus (-) will still zoom out Magnifier, rather than inserting an En dash.

  [Windows Share]

  • We’ve added the ability to pin your favorite apps in the Windows share window.
  [caption id="attachment_178185" align="alignnone" width="915"] New pinning option for apps in the Windows share window highlighted in a red box.[/caption] [Other]
  • We have updated more dialogs to match the Windows 11 visuals including the dialog for when an app can’t open.

  Fixes

  [General]

  • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders with Arm64 PCs to experience an increase in bugchecks (green screens) with error IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL in the latest Canary builds.

  [File Explorer]

  • The File Explorer context menu has been updated to remove the accent colored backplate behind packaged appicons in the Open With list when right clicking a file (for example, Snipping Tool). This change makes icons easier to see.
  • Made some underlying changes to help improve the performance of launching cloud files from File Explorer and loading context menus.
  • Fixed an issue which could lead to icons and text might becoming overlapping on the desktop when using increased text scaling.
  • Fixed an issue where icons in the details, preview, and navigation panes of File Explorer weren’t properly mirrored when using an Arabic or Hebrew display language.

  [Taskbar and System Tray]

  • Fixed an issue in the latest builds where the battery icon could get out of sync with the actual charging state (for example, it would show that you weren’t plugged in when you were).
  • Fixed a focus related issue when clicking on an app preview thumbnail which could result on it dismissing but the app window not actually coming to the foreground.

  [Start menu]

  • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing Start menu to dismiss if you tried to use WIN + Shift + S to take a screenshot of it.

  [Display and Graphics]

  • Fixed an issue where apps and browsers could have partially stuck onscreen content when other maximized / full screen apps were updating in the background. This may have been noticeable particularly when trying to scroll the window content, as only some parts would update.

  [Windows Hello]

  • Fixed an issue where Windows Hello Pin setup might fail with error 0x80090010 on Entra-domain joined devices after the latest updates.

  [Voice Access]

  • Fixed an issue which could result in Voice Access not working, showing error 9001.

  [For developers]

  • There was an issue where PIX on Windows was unable to play back GPU captures on the latest OS versions. This has been addressed by a new PIX release.

  [Windows Security]

  • Fixed an issue where the apostrophes in some of the text in the app weren’t displaying correctly.

  Known issues

  [Power and Battery]

  • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that sleep and shutdown aren’t working correctly for some Insiders after the latest Canary builds.

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

  • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26220-6760-dev-channel/ Mon, 29 Sep 2025 21:04:37 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178273 [Updated 10/2/2025]

  Known Issue: We’ve been hearing your feedback that some Insiders on Dev and Beta Channels have lost some updated features that were recently rolled out to Insiders with the “Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6760 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Known Issue: We’ve been hearing your feedback that some Insiders on Dev and Beta Channels have lost some updated features that were recently rolled out to Insiders with the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” toggle on*. Insiders may see an update on their devices for “Windows Configuration Update” that is meant to address this issue. We have paused new flights of 26220.6760 while we address this fix. ---- Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6760 (KB5065793) to the Dev Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 25H2. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • We are introducing the ability to do built-in network speed test accessible from the taskbar. You can launch it via the Wi-Fi and Cellular Quick Settings pages or by right-clicking the network icon in the system tray. The tool opens in your default browser and supports testing Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Cellular connections. This feature helps assess network performance and supports troubleshooting.
  [caption id="attachment_178275" align="alignnone" width="300"] Menu options to Diagnose network problems, Perform speed test, and Network and Internet settings from the network icon in the system tray.[/caption]

  [Get Started/Microsoft 365 Copilot]

  • We’re adding a new Microsoft 365 Copilot page to the Get Started experience for managed commercial devices that are managed with an active Microsoft 365 subscription. This experience is designed to help users discover and engage with Microsoft 365 Copilot more easily, providing quick access to key features and helpful guidance directly within the Get Started flow.
  [caption id="attachment_178274" align="alignnone" width="467"] Get Started experience describing what Microsoft 365 Copilot can do and offers a link to the application.[/caption]

  [Windows Search]

  The following changes and improvements are rolling out for improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs:
  • For Insiders with Copilot+ PCs, we’re updating the File Explorer Search Box placeholder text to raise awareness of the improved Windows Search experience introduced earlier this year. Learn more in our January blog post
  [caption id="attachment_178276" align="alignnone" width="300"] File Explore Search Box with a magnifying glass search icon with the words “Try describing an image or file”.[/caption]

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Dev Channel

  [File Explorer]

  • New! StorageProvider APIs for cloud providers to integrate with File Explorer Home. Developer documentation available here.

  [Emoji]

  • We are temporarily turning off Emoji 16.0 and will bring it back in a future release.

  [Voice access]

  • We are introducing a new 'Wait time before acting' setting in voice access, allowing users to configure the delay before a voice command is executed. This provides greater flexibility for users with varying speech patterns, enabling more accurate recognition whether speaking slowly or quickly.  To set this up, navigate to voice access settings > Wait time before acting, and choose the option that best fits your preferences.

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [General]

  • Fixed an underlying issue which was leading to some screen readers no longer being able to read screen content after the latest flights.

  [Click to Do (Preview)]

  The following fixes are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
  • Fixed an issue where Click to Do may unexpectedly invoke sometimes when pressing WIN + P.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Fixed an issue in the latest builds where the battery icon could get out of sync with the actual charging state (for example, it would show that you weren’t plugged in when you were).

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where when you customized a folder’s view (for example, sorting files by name or changing the icon size), those settings only applied to the specific navigation path. If you opened the same folder from another app (like a browser), the settings wouldn’t carry over, leading you to need to manually reapply them every time. This was particularly noticeable with the Downloads folder, if you had turned off Group By Date.

  [Lock and Login screens]

  • Fixed an issue in the latest build where the media controls might not be displayed on the lock screen although media was playing in an app that supports these controls.

  [Windows Update]

  • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead “Update and shutdown” to not actually shut down your PC after.

  [Settings]

  • Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash for some Insiders when accessing drive information under Settings > System > Storage. This also impacted accessing the drive information from the properties when you right clicked a drive in File Explorer.
  • Fixed an issue causing the placeholder text in the Settings search box to potentially appear vertically misaligned.
   

  Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

  [Networking]

  • Fixed an issue where you might not be able to connect to shared files and folders if you were using the Server Message Block (SMB) v1 protocol on NetBIOS over TCP/IP NetBIOS (NetBT) after the latest updates.

  [For Developers]

  • There was an issue where PIX on Windows was unable to play back GPU captures on the latest OS versions. This was addressed by a new PIX release late last week.

  [Video Playback]

  • Fixed an issue that affected playback of protected content in certain Blu-ray, DVD, and digital TV apps that used Enhanced Video Renderer with HDCP

  Known issues

  [Click to Do]

  • Launching Click to Do on your primary display via right-edge gesture will result in the swipe visuals appearing on the incorrect display. The issue is being investigated.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Our new animations on taskbar previews have been turned off temporarily because they were interfering with the ability to share a window from its preview, we will note when they’re brought back.
  • We have a few issues that need ironing out with the changes in the previous flight when “automatically hide the taskbar” is enabled, including that the system tray may unexpectedly peek up – thanks Insiders that have shared feedback about it. We’re working on it.

  [Search]

  • Certain searches may show unexpected text instead of the expected results and images.

  [Windows Studio Effects]

  • For some classes of external webcams, turning on "Use Windows Studio Effects" in the advanced camera setting may result in a camera preview failure. This is due to a compatibility issue with the camera firmware and is being addressed with a future update. In the meantime, if you are impacted by this issue, turn off Windows Studio Effects inside the camera settings.

  [Xbox Controllers]

  • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.xxxx).
  • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-6760-beta-channel/ Mon, 29 Sep 2025 21:04:15 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178277 [Updated 10/2/2025]

  Known Issue: We’ve been hearing your feedback that some Insiders on Dev and Beta Channels have lost some updated features that were recently rolled out to Insiders with the “Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6760 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Known Issue: We’ve been hearing your feedback that some Insiders on Dev and Beta Channels have lost some updated features that were recently rolled out to Insiders with the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” toggle on*. Insiders may see an update on their devices for “Windows Configuration Update” that is meant to address this issue. We have paused new flights of 26120.6760 while we address this fix. ---- Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6760 (KB5065793) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • We are introducing the ability to do built-in network speed test accessible from the taskbar. You can launch it via the Wi-Fi and Cellular Quick Settings pages or by right-clicking the network icon in the system tray. The tool opens in your default browser and supports testing Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Cellular connections. This feature helps assess network performance and supports troubleshooting.
  [caption id="attachment_178275" align="alignnone" width="300"] Menu options to Diagnose network problems, Perform speed test, and Network and Internet settings from the network icon in the system tray.[/caption]

  [Get Started/Microsoft 365 Copilot]

  • We’re adding a new Microsoft 365 Copilot page to the Get Started experience for managed commercial devices that are managed with an active Microsoft 365 subscription. This experience is designed to help users discover and engage with Microsoft 365 Copilot more easily, providing quick access to key features and helpful guidance directly within the Get Started flow.
  [caption id="attachment_178274" align="alignnone" width="467"] Get Started experience describing what Microsoft 365 Copilot can do and offers a link to the application.[/caption]

  [Windows Search]

  The following changes and improvements are rolling out for improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs:
  • For Insiders with Copilot+ PCs, we’re updating the File Explorer Search Box placeholder text to raise awareness of the improved Windows Search experience introduced earlier this year. Learn more in our January blog post.
  [caption id="attachment_178276" align="alignnone" width="352"] File Explore Search Box with a magnifying glass search icon with the words “Try describing an image or file”.[/caption]

  [File Explorer]

  • New! StorageProvider APIs for cloud providers to integrate with File Explorer Home. Developer documentation available here.

  [Emoji]

  • We are temporarily turning off Emoji 16.0 and will bring it back in a future release.

  [Voice access]

  • We are introducing a new 'Wait time before acting' setting in voice access, allowing users to configure the delay before a voice command is executed. This provides greater flexibility for users with varying speech patterns, enabling more accurate recognition whether speaking slowly or quickly.  To set this up, navigate to voice access settings > Wait time before acting, and choose the option that best fits your preferences.

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [General]

  • Fixed an underlying issue which was leading to some screen readers no longer being able to read screen content after the latest flights.

  [Click to Do (Preview)]

  The following fixes are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
  • Fixed an issue where Click to Do may unexpectedly invoke sometimes when pressing WIN + P.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Fixed an issue in the latest builds where the battery icon could get out of sync with the actual charging state (for example, it would show that you weren’t plugged in when you were).

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where when you customized a folder’s view (for example, sorting files by name or changing the icon size), those settings only applied to the specific navigation path. If you opened the same folder from another app (like a browser), the settings wouldn’t carry over, leading you to need to manually reapply them every time. This was particularly noticeable with the Downloads folder, if you had turned off Group By Date.

  [Lock and Login screens]

  • Fixed an issue in the latest build where the media controls might not be displayed on the lock screen although media was playing in an app that supports these controls.

  [Windows Update]

  • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead “Update and shutdown” to not actually shut down your PC after.

  [Settings]

  • Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash for some Insiders when accessing drive information under Settings > System > Storage. This also impacted accessing the drive information from the properties when you right clicked a drive in File Explorer.
  • Fixed an issue causing the placeholder text in the Settings search box to potentially appear vertically misaligned.

   

  Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

  [Networking]

  • Fixed an issue where you might not be able to connect to shared files and folders if you were using the Server Message Block (SMB) v1 protocol on NetBIOS over TCP/IP NetBIOS (NetBT) after the latest updates.

  [For Developers]

  • There was an issue where PIX on Windows was unable to play back GPU captures on the latest OS versions. This was addressed by a new PIX release late last week.

  [Video Playback]

  • Fixed an issue that affected playback of protected content in certain Blu-ray, DVD, and digital TV apps that used Enhanced Video Renderer with HDCP

  Known issues

  [Click to Do]

  • Launching Click to Do on your primary display via right-edge gesture will result in the swipe visuals appearing on the incorrect display. The issue is being investigated.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Our new animations on taskbar previews have been turned off temporarily because they were interfering with the ability to share a window from its preview, we will note when they’re brought back.
  • We have a few issues that need ironing out with the changes in the previous flight when “automatically hide the taskbar” is enabled, including that the system tray may unexpectedly peek up – thanks Insiders that have shared feedback about it. We’re working on it.

  [Search]

  • Certain searches may show unexpected text instead of the expected results and images.

  [Windows Studio Effects]

  • For some classes of external webcams, turning on "Use Windows Studio Effects" in the advanced camera setting may result in a camera preview failure. This is due to a compatibility issue with the camera firmware and is being addressed with a future update. In the meantime, if you are impacted by this issue, turn off Windows Studio Effects inside the camera settings.

  [Xbox Controllers]

  • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
  • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
  • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/25/ai-powered-auto-categorization-now-available-in-microsoft-photos/ Thu, 25 Sep 2025 22:11:20 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178267 Hello Windows Insiders,

  We’re excited to announce an update to the Microsoft Photos app, now rolling out on Windows 11 across all Insider channels. This release brings a powerful new feature on Copilot+ PCs that leverages AI to organize photos int

  The post AI-powered Auto-Categorization now available in Microsoft Photos appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Auto-Categorization

• Smart sorting into categories: Photos are automatically grouped into predefined folders based on visual content, such as handwritten notes, printed documents, or receipts.
• Language-agnostic recognition: The AI model can identify document types regardless of the language in the image. For example, a Hungarian passport will still be categorized as “Passport,” even if the text isn’t in English.
• Explore your organized photo library with Auto-Categorization in Photos.
• Use the Left Nav or Search bar to find categorized images instantly.
• Change categories manually or provide feedback to improve accuracy.

Other fixes and improvements

• Super Resolution is now available across Snapdragon, AMD and Intel® powered Copilot+ PCs and will prompt you to download the model package.

What’s new in Build 27954

Changes and Improvements

The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27954 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

Changes and Improvements

[General]

• This upda
  

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27950 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27950 to the Canary Channel.

  Changes and Improvements

  [General]

  • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

  [Settings]

  • Advanced Settings will revert to the previous “For Developers” experience after updating to this build. This change will come back soon.

  Fixes

  [General]

  • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to experience a rollback attempting to install the latest build with either an 0xC1900101-0x20017 error or 0xC1900101-0x30017 error.

  [Taskbar and System Tray]

  • Fixed an issue which could cause the app preview windows in the taskbar to become misaligned (away from the app icon you’d clicked / hovered over) after a display resolution change.

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where interacting with the context menu in File Explorer could lead to the body of File Explorer becoming unresponsive to clicks.
  • Fixed an issue which could lead to certain apps hanging when launching the Open or Save Dialog.
  • Fixed an issue where with certain apps installed, when you right clicked you may see the context menu unexpectedly switch back and forth with each right click between the normal initial view and “Show more options”.

  [Graphics]

  • Fixed an which was causing some Insiders to experience screen flickers when using the browser (and potentially other scenarios) in the latest Canary builds.

  [Audio]

  • If you were having issues with audio not working after the latest updates, that should be resolved now. Audio issues can have multiple root causes, though, so if you continue experiencing issues, please file feedback under Devices and Drivers > Audio and Sound in the Feedback Hub, if possible including a trace by using the “Capture the issue” option in Step #4 of the problem report.

  [Dynamic Lighting]

  • Fixed an issue in Dynamic Lighting where the Dynamic Lighting Background Controller would occasionally consume excessive CPU after unlocking the machine.

  [Other]

  • We've done some underlying work to help improve performance when gaming with game bar or other overlays on top of your game. This may particularly help those with multiple monitors which have different refresh rates. As always, if you're experiencing game performance issues, please file feedback including a trace of the issue, following these steps. Thanks Windows Insiders who've shared feedback so far!

  Known issues

  [General]

  • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing some Insiders with Arm64 PCs to experience an increase in bugchecks (green screens) with error IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL in the latest Canary builds.

  [For developers]

  • PIX on Windows is unable to play back GPU captures on this OS version. This will be addressed by a new PIX release, estimated to arrive by the end of September. In the meantime, if you are impacted, you can use the "Send Feedback" button in PIX or contact us on the DirectX Discord server and we can help provide private builds.

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

  • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26220-6690-dev-channel/ Fri, 19 Sep 2025 17:04:20 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178257 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6690 (KB5065786) to the Dev Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 25H2.

  Changes in Dev Channel bui

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6690 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6690 (KB5065786) to the Dev Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 25H2. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [Click to Do (Preview)]

  The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
  • Translation powered by Microsoft Copilot: We are introducing the ability to do translation with Microsoft Copilot with Click to Do, making it easier for you to translate on-screen text with just a few clicks. When you select text that is in a different language from your Windows display language or preferred language settings, a translation suggestion will appear. The selected text is sent to the Copilot app, which provides the translation seamlessly within the experience. This feature currently works if you have the new Copilot prompt box in Click to Do that began rolling out in the previous flight. This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area) or China.
  [caption id="attachment_178256" align="alignnone" width="243"] Option to translate to English what’s on your screen show in the Click to Do context menu.[/caption]

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Just like being able to share a window to Microsoft Teams when mousing over an opened app on your taskbar, we’re trying out this taskbar capability with Microsoft Copilot. When mousing over an opened app window on the taskbar, you will see an option to share with Copilot where you will be able to quickly start a new conversation with Copilot and use Copilot Vision to scan, analyze, and offer insights on what is shown on your screen from that app at that time.
  [caption id="attachment_178254" align="alignnone" width="300"] Ability to share screen with Copilot shown when mousing over Microsoft Edge on the taskbar.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178255" align="alignnone" width="300"] Microsoft Copilot Vision controls shown when an Edge window is shared.[/caption]

  [Desktop Spotlight]

  • We are trying out a change that adds "Learn more about this background" and "Next desktop background" to the context menu when you click on your desktop if you have Windows Spotlight chosen as your desktop background under Settings > Personalization > Background.

  [Settings]

  • We’ve refreshed the experience to make it easier to add or manage all your accounts in one place under Settings > Accounts. As part of this update, the “Email & accounts” section is now called “Your accounts,” reflecting a more unified and streamlined way to stay connected across Windows and your apps.

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where File Explorer may become unresponsive if a UNC server name was directly typed into address bar.

  [Windows Update]

  • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders recently to find that installing the latest builds failed with error 0x80070002.

  [Audio]

  • If you were having issues with audio not working after the latest updates, that should be resolved now. Audio issues can have multiple root causes, though, so if you continue experiencing issues, please file feedback under Devices and Drivers > Audio and Sound in the Feedback Hub, if possible, including a trace by using the “Capture the issue” option in Step #4 of the problem report.

  [Settings]

  • Fixed an issue where Settings > System > Optional Features > Add an optional feature may not load when Administrator Protection was enabled.

  Known issues

  [Click to Do]

  • Launching Click to Do on your primary display via right-edge gesture will result in the swipe visuals appearing on the incorrect display. The issue is being investigated.

  [Lock and login screens]

  • We’re investigating an issue in this build where the media controls may not display on the lock screen.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • [NEW] Our new animations on taskbar previews have been turned off temporarily because they were interfering with the ability to share a window from its preview, we will note when they’re brought back.
  • [NEW] We have a few issues that need ironing out with the changes in the previous flight when “automatically hide the taskbar” is enabled, including that the system tray may unexpectedly peek up – thanks Insiders that have shared feedback about it. We’re working on it.

  [Search]

  • [NEW] Certain searches may show unexpected text instead of the expected results and images.

  [Windows Studio Effects]

  • For some classes of external webcams, turning on "Use Windows Studio Effects" in the advanced camera setting may result in a camera preview failure. This is due to a compatibility issue with the camera firmware and is being addressed with a future update. In the meantime, if you are impacted by this issue, turn off Windows Studio Effects inside the camera settings.

  [For developers]

  • PIX on Windows is unable to play back GPU captures on this OS version. This will be addressed by a new PIX release, estimated to arrive by the end of September. In the meantime, if you are impacted, you can use the "Send Feedback" button in PIX or contact us on the DirectX Discord server and we can help provide private builds.

  [Settings]

  • The placeholder text in the Settings search box may appear vertically misaligned.
  • [NEW] Settings may crash when accessing drive information under Settings > System > Storage. This also impacts accessing the drive information from the properties when you right click a drive in File Explorer.

  [Xbox Controllers]

  • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.xxxx).
  • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-6690-beta-channel/ Fri, 19 Sep 2025 17:03:58 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178253 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6690 (KB5065786) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

  Changes in Beta Channel b

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6690 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6690 (KB5065786) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [Click to Do (Preview)]

  The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
  • Translation powered by Microsoft Copilot: We are introducing the ability to do translation with Microsoft Copilot with Click to Do, making it easier for you to translate on-screen text with just a few clicks. When you select text that is in a different language from your Windows display language or preferred language settings, a translation suggestion will appear. The selected text is sent to the Copilot app, which provides the translation seamlessly within the experience. This feature currently works if you have the new Copilot prompt box in Click to Do that began rolling out in the previous flight. This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area) or China. [caption id="attachment_178256" align="alignnone" width="243"] Option to translate to English what’s on your screen show in the Click to Do context menu.[/caption]

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Just like being able to share a window to Microsoft Teams when mousing over an opened app on your taskbar, we’re trying out this taskbar capability with Microsoft Copilot. When mousing over an opened app window on the taskbar, you will see an option to share with Copilot where you will be able to quickly start a new conversation with Copilot and use Copilot Vision to scan, analyze, and offer insights on what is shown on your screen from that app at that time.
  [caption id="attachment_178254" align="alignnone" width="300"] Ability to share screen with Copilot shown when mousing over Microsoft Edge on the taskbar.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178255" align="alignnone" width="300"] Microsoft Copilot Vision controls shown when an Edge window is shared.[/caption]

  [Desktop Spotlight]

  • We are trying out a change that adds "Learn more about this background" and "Next desktop background" to the context menu when you click on your desktop if you have Windows Spotlight chosen as your desktop background under Settings > Personalization > Background.

  [Settings]

  • We’ve refreshed the experience to make it easier to add or manage all your accounts in one place under Settings > Accounts. As part of this update, the “Email & accounts” section is now called “Your accounts,” reflecting a more unified and streamlined way to stay connected across Windows and your apps.

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where File Explorer may become unresponsive if a UNC server name was directly typed into address bar.

  [Windows Update]

  • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders recently to find that installing the latest builds failed with error 0x80070002.

  [Audio]

  • If you were having issues with audio not working after the latest updates, that should be resolved now. Audio issues can have multiple root causes, though, so if you continue experiencing issues, please file feedback under Devices and Drivers > Audio and Sound in the Feedback Hub, if possible, including a trace by using the “Capture the issue” option in Step #4 of the problem report.

  [Settings]

  • Fixed an issue where Settings > System > Optional Features > Add an optional feature may not load when Administrator Protection was enabled.

  Known issues

  [Click to Do]

  • Launching Click to Do on your primary display via right-edge gesture will result in the swipe visuals appearing on the incorrect display. The issue is being investigated.

  [Lock and login screens]

  • We’re investigating an issue in this build where the media controls may not be displayed on the lock screen.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • [NEW] Our new animations on taskbar previews have been turned off temporarily because they were interfering with the ability to share a window from its preview, we will note when they’re brought back.
  • [NEW] We have a few issues that need ironing out with the changes in the previous flight when “automatically hide the taskbar” is enabled, including that the system tray may unexpectedly peek up – thanks Insiders that have shared feedback about it. We’re working on it.

  [Search]

  • [NEW] Certain searches may show unexpected text instead of the expected results and images.

  [Windows Studio Effects]

  • For some classes of external webcams, turning on "Use Windows Studio Effects" in the advanced camera setting may result in a camera preview failure. This is due to a compatibility issue with the camera firmware and is being addressed with a future update. In the meantime, if you are impacted by this issue, turn off Windows Studio Effects inside the camera settings.

  [For developers]

  • PIX on Windows is unable to play back GPU captures on this OS version. This will be addressed by a new PIX release, estimated to arrive by the end of September. In the meantime, if you are impacted, you can use the "Send Feedback" button in PIX or contact us on the DirectX Discord server and we can help provide private builds.

  [Settings]

  • The placeholder text in the Settings search box may appear vertically misaligned.
  • [NEW] Settings may crash when accessing drive information under Settings > System > Storage. This also impacts accessing the drive information from the properties when you right click a drive in File Explorer.

  [Xbox Controllers]

  • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
  • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
  • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/17/paint-snipping-tool-and-notepad-app-updates-begin-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Wed, 17 Sep 2025 19:29:10 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178244 UPDATE 9/24: The following updates and features for Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad are now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels.

  Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out updat

  The post Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad app updates begin rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> UPDATE 9/24: The following updates and features for Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad are now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out updates to Snipping Tool to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.

  Paint (version 11.2508.361.0)

  In this update, we’re excited to introduce two powerful enhancements that bring more flexibility to your creative workflow. First, we’re introducing project files, you can now save your creation as an editable Paint project file and seamlessly pick up where you left off. Once you're ready to save your artwork, go to the File menu and select Save as project. The File Explorer will open, allowing you to choose a location and save your work as a .paint file. When you're ready to return, simply open the file to launch it in Paint, right where you left off. [caption id="attachment_178246" align="alignnone" width="952"] Paint app screenshot of pumpkin and saving as a project file.[/caption] We’re also adding an opacity slider, giving you control over the transparency of your strokes with the Pencil and Brush tools. To get started, select either tool and use the slider on the left side of the canvas to adjust the opacity to your desired level. Try experimenting with both the size and opacity sliders to create smooth blends and layered effects that bring your artwork to life. [caption id="attachment_178247" align="alignnone" width="907"] Paint app screenshot of barn with opacity adjusting to 40%.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint.

  Snipping Tool (version 11.2508.24.0)

  In this update, we’re introducing Quick markup – a faster way to annotate your screenshots and streamline your workflow! [caption id="attachment_178248" align="alignnone" width="438"] Snipping Tool Capture Toolbar with the cursor hovering over the new Quick markup tool.[/caption] To get started, open Snipping Tool via Win + Shift + S or launch the app directly. Before capturing your selection area, you’ll now see a Quick markup button in the top toolbar. Click on this button to toggle the feature on, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + E. Once the button is on, go ahead and select your selection region. You’ll notice after this, you’ll be able to markup and make edits to your image right in Snipping Tool’s selection area before finalizing your screenshot! [caption id="attachment_178249" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Snipping Tool Quick markup toolbar with a screenshot of color swatches. A single color is circled with the pen tool using Quick markup to bring attention to it.[/caption] In the Quick markup toolbar, you’ll find the classic pen, highlighter, and eraser tools, along with shapes and emojis to make quick edits to your image. Re-cropping the selection area can be done with the grabbers around the perimeter. You’ll also be able to streamline your workflows by clicking on the Share, Visual Search with Bing, or Ask Copilot buttons. Please note that for these options, the image will not be copied to your clipboard or autosaved. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

  Notepad (version 11.2508.28.0)

  Notepad now supports AI features like Summarize, Write, and Rewrite on Copilot+ PCs, with no subscription required. If you have a subscription, you can seamlessly switch between local and cloud models based on your needs. If you’re not signed in or don’t have a subscription, you can use the local model to accomplish your tasks. For now, these features support English only, making premium AI more accessible and flexible for everyone. [caption id="attachment_178250" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Notepad showing Write prompt with the ability to use the local model on your Copilot+ PC without a subscription.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please share your feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Notepad. As always, we love getting feedback from the community and we will be looking out for your thoughts and suggestions on these updates! Thanks, Dave Grochocki, Principal Group Product Manager – Windows Inbox Apps]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/12/releasing-windows-11-builds-26100-6713-and-26200-6713-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:07:55 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178231 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Builds 26100.5061 and 26200.6713  (KB5065789) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24

  The post Releasing Windows 11 Builds 26100.6713 and 26200.6713 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> [UPDATE 9/17] We are releasing Builds 26100.6718 and 26200.6718 KB5065789) today which is a small update that includes some additional changes noted in the updated blog post below. Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Builds 26100.5061 and 26200.6713 (KB5065789) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100) and version 25H2 (Build 26200). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

  Gradual rollout

  The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented. Please note that features and improvements that gradually roll out may not begin rolling out right away nor will they immediately show up right away.
  • [Click to Do]
    • New! Click to Do can now detect tables. You can now highlight any simple table and send it to Excel, copy or share it. With a table in any application, you can press Win + Click to invoke Click to Do, or Win + Q or right swipe and tap to select the table. Once selected, you’ll see the actions you can take like Convert to table with Excel. Just click, capture and continue. This is available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon. You’ll need the latest Microsoft Excel application installed on your PC to see Convert to table with Excel and a Microsoft 365 Subscription. This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area). [UPDATE 9/17] This feature will roll out in a future update.
    • New! New and popular action tags in the Click to Do context menu help you discover the latest and most widely used AI-powered actions.
    • New! Click to Do now provides more concise summaries with the Summarize action. The output for text entities is shorter and more focused. Ongoing improvements continue to enhance clarity and precision.
  • [Agents in Settings] New! A direct navigation link to the corresponding settings page is now available from agent search results. This improvement is currently rolling out to agents in Settings on Copilot+ PCs.
  • [Desktop] New! You can now move the hardware indicators for brightness, volume, airplane mode, and virtual desktops to different positions on your screen. To change their position, go to Settings > System > Notifications, and then pick from the options in the Position of the onscreen pop-up in the dropdown list.
  • [Taskbar] New! IT administrators no longer need to restart explorer.exe to apply the pinning policy. After applying the policy, users might see a pin on their taskbar within approximately 8 hours, depending on the refresh interval.
  • [Notification Center] [ADDED 10/2] New! The Notification Center functionality is now available on secondary monitors. To open it, select the date and time in the system tray on the taskbar. With the August 2025 non-security update (KB5064081), you can also show a larger clock with seconds above the calendar.
  • [File Explorer]
    • New! Use AI actions in File Explorer to edit images or summarize documents. Just right click (or press Shift +F10) on the file and select AI actions. This experience is not yet available for customers in the EEA (European Economic Area).
      • Image actions: You can now use four AI-powered image actions with .jpg, .jpeg, and .png files. Visual Search searches the web using an image instead of text. Blur Background opens the Photos app to highlight the subject and blur the background. Erase Objects removes unwanted elements from your photo. Remove Background uses Paint to change any image leaving a smooth cut out the subject.
      • AI actions in Microsoft 365 make it easier to work with your documents. With the Summarize action in Copilot, you can quickly generate summaries of files stored in OneDrive and SharePoint—no need to open each one. This AI action requires an active Microsoft 365 subscription and a Copilot license (Microsoft account and Microsoft Entra ID supported).
    • Improved: The File Explorer context menu has been updated to remove the accent colored backplate behind packaged app icons in the Open With list when right clicking a file (for example, for Snipping Tool). In doing this, the icons should be easier to see now.
    • Improved: Made underlying changes to help improve the performance of launching cloud files from File Explorer and loading context menus.
    • Fixed: Icons and text may become overlapping on the desktop when using increased text scaling.
    • Fixed: Icons in the details, preview, and navigation panes of File Explorer aren’t properly mirrored when using an Arabic or Hebrew display language.
  • [Windows Share] New! You can pin your favorite apps in the Windows share window to quickly access them when you need them.
  • [Emoji] New! The Emoji 16.0 release includes a small but meaningful set of new emoji— Face with Bags Under Eyes, Fingerprint, Root Vegetable, Leafless Tree, Harp, Shovel, and Splatter. These new emoji are designed to resonate across cultures and contexts. You’ll find them in the emoji panel starting with this build. [UPDATE 9/29] This feature will roll out in a future update.
  • [Advanced Settings] New! The redesigned Advanced settings page (Settings > System > Advanced) is an update of the For Developers page and makes it easier to find key options. Settings include  File Explorer + version control, which shows Git details such as branch, diff count, and last commit message directly in File Explorer when you select a repository folder.
  • [Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR)] New! Auto SR on Snapdragon®-powered Copilot+ PCs helps gamers improve visual quality with minimal effort through simplified settings. When a supported game is launched, Windows displays a notification that allows users to turn on Auto SR with a single click. The feature is now easier to find and manage in Graphics settings, and future updates might enable users to turn on Auto SR directly from the Game Bar during gameplay. [UPDATE 9/29] This feature will roll out in a future update.
  • [Input]
    • New! Insert dashes with new keyboard shortcuts. You can quickly insert an en dash (–) or em dash (—) while typing.  Press Windows logo key + Minus (-) to insert an en dash, and Windows logo key + Shift + Minus (-) to insert an em dash. If Magnifier is running, Windows logo key + hyphen (-) will zoom out Magnifier instead of inserting an en dash.
    • Fixed: After waking a PC from sleep, touch input may not work to enter your pin on the login screen.
  • [Narrator]
    • New! Narrator now includes Braille Viewer, which shows both on-screen text and its Braille equivalent on a refreshable Braille display. To open Braille viewer and start Narrator, press the Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter, press Narrator key + Alt + B. A new floating window opens and updates dynamically as you navigate with Narrator. Before using Braille viewer, you must set up Narrator for Braille. To download and install the Braille support package, go to Settings > Accessibility > Narrator > Use a Braille display with Narrator.
    • New! Narrator now offers a smoother, more natural experience in Word, with improved voice feedback, reliable continuous reading, and better navigation for footnotes, comments, lists, and tables. Enhancements include consistent list announcements, clearer table boundaries, and intuitive selection feedback.
  • [Administrator Protection Preview] Administrator protection aims to protect free floating admin rights for administrator users allowing them to still perform all admin functions with just-in-time admin privileges. This feature is off by default and needs to be enabled via OMA-URI in Intune or via group policy. [UPDATE 9/16] The ability to enable this via Windows Security under Account protection is coming in a later update. [UPDATE 9/30] This feature will roll out in a future update.
  • [Passkeys] New! A seamless plugin passkey manager integration in Windows 11. You can now use plugin credential manager for passkeys. To set up a plugin credential manager, install a credential manager application that supports integration then go to Settings > Accounts > Passkeys > Advanced options. Turn on support and complete user verification using Windows Hello (through face recognition, fingerprint, or PIN). Once verified, you can use your existing passkeys saved to the plugin credential manager or save new passkeys.
  • [Settings]
    • New! The Manage or clear your Bing search history entry under Settings > Privacy & security > Search > Search history has been removed. You can now manage your Bing search history directly from the Privacy dashboard, accessible via the Privacy resources link under Related settings on that Settings page.
    • New! More time, language, and keyboard settings have moved from Control Panel to Settings. You can now add additional clocks, change your time server, and customize date and time formatting—including AM/PM symbols—directly from Settings > Time & language > Date & time. Number and currency formats, Unicode UTF-8 support, and options to copy language and region settings to other accounts are now under Settings > Time & language > Language & region. Keyboard character repeat and cursor blink rate settings are now easier to find under Settings > Accessibility.
    • Improved: Made underlying changes to help improve the performance of loading the apps list in Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
    • Fixed: Settings > System > Storage > Disks and Volumes might show a link for BitLocker drive encryption in unsupported cases. Clicking it results in BitLocker opening and displaying error 0x80004005.
  • [Gaming]
    • New! Xbox controller support for gaming on Windows 11 has been improved. Short pressing the Xbox button opens Game Bar. A new change we're introducing is when you long press the Xbox button, it will open Task View. Pressing and holding the Xbox button continues to turn off the game controller.
    • Improved: Made some underlying changes to help improve performance when gaming with Game Bar or other overlays on top of your game. This may particularly help those with multiple monitors which have different refresh rates.
  • [Other] New! Several dialogs, including the one that appears when an app fails to open, have been modernized with WinUI 3 and match the visuals for Windows 11.
  • [Dynamic Lighting] Fixed: The Dynamic Lighting Background Controller may occasionally consume excessive CPU after unlocking your PC.[Voice Access] Fixed: Voice Access may get stuck in a state where it says it’s listening but is stuck and doesn’t respond.
  • [Windows Hello] Fixed: You may unexpectedly see a message saying “Something happened and your PIN isn’t available” when attempting to enter safe mode.
  • [Windows Sandbox] Fixed: When Windows Sandbox is enabled, the VmmemCmFirstBoot process may consume large amounts of CPU after login, causing your PC to become unresponsive.
  • [HDR] Fixed: HDR may unexpectedly immediately turn off after being enabled in Settings.
  • [Quick Settings]: Fixed: If you had to enter a PIN for your device to cast from Quick Settings, pressing Enter wouldn’t confirm the PIN.

  Normal rollout

  This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
  • [Input]
    • Fixed: An issue where some characters didn’t display correctly when using the Chinese Input Method Editor (IME).
    • Fixed:  This update addresses an issue where certain Chinese characters appeared as empty boxes in some text fields, such as those used in Connection Manager Administration Kit, when a character limit was set.
  • [Servicing] Fixed: This update addresses an issue that disrupted Windows Update for customers using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).
  • [Windows Hello] Fixed: This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Hello PIN setup with error 0x80090010 on devices joined to Microsoft Entra ID domains after installing Windows updates released on or after KB5060842.
  The following fixes were added on 9/17:
  • [Media] Fixed: This update addresses an issue that affects playback of protected content in certain Blu-ray, DVD, and digital TV apps. This can occur after installing KB5064081.
  • [Performance] Improved: Added support for Certificate Revocation List (CRL) partitioning in Windows Certificate Authorities.
  • [Battery] Fixed: The battery icon in the taskbar may not display a charging state even though your PC is charging.
  • [Settings] Fixed: Settings may crash when attempting to access drive information under Settings > System > Storage. This also impacts trying to launch these pages from File Explorer drive properties.
  • [Windows Update] Fixed: Some Insiders see error 0x80070002 when attempting to install the build.
  Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26220-6682-dev-channel/ Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:04:44 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178229 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6682 (KB5065782) to the Dev Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 25H2.

  Changes in Dev Channel bui

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6682 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6682 (KB5065782) to the Dev Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 25H2. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [Click to Do (Preview)]

  The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
  • Copilot prompt box: The new Copilot prompt box in Click to Do is designed to streamline user interaction with Microsoft Copilot. This enhancement helps save time and allows users to type a custom prompt directly into a text box, which is then sent to Copilot along with your selected content on screen. Suggested prompts appear below the text box as well, powered locally by Phi-Silica (supported for text selections only and English, Spanish, and French). This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area) or China.
  [caption id="attachment_178235" align="alignnone" width="252"] New Copilot prompt box at the top of the Click to Do context menu.[/caption]
  • New visual animations for the right edge gesture in Click to Do: These new visual animations are designed to give you a clear visual cue as you swipe and follow your finger for a more delightful, intuitive experience. These animations help you better understand the gesture’s intent, making interactions feel more purposeful.
  • New and popular action tags: New and popular action tags to the context menu in Click to Do are designed to help you discover our newest and most popular AI-powered actions available to use.
  [caption id="attachment_178236" align="alignnone" width="706"] Example of a top action highlighted in a red box in Click to Do’s context menu.[/caption]
  • The output from the Summarize action for text entities in Click to Do should start to feel even more brief and concise as we continue to tune for improvements.

  [Start menu]

  • We are trying out a small change in the Recommended section of the Start menu where we will show examples of prompts that you can try using in the Copilot app such as creating an image with Copilot.

  [Emoji]

  The Emoji 16.0 release introduces a small but thoughtfully curated set of new emojis—one from each major category—designed to resonate across cultures and contexts. Each emoji carries timeless symbolism and practical versatility. With this build, you will see these new emoji available in the emoji panel. [caption id="attachment_178237" align="alignnone" width="609"] New Emoji 16.0 emoji from left to right: Face with Bags Under Eyes, Fingerprint, Root Vegetable, Leafless Tree, Harp, Shovel, and Splatter.[/caption]
  • Face with Bags Under Eyes: Captures exhaustion or the need to rest.
  • Fingerprint: Identity or security.
  • Root Vegetable: Represents healthy eating and gardening.
  • Leafless Tree: Symbolizes winter, emptiness, or dormancy.
  • Harp: A timeless musical icon with ancient roots.
  • Shovel: Useful for gardening or metaphorically digging out of trouble.
  • Splatter: Expressive and fun.

  [Gaming]

  • We have made some improvements for using Xbox game controllers for gaming on Windows 11. Short pressing the Xbox button opens Game Bar. A new change we're introducing is when you long press the Xbox button, it will open Task View. Pressing and holding the Xbox button continues to turn off the game controller.

  [Narrator]

  We’ve made several improvements to ensure Narrator delivers smoother, more reliable experience when working with documents in Word. These updates focus on making reading, writing, and editing more natural and efficient.
  • More natural voice feedback: Narrator no longer raises pitch dramatically when announcing headings or grammar/spelling errors, making the experience smoother and less distracting when using Natural Voices.
  • Better footnote navigation: You can now navigate a document via footnotes and clearly hear the footnote number, helping you stay oriented while reading or editing documents with references.
  • Reliable continuous reading: Narrator will no longer stop unexpectedly during long passages of text. Continuous reading now flows smoothly from start to finish.
  • Improved comment reading: Narrator now correctly tracks focus when moving from the document canvas into the comments pane, so you can review and read comments without losing context
  Creating & Consuming List
  • Coherent and consistent announcements: Narrator now reads lists in a consistent manner across surfaces and navigation methods. List entities such as style and level will be announced as per the chosen verbosity to ensure users have context about the formatting and their position in the list.
  • Complete list reading: Narrator will no longer cut off when a list item continues onto the next line — the entire content is announced properly.
  • Navigation List Items: You can now navigate Up and down from one list item to another using Ctrl + Up/Down keys.
  Creating & Consuming Tables
  • Easier navigation commands: Narrator now supports quick navigation in Scan Mode to the first or last cell in a row or column, helping users move through tables more efficiently. You can navigate using the following commands:
    • Beginning of Row – Ctrl + Alt + comma
    • End of Row – Ctrl + Alt + period
    • Beginning of Column - Ctrl + Alt + Shift + comma
    • End of Column – Ctrl + Alt + Shift + period
  • Clearer guidance at table boundaries: When navigating with the Tab key inside an editable table, Narrator now provides an announcement when reaching the last cell. This prevents confusion and accidental row additions.
  • Less confusing entry announcements: Narrator no longer announces “entering table” twice when moving across cells. You’ll now hear this feedback only once, making it easier to track whether you’re still inside the same table.
  • Better feedback during selection: Narrator now make clear announcements as you select one or more cells across row and columns or both. It also clearly announces when a text selection extends across multiple cells, so you know exactly how much content they’ve selected.
  • Awareness of non-uniform tables: Narrator now alerts users if a table is non-uniform (for example, missing cells in certain rows or columns), giving important context about table structure.

  [Settings]

  • After being temporarily disabled, Advanced Settings is rolling out again to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels. However, we have temporarily removed the long path and virtual workspaces options to address some issues.

  [Other]

  • We’re introducing a simple reminder that appears as a SCOOBE screen (Second Chance Out of Box Experience) to let you know your Microsoft subscription needs attention (for example, if a renewal payment didn’t go through). In just a few clicks, you can review and update your payment method and keep your subscription benefits uninterrupted.
  [caption id="attachment_178233" align="alignnone" width="588"] SCOOBE screen for notifying you your Microsoft 365 subscription is past due with link to take action.[/caption]

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

  [General]

  • Fixed an issue causing some PCs to bugcheck (green screen) while hibernating after the latest flights. This may have made it look like hibernation had shut down your PC. This issue is believed to also be the cause of some Insiders finding that shutdown had hung and would sit on a black screen with a fan noise.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Did some work to help improve reliability of taskbar hiding and unhiding when the setting “automatically hide the taskbar” is enabled. As part of this work, the animation may be smoother for you now. As a reminder – if an app has an alert (the orange highlight on the app icon) then the taskbar will show.
  • Fixed a couple issues which could lead to you not being able to interact with apps or the desktop in the area directly above the taskbar.

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue for some users, where the Shared section in File Explorer Home might be visible even if there was no content to display.
  • Fixed an issue which was Fixed an issue where File Explorer was unexpectedly not showing thumbnails for video files containing certain EXIF metadata.
  • Fixed an issue where interacting with the context menu in File Explorer could lead to the body of File Explorer becoming unresponsive to clicks.
  • Fixed an issue which could lead to certain apps hanging when launching the Open or Save Dialog.

  [Lock and Login screens]

  • Fixed an issue which could cause the lock screen to crash when interacting with the power button in the latest builds.

  [Start menu]

  • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing Start menu to dismiss if you tried to use WIN + Shift + S to take a screenshot of it.
  • Fixed an issue impacting Start menu reliability in the latest builds.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing Start menu to randomly scroll back up to the top sometimes.

  [Windows Sandbox]

  • Fixed an issue for Windows Sandbox users which could lead to the vmmemCmFirstBoot process consuming large amounts of CPU after login, causing your PC to potentially become unresponsive.

  [Search]

  • We did some work to help reduce instances where search may get stuck in a loading state.

  [Settings]

  • Fixed an issue which could lead to Settings crashing when interacting with Settings > System > Optional Features.

  [Voice Access]

  • Fixed an issue which could result in Voice Access not working, showing error 9001.

  [Windows Hello]

  • Fixed an issue where booting into safe mode wasn’t working, with a message saying “Something happened and your PIN isn’t available” for some people.
  • Fixed an issue where Windows Hello Pin setup might fail with error 0x80090010 on Entra-domain joined devices that had installed the latest updates.

  [Other]

  • If the ability to move the hardware indicators disappeared for you after the last flight, it should be back now.

  Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

  [General]

  • This update addresses an issue that affects audio in apps using the Network Device Interface (NDI). Audio stutters when Display Capture is on in OBS Studio Application. This could occur after installing the latest updates.

  Known issues

  [Click to Do]

  • [NEW] Launching Click to Do on your primary display via right-edge gesture will result in the swipe visuals appearing on the incorrect display. The issue is being investigated.

  [Lock and login screens]

  • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue in this build where the media controls may not display on the lock screen.

  [Windows Studio Effects]

  • [NEW] For some classes of external webcams, turning on "Use Windows Studio Effects" in the advanced camera setting may result in a camera preview failure. This is due to a compatibility issue with the camera firmware and is being addressed with a future update. In the meantime, if you are impacted by this issue, turn off Windows Studio Effects inside the camera settings.

  [For developers]

  • PIX on Windows is unable to play back GPU captures on this OS version. This will be addressed by a new PIX release, estimated to arrive by the end of September. In the meantime, if you are impacted, you can use the “Send Feedback” button in PIX or contact us on the DirectX Discord server and we can help provide private builds.

  [Settings]

  • [NEW] The placeholder text in the Settings search box may appear vertically misaligned.

  [Audio]

  • Some Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels are experiencing an issue where audio stops working and Device Manager shows one or more devices with a yellow exclamation mark, including “ACPI Audio Compositor” and others. Selecting Properties on these devices will show “Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing.” If you are impacted by this issue, you can follow these instructions to get back into a working state:
    • Right-click on the device with a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager and select “Update driver”.
    • Choose “Browse my computer for drivers” and then “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer”.
    • Select the driver from the list with the most recent date and click “Next”. If you are presented with a list of common hardware types instead of one or more specific drivers, this device is not related to this issue.
    • This device should be repaired and no longer show a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager. If it continues to show a yellow exclamation mark, the yellow exclamation mark is not related to this issue.
    • Repeat these steps for each device with a yellow exclamation mark.

  [Xbox Controllers]

  • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

  Microsoft Store Update

  Windows Insiders running version 22508.1401.x.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out: Microsoft Store's AI Hub is getting a new addition: Microsoft 365 Copilot Agents! Clicking on the agent cards will directly launch Microsoft 365 Copilot where you can explore the deeper capabilities of each agent. These include the Prompt, Writing, Idea, Career and Learning coaches as well as Analyst and Researcher. The cards will be shown to users with the Microsoft 365 Copilot app installed and are subject to availability based on subscription tier. [caption id="attachment_178239" align="alignnone" width="691"] Agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot in the Microsoft Store’s AI Hub.[/caption] Launching apps provided and updated by publishers: In previous months, we rolled out the capability to update apps that are provided and updated by publishers. Starting with this Microsoft Store update, you'll be able to launch these types of apps directly from the product page or from the downloads page if the app supports it. [caption id="attachment_178240" align="alignnone" width="374"] Launch app updates provided from publishers directly on the product page.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.xxxx).
  • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-6682-beta-channel/ Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:04:40 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178227 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6682 (KB5065782) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

  Changes in Beta Channel b

  The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6682 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6682 (KB5065782) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

  Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [Click to Do (Preview)]

  The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
  • Copilot prompt box: The new Copilot prompt box in Click to Do is designed to streamline user interaction with Microsoft Copilot. This enhancement helps save time and allows users to type a custom prompt directly into a text box, which is then sent to Copilot along with your selected content on screen. Suggested prompts appear below the text box as well, powered locally by Phi-Silica (supported for text selections only and English, Spanish, and French). This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area) or China.
  [caption id="attachment_178235" align="alignnone" width="252"] New Copilot prompt box at the top of the Click to Do context menu.[/caption]
  • New visual animations for the right edge gesture in Click to Do: These new visual animations are designed to give you a clear visual cue as you swipe and follow your finger for a more delightful, intuitive experience. These animations help you better understand the gesture’s intent, making interactions feel more purposeful.
  • New and popular action tags: New and popular action tags to the context menu in Click to Do are designed to help you discover our newest and most popular AI-powered actions available to use.
  [caption id="attachment_178236" align="alignnone" width="706"] Example of a top action highlighted in a red box in Click to Do’s context menu.[/caption]
  • The output from the Summarize action for text entities in Click to Do should start to feel even more brief and concise as we continue to tune for improvements.

  [Start menu]

  • We are trying out a small change in the Recommended section of the Start menu where we will show examples of prompts that you can try using in the Copilot app such as creating an image with Copilot.

  [Emoji]

  The Emoji 16.0 release introduces a small but thoughtfully curated set of new emojis—one from each major category—designed to resonate across cultures and contexts. Each emoji carries timeless symbolism and practical versatility. With this build, you will see these new emoji available in the emoji panel. [caption id="attachment_178237" align="alignnone" width="609"] New Emoji 16.0 emoji from left to right: Face with Bags Under Eyes, Fingerprint, Root Vegetable, Leafless Tree, Harp, Shovel, and Splatter.[/caption]
  • Face with Bags Under Eyes:Captures exhaustion or the need to rest.
  • Fingerprint:Identity or security.
  • Root Vegetable: Represents healthy eating and gardening.
  • Leafless Tree: Symbolizes winter, emptiness, or dormancy.
  • Harp: A timeless musical icon with ancient roots.
  • Shovel: Useful for gardening or metaphorically digging out of trouble.
  • Splatter: Expressive and fun.

  [Gaming]

  • We have made some improvements for using Xbox game controllers for gaming on Windows 11. Short pressing the Xbox button opens Game Bar. A new change we're introducing is when you long press the Xbox button, it will open Task View. Pressing and holding the Xbox button continues to turn off the game controller.

  [Narrator]

  We’ve made several improvements to ensure Narrator delivers smoother, more reliable experience when working with documents in Word. These updates focus on making reading, writing, and editing more natural and efficient.
  • More natural voice feedback: Narrator no longer raises pitch dramatically when announcing headings or grammar/spelling errors, making the experience smoother and less distracting when using Natural Voices.
  • Better footnote navigation: You can now navigate a document via footnotes and clearly hear the footnote number, helping you stay oriented while reading or editing documents with references.
  • Reliable continuous reading: Narrator will no longer stop unexpectedly during long passages of text. Continuous reading now flows smoothly from start to finish.
  • Improved comment reading: Narrator now correctly tracks focus when moving from the document canvas into the comments pane, so you can review and read comments without losing context
  Creating & Consuming List
  • Coherent and consistent announcements: Narrator now reads lists in a consistent manner across surfaces and navigation methods. List entities such as style and level will be announced as per the chosen verbosity to ensure users have context about the formatting and their position in the list.
  • Complete list reading: Narrator will no longer cut off when a list item continues onto the next line — the entire content is announced properly.
  • Navigation List Items: You can now navigate Up and down from one list item to another using Ctrl + Up/Down keys.
  Creating & Consuming Tables
  • Easier navigation commands: Narrator now supports quick navigation in Scan Mode to the first or last cell in a row or column, helping users move through tables more efficiently. You can navigate using the following commands:
    • Beginning of Row – Ctrl + Alt + comma
    • End of Row – Ctrl + Alt + period
    • Beginning of Column - Ctrl + Alt + Shift + comma
    • End of Column – Ctrl + Alt + Shift + period
  • Clearer guidance at table boundaries: When navigating with the Tab key inside an editable table, Narrator now provides an announcement when reaching the last cell. This prevents confusion and accidental row additions.
  • Less confusing entry announcements: Narrator no longer announces “entering table” twice when moving across cells. You’ll now hear this feedback only once, making it easier to track whether you’re still inside the same table.
  • Better feedback during selection: Narrator now make clear announcements as you select one or more cells across row and columns or both. It also clearly announces when a text selection extends across multiple cells, so you know exactly how much content they’ve selected.
  • Awareness of non-uniform tables: Narrator now alerts users if a table is non-uniform (for example, missing cells in certain rows or columns), giving important context about table structure.

  [Settings]

  • After being temporarily disabled, Advanced Settings is rolling out again to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels. However, we have temporarily removed the long path and virtual workspaces options to address some issues.

  [Other]

  • We’re introducing a simple reminder that appears as a SCOOBE screen (Second Chance Out of Box Experience) to let you know your Microsoft subscription needs attention (for example, if a renewal payment didn’t go through). In just a few clicks, you can review and update your payment method and keep your subscription benefits uninterrupted.
  [caption id="attachment_178233" align="alignnone" width="588"] SCOOBE screen for notifying you your Microsoft 365 subscription is past due with link to take action.[/caption]

  Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

  [General]

  • Fixed an issue causing some PCs to bugcheck (green screen) while hibernating after the latest flights. This may have made it look like hibernation had shut down your PC. This issue is believed to also be the cause of some Insiders finding that shutdown had hung and would sit on a black screen with a fan noise.

  [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Did some work to help improve reliability of taskbar hiding and unhiding when the setting “automatically hide the taskbar” is enabled. As part of this work, the animation may be smoother for you now. As a reminder – if an app has an alert (the orange highlight on the app icon) then the taskbar will show.
  • Fixed a couple issues which could lead to you not being able to interact with apps or the desktop in the area directly above the taskbar.

  [File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue for some users, where the Shared section in File Explorer Home might be visible even if there was no content to display.
  • Fixed an issue which was Fixed an issue where File Explorer was unexpectedly not showing thumbnails for video files containing certain EXIF metadata.
  • Fixed an issue where interacting with the context menu in File Explorer could lead to the body of File Explorer becoming unresponsive to clicks.
  • Fixed an issue which could lead to certain apps hanging when launching the Open or Save Dialog.

  [Lock and Login screens]

  • Fixed an issue which could cause the lock screen to crash when interacting with the power button in the latest builds.

  [Start menu]

  • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing Start menu to dismiss if you tried to use WIN + Shift + S to take a screenshot of it.
  • Fixed an issue impacting Start menu reliability in the latest builds.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing Start menu to randomly scroll back up to the top sometimes.

  [Windows Sandbox]

  • Fixed an issue for Windows Sandbox users which could lead to the vmmemCmFirstBoot process consuming large amounts of CPU after login, causing your PC to potentially become unresponsive.

  [Search]

  • We did some work to help reduce instances where search may get stuck in a loading state.

  [Settings]

  • Fixed an issue which could lead to Settings crashing when interacting with Settings > System > Optional Features.

  [Voice Access]

  • Fixed an issue which could result in Voice Access not working, showing error 9001.

  [Windows Hello]

  • Fixed an issue where booting into safe mode wasn’t working, with a message saying “Something happened and your PIN isn’t available” for some people.
  • Fixed an issue where Windows Hello Pin setup might fail with error 0x80090010 on Entra-domain joined devices that had installed the latest updates.

  [Other]

  • If the ability to move the hardware indicators disappeared for you after the last flight, it should be back now.

  Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

  [General]

  • This update addresses an issue that affects audio in apps using the Network Device Interface (NDI). Audio stutters when Display Capture is on in OBS Studio Application. This could occur after installing the latest updates.

  Known issues

  [Click to Do]

  • [NEW] Launching Click to Do on your primary display via right-edge gesture will result in the swipe visuals appearing on the incorrect display. The issue is being investigated.

  [Lock and login screens]

  • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue in this build where the media controls may not display on the lock screen.

  [Windows Studio Effects]

  • [NEW] For some classes of external webcams, turning on "Use Windows Studio Effects" in the advanced camera setting may result in a camera preview failure. This is due to a compatibility issue with the camera firmware and is being addressed with a future update. In the meantime, if you are impacted by this issue, turn off Windows Studio Effects inside the camera settings.

  [For developers]

  • PIX on Windows is unable to play back GPU captures on this OS version. This will be addressed by a new PIX release, estimated to arrive by the end of September. In the meantime, if you are impacted, you can use the “Send Feedback” button in PIX or contact us on the DirectX Discord server and we can help provide private builds.

  [Settings]

  • [NEW] The placeholder text in the Settings search box may appear vertically misaligned.

  [Audio]

  • Some Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels are experiencing an issue where audio stops working and Device Manager shows one or more devices with a yellow exclamation mark, including “ACPI Audio Compositor” and others. Selecting Properties on these devices will show “Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing.” If you are impacted by this issue, you can follow these instructions to get back into a working state:
    • Right-click on the device with a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager and select “Update driver”.
    • Choose “Browse my computer for drivers” and then “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer”.
    • Select the driver from the list with the most recent date and click “Next”. If you are presented with a list of common hardware types instead of one or more specific drivers, this device is not related to this issue.
    • This device should be repaired and no longer show a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager. If it continues to show a yellow exclamation mark, the yellow exclamation mark is not related to this issue.
    • Repeat these steps for each device with a yellow exclamation mark.

  [Xbox Controllers]

  • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

  Microsoft Store Update

  Windows Insiders running version 22508.1401.x.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out: Microsoft Store's AI Hub is getting a new addition: Microsoft 365 Copilot Agents! Clicking on the agent cards will directly launch Microsoft 365 Copilot where you can explore the deeper capabilities of each agent. These include the Prompt, Writing, Idea, Career and Learning coaches as well as Analyst and Researcher. The cards will be shown to users with the Microsoft 365 Copilot app installed and are subject to availability based on subscription tier. [caption id="attachment_178239" align="alignnone" width="691"] Agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot in the Microsoft Store’s AI Hub.[/caption] Launching apps provided and updated by publishers: In previous months, we rolled out the capability to update apps that are provided and updated by publishers. Starting with this Microsoft Store update, you'll be able to launch these types of apps directly from the product page or from the downloads page if the app supports it. [caption id="attachment_178240" align="alignnone" width="374"] Launch app updates provided from publishers directly on the product page.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

  Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
  • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
  • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
  • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
  • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
  • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
  Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/11/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-6388-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 11 Sep 2025 17:07:26 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178224 [UPDATE 9/16] We are releasing Build 19045.6390 (KB5066198) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself.

  Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build

  The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.6388 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> [UPDATE 9/16] We are releasing Build 19045.6390 (KB5066198) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself. Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.6388 (KB5066198) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. This update includes the following features and improvements (items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented):
  • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for customers and their devices on Windows 10.
  Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/11/releasing-windows-11-build-22631-5982-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 11 Sep 2025 17:07:22 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178222 [UPDATE 9/16] We are releasing Build 22631.5984 (KB5065790) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself.

  Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 2263

  The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5982 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

  ]]> [UPDATE 9/16] We are releasing Build 22631.5984 (KB5065790) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself. Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5982 (KB5065790) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).   This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
  • [Authentication] Fixed: An issue that caused Windows sign-in screen to stop responding after a user enters the SIM PIN during sign-in using a mobile broadband connection.
  • [Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)] Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
  • [Display Kernel] Fixed: This update addresses an issue that affects display configuration changes during Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) sessions with multiple monitors. The system might shut down unexpectedly when disconnected from a docking station during a streaming session.
  • [Input] 
    • Fixed: An issue where some characters didn’t display correctly when using the Chinese Input Method Editor (IME).
    • Fixed:  This update addresses an issue where certain Chinese characters appeared as empty boxes in some text fields, such as those used in Connection Manager Administration Kit, when a character limit was set.
  • [Printer] Fixed: An issue where viewing the printer queue in Settings for a shared printer caused the Print Queue user interface to stop working.
  • [System services and reliability] Fixed: Addresses an issue that caused McpManagement service to appear without a description on Windows.
  Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27943-canary-channel/ Thu, 11 Sep 2025 17:05:03 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178220 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27943 to the Canary Channel.

  Changes and Improvements

  [General]

  • This upda
    

    The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27943 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

    ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27943 to the Canary Channel.

    Changes and Improvements

    [General]

    • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

    Fixes

    [General]

    • Fixed the issue causing Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files to get stuck when scanning files. This issue also caused the entry to clean up previous Windows Installations to not show in Storage Settings.

    [Taskbar]

    • Fixed an issue where if you minimized an app and switched back and forth between desktops, you might end up seeing a duplicate preview thumbnail when hovering over the app in the taskbar.

    [Display and Graphics]

    • Fixed an issue which could result in HDR unexpectedly turning off immediately after you enabled it in Settings.

    [Other]

    • Fixed an issue causing an event saying “The “Microsoft Pluton Cryptographic Provider” provider was not loaded because initialization failed” with error 57 to appear in Event Viewer for some Insiders after boot.
    • Fixed an issue where if you had to enter a PIN for your device to cast from Quick Settings, pressing Enter wouldn’t confirm the PIN.
    • Made another fix to help with Group Policy Editor having unexpected large blank areas and not rendering correctly with the Chinese display language.

    Known issues

    [General]

    • [IMPORTANT]Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback attempting to install this build with either an 0xC1900101-0x20017 error or 0xC1900101-0x30017 error. Unfortunately retrying to install the build will result in another rollback. We are working on a fix.
    • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing some Insiders with Arm64 PCs to experience an increase in bugchecks (green screens) with error IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL in the latest Canary builds.

    [For developers]

    • PIX on Windows is unable to play back GPU captures on this OS version. This will be addressed by a new PIX release, estimated to arrive by the end of September. In the meantime, if you are impacted, you can use the "Send Feedback" button in PIX or contact us on the DirectX Discord server and we can help provide private builds.

    [Graphics]

    • We’re investigating an issue which is causing some Insiders to experience screen flickers when using the browser (and potentially other scenarios) in the latest Canary builds.

    [Audio]

    • Some Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel are experiencing an issue where audio stops working and Device Manager shows one or more devices with a yellow exclamation mark, including “ACPI Audio Compositor” and others. Selecting Properties on these devices will show “Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing.” If you are impacted by this issue, you can follow these instructions to get back into a working state:
      • Right-click on the device with a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager and select “Update driver”.
      • Choose “Browse my computer for drivers” and then “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer”.
      • Select the driver from the list with the most recent date and click “Next”. If you are presented with a list of common hardware types instead of one or more specific drivers, this device is not related to this issue.
      • This device should be repaired and no longer show a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager. If it continues to show a yellow exclamation mark, the yellow exclamation mark is not related to this issue.
      • Repeat these steps for each device with a yellow exclamation mark.

    Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

    • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
    • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
    • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
    • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
    • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
    • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
    • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
    Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27938-canary-channel/ Mon, 08 Sep 2025 21:02:47 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178217 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27938 to the Canary Channel.

    What’s new in Build 27938

    Introducing AI actions in File Explorer

    With

    The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27938 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

    ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27938 to the Canary Channel.

    What’s new in Build 27938

    Introducing AI actions in File Explorer

    With AI actions in File Explorer, you can interact more deeply with your files by right-clicking to quickly take actions like editing images or summarizing documents. Like with Click to Do, AI actions in File Explorer allow you to stay in your flow while leveraging the power of AI to take advantage of editing tools in apps or Copilot functionality without having to open your file. AI actions in File Explorer are easily accessible – to try out AI actions in File Explorer, just right-click on a file and you will see a new AI actions entry on the content menu that allows you to choose from available options for your file. [caption id="attachment_177881" align="alignnone" width="677"] File Explorer with context menu expanded on a file showing new AI actions highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Today, you can try one of four image actions for seamless editing or web searches with images:
    • Bing Visual Search: Allows you to search the web using an image instead of text. Find similar images and products, get details about sites using the image, and identify landmarks, plants, and famous faces. From searching what you see on your screen, to shopping your preferred style, getting help with that homework problem, or translating text, getting answers is more intuitive than ever.
    • Blur Background: Opens the Photos app which automatically finds the background in the photo, and with a single click, instantly highlights your subject and blurs out the background. You can also customize the effect by adjusting the Blur Intensity or use the Brush Tool to modify the areas being blurred.
    • Erase Objects: With Photos by selecting or highlighting an unwanted element in your photo and Generative Erase makes it disappear.  It allows you to fix and remove distractions from your photos.
    • Remove Background: With Paint allows you to alter any image automatically in just one click leaving a smooth cutout of the subject. Background removal can detect the subject from the entire canvas or using the selection tool.
    These four image actions currently support these file types: .jpg, .jpeg, and .png. Let us know what you think of these new AI actions in File Explorer! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files, Folders, and Online Story > File Explorer.

    Bringing back the bigger clock with seconds option in notification center

    We’re starting to roll out a highly requested feature from Windows 10, the option to show a bigger clock with seconds above the date and calendar in notification center. [caption id="attachment_177979" align="alignnone" width="599"] Clock showing in notification center with the calendar both collapsed and expanded.[/caption] To turn this option on, go to Settings > Time & language > Date & time and flip the switch for Show time in the Notification Center. [caption id="attachment_177980" align="alignnone" width="577"] The toggle to turn on showing the clock in notification center in Settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Clock and Calendar Flyout.

    Changes and Improvements

    [Settings]

    • You can now visit the Settings > Privacy & security > Text and image generation to see which third-party applications recently used generative AI models provided by Windows. This page gives you visibility into the specific apps leveraging local Windows provided generative AI models and allows you to control which apps are permitted to use them—putting you in charge of your device’s AI experience.
    [caption id="attachment_178075" align="alignnone" width="606"] Text and image generation settings page with recent activity highlighted in a red box for seeing which apps use generative AI models provided by Windows.[/caption]

    Fixes

    [Reset & Recovery]

    • Fixed the issue causing the “Reset this PC” option under Settings > System > Recovery to not work on Build 27934.

    [File Explorer]

    • Fixed an issue where In dark mode, the red color used for a low space drive in This PC might be unexpectedly light colored in the latest builds. Some of the other colors might also have been incorrect, including that black is used for space remaining instead of a more visible color.
    • Fixed an issue which was Fixed an issue where File Explorer was unexpectedly not showing thumbnails for video files containing certain EXIF metadata.

    [Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)]

    • Performance improvements related to WMI Registry scanning.

    [Login and Lock screen]

    • Fixed an issue which was causing some of the sign in options to have a blank icon.

    [Search]

    • Did some work to help reduce instances where search may get stuck in a loading state.

    [Input]

    • Fixed an issue where if you typed on the touch keyboard with the Changjie, Bopomoji, or Japanese IME, it wouldn’t work if you had switched to using the previous version of the IME.

    [Task Manager]

    • Fixed an issue which was causing Task Manager to freeze when going to the performance section recently for some Insiders.

    [Other]

    • Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to experience bugchecks (green screens) with error IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL citing an issue with ntoskrnl.exe in the latest Canary builds when attempting to enter safe mode.
    • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to experience bugchecks recently with error CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED.

    Known issues

    [General]

    • [IMPORTANT] Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback attempting to install this build with either an 0xC1900101-0x20017 error or 0xC1900101-0x30017 error. Unfortunately retrying to install the build will result in another rollback. We are working on a fix.
    • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files to get stuck when scanning files. This issue also causes the entry to clean up previous Windows Installations to not show in Storage Settings.

    [For developers]

    • [NEW] PIX on Windows is unable to play back GPU captures on this OS version. This will be addressed by a new PIX release, estimated to arrive by the end of September. In the meantime, if you are impacted, you can use the "Send Feedback" button in PIX or contact us on the DirectX Discord server and we can help provide private builds.

    [Graphics]

    • We’re investigating an issue which is causing some Insiders to experience screen flickers when using the browser (and potentially other scenarios) in the latest Canary builds.

    [Audio]

    • [NEW] Some Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel are experiencing an issue where audio stops working and Device Manager shows one or more devices with a yellow exclamation mark, including “ACPI Audio Compositor” and others. Selecting Properties on these devices will show “Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing.” If you are impacted by this issue, you can follow these instructions to get back into a working state:
      • Right-click on the device with a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager and select “Update driver”.
      • Choose “Browse my computer for drivers” and then “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer”.
      • Select the driver from the list with the most recent date and click “Next”. If you are presented with a list of common hardware types instead of one or more specific drivers, this device is not related to this issue.
      • This device should be repaired and no longer show a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager. If it continues to show a yellow exclamation mark, the yellow exclamation mark is not related to this issue.
      • Repeat these steps for each device with a yellow exclamation mark.

    Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

    • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
    • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
    • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
    • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
    • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
    • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
    • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
    Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26220-5790-dev-channel/ Fri, 05 Sep 2025 17:03:34 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178213 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.5790 (KB5065779) to the Dev Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 25H2.

    Changes in Dev Channel bui

    The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.5790 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

    ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.5790 (KB5065779) to the Dev Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 25H2. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

    New Copilot+ PC experiences

    Introducing fluid dictation in voice access

    Fluid dictation is a new feature in voice access on Copilot+ PCs, that makes voice-based dictation smoother and smarter. It automatically corrects grammar, punctuation, and filler words as you speak, reducing the need for manual editing. This experience is powered by on-device small language models (SLMs) so ensure fast and private processing. To use it, launch voice access and complete setup if you're a first-time user. Fluid dictation is enabled by default - you can check or toggle it via the settings flyout in the top-right corner or simply say “turn on/off fluid dictation.” [caption id="attachment_178209" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The option to turn fluid dictation on or off in the settings flyout in voice access highlighted in a red box.[/caption] It works in any text app but is disabled in secure fields like passwords or PINs to protect your privacy. Fluid dictation in voice access is currently available in all English locales and is available on all Copilot + PCs. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Voice access.

    Making Windows Studio Effects available on additional cameras

    We are working to bring the Windows Studio Effects experience from integrated laptop cameras to a broader range of camera hardware, helping you stay professional and look your best across more setups. On supported Copilot+ PCs, we are rolling out the ability to use Studio Effect’s AI-powered camera enhancements with an additional, alternative camera - such as a USB webcam or your laptop’s built-in rear camera. [caption id="attachment_178211" align="alignnone" width="650"] New option inside Settings to turn on the ability to use Windows Studio Effects on an additional camera highlighted in a red box.[/caption] To get started, navigate to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras and select your preferred camera from the connected cameras list. Then, open the advanced camera options menu to find the new “Use Windows Studio Effects” toggle. Once enabled, you can now access and adjust Studio Effects directly from the camera settings page or via the quick settings menu in the taskbar. NOTE: The required update for the Windows Studio Effects driver will first roll out to Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs with the update rolling out for AMD and Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs in the coming weeks. For more information on Windows Studio Effects and device prerequisites, check out Windows Studio Effects - Microsoft Support. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Studio Effects.

    Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

    [Agent in Settings]

    The following changes and improvements are rolling out for agent in Settings on Copilot+ PCs:
    • We are beginning to roll out the new agent in Settings experience to Windows Insiders with their primary display language is set to French.

    [File Explorer]

    • File Explorer Home now offers on-hover actions for faster file management. Hovering over a file with your mouse in File Explorer Home will display commands like Open file location and Ask Copilot about this file. You will be able to try out the Copilot integration and attach files easily. This experience currently only works if you’re signed in with a Microsoft account. Work or school account (Entra ID) support is coming in a future flight. This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area).
    [caption id="attachment_178212" align="alignnone" width="695"] On-hover actions in File Explorer Home highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

    [Settings]

    • Advanced Settings will revert to the previous “For Developers” experience after updating to this build. This change will come back soon.

    Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

    [General]

    • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing Insiders on certain devices to experience an unexpected increase in lag in various scenarios after the latest flights, including when interacting with File Explorer and taskbar (clicks could take 500ms to be processed), and browser windows (particularly when watching videos). Performance issues can have multiple causes, so if you’re continuing to experience issues, please let us know by filing feedback, including as many details as possible.

    [Taskbar & System Tray]

    • Fixed an issue which could cause the app preview windows in the taskbar to become misaligned (away from the app icon you’d clicked / hovered over) after a display resolution change.

    [File Explorer]

    • Fixed an issue where with certain apps installed, when you right clicked you may see the context menu unexpectedly switch back and forth with each right click between the normal initial view and “Show more options”.

    [Settings]

    • Fixed an issue causing Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files to get stuck when scanning files.

    [Other]

    • Fixed an issue causing an event saying “The "Microsoft Pluton Cryptographic Provider” provider was not loaded because initialization failed” with error 57 to appear in Event Viewer for some Insiders after boot.

    Known issues

    [General]

    • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue causing some PCs to bugcheck (green screen) while hibernating after the previous flight. This may make it look like hibernation has shut down your PC. We recommend not hibernating your PC until this is fixed if you are experiencing this issue.

    [File Explorer]

    • For some users, the Shared section in File Explorer Home may be visible even if there is no content to display.

    [Windows Studio Effects]

    • [ADDED 9/11] For some classes of external webcams, turning on "Use Windows Studio Effects" in the advanced camera setting may result in a camera preview failure. This is due to a compatibility issue with the camera firmware and is being addressed with a future update. In the meantime, if you are impacted by this issue, turn off Windows Studio Effects inside the camera settings.

    [For developers]

    • [NEW] PIX on Windows is unable to play back GPU captures on this OS version. This will be addressed by a new PIX release, estimated to arrive by the end of September. In the meantime, if you are impacted, you can use the "Send Feedback" button in PIX or contact us on the DirectX Discord server and we can help provide private builds.

    [Audio]

    • [NEW] Some Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels are experiencing an issue where audio stops working and Device Manager shows one or more devices with a yellow exclamation mark, including “ACPI Audio Compositor” and others. Selecting Properties on these devices will show “Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing.” If you are impacted by this issue, you can follow these instructions to get back into a working state:
      • Right-click on the device with a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager and select “Update driver”.
      • Choose “Browse my computer for drivers” and then “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer”.
      • Select the driver from the list with the most recent date and click “Next”. If you are presented with a list of common hardware types instead of one or more specific drivers, this device is not related to this issue.
      • This device should be repaired and no longer show a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager. If it continues to show a yellow exclamation mark, the yellow exclamation mark is not related to this issue.
      • Repeat these steps for each device with a yellow exclamation mark.

    [Xbox Controllers]

    • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

    Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

    • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.xxxx).
    • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
    • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
    • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
    • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
    • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
    • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
    • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
    • Thanks, Amanda & Brandon
    ]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/09/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-5790-beta-channel/ Fri, 05 Sep 2025 17:03:31 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178207 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5790 (KB5065779) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

    Changes in Beta Channel b

    The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5790 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

    ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5790 (KB5065779) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

    New Copilot+ PC experiences

    Introducing fluid dictation in voice access

    Fluid dictation is a new feature in voice access on Copilot+ PCs, that makes voice-based dictation smoother and smarter. It automatically corrects grammar, punctuation, and filler words as you speak, reducing the need for manual editing. This experience is powered by on-device small language models (SLMs) so ensure fast and private processing. To use it, launch voice access and complete setup if you're a first-time user. Fluid dictation is enabled by default - you can check or toggle it via the settings flyout in the top-right corner or simply say “turn on/off fluid dictation.” [caption id="attachment_178209" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The option to turn fluid dictation on or off in the settings flyout in voice access highlighted in a red box.[/caption] It works in any text app but is disabled in secure fields like passwords or PINs to protect your privacy. Fluid dictation in voice access is currently available in all English locales and is available on all Copilot + PCs. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Voice access.

    Making Windows Studio Effects available on additional cameras

    We are working to bring the Windows Studio Effects experience from integrated laptop cameras to a broader range of camera hardware, helping you stay professional and look your best across more setups. On supported Copilot+ PCs, we are rolling out the ability to use Studio Effect’s AI-powered camera enhancements with an additional, alternative camera - such as a USB webcam or your laptop’s built-in rear camera. [caption id="attachment_178211" align="alignnone" width="650"] New option inside Settings to turn on the ability to use Windows Studio Effects on an additional camera highlighted in a red box.[/caption] To get started, navigate to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras and select your preferred camera from the connected cameras list. Then, open the advanced camera options menu to find the new “Use Windows Studio Effects” toggle. Once enabled, you can now access and adjust Studio Effects directly from the camera settings page or via the quick settings menu in the taskbar. NOTE: The required update for the Windows Studio Effects driver will first roll out to Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs with the update rolling out for AMD and Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs in the coming weeks. For more information on Windows Studio Effects and device prerequisites, check out Windows Studio Effects - Microsoft Support. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Studio Effects.

    Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

    [Agent in Settings]

    The following changes and improvements are rolling out for agent in Settings on Copilot+ PCs:
    • We are beginning to roll out the new agent in Settings experience to Windows Insiders with their primary display language is set to French.

    [File Explorer]

    • File Explorer Home now offers on-hover actions for faster file management. Hovering over a file with your mouse in File Explorer Home will display commands like Open file location and Ask Copilot about this file. You will be able to try out the Copilot integration and attach files easily. This experience currently only works if you’re signed in with a Microsoft account. Work or school account (Entra ID) support is coming in a future flight. This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area).
    [caption id="attachment_178212" align="alignnone" width="695"] On-hover actions in File Explorer Home highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

    [Settings]

    • Advanced Settings will revert to the previous “For Developers” experience after updating to this build. This change will come back soon.

    Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

    [General]

    • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing Insiders on certain devices to experience an unexpected increase in lag in various scenarios after the latest flights, including when interacting with File Explorer and taskbar (clicks could take 500ms to be processed), and browser windows (particularly when watching videos). Performance issues can have multiple causes, so if you’re continuing to experience issues, please let us know by filing feedback, including as many details as possible.

    [Taskbar & System Tray]

    • Fixed an issue which could cause the app preview windows in the taskbar to become misaligned (away from the app icon you’d clicked / hovered over) after a display resolution change.

    [File Explorer]

    • Fixed an issue where with certain apps installed, when you right clicked you may see the context menu unexpectedly switch back and forth with each right click between the normal initial view and “Show more options”.

    [Settings]

    • Fixed an issue causing Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files to get stuck when scanning files.

    [Other]

    • Fixed an issue causing an event saying “The "Microsoft Pluton Cryptographic Provider” provider was not loaded because initialization failed” with error 57 to appear in Event Viewer for some Insiders after boot.

    Known issues

    [General]

    • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue causing some PCs to bugcheck (green screen) while hibernating after the previous flight. This may make it look like hibernation has shut down your PC. We recommend not hibernating your PC until this is fixed if you are experiencing this issue.

    [File Explorer]

    • For some users, the Shared section in File Explorer Home may be visible even if there is no content to display.

    [Windows Studio Effects]

    • [ADDED 9/11] For some classes of external webcams, turning on "Use Windows Studio Effects" in the advanced camera setting may result in a camera preview failure. This is due to a compatibility issue with the camera firmware and is being addressed with a future update. In the meantime, if you are impacted by this issue, turn off Windows Studio Effects inside the camera settings.

    [For developers]

    • [NEW] PIX on Windows is unable to play back GPU captures on this OS version. This will be addressed by a new PIX release, estimated to arrive by the end of September. In the meantime, if you are impacted, you can use the "Send Feedback" button in PIX or contact us on the DirectX Discord server and we can help provide private builds.

    [Audio]

    • Some Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels are experiencing an issue where audio stops working and Device Manager shows one or more devices with a yellow exclamation mark, including “ACPI Audio Compositor” and others. Selecting Properties on these devices will show “Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing.” If you are impacted by this issue, you can follow these instructions to get back into a working state:
      • Right-click on the device with a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager and select “Update driver”.
      • Choose “Browse my computer for drivers” and then “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer”.
      • Select the driver from the list with the most recent date and click “Next”. If you are presented with a list of common hardware types instead of one or more specific drivers, this device is not related to this issue.
      • This device should be repaired and no longer show a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager. If it continues to show a yellow exclamation mark, the yellow exclamation mark is not related to this issue.
      • Repeat these steps for each device with a yellow exclamation mark.

    [Xbox Controllers]

    • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

    Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

    • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
    • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
    • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
    • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
    • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
    • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
    • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
    • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
    • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
    Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27934-canary-channel/ Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:04:58 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178203 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27934 to the Canary Channel.

    Changes and Improvements

    [General]

    • This upda
      

      The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27934 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

      ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27934 to the Canary Channel.

      Changes and Improvements

      [General]

      • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

      Fixes

      [Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)]

      • [ADDED 9/5] Performance improvements related to WMI Registry scanning.

      [Windowing]

      • Fixed an issue causing an increase in DWM crashes in the previous build (which could lead to you seeing a black flash).

      [Other]

      • Fixed an issue in the last few builds where if you launched cmd non-elevated from the Run dialog, it might open in Windows Console Host rather than Windows Terminal even if Windows Terminal was your default terminal app.
      • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to certain UWP apps crashing when scrolling in the previous build.

      Known issues

      [General]

      • We’re investigating reports that Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files is getting stuck when scanning files. We are also investigating previous Windows Installations also not showing.

      [File Explorer]

      • In dark mode, the red color used for a low space drive in This PC may be unexpectedly light colored in this build. Some of the other colors may also be incorrect, including that black is used for space remaining instead of a more visible color.

      [Reset & Recovery]

      • [NEW] The “Reset this PC” option Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build. This issue will be fixed in the next Canary Channel flight. Should you need to reset your PC, you can roll back to the previous build and do a PC reset then.

      Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

      • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
      • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
      • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
      • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
      • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
      • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
      • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
      Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26220-5770-dev-channel/ Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:04:43 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178200 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.5770 (KB5064089) to the Dev Channel.

      Please note the major build number has incremented to Build 26220 with this flight. This bui

      The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.5770 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

      ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.5770 (KB5064089) to the Dev Channel. Please note the major build number has incremented to Build 26220 with this flight. This build number will only be used for builds flighted to the Dev Channel. Windows 11, version 25H2 will be released as Build 26200 and is now available in the Release Preview Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

      New Copilot+ PC experiences

      New Microsoft 365 text action in Click to Do

      We are beginning to roll out a new text action in Click to Do! Convert to table with Excel: Click to Do now recognizes tables so you can work smarter and faster with information you encounter everyday – whether it’s a table you see shared over Teams in a meeting, a school calendar from a photo, or any other document with an embedded table. With tables in Click to Do, you can now highlight any simple table and immediately send to Excel, copy or share it – all without retyping a single cell. See a table in any application and you can press Win + Click to invoke Click to Do, or Win + Q or right swipe and tap to select the table. Once selected, you’ll see the actions you can take like Convert to table with Excel. Just click, capture and continue. [caption id="attachment_178195" align="alignnone" width="520"] Click to Do with table highlighted and action to convert to table with Excel shown in the Click to Do menu.[/caption] This is an early preview of this action in Click to Do and table detection may sometimes not work correctly. However, table detection quality will improve over time in subsequent flights to the Dev and Beta Channels. Tables in Click to Do are rolling out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon. You’ll need the latest Microsoft Excel application installed on your PC to see Convert to table with Excel and a Microsoft 365 Subscription. This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area). View Microsoft 365 Profile Cards: Rather than opening Microsoft Outlook or Teams or anywhere to look up someone’s profile, get straight to their info about them thanks to the integration of Live Persona Cards for from Microsoft 365 in Click to Do. See how to contact them or past collaborations without leaving your flow. This new action is available on emails seen in Click to Do. Press Win + Click right on an email and, if it’s part of your work or school’s organization, the profile card is displayed. [caption id="attachment_178197" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Click to Do showing a Microsoft 365 profile card after clicking on an email address.[/caption] You must be signed in to your PC with a work or school account (Entra ID) and have a Microsoft 365 subscription. This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area). You can learn more about using Click to Do here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

      New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

      Get on-screen Braille and text output with Braille viewer

      We are adding a new feature in Narrator called Braille viewer that allows you to see on-screen textual and Braille representation of the output shown on a refreshable Braille display.  This is a helpful tool for sighted teachers, AT trainers, developers, and testers who do not read Braille or who have limited to no access to a Braille display. Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVIs) can use Braille viewer to help improve student’s Braille skills or follow along in classroom as the teachers can visually see the textual and Braille representation on the screen while the student reads it on their connected Braille display. [caption id="attachment_178198" align="alignnone" width="1024"] On-screen textual and Braille representation shown over a Word document.[/caption] To open Braille viewer, start Narrator using Win + Ctrl + Enter and press Narrator key + Alt + B. A new floating window opens - contents of this window are updated as you continue to use Narrator. The number of Braille cells shown on the viewer depends on the size of your refreshable Braille display. If an 80-cell display is connected, the viewer shows 80 cells. If no display is connected, the viewer shows 40 cells by default. You could also change the display size and position of the viewer using settings menu on the viewer. NOTE: For Braille viewer to work, make sure Narrator is set up to give Braille output. To download and install Braille package, navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Narrator > Use a Braille display with Narrator. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

      Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

      [Windows Share]

      • You can find apps installed on your PC or apps available in the Microsoft Store directly within the Windows share window using “Find Apps” under the “Share using” section.
      [caption id="attachment_178199" align="alignnone" width="393"] Results shown for searching for Paint directly within the Windows search window using “Find Apps”.[/caption]

      [Other]

      • The Windows OS version of Direct3D 12 has been updated to match the Agility SDK 1.616.1 package contents.

      Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

      [Taskbar & System Tray]

      • Fixed an issue where clicking the date and time on a secondary monitor might open the flyout on your primary monitor.
      • Fixed an issue where if you minimized an app and switched back and forth between desktops, you might end up seeing a duplicate preview thumbnail when hovering over the app in the taskbar.

      [Windowing]

      • Fixed an issue which was causing explorer.exe to crash when using ALT + Tab for some Insiders in the previous flight.

      [Display]

      • Fixed an issue where the setting to enable HDR under Settings > System > Display might turn off after you turned it on, blocking you from enabling it.

      [Audio]

      • Fixed an issue which could result in audio not working a few seconds after casting to a TV.

      [Other]

      • Fixed an issue which was causing the drivers for certain smart cards to not work in recent flights (showing error 31).
      • Fixed a typo in the diskusage help list (diskusage /?).
      • Fixed an issue where if you had to enter a PIN for your device to cast from Quick Settings, pressing Enter wouldn’t confirm the PIN.
      • Fixed an issue where the tooltip for the "Abort if insufficient memory" setting in Task Manager’s advanced section of settings wasn’t correct.

      Known issues

      [File Explorer]

      • For some users, the Shared section in File Explorer Home may be visible even if there is no content to display.

      [Settings]

      • We’re investigating reports that Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files is getting stuck when scanning files. We are also investigating previous Windows Installations also not showing.

      [Audio]

      • [NEW] Some Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels are experiencing an issue where audio stops working and Device Manager shows one or more devices with a yellow exclamation mark, including “ACPI Audio Compositor” and others. Selecting Properties on these devices will show “Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing.” If you are impacted by this issue, you can follow these instructions to get back into a working state:
        • Right-click on the device with a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager and select “Update driver”.
        • Choose “Browse my computer for drivers” and then “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer”.
        • Select the driver from the list with the most recent date and click “Next”. If you are presented with a list of common hardware types instead of one or more specific drivers, this device is not related to this issue.
        • This device should be repaired and no longer show a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager. If it continues to show a yellow exclamation mark, the yellow exclamation mark is not related to this issue.
        • Repeat these steps for each device with a yellow exclamation mark.

      [Xbox Controllers]

      • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

      Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

      • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.xxxx).
      • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
      • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
      • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
      • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
      • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
      • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
      • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
      Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-5770-beta-channel/ Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:03:15 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178193 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5770 (KB5064089) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

      Changes in Beta Channel b

      The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5770 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

      ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5770 (KB5064089) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

      New Copilot+ PC experiences

      New Microsoft 365 text action in Click to Do

      We are beginning to roll out a new text action in Click to Do! Convert to table with Excel: Click to Do now recognizes tables so you can work smarter and faster with information you encounter everyday – whether it’s a table you see shared over Teams in a meeting, a school calendar from a photo, or any other document with an embedded table. With tables in Click to Do, you can now highlight any simple table and immediately send to Excel, copy or share it – all without retyping a single cell. See a table in any application and you can press Win + Click to invoke Click to Do, or Win + Q or right swipe and tap to select the table. Once selected, you’ll see  the actions you can take like Convert to table with Excel. Just click, capture and continue. [caption id="attachment_178195" align="alignnone" width="520"] Click to Do with table highlighted and action to convert to table with Excel shown in the Click to Do menu.[/caption] This is an early preview of this action in Click to Do and table detection may sometimes not work correctly. However, table detection quality will improve over time in subsequent flights to the Dev and Beta Channels. Tables in Click to Do are rolling out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon. You’ll need the latest Microsoft Excel application installed on your PC to see Convert to table with Excel and a Microsoft 365 Subscription. This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area). View Microsoft 365 Profile Cards: Rather than opening Microsoft Outlook or Teams or anywhere to look up someone’s profile, get straight to their info about them thanks to the integration of Live Persona Cards for from Microsoft 365 in Click to Do. See how to contact them or past collaborations without leaving your flow. This new action is available on emails seen in Click to Do. Press Win + Click right on an email and, if it’s part of your work or school’s organization, the profile card is displayed. [caption id="attachment_178197" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Click to Do showing a Microsoft 365 profile card after clicking on an email address.[/caption] You must be signed in to your PC with a work or school account (Entra ID) and have a Microsoft 365 subscription. This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area). You can learn more about using Click to Do here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

      New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

      Get on-screen Braille and text output with Braille viewer

      We are adding a new feature in Narrator called Braille viewer that allows you to see on-screen textual and Braille representation of the output shown on a refreshable Braille display.  This is a helpful tool for sighted teachers, AT trainers, developers, and testers who do not read Braille or who have limited to no access to a Braille display. Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVIs) can use Braille viewer to help improve student’s Braille skills or follow along in classroom as the teachers can visually see the textual and Braille representation on the screen while the student reads it on their connected Braille display. [caption id="attachment_178198" align="alignnone" width="1024"] On-screen textual and Braille representation shown over a Word document.[/caption] To open Braille viewer, start Narrator using Win + Ctrl + Enter and press Narrator key + Alt + B. A new floating window opens - contents of this window are updated as you continue to use Narrator. The number of Braille cells shown on the viewer depends on the size of your refreshable Braille display. If an 80-cell display is connected, the viewer shows 80 cells. If no display is connected, the viewer shows 40 cells by default. You could also change the display size and position of the viewer using settings menu on the viewer. NOTE: For Braille viewer to work, make sure Narrator is set up to give Braille output. To download and install Braille package, navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Narrator > Use a Braille display with Narrator. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

      Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

      [Windows Share]

      • You can find apps installed on your PC or apps available in the Microsoft Store directly within the Windows share window using “Find Apps” under the “Share using” section.
      [caption id="attachment_178199" align="alignnone" width="393"] Results shown for searching for Paint directly within the Windows search window using “Find Apps”.[/caption]

      [Other]

      • The Windows OS version of Direct3D 12 has been updated to match the Agility SDK 1.616.1 package contents.

      Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

      [Taskbar & System Tray]

      • Fixed an issue where clicking the date and time on a secondary monitor might open the flyout on your primary monitor.
      • Fixed an issue where if you minimized an app and switched back and forth between desktops, you might end up seeing a duplicate preview thumbnail when hovering over the app in the taskbar.

      [Windowing]

      • Fixed an issue which was causing explorer.exe to crash when using ALT + Tab for some Insiders in the previous flight.

      [Display]

      • Fixed an issue where the setting to enable HDR under Settings > System > Display might turn off after you turned it on, blocking you from enabling it.

      [Audio]

      • Fixed an issue which could result in audio not working a few seconds after casting to a TV.

      [Other]

      • Fixed an issue which was causing the drivers for certain smart cards to not work in recent flights (showing error 31).
      • Fixed a typo in the diskusage help list (diskusage /?).
      • Fixed an issue where if you had to enter a PIN for your device to cast from Quick Settings, pressing Enter wouldn’t confirm the PIN.
      • Fixed an issue where the tooltip for the "Abort if insufficient memory" setting in Task Manager’s advanced section of settings wasn’t correct.

      Known issues

      [File Explorer]

      • For some users, the Shared section in File Explorer Home may be visible even if there is no content to display.

      [Settings]

      • We’re investigating reports that Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files is getting stuck when scanning files.

      [Audio]

      • [NEW] Some Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels are experiencing an issue where audio stops working and Device Manager shows one or more devices with a yellow exclamation mark, including “ACPI Audio Compositor” and others. Selecting Properties on these devices will show “Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing.” If you are impacted by this issue, you can follow these instructions to get back into a working state:
        • Right-click on the device with a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager and select “Update driver”.
        • Choose “Browse my computer for drivers” and then “Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer”.
        • Select the driver from the list with the most recent date and click “Next”. If you are presented with a list of common hardware types instead of one or more specific drivers, this device is not related to this issue.
        • This device should be repaired and no longer show a yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager. If it continues to show a yellow exclamation mark, the yellow exclamation mark is not related to this issue.
        • Repeat these steps for each device with a yellow exclamation mark.

      [Xbox Controllers]

      • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

      Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

      • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
      • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
      • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
      • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
      • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
      • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
      • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
      • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
      • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
      Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/29/releasing-windows-11-version-25h2-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:01:21 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178190 Hello Windows Insiders!

      Today, we are making this year’s annual feature update Windows 11, version 25H2 (Build 26200.5074) available in the Release Preview Channel for customers to preview ahead of general availability later th

      The post Releasing Windows 11, version 25H2 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

      ]]> Windows 11, version 25H2 (Build 26200.5074) available in the Release Preview Channel for customers to preview ahead of general availability later this calendar year. Windows 11, version 25H2 will be delivered as an enablement package (eKB). This means that Windows 11, version 24H2 and version 25H2 use a shared servicing branch. It also means that they also share the same new features and enhancements delivered through our continuous innovation efforts. Windows 11, version 25H2 also includes some feature removals such as PowerShell 2.0 and Windows Management Instrumentation command-line (WMIC). And for our commercial customers, Windows 11, version 25H2 includes the ability for IT admins to remove select pre-installed Microsoft Store apps via Group Policy/MDM CSP on Enterprise/EDU devices. For more details on Windows 11, version 25H2, see this blog post. [caption id="attachment_178192" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Windows 11, version 25H2 shown as available as an optional update highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Channel can install Windows 11, version 25H2 via our “seeker” experience in Windows Update. This means if you are an Insider currently in the Release Preview Channel on a PC that meets the Windows 11 hardware requirements, you can go to Settings and Windows Update and choose to download and install Windows 11, version 25H2 if you want. Once you update your PC to Windows 11, version 25H2, you will continue to automatically receive new servicing updates through Windows Update (the typical monthly update process). For instructions on how to join the Windows Insider Program and join your PC to the Release Preview Channel, click here. Commercial* customers enrolled in the Windows Insider Program for Business can begin validating Windows 11, version 25H2 on PCs in their organizations. For these customers, the Windows 11, version 25H2 is available through Windows Update for Business (WUfB) and Windows Server Update Service (WSUS). Azure Marketplace will be available later today. You can learn more about deploying pre-release feature updates using these deployment methods here. Should any issues arise, IT admins in organizations deploying Release Preview updates can request Microsoft Support. And finally – ISOs will be available for download for Windows 11, version 25H2 via the Windows Insider ISO download page next week. [UPDATE 9/10] The ISOs for Windows 11, version 25H2 are now available for download. Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team *We consider a device a commercial device if it is not running the Windows 11 Home edition AND is being managed by an IT administrator (whether via Microsoft Endpoint Manager or other management solution) or has a volume license key or commercial ID or is joined to a domain.]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/22/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5761-dev-channel/ Fri, 22 Aug 2025 17:04:50 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178186 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5761 (KB5064093) to the Dev Channel.

      Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

      The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5761 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

      ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5761 (KB5064093) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

      New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

      Ability to seamlessly resume apps from Android phone on PC 

      We are beginning to gradually roll out the ability to seamlessly resume using your favorite apps from your Android phone on your Windows 11 PC to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels. To start with, you will be able to resume or continue listening to your favorite Spotify tracks and episodes right from where you left off on the Spotify app on your Android phone. First, start listening to one of your favorite songs or episodes in the Spotify app on your Android phone. On your PC (running the latest Insider Preview builds in the Dev or Beta Channels) a ‘Resume alert’ will appear on your taskbar. When you click on that alert, Spotify’s desktop app will open and the same track will now continue playing on your PC. [caption id="attachment_178169" align="alignnone" width="960"] A cross-device resume taskbar alert indicating that you can continue using Spotify app from your phone, now on your PC.[/caption] If the Spotify app is not installed on your PC, when you click on the alert it will initiate a 1-click installation from the Microsoft Store and will automatically download and open the app for you. You will then be prompted to sign into your Spotify account. [caption id="attachment_178182" align="alignnone" width="960"] A cross-device resume taskbar alert indicating that you can download and install Spotify app to resume on your PC.[/caption] Please note that you will need to use the same Spotify account on both your Android phone and your PC. Here is how you can get set up to try this feature out:
      1. Turn on access to your phone.
         1. On your PC, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices.
         2. Switch "Allow this PC to access your mobile devices" to On.
         3. Click the “Manage devices” button and follow the steps to connect your Android phone.
      2. Set up the Link to Windows app on your phone.
         1. On your Android phone, open the Link to Windows app.
         2. Make sure you allow the app to run in the background (this keeps the Resume feature working reliably).
      3. Try the feature.
         1. Open Spotify on your phone and play a track or episode.
         2. You should see a Resume alert on your PC’s taskbar.
      After everything is all set up - just open Spotify on your phone and play a track to receive the resume alert on your PC’s taskbar. As mentioned above – this feature is gradually rolling out so if you do not see it after completing these steps, please be patient and once the feature is rolled out to you, you will see this experience light up for you on your PC. For App Developers: We invite app developers to integrate with Resume and offer your users the ability to seamlessly continue tasks from phone app on PC app. Click here to learn more about integrating Resume into your app. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers > Linked Phone.

      Improving the battery iconography on lock screen

      Our new and improved battery icons have been designed to communicate the battery status of your PC with just a quick glance  - and we’re bringing them to the lock screen. [caption id="attachment_178183" align="alignnone" width="2880"] Lock screen with new battery icon and percentage showing on the bottom right.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Lock screen.

      Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

      [Click to Do (Preview)]

      The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
      • By pressing and holding two fingers anywhere on your screen (on your Copilot+ PC with a touch screen), you can simultaneously launch Click to Do, select the entity under your finger and see relevant actions. This new invocation method provides the ability to use touch with an accelerated entry point into Click to Do, like Win + Click when using a mouse or touchpad today.

      [Agent in Settings]

      The following changes and improvements are rolling out for agent in Settings on Copilot+ PCs:
      • We now provide a direct navigation link to the corresponding settings page from the agent search results.
      [caption id="attachment_178184" align="alignnone" width="1184"] New navigation link in the agent search results in Settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

      [Automatic Super Resolution]

      The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR) on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs:
      • We have simplified the settings controls and added streamlined ways to configure Auto SR directly from toast notifications.

      [Input]

      • We’re adding a new keyboard shortcut to make it easier for you to insert an En dash (–) or Em dash (—) while typing anywhere in Windows. Going forward, pressing WIN + Minus (-) will insert En dash, and WIN + Shift + Minus (-) will insert Em dash. Note – if you have Magnifier running, WIN + Minus (-) will still zoom out Magnifier, rather than inserting an En dash.

      [Windows Share]

      • In the last few Dev and Beta flights, we have begun trying out the ability to pin your favorite apps in the Windows share window.
      [caption id="attachment_178185" align="alignnone" width="915"] New pinning option for apps in the Windows share window highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

      Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

      [Settings]

      • Did some work to help improve performance of loading the apps list on the Apps > Installed apps page.
      • Fixed an issue which was causing the new “Copy current user settings to the welcome screen and system accounts” under Time & Language > Language & Region option to crash Settings for some Insiders.

      [Windows Hello]

      • Did some work to address an issue where Windows Hello might recognize your face on the login screen, however it would still fail and then prompt you to enter your pin. If you continue experiencing issues, you may need to go to the Facial Recognition section under Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and select Improve recognition.

      [Other]

      • Did some underlying work to help improve performance when gaming with game bar or other overlays on top of your game. This may particularly help those with multiple monitors which have different refresh rates. As always, if you're experiencing game performance issues, please file feedback including a trace of the issue, following these steps. Thanks Windows Insiders who've shared feedback so far!

      Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

      [For developers]

      • The issue causing Visual Studio to crash on Arm64 PCs when running various scenarios that depend on Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) will be fixed after installing the KB5064402 .NET update.

      Known issues

      [Recall]

      • Windows Insiders in the EEA may hit in issue where Recall is not working correctly on their PCs after the most recent Dev and Beta Channel flights. To get back into a working state - please go to Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots > Advanced settings > Reset Recall and click "Reset Recall".

      [File Explorer]

      • For some users, the Shared section in File Explorer Home may be visible even if there is no content to display.

      [Settings]

      • We’re investigating reports that Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files is getting stuck when scanning files. We are also investigating previous Windows Installations also not showing.

      [Xbox Controllers]

      • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

      Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

      • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx). For more information on Windows 11, version 25H2 – see this blog post.
      • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
      • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
      • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
      • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
      • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
      • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
      • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
      Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/22/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-5761-beta-channel/ Fri, 22 Aug 2025 17:04:27 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178177 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5761 (KB5064093) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

      Changes in Beta Channel b

      The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5761 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

      ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5761 (KB5064093) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

      New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

      Ability to seamlessly resume apps from Android phone on PC 

      We are beginning to gradually roll out the ability to seamlessly resume using your favorite apps from your Android phone on your Windows 11 PC to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels. To start with, you will be able to resume or continue listening to your favorite Spotify tracks and episodes right from where you left off on the Spotify app on your Android phone. First, start listening to one of your favorite songs or episodes in the Spotify app on your Android phone. On your PC (running the latest Insider Preview builds in the Dev or Beta Channels) a ‘Resume alert’ will appear on your taskbar. When you click on that alert, Spotify’s desktop app will open and the same track will now continue playing on your PC.
      [caption id="attachment_178169" align="alignnone" width="960"] A cross-device resume taskbar alert indicating that you can continue using Spotify app from your phone, now on your PC.[/caption] If the Spotify app is not installed on your PC, when you click on the alert it will initiate a 1-click installation from the Microsoft Store and will automatically download and open the app for you. You will then be prompted to sign into your Spotify account. [caption id="attachment_178182" align="alignnone" width="960"] A cross-device resume taskbar alert indicating that you can download and install Spotify app to resume on your PC.[/caption] Please note that you will need to use the same Spotify account on both your Android phone and your PC. Here is how you can get set up to try this feature out:
      1. Turn on access to your phone.
         1. On your PC, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices.
         2. Switch "Allow this PC to access your mobile devices" to On.
         3. Click the “Manage devices” button and follow the steps to connect your Android phone.
      2. Set up the Link to Windows app on your phone.
         1. On your Android phone, open the Link to Windows app.
         2. Make sure you allow the app to run in the background (this keeps the Resume feature working reliably).
      3. Try the feature.
         1. Open Spotify on your phone and play a track or episode.
         2. You should see a Resume alert on your PC’s taskbar.
      After everything is all set up - just open Spotify on your phone and play a track to receive the resume alert on your PC’s taskbar. As mentioned above – this feature is gradually rolling out so if you do not see it after completing these steps, please be patient and once the feature is rolled out to you, you will see this experience light up for you on your PC. For App Developers: We invite app developers to integrate with Resume and offer your users the ability to seamlessly continue tasks from phone app on PC app. Click here to learn more about integrating Resume into your app. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers > Linked Phone.

      Improving the battery iconography on lock screen

      Our new and improved battery icons have been designed to communicate the battery status of your PC with just a quick glance  - and we’re bringing them to the lock screen. [caption id="attachment_178183" align="alignnone" width="2880"] Lock screen with new battery icon and percentage showing on the bottom right.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Lock screen.

      Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

      [Click to Do (Preview)]

      The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
      • By pressing and holding two fingers anywhere on your screen (on your Copilot+ PC with a touch screen), you can simultaneously launch Click to Do, select the entity under your finger and see relevant actions. This new invocation method provides the ability to use touch with an accelerated entry point into Click to Do, like Win + Click when using a mouse or touchpad today.

      [Agent in Settings]

      The following changes and improvements are rolling out for agent in Settings on Copilot+ PCs:
      • We now provide a direct navigation link to the corresponding settings page from the agent search results.
      [caption id="attachment_178184" align="alignnone" width="1024"] New navigation link in the agent search results in Settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

      [Automatic Super Resolution]

      The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR) on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs:
      • We have simplified the settings controls and added streamlined ways to configure Auto SR directly from toast notifications.

      [Input]

      • We’re adding a new keyboard shortcut to make it easier for you to insert an En dash (–) or Em dash (—) while typing anywhere in Windows. Going forward, pressing WIN + Minus (-) will insert En dash, and WIN + Shift + Minus (-) will insert Em dash. Note – if you have Magnifier running, WIN + Minus (-) will still zoom out Magnifier, rather than inserting an En dash.

      [Windows Share]

      • In the last few Dev and Beta flights, we have begun trying out the ability to pin your favorite apps in the Windows share window.
      [caption id="attachment_178185" align="alignnone" width="915"] New pinning option for apps in the Windows share window highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

      Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

      [Settings]

      • Did some work to help improve performance of loading the apps list on the Apps > Installed apps page.
      • Fixed an issue which was causing the new “Copy current user settings to the welcome screen and system accounts” under Time & Language > Language & Region option to crash Settings for some Insiders.

      [Windows Hello]

      • Did some work to address an issue where Windows Hello might recognize your face on the login screen, however it would still fail and then prompt you to enter your pin. If you continue experiencing issues, you may need to go to the Facial Recognition section under Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and select Improve recognition.

      [Other]

      • Did some underlying work to help improve performance when gaming with game bar or other overlays on top of your game. This may particularly help those with multiple monitors which have different refresh rates. As always, if you're experiencing game performance issues, please file feedback including a trace of the issue, following these steps. Thanks Windows Insiders who've shared feedback so far!

      Known issues

      [Recall]

      • Windows Insiders in the EEA may hit in issue where Recall is not working correctly on their PCs after the most recent Dev and Beta Channel flights. To get back into a working state - please go to Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots > Advanced settings > Reset Recall and click "Reset Recall".

      [File Explorer]

      • For some users, the Shared section in File Explorer Home may be visible even if there is no content to display.

      [Settings]

      • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files is to get stuck when scanning files. This issue is also related to the previous Windows Installations section not showing on this page when it should.

      [Xbox Controllers]

      • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

      Snipping Tool Update

      We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2507.14.0 and higher) to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. In this update, we’re introducing window mode screen recording in Snipping Tool—an easy way to capture activity within a specific app window. To get started, toggle over to the Record option in the capture toolbar and click on the dropdown menu for Recording area to select window mode. [caption id="attachment_178139" align="alignnone" width="300"] New option to set recording region by selecting a specific app window in the Snipping Tool toolbar.[/caption] When you select window mode, Snipping Tool will automatically size the recording region to tightly match the app window you choose, making setup quick and precise. Once recording begins, however, the region remains fixed—so if the app moves or gets covered by another window, the recording won’t follow it. This gives you a simple, focused way to record what’s happening in a defined space on your screen, without needing to crop or adjust later. [caption id="attachment_178141" align="alignnone" width="2592"] Screen recording setup of the Paint app window with UI denoting that screen recording is set to the position of that specific app window.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

      Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

      • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
      • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
      • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
      • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
      • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
      • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
      • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
      • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
      • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
      Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/20/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27928-canary-channel/ Wed, 20 Aug 2025 17:03:26 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178161 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27928 to the Canary Channel.

      Changes and Improvements

      [General]

      • The updat
        

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27928 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27928 to the Canary Channel.

        Changes and Improvements

        [General]

        • The updated battery iconography we began rolling out in the Canary Channel with Build 27802 is disabled in this build. This is only temporary, and we will re-enable this in a future Canary Channel flight.
        • [ADDED 8/21] Administrator protection we began rolling out in the Canary Channel with Build 27718 is disabled in this build. This is only temporary, and we will re-enable this in a future Canary Channel flight.

        [Settings]

        We’re moving more time and language settings from Control Panel to Settings:
        • You can now add additional clocks from Settings > Time & language > Date & time under the collapsed section which can be expanded for “Show time and date in the system tray”. For those unfamiliar with the feature, these additional clocks display in Notification Center, as well as the tooltip when hovering over the clock in the taskbar.
        • You can now change your time server from Settings > Time & language > Date & time, under “Additional settings”.
        • The formatting settings for date and time have moved from Settings > Time & language > Language & region to Settings > Time & language > Date & time, and you can now change your AM/PM symbol from here as well (along with other existing formatting settings).
        • You can now change number and currency format from Settings > Time & language > Language & region, under the “Region” section.
        • If you’d like to enable Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support, there is now a toggle for this under Settings > Time & language > Language & region, under the “Language” section.
        • If needed, you can now copy current user language and region settings to welcome screen and system account, as well as new user accounts, from Settings > Time & language > Language & region, under “Additional settings”.

        Fixes

        [General]

        • Fixed an underlying issue with dao360.dll in the latest builds which could result in some apps crashing.

        [Click to Do (Preview)]

        • Fixed the issue causing text and image actions in Click to Do to not work correctly and Click to Do to crash.

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue where File Explorer preview windows might appear when hovering over unrelated app icons in the taskbar.
        • Fixed an issue where if you tried to use the unblock open in Properties for a file, it still shows as blocked when you open Properties the next time.

        [Taskbar]

        • Fixed an issue where If you accidentally clicked down and slid your mouse on the taskbar preview thumbnail, clicking it would stop working.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an underlying issue related to textinputframework.dll could result in certain apps like Sticky Notes and Notepad crashing.
        • Fixed an issue where if you attempted to type Chinese with an IME after copying something with CTRL + C, it could result in the first character getting dropped.

        [Login and Lock screen]

        • Did some work to address underlying cases which could lead to you seeing a blank white screen, or a screen saying, “just a moment”, for a few minutes when logging in to your PC.
        • Did some work to address an underlying issue which could lead to the taskbar being slow to load when unlocking your PC after coming out of sleep. This issue could also have led to the password field and other login screen contents not rendering when transitioning from lock screen to login screen after sleep. If you continue experiencing issues, please report them in the Feedback Hub under Install and Update > Logon hangs.

        [Live captions]

        • Fixed an issue where if you changed the opacity of live captions in Settings > Accessibility > Captions > Caption Style, it had no effect.

        [Settings]

        • Fixed an issue where Settings might crash if you attempt to add a security key under Settings > Account > Sign-in options.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue in the previous build where you might see multiple error pop ups about unexpected elements when opening Group Policy Editor.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • We’re investigating reports that Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files is getting stuck when scanning files. We are also investigating previous Windows Installations also not showing.
        • [NEW] Launching cmd non-elevated from the Run dialog may open in Windows Console Host rather than Windows Terminal, even if Windows Terminal is your default terminal app. If you’re experiencing this, you can type wt into Run to launch Windows Terminal directly.

        [Windowing]

        • [NEW] You may experience an increase in DWM crashes in this build (which could lead to you seeing a black flash).

        [File Explorer]

        • In dark mode, the red color used for a low space drive in This PC may be unexpectedly light colored in this build. Some of the other colors may also be incorrect, including that black is used for space remaining instead of a more visible color.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/20/copilot-on-windows-semantic-search-and-new-homepage-begin-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Wed, 20 Aug 2025 17:01:01 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178156 Hello Windows Insiders, we are excited to begin rolling out a new update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows that introduces the following changes and improvements:

        Semantic file search*, available on Copilot+ PCs, is a smarter

        The post Copilot on Windows: Semantic Search and new home begin rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Semantic file search*, available on Copilot+ PCs, is a smarter and faster way to find your files using natural language. With today’s update, you can now leverage the power of improved search capabilities right from the Copilot on Windows app. This provides yet another way to find your documents and photos on your PC without having to remember the exact file names or exact words in file content. For example, you can find images by typing “find images of bridges at sunset on my PC”, find your resume documents with similar terms like “find my cv” or describing content of the file that you’re looking for like “find the file with the chicken tostada recipe”. You can adjust your permissions for what Copilot can access, retrieve, or read in Copilot Settings under Permission settings. [caption id="attachment_178158" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Semantic file search (available on Copilot+ PC) helps find images of a landscape.[/caption] The new Copilot home experience brings your recent apps, files and conversations into Copilot and at your fingertips. Now it’s easier to get guided help: when you click on a recent application in the “get guided help with your apps” section, a Vision session will begin to help you get started. Or you can have Copilot take action on a recent document or photo – click the file of choice in the left pane and it’s uploaded to the Copilot chat window. From there you can have Copilot summarize the content, identify objects in an image, or just chat about it. How does Copilot know what files I have? Copilot shows you files you've recently opened on your device by referencing the standard Windows "Recent" folder.  Like any application on Windows, Copilot can show those recent files used by apps like Word or Photos to help you quickly find your work.  These are local files stored on your computer, and Copilot doesn’t scan your entire system or upload anything automatically. Only files that are compatible with Copilot** and have been recently accessed will appear in the list. If you choose to attach a file and send it to Copilot, that action gives Copilot permission to process it — nothing is shared unless you explicitly do so. [caption id="attachment_178159" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Redesigned Copilot on Windows home.[/caption] Use Vision to get real-time guidance on what’s on your screen or attach a file to your Copilot conversation for summaries, insights, and helpful pointers. Whether you're planning, creating, or catching up, Copilot is ready to help you. This Copilot app update (version 1.25082.132.0 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. The above-mentioned features are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience on Windows. FEEDBACK: Please provide feedback directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”. Thanks, Microsoft Copilot Team *Works with specific text, image, and document formats only; optimized for select languages (English, Chinese (Simplified), French, German, Japanese, and Spanish). See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs. **File types currently supported for file upload include .png, .jpeg, .svg, .pdf, .docx, .xlsx, .csv, .json, and .txt. ]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5751dev-channel/ Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:03:57 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178149 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5751 (KB5064071) to the Dev Channel.

        Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5751 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5751 (KB5064071) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        New Copilot+ PC experiences

        Introducing New Selection Modes in Click to Do

        We’re excited to announce powerful new ways to select objects in Click to Do: Freeform Selection, Rectangle Selection, and Ctrl + Click, giving you more control and flexibility than ever before. [caption id="attachment_178146" align="alignnone" width="769"] New Freeform and Rectangle Selection Mode buttons in Click to Do highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Freeform Selection Mode: Tap the Freeform Selection button in the toolbar to activate this mode. Then use your pen or finger to draw freely around the entities you want to select. This makes selection feel more natural and intuitive, especially on touch-enabled devices. Rectangle Selection Mode: Click the Rectangle Selection button in the Click to Do toolbar, then drag a box around the items you want to select. Everything inside the rectangle, regardless of type, will be included in your selection. Ctrl + Click: Use your keyboard and mouse to multi-select different entity types, like text, images, and more, by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking on each item you want to include. These new modes allow you to select multiple different entity types in a single gesture, making your Click to Do actions more powerful and efficient. Click to Do selection is now smarter, faster, and more fluid. You can learn more about using Click to Do here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • IT Admins can now remove select pre-installed Microsoft Store apps via Group Policy/MDM CSP on Enterprise/EDU devices. For more details, see this KB article.

        [File Explorer]

        • We’re updating the “Open with” section of the File Explorer context menu when right clicking a file to remove the accent colored backplate behind packaged app icons in the list (for example, for Snipping Tool). In doing this, the icons should be bigger and easier to see now.
        [caption id="attachment_178147" align="alignnone" width="421"] File Explorer context menu showing icons with no backplating highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • We are updating the animations for mousing over app groups on the taskbar.
        [caption id="attachment_178148" align="alignnone" width="668"] New animation shown when mousing over open app groups on the taskbar.[/caption]

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • Fixed an issue where, if you were using the option to show additional clocks, the date and time tooltip may show them duplicated.

        [Start menu]

        • Fixed an issue for Insiders with the new Start menu with the previous flight, where the layout might temporarily show a smaller Start menu (ex. 6 columns of pinned apps instead of 8).
        • Fixed an issue for Insiders with the new Start menu, where it wasn’t opening when in safe mode.
        • Fixed an issue where when right clicking on Start menu, the context menu may appear very far away from the Start menu.
        • Fixed an issue where the “Hide this pane” option for the mobile device companion for the Start menu may be difficult to see if the option to use a custom accent color has been enabled for Start menu.

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue where in dark mode, the red color used for a low space drive in This PC was unexpectedly light colored in the latest builds (and some of the other colors were incorrect, including that black was used for space remaining instead of a more visible color).

        [Login and Lock screen]

        • Fixed an issue where some of the login options were shown as blank square icons.
        • We did some work to help improve lock screen reliability, by fixing a few underlying issues which could result in the lock screen hanging.

        [Live captions]

        • Fixed an issue where live captions might crash when attempting to use live translation on a Copilot+ PC.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to experience an increase in DWM crashes in the previous flight.
        • Fixed an issue where if you’d used the new option to move the hardware indicators, while the hardware indicator was visible, you wouldn’t be able to interact with the screen area underneath (spanning the length of the screen).

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [Click to Do (Preview)]

        • Fixed the issue causing text and image actions in Click to Do to not work and Click to Do to crash after updating to Build 26200.5742.

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • After updating to the current Dev Channel builds, apps pinned to the taskbar should no longer be unpinned. If the issue persists, submit feedback via Feedback Hub.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows update” may resolve the issue.

        [For developers]

        • We are investigating reports after updating to Build 26200.5722 and higher in the Dev Channe that Visual Studio may crash on Arm64 PCs when running various scenarios that depend on Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF).

        [Recall]

        • [NEW] Windows Insiders in the EEA may hit in issue where Recall is not working correctly on their PCs after the most recent Dev and Beta Channel flights. To get back into a working state - please go to Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots > Advanced settings > Reset Recall and click "Reset Recall".

        [File Explorer]

        • [NEW] For some users, the Shared section in File Explorer Home may be visible even if there is no content to display.

        [Settings]

        • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files is getting stuck when scanning files. We are also investigating previous Windows Installations also not showing.

        [Xbox Controllers]

        • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

        Snipping Tool Update

        We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2507.14.0 and higher) to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels. In this update, we’re introducing window mode screen recording in Snipping Tool—an easy way to capture activity within a specific app window. To get started, toggle over to the Record option in the capture toolbar and click on the dropdown menu for Recording area to select window mode. [caption id="attachment_178139" align="alignnone" width="474"] New option to set recording region by selecting a specific app window in the Snipping Tool toolbar.[/caption] When you select window mode, Snipping Tool will automatically size the recording region to tightly match the app window you choose, making setup quick and precise. Once recording begins, however, the region remains fixed—so if the app moves or gets covered by another window, the recording won’t follow it. This gives you a simple, focused way to record what’s happening in a defined space on your screen, without needing to crop or adjust later. [caption id="attachment_178141" align="alignnone" width="581"] Screen recording setup of the Paint app window with UI denoting that screen recording is set to the position of that specific app window.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx). For more information on Windows 11, version 25H2 – see this blog post.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-5751-beta-channel/ Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:03:53 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178144 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5751 (KB5064071) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

        Changes in Beta Channel b

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5751 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5751 (KB5064071) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        New Copilot+ PC experiences

        Introducing New Selection Modes in Click to Do

        We’re excited to announce powerful new ways to select objects in Click to Do: Freeform Selection, Rectangle Selection, and Ctrl + Click, giving you more control and flexibility than ever before. [caption id="attachment_178146" align="alignnone" width="769"] New Freeform and Rectangle Selection Mode buttons in Click to Do highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Freeform Selection Mode: Tap the Freeform Selection button in the toolbar to activate this mode. Then use your pen or finger to draw freely around the entities you want to select. This makes selection feel more natural and intuitive, especially on touch-enabled devices. Rectangle Selection Mode: Click the Rectangle Selection button in the Click to Do toolbar, then drag a box around the items you want to select. Everything inside the rectangle, regardless of type, will be included in your selection. Ctrl + Click: Use your keyboard and mouse to multi-select different entity types, like text, images, and more, by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking on each item you want to include. These new modes allow you to select multiple different entity types in a single gesture, making your Click to Do actions more powerful and efficient. Click to Do selection is now smarter, faster, and more fluid. You can learn more about using Click to Do here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • We’re updating the “Open with” section of the File Explorer context menu when right clicking a file to remove the accent colored backplate behind packaged app icons in the list (for example, for Snipping Tool). In doing this, the icons should be bigger and easier to see now.
        [caption id="attachment_178147" align="alignnone" width="421"] File Explorer context menu showing icons with no backplating highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • We are updating the animations for mousing over app groups on the taskbar.
        [caption id="attachment_178148" align="alignnone" width="668"] New animation shown when mousing over open app groups on the taskbar.[/caption]

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • Fixed an issue where, if you were using the option to show additional clocks, the date and time tooltip may show them duplicated.

        [Start menu]

        • Fixed an issue for Insiders with the new Start menu with the previous flight, where the layout might temporarily show a smaller Start menu (ex. 6 columns of pinned apps instead of 8).
        • Fixed an issue for Insiders with the new Start menu, where it wasn’t opening when in safe mode.
        • Fixed an issue where when right clicking on Start menu, the context menu may appear very far away from the Start menu.
        • Fixed an issue where the “Hide this pane” option for the mobile device companion for the Start menu may be difficult to see if the option to use a custom accent color has been enabled for Start menu.

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue where in dark mode, the red color used for a low space drive in This PC was unexpectedly light colored in the latest builds (and some of the other colors were incorrect, including that black was used for space remaining instead of a more visible color).

        [Login and Lock screen]

        • Fixed an issue where some of the login options were shown as blank square icons.
        • We did some work to help improve lock screen reliability, by fixing a few underlying issues which could result in the lock screen hanging.

        [Live captions]

        • Fixed an issue where live captions might crash when attempting to use live translation on a Copilot+ PC.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to experience an increase in DWM crashes in the previous flight.
        • Fixed an issue where if you’d used the new option to move the hardware indicators, while the hardware indicator was visible, you wouldn’t be able to interact with the screen area underneath (spanning the length of the screen).

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Click to Do (Preview)]

        • Fixed the issue causing text and image actions in Click to Do to not work and Click to Do to crash after updating to Build 26120.5742.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows update” may resolve the issue.

        [Recall]

        • [NEW] Windows Insiders in the EEA may hit in issue where Recall is not working correctly on their PCs after the most recent Dev and Beta Channel flights. To get back into a working state - please go to Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots > Advanced settings > Reset Recall and click "Reset Recall".

        [File Explorer]

        • [NEW] For some users, the Shared section in File Explorer Home may be visible even if there is no content to display.

        [Settings]

        • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files is getting stuck when scanning files. We are also investigating previous Windows Installations also not showing.

        [Xbox Controllers]

        • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
        • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/14/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-6276-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 14 Aug 2025 17:07:59 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178135 [UPDATE 8/21] We are releasing Build 19045.6280 (KB5063842) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself.

        Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build

        The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.6276 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> [UPDATE 8/21] We are releasing Build 19045.6280 (KB5063842) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself. Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.6276 (KB5063842) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. This update includes the following features and improvements (items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented):
        • [Mobile Operator Profiles] Updated: Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles.
        • [Common Controls] Fixed: An issue that affects how certain supplementary characters appear in Windows textboxes.
        • [Multimedia] Fixed: An issue where mf.dll failed to enumerate redirected web camera devices on Remote Desktop Services (RDS) environments.
        • [Windows Hello] Fixed: An issue in which Narrator reads the incorrect name for the "Enhance Facial Recognition Protection" check box under the Facial Recognition setting.
        • [Family Safety] Fixed: An issue where the "Ask to Use" approval flow was not being triggered for blocked apps. With this fix, the approval flow now appears as expected when a blocked app is accessed.
        • [Portable Devices] Fixed: An issue where the Removeable Storage Access policy may not work properly.
        • [Input and Composition] Fixed: An issue with the Chinese Simplified Input Method Editor (IME). Some extended characters were shown as empty boxes.
        • [Licensing] New! This update adds a new feature that allows customers using the Windows 10 keyless Commercial ESU solution—alongside a Windows 365 subscription—to block outbound network traffic. This enhancement supports compliance with Zero Exhaust policies.
        • [Search pane] Fixed: An issue that might cause the Windows Search pane to not show the preview pane correctly.
        • [Windows Backup for Organizations] New! Windows Backup for Organizations is now generally available! Experience seamless device transitions with enterprise-grade backup and restore. Whether you're refreshing your organization’s devices, upgrading to Windows 11, or deploying AI-powered PCs, this solution helps sustain productivity with minimal disruption, ensuring business continuity and organizational resilience.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/14/releasing-windows-11-build-22631-5837-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 14 Aug 2025 17:07:55 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178133 [UPDATE 8/21] We are releasing Build 22631.5840 (KB5064080) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself.

        Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 2263

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5837 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> [UPDATE 8/21] We are releasing Build 22631.5840 (KB5064080) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself. Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5837 (KB5064080) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).   This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
        • [Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)] Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • [Device management] Fixed: An issue where the removable storage policy didn’t correctly block external devices such as USB flash drives and memory sticks.
        • [Family Safety] Fixed: An issue where the “Ask to Use” approval prompt didn’t appear when blocked apps were opened. With this fix, apps now show the expected approval prompt when Family Safety settings are enabled.
        • [File Explorer]
          • Fixed: File Explorer might unexpectedly only display a single folder (for example, Desktop), rather than the expected content with recent files and more.
          • Fixed: Syncing more SharePoint sites to File Explorer might slow performance when navigating folders or opening the context menu. This can also affect how quickly files launch.
        • [File sharing] Fixed: This update addresses an issue where accessing files on a Server Message Block (SMB) share over Quick UDP Internet Connections (QUIC) might result in unexpected delays.
        • [File system] Fixed: This update addresses an issue in Resilient File System (ReFS) where enabling de-duplication and compression simultaneously could occasionally cause the system to stop responding.
        • [Input]
          • Fixed: This update addresses an issue where certain extended Unicode characters—such as rare Chinese symbols—appeared as blank spaces or incorrect symbols in Windows text boxes. The fix ensures these characters display correctly and maintains compliance with GB18030-2022 requirements.
          • Fixed: This update addresses an issue with the Chinese (Simplified) Input Method Editor (IME) where some extended characters appeared as empty boxes.
        • [Narrator] Fixed: This update addresses an issue where Narrator incorrectly read the name of the Enhance Facial Recognition Protection checkbox under the Facial recognition (Windows Hello) setting.
        • [Network connectivity] Fixed: This update addresses an issue where Wi-Fi might not reconnect automatically after a Group Policy update.
        • [Remote Desktop] Fixed: An issue where cameras didn’t appear during remote sessions after being added or removed. Newly connected cameras were not recognized in Remote Desktop Services (RDS) environments.
        • [Windows Backup for Organizations] New! Windows Backup for Organizations is now generally available! Experience seamless device transitions with enterprise-grade backup and restore. Whether you're refreshing your organization’s devices, upgrading to Windows 11, or deploying AI-powered PCs, this solution helps sustain productivity with minimal disruption, ensuring business continuity and organizational resilience.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/14/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-5061-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 14 Aug 2025 17:06:06 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178131 [UPDATE 8/21] We are releasing Build 26100.5067 (KB5064081) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself. An additional fix is noted below.

        Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re re

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.5061 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> [UPDATE 8/21] We are releasing Build 26100.5067 (KB5064081) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself. An additional fix is noted below. Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.5061 (KB5064081) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

        Gradual rollout

        The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented. Please note that features and improvements that gradually roll out may not begin rolling out right away nor will they immediately show up right away.
        • [Recall] New! Recall opens to a personalized homepage that puts your recent activity and top-used apps and websites front and center, making it easy to pick up where you left off. After turning on snapshot collection, the homepage highlights key productivity features like Recent Snapshots, which show the latest snapshots to help you quickly resume tasks, and Top Apps and Websites, which display the three apps and websites you’ve used most in the past 24 hours. You can set filters in Settings to control which apps and websites are saved in snapshots. A new navigation bar on the leftmost side of the screen provides quick access to Home, Timeline, Feedback, and Settings.
        • [Click to Do] New! When you launch Click to Do for the first time, you'll see a quick interactive tutorial. It shows how to complete tasks faster by demonstrating actions on both text and images—such as summarizing large blocks of text or removing image backgrounds. To revisit the tutorial later, select More options ... > Start tutorial.
        • [General] New! When an app requests access to location, camera, microphone, or other device capabilities, Windows shows a redesigned system dialog box. The screen dims slightly, and the privacy prompt appears centered on the screen.
        • [Taskbar]
          • New! The larger clock with seconds is now back in the notification center, displayed above the date and calendar. To turn this option on, go to Settings > Time & language > Date & time, and turn on Show time in the Notification Center.
          • Fixed: If you accidentally click down and slide your mouse on the taskbar preview thumbnail, clicking it may stop working.
          • Fixed: File Explorer preview windows may appear when hovering over unrelated app icons in the taskbar.
        • [Search on the Taskbar]
          • New! When you use Search from the Windows taskbar, a new grid view will help you more quickly and accurately identify the desired image within your search.
          • New! Search on the taskbar now provides clearer status information. If your search results are incomplete while your PC is organizing files in the background, Windows shows a notice with a link to check progress. You can dismiss the notice when you're done. There is also a status for files and folders, so you can easily tell whether they’re available online (cloud) or stored on your device.
        • [Lock screen] New! After rolling this experience out to Windows Insiders in the EEA, we are now beginning to roll out more widget options on the lock screen as well as support for lock screen widget personalization (previously referred to as “Weather and more”) with Insiders in all regions. You can add, remove, and rearrange lock screen widgets such as Weather, Watchlist, Sports, Traffic, and more. Any widget that supports the small sizing option can be added here. To customize your lock screen widgets, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
        • [File Explorer]
          • New! Use AI actions in File Explorer to edit images or summarize documents. Just right click (or Press Shift+F10) on a file and select AI Actions. [UPDATE 8/28] AI actions in File Explorer will roll out in a future update.
            • Image actions: You can now use four AI-powered image actions with .jpg, .jpeg, and .png files. Visual Search searches the web using an image instead of text. Blur Background opens the Photos app to highlight the subject and blur the background. Erase Objects removes unwanted elements from your photo. Remove Background uses Paint to change any image leaving a smooth cut out of the subject.
            • AI actions for Microsoft 365 makes it easier to work with your documents. With the Summarize action in Copilot, you can quickly generate summaries of files stored in OneDrive and SharePoint—no need to open each one. This AI action requires an active Microsoft 365 subscription and a Copilot license (Microsoft account and Microsoft Entra ID supported).New! Dividers now appear between top-level icons in the File Explorer context menu.
          • New! When you're signed in with a work or school account (Entra ID), File Explorer will display people icons in the Activity column and the Recommended section at the top of File Explorer Home. Hover over or select a person's icon to open their Microsoft 365 Live Persona Card, which shows who they are and how they're connected to the file.
          • Fixed: If you try to use the unblock open in Properties for a file, it still shows as blocked when you open Properties the next time.
        • [Windows Hello]
          • New! As part of the enhanced passkey features released in September 2023, you’ll see a redesigned Windows Hello interface. These modernized visual updates support fast, clear communication that appear across multiple authentication flows, including the Windows sign-in screen, passkey, Recall, the Microsoft Store, and more. The Windows  security credential experience for passkey offers a cleaner, more intuitive interface designed to support fast, secure sign-in. You can now easily switch between authentication options such as passkeys or connected devices.
          • Fixed: Windows Hello may recognize your face on the login screen, however it would still fail and then prompt you to enter your pin. If you continue experiencing issues, you may need to go to the Facial Recognition section under Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, and select Improve recognition.
          • Improved: Fingerprint login after standby is now more robust.
        • [Advanced Settings] New! The redesigned Advanced settings page under Settings > System > Advanced is an update of the For Developers page and makes it easier to find key options. New settings include Enable long paths, which removes MAX_PATH limitations; Virtual workspaces, which let you turn environments like Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox on or off; and File Explorer + version control, which shows Git details such as branch, diff count, and last commit message directly in File Explorer when you select a repository folder. [UPDATE 8/27] This change will roll out in a future update.
        • [Settings]
          • New! Windows activation and expiration prompts match the Windows 11 design and appear as system notifications when action is required. There also have been improvements to messaging under Settings > System > Activation.
          • New! You can go to Settings > Privacy & security > Text and Image Generation to see which third-party apps have recently used generative AI models provided by Windows. You can also choose which apps are permitted to use them—putting you in charge of your device’s AI experience.
          • New! You can view the Device Card on the Settings home page. It shows key specifications and usage details of your PC. From the card, go directly to Settings > About page for more detailed information about your PC. This card will show when signed in with your Microsoft account and in the U.S. only. [UPDATE 8/28] This change will roll out in a future update.
          • New! More time, language, and keyboard settings have moved from Control Panel to Settings. You can now add additional clocks, change your time server, and customize date and time formatting—including AM/PM symbols—directly from Settings > Time & language > Date & time. Number and currency formats, Unicode UTF-8 support, and options to copy language and region settings to other accounts are now under Settings > Time & language > Language & region. Keyboard character repeat and cursor blink rate settings are now easier to find under Settings > Accessibility. [UPDATE 8/28] This change will roll out in a future update.
          • New! As part of the Copilot+ PC experience, the agent in Settings helps you quickly find and change settings. Initially available on Snapdragon®-powered Copilot+ PCs, agent in Settings now supports AMD- and Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs. It currently works only when your primary display language is set to English.
          • Fixed: Settings may crash if you attempt to add a security key under Settings > Account > Sign-in options.
        • [Task Manager] New! Task Manager now uses standard metrics to show CPU workload consistently across all pages, aligning with industry standards and third-party tools. If you prefer the previous view, you can enable a new optional column called CPU Utility in the Details tab to display the earlier CPU usage value shown on the Processes page.
        • [Windows Backup for Organizations] New! Windows Backup for Organizations is now generally available! Experience seamless device transitions with enterprise-grade backup and restore. Whether you're refreshing your organization’s devices, upgrading to Windows 11, or deploying AI-powered PCs, this solution helps sustain productivity with minimal disruption, ensuring business continuity and organizational resilience.
        • [PowerShell 2.0] Starting in August 2025, Windows 11, version 24H2, will no longer include Windows PowerShell 2.0.This  legacy component was  introduced in Windows 7 and officially deprecated in 2017. Most users won’t be affected, as newer versions such as PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell 7.x remain available and supported. If you use older scripts or tools that depend on PowerShell 2.0, update them to avoid compatibility issues.
        • [Live captions] Fixed: Changing the opacity of live captions in Settings > Accessibility > Captions > Caption Style, has no effect.
        • [Input]
          • Fixed: Attempting to type Chinese with an IME after copying something with CTRL + C can result in the first character not displaying.
          • Fixed: An underlying issue related to textinputframework.dll could result in certain apps like Sticky Notes and Notepad crashing.
        • [Kerberos] Fixed: There may be an underlying crash in Kerberos when attempting to access a cloud file share.
        • [Login] Improved: Addressed some underlying cases which could lead to you seeing a blank white screen, or a screen saying, "just a moment", for a few minutes when logging in to your PC.
        • [dbgcore.dll] Fixed: An underlying issue with dbgcore.dll could result in certain apps, including explorer.exe, crashing.
        • [Audio] Improved: Addressed an underlying audio service hang which could impact the ability to play audio in certain cases.

        Normal rollout

        This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
        • [Device management] Fixed: This update addresses an issue that prevented some system recovery features from working properly due to a temporary file sharing conflict. This affected certain device management tools and disrupted key functions on some devices.
        • [File system] Fixed: An issue in Resilient File System (ReFS) where using backup apps with large files could sometimes exhaust system memory.
        • [Input]
          • Fixed: This update addresses an issue with the Chinese (Simplified) Input Method Editor (IME) where some extended characters appear as empty boxes.
          • Fixed: This update addresses an issue that prevents typing on the touch keyboard when using the Microsoft Changjie, Microsoft Bopomofo, or Microsoft Japanese Input Method Editors (IMEs). The issue occurs after switching to a previous version of the IME.
        • [Performance] Fixed: This update addresses an issue that slows application installation on ARM64 devices. Some installers might take longer to complete.
        • [ADDED 8/21] [Miracast] Fixed: An issue where, on certain devices, audio would initially play but stop a few seconds after casting to a TV.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27924-canary-channel/ Thu, 14 Aug 2025 17:05:14 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178137 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27924 to the Canary Channel. We are releasing ISOs for this build – they can be downloaded here.

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27924 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27924 to the Canary Channel. We are releasing ISOs for this build – they can be downloaded here.

        What’s new in Build 27924

        Copilot+ PC experiences

        We are beginning to enable many of the Copilot+ PC experiences* for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel on Copilot+ PCs such as:
        • Recall (Preview)
        • Click to Do (Preview)
        • Improved Windows Search
        • Live captions with real-time translation
        • Agent in Settings
        Note that some features are gradually rolling out such as Improved Windows Search and agent in Settings. And we’re still working to enable some features like image descriptions in Narrator – so if you don’t see something right away on your Copilot+ PC after updating to this build, that’s expected. We’re working hard to get everything enabled across the board over for the Canary Channel. As is normal for the Canary Channel, the quality of these features will not match the quality of the same features in the Dev or Beta Channels. Expect some of these features to not work quite right. We will try to document known issues for the most impactful issues for these features and one such issue regarding Click to Do is documented in the known issues below. As always, please file feedback on any issues you see when using these Copilot+ experiences via Feedback Hub.

        Advanced Settings

        Advanced settings are now available via Settings > System > Advanced with some new features. The Advanced page is a redesign of the For Developers page, intending to make its settings easier to find for a broader audience. With the redesign of this page, we’ve added additional settings: Enable long paths, Virtual workspaces, and File Explorer + version control. Enable long paths allows you to remove MAX_PATH limitations from common Win32 file and directory functions. Virtual workspaces allow you to enable/disable virtual environments such as Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and more. File Explorer + version control provides the ability to display Git information directly inside File Explorer. Simply select your repository folder and File Explorer will display information such as your branch, diff count, last commit message, and more. [caption id="attachment_177884" align="alignnone" width="607"] Advanced settings page for File Explorer.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback on GitHub at microsoft/WindowsAdvancedSettings.

        Changes and Improvements

        [Input]

        • Adjusted the pointer indicator to be a little more transparent, so it’s easier to see what’s under the crosshairs when it’s enabled.
        • For the time being we have changed the keyboard shortcut for the new pointer indicator from CTRL + WIN + X to CTRL + WIN + ALT + X WIN + CTRL + SHIFT + X, to help reduce accidental invocations.

        [Windows MIDI Services]

        • The inbox preview MIDI Service and API has a feedback-driven breaking change to optionally allow for waiting for messages to be completely sent before returning from function calls. Any apps written against previous versions of the Windows MIDI Services MIDI 2.0 SDK will need to update to the latest preview available at https://aka.ms/midireleases and be recompiled to continue working properly. For more discussion and feedback, please join our discord server at https://aka.ms/mididiscord.

        Fixes

        [General]

        • Fixed an issue where the progress wheel might show as a rectangle glyph instead of rendering correctly when upgrading to the latest builds.

        [Widgets]

        • Fixed an issue causing widgets to disappear or not work for some Insiders after the previous flight.

        [Remote desktop]

        • Fixed an issue in the latest flights where remote desktop only used your primary monitor even if it was configured to use multiple monitors.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an underlying webauth.dll crash in the previous flight which may have impacted the ability to use passkeys.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
        • You may see multiple error pop ups about unexpected elements when opening Group Policy Editor.
        • There’s an underlying issue with dao360.dll in this build which may result in some apps crashing.
        • [ADDED 8/15] We’re investigating reports that Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files is getting stuck when scanning files. We are also investigating previous Windows Installations also not showing. 

        [Click to Do (Preview)]

        The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
        • [NEW] Text and image actions in Click to Do may not work and Click to Do may crash. This issue will be fixed in the next flight.

        [File Explorer]

        • [ADDED 8/15] In dark mode, the red color used for a low space drive in This PC may be unexpectedly light colored in this build. Some of the other colors may also be incorrect, including that black is used for space remaining instead of a more visible color.

        Snipping Tool Update

        We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2507.14.0 and higher) to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels. In this update, we’re introducing window mode screen recording in Snipping Tool—an easy way to capture activity within a specific app window. To get started, toggle over to the Record option in the capture toolbar and click on the dropdown menu for Recording area to select window mode. [caption id="attachment_178139" align="alignnone" width="474"] New option to set recording region by selecting a specific app window in the Snipping Tool toolbar.[/caption] When you select window mode, Snipping Tool will automatically size the recording region to tightly match the app window you choose, making setup quick and precise. Once recording begins, however, the region remains fixed—so if the app moves or gets covered by another window, the recording won’t follow it. This gives you a simple, focused way to record what’s happening in a defined space on your screen, without needing to crop or adjust later. [caption id="attachment_178141" align="alignnone" width="581"] Screen recording setup of the Paint app window with UI denoting that screen recording is set to the position of that specific app window.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon *Functionality will vary by device and market; text actions will be available across markets in select character sets. See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs.]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/13/xbox-pc-app-experience-expanding-on-arm-based-windows-11-pcs/ Wed, 13 Aug 2025 17:12:55 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178128 Today, we’re beginning to roll out an update for Arm®-based Windows 11 PCs, which introduces changes and improvements to the Xbox PC app experience.

        Game Downloads: The Xbox PC app experience is expanding to support game

        The post Xbox PC App Experience Expanding on Arm®-based Windows 11 PCs appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Xbox PC app experience. Game Downloads: The Xbox PC app experience is expanding to support game downloads and local play on Arm®-based Windows 11 PCs. Insiders can download titles from the Xbox PC app catalog unlocking more games to play locally on Arm®-based Windows 11 PCs – including titles offered through your  PC Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Windows and Xbox are working closely together to ensure compatibility across the catalog, and we’re developing new features that will enable more games to be played on Arm®-based Windows 11 PCs in the coming months. We’re excited to team up with Insiders to continue testing and helping us enable full access to your library of games. [caption id="attachment_178130" align="alignnone" width="602"] Join the PC Gaming Preview on your Arm®-based Windows 11 PC![/caption] This update (version 2508.1001.27.0 and higher) is available to Windows Insiders who are also Xbox Insiders enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview on their Arm®-based Windows 11 PCs, located in the Xbox Insider Hub. If you’re not enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview, here’s how to get started:
        • Download the Xbox Insider Hub from the Microsoft Store.
        • Launch the Xbox Insider Hub and sign-in with your Microsoft account you use for gaming.
        • Under “Previews”, navigate to “PC Gaming” and click join.
        • Once the Xbox Insider Hub shows you as “joined” for the PC Gaming Preview – go to the Microsoft Store and check for updates and you should see an Xbox PC app update for version 1001.27.0 or higher).
        These features will roll out gradually over time, so some Insiders may see the update before others. FEEDBACK: To provide feedback or report a problem, click on the “Feedback” item in the “Profile & Settings” menu. Thanks, Brynnan Fink – Principal Program Manager, Windows Silicon and System Integration Peter Dawoud – Principal Product Manager, Windows Silicon and System Integration Brandon LeBlanc – Principal Product Manager, Windows Insider Program Nicole Allen – Senior Director, Xbox Next Generation]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-5742-beta-channel/ Fri, 08 Aug 2025 17:04:56 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178120 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5742 (KB5064075) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

        Changes in Beta Channel b

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5742 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5742 (KB5064075) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Settings]

        We’re moving more time and language settings from Control Panel to Settings:
        • You can now add additional clocks from Settings > Time & language > Date & time under the collapsed section which can be expanded for "Show time and date in the system tray". For those unfamiliar with the feature, these additional clocks display in Notification Center, as well as the tooltip when hovering over the clock in the taskbar.
        • You can now change your time server from Settings > Time & language > Date & time, under “Additional settings”.
        • The formatting settings for date and time have moved from Settings > Time & language > Language & region to Settings > Time & language > Date & time, and you can now change your AM/PM symbol from here as well (along with other existing formatting settings).
        • You can now change number and currency format from Settings > Time & language > Language & region, under the “Region” section.
        • If you'd like to enable Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support, there is now a toggle for this under Settings > Time & language > Language & region, under the “Language” section.
        • If needed, you can now copy current user language and region settings to welcome screen and system account, as well as new user accounts, from Settings > Time & language > Language & region, under “Additional settings”.
        We’re moving more keyboard settings from Control Panel to Settings:
        • The setting for character repeat delay/rate has moved to Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard.
        • The setting for cursor blink rate has moved to Settings > Accessibility >Text cursor. Keyboard character repeat delay/rate is used to control the character repeat duration and repeat frequency. Cursor blink rate is used to control the cursor blinking frequency.

        [Other]

        • We have updated more dialogs to match the Windows 11 visuals including the dialog for when an app can’t open.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue where some of the icons in Details, Preview, and navigation panes of File Explorer weren’t properly mirrored when Arabic or Hebrew display languages.
        • Fixed an issue where the tooltips in File Explorer might unexpectedly stay visible.
        • Fixed an issue where duplicating a tab in File Explorer on a maximized window would result in a black flash. [UPDATED 8/14] Not fixed.
        • Improved support for text scaling on desktop icons, addressing an issue which could lead to overlapping icons and text.
        • [UPDATED 8/14] Fixed a case where Narrator was not announcing details in the Copy dialog.
        • Made some more performance improvements – particularly to help the performance of launching cloud files and loading context menus.

        [Start menu]

        • Fixed an issue for Insiders with the new Start menu, where they might unexpectedly see a category generated for every letter of the alphabet with blank icons, when opening the Start menu in the “All” section after updating to the previous build.
        • Fixed an issue where Visual Studio wasn’t showing in the correct category.

        [Task Manager]

        • Fixed a few issues impacting Task Manager reliability, including a recent issue which could cause Task Manager to freeze when going to the performance section for some Insiders.
        • Fixed a few issues impacting accessibility – including adjusting minimum field sizes, improving contrast for the column headers on the Details page when contrast themes are enabled, and addressing a focus issue with the 'Select Columns' dialog on the Details page.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an underlying issue where if you tried to type Chinese with an IME after copying something with CTRL + C could result in the first character getting dropped.
        • Fixed an issue where if you were typing on the touch keyboard with the Changjie, Bopomoji, or Japanese IME wouldn’t work if you had switched to using the previous version of the IME.

        [Settings]

        • Fixed an issue where if you attempt to add a security key under Settings > Account > Sign-in options could result in Settings crashing.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an underlying issue with dao360.dll resulting in some apps crashing after the last two builds.
        • Fixed an issue causing a small number of Insiders to experience bugchecks with SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION in the latest builds.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows update” may resolve the issue.

        [Click to Do (Preview)]

        The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
        • [NEW] After updating to Build 26120.5742, text and image actions in Click to Do may not work and Click to Do may crash. This issue will be fixed in the next flight.
        • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

        [Start menu]

        • [NEW] For Insiders with the new Start menu, the layout may temporarily show a smaller Start menu (ex. 6 columns of pinned apps instead of 8). This issue will be resolved shortly, and the larger layout will be restored.

        [File Explorer]

        • In dark mode, the red color used for a low space drive in This PC may be unexpectedly light colored in this build. Some of the other colors may also be incorrect, including that black is used for space remaining instead of a more visible color.

        [Live Captions]

        • Live captions may crash when attempting to use live translation on a Copilot+ PC.

        [Xbox Controllers]

        • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
        • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5742-dev-channel/ Fri, 08 Aug 2025 17:04:52 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178117 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5742 (KB5064075) to the Dev Channel.

        Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5742 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5742 (KB5064075) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Start menu]

        • We’ve redesigned the mobile device companion with an updated layout that lets you access more right from Start. Now, you can scroll to access more recent activity items so you can stay on top of updates from your mobile device. Users will be able to access messages, calls, photos, mobile app updates and more from this new updated layout.
        [caption id="attachment_178119" align="alignnone" width="470"] The redesigned mobile device companion experience for the Start menu showing an Android device on the left and iPhone® on the right.[/caption]

        [Settings]

        We’re moving more time and language settings from Control Panel to Settings:
        • You can now add additional clocks from Settings > Time & language > Date & time under the collapsed section which can be expanded for "Show time and date in the system tray". For those unfamiliar with the feature, these additional clocks display in Notification Center, as well as the tooltip when hovering over the clock in the taskbar.
        • You can now change your time server from Settings > Time & language > Date & time, under “Additional settings”.
        • The formatting settings for date and time have moved from Settings > Time & language > Language & region to Settings > Time & language > Date & time, and you can now change your AM/PM symbol from here as well (along with other existing formatting settings).
        • You can now change number and currency format from Settings > Time & language > Language & region, under the “Region” section.
        • If you'd like to enable Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support, there is now a toggle for this under Settings > Time & language > Language & region, under the “Language” section.
        • If needed, you can now copy current user language and region settings to welcome screen and system account, as well as new user accounts, from Settings > Time & language > Language & region, under “Additional settings”.
        We’re moving more keyboard settings from Control Panel to Settings:
        • The setting for character repeat delay/rate has moved to Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard.
        • The setting for cursor blink rate has moved to Settings > Accessibility >Text cursor. Keyboard character repeat delay/rate is used to control the character repeat duration and repeat frequency. Cursor blink rate is used to control the cursor blinking frequency.

        [Other]

        • We have updated more dialogs to match the Windows 11 visuals including the dialog for when an app can’t open.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue where some of the icons in Details, Preview, and navigation panes of File Explorer weren’t properly mirrored when Arabic or Hebrew display languages.
        • Fixed an issue where the tooltips in File Explorer might unexpectedly stay visible.
        • Fixed an issue where duplicating a tab in File Explorer on a maximized window would result in a black flash. [UPDATED 8/14] Not fixed.
        • Improved support for text scaling on desktop icons, addressing an issue which could lead to overlapping icons and text.
        • [UPDATED 8/14] Fixed a case where Narrator was not announcing details in the Copy dialog.
        • Made some more performance improvements – particularly to help the performance of launching cloud files and loading context menus.

        [Start menu]

        • Fixed an issue for Insiders with the new Start menu, where they might unexpectedly see a category generated for every letter of the alphabet with blank icons, when opening the Start menu in the “All” section after updating to the previous build.
        • Fixed an issue where Visual Studio wasn’t showing in the correct category.

        [Task Manager]

        • Fixed a few issues impacting Task Manager reliability, including a recent issue which could cause Task Manager to freeze when going to the performance section for some Insiders.
        • Fixed a few issues impacting accessibility – including adjusting minimum field sizes, improving contrast for the column headers on the Details page when contrast themes are enabled, and addressing a focus issue with the 'Select Columns' dialog on the Details page.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an underlying issue where if you tried to type Chinese with an IME after copying something with CTRL + C could result in the first character getting dropped.
        • Fixed an issue where if you were typing on the touch keyboard with the Changjie, Bopomoji, or Japanese IME wouldn’t work if you had switched to using the previous version of the IME.

        [Settings]

        • Fixed an issue where if you attempt to add a security key under Settings > Account > Sign-in options could result in Settings crashing.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an underlying issue with dao360.dll resulting in some apps crashing after the last two builds.
        • Fixed an issue causing a small number of Insiders to experience bugchecks with SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION in the latest builds.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows update” may resolve the issue.

        [For developers]

        • We are investigating reports after updating to Build 26200.5722 and higher in the Dev Channe that Visual Studio may crash on Arm64 PCs when running various scenarios that depend on Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF).

        [Click to Do (Preview)]

        The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
        • [NEW] After updating to Build 26200.5742, text and image actions in Click to Do may not work and Click to Do may crash. This issue will be fixed in the next flight.
        • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

        [Start menu]

        • [NEW] For Insiders with the new Start menu, the layout may temporarily show a smaller Start menu (ex. 6 columns of pinned apps instead of 8). This issue will be resolved shortly, and the larger layout will be restored.

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • We are investigating reports that all apps pinned to the taskbar are unpinned for some Insiders after updating to Build 26200.5722 and higher.

        [File Explorer]

        • In dark mode, the red color used for a low space drive in This PC may be unexpectedly light colored in this build. Some of the other colors may also be incorrect, including that black is used for space remaining instead of a more visible color.

        [Live Captions]

        • Live captions may crash when attempting to use live translation on a Copilot+ PC.

        [Xbox Controllers]

        • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx). For more information on Windows 11, version 25H2 – see this blog post.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27919-canary-channel/ Fri, 08 Aug 2025 17:04:47 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178114 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27919 to the Canary Channel.

        Changes and Improvements

        [Windows Search]

        • To
          

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27919 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27919 to the Canary Channel.

          Changes and Improvements

          [Windows Search]

          • Today, we rationalize and organize Windows Search settings under Settings > Privacy & security under a “Search permissions” settings page and a “Searching Windows” settings page. We are beginning to roll out a change that brings those two settings pages together so you can easily access to all the Windows Search settings under a single settings page via Settings > Privacy & security > Search. The page is refreshed with a new modern visual for you to clearly browse the settings and control your experiences inside Windows Search, with the items listed in a better order.
          [caption id="attachment_177961" align="alignnone" width="579"] The updated single settings page for Windows Search.[/caption]

          Fixes

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where File Explorer might crash when trying to view the digital signatures tab in the properties for a file.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing the Microsoft Changjie Input method to not work properly in the previous build.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing phonetic keyboards, such as the Hindi Phonetic Input keyboard and the Marathi Phonetic keyboard, to not work properly in the previous build.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • The progress wheel may show as a rectangle glyph instead of rendering correctly when upgrading to this build.
          • [NEW] You may see multiple error pop ups about unexpected elements when opening Group Policy Editor.
          • [NEW] There’s an underlying issue with dao360.dll in this build which may result in some apps crashing.

          [Remote desktop]

          • [NEW] There’s an issue starting with the last build where remote desktop only uses your primary monitor even if it’s configured to use multiple monitors.

          [Widgets]

          • [ADDED] We're investigating reports that widgets are non-functional and unavailable after upgrading to this build.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/01/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5733-dev-channel/ Fri, 01 Aug 2025 17:04:00 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178109 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5733 (KB5062673) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5733 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5733 (KB5062673) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • For Windows Insiders signed in with a work or school account (Entra ID), File Explorer will begin showing people icons under the “Activity” column on File Explorer Home and on “Recommended” at the top of File Explorer Home. When you hover or click over a people icon, it will display the Live Persona Card for that person from Microsoft 365.
          [caption id="attachment_177609" align="alignnone" width="550"] Activity column under File Explorer Home showing people icons highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

          [Settings]

          • We are removing the "Manage or clear your Bing search history" entry from Settings > Privacy & security > Search under Search history. You can manage your Bing search history directly through the Privacy dashboard, accessible via the Privacy resources link under Related settings on that settings page.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

           [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing the updated Start menu to crash for some Insiders.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • Fixed an issue where If you accidentally clicked down and slid your mouse on the taskbar preview thumbnail, clicking it would stop working.

          [Lock screen]

          • Fixed an underlying crash which could result in widgets on the lock screen not displaying in the last couple builds – you also couldn’t add new ones.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue in the previous flight which was leading to multi-finger touchpad gestures not working in the previous flight.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows update” may resolve the issue.
          • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue with dao360.dll resulting in some apps crashing after the previous flight.
          • [ADDED 8/4] We are investigating reports after updating to Build 26200.5722 and higher in the Dev Channe that Visual Studio may crash on Arm64 PCs when running various scenarios that depend on Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF).

          [Start menu]

          • [NEW] For Insiders with the new Start menu, you may unexpectedly see a category generated for every letter of the alphabet with blank icons, when opening the Start menu in the "All" section after updating to this build. Switching to a different view and then switching back should resolve the issue.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • We are investigating reports that all apps pinned to the taskbar are unpinned for some Insiders after updating to Build 26200.5722 and higher.

          [File Explorer]

          • [NEW] In dark mode, the red color used for a low space drive in This PC may be unexpectedly light colored in this build. Some of the other colors may also be incorrect, including that black is used for space remaining instead of a more visible color.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Live Captions]

          • Live captions may crash when attempting to use live translation on a Copilot+ PC.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx). For more information on Windows 11, version 25H2 – see this blog post.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/08/01/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-5733-beta-channel/ Fri, 01 Aug 2025 17:03:55 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178107 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5733 (KB5062673) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5733 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5733 (KB5062673) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • For Windows Insiders signed in with a work or school account (Entra ID), File Explorer will begin showing people icons under the “Activity” column on File Explorer Home and on “Recommended” at the top of File Explorer Home. When you hover or click over a people icon, it will display the Live Persona Card for that person from Microsoft 365.
          [caption id="attachment_177609" align="alignnone" width="550"] Activity column under File Explorer Home showing people icons highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

          [Settings]

          • We are removing the "Manage or clear your Bing search history" entry from Settings > Privacy & security > Search under Search history. You can manage your Bing search history directly through the Privacy dashboard, accessible via the Privacy resources link under Related settings on that settings page.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing the Start menu to crash for some Insiders in the last couple builds.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • Fixed an issue where If you accidentally clicked down and slid your mouse on the taskbar preview thumbnail, clicking it would stop working.

          [Lock screen]

          • Fixed an underlying crash which could result in widgets on the lock screen not displaying in the last couple builds – you also couldn’t add new ones.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue in the previous flight which was leading to multi-finger touchpad gestures not working in the previous flight.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows update” may resolve the issue.
          • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue with dao360.dll resulting in some apps crashing after the previous flight.

          [Start menu]

          • [NEW] For Insiders with the new Start menu, you may unexpectedly see a category generated for every letter of the alphabet with blank icons, when opening the Start menu in the "All" section after updating to this build. Switching to a different view and then switching back should resolve the issue.

          [File Explorer]

          • [NEW] In dark mode, the red color used for a low space drive in This PC may be unexpectedly light colored in this build. Some of the other colors may also be incorrect, including that black is used for space remaining instead of a more visible color.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Live Captions]

          • Live captions may crash when attempting to use live translation on a Copilot+ PC.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/30/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27913-canary-channel/ Wed, 30 Jul 2025 17:04:03 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178102 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27913 to the Canary Channel.

          [UPDATE 7/31] Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27913 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27913 to the Canary Channel. [UPDATE 7/31] The SDK for Build 27913 is now available. We plan to publish SDKs for Canary Channel builds again going forward.

          Changes and Improvements

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          [Input]

          • [ADDED 8/1] The new pointer indicator accessibility setting for low vision Windows users that originally rolled out last year is now re-enabled in Build 27913.

          [Settings]

          • The search box in Settings will now be located at the top center to deliver a more consistent and better search experience.

          Fixes

          [General]

          • Fixed an issue where the Windows Vista boot sound was unexpectedly being used instead of the Windows 11 boot sound.

          [Desktop background]

          • Did some underlying work to help address issues which could result in the desktop background unexpectedly becoming black rather than displaying the expected wallpaper image. If you continue experiencing issues, please don’t hesitate to report them in the Feedback Hub under Desktop Environment > Background and Wallpaper.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue in the latest builds which could cause Settings to crash when interacting with the options under Settings > System > Power & Battery.
          • Fixed an underlying issue where some of the apostrophes across text in Settings and settings-related dialogs were not displaying correctly and were showing random characters.

          [Audio]

          • Fixed an issue which could result in audio not working a few seconds after casting to a TV.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue in the latest builds causing a small number of Insiders to experience repeated bugchecks with KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE after upgrading. This may occur when connecting to VPN.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which could result in acrylic in certain apps unexpectedly being transparent.
          • Made another fix for the issue causing Group Policy Editor to not display correctly in certain languages (like Chinese), showing large blank areas.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • [NEW] The progress wheel may show as a rectangle glyph instead of rendering correctly when upgrading to this build.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5722-dev-channel/ Mon, 28 Jul 2025 21:03:59 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178090 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5722 (KB5062669) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5722 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5722 (KB5062669) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          Introducing the new agent in Settings rolling out for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs

          We are rolling out the new agent in Settings experience for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs. This experience is designed to help solve one of the most common frustrations we heard: finding and changing settings on your PC. With this update to Settings, you will be able to simply describe what you need help with like, “how to control my PC by voice” or “my mouse pointer is too small” and the agent will recommend the right steps you can take to address the issue. An agent uses AI on your PC to understand your intent and with your permission, automate and execute tasks on your behalf. Please note that this experience works if your primary display language is set to English. [caption id="attachment_177859" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Agent powered search results for my mouse pointer is too small in Settings.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Settings > All other settings.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • Some Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels will see a refreshed SCOOBE screen (Second Chance Out of Box Experience) for reviewing recommended settings on your PC. This redesigned screen is meant to be more intuitive and streamlined, allowing you to choose the recommended settings you want for your PC without having to navigate through multiple setup screens. If you see this screen, let us know if you have any feedback via Feedback Hub.
          [caption id="attachment_178097" align="alignnone" width="625"] Refreshed SCOOBE screen for reviewing recommended settings.[/caption]

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
          • We are beginning to roll out a new tutorial for Click to Do. When you launch Click to Do for the first time, you’ll be offered a quick interactive tutorial that shows you how to accomplish tasks faster. During the tutorial, you’ll take actions on both text and images, so you’ll know how to quickly get a summary of a large block of text or remove the background from an image. You can revisit the tutorial at any time by selecting …, then Start tutorial.
          [caption id="attachment_178094" align="alignnone" width="635"] New tutorial in Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs.[/caption]

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • We are making a change to how quickly Windows can apply enterprise pins to the taskbar when initiated by the IT admins. We want to reduce the gap between an IT admin applying the pinning policy and when their users see a pin on their taskbar. Today, the policy only applies when explorer restarts. With this change, the gap is only up to ~8 hours (policy refresh interval) and sidesteps the explorer restart requirement.

          [Search on the Taskbar]

          • In the left pane of the search results in the Windows Search box on the taskbar, we are introducing a new grid view to help you more quickly and accurately identify the desired image within your search.
          [caption id="attachment_178095" align="alignnone" width="386"] Search results in the Windows Search box with grid view of images highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

          [Lock screen]

          • We have made some updates to the UI for configuring widgets on the lock screen under Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.

          [Notification Center]

          • To address your feedback, we are extending the functionality of Notification Center to secondary monitors. This means you will be able to see your calendar on any of your monitors as well as the option to show a bigger clock with seconds above calendar. You will be able to open Notification Center on any monitor by clicking the date and time in the system tray of your taskbar.

          [Task Manager]

          • After disabling to fix some issues, we are beginning to roll out the change the way Task Manager calculates CPU utilization for the Processes, Performance, and Users pages again to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels. Task Manager will now use the standard metrics to display CPU workload consistently across all pages and aligning with industry standards and third-party tools. For backward compatibility, a new optional column called CPU Utility is available (hidden by default) on the Details tab showing the previous CPU value used on the Processes page.
          [caption id="attachment_177652" align="alignnone" width="380"] New CPU utility column option for Details page in Task Manager.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where the Task View icon in the taskbar might be unexpectedly invisible if you turned it off and back on in Settings (the space was reserved and you could click it to open Task View, but nothing showed in the space).
          • Fixed a race condition which could lead to the Widgets icon not displaying in the taskbar although it was enabled in Settings (no space reserved, clicking the area did nothing).

          [Login and lock]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing the text for lock screen widgets to be unreadable in some cases because it was white on a light background.
          • Did some work to address an underlying issue which could lead to the taskbar being slow to load when unlocking your PC after coming out of sleep. This issue could also have led to the password field and other login screen contents not rendering when transitioning from lock screen to login screen after sleep. If you continue experiencing issues, please report them in the Feedback Hub under Install and Update > Logon hangs.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where if you tried to use the unblock open in Properties for a file, it will still show as blocked when you opened Properties the next time.

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue for those with the new Start menu where if you used touch to navigate the new Start menu, it wasn’t working reliably. For example, it didn’t support the swipe-up gesture.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing the Microsoft Changjie Input method to not work properly in the previous build.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing phonetic keyboards, such as the Hindi Phonetic Input keyboard and the Marathi Phonetic keyboard, to not work properly in the previous build.

          [Administrator Protection]

          • Fixed an underlying issue where the Xbox app wouldn’t launch when administrator protection was enabled. This may have also impacted other apps too, showing error  0xC0000142 or 0xC0000045.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue where under Settings > System > Storage > Disks and Volumes there might show a link for BitLocker drive encryption although it wasn’t supported in that case. Clicking it would result in BitLocker opening and displaying error 0x80004005.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue causing Insiders to see multiple error pop ups about unexpected elements when opening Group Policy Editor.
          • Fixed an underlying issue causing a small number of Insiders to experience a bugcheck with error DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL in the latest builds.
          • Fixed an underlying issue impacting installers for certain apps on ARM64 PCs, which could result in a long stall during the installation process.

          Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue where external graphics cards connected over Thunderbolt were unexpectedly not discoverable in some cases.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows update” may resolve the issue.
          • [ADDED 8/4] We are investigating reports after updating to Build 26200.5722 and higher in the Dev Channe that Visual Studio may crash on Arm64 PCs when running various scenarios that depend on Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF).

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • [ADDED 7/30] We are investigating reports that all apps pinned to the taskbar are unpinned for some Insiders after updating to Build 26200.5722.

          [Live Captions]

          • Live captions may crash when attempting to use live translation on a Copilot+ PC.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx). For more information on Windows 11, version 25H2 – see this blog post.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-5722-beta-channel/ Mon, 28 Jul 2025 21:03:55 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178088 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5722 (KB5062669) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5722 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5722 (KB5062669) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          Introducing the new agent in Settings rolling out for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs

          We are rolling out the new agent in Settings experience for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs. This experience is designed to help solve one of the most common frustrations we heard: finding and changing settings on your PC. With this update to Settings, you will be able to simply describe what you need help with like, “how to control my PC by voice” or “my mouse pointer is too small” and the agent will recommend the right steps you can take to address the issue. An agent uses AI on your PC to understand your intent and with your permission, automate and execute tasks on your behalf. Please note that this experience works if your primary display language is set to English. [caption id="attachment_177859" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Agent powered search results for my mouse pointer is too small in Settings.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Settings > All other settings.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • Some Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels will see a refreshed SCOOBE screen (Second Chance Out of Box Experience) for reviewing recommended settings on your PC. This redesigned screen is meant to be more intuitive and streamlined, allowing you to choose the recommended settings you want for your PC without having to navigate through multiple setup screens. If you see this screen, let us know if you have any feedback via Feedback Hub.
          [caption id="attachment_178097" align="alignnone" width="625"] Refreshed SCOOBE screen for reviewing recommended settings.[/caption]

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
          • We are beginning to roll out a new tutorial for Click to Do. When you launch Click to Do for the first time, you’ll be offered a quick interactive tutorial that shows you how to accomplish tasks faster. During the tutorial, you’ll take actions on both text and images, so you’ll know how to quickly get a summary of a large block of text or remove the background from an image. You can revisit the tutorial at any time by selecting …, then Start tutorial.
          [caption id="attachment_178094" align="alignnone" width="635"] New tutorial in Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs.[/caption]

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • We are making a change to how quickly Windows can apply enterprise pins to the taskbar when initiated by the IT admins. We want to reduce the gap between an IT admin applying the pinning policy and when their users see a pin on their taskbar. Today, the policy only applies when explorer restarts. With this change, the gap is only up to ~8 hours (policy refresh interval) and sidesteps the explorer restart requirement.

          [Search on the Taskbar]

          • In the left pane of the search results in the Windows Search box on the taskbar, we are introducing a new grid view to help you more quickly and accurately identify the desired image within your search.
          [caption id="attachment_178095" align="alignnone" width="386"] Search results in the Windows Search box with grid view of images highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

          [Lock screen]

          • We have made some updates to the UI for configuring widgets on the lock screen under Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.

          [Notification Center]

          • To address your feedback, we are extending the functionality of Notification Center to secondary monitors. This means you will be able to see your calendar on any of your monitors as well as the option to show a bigger clock with seconds above calendar. You will be able to open Notification Center on any monitor by clicking the date and time in the system tray of your taskbar.

          [Task Manager]

          • After disabling to fix some issues, we are beginning to roll out the change the way Task Manager calculates CPU utilization for the Processes, Performance, and Users pages again to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels. Task Manager will now use the standard metrics to display CPU workload consistently across all pages and aligning with industry standards and third-party tools. For backward compatibility, a new optional column called CPU Utility is available (hidden by default) on the Details tab showing the previous CPU value used on the Processes page.
          [caption id="attachment_177652" align="alignnone" width="380"] New CPU utility column option for Details page in Task Manager.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where the Task View icon in the taskbar might be unexpectedly invisible if you turned it off and back on in Settings (the space was reserved and you could click it to open Task View, but nothing showed in the space).
          • Fixed a race condition which could lead to the Widgets icon not displaying in the taskbar although it was enabled in Settings (no space reserved, clicking the area did nothing).

          [Login and lock]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing the text for lock screen widgets to be unreadable in some cases because it was white on a light background.
          • Did some work to address an underlying issue which could lead to the taskbar being slow to load when unlocking your PC after coming out of sleep. This issue could also have led to the password field and other login screen contents not rendering when transitioning from lock screen to login screen after sleep. If you continue experiencing issues, please report them in the Feedback Hub under Install and Update > Logon hangs.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where if you tried to use the unblock open in Properties for a file, it will still show as blocked when you opened Properties the next time.

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue for those with the new Start menu where if you used touch to navigate the new Start menu, it wasn’t working reliably. For example, it didn’t support the swipe-up gesture.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing the Microsoft Changjie Input method to not work properly in the previous build.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing phonetic keyboards, such as the Hindi Phonetic Input keyboard and the Marathi Phonetic keyboard, to not work properly in the previous build.

          [Administrator Protection]

          • Fixed an underlying issue where the Xbox app wouldn’t launch when administrator protection was enabled. This may have also impacted other apps too, showing error  0xC0000142 or 0xC0000045.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue where under Settings > System > Storage > Disks and Volumes there might show a link for BitLocker drive encryption although it wasn’t supported in that case. Clicking it would result in BitLocker opening and displaying error 0x80004005.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue causing Insiders to see multiple error pop ups about unexpected elements when opening Group Policy Editor.
          • Fixed an underlying issue causing a small number of Insiders to experience a bugcheck with error DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL in the latest builds.
          • Fixed an underlying issue impacting installers for certain apps on ARM64 PCs, which could result in a long stall during the installation process.

          Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue where external graphics cards connected over Thunderbolt were unexpectedly not discoverable in some cases.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows update” may resolve the issue.

          [Live Captions]

          • Live captions may crash when attempting to use live translation on a Copilot+ PC.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27909-canary-channel/ Fri, 25 Jul 2025 17:04:55 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178086 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27909 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes a

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27909 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27909 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          Fixes

          [Administrator Protection]

          • Fixed an underlying issue where the Xbox app wouldn’t launch when administrator protection was enabled. This may have also impacted other apps too, showing error  0xC0000142 or 0xC0000045.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue where the battery percentage was unexpectedly missing from the top of System > Power & Battery in the last few builds.

          [Remote desktop]

          • Fixed an issue causing extreme graphical distortion and rendering issues using remote desktop on Arm64 PCs in the last couple builds.

          [Other]

          • Fixed a high hitting pcasvc.dll crash in the previous build.
          • Fixed an underlying issue where if you disconnected the device you were casting to from outside of Media Player, Media Player would still show an option to disconnect from the device.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing Remote Credential Guard scenarios between the latest Windows 11 builds and Server 2022 (and below) to fail.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • There's an issue starting with the latest builds causing a small number of Insiders to experience repeated bugchecks with KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE after upgrading.This may occur when connecting to VPN.
          • This Canary Channel flight comes with a delightful blast from the past and will play the Windows Vista boot sound instead of the Windows 11 boot sound. The fix should be coming in a future Canary Channel flight soon.

          [Settings]

          • We’re investigating an issue in this build which could cause Settings to crash when interacting with the options under Settings > System > Power & Battery.
          • We’re investigating an issue where some of the apostrophes across text in Settings and settings-related dialogs are not displaying correctly and are showing random characters.

           Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/24/previewing-a-refreshed-link-to-windows-experience-for-android-phones/ Thu, 24 Jul 2025 16:13:51 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178082 Hello Windows Insiders,

          We’re excited to begin rolling out an update for the Link to Windows app that includes a refreshed experience for Windows Insiders. This update brings a modernized design, smarter onboarding, and new ways t

          The post Previewing a refreshed Link to Windows experience for Android phones appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Link to Windows app that includes a refreshed experience for Windows Insiders. This update brings a modernized design, smarter onboarding, and new ways to access content and remotely control your PC including the ability to lock your PC — all from your Android phone. Please note that this experience is rolling out, so not all Insiders will see it right away. Whether you're already using Link to Windows and Phone Link or just getting started, this update is designed to make your cross-device experience more seamless, intuitive, and powerful.

          A new home for connected experiences

          We’ve reimagined the Link to Windows app as a connected PC experience hub — a central place where you can access, share, and control content between your Android phone and Windows PC.
          • Recent activity: Quickly access your most recently received files and clipboard items of your PC.
          • PC at a glance: Check your PC’s battery, and Wi-Fi status from your phone.
          • Remote actions from Link to Windows:
            • Send files to your PC from within Link to Windows.
            • Lock your PC remotely when PC is connected.
            • Mirror your phone’s screen to your PC.
          [caption id="attachment_178084" align="alignnone" width="335"] The refreshed Link to Windows experience on an Android phone.[/caption]

          More intuitive onboarding for getting started

          We’re updating the onboarding experience that lets you set up Link to Windows directly from your Android device — no PC required to get started. This helps you discover the value of connected experiences right away, with contextual permission prompts and a simplified setup with clear instructions on what to do next when you get to your PC. These features are designed to give you more control and flexibility, especially when you're away from your desk.

          How to try out the refreshed Link to Windows experience on your Android phone

          Here is how Windows Insiders can try out the new refreshed Link to Windows experience for their Android phone today:
          1. Make sure you’re running the latest Windows Insider Preview build on your PC from any Insider Channel and Phone Link version is 1.25062.83.0 or higher.
          2. Opt-in to the Link to Windows Beta from the Play Store.
          3. Update the Link to Windows app from the Play Store and ensure the version is 1.25071.155 or higher.
          4. Pair your Android phone to your PC from Link to Windows on your phone and Phone Link on your PC.
          5. Finally, go to Windows Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices > Manage devices and ensure you are logged in with the same Microsoft account as Link to Windows and see your Android phone listed and enabled.

          Give feedback

          Be sure to give us feedback and let us know what you think as you try out the refreshed Link to Windows experience:
          • Directly from Link to Windows on your Android phone via Phone > Give Feedback > Link to Windows.
          • Or by using Feedback Hub and submitting feedback under Devices and Drivers > Linked devices.
          Thanks, Phone Link & Cross-Device Experiences Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/18/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5710-dev-channel/ Fri, 18 Jul 2025 19:06:11 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178076 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5710 (KB5062676) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5710 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5710 (KB5062676) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          New describe image action in Click to Do rolling out for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs

          We are introducing a new “describe image” action in Click to Do to get detailed descriptions of images, charts and graphs for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs. This feature was introduced for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs in the previous Dev Channel flight. This feature is useful to get a quick overview of the visual content. This feature is designed to improve accessibility and can be used by everyone in scenarios like getting a quick overview of a graph or a chart, generating alt text for artefacts you create, etc. When you use the action for the first time, the required models are set up, and the descriptions are generated locally on your device making sure your sensitive data stays on your PC. [caption id="attachment_178057" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Describe image action in Click to Do menu highlighted in a red box.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178059" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Image description dialog shown with text description of image of Brandon’s dog Kilo.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178069" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Image description dialog shown with text description of a graph.[/caption] You can learn more about using Click to Do here. You can check out frequently asked questions about rich image descriptions here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

          Making visual content more accessible with image descriptions in Narrator

          We are enhancing digital accessibility with the ability to get rich, detailed descriptions of images, charts, graphs in Narrator by using the power of AI on Copilot+ PCs. In today’s digital world, images are everywhere—on websites, apps, and documents. But for blind and low-vision users, many of these visuals remain inaccessible due to missing or inadequate alt text. After beginning the rollout for this feature for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, we are also now rolling this feature out for  AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs. With this new feature that is beginning to roll out, Narrator will now generate richer image descriptions on your Copilot+ PC. Simply press Narrator key + Ctrl + D and Narrator will read out a contextual description of the image describing people, objects, colors, text, and numbers from the image. On non-Copilot+ PCs, this experience will continue to give you very basic image descriptions. For example, for an image about stock performance, users will get the following detailed description. The image is a graph showing the stock prices of Microsoft Corporation, with the S&P 500 and NASDAQ Computer indexes. The graph shows a steady increase in Microsoft’s stock price over the period from June 18th to June 23rd. [caption id="attachment_177792" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Screenshot of Edge browser containing an image of “stock performance graph” with “Describe image” window open next to it showing the description of the image.[/caption] The window also contains regenerate, like, dislike and copy button at the bottom. [caption id="attachment_177794" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Screenshot of Edge browser with Narrator’s focus on an image of graph. There’s an info bar on top of the screen which says, “We are setting up image description feature. Keep your PC connected to internet and check back soon.” along with a “Check status” button.[/caption] To turn Narrator on, you can press “Ctrl + Windows key + Enter” on your PC or search for “Narrator” in Windows search box. When you try the image descriptions feature for the first time using Narrator Key + Ctrl + D, we download the models required for getting image descriptions. You can check the download status via Settings > Windows update. If you are new to Narrator, you can find more information and learn about using Narrator from the  complete guide to Narrator. Also check out frequently asked questions about rich image descriptions in Narrator here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • As part of our commitment to improving Windows performance, logs are now collected when your PC has experienced any slow or sluggish performance. Windows Insiders are encouraged to provide feedback when experiencing PC issues related to slow or sluggish performance, allowing Feedback Hub to automatically collect these logs, which will help us root cause issues faster. Use the Desktop > System Sluggishness category when filing feedback to allow Feedback Hub to automatically pick up these logs. These logs are stored locally (%systemRoot%\Temp\DiagOutputDir\Whesvc folder) and only sent to Microsoft via Feedback Hub when feedback is submitted.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
          • We are trying out a change that removes the search box in the top bar of Click to Do.

          [Lock screen]

          • We're updating lock screen widgets experience for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel, with widget suggestions to help you easily discover more widgets. This feature can be enabled or disabled with the “Discover widgets” toggle under Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. Please note this experience is still being refined and will change in future flights.

          [Settings]

          • You can now visit the Settings > Privacy & security > Text and image generation to see which third-party applications recently used generative AI models provided by Windows. This page gives you visibility into the specific apps leveraging local Windows provided generative AI models and allows you to control which apps are permitted to use them—putting you in charge of your device’s AI experience. The UI is present in this flight today, however the functionality will light up in a upcoming flight.
          [caption id="attachment_178075" align="alignnone" width="540"] Text and image generation settings page with recent activity highlighted in a red box for seeing which apps use generative AI models provided by Windows.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Notification Center]

          • Fixed an issue where if you’d enabled the clock in Notification Center it might result in the Notification Center content getting clipped.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an underlying issue with dbgcore.dll, which could lead to explorer.exe and some other apps crashing recently.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows update” may resolve the issue.
          • You may see multiple error pop ups about unexpected elements when opening Group Policy Editor.

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new Start menu:
          • Using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.
          • Drag and drop capabilities are limited from “All” to “Pinned.”

          [Live Captions]

          • [NEW] Live captions may crash when attempting to use live translation on a Copilot+ PC.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Input]

          • The Microsoft Changjie Input method doesn’t work properly in this build - not able to select words. Reverting to the previous version of the IME in Settings should mitigate the issue while we work on a fix.  

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx). For more information on Windows 11, version 25H2 – see this blog post.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/18/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-4741-beta-channel/ Fri, 18 Jul 2025 19:06:07 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178072 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4741 (KB5062678) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4741 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4741 (KB5062678) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          New describe image action in Click to Do rolling out for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs

          We are introducing a new “describe image” action in Click to Do to get detailed descriptions of images, charts and graphs for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs. This feature was introduced for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs in the previous Beta Channel flight. This feature is useful to get a quick overview of the visual content. This feature is designed to improve accessibility and can be used by everyone in scenarios like getting a quick overview of a graph or a chart, generating alt text for artefacts you create, etc. When you use the action for the first time, the required models are set up, and the descriptions are generated locally on your device making sure your sensitive data stays on your PC. [caption id="attachment_178057" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Describe image action in Click to Do menu highlighted in a red box.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178059" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Image description dialog shown with text description of image of Brandon’s dog Kilo.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178069" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Image description dialog shown with text description of a graph.[/caption] You can learn more about using Click to Do here. You can check out frequently asked questions about rich image descriptions here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

          Making visual content more accessible with image descriptions in Narrator

          We are enhancing digital accessibility with the ability to get rich, detailed descriptions of images, charts, graphs in Narrator by using the power of AI on Copilot+ PCs. In today’s digital world, images are everywhere—on websites, apps, and documents. But for blind and low-vision users, many of these visuals remain inaccessible due to missing or inadequate alt text. After beginning the rollout for this feature for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, we are also now rolling this feature out for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs. With this new feature that is beginning to roll out, Narrator will now generate richer image descriptions on your Copilot+ PC. Simply press Narrator key + Ctrl + D and Narrator will read out a contextual description of the image describing people, objects, colors, text, and numbers from the image. On non-Copilot+ PCs, this experience will continue to give you very basic image descriptions. For example, for an image about stock performance, users will get the following detailed description. The image is a graph showing the stock prices of Microsoft Corporation, with the S&P 500 and NASDAQ Computer indexes. The graph shows a steady increase in Microsoft’s stock price over the period from June 18th to June 23rd. [caption id="attachment_177792" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Screenshot of Edge browser containing an image of “stock performance graph” with “Describe image” window open next to it showing the description of the image.[/caption] The window also contains regenerate, like, dislike and copy button at the bottom. [caption id="attachment_177794" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Screenshot of Edge browser with Narrator’s focus on an image of graph. There’s an info bar on top of the screen which says, “We are setting up image description feature. Keep your PC connected to internet and check back soon.” along with a “Check status” button.[/caption] To turn Narrator on, you can press “Ctrl + Windows key + Enter” on your PC or search for “Narrator” in Windows search box. When you try the image descriptions feature for the first time using Narrator Key + Ctrl + D, we download the models required for getting image descriptions. You can check the download status via Settings > Windows update. If you are new to Narrator, you can find more information and learn about using Narrator from the  complete guide to Narrator. Also check out frequently asked questions about rich image descriptions in Narrator here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • As part of our commitment to improving Windows performance, logs are now collected when your PC has experienced any slow or sluggish performance. Windows Insiders are encouraged to provide feedback when experiencing PC issues related to slow or sluggish performance, allowing Feedback Hub to automatically collect these logs, which will help us root cause issues faster. Use the Desktop > System Sluggishness category when filing feedback to allow Feedback Hub to automatically pick up these logs. These logs are stored locally (%systemRoot%\Temp\DiagOutputDir\Whesvc folder) and only sent to Microsoft via Feedback Hub when feedback is submitted.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
          • We are trying out a change that removes the search box in the top bar of Click to Do.

          [Lock screen]

          • We're updating lock screen widgets experience for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel, with widget suggestions to help you easily discover more widgets. This feature can be enabled or disabled with the “Discover widgets” toggle under Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. Please note this experience is still being refined and will change in future flights.

          [Settings]

          • You can now visit the Settings > Privacy & security > Text and image generation to see which third-party applications recently used generative AI models provided by Windows. This page gives you visibility into the specific apps leveraging local Windows provided generative AI models and allows you to control which apps are permitted to use them—putting you in charge of your device’s AI experience. The UI is present in this flight today, however the functionality will light up in a upcoming flight.
          [caption id="attachment_178075" align="alignnone" width="540"] Text and image generation settings page with recent activity highlighted in a red box for seeing which apps use generative AI models provided by Windows.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Notification Center]

          • Fixed an issue where if you’d enabled the clock in Notification Center it might result in the Notification Center content getting clipped.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an underlying issue with dbgcore.dll, which could lead to explorer.exe and some other apps crashing recently.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows update” may resolve the issue.
          • You may see multiple error pop ups about unexpected elements when opening Group Policy Editor.

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new Start menu:
          • Using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.
          • Drag and drop capabilities are limited from “All” to “Pinned.”

          [Live Captions]

          • [NEW] Live captions may crash when attempting to use live translation on a Copilot+ PC.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Input]

          • The Microsoft Changjie Input method doesn’t work properly in this build - not able to select words. Reverting to the previous version of the IME in Settings should mitigate the issue while we work on a fix.  

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/17/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27902-canary-channel/ Thu, 17 Jul 2025 17:04:54 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178070 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27902 to the Canary Channel. We are releasing ISOs for this build – they can be downloaded here.

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27902 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27902 to the Canary Channel. We are releasing ISOs for this build – they can be downloaded here. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          Fixes

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue in the previous build where File Explorer might fail to persist any view changes. This also impacted desktop icons, which could unexpectedly move or change size back to default. Jen is happy this bug is fixed.

          [Camera]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause the Camera app to get stuck on some PCs in the last couple builds after switching between front and back camera.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • [NEW] There's an issue starting with the previous build causing a small number of Insiders to experience repeated bugchecks with KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE after upgrading. This may occur when connecting to VPN.
          • This Canary Channel flight comes with a delightful blast from the past and will play the Windows Vista boot sound instead of the Windows 11 boot sound. The fix should be coming in a future Canary Channel flight soon.

          [Settings]

          • We’re investigating an issue in this build which could cause Settings to crash when interacting with the options under Settings > System > Power & Battery.
          • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue where some of the apostrophes across text in Settings and settings-related dialogs are not displaying correctly and are showing random characters.

          [Remote Desktop]

          • You may see extreme graphical distortion and rendering issues using remote desktop on Arm64 PCs in this build.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/15/copilot-on-windows-vision-desktop-share-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Tue, 15 Jul 2025 20:58:21 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178064 Hello Windows Insiders, we are beginning to roll out an update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows via the Microsoft Store which introduces the following changes and improvements to Copilot Vision on Windows:

          Desktop S

          The post Copilot on Windows: Vision Desktop Share begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Copilot Vision on Windows: Desktop Share: Now you can choose to share your whole desktop with Copilot. When you share your desktop (or any specific browser or app window), Copilot can see what you see and talk to you about it in real time. It can help analyze content, provide insights, and answer your questions, coaching you through it aloud. Get tips on making improvements to your creative project, help with improving your resume, or guidance while navigating a new game. To get started click the glasses icon in your composer, select the desktop that you’d like to share, and ask Copilot to help with whatever you’re working on. To stop sharing, press 'Stop' or 'X' in the composer. [caption id="attachment_178066" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Copilot Vision on Windows with desktop share.[/caption] Access Vision from your Voice conversation: Now you can turn on Vision from a Voice conversation. When you're talking with Copilot and want to provide additional context on whatever you’re working on, simply click on the glasses icon and share your screen. This Copilot app update (version 1.25071.125 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. These updates will first roll out to Insiders in markets where Windows Vision is enabled. The above-mentioned features are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience on Windows. FEEDBACK: Please provide feedback directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”. Thanks, Microsoft Copilot Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5702-dev-channel/ Mon, 14 Jul 2025 21:01:43 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178060 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5702 (KB5062653) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5702 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5702 (KB5062653) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          [UPDATED 7/16] New describe image action in Click to Do

          We are introducing a new “describe image” action in Click to Do to get detailed descriptions of images, charts and graphs – useful to get a quick overview of the visual content. When you use the action for the first time, the required models are set up, and the descriptions are generated locally on your device making sure your sensitive data stays on your PC. This feature is designed to improve accessibility and can be used by everyone in scenarios like getting a quick overview of a graph or a chart, generating alt text for artefacts you create, etc. [caption id="attachment_178057" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Describe image action in Click to Do menu highlighted in a red box.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178059" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Image description dialog shown with text description of image of Brandon’s dog Kilo.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178069" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Image description dialog shown with text description of a graph.[/caption] The new describe image action in Click to Do is rolling out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon. You can learn more about using Click to Do here. You can check out frequently asked questions about rich image descriptions here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Administrator protection

          Administrator protection is an upcoming platform security feature in Windows 11, which aims to protect free floating admin rights for administrator users allowing them to still perform all admin functions with just-in-time admin privileges. This feature is off by default and needs to be enabled via Windows Security under Account protection or via group policy. For more information on administrator protection, please read this blog post here from Katharine Holdsworth.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • We're updating the design of the privacy dialogs for app permissions. When an app requests permission to access location, camera, mic, etc., it is now a system modal dialog. When one of these dialogs appears from an app requesting permission, the screen will slightly darken now, and the privacy dialog will take focus in center of the screen.
          [caption id="attachment_178050" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Before and after of design change for privacy dialogs.[/caption]

          [Windows Security]

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels with Smart App Control in evaluation mode may see Smart App Control get turned on in Windows Security. If Smart App Control is turned on, it can be switched off via Windows Security > App & browser control > Smart App Control.

          [Other]

          • Windows PowerShell 2.0 is deprecated and in the most current Insider Preview builds flighted to the Dev Channel, is removed. More information will be shared in the coming months on the removal of Windows PowerShell 2.0 in an upcoming update for Windows 11.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause random File Explorer preview windows to appear when hovering over unrelated app icons in the taskbar.

          [Search on the Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where the search box in the taskbar might show animations even if animations were turned off in Settings.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to file operation progress dialogs to stop appearing when displayed from apps.
          • Made some more improvements to the performance of zip extraction – specifically in the case if you were trying to extract a zip file that was downloaded from the web and contained many small files.
          • Fixed an issue where if you’d pinned the shortcut for an app to your desktop, after the app updated, the icon may become a white page icon rather than having a proper thumbnail image.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer Home to flash white again when launching File Explorer.
          The following are fixes for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Fixed an issue where Narrator scan mode might not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists.

          [Live captions]

          • Fixed an issue where if you changed the opacity of live captions in Settings > Accessibility > Captions > Caption Style, it would have no effect.

          [Dynamic Lighting]

          • Fixed an issue in Dynamic Lighting where the Dynamic Lighting Background Controller would occasionally consume excessive CPU after unlocking the machine.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue where game content might become out of sync with the cursor position after using ALT + Tab to switch away and back from certain games running in full screen exclusive mode (when the game resolution didn’t match the desktop resolution).

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause Settings to crash when navigating to Time & Language > Language & Region in the previous flight.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue which was resulting in some people unexpectedly seeing error 2042 in Event View, citing a problem with Windows Firewall config not being read correctly.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which could cause apps to not come to the foreground when interacting with notifications – for example if you clicked on an Outlook notification.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows update” may resolve the issue.
          • [NEW] You may see multiple error pop ups about unexpected elements when opening Group Policy Editor.

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new Start menu:
          • Using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.
          • Drag and drop capabilities are limited from “All” to “Pinned.”

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Input]

          • [NEW] The Microsoft Changjie Input method doesn’t work properly in this build - not able to select words. Reverting to the previous version of the IME in Settings should mitigate the issue while we work on a fix.  

          [Widgets]

          • Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx). For more information on Windows 11, version 25H2 – see this blog post.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon EDITOR'S NOTE 7/16: Edited the section above for the new describe image action in Click to Do to include more details for clarity.]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-4733-beta-channel/ Mon, 14 Jul 2025 21:01:38 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178055 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4733 (KB5062651) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4733 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4733 (KB5062651) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          [UPDATED 7/16] New describe image action in Click to Do

          We are introducing a new “describe image” action in Click to Do to get detailed descriptions of images, charts and graphs – useful to get a quick overview of the visual content. When you use the action for the first time, the required models are set up, and the descriptions are generated locally on your device making sure your sensitive data stays on your PC. This feature is designed to improve accessibility and can be used by everyone in scenarios like getting a quick overview of a graph or a chart, generating alt text for artefacts you create, etc. [caption id="attachment_178057" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Describe image action in Click to Do menu highlighted in a red box.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178059" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Image description dialog shown with text description of image of Brandon’s dog Kilo.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178069" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Image description dialog shown with text description of a graph.[/caption] The new describe image action in Click to Do is rolling out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon. You can learn more about using Click to Do here. You can check out frequently asked questions about rich image descriptions here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Administrator protection

          Administrator protection is an upcoming platform security feature in Windows 11, which aims to protect free floating admin rights for administrator users allowing them to still perform all admin functions with just-in-time admin privileges. This feature is off by default and needs to be enabled via Windows Security under Account protection or via group policy. For more information on administrator protection, please read this blog post here from Katharine Holdsworth.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • We're updating the design of the privacy dialogs for app permissions. When an app requests permission to access location, camera, mic, etc., it is now a system modal dialog. When one of these dialogs appears from an app requesting permission, the screen will slightly darken now, and the privacy dialog will take focus in center of the screen.
          [caption id="attachment_178050" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Before and after of design change for privacy dialogs.[/caption]

          [Windows Security]

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels with Smart App Control in evaluation mode may see Smart App Control get turned on in Windows Security. If Smart App Control is turned on, it can be switched off via Windows Security > App & browser control > Smart App Control.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause random File Explorer preview windows to appear when hovering over unrelated app icons in the taskbar.

          [Search on the Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where the search box in the taskbar might show animations even if animations were turned off in Settings.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to file operation progress dialogs to stop appearing when displayed from apps.
          • Made some more improvements to the performance of zip extraction – specifically in the case if you were trying to extract a zip file that was downloaded from the web and contained many small files.
          • Fixed an issue where if you’d pinned the shortcut for an app to your desktop, after the app updated, the icon may become a white page icon rather than having a proper thumbnail image.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer Home to flash white again when launching File Explorer.
          The following are fixes for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Fixed an issue where Narrator scan mode might not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists.

          [Live captions]

          • Fixed an issue where if you changed the opacity of live captions in Settings > Accessibility > Captions > Caption Style, it would have no effect.

          [Dynamic Lighting]

          • Fixed an issue in Dynamic Lighting where the Dynamic Lighting Background Controller would occasionally consume excessive CPU after unlocking the machine.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue where game content might become out of sync with the cursor position after using ALT + Tab to switch away and back from certain games running in full screen exclusive mode (when the game resolution didn’t match the desktop resolution).

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause Settings to crash when navigating to Time & Language > Language & Region in the previous flight.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue which was resulting in some people unexpectedly seeing error 2042 in Event View, citing a problem with Windows Firewall config not being read correctly.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which could cause apps to not come to the foreground when interacting with notifications – for example if you clicked on an Outlook notification.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows update” may resolve the issue.
          • [NEW] You may see multiple error pop ups about unexpected elements when opening Group Policy Editor.

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new Start menu:
          • Using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.
          • Drag and drop capabilities are limited from “All” to “Pinned.”

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Input]

          • [NEW] The Microsoft Changjie Input method doesn’t work properly in this build - not able to select words. Reverting to the previous version of the IME in Settings should mitigate the issue while we work on a fix.  

          [Widgets]

          • Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon EDITOR'S NOTE 7/16: Edited the section above for the new describe image action in Click to Do to include more details for clarity.]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27898-canary-channel/ Fri, 11 Jul 2025 17:03:23 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178047 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27898 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          What’s

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27898 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27898 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          What’s new in Build 27898

          Taskbar icon scaling

          We are starting to roll out taskbar icon scaling to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel  – an improvement to the Windows taskbar that ensures that you have quick access to more of your favorite apps, even when your taskbar is full. With taskbar icon scaling, when your taskbar starts to get crowded with pinned or open apps, the icons will automatically scale down to a smaller size. This means you can keep more apps visible and accessible without the need to dive into a secondary menu. It’s all about making your workflow smoother and more efficient. [caption id="attachment_177768" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The taskbar with small taskbar icons with setting highlighted in a red box.[/caption] We understand that everyone has their own preferences, so we’ve included settings to tailor this feature to your liking. You can choose when Windows will show smaller taskbar buttons:
          • When taskbar is full: By default, taskbar icons will automatically turn smaller when the taskbar is full. This helps you maintain access to more apps without any extra effort.
          • Never: For users who prefer their icons to remain the same size as before, regardless of how many apps are open, there’s an option to prevent the icons from scaling down.
          • Always: If you love the look of smaller icons and want them to stay that way all the time, you can set your taskbar icons to always be small.
          To customize your taskbar icon scaling settings, simply right-click an empty region of your taskbar and select “Taskbar settings”, expand “Taskbar behaviors” section, and make your selection for the setting “Show smaller taskbar buttons”. As always, we value your feedback, so let us know what you think! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Taskbar.

          Introducing quick machine recovery

          Quick machine recovery, a feature introduced as part of the Windows Resiliency Initiative at Ignite 2024 – is available for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel. When enabled, it automatically detects and fixes widespread issues on Windows 11 devices using the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). This reduces downtime and avoids the need for manual fixes. If a device experiences a widespread boot issue, it enters WinRE, connects to the internet, and Microsoft can deliver a targeted fix through Windows Update. IT admins can enable or customize this experience for their organization through the Intune Settings Catalog UI using the RemoteRemediationCSP. There is also a dedicated quick machine recovery settings page available under System > Recovery > Quick machine recovery. Today, it’s enabled by default for home users. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Recovery and Uninstall > Quick Machine Recovery.

          Add custom words to the dictionary in voice access

          We are introducing the ability for you to add your own words to the dictionary in voice access. Adding your own words, including difficult to pronounce words, to the dictionary in voice access will help improve dictation accuracy. It increases the probability of recognizing these words more accurately by creating a bias that helps voice access become more context aware and proactively understanding your specific vocabulary. The feature will be available in all the currently supported voice access languages i.e. English, French, German, Spanish and Chinese. You can add your own words to the dictionary in voice access in a few ways:
          1. After spelling a word using “Spell that” command or making a correction using “Correct that”
          2. Anywhere when you want to manually add a word by using “Add to Vocabulary”
          [caption id="attachment_177816" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Voice access vocabulary builder dialog for adding your own words to the dictionary.[/caption]
          3. Directly through the settings menu in voice access.
          [caption id="attachment_177817" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Add to vocabulary option in voice access settings menu highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Voice access.

          Screen Curtain in Narrator

          The Screen Curtain feature in Narrator is designed to enhance privacy and focus for users who rely on screen reading. When activated, Screen Curtain completely blacks out the display, ensuring that only the user hears what’s on the screen through Narrator, while the visual content remains hidden from view. This is especially useful in public spaces or shared environments, allowing users to read and work with sensitive information without revealing it to others nearby. How to enable/disable Screen Curtain:
          1. Turn On Narrator using Ctrl + Win + Enter.
          2. Press Caps + Ctrl + C to enable Screen Curtain.
          3. Try using Narrator, while your Screen Curtain is turned on.
          4. Press Caps + Ctrl + C to disable Screen Curtain.
          FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

          Changes and Improvements

          [General]

          • We're updating the design of the privacy dialogs for app permissions. When an app requests permission to access location, camera, mic, etc., it is now a system modal dialog. When one of these dialogs appears from an app requesting permission, the screen will slightly darken now, and the privacy dialog will take focus in the center of the screen.
          [caption id="attachment_178050" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Before and after of design change for privacy dialogs.[/caption]
          • We are rolling out a change where Microsoft Entra ID authentication requests will be rendered using WebView2 instead of WebView1.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • In addition to the new grouping of the Accessibility flyout in quick settings, we are adding text descriptions for the assistive technologies like Narrator, Voice access, etc. for easy identification and learning by the users.
          [caption id="attachment_178051" align="alignnone" width="290"] Accessibility flyout via quick setting showing text descriptions for assistive technologies like Narrator, Voice access, etc.[/caption]
          • Admins can now allow users to unpin specific pinned apps, ensuring they are not pinned again during the next policy refresh cycle. To enable this feature, use the new PinGeneration option. Learn more about configuring pinned apps on the taskbar.

          [File Explorer]

          • We have added dividers to the top-level icons that show at the top (or bottom) of the File Explorer context menu.
          [caption id="attachment_177986" align="alignnone" width="403"] Dividers between top-level icons in the File Explorer context menu.[/caption]

          [Energy Saver]

          • We are beginning to preview adaptive energy saver. Adaptive energy saver is an opt-in feature that automatically enables and disables energy saver, without changing screen brightness, based on the power state of the device and the current system load. This will only be available on devices with a battery. As we try this experience out in the Canary Channel, some Insiders may see this experience get enabled – you can manage your energy saver settings under Settings > System > Power & battery.
          [caption id="attachment_178052" align="alignnone" width="665"] Energy saver setting with new dropdown menu for choosing adaptive energy saver.[/caption]

          [Windows Share]

          • When you share links or web content using the Windows share window, you will see a visual preview for that content.
          [caption id="attachment_177485" align="alignnone" width="476"] Visual preview of links and web content in the Windows share window.[/caption]
          • In the Windows share window, as part of the ability to quickly edit and enhance images while sharing, we have adjusted the UI so that now you can now select their compression scale from High, Medium, or Low Quality, instead of choosing from an entire scale ranging from 0-100.
          [caption id="attachment_177889" align="alignnone" width="335"] New drop-down menu for compression scale of high, medium, or low when sharing images in the Windows share window.[/caption]

          [Voice access]

          • We are introducing Chinese and Japanese support for voice access. You can now use Voice access to navigate, dictate, and interact with Windows using voice commands in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Japanese. Japanese support is still a work-in-progress and may have some issues.

          [Narrator]

          • We’re introducing a smoother way to discover and learn about Narrator capabilities right from experience. Whether you’re a new user or exploring deeper functionality, Narrator will now guide you through its new features by launching a series of modal windows which contain the details of all the new features and changes in Narrator.
          [caption id="attachment_177962" align="alignnone" width="425"] New prompt to highlight new features and improvements in Narrator.[/caption]

          [Snipping Tool]

          • With this build, we’re making it easier to jump directly into text extractor in Snipping Tool via Win + Shift + T. You can learn more about using text extractor here.

          [Settings]

          • We have added the country or region selected during device setup under Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
          We are rolling out some small changes for your setting your browser defaults in Windows 11 via Settings > Apps > Default apps:
          1. For Add new link/file types of ‘Set Default’ button, we have added additional types for the “Set Default” button. You can now set more types.
          2. For one-click button of PDF for browser sets, we have added a new button for making your default browser also the default app for PDF files.
          3. The new default browser will be pinned to the Taskbar and Start menu unless you choose not to pin it by clearing the checkboxes.
          [caption id="attachment_177927" align="alignnone" width="611"] Browser default settings page showing new set default button for PDF files and pinning to Start and Taskbar.[/caption]

          Fixes

          [File Explorer]

          • We've done some more work to improve the performance of extracting archive files - this will particularly help in the case of copy pasting large numbers of files out of large 7z or .rar archives.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where typing Japanese with the touch keyboard might stop working after switching to typing with an English keyboard and back.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause Settings to crash when changing mouse cursor.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to the Settings window hanging and no longer responding to input or resizing unless you closed and reopened it.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an underlying issue in the previous flight which could lead to Math.Pow() not outputting the correct result, which could lead to unexpected behavior in apps and games.
          • Adjusted the error text if a Windows Update fails due to the system reserved partition not having enough free space, to make it clearer that that’s the issue.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Beta Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • [ADDED] This week’s Canary Channel flight comes with a delightful blast from the past and will play the Windows Vista boot sound instead of the Windows 11 boot sound. The fix should be coming in a future Canary Channel flight soon.

          [File Explorer]

          • [NEW] There’s an issue in this build where File Explorer may fail to persist any view changes. This also impacts desktop icons, which may unexpectedly move or change size back to default.

          [Settings]

          • We’re investigating an issue in this build which could cause Settings to crash when interacting with the options under Settings > System > Power & Battery.

          [Remote Desktop]

          • You may see extreme graphical distortion and rendering issues using remote desktop on Arm64 PCs in this build.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/10/releasing-windows-11-build-22631-5696-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:03:54 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178038 [UPDATE 7/15] We are releasing Build 22631.5699 (KB5062663) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself.

          Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Bu

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5696 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> [UPDATE 7/15] We are releasing Build 22631.5699 (KB5062663) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself. Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5696 (KB5062663) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).  

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)] Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
          • [File systems]
            • Fixed: This update addresses an issue in the Resilient File System (ReFS) where using backup applications on large files could occasionally result in system memory becoming fully exhausted.
            • Fixed: An issue where searching for PDF files in a shared folder could return incorrect error messages—such as “No More Files” or “STATUS_NO_MORE_FILES.” These errors disrupted output to the virtual PDF printer and interfered with backup processes.
          • [Networking] Fixed: An issue where peripheral devices could take longer to work after resuming from hibernation on some devices with active cellular connections.
          • [Printer] Improved: Printer names now appear more clearly when using IPP Directed Discovery, making it easier to identify printers during setup.
          • [Stability issue] Fixed: This update addresses an issue observed in rare cases after installing the May 2025 security update and subsequent updates causing devices to experience stability issues. Some devices became unresponsive and stopped responding in specific scenarios.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/10/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-6156-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:03:44 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178040 [UPDATE 7/15] We are releasing Build 19045.6159 (KB5062649) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself.

          Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2

          The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.6156 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> [UPDATE 7/15] We are releasing Build 19045.6159 (KB5062649) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself. Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.6156 (KB5062649) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. This update includes the following features and improvements (items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented):
          • Update resolves an issue impacting the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) enrollment wizard. Some users experienced a problem where clicking “Enroll now” caused the wizard window to open, begin loading, and then close unexpectedly. This occurred due to incomplete app registration, which prevented the wizard from loading correctly. This update addresses that issue to ensure a smoother enrollment experience.
          • ​​​​​[Mobile Operator Profiles] Updated: Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles.
          • [Secure Boot] New! Adds the ability to deploy SKUSiPolicy VBS Anti-rollback protections through the Secure Boot AvailableUpdates registry key.
          • [Stability issue] Fixed: This update addresses an issue observed in rare cases after installing the May 2025 security update and subsequent updates causing devices to experience stability issues. Some devices became unresponsive and stopped responding in specific scenarios.
          Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/10/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-4762-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:03:36 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178042 [UPDATE 7/17] We are releasing Build 26100.4767 (KB5062663) today which is a small update that adds some additional fixes that are documented below.

          Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.4762 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> [UPDATE 7/17] We are releasing Build 26100.4767 (KB5062663) today which is a small update that adds some additional fixes that are documented below. Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.4762 (KB5062660) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented. Please note that features and improvements that gradually roll out may not begin rolling out right away nor will they immediately show up right away.
          • [Recall]
            • New! We are excited to announce Recall is now available in the European Economic Area (EEA). For more info, see Retrace your steps with Recall. In the EEA, Recall supports exporting snapshots to share with trusted third-party apps and websites. When saving snapshots is turned on for the first time, a unique Recall export code appears. This code is required to decrypt exported snapshots and is shown only once during initial setup. Microsoft doesn’t store or recover this code. To export, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots > Advanced Settings and authenticate with Windows Hello. Choose to export past snapshots (from the last 7 days, 30 days, or all) or start a continuous export. Third-party apps can access exported snapshots only when both the export code and folder path are provided. If you lose or compromise the export code, reset Recall to generate a new one.
            • New! For all Recall users worldwide, we are adding the ability to reset Recall and all its data. You will now see an advanced settings page under Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots. Under this new advanced settings page, we have included a reset button that will delete all your snapshots and reset your settings for Recall.
          • [Click to Do]
            • New!¹ Practice in Reading Coach is a new Click to Do text action that helps you improve reading fluency and pronunciation. Select text on your screen, choose Practice in Reading Coach, and read the text aloud. Reading Coach gives you feedback and shows where to improve. To use this feature, install the free Microsoft Reading Coach app from the Microsoft Store.
            • New!¹ Read with Immersive Readeris a new text action in Click to Do that displays text in a focused, distraction-free environment. It helps improve reading and writing for all skill levels and abilities. You can adjust text size, spacing, font, and background theme, have text read aloud, break words into syllables, and highlight parts of speech. The picture dictionary shows images for unfamiliar words. To use this feature, install the free Microsoft Reading Coach application from the Microsoft Store.
            • New!¹ With the Draft with Copilot in Word text action, you can quickly turn any recognized text into a full draft. Whether it’s a sentence in an email or a snippet on your screen, press Win + Click on the recognized text, then select Draft with Copilot in Word. No more blank pages. No more writer's block. Just momentum. For “Draft with Copilot in Word” – a Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription is required.
            • New!¹ Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs now supports actions through Microsoft Teams. When you select an email address recognized by Click to Do on your screen, you can choose to send a Teams message or schedule a Teams meeting. These options make it easy to ask a question or set up time to talk without interrupting your workflow.
          • [Settings]
            • New!¹ The new agent in Settings is part of the Copilot+ PC experience and is designed to help solve one of the most common frustrations: finding and changing settings on your PC. You can describe what you need help with, such as “how to control my PC by voice” or “my mouse pointer is too small,” and the agent will suggest steps to resolve the issue. An agent uses AI on your PC to understand your request and, with your permission, can automate and complete tasks for you. This experience is rolling out to Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel™-powered PCs coming soon. It currently works only if your primary display language is set to English.
            • New! On non-Copilot+ PCs, the search box in Settings will now be located at the top center to deliver a more consistent and better search experience.
            • Fixed: If your PC is set to 'Do nothing' on 'Closing the lid' in Settings > System > Power and Battery and the Settings window is left open when you close the lid, upon opening the lid again Settings window might hang and become unresponsive to input or resizing (instead, just showing your accent color).
            • Fixed: Settings may hang when attempting to save credentials for Wi-Fi network
          • [Windows Resiliency Initiative] The following changes are part of the Windows Resiliency Initiative announced at Ignite 2024:
            • New! Quick machine recovery is now available. When enabled, it automatically detects and fixes widespread issues on Windows 11 devices using the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). This reduces downtime and avoids the need for manual fixes. If a device experiences a widespread boot issue, it enters WinRE, connects to the internet, and Microsoft can deliver a targeted fix through Windows Update. IT admins can enable or customize this experience for their organization through the Intune Settings Catalog UI using the RemoteRemediationCSP. There is also a dedicated quick machine recovery settings page available under System > Recovery > Quick machine recovery. Today, it’s enabled by default for home users.
            • New! A more streamlined interface appears during an unexpected restart This updated design aligns with Windows 11’s visual style and helps you return to work faster. The screen displays a more readable layout while keeping the technical details visible. This screen appears with a black background.
          • [UPDATED] [Start menu] New! We are adding a Boolean to the Configure Start Pins policy to allow admins to apply Start menu pins once. This means that a user will receive admin pins on day 0 but can then make any changes to their Start pinned layout and have those safeguarded. These changes can be optionally applied through the existing configuration service provider (CSP).
          • [Snap] New! Improvements make it easier to learn and use Snap in Windows 11. Inline messages now appear when you accidentally open the Snap Bar by dragging an app to the upper center of your desktop or open the Snap menu by hovering over the Minimize or Maximize button. These messages provide helpful tips on Snap app windows and show keyboard shortcuts.
          • [Windows Search] New! Windows Search settings are now easier to find. Instead of two separate pages for settings (“Search permissions” and “Searching Windows”), you’ll now find everything in one place under Settings > Privacy & security > Search. This new page has a modern look and a better layout, so you can quickly view and manage all your Windows Search settings.
          • [File Explorer]
            • Fixed: If you opened the “…” menu in the File Explorer address bar to show the full list of folders for the current path, the dropdown may be cut off and the bottom of it inaccessible.
            • Fixed: File operation progress dialogs may stop appearing when displayed from apps.
            • Fixed: The more SharePoint sites are synced to File Explorer, File Explorer may start to show noticeable performance degradation when navigating through folders and opening the context menu. In this state it may also impact the performance of launching files.
          • [Input] New! The Gamepad layout of the Windows touch keyboard now includes enhanced controller navigation and improved focus handling for child keys, menus, word suggestions, language switching, and settings. A new Gamepad keyboard, designed for gaming, also supports PIN sign-in on the Windows lock screen. It offers controller shortcuts for quick PIN entry and full navigation for those who prefer not to use shortcuts.
          • [Desktop icons] Fixed: If you have an app pinned to your desktop, and the app updates, the app icon may no longer display correctly and instead show a white page.
          • [Notifications] Fixed: Clicking a Windows notification toast may unexpectedly not bring the relevant app into the foreground, for example when interacting with Outlook notifications.
          ¹Functionality will vary by device and market; text actions will be available across markets in select character sets. See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs.

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [Authentication] Fixed: This update addresses an issue that affects the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS). LSASS might stop responding during machine password changes with specific audit settings.
          • [File Explorer] Fixed: File Explorer Home might unexpectedly only display a single folder (for example, Desktop), rather than the expected content with recent files and more.
          • [File system] Fixed: This update addresses an issue in the Resilient File System (ReFS) where using backup applications on large files could occasionally result in system memory becoming fully exhausted.
          • [Stability issue] Fixed: This update addresses an issue observed in rare cases after installing the May 2025 security update and subsequent updates causing devices to experience stability issues. Some devices became unresponsive and stopped responding in specific scenarios.
          Additional fixes added with Build 26100.4767:
          • [Graphics] Fixed: An issue where external graphics cards connected through Thunderbolt weren’t always recognized in some cases.
          • [Input (know issue)]
            • Fixed: An issue when using the Microsoft Changjie IME (input method editor) for Traditional Chinese might cause problems such as not being able to form or select words, unresponsive spacebar or blank key, incorrect word output, or a broken candidate window display. This can occur after installing KB5062553.
            • Fixed: This update addresses an issue that affects Phonetic input methods, including the Hindi Phonetic Input keyboard and the Marathi Phonetic keyboard, which might not work correctly after installing KB5062553.
          • [Group Policy Editor] Fixed: This update addresses an issue where the Group Policy Editor shows error messages like “No element was expected but found” or “Encountered an unknown error” when opened.
          • [Windows Firewall] Fixed: This update addresses an issue found in Event Viewer as Event 2042 for Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. The event appears as "Config Read Failed" with the message "More data is available." For more information about this issue, see "Error events are logged for Windows Firewall" in the Windows Health Dashboard.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team EDITOR'S NOTE 7/11: We made some adjustments to the Recall section under "Gradual Rollout" for clarity.]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/07/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27891-canary-channel/ Thu, 03 Jul 2025 17:04:49 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178033 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27891 to the Canary Channel. We also have a Microsoft Store update rolling out to Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels (details below

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27891 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27891 to the Canary Channel. We also have a Microsoft Store update rolling out to Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels (details below). We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [Other]

          • Windows PowerShell 2.0 is deprecated and in the most current Insider Preview builds flighted to the Canary Channel, is removed. More information will be shared in the coming months on the removal of Windows PowerShell 2.0 in an upcoming update for Windows 11.

          Fixes

          [General]

          • We fixed the issue causing the “Reset this PC” option under Settings > System > Recovery to not work after upgrading the last few Canary Channel builds.
          • Fixed the underlying issue which was causing the taskbar to unexpectedly not showing acrylic material after upgrading to the latest Canary builds. This also impacted a few other scenarios, leading to unexpected black or white in some UI.
          • Fixed an underlying issue believed to be the cause of some Insiders seeing Windows update downloads to get stuck at 2% recently.
          • Fixed a few more languages including Vietnamese and Arabic that were still having issues with certain characters not rendering correctly for Insiders after the latest builds, causing nonsense to display in places like Task Manager and more. This impacted characters outside of A-Z.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where if you opened the “…” menu in the File Explorer address bar to show the full list of folders for the current path, the dropdown might be cut off and the bottom of it inaccessible.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue in the previous build which could cause Settings to crash when opening microphone properties under Settings > System > Sound.
          • Fixed an underlying issue related to Bluetooth which could cause Settings or Quick Settings to crash on launch for some people.

          [Windowing]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing the window minimizing animation to not display correctly in the previous flight.

          [Task Manager]

          • Fixed an issue where the CPU graphs in the Performance page were still using the old CPU utility calculations.
          • Fixed an issue where after adding the new CPU Utility column, you might notice that System Idle Process always showed as 0.

          [Audio]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause all system sounds to stop working (for example notification alert sound and the sound that plays when clicking the volume slider in quick settings), although audio in general was working on your PC.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing fonts in certain app menu items to unexpectedly appear corrupted or overlapped for some people. This also impacted typing in Word – where when using Hebrew a period may unexpectedly show as a 3, and in Thai typing space may show a 2.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which could cause the playback controls in Media Player to become distorted in the latest Canary flights.
          • Fixed an underlying issue believed to be the cause of LDAP queries from apps to take an unexpectedly long time in the previous flight.
          • Fixed an issue which could cause print previews to appear slightly blurry in recent Canary flights.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.

          [Settings]

          • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue in this build which could cause Settings to crash when interacting with the options under Settings > System > Power & Battery.

          [Remote Desktop]

          • [NEW] You may see extreme graphical distortion and rendering issues using remote desktop on Arm64 PCs in this build.

          Microsoft Store Update

          Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels running version 22506.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out: Install directly from top featured sections: We are rolling out the ability to directly install apps and games from the top featured sections of the Store’s homepages, helping you download your favorite products in fewer steps. Give it a try and let us know what you think! [caption id="attachment_178035" align="alignnone" width="742"] Install apps and games from the top featured sections of the Microsoft Store’s homepages.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/27/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5670-dev-channel/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 19:05:04 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178020 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5670 (KB5060838) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5670 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5670 (KB5060838) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Passwordless Improvements

          We have partnered with 1Password to bring users a seamless plugin passkey provider integration in Windows 11. Setup is simple and intuitive:
          • Install 1Password Beta on your Windows 11 PC.
          • Go to Settings > Accounts > Passkeys > Advanced options to enable the plugin credential manager.
          • Toggle on support and complete user verification with Windows Hello (face, fingerprint, or PIN).
          • You can now use your existing passkeys saved to the plugin credential manager or save new passkeys.
          [caption id="attachment_178024" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Enabling plugin passkey services in Settings.[/caption] To use a passkey, go to a website where you have an account with a passkey you've saved to your credential manager and select that passkey. Sign in quickly and easily with Windows Hello. [caption id="attachment_178026" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Saving a passkey to 1Password.[/caption] Save new passkeys to your credential manager by going to a website that supports passkeys. Find the option to create a passkey for your account, choose to save to your credential manager, authenticate with Windows Hello, and your passkey is saved. [caption id="attachment_178027" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Windows Hello user verification for saving passkey.[/caption] If you are a credential manager developer, we invite you to integrate with Windows 11 to support customers in their passkey journey. To find out more about implementation detail, go to https://aka.ms/3P-Plugin-API. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security and Privacy > Passkey.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • With this build today, Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will see the versioning updated under Settings > System > About (and winver) to version 25H2. This denotes that Windows 11, version 25H2 will be this year’s annual feature update. As mentioned here, Windows 11 will have an annual feature update cadence that releases in the second half of the calendar year. For more information, see this blog post here.

          [Voice access]

          • We are temporarily disabling support for Japanese to iron out a few more bugs.

          [Settings]

          In addition to the small changes that we made in the EEA region for default browsers via Settings > Apps > Default apps with Build 26200.5603, we’re also making this change:
          • The new default browser will be pinned to the Taskbar and Start menu unless you choose not to pin it by clearing the checkboxes.
          [caption id="attachment_177927" align="alignnone" width="709"] Browser default settings page showing new set default button for PDF files.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause File Explorer Home to crash (potentially also making File Explorer crash on launch, since Home is the default section for File Explorer).
          • Fixed an issue which could cause the thumbnail for a pinned favorite in Home to disappear.

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing duplicate entries to appear when interacting with folders on the Start menu.
          • Fixed an issue where the folder expand animation wasn’t correct in some cases.

          [Input]

          • Fixed a high hitting ctfmon.exe crash in the latest flights, which could impact the ability to type.

          [Other]

          • Fixed a memory leak which could happen when lock screen was set to use a slide show, which could impact performance and reliability over time.
          • Did some more work improving how dialogs in the system react to increased text scaling, for example the “You must restart your computer to apply these changes” dialog should now support it.

          Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

          [General]

          • Fixed the issue causing the Windows Vista boot sound to play instead of the Windows 11 boot sound. Unfortunately the fix wasn’t completely working in the last Dev Channel flight.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed the issue causing File Explorer to not persist view changes after the last Dev Channel flight, including desktop icons.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [UPDATED!]When joining the Dev Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will no longer be offered Build 26200.5641 first and will be offered the most current update available in the Dev Channel.
          • [UPDATED!] Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows Update” may resolve the issue.

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new Start menu:
          • Using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.
          • Drag and drop capabilities are limited from “All” to “Pinned.”

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [File Explorer]

          The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate.

          [Widgets]

          • Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/27/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-4520-beta-channel/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 19:05:00 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178022 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4520 (KB5060834) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4520 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4520 (KB5060834) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Passwordless Improvements

          We have partnered with 1Password to bring users a seamless plugin passkey provider integration in Windows 11. Setup is simple and intuitive:
          • Install 1Password Beta on your Windows 11 PC.
          • Go to Settings > Accounts > Passkeys > Advanced options to enable the plugin credential manager.
          • Toggle on support and complete user verification with Windows Hello (face, fingerprint, or PIN).
          • You can now use your existing passkeys saved to the plugin credential manager or save new passkeys.
          [caption id="attachment_178024" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Enabling plugin passkey services in Settings.[/caption] To use a passkey, go to a website where you have an account with a passkey you've saved to your credential manager and select that passkey. Sign in quickly and easily with Windows Hello. [caption id="attachment_178026" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Saving a passkey to 1Password.[/caption] Save new passkeys to your credential manager by going to a website that supports passkeys. Find the option to create a passkey for your account, choose to save to your credential manager, authenticate with Windows Hello, and your passkey is saved. [caption id="attachment_178027" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Windows Hello user verification for saving passkey.[/caption] Use passkeys across your devices with your passkey provider and a native user experience on Windows 11. If you are a credential manager developer, we invite you to integrate with Windows 11 to support customers in their passkey journey. To find out more about implementation detail, go to https://aka.ms/3P-Plugin-API. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security and Privacy > Passkey.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Voice access]

          • We are temporarily disabling support for Japanese to iron out a few more bugs.

          [Settings]

          In addition to the small changes that we made in the EEA region for default browsers via Settings > Apps > Default apps with Build 26120.4151, we’re also making this change:
          • The new default browser will be pinned to the Taskbar and Start menu unless you choose not to pin it by clearing the checkboxes.
          [caption id="attachment_177927" align="alignnone" width="709"] Default apps settings page showing new functionality for pinning and .pdf file type.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause File Explorer Home to crash (potentially also making File Explorer crash on launch, since Home is the default section for File Explorer).
          • Fixed an issue which could cause the thumbnail for a pinned favorite in Home to disappear.

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing duplicate entries to appear when interacting with folders on the Start menu.
          • Fixed an issue where the folder expand animation wasn’t correct in some cases.

          [Input]

          • Fixed a high hitting ctfmon.exe crash in the latest flights, which could impact the ability to type.

          [Other]

          • Fixed a memory leak which could happen when lock screen was set to use a slide show, which could impact performance and reliability over time.
          • Did some more work improving how dialogs in the system react to increased text scaling, for example the “You must restart your computer to apply these changes” dialog should now support it.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [UPDATED!] When joining the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you no longer will be offered Build 26120.4250 first and will be offered the most current update available in the Beta Channel.
          • [UPDATED!] Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted. If you are impacted, using Settings > System > Recovery > “Fix issues using Windows Update” may resolve the issue.

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new Start menu:
          • Using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.
          • Drag and drop capabilities are limited from “All” to “Pinned.”

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [File Explorer]

          The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate.

          [Widgets]

          • Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/23/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-4452-beta-channel/ Mon, 23 Jun 2025 21:03:51 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178006 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4452 (KB5060836) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4452 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4452 (KB5060836) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          Recall Homepage

          We are making it easier and faster for you to find and reconnect with the apps and websites that matter to you by introducing a new personalized homepage to Recall. The new homepage brings your recent activity and top-used content front and center, enabling you to easily get back to your previous tasks. After you opt-in to snapshot collection, your homepage becomes your personalized productivity portal, displaying:
          • Recent Snapshots: Your most recent snapshots captured by Recall, helping you quickly pick up where you left off.
          • Top Apps and Websites: A curated view of the top three applications and websites you have spent the most time on in the past 24 hours.
          As a reminder, you can set filters for what apps and websites are saved in snapshots by Recall in Settings. For more information, visit: Filtering apps, websites, and sensitive information in Recall - Microsoft Support. [caption id="attachment_178008" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Recall Homepage.[/caption] Additionally, we are improving the way you navigate in Recall with the new navigation bar.  Located on the left side of the screen, the new navigation bar provides intuitive access to key Recall features including Home, Timeline, Feedback, and Settings. Recall continues to function the same way as before with these improvements. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Recall or through in-experience links.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          New setting to move hardware indicators on your screen

          We’re excited to introduce a highly requested setting, the option to move the hardware indicators for brightness, volume, airplane mode, and virtual desktops to different positions on your screen. We’ll support the current bottom position and new top left and top center positions on your screen. [caption id="attachment_178009" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Hardware indicator for volume shown at the top left.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178010" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Hardware indicator for volume shown at the top center.[/caption] To change the position of your flyouts, go to Settings > System > Notifications and use the dropdown for Position of the onscreen pop-up. [caption id="attachment_178012" align="alignnone" width="661"] Setting to adjust position of hardware indicators highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > MTC controls and audio.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • We are adding a Boolean to the Configure Start Pins policy to allow admins to apply Start menu pins once. This means that a user will receive admin pins on day 0 but can then make any changes to their Start pinned layout and have those safeguarded. These changes can be optionally applied through the existing configuration service provider (CSP).

          [File Explorer]

          • We are restarting the roll out of AI actions in File Explorer that began rolling out with Build 26120.4151. Some Insiders may have seen the feature disappear.

          [Settings]

          • In the most recently flights, we have added the country or region selected during device setup under Settings > Time & language > Language & region.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • Fixed an underlying issue in the previous flight which caused input to not work for some Insiders again, including when typing into Search, and with the Chinese pinyin IME candidate window, clipboard history, and the emoji panel.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an underlying issue causing some Insiders using the Italian display language to experience repeated explorer.exe crashes in the previous flight.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer Home to only show a single folder (like Desktop) and nothing else for a small number of people.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which was leading to noticeable performance degradation when navigating File Explorer and opening the context menu the more SharePoint sites were synced to File Explorer. This may have also impacted the performance of launching files in this scenario.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue where the items under Settings > Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall updates might appear sorted randomly rather than sorted by date.

          Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

          [General]

          • Fixed the issue causing the Windows Vista boot sound to play instead of the Windows 11 boot sound.
          • Fixed an issue where the option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery wasn't working on the previous build.
          • Fixed an underlying issue leading to certain KVM virtual machines unexpectedly failing to boot, showing "UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR".

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE]When joining the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26120.4250 After installing Build 26120.4250, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest flight in the Beta Channel is just temporary.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted.

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new Start menu:
          • Using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.
          • Drag and drop capabilities are limited from “All” to “Pinned.”
          • In some cases, duplicate entries may appear in folders on the Start menu.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [File Explorer]

          The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate.

          [Widgets]

          • Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/23/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5661-dev-channel/ Mon, 23 Jun 2025 21:03:46 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178013 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5661 (KB5060838) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5661 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5661 (KB5060838) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          Recall Homepage

          We are making it easier and faster for you to find and reconnect with the apps and websites that matter to you by introducing a new personalized homepage to Recall. The new homepage brings your recent activity and top-used content front and center, enabling you to easily get back to your previous tasks. After you opt-in to snapshot collection, your homepage becomes your personalized productivity portal, displaying:
          • Recent Snapshots: Your most recent snapshots captured by Recall, helping you quickly pick up where you left off.
          • Top Apps and Websites: A curated view of the top three applications and websites you have spent the most time on in the past 24 hours.
          As a reminder, you can set filters for what apps and websites are saved in snapshots by Recall in Settings. For more information, visit: Filtering apps, websites, and sensitive information in Recall - Microsoft Support. [caption id="attachment_178008" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Recall Homepage.[/caption] Additionally, we are improving the way you navigate in Recall with the new navigation bar.  Located on the left side of the screen, the new navigation bar provides intuitive access to key Recall features including Home, Timeline, Feedback, and Settings. Recall continues to function the same way as before with these improvements. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Recall or through in-experience links.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          New setting to move hardware indicators on your screen

          We’re excited to introduce a highly requested setting, the option to move the hardware indicators for brightness, volume, airplane mode, and virtual desktops to different positions on your screen. We’ll support the current bottom position and new top left and top center positions on your screen. [caption id="attachment_178009" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Hardware indicator for volume shown at the top left.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_178010" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Hardware indicator for volume shown at the top center.[/caption] To change the position of your flyouts, go to Settings > System > Notifications and use the dropdown for Position of the onscreen pop-up. [caption id="attachment_178012" align="alignnone" width="661"] Setting to adjust position of hardware indicators highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > MTC controls and audio.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • We are adding a Boolean to the Configure Start Pins policy to allow admins to apply Start menu pins once. This means that a user will receive admin pins on day 0 but can then make any changes to their Start pinned layout and have those safeguarded. These changes can be optionally applied through the existing configuration service provider (CSP).

          [File Explorer]

          • We are restarting the roll out of AI actions in File Explorer that began rolling out with Build 26200.5603. Some Insiders may have seen the feature disappear.

          [Settings]

          • In the most recently flights, we have added the country or region selected during device setup under Settings > Time & language > Language & region.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • Fixed an underlying issue in the previous flight which caused input to not work for some Insiders again, including when typing into Search, and with the Chinese pinyin IME candidate window, clipboard history, and the emoji panel.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an underlying issue causing some Insiders using the Italian display language to experience repeated explorer.exe crashes in the previous flight.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer Home to only show a single folder (like Desktop) and nothing else for a small number of people.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which was leading to noticeable performance degradation when navigating File Explorer and opening the context menu the more SharePoint sites were synced to File Explorer. This may have also impacted the performance of launching files in this scenario.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue where the items under Settings > Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall updates might appear sorted randomly rather than sorted by date.

          Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

          [General]

          • Fixed the issue causing the Windows Vista boot sound to play instead of the Windows 11 boot sound. UPDATE 6/24: This fix for this issue unfortunately is not working correctly in this build - it will be fixed in the next flight.
          • Fixed an issue where the option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery wasn't working on the previous build.
          • Fixed an underlying issue leading to certain KVM virtual machines unexpectedly failing to boot, showing "UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR".
          • Fixed the issue causing a small number of Insiders to experience repeated bugchecks with KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE after upgrading to most current Dev Channel builds.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE] When joining the Dev Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26200.5641 After installing Build 26200.5641, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest flight in the Dev Channel is just temporary.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for Windows Insiders impacted.

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new Start menu:
          • Using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.
          • Drag and drop capabilities are limited from “All” to “Pinned.”
          • In some cases, duplicate entries may appear in folders on the Start menu.

          [File Explorer]

          • [ADDED 6/26] We're investigating reports that File Explorer is no longer persisting view changes after this flight, including desktop icons.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [File Explorer]

          The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate.

          [Widgets]

          • Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/19/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-4482-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 19 Jun 2025 17:27:02 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=178001 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.4482 (KB5060829) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100).

          Below i

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.4482 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Build 26100.4482 (KB5060829) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented. Please note that features and improvements that gradually roll out may not begin rolling out right away nor will they immediately show up right away.
          • [ADDED 6/25] [Click to Do (Preview)] New! Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot is a new action in Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs. Use it to send text or images to Microsoft 365 Copilot, which will respond to your questions. The Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot action requires a Microsoft 365 license and follows your organization’s privacy policies.
          • [App defaults] New! We are rolling out some small changes in the EEA region for default browsers via the Set default button in Settings > Apps > Default apps:
            • Additional file and link types will be set for the new default browser, if it registers them.
            • The new default browser will be pinned to the Taskbar and Start menu unless you choose not to pin it by clearing the checkboxes.
            • There is now a separate one-click button for browsers to change your .pdf default, if the browser registers for the .pdf file type.
          • [Start menu] New! For Admins, the Configure Start Pins policy now includes an option to apply Start menu pins only once. This means users will receive the admin Start menu pins on their first sign-in (day 0), but afterward, they can personalize their pinned layout, and those changes will be retained. UPDATE: This change will roll out at a later date.
          • [Taskbar & System Tray]
            • New! The taskbar now resizes icons to fit more apps when space runs low, keeping everything visible and easy to access. You can adjust how icons appear in settings—reduce icon size only when the taskbar is full (default), keep icons at their original size at all times by selecting Never, or use smaller icons all the time by selecting Always. To change this setting, right-click an empty area on the taskbar, select Taskbar settings, expand the Taskbar behaviors section, and choose your preference under Show smaller taskbar buttons.
            • New! In addition to the new grouping of the Accessibility menu in Quick settings, there are text descriptions for the assistive technologies like Narrator, Voice access, and more for easier identification and learning.
            • New! Adjusted the indicator (pill) under taskbar apps to make it wider and more visible.
            • Fixed: Clicking the top third of the buttons in the top row doesn't work to enable or disable the button.
            • Fixed: WIN + CTRL + Number doesn't work anymore for switching windows of an open app in the taskbar
            • Fixed: When using taskbar in Windows, the media controls that appear in the preview windows for apps might unexpectedly flicker.
          • [Windows Share]
            • New! When you share links or web content using the Windows share window, you will see a visual preview for that content.
            • New! In the Windows share window, you can select a compression level—High, Medium, or Low Quality—when editing and sharing images, instead of selecting from a 0–100 scale.
          • [PC Migration] We’re beginning the rollout of a new PC-to-PC migration experience in Windows. You’ll start to see the landing and the pairing page in the Windows Backup app, giving you a first look at what’s coming. In the full experience, you will be able to transfer your files and settings from your old PC to the new one during the PC setup process. Support during the PC setup will be available in a future update. We are releasing in phases for a smooth experience and will provide more details soon.
          • [File Explorer] Improved: Performance has been enhanced when extracting archive files - this will particularly help in the case of copy pasting large numbers of files out of large 7z or .rar archives.
          • Narrator
            • New! The Screen Curtain feature in Narrator helps protect your privacy and improve focus by blacking out the screen while Narrator reads content aloud. This is especially helpful in public or shared spaces, where you can work with sensitive information without others seeing your screen. To turn on Narrator, press Ctrl + Windows + Enter. Then press Caps Lock + Ctrl + C to enable Screen Curtain. While it’s on, you can use Narrator as usual with the screen hidden. Press Caps Lock + Ctrl + C again to turn it off.
            • New! Narrator makes it easier to discover and learn about its features directly within the experience. Whether you're new or exploring advanced options, Narrator will guide you through the latest updates using a series of steps and prompts that explain each new feature and change.
          • [Voice Access]
            • New! You can now use voice access to navigate, dictate, and interact with Windows using voice commands in Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese.
            • New! You can add custom words to the dictionary in voice access. The feature will be available in all the currently supported voice access languages.
          • [Settings]
            • New! We are starting to roll out the Settings homepage for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. The feature will show some existing cards relevant to enterprise-managed PCs like “Recommended settings” and “Bluetooth devices” as well as two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards. For commercial customers who also use their Microsoft account on their managed PC, there will also be a new accounts card indicating the presence of both work and school and Microsoft account types. 
            • New! Added the country or region selected during device setup under Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
            • Fixed: The storage card in Settings > System > About shows an incorrect or unreadable character instead of the proper disk size.
          • [Windowing]
            • Fixed: When you ALT + Tab out of a full screen game, other windows (like Windows Terminal might stop responding.
            • Fixed: An underlying issue might lead to unexpected window size and position changes after sleep/resume for some devices.
            • Fixed: Explorer.exe might stop working unexpectedly  when dragging a window  if window snapping is enabled.
          • [Scripting] Fixed: Running a script on a remote SMB share might take an unexpectedly long time if the share was an older Windows Server version like Windows Server 2019.
          • [Graphics]
            • Improved: Made some underlying changes to help improve display related user experiences, including reducing screen flashing in some display configuration transitions and removing unnecessary display resets which was happening in some cases.
            • Fixed: Certain displays might be unexpectedly green.
            • Fixed: If User Account Control (UAC) is set to Always Notify and the button under Settings > System > Display for color calibration is selected for your display and canceled, Settings  will stop responding.
          • [Color Filters] Improved: Adjusted the location of the intensity and color boost sliders under Settings > Accessibility > Color Filters, so the color previews at the top of the page are visible while adjusting the sliders.
          • [Input] Fixed: Typing Japanese with the touch keyboard may stop working after switching to typing with an English keyboard and back.
          • [Printing] Fixed: Printed lines might be unexpectedly thicker than expected.
          • [MSFTEdit.dll] Fixed: Some apps like Sticky Notes and dxdiag might stop working when the display language is set to Arabic or Hebrew.

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [Copilot] Fixed: Improved the Copilot key’s reliability and resolved an issue that prevented users from restarting Copilot after using the key.
          • [Performance] Fixed: This update addresses an issue to maintain efficiency of Storage Spaces Direct (S2D). When running complex software defined data center (SDDC) related workflows, it’s possible the system might become unresponsive.
          • [Storage optimization] Fixed: An issue that prevented unused language packs and Feature on Demand packages from being fully removed, which led to unnecessary storage use and longer Windows Update installation times.
          • [Windows Search]
            • Fixed: Windows Search responds very slowly—the Search Box can take over 10 seconds to load before you can use it.
            • Fixed: This update enhances the reliability of Windows Search and resolves an issue that prevented users from typing in Windows Search in some cases.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/19/gif-export-in-snipping-tool-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Thu, 19 Jun 2025 17:12:02 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177997 UPDATE 6/26: The following update for Snipping Tool is now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels.

          Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out an update to Snipping Tool to Windows In

          The post GIF export in Snipping Tool begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> UPDATE 6/26: The following update for Snipping Tool is now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out an update to Snipping Tool to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.

          Snipping Tool (version 11.2505.21.0)

          GIF export

          In this update, we are adding GIF export for screen recordings – designed to boost your productivity and turn quick captures into shareable moments. To get started, open Snipping Tool’s screen recorder via Win + Shift + R or launch the app and toggle to screen recording mode. Record a screen recording video. Once the recording preview opens in the Snipping Tool app, click on the “Export GIF” button in the top toolbar. [caption id="attachment_177999" align="alignnone" width="637"] Snipping Tool playback app window toolbar with the cursor hovering over the new “Export GIF” tool.[/caption] You will be prompted to select a preferred GIF quality between low and high quality. Then, you can save your GIF to your files or skip this step and copy it directly to your clipboard! [caption id="attachment_178000" align="alignnone" width="484"] Snipping Tool GIF Export tool with the low GIF quality option selected.[/caption] Please note: GIF export is limited to videos that are 30 seconds or less. If your video is longer than 30 seconds, Snipping Tool will offer to export the first 30 seconds of your video instead. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool. As always, we love getting feedback from the community and we will be looking out for your thoughts and suggestions on these updates! Thanks, Dave Grochocki, Principal Group Product Manager – Windows Inbox Apps]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27881-canary-channel/ Thu, 19 Jun 2025 17:04:59 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177992 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27881 to the Canary Channel. We are releasing ISOs for this build – they can be downloaded here.

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27881 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27881 to the Canary Channel. We are releasing ISOs for this build – they can be downloaded here. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          What’s new with Build 27881

          New profanity filter setting for voice typing

          We’re excited to address the top customer feedback for voice typing by starting to roll out a new setting that lets you control the profanity filter. With this setting on, voice typing will continue to filter out profanity, masking it with asterisks, like it already did. With this setting off, it will type out your profanity like any other words. To adjust this setting, open voice typing (Win + H), select the settings icon, and use the Filter profanity toggle in the settings menu. [caption id="attachment_177830" align="alignnone" width="374"] New filter profanity option in voice typing settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Input and Language > Voice Typing (Windows key plus H).

          Introducing speech recap in Narrator  

          We are always working to make Narrator more intuitive, efficient, and helpful for users who rely on it every day. With that in mind, we are introducing a new feature—speech recap —designed to help you keep track of what Narrator has spoken and access it for quick reference.  With speech recap, you can quickly access spoken content, follow along with live transcription, and copy what Narrator last said—all with simple keyboard shortcuts. [caption id="attachment_177752" align="alignnone" width="3840"] The new speech recap window in Narrator.[/caption] You can open the speech recap window with Narrator key + Alt + X and can find the last 500 strings Narrator had spoken. Note that we refresh the text in this window every time Narrator starts. You can use standard reading commands and arrow keys to read the contents in speech recap window and copy text required for reference. Need to save or share something Narrator just said last? You can copy it instantly without opening the speech recap window. Use Narrator key + Control + X to copy the last spoken phrase to your clipboard. Few scenarios where you can use speech recap and related shortcuts include referring to a hint you heard when opening a new window, copying an error code that was spoken or adding Narrator speech to training materials. [caption id="attachment_177753" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Narrator’s speech recap window snapped to the right corner of screen showing real-time transcriptions.[/caption] Live transcription of Narrator speech is useful for Assistive Technology (AT) trainers, teacher of students with visual impairments (TSVI) who support students in class and for professionals who are hard of hearing and want to use Narrator. To see live transcription of Narrator audio, use the same command Narrator key + Alt + X to open the speech recap window and snap it to the portion of the screen you want to view it. As you do tasks, you can see real-time transcriptions of Narrator speech. These keyboard shortcuts follow a simple patten making it easy to learn:
          • Control + Windows key + Enter = Turn Narrator on/Off
          • Narrator key + X = Re-hear what Narrator said last
          • Narrator key + control + X = Copy what Narrator said last
          • Narrator key + Alt + X = Open Speech recap window for history and live transcriptions
          FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

          Changes and Improvements

          [General]

          • To stay secure and up to date, Insider Preview builds in the Canary Channel are signed with security certificates, which we renew annually. This year, we've made the change early. If you have a PC in the Canary Channel, we encourage you to install the latest build to avoid expiry notifications and to stay secure. Take note the new expiration is now 8/11/2026.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • We have adjusted the needy state pill under apps on the taskbar that need attention to be wider and more visible.
          [caption id="attachment_177946" align="alignnone" width="317"] Wider needy state pill UI showing for Microsoft Teams on the taskbar indicating the app needs attention.[/caption]
          • We are improving Accessibility flyout in quick settings by grouping the assistive technologies by vision, hearing, motor and mobility for easy identification to help you find the right accessibility feature based on your needs. Voice access is now also included in the flyout.
          [caption id="attachment_177995" align="alignnone" width="304"] New grouping by vision, hearing, motor and mobility in the Accessibility flyout in quick settings.[/caption]

          [Search on the Taskbar]

          • Improved support for web search providers in Windows Search for the EEA, including with increased discoverability.

          [Windows Share]

          • In the Windows share window, we are adding the ability to quickly edit and enhance images while sharing. This includes in-line image editing capabilities, such as cropping, rotating, and applying filters, as well as the ability to compress images to reduce file size for easier sharing. This ability works only for local images stored on your PC. Supported image formats: .jpg, .jpeg, .dib, .png, .tif, .tiff, and .bmp.
          [caption id="attachment_177756" align="alignnone" width="500"] New edit button in the Windows share window when sharing local images.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177757" align="alignnone" width="550"] The image editing experience from the Windows share window with a picture of the dog Kilo.[/caption]
          • We are adding the ability to share directly to apps that support sharing in Windows when right-clicking on local files in File Explorer or the desktop.
          [caption id="attachment_177359" align="alignnone" width="370"] Share with apps directly through the context menu in File Explorer or on the desktop.[/caption]

          [Settings]

          • We’re making it easy to find answers to common questions about your PC and Windows 11 with a dedicated FAQs section on the Settings > System > About page, providing quick and helpful insights for using your PC all in one place. Whether you’re curious about system configuration, performance, or compatibility, this experience ensures you get the information you need for the frequently asked questions for those topics. We hope these FAQs will help you make informed decisions about your PC with ease.
          [caption id="attachment_177996" align="alignnone" width="651"] FAQ section highlighted in a red box on the About settings page.[/caption]
          • We’ve updated the dialog when renaming your printer under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners to match the Windows 11 visuals.
          [caption id="attachment_177820" align="alignnone" width="512"] Updated dialog for renaming your printer.[/caption]

          [Input]

          • We’re trying out a small change to the design of the touch visual when dragging your finger on the screen, as part of some underlying work on rendering. The new design looks like animating bubbles. If you have a touch PC, we welcome you to try it out and share feedback under Input and Language > Touch Input and Gestures in the Feedback Hub.

          [Other]

          • When running the pnputil /enum-drivers command, we’re adding a new field that enumerates driver package catalog attributes, indicating the driver type and if the driver is attestation-signed.

          Fixes

          [General]

          • Fixed an issue for Insiders on the previous build causing some of the text in Windows to not be using the correct characters, causing nonsense to display in places like Task Manager and more. This impacted characters outside of A-Z – including Chinese and accented characters in German and Polish.
          • Fixed an issue where booting into safe mode wasn’t working, with a message saying “Something happened and your PIN isn't available” for some people.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where File Explorer would crash when tapping the View button with touch.

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing Start menu to crash on launch for some Insiders in the last few flights.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing keyboard focus to get set to widgets in the taskbar on login, which could make widgets unexpectedly invoke.
          • Fixed an issue which could cause the media controls in the preview windows for apps in the taskbar (that support it) to flicker.
          • Fixed an issue where when using Tab and Shift + Tab to move keyboard focus around the taskbar, if you went backwards at least once you could get keyboard focus stuck on the taskbar frame, leading some screen readers to just say “pane”.
          • Fixed an issue where WIN + CTRL + wasn’t working to cycle between windows of open apps for that position on the taskbar.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where typing Japanese with the touch keyboard might stop working after switching to typing with an English keyboard and back.
          • Fixed an issue where voice typing wouldn’t start from the touch keyboard when using the Chinese (Simplified) narrow layout.
          • Fixed an issue where when using the Symbols section of the touch keyboard, pressing the key to change pages might unexpectedly insert a character into password fields.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue where you couldn't switch active hours from manually to automatic in Windows Update.
          • Adjusted the location of the intensity and color boost sliders under Settings > Accessibility > Color Filters, so the color previews at the top of the page are visible while adjusting the sliders.

          [Voice access]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing voice access crashes when using Spanish.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue where if you clean installed Windows using the installation media, it would unexpectedly generate an empty Windows.old folder when you were done.
          • Made another fix for Insiders unexpectedly seeing an Administrative Templates error message when opening Group Policy Editor.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue where the taskbar is unexpectedly not showing acrylic material after upgrading to the latest Canary builds. This is impacting a few other scenarios, leading to unexpected black or white in some UI.
          • [NEW] The “Reset this PC” option under Settings > System > Recovery will not work after upgrading to Build 27881. You can still use the “Go back” option to roll back to the previous build or download the ISO for Build 27881 here to reinstall Windows.

          [Settings]

          • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue in this build which may cause Settings to crash when opening microphone properties under Settings > System > Sound.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-4441-beta-channel/ Fri, 13 Jun 2025 17:04:50 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177974 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4441 (KB5060816) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4441 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4441 (KB5060816) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          New Recall export experience for Windows Insiders in the EEA

          Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area will now have the option to export their Recall snapshots to be shared with third-party apps and websites. When you open Recall for the first time and opt into saving snapshots, you will be shown your unique Recall export code. The Recall export code will be needed if you ever choose to export your Recall snapshots to share with a trusted app or website in the future. Recall and its export experience are protected by a robust set of security and privacy features outlined here. All exported snapshots are encrypted, require Windows Hello authentication to export, and can only be decrypted with your export code. Following industry best practices, we only show the export code once during initial set up to ensure that you and only you have control over exporting your data. Microsoft does not have access to your export code and cannot help you recover it if it is lost. [caption id="attachment_177977" align="alignnone" width="403"] Recall export code screen.[/caption] If you lose your export code or if you suspect someone has unauthorized access to your export code, you should reset Recall. Resetting Recall will delete all your snapshots and reset all your settings for Recall. After you reset, a new code will be generated when you turn on saving snapshots again. After setup, you can start an export from Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots > Advanced Settings at any time. You will need to authenticate with Windows Hello to start an export. There are there are two options for exporting:
          • Export past snapshots: A single export of all your Recall snapshots from the last 7 days, last 30 days, or all your snapshots.
          • Export snapshots from now on: Starts a continuous export of your snapshots from the time you turn on this setting until you turn it off or reset Recall.
          For more information about how to export snapshots from Recall, see Export Recall snapshots. [caption id="attachment_177978" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Advanced settings page for Recall with option to export.[/caption] Exported snapshots will be encrypted. If you wish to share those snapshots with a  third-party app or website, you will need to provide your Recall export code and exported snapshots folder path so that the third-party app or website can access the information. Developer documentation will be coming at a later date. For managed devices, IT admins can configure Recall export using the AllowRecallExport policy or corresponding Group Policy setting. This policy allows organizations to choose if they want to allow users to export their Recall snapshots. For managed devices, exporting is disabled by default. Export of Recall and snapshot information is a user-initiated process and is per user. IT admins or other users can't initiate an export on behalf of end users. Please note that all Windows Insiders in the EEA who already have Recall setup and running on their Copilot+ PCs will see their Recall data reset after installing this build. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Recall or through in-experience links.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Bringing back the bigger clock with seconds option in notification center

          We’re excited to announce that we’re starting to roll out a highly requested feature from Windows 10, the option to show a bigger clock with seconds above the date and calendar in notification center. [caption id="attachment_177979" align="alignnone" width="501"] Clock showing in notification center with the calendar both collapsed and expanded.[/caption] To turn this option on, go to Settings > Time & language > Date & time and flip the switch for Show time in the Notification Center. [caption id="attachment_177980" align="alignnone" width="640"] The toggle to turn on showing the clock in notification center in Settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Clock and Calendar Flyout.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Recall (Preview)]

          The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Recall on Copilot+ PCs:
          • We are adding the ability to reset Recall and all its data. You will now see an advanced settings page under Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots. Under this new advanced settings page, we have included a reset button that will delete all your snapshots and reset your settings for Recall.
          [caption id="attachment_177981" align="alignnone" width="589"] Advanced settings page for Recall with new reset option.[/caption]
          • On new Copilot+ PCs, the default value for maximum storage duration for Recall snapshots has changed from unlimited to 90 days. The user can update this at any time in settings.
          • We are now providing teaching tips for Recall features. These tips provide more information and guide you through the Recall experience.
          [caption id="attachment_177982" align="alignnone" width="1280"] A teaching tip in Recall highlighting how to search for content.[/caption]

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs: We are beginning to roll out two new actions in Click to Do!
          • Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot: Windows Insiders with a Copilot+ PC using Click to Do can now use a new action, Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot, to send text or images to Microsoft 365 Copilot and have it address your queries. The Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot action will require a Microsoft 365 license and respect your organization’s privacy policies.
          [caption id="attachment_177984" align="alignnone" width="1356"] Click to Do with context menu open showing new Ask Microsoft 365 action.[/caption]
          • Send a message with Teams or Schedule a meeting with Teams: Click to Do is adding a new capability that enables you to take actions from an email address. These new actions make light work of connecting with a coworker or friend through Microsoft Teams. Have a question that you need an answer to? With just a couple clicks, you can easily send a Teams message. If you need to really talk something out, you can find time with your contacts and schedule a meeting. These new skills are provided when selecting any email address recognized by Click to Do on your screen, where you can then choose the “Schedule a meeting with Teams” or “Send a message with Teams” action and stay in the flow. Microsoft Teams version 25153.1002.3699.5695 and higher is required.
          [caption id="attachment_177985" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Click to Do showing “Schedule a meeting with Teams” or “Send a message with Teams” actions on a PDF document in Microsoft Edge.[/caption]

          [File Explorer]

          • We have added dividers to the top-level icons that show at the top (or bottom) of the File Explorer context menu.
          [caption id="attachment_177986" align="alignnone" width="419"] Dividers between top-level icons in the File Explorer context menu.[/caption]

          [Voice access]

          • We are re-introducing Chinese support for voice access and adding Japanese support. You can now use Voice access to navigate, dictate, and interact with Windows using voice commands in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Japanese. Japanese support is still a work-in-progress and may have some issues.

          [Windows Share]

          • When you share a OneDrive cloud file by right-clicking to share on the file – new options for sharing that link through other apps will be provided under “Share using” when the “Copy link” button is clicked. This experience is rolling out to Windows Insiders signed in with their Microsoft accounts not in the EEA.
          [caption id="attachment_177987" align="alignnone" width="265"] Ability to share OneDrive cloud file links via other apps via the Windows share window.[/caption]

          [Settings]

          • The search box in Settings will now be located at the top center to deliver a more consistent and better search experience. The improved search experience and agent integration are available only on Copilot+ PCs.
          • We’ve updated the Windows activation and expiration dialogs match the Windows 11 visuals. These dialogs now appear as notification toasts in Windows, prompting you to take action if action is required. We have also made improvements to the messaging under Settings > System > Activation as well.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Recall (Preview)]

          The following fixes are rolling out for Recall on Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed an issue causing Recall to crash for some Insiders in the last couple flights.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue when opening folders starting from outside of File Explorer, where File Explorer would open it in a new tab, but the tab wasn’t put in focus.
          • Fixed a memory leak impacting some people when navigating through File Explorer folders, impacting performance and reliability over time.
          • We've done some more work to improve the performance of extracting archive files - this will particularly help in the case of copy pasting large numbers of files out of large 7z or .rar archives.

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue for Insiders with the new Start menu, where it was displaying in the wrong direction when using an Arabic or Hebrew display language.
          • Fixed an issue for Insiders with the updated Start menu, where the Move to front / Move right / Move left options from the context menu for pinned apps weren’t working.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing some Insiders to see the Settings navigation pane entries in English rather than their preferred language in the last couple flights.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing fonts in certain app menu items to unexpectedly appear corrupted or overlapped for some people. This also impacted typing in Word – where when using Hebrew a period may unexpectedly show as a 3, and in Thai typing space may show a 2.
          • Fixed an issue where running a script on a remote SMB share might take an unexpectedly long time if the share was an older Windows Server version like Windows Server 2019.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE] When joining the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26120.4250 first. After installing Build 26120.4250, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest flight in the Beta Channel is just temporary.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • The option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build.
          • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix.
          • [ADDED] This week's flight comes with a delightful blast from the past and will play the Windows Vista boot sound instead of the Windows 11 boot sound. We're working on a fix.
          • [ADDED 6/17] We're investigating an issue causing some Insiders using the Italian display language to experience repeated explorer.exe crashes, causing the taskbar to reload. If you are impacted by this, then opening a Command Prompt window as admin, and running the following command should hopefully resolve it for you:

            • reg add HKCU/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/Advanced /v ShowClockInNotificationCenterToastSent /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new Start menu:
          • Using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.
          • Drag and drop capabilities are limited from “All” to “Pinned.”
          • In some cases, duplicate entries may appear in folders on the Start menu.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Recall (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on managed PCs in the EEA (signed in with Entra ID) and trying Recall out in their organization may see a broken experience with exporting their Recall snapshots.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [File Explorer]

          The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate.

          [Widgets]

          • Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5651-dev-channel/ Fri, 13 Jun 2025 17:04:46 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177988 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5651 (KB5060818) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5651 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5651 (KB5060818) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          Introducing the new agent in Settings

          We recently announced a change to Settings designed to help solve one of the most common frustrations we heard: finding and changing settings on your PC. With this update to Settings, you will be able to simply describe what you need help with like, “how to control my PC by voice” or “my mouse pointer is too small” and the agent will recommend the right steps you can take to address the issue. An agent uses AI on your PC to understand your intent and with your permission, automate and execute tasks on your behalf. This experience is rolling out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs with support for AMD- and Intel™-powered PCs coming soon. Please note that this experience works if your primary display language is set to English. [caption id="attachment_177859" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Agent powered search results for my mouse pointer is too small in Settings.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Settings > All other settings.

          New Recall export experience for Windows Insiders in the EEA

          Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area will now have the option to export their Recall snapshots to be shared with third-party apps and websites. When you open Recall for the first time and opt into saving snapshots, you will be shown your unique Recall export code. The Recall export code will be needed if you ever choose to export your Recall snapshots to share with a trusted app or website in the future. Recall and its export experience are protected by a robust set of security and privacy features outlined here. All exported snapshots are encrypted, require Windows Hello authentication to export, and can only be decrypted with your export code. Following industry best practices, we only show the export code once during initial set up to ensure that you and only you have control over exporting your data. Microsoft does not have access to your export code and cannot help you recover it if it is lost. [caption id="attachment_177977" align="alignnone" width="403"] Recall export code screen.[/caption] If you lose your export code or if you suspect someone has unauthorized access to your export code, you should reset Recall. Resetting Recall will delete all your snapshots and reset all your settings for Recall. After you reset, a new code will be generated when you turn on saving snapshots again. After setup, you can start an export from Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots > Advanced Settings at any time. You will need to authenticate with Windows Hello to start an export. There are there are two options for exporting:
          • Export past snapshots: A single export of all your Recall snapshots from the last 7 days, last 30 days, or all your snapshots.
          • Export snapshots from now on: Starts a continuous export of your snapshots from the time you turn on this setting until you turn it off or reset Recall.
          For more information about how to export snapshots from Recall, see Export Recall snapshots. [caption id="attachment_177978" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Advanced settings page for Recall with option to export.[/caption] Exported snapshots will be encrypted. If you wish to share those snapshots with a third-party app or website, you will need to provide your Recall export code and exported snapshots folder path so that the third-party app or website can access the information. Developer documentation will be coming at a later date. For managed devices, IT admins can configure Recall export using the AllowRecallExport policy or corresponding Group Policy setting. This policy allows organizations to choose if they want to allow users to export their Recall snapshots. For managed devices, exporting is disabled by default. Export of Recall and snapshot information is a user-initiated process and is per user. IT admins or other users can't initiate an export on behalf of end users. Please note that all Windows Insiders in the EEA who already have Recall setup and running on their Copilot+ PCs will see their Recall data reset after installing this build. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Recall or through in-experience links.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Bringing back the bigger clock with seconds option in notification center

          We’re excited to announce that we’re starting to roll out a highly requested feature from Windows 10, the option to show a bigger clock with seconds above the date and calendar in notification center. [caption id="attachment_177979" align="alignnone" width="501"] Clock showing in notification center with the calendar both collapsed and expanded.[/caption] To turn this option on, go to Settings > Time & language > Date & time and flip the switch for Show time in the Notification Center. [caption id="attachment_177980" align="alignnone" width="640"] The toggle to turn on showing the clock in notification center in Settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Clock and Calendar Flyout.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Recall (Preview)]

          The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Recall on Copilot+ PCs:
          • We are adding the ability to reset Recall and all its data. You will now see an advanced settings page under Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots. Under this new advanced settings page, we have included a reset button that will delete all your snapshots and reset your settings for Recall.
          [caption id="attachment_177981" align="alignnone" width="589"] Advanced settings page for Recall with new reset option.[/caption]
          • On new Copilot+ PCs, the default value for maximum storage duration for Recall snapshots has changed from unlimited to 90 days. The user can update this at any time in settings.
          • We are now providing teaching tips for Recall features. These tips provide more information and guide you through the Recall experience.
          [caption id="attachment_177982" align="alignnone" width="1280"] A teaching tip in Recall highlighting how to search for content.[/caption]

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs: We are beginning to roll out two new actions in Click to Do!
          • Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot: Windows Insiders with a Copilot+ PC using Click to Do can now use a new action, Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot, to send text or images to Microsoft 365 Copilot and have it address your queries. The Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot action will require a Microsoft 365 license and respect your organization’s privacy policies.
          [caption id="attachment_177984" align="alignnone" width="1356"] Click to Do with context menu open showing new Ask Microsoft 365 action.[/caption]
          • Send a message with Teams or Schedule a meeting with Teams: Click to Do is adding a new capability that enables you to take actions from an email address. These new actions make light work of connecting with a coworker or friend through Microsoft Teams. Have a question that you need an answer to? With just a couple clicks, you can easily send a Teams message. If you need to really talk something out, you can find time with your contacts and schedule a meeting. These new skills are provided when selecting any email address recognized by Click to Do on your screen, where you can then choose the “Schedule a meeting with Teams” or “Send a message with Teams” action and stay in the flow. Microsoft Teams version 25153.1002.3699.5695 and higher is required.
          [caption id="attachment_177985" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Click to Do showing “Schedule a meeting with Teams” or “Send a message with Teams” actions on a PDF document in Microsoft Edge.[/caption]

          [File Explorer]

          • We have added dividers to the top-level icons that show at the top (or bottom) of the File Explorer context menu.
          [caption id="attachment_177986" align="alignnone" width="419"] Dividers between top-level icons in the File Explorer context menu.[/caption]

          [Voice access]

          • We are re-introducing Chinese support for voice access and adding Japanese support. You can now use Voice access to navigate, dictate, and interact with Windows using voice commands in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Japanese. Japanese support is still a work-in-progress and may have some issues.

          [Windows Share]

          • When you share a OneDrive cloud file by right-clicking to share on the file – new options for sharing that link through other apps will be provided under “Share using” when the “Copy link” button is clicked. This experience is rolling out to Windows Insiders signed in with their Microsoft accounts not in the EEA.
          [caption id="attachment_177987" align="alignnone" width="265"] Ability to share OneDrive cloud file links via other apps via the Windows share window.[/caption]

          [Settings]

          • The search box in Settings will now be located at the top center to deliver a more consistent and better search experience. The improved search experience and agent integration noted above in this blog post are available only on Copilot+ PCs.
          • We’ve updated the Windows activation and expiration dialogs match the Windows 11 visuals. These dialogs now appear as notification toasts in Windows, prompting you to take action if action is required. We have also made improvements to the messaging under Settings > System > Activation as well.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Recall (Preview)]

          The following fixes are rolling out for Recall on Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed an issue causing Recall to crash for some Insiders in the last couple flights.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue when opening folders starting from outside of File Explorer, where File Explorer would open it in a new tab, but the tab wasn’t put in focus.
          • Fixed a memory leak impacting some people when navigating through File Explorer folders, impacting performance and reliability over time.
          • We've done some more work to improve the performance of extracting archive files - this will particularly help in the case of copy pasting large numbers of files out of large 7z or .rar archives.

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue for Insiders with the new Start menu, where it was displaying in the wrong direction when using an Arabic or Hebrew display language.
          • Fixed an issue for Insiders with the updated Start menu, where the Move to front / Move right / Move left options from the context menu for pinned apps weren’t working.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing some Insiders to see the Settings navigation pane entries in English rather than their preferred language in the last couple flights.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing fonts in certain app menu items to unexpectedly appear corrupted or overlapped for some people. This also impacted typing in Word – where when using Hebrew a period may unexpectedly show as a 3, and in Thai typing space may show a 2.
          • Fixed an issue where running a script on a remote SMB share might take an unexpectedly long time if the share was an older Windows Server version like Windows Server 2019.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE] When joining the Dev Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26200.5641 first. After installing Build 26200.5641, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest flight in the Dev Channel is just temporary.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • The option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build.
          • We’re investigating an issue causing a small number of Insiders to experience repeated bugchecks with KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE after upgrading to most current Dev Channel builds.
          • Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix.
          • [ADDED] This week's flight comes with a delightful blast from the past and will play the Windows Vista boot sound instead of the Windows 11 boot sound. We're working on a fix.
          • [ADDED 6/17] We're investigating an issue causing some Insiders using the Italian display language to experience repeated explorer.exe crashes, causing the taskbar to reload. If you are impacted by this, then opening a Command Prompt window as admin, and running the following command should hopefully resolve it for you:

            • reg add HKCU/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/Advanced /v ShowClockInNotificationCenterToastSent /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new Start menu:
          • Using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.
          • Drag and drop capabilities are limited from “All” to “Pinned.”
          • In some cases, duplicate entries may appear in folders on the Start menu.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Recall (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on managed PCs in the EEA (signed in with Entra ID) and trying Recall out in their organization may see a broken experience with exporting their Recall snapshots.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [File Explorer]

          The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate.

          [Widgets]

          • Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/12/releasing-windows-11-build-22631-5545-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:14:22 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177972 [UPDATE 6/19] We are releasing Build 22631.5548 (KB5060826) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with some of the new features and improvements gradually rolling out with this release.

          Hello Wi

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5545 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> [UPDATE 6/19] We are releasing Build 22631.5548 (KB5060826) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with some of the new features and improvements gradually rolling out with this release. Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5545 (KB5060826) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).   Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented. Please note that features and improvements that gradually roll out may not begin rolling out right away nor will they immediately show up right away. 
          • App defaults] New! We are rolling out some small changes in the EEA region for default browsers via the Set default button in Settings > Apps > Default apps:
            • Additional file and link types will be set for the new default browser, if it registers them.
            • The new default browser will be pinned to the Taskbar and Start menu unless you choose not to pin it by clearing the checkboxes.
            • There is now a separate one-click button for browsers to change your .pdf default, if the browser registers for the .pdf file type.
          • [Windows Share] New! When you share links or web content using the Windows share window, you will see a visual preview for that content.
          • [ADDED 6/19] [PC Migration] We’re beginning the rollout of a new PC-to-PC migration experience in Windows. You’ll start to see the landing and the pairing page in the Windows Backup app, giving you a first look at what’s coming. In the full experience, you will be able to transfer your files and settings from your old PC to the new one during the PC setup process. Support during the PC setup will be available in a future update. We are releasing in phases for a smooth experience and will provide more details soon.
          • [ADDED 6/18] [Windows Setup] New! Admins can configure whether a new device gets critical updates during the out-of-box experience (OOBE).

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [Audit] Fixed: An issue with auditing privilege use created too many security event logs. These logs filled up the system drive and prevented users from signing in.
          • [Authentication] Fixed: This update fixes an issue where domain-joined machines running Windows 11 22H2 or 23H2 couldn’t update their account passwords on Windows Server 2025 domain controllers, which led to trust relationship issues.
          • Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)] Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
          • [Display Kernel] Fixed: An issue that prevented Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connections until you restarted your device.
          • [Network file sharing] Fixed: This update fixes an issue where workstations and servers might stop responding when connecting to resources located on Server Message Block (SMB) shares.
          • [Performance] Fixed: This update addresses an issue that prevented the complete removal of unused language packs and Feature on Demand packages, which previously led to unnecessary storage use and longer Windows Update installation times.
          • [Shell] Fixed: This update resolves an issue where kiosk devices might stop responding after being locked and unlocked by an administrator.
          • Windows Hello] Fixed: This update fixes an issue that prevented the automatic renewal of expiring certificates in Windows Hello for Business.
          • [Windows Search] Fixed: Windows Search responds very slowly—the Search Box can take over 10 seconds to load before you can use it.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/12/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-6029-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:14:17 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177970 [UPDATE 6/19] We are releasing Build 19045.6033 (KB5061087) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with some of the improvements gradually rolling out with this release.

          Hello Windows Insiders, t

          The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.6029 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> [UPDATE 6/19] We are releasing Build 19045.6033 (KB5061087) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with some of the improvements gradually rolling out with this release. Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.6029 (KB5061087) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. This update includes the following features and improvements (items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented):
          • [Mobile Operator Profiles] Updated: Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles.
          • [App Platforms and Frameworks]
            • Fixed: An issue affecting Component Object Model (COM) functionality on Windows platforms, where remote COM activations were failing with error 0x8001011.
            • Upgraded the version of the curl tool included in Windows to v8.13.0.
          • App defaults] New! We are rolling out some small changes in the EEA region for default browsers via the Set default button in Settings > Apps > Default apps:
            • Additional file and link types will be set for the new default browser, if it registers them.
            • The new default browser will be pinned to the Taskbar and Start menu unless you choose not to pin it by clearing the checkboxes.
            • There is now a separate one-click button for browsers to change your .pdf default, if the browser registers for the .pdf file type.
          • [Authentication Platform] Fixed: An issue affecting the device registration in Entra ID Windows Account Manager (WAM) plugin.
          • [Input and Composition] Fixed: An issue affecting the complete removal of unused language packs and Feature on Demand (FOD) packages. This led to unnecessary storage use and increase in Windows Update installation time.
          • [Print and Peripherals] Fixed: An issue affecting USB-connected Multi-Function printers with dual protocol interfaces, where scanning may fail and prevent use of the OS's built-in scanning functionality.
          • [Start Menu]
            • Fixed: An issue causing jump lists to disappear from the Start Menu.
            • Fixed: An issue where the Start Menu was not starting after installing an update.
          • [Settings] Fixed: Settings > System > About unexpectedly shows version 2009 instead of version 22H2.
          • [Servicing] Fixed: An issue where Kiosk devices using the ForceAutoLogon configuration and Shift Override might stop responding with a blue screen after being locked and unlocked by support administrators.
          • [File Server] Fixed: An issue where the system may hang when acknowledging an Oplock break on resources located on SMB shares.
          • [ADDED 6/19] [PC Migration] We’re beginning the rollout of a new PC-to-PC migration experience in Windows. You’ll start to see the landing and the pairing page in the Windows Backup app, giving you a first look at what’s coming. In the full experience, you will be able to transfer your files and settings from your old PC to the new one during the PC setup process. Support during the PC setup will be available in a future update. We are releasing in phases for a smooth experience and will provide more details soon.
          Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5641-dev-channel/ Mon, 09 Jun 2025 21:05:35 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177965 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5641 (KB5060824) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5641 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5641 (KB5060824) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Introducing the new Start menu for Windows 11

          [caption id="attachment_177956" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Updated Start menu shows pinned apps on the top, recommended apps and files in the middle, and installed apps which are grouped by a new category UI on the bottom.[/caption] Easily launch all your apps with scrollable Start menu We’re making it easier for you to launch your apps with our updated, scrollable Start menu. With "All” now on the top-level, apps are easily accessible without having to navigate to a secondary page. In addition, we're introducing two new views to browse and launch your installed apps in the “All” section: category and grid view. The new default Category view automatically groups your apps by category for quick access to your most used categories and apps. So, if your most used apps are Outlook and Solitaire, you can expect those apps to bubble up to the top in their respective categories. Categories are formed when there are at least 3 apps in each respective category. Otherwise, they will remain in the “Other” category. Grid view is ordered alphabetically like List view but allows for better scanning of all your installed apps with more horizontal real estate. With new view options to choose from in the “All” section, we’ll remember your last used view so you can reliably launch your apps with the view you prefer most. [caption id="attachment_177957" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Updated Start menu introduces 2 new ways to view installed apps: by category and grid views.[/caption] Experience a larger Start menu with responsive sections We're making better use of your screen real estate by adapting the size of the Start menu based on your screen size. Have a larger-screen device? You can expect to see a larger Start menu, by default, so you can see more of your apps and files. On larger devices, users can expect to see 8 columns of pinned apps, 6 recommendations, and 4 columns of categories in the Start menu. On smaller devices, you’ll see 6 columns of pinned apps, 4 recommendations, and 3 columns of categories. [caption id="attachment_177959" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Updated Start menu only shows pinned and installed apps to illustrate that sections within Start are now responsive and can collapse such as the Recommended section.[/caption] Sections within Start are also responsive so you can see more or less of your Pinned and Recommended sections. Have only a few pins? The Pinned section will shrink down to a single row and other sections will slide up. If you prefer to always have your pins expanded by default, you can do so via Settings. If you’d prefer to not see recommendations, then turn off the following toggles in Settings > Personalization > Start: “Show recently added apps,” “Show recommended files in Start...,” “Show websites from your browsing history,” and “Show recommendations for tips...” If there aren’t any recommendations available, the section will collapse so you can see more of your installed apps. [caption id="attachment_177960" align="alignnone" width="702"] Toggles in Settings app to turn on/off features in Start.[/caption] Seamless cross-device integration with Phone Link Lastly, we’ve updated Start to continue allowing you to take advantage of powerful cross-device features. Now, you can easily expand and collapse mobile device content using the new mobile device button next to the Search box. This cross-device integration is generally available for connected Android and iOS devices in most markets and will be coming later in 2025 to the European Economic Area. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Start menu.

          Choose what Lock screen widgets appear

          After rolling this experience out to Windows Insiders in the EEA, we are now beginning to roll out more widget options on the lock screen as well as support for lock screen widget personalization (previously referred to as “Weather and more”) with Insiders in all regions. You can add, remove, and rearrange lock screen widgets such as Weather, Watchlist, Sports, Traffic, and more. Any widget that supports the small sizing option can be added here. To customize your lock screen widgets, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. [caption id="attachment_177912" align="alignnone" width="709"] Customization settings for lock screen widgets shown in Settings and highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Lock screen.

          Screen Curtain in Narrator

          The Screen Curtain feature in Narrator is designed to enhance privacy and focus for users who rely on screen reading. When activated, Screen Curtain completely blacks out the display, ensuring that only the user hears what’s on the screen through Narrator, while the visual content remains hidden from view. This is especially useful in public spaces or shared environments, allowing users to read and work with sensitive information without revealing it to others nearby. How to enable/disable Screen Curtain:
          1. Turn On Narrator using Ctrl + Win + Enter.
          2. Press Caps + Ctrl + C to enable Screen Curtain.
          3. Try using Narrator, while your Screen Curtain is turned on.
          4. Press Caps + Ctrl + C to disable Screen Curtain.
          FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Windows Search]

          • Today, we rationalize and organize Windows Search settings under Settings > Privacy & security under a “Search permissions” settings page and a “Searching Windows” settings page. We are beginning to roll out a change that brings those two settings pages together so you can easily access to all the Windows Search settings under a single settings page via Settings > Privacy & security > Search. The page is refreshed with a new modern visual for you to clearly browse the settings and control your experiences inside Windows Search, with the items listed in a better order.
          [caption id="attachment_177961" align="alignnone" width="722"] The updated single settings page for Windows Search.[/caption]

          [Narrator]

          • We’re introducing a smoother way to discover and learn about Narrator capabilities right from experience. Whether you're a new user or exploring deeper functionality, Narrator will now guide you through its new features by launching a series of modal windows which contain the details of all the new features and changes in Narrator.
          [caption id="attachment_177962" align="alignnone" width="587"] New prompt to highlight new features and improvements in Narrator.[/caption]

          [Input]

          • The Gamepad layout of the Windows touch keyboard has been updated with enhanced controller navigation and improved focus handling for child keys, flyout menus, word suggestions, language switching, settings, and more.
          [caption id="attachment_177963" align="alignnone" width="745"] Improvements to the Gamepad layout of the Windows touch keyboard.[/caption]
          • We have designed a new Gamepad keyboard, optimized for gaming, to support PIN sign-in on the Windows lock screen. It features controller shortcuts for quick PIN entry, along with full controller navigation for users who prefer not to use shortcuts.
          [caption id="attachment_177964" align="alignnone" width="745"] The new Gamepad keyboard with support for PIN sign-in on the Windows lock screen.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • This build should fix an underlying issue in the previous flight which was causing input to not work for some Insiders, including when typing into Search, and with the Chinese pinyin IME candidate window, clipboard history, and the emoji panel.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          The following fixes are rolling out for Recall on Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed an issue causing Recall to crash for some Insiders in the last couple flights.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where in some cases taskbar icons might appear small even though the setting to show smaller taskbar buttons was configured as “never”.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where restoring a File Explorer search result from Recall would open File Explorer but not show your search string.

          [Windowing]

          • Fixed an issue where ALT + Tabbing out of a full screen game could lead to other windows freezing (like Windows Terminal).

          [Login and lock]

          • Fixed an issue causing the lock screen to crash for some Insiders in the previous flight.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue causing some displays to be unexpectedly green after the latest flights.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to the Settings window hanging and no longer responding to input or resizing unless you closed and reopened it.
          • Fixed an issue in System > Display, where if UAC was set to Always Notify and you tried to click the button to do color calibration for your display and cancelled, it would crash Settings.
          • Fixed an issue in System > Display, where a chevron might display for Brightness even if there were no additional settings to display.
          • Fixed an issue where if you changed to a custom mouse cursor in Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch, it could make Settings crash.

          Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

          [General]

          • We fixed the issue where you might see severe discoloration when connecting your PC to some older Dolby Vision displays.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • The option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build.
          • We’re investigating an issue causing a small number of Insiders to experience repeated bugchecks with KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE after upgrading to most current Dev Channel builds.
          • [NEW] Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for the next flight.

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new Start menu:
          • [NEW] Using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.
          • [NEW] Drag and drop capabilities are limited from “All” to “Pinned.”
          • [NEW] In some cases, duplicate entries may appear in folders on the Start menu.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [File Explorer]

          The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate.

          [Widgets]

          • Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-4250-beta-channel/ Mon, 09 Jun 2025 21:05:30 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177954 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4250 (KB5060820) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4250 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4250 (KB5060820) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Introducing the new Start menu for Windows 11

          [caption id="attachment_177956" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Updated Start menu shows pinned apps on the top, recommended apps and files in the middle, and installed apps which are grouped by a new category UI on the bottom.[/caption] Easily launch all your apps with scrollable Start menu We’re making it easier for you to launch your apps with our updated, scrollable Start menu. With "All” now on the top-level, apps are easily accessible without having to navigate to a secondary page. In addition, we're introducing two new views to browse and launch your installed apps in the “All” section: category and grid view. The new default Category view automatically groups your apps by category for quick access to your most used categories and apps. So, if your most used apps are Outlook and Solitaire, you can expect those apps to bubble up to the top in their respective categories. Categories are formed when there are at least 3 apps in each respective category. Otherwise, they will remain in the “Other” category. Grid view is ordered alphabetically like List view but allows for better scanning of all your installed apps with more horizontal real estate. With new view options to choose from in the “All” section, we’ll remember your last used view so you can reliably launch your apps with the view you prefer most. [caption id="attachment_177957" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Updated Start menu introduces 2 new ways to view installed apps: by category and grid views.[/caption] Experience a larger Start menu with responsive sections We're making better use of your screen real estate by adapting the size of the Start menu based on your screen size. Have a larger-screen device? You can expect to see a larger Start menu, by default, so you can see more of your apps and files. On larger devices, users can expect to see 8 columns of pinned apps, 6 recommendations, and 4 columns of categories in the Start menu. On smaller devices, you’ll see 6 columns of pinned apps, 4 recommendations, and 3 columns of categories. [caption id="attachment_177959" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Updated Start menu only shows pinned and installed apps to illustrate that sections within Start are now responsive and can collapse such as the Recommended section.[/caption] Sections within Start are also responsive so you can see more or less of your Pinned and Recommended sections. Have only a few pins? The Pinned section will shrink down to a single row and other sections will slide up. If you prefer to always have your pins expanded by default, you can do so via Settings. If you’d prefer to not see recommendations, then turn off the following toggles in Settings > Personalization > Start: “Show recently added apps,” “Show recommended files in Start...,” “Show websites from your browsing history,” and “Show recommendations for tips...” If there aren’t any recommendations available, the section will collapse so you can see more of your installed apps. [caption id="attachment_177960" align="alignnone" width="702"] Toggles in Settings app to turn on/off features in Start.[/caption] Seamless cross-device integration with Phone Link Lastly, we’ve updated Start to continue allowing you to take advantage of powerful cross-device features. Now, you can easily expand and collapse mobile device content using the new mobile device button next to the Search box. This cross-device integration is generally available for connected Android and iOS devices in most markets and will be coming later in 2025 to the European Economic Area. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Start menu.

          Screen Curtain in Narrator

          The Screen Curtain feature in Narrator is designed to enhance privacy and focus for users who rely on screen reading. When activated, Screen Curtain completely blacks out the display, ensuring that only the user hears what’s on the screen through Narrator, while the visual content remains hidden from view. This is especially useful in public spaces or shared environments, allowing users to read and work with sensitive information without revealing it to others nearby. How to enable/disable Screen Curtain:
          1. Turn On Narrator using Ctrl + Win + Enter.
          2. Press Caps + Ctrl + C to enable Screen Curtain.
          3. Try using Narrator, while your Screen Curtain is turned on.
          4. Press Caps + Ctrl + C to disable Screen Curtain.
          FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Lock screen]

          • The more widget options on the lock screen and support for lock screen widget personalization that began rolling out to all Windows Insiders in Beta Channel flight with Build 26120.4161 is now rolling out again after being temporarily disabled in the last Beta Channel flight.
          [caption id="attachment_177912" align="alignnone" width="709"] Customization settings for lock screen widgets shown in Settings and highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

          [Windows Search]

          • Today, we rationalize and organize Windows Search settings under Settings > Privacy & security under a “Search permissions” settings page and a “Searching Windows” settings page. We are beginning to roll out a change that brings those two settings pages together so you can easily access to all the Windows Search settings under a single settings page via Settings > Privacy & security > Search. The page is refreshed with a new modern visual for you to clearly browse the settings and control your experiences inside Windows Search, with the items listed in a better order.
          [caption id="attachment_177961" align="alignnone" width="722"] The updated single settings page for Windows Search.[/caption]

          [Narrator]

          • We’re introducing a smoother way to discover and learn about Narrator capabilities right from experience. Whether you're a new user or exploring deeper functionality, Narrator will now guide you through its new features by launching a series of modal windows which contain the details of all the new features and changes in Narrator.
          [caption id="attachment_177962" align="alignnone" width="587"] New prompt to highlight new features and improvements in Narrator.[/caption]

          [Input]

          • The Gamepad layout of the Windows touch keyboard has been updated with enhanced controller navigation and improved focus handling for child keys, flyout menus, word suggestions, language switching, settings, and more.
          [caption id="attachment_177963" align="alignnone" width="745"] Improvements to the Gamepad layout of the Windows touch keyboard.[/caption]
          • We have designed a new Gamepad keyboard, optimized for gaming, to support PIN sign-in on the Windows lock screen. It features controller shortcuts for quick PIN entry, along with full controller navigation for users who prefer not to use shortcuts.
          [caption id="attachment_177964" align="alignnone" width="745"] The new Gamepad keyboard with support for PIN sign-in on the Windows lock screen.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • This build should fix an underlying issue in the previous flight which was causing input to not work for some Insiders, including when typing into Search, and with the Chinese pinyin IME candidate window, clipboard history, and the emoji panel.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          The following fixes are rolling out for Recall on Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed an issue causing Recall to crash for some Insiders in the last couple flights.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where in some cases taskbar icons might appear small even though the setting to show smaller taskbar buttons was configured as “never”.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where restoring a File Explorer search result from Recall would open File Explorer but not show your search string.

          [Windowing]

          • Fixed an issue where ALT + Tabbing out of a full screen game could lead to other windows freezing (like Windows Terminal).

          [Login and lock]

          • Fixed an issue causing the lock screen to crash for some Insiders in the previous flight.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue causing some displays to be unexpectedly green after the latest flights.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to the Settings window hanging and no longer responding to input or resizing unless you closed and reopened it.
          • Fixed an issue in System > Display, where if UAC was set to Always Notify and you tried to click the button to do color calibration for your display and cancelled, it would crash Settings.
          • Fixed an issue in System > Display, where a chevron might display for Brightness even if there were no additional settings to display.
          • Fixed an issue where if you changed to a custom mouse cursor in Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch, it could make Settings crash.

          Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

          [Graphics]

          • We fixed the issue where you might see severe discoloration when connecting your PC to some older Dolby Vision displays.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • The option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build.
          • [NEW] Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for the next flight.

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new Start menu:
          • [NEW] Using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.
          • [NEW] Drag and drop capabilities are limited from “All” to “Pinned.”
          • [NEW] In some cases, duplicate entries may appear in folders on the Start menu.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [File Explorer]

          The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate.

          [Widgets]

          • Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/06/ai-powered-relight-and-search-now-available-in-microsoft-photos/ Fri, 06 Jun 2025 18:53:16 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177948 Hello Windows Insiders,

          We’re excited to announce an update to the Microsoft Photos app, now rolling out on Windows 11 across all Insider channels. This release brings powerful new features on Copilot+ PCs, designed to help you enhance, rediscover

          The post AI-powered Relight and Search now available in Microsoft Photos appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Relight The new Relight feature lets you take control of lighting like never before. You can position up to three light sources, set the light color, and set the focus point where all lights automatically point. Brightness and intensity controls provide additional fine-tuning to achieve the desired effect. For quicker edits, built-in presets offer ready-made lighting styles that can be applied with a single click. Relight simplifies complex lighting adjustments into a visual, intuitive experience for correcting poor lighting or applying creative effects. NOTE: Relight will be available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with AMD and Intel® powered Copilot+ PCs coming in the next few months.   [caption id="attachment_177950" align="alignnone" width="2968"] Adjust lighting sources, target, color, and intensity with Relight in Photos.[/caption]

          Improved photo search with natural language

          Finding the right photo is getting easier as we’re enabling the improved, semantically-based Windows search in the Photos app. You can now quickly find the photos you’re looking for, using your own words, simply by entering descriptions like “sunset at the beach” or “family outdoor fun” —and Photos will surface the most relevant results. You no longer need to remember the exact file names or try to find what you’re looking for based on other properties like date, time, or file type. The improved search works on photos in your Pictures Library that are saved locally and have been indexed. Learn more about how semantic indexing works on Copilot+ PCs including supported file types and languages. [caption id="attachment_177951" align="alignnone" width="3548"] Semantic, natural language search in Photos.[/caption]

          Entra ID Support for Restyle Image and Image Creator

          Commercial users signed in with Microsoft Entra ID can now access Restyle Image and Image Creator, previously only available to users signed in with their Microsoft accounts. To get these new features and fixes, update your Photos app to version 2025.11060.5006.0 and higher. As always, please share your feedback via Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Photos. Thanks, Yvonne Hsieh, Principal PM Manager]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27871-canary-channel/ Wed, 04 Jun 2025 17:04:30 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177943 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27871 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          What’s

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27871 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27871 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          What’s new with Build 27871

          Energy saver now available in Microsoft Intune

          We are bringing the ability to manage energy saver in Windows 11 to Microsoft Intune to allow IT administrators to control the energy saver settings on Windows 11 PCs through group policies and Mobile Device Management (MDM) configurations. This feature, when enabled, intelligently balances your battery use, so it can last longer between charges. It extends battery life by managing power usage efficiently. It limits background activity and reduces screen brightness, ensuring that devices consume less power while maintaining optimal performance. By automatically managing system processes and power usage, the energy saver group policy helps reduce overall energy consumption. This not only saves costs but also contributes to environmental sustainability. IT administrators can activate the policy by using either method below:
          • Local Group Policy Editor in Windows 11
          • Microsoft Intune Admin Center
          [caption id="attachment_177847" align="alignnone" width="693"] New group policy highlighted in a red box in Local Group Policy Editor.[/caption] The path for the new policy configuration can be found at in Local Group Policy Editor by navigating to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Energy Saver Settings and “Enable Energy Saver to Always Be On”.

          Changes and Improvements

          [Phone Link]

          Phone companion for the Start menu is rolling out (again) for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel along with the following improvements:
          • Instantly see notifications from your mobile device apps — grouped by app for easy catch-up, right from your Start menu.
          • Mirror your Android device’s screen with a single click from your Start menu. Simply click on your device’s icon or access the option from the footer menu to quickly launch device screen mirroring.
          • Your iPhone© memories are now accessible from the Start menu. iCloud for Windows users can see recently synced photos and quickly access their iCloud photos all within the Start menu.
          [caption id="attachment_177935" align="alignnone" width="484"] Phone companion for iPhone© and Android devices with latest Phone Link improvements.[/caption] Note: Screen mirroring is only supported on certain Android devices. See Setting up and using phone screen in the Phone Link – Microsoft Support for more details on device support.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • We have adjusted the needy state pill under apps on the taskbar that need attention to be wider and more visible.
          [caption id="attachment_177946" align="alignnone" width="317"] Wider needy state pill UI showing for Microsoft Teams on the taskbar indicating the app needs attention.[/caption]

          Fixes

          [General]

          • We have mitigated the issue where if Virtualization Based Security is enabled, applications dependent on virtualization, such as VMware Workstation, would lose the ability to run unless the “Windows Hypervisor Platform” Windows optional component is installed on the system.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where if you had disconnected network drives when doing a search from Home it might prevent searches from executing and you’d remain on Home.
          • Fixed an issue where tapping the View button in File Explorer with touch would crash File Explorer.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where WIN + CTRL + Number wasn’t working anymore for switching windows in the taskbar.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing keyboard focus to get set to widgets in the taskbar on login, which could make widgets unexpectedly invoke.
          • Fixed an issue when using Tab and Shift + Tab to move keyboard focus around the taskbar, where if keyboard focus went backwards at least once you could get keyboard focus stuck on the taskbar frame, causing some screen readers to just say “pane”.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue where hovering over the cards at the top of Settings > System > About wasn’t showing the correct corner radius.
          • Fixed an issue where the storage card in Settings > System > About showed a garbage character instead of the proper disk size.

          [Administrator Protection]

          • Fixed an issue where when using Administrator Protection, some apps might not follow your preference if it was set to dark mode.

          [Task Manager]

          • Fixed the issue causing search and other options such as filtering in Task Manager to not work.

          [Audio]

          • Fixed an issue in the last few Canary flights where audio devices with high sampling (like 192Hz) and multiple channels weren’t producing sound.
          • Fixed an issue which could cause the startup sound not to play, though it was enabled.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where voice typing wouldn’t start from the touch keyboard when using the Chinese (Simplified) narrow layout.
          • Fixed an issue where when using the Symbols section of the touch keyboard, pressing the key to change pages might unexpectedly insert a character into password fields.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause unexpected scaling and window position changes after sleep/resume for some devices.

          [Voice access]

          • Fixed an issue which could voice access to freeze with error “working on it” when dictating.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue causing an Administrative Templates error message when opening Group Policy Editor. [UPDATE 6/5] This issue is not completely fixed yet.
          • Fixed an issue where some of the commands when using xml to setup were unexpectedly not being run.
          • Fixed an issue when installing Windows from installation media, where if you changed your keyboard layout from the default, it may still use the default when entering the product key.
          • Fixed an issue when installing Windows from installation media, where certain partitions may show an extremely large erroneous size.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue where the taskbar is unexpectedly not showing acrylic material after upgrading to the latest Canary builds. This is impacting a few other scenarios, leading to unexpected black or white in some UI.
          • There is an issue causing an Administrative Templates error message to display when opening Group Policy Editor.
          • [ADDED 6/16] We're investigating an issue causing some of the text in Windows to not be using the correct characters, causing nonsense to display in places like Task Manager and more. This impacts characters outside of A-Z - including Chinese and accented characters in German and Polish.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5622-dev-channel/ Mon, 02 Jun 2025 21:03:45 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177938 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5622 (KB5058512) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5622 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5622 (KB5058512) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          New Microsoft 365 text action in Click to Do

          We are beginning to roll out a new text action in Click to Do!
          • Draft with Copilot in Word: Ever stumble across a great idea and wish you could just start writing? With the “Draft with Copilot in Word” Click to Do action, you can. Whether it’s a sentence in an email or a snippet on your screen, just Win + Click on the recognized text and choose the “Draft with Copilot in Word” action. It’ll help you turn that spark into a full draft, fast. No more blank pages. No more writer’s block. Just momentum.
          [caption id="attachment_177910" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Click to Do showing “Draft with Copilot in Word” action on content being shared during a Microsoft Teams call.[/caption] These new Microsoft 365 text actions will begin rolling out over the course of the coming weeks. For “Draft with Copilot in Word” – a Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription is required. You can learn more about using Click to Do here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Introducing quick machine recovery

          Quick machine recovery, a feature introduced as part of the Windows Resiliency Initiative at Ignite 2024 - is now available for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. QMR is designed to help Windows 11 devices recover from widespread boot issues by applying remediations through the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). [caption id="attachment_177933" align="alignnone" width="699"] The quick machine recovery settings page.[/caption] To make this feature even more accessible, we’re also introducing a dedicated settings page in Settings which can be found under System > Recovery > Quick machine recovery. From there, you can easily check whether the feature is enabled, configure it to automatically search for available remediations, set how often those checks occur, and choose when your device should restart to apply any necessary fixes. IT professionals looking to set configuration options for their managed fleets are now also able to leverage the Intune Settings Catalog UI to easily configure quick machine recovery settings as documented as a part of the RemoteRemedationCSP. Windows Insiders can start testing the remediation experience today. When “test mode” is activated, a test remediation payload will be automatically downloaded and installed. You can confirm its application by going to Settings > Windows Update > Update history, where it will appear under Quality updates. Please note that the test remediation package will begin rolling out later this week. [UPDATE 6/5] The test remediation package is now available. The visibility of this update in update history will roll out gradually in the Dev Channel as well. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Recovery and Uninstall > Quick Machine Recovery.

          Multiple dashboards in Widgets

          As we continue to evolve the widgets experience, we are also adding support for multiple boards so that you can have more space for your favorite widgets while being able to stay on top of current events with a feed that helps you discover the world around you. With the introduction of the new navigation bar on the left, you can switch between a dedicated widgets dashboard and other integrated dashboards like My feed. Give it a try and let us know what you think using the feedback button at the top of the board. This experience was also previously previewed with Windows Insiders in the EEA. [caption id="attachment_177913" align="alignnone" width="750"] Widgets board with new navigation board on the left for switching between multiple dashboards.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Widgets.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • To help you quickly find the right app for opening files, we are trying out showing recommendations from the Microsoft Store app within the “Open with…” dialog. These recommendations are denoted by a Store icon next to apps in the dialog.
          [caption id="attachment_177914" align="alignnone" width="367"] “Open with” dialog with Store icon highlighted in a red box denoting a recommendation from the Microsoft Store.[/caption]

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
          • For Windows Insiders using French or Spanish as their primary language on their PC, we’re beginning to roll out Rewrite and its options, including Refine, again for Click to Do.
          • Click to Do can now perform intelligent text actions in German, Italian and Portuguese.

          [Phone Link]

          The following improvements for Phone Link and phone companion with the Start menu are rolling out to Windows Insiders across all channels:
          • Instantly see notifications from your mobile device apps — grouped by app for easy catch-up, right from your Start menu.
          • Mirror your Android device’s screen with a single click from your Start menu. Simply click on your device’s icon or access the option from the footer menu to quickly launch device screen mirroring.
          • Your iPhone© memories are now accessible from the Start menu. iCloud for Windows users can see recently synced photos and quickly access their iCloud photos all within the Start menu.
          [caption id="attachment_177935" align="alignnone" width="487"] Phone companion for iPhone© and Android devices with latest Phone Link improvements.[/caption] Note: Screen mirroring is only supported on certain Android devices. See Setting up and using phone screen in the Phone Link - Microsoft Support for more details on device support.

          [PC Migration]

          • We’re beginning the rollout of a new PC-to-PC migration experience in Windows. You’ll start to see the landing and the pairing page in the Windows Backup app, giving you a first look at what’s coming. In the full experience, you will be able to transfer your files and settings from your old PC to the new one during the PC setup process. Support during the PC setup will be available in a future update. We are releasing in phases for a smooth experience and will provide more details soon.

          [Settings]

          • We’ve updated the dialogs for entering your product key, troubleshooting activation, phone activation, and retail demo to match the Windows 11 visuals.
          • For Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs with the new agent experience in Settings, we’ve made some improvements to make the search box at the top of Settings more centered.
          [caption id="attachment_177936" align="alignnone" width="609"] More centered search box at the top of Settings.[/caption]
          • We’re rolling out a new Device Card for Settings Home for Windows Insiders signed in with their Microsoft account and in the U.S. It provides a quick snapshot of your PC’s key specs and usage, right where you need it. From the card, you can jump directly to the Settings > About page to see more detailed information about your PC. NOTE: We’ve been previewing the Device Card with Windows Insiders with Settings Home on IT-managed PCs signed in with an Entra ID.
          [caption id="attachment_177940" align="alignnone" width="447"] New Device Card for Settings Home.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Improved Windows Search]

          The following fixes are rolling out for improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed an underlying crash causing semantic indexing to not work for some Insiders in the last couple flights.

          [Start menu]

          • There have been some underlying improvements which should help address the issue where clicking your profile picture wasn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the latest flights. If you’re continuing to experience issues, please file feedback.
          • Fixed an issue causing Start menu to crash on launch for some Insiders in the latest flights.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where if you opened the “…” menu in the File Explorer address bar to show the full list of folders for the current path, the dropdown might be cut off and the bottom of it inaccessible.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer to crash doing various actions in the latest flights, including when deleting files for some Insiders.
          • Fixed an issue where the recommended section in File Explorer wasn’t expanding when using the right arrow key.
          • Fixed an issue which could lead to duplicate access keys in the File Explorer context menu.
          The following are fixes for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Fixed the issue where the action result canvas displayed text from left to right for AI actions for Microsoft 365 files when your Windows display language is configured with a right-to-left language.

          [Task Manager]

          • Fixed an issue where after adding the new CPU Utility column, you might notice that System Idle Process always showed as 0.
          • Fixed an issue where the CPU graphs in the Performance page were still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          [Narrator]

          • Fixed an issue where the Describe image feature of narrator wasn’t working.

          [Voice Access]

          • Fixed an issue where support for more descriptive and flexible language on Copilot+ PCs wasn’t working as expected.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an underlying issue related to Bluetooth which could cause Settings or Quick Settings to crash on launch for some people.
          • Fixed an issue with Quick Settings where if you clicked the top third of the buttons in the top row, it wouldn’t work.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue with msftedit.dll which was causing apps like Sticky Notes and Dxdiag to crash in certain cases for people using Hebrew or Arabic display languages.

          Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

          [General]

          • We have mitigated the issue where if Virtualization Based Security is enabled, applications dependent on virtualization, such as VMware Workstation, would lose the ability to run unless the “Windows Hypervisor Platform” Windows optional component is installed on the system.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • The option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build.
          • [ADDED 6/4] We're investigating an issue causing a small number of Insiders to experience repeated bugchecks with KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE after upgrading to Build 26200.5622. 

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • [NEW] In some cases, taskbar icons may appear small even though the setting to show smaller taskbar buttons is configured as “never”.

          [File Explorer]

          The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate.

          [Widgets]

          • Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience.

          [Graphics]

          • [NEW] When connecting your PC to some older Dolby Vision displays, in some cases you might see severe discoloration. You can navigate to Settings > System > Display > HDR turn off "Use Dolby Vision mode" as a workaround to resolve the issue or disconnect the display.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-4230-beta-channel/ Mon, 02 Jun 2025 21:03:41 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177931 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4230 (KB5058506) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4230 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4230 (KB5058506) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Quick machine recovery in Settings

          We're excited to introduce a new dedicated settings page for quick machine recovery which can be found under System > Recovery > Quick machine recovery. This update makes it easier for you to manage recovery options directly from Settings, streamlining access to important features that help keep your device running smoothly. Quick machine recovery is designed to help your device recover from widespread boot issues by applying remediations delivered directly from Microsoft. [caption id="attachment_177933" align="alignnone" width="699"] The quick machine recovery settings page.[/caption] With the new settings page, you can easily check whether the feature is enabled, configure it to automatically search for available remediations, set how often those checks occur, and choose when your device should restart to apply any necessary fixes. IT professionals looking to set configuration options for their managed fleets are now also able to leverage the Intune Settings Catalog UI to easily configure quick machine recovery settings as documented as a part of the RemoteRemedationCSP. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Recovery and Uninstall > Quick Machine Recovery.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following changes and improvements are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
          • For Windows Insiders using French or Spanish as their primary language on their PC, we’re beginning to roll out Rewrite and its options, including Refine, again for Click to Do.
          • Click to Do can now perform intelligent text actions in German, Italian and Portuguese.

          [Phone Link]

          The following improvements for Phone Link and phone companion with the Start menu are rolling out to Windows Insiders across all channels:
          • Instantly see notifications from your mobile device apps — grouped by app for easy catch-up, right from your Start menu.
          • Mirror your Android device’s screen with a single click from your Start menu. Simply click on your device’s icon or access the option from the footer menu to quickly launch device screen mirroring.
          • Your iPhone© memories are now accessible from the Start menu. iCloud for Windows users can see recently synced photos and quickly access their iCloud photos all within the Start menu.
          [caption id="attachment_177935" align="alignnone" width="487"] Phone companion for iPhone© and Android devices with latest Phone Link improvements.[/caption] Note: Screen mirroring is only supported on certain Android devices. See Setting up and using phone screen in the Phone Link - Microsoft Support for more details on device support.

          [Lock screen]

          • We have temporarily disabled more widget options on the lock screen and support for lock screen widget personalization that began rolling out to all Windows Insiders in the previous Beta Channel flight to address some issues. We are planning to begin rolling this experience out again very shortly.

          [Settings]

          • For Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs with the new agent experience in Settings, we’ve made some improvements to make the search box at the top of Settings more centered.
          [caption id="attachment_177936" align="alignnone" width="609"] More centered search box at the top of Settings.[/caption]
          • We’re rolling out a new Device Card for Settings Home for Windows Insiders signed in with their Microsoft account and in the U.S. It provides a quick snapshot of your PC’s key specs and usage, right where you need it. From the card, you can jump directly to the Settings > About page to see more detailed information about your PC. NOTE: We’ve been previewing the Device Card with Windows Insiders with Settings Home on IT-managed PCs signed in with an Entra ID.
          [caption id="attachment_177940" align="alignnone" width="447"] New Device Card for Settings Home.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Improved Windows Search]

          The following fixes are rolling out for improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed an underlying crash causing semantic indexing to not work for some Insiders in the last couple flights.

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue causing Start menu to crash on launch for some Insiders in the latest flights.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where if you opened the “…” menu in the File Explorer address bar to show the full list of folders for the current path, the dropdown might be cut off and the bottom of it inaccessible.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer to crash doing various actions in the latest flights, including when deleting files for some Insiders.
          • Fixed an issue where the recommended section in File Explorer wasn’t expanding when using the right arrow key.
          • Fixed an issue which could lead to duplicate access keys in the File Explorer context menu.
          The following are fixes for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Fixed the issue where the action result canvas displayed text from left to right for AI actions for Microsoft 365 files when your Windows display language is configured with a right-to-left language.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an underlying issue related to Bluetooth which could cause Settings or Quick Settings to crash on launch for some people.
          • Fixed an issue with Quick Settings where if you clicked the top third of the buttons in the top row, it wouldn’t work.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue with msftedit.dll which was causing apps like Sticky Notes and Dxdiag to crash in certain cases for people using Hebrew or Arabic display languages.

          Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

          [General]

          • We have mitigated the issue where if Virtualization Based Security is enabled, applications dependent on virtualization, such as VMware Workstation, would lose the ability to run unless the “Windows Hypervisor Platform” Windows optional component is installed on the system.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • The option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • In some cases, taskbar icons may appear small even though the setting to show smaller taskbar buttons is configured as “never”.

          [File Explorer]

          The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate.

          [Widgets]

          • Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience

          [Graphics]

          • [NEW] When connecting your PC to some older Dolby Vision displays, in some cases you might see severe discoloration. You can navigate to Settings > System > Display > HDR turn off "Use Dolby Vision mode" as a workaround to resolve the issue or disconnect the display.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/06/02/updates-to-windows-for-the-digital-markets-act/ Mon, 02 Jun 2025 19:41:39 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177925 [UPDATE 8/28] The ability to uninstall the Microsoft Store in EEA is now rolling out to Windows 10 and 11 retail PCs.

          Updates to Windows for the Digital Markets Act appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> [UPDATE 8/28] The ability to uninstall the Microsoft Store in EEA is now rolling out to Windows 10 and 11 retail PCs. [UPDATE 7/25] The default browser changes have started rolling out to Windows 10 and 11 retail PCs. Note that Windows 11 will include the functionality for the default browser to Pin to Start, but Windows 10 will not. The Start menu design on Windows 10 is different and shows a list of all apps when opened (including new apps at the top), and the pinned section is optimized for Live Tiles which not all apps support.  [UPDATE 6/26] There was an issue in the configuration for the default browser changes in the Beta Channel release originally noted. That configuration issue has been resolved, and these changes will now be available with Build 26120.4452 in the Beta Channel. The default browser changes remain on track to start rolling out on retail PCs in July.
          We've discovered a bug in the Windows Search functionality and have paused the rollout of the Microsoft Bing app's latest version which opens web content in the default browser. That bug is on track to be fixed in the June non-security preview update and after that we'll resume the Microsoft Bing app rollout. In the meantime, the changes are available in Insider Preview builds and will finish rolling out to retail on Windows 10 and Windows 11 in July. ----------------------------------------
          As part of Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to compliance with the Digital Markets Act, we are making the following changes to Windows 10, Windows 11, and Microsoft apps in the European Economic Area (EEA). We’ll update this post as these changes are shipped, first in Windows Insider builds and then in retail builds.

          Default browser

          Currently, changing the default browser with the “Set default” button sets http, https, .htm, and .html. Additional file and link types will now be set in the EEA.
          • Setting the default browser in Settings with the “Set default” button will now set the following link and file types (if the browser registers for them) in the EEA:
            • Link types: ftp, http, https, read
            • File types: .htm, .html, .mht, .mhtml, .shtml, .svg, .xht, .xhtml, .xml
          • Setting the default browser with the “Set default” button will pin it to the Taskbar in the EEA, unless you choose not to by unselecting the checkboxes.
          • You can set the .pdf file type default for browsers (if the browser registers for it) in the EEA.
          [caption id="attachment_177927" align="alignnone" width="735"] Default apps settings page showing new functionality for pinning and .pdf file type.[/caption] Some of these default browser changes have already started rolling out to the Beta Channel in Build 26120.4151, and the rest of the functionality in Windows 10 and Windows 11 will start rolling out to retail in July.

          Windows Search

          In the EEA, apps can provide web search results in Windows Search. This design has been updated to be more fully featured and improve the user experience across multiple providers.
          • If an app registers a web search provider, it is automatically enabled when the app is installed.
          • It is easier to view results from many web search providers at the same time, and you can still use the scoping tabs at the top to narrow down your results.
          • Web search providers can be reordered in Settings so you can easily customize your experience.
          These Windows Search changes are already available in Windows Insider builds and will finish rolling out to retail builds on Windows 10 and Windows 11 in early June. Updated developer documentation is available here: Windows Search providers - Windows apps | Microsoft Learn. [caption id="attachment_177928" align="alignnone" width="515"] Search results from Windows Search showing multiple web search providers shown at the same time.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177929" align="alignnone" width="735"] Settings for web search providers with ability to reorder them.[/caption]

          Microsoft Store

          In the EEA, you will now be able to uninstall the Microsoft Store. Apps installed and distributed from the Microsoft Store will continue to get updates even if the Microsoft Store is uninstalled, keeping them secure and up to date.
          • The Microsoft Store can be uninstalled from Start and Settings in the EEA, just like other apps.
          • You will be able to reinstall the Microsoft Store.
          [caption id="attachment_177930" align="alignnone" width="515"] Ability to uninstall the Microsoft Store in the EEA.[/caption] This change will be available later this year on Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices in the EEA. Developers have always been able to distribute their Store apps through the Microsoft Store Web Installer, such as on their own website, and this will continue to work when the Store is uninstalled.

          Microsoft apps

          A few changes are being made to Microsoft apps in the EEA, including:
          • The Microsoft Bing app, which is a provider of web search experiences in Windows Search, now opens web content with the default browser in the EEA. This change is already available in Windows Insider builds and will finish rolling out to retail on Windows 10 and Windows 11 in early June.
          • The Start Experiences app, which is a provider of widget and feed experiences in the Widgets Board and Lock Screen, now opens web content with the default browser in the EEA. This change will start rolling out in June to Windows 11. On Windows 10 there is no Widgets Board, instead, any application can create a dockable window on the Taskbar using desk bands. Microsoft Edge uses this capability for its News & Interests feature, which isn’t changing – it will continue opening web content directly.
          • Microsoft Edge will not prompt you to set it as the default browser unless you open it directly, for example, by clicking on its icon on the Taskbar. This change is available in the EEA starting with Edge version 137.0.3296.52, which was released on May 29, 2025.
          • When Microsoft Edge is uninstalled, other Microsoft apps won’t prompt you to reinstall it in the EEA (excluding PWAs distributed in the Microsoft Store using Microsoft Edge technology). A few apps are still being updated with this change and will start rolling out in June to Windows 10 and Windows 11.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/30/text-formatting-in-notepad-begin-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Fri, 30 May 2025 17:00:46 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177922 UPDATE 6/4: The following update and features for Notepad are now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels.

          Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out an update to Notepad to Windows I

          The post Text Formatting in Notepad begin rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> UPDATE 6/4: The following update and features for Notepad are now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out an update to Notepad to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.

          Notepad (version 11.2504.50.0 11.2504.52.0)

          [caption id="attachment_177924" align="alignnone" width="1063"] Notepad window open showing formatted content.[/caption] With this update, we are introducing lightweight formatting in Notepad, providing additional flexibility in how you structure content across your files. The experience supports Markdown style input and files for users who prefer to work directly with the lightweight markup language. To get started, use the new formatting toolbar to apply formatting as you type or to selected text, including bold and italic styling, hyperlinks, and support for simple lists and headings. If at any point you want to return to plain text, you can clear all formatting from the formatting toolbar or from the edit menu. You can switch between formatted Markdown and Markdown syntax views in the view menu or by selecting the toggle button in the status bar at the bottom of the window. If you prefer, you can disable support for formatting entirely in app settings. FEEDBACK: Please share your feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Notepad. As always, we love getting feedback from the community and we will be looking out for your thoughts and suggestions on this update! Thanks, Dave Grochocki, Principal Group Product Manager – Windows Inbox Apps]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27868-canary-channel/ Thu, 29 May 2025 17:04:46 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177918 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27868 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes a

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27868 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27868 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [Voice access]

          • Voice access will now support an immersive in-product experience to announce new features and improvements. It will help you quickly discover and learn more about new features in voice access to try out. You can launch or dismiss this new experience from the settings menu.
          [caption id="attachment_177920" align="alignnone" width="451"] New voice access in-product experience for highlighting new features and improvements in voice access.[/caption]

          Fixes

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing pen input to be non-responsive on some PCs that support pen for inking. This issue may have also impacted some scenarios interacting with touch.

          [Other]

          • Mitigated an underlying issue in the previous flight resulting in some apps like Spotify failing to launch and failing to install from the Microsoft Store with an 0x80070032 error.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing Group Policy Editor to not render correctly for some display languages like Chinese in recent Canary builds, causing big blank areas.
          • Fixed another underlying issue which was causing some Insiders to see a SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED bugcheck in recent Canary builds.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • You may see an Administrative Templates error message when opening Group Policy Editor. If you click OK you should be able to proceed as normal.
          • We’re investigating an issue where the taskbar is unexpectedly not showing acrylic material after upgrading to this build.
          • We’re working on the fix for an issue where audio devices with high sampling (like 192Hz) and multiple channels aren’t producing sound after upgrading to this build. Thanks Insiders that provided detailed information in your feedback!
          • [NEW] When Virtualization Based Security is enabled, applications dependent on virtualization, such as VMware Workstation, lose the ability to run unless the “Windows Hypervisor Platform” Windows optional component is installed on the system. Previously, installing the optional component was not required.

          [Task Manager]

          • Search and other options such as filtering in Task Manager does not work.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          • Thanks, Amanda & Brandon
          ]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/23/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27863-canary-channel/ Fri, 23 May 2025 17:04:10 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177915 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27863 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes a

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27863 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27863 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [Post-Quantum Cryptography]

          • As announced this week at the Build conference, we are adding support for post-quantum signature algorithm ML-DSA in NCrypt and BCrypt cryptography API surfaces, as well as Crypt32 certificate APIs. Three variants are supported, ML-DSA 44, 65, and 87. In Build 27858 and higher, we encourage you to try out using and validating ML-DSA certificates with these changes.

          Fixes

          [Windows Sandbox]

          • Fixed an issue causing Windows Sandbox to not work and show error 0xc0370106 on launch in the previous flight.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue where core Windows surfaces were not able to load in safe mode (File Explorer, Start menu, and others) after the previous flight.
          • Fixed an issue with msftedit.dll which was causing apps like Sticky Notes and Dxdiag to crash in certain cases for people using Hebrew or Arabic display languages.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • You may see an Administrative Templates error message when opening Group Policy Editor. If you click OK you should be able to proceed as normal. One of the causes of this is fixed with this flight – there’s a second fix we’re working on which will be included in an upcoming flight.
          • We’re investigating an issue where the taskbar is unexpectedly not showing acrylic material after upgrading to this build.
          • We’re working on the fix for an issue where audio devices with high sampling (like 192Hz) and multiple channels aren’t producing sound after upgrading to this build. Thanks Insiders that provided detailed information in your feedback!

          [Input]

          • Pen input may be non-responsive on some PCs that support pen for inking.

          [Task Manager]

          • Search and other options such as filtering in Task Manager does not work.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/23/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-4161-beta-channel/ Fri, 23 May 2025 17:03:39 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177908 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4161 (KB5058515) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4161 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4161 (KB5058515) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          New Microsoft 365 text action in Click to Do

          We are beginning to roll out a new text action in Click to Do!
          • Draft with Copilot in Word: Ever stumble across a great idea and wish you could just start writing? With the “Draft with Copilot in Word” Click to Do action, you can. Whether it’s a sentence in an email or a snippet on your screen, just Win + Click on the recognized text and choose the “Draft with Copilot in Word” action. It’ll help you turn that spark into a full draft, fast. No more blank pages. No more writer’s block. Just momentum.
          [caption id="attachment_177910" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Click to Do showing “Draft with Copilot in Word” action on content being shared during a Microsoft Teams call.[/caption] These new Microsoft 365 text actions will begin rolling out over the course of the coming weeks. For “Draft with Copilot in Word” – a Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription is required. You can learn more about using Click to Do here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Choose what Lock screen widgets appear

          After rolling this experience out to Windows Insiders in the EEA, we are now beginning to roll out more widget options on the lock screen as well as support for lock screen widget personalization (previously referred to as “Weather and more”) with Insiders in all regions. You can add, remove, and rearrange lock screen widgets such as Weather, Watchlist, Sports, Traffic, and more. Any widget that supports the small sizing option can be added here. To customize your lock screen widgets, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. [caption id="attachment_177912" align="alignnone" width="561"] Customization settings for lock screen widgets shown in Settings and highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Lock screen.

          Multiple dashboards in Widgets

          As we continue to evolve the widgets experience, we are also adding support for multiple boards so that you can have more space for your favorite widgets while being able to stay on top of current events with a feed that helps you discover the world around you. With the introduction of the new navigation bar on the left, you can switch between a dedicated widgets dashboard and other integrated dashboards like My feed. Give it a try and let us know what you think using the feedback button at the top of the board. This experience was also previously previewed with Windows Insiders in the EEA. [caption id="attachment_177913" align="alignnone" width="1430"] Widgets board with new navigation board on the left for switching between multiple dashboards.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Widgets.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • To help you quickly find the right app for opening files, we are trying out showing recommendations from the Microsoft Store app within the "Open with..." dialog. These recommendations are denoted by a Store icon next to apps in the dialog.
          [caption id="attachment_177914" align="alignnone" width="293"] “Open with” dialog with Store icon highlighted in a red box denoting a recommendation from the Microsoft Store.[/caption]

          [PC Migration]

          • We’re beginning the rollout of a new PC-to-PC migration experience in Windows. You'll start to see the landing and the pairing page in the Windows Backup app, giving you a first look at what’s coming. In the full experience, you will be able to transfer your files and settings from your old PC to the new one during the PC setup process. Support during the PC setup will be available in a future update. We are releasing in phases for a smooth experience and will provide more details soon.

          [Settings]

          • We’ve updated the dialogs for entering your product key, troubleshooting activation, phone activation, and retail demo to match the Windows 11 visuals.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • There have been some underlying improvements which should help address the issue where clicking your profile picture wasn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the latest flights. If you’re continuing to experience issues, please file feedback.

          [Task Manager]

          • Fixed an issue where after adding the new CPU Utility column, you might notice that System Idle Process always showed as 0.
          • Fixed an issue where the CPU graphs in the Performance page were still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          [Narrator]

          • Fixed an issue where the Describe image feature of narrator wasn’t working.

          [Voice Access]

          • Fixed an issue where support for more descriptive and flexible language on Copilot+ PCs wasn’t working as expected.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • The option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build.
          • [NEW] Starting in the last flight, when Virtualization Based Security is enabled, applications dependent on virtualization, such as VMware Workstation, lose the ability to run unless the “Windows Hypervisor Platform” Windows optional component is installed on the system. Previously, installing the optional component was not required.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • [NEW] In some cases, taskbar icons may appear small even though the setting to show smaller taskbar buttons is configured as “never”.

          [File Explorer]

          The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate.
          • When your Windows display language is configured with a right-to-left language, the action result canvas displays text from left to right for AI actions for Microsoft 365 files.

          [Widgets]

          • Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          • Thanks, Amanda & Brandon
          ]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/22/paint-snipping-tool-and-notepad-updates-with-new-features-begin-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Thu, 22 May 2025 17:20:29 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177895 UPDATE 5/30: The following updates and features for Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad are now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels.

          Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out updat

          The post Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad updates with new features begin rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> UPDATE 5/30: The following updates and features for Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad are now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out updates to Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.

          Paint (version 11.2504.451.0)

          This update brings three exciting enhancements to elevate your creative experience. First, we’re introducing sticker generator, a new AI-powered feature that lets you create custom stickers by simply typing a prompt. To get started, click on the Sticker generator button in the Copilot menu. From there, you can type in a description of the sticker you want to create, like “a cat wearing sunglasses”, and hit the Generate button. Paint will then generate a set of unique stickers based on your prompt. Once the stickers are generated, you can click on any one of them to instantly apply it to your canvas, copy the sticker for use in other applications, or save it for later. To access your recently generated stickers, click on the new Stickers option in the Paint toolbar. [caption id="attachment_177897" align="alignnone" width="1254"] Paint showing a cat with sunglasses.[/caption] We’re also adding object select, a smart selection tool that uses AI to help you isolate and edit individual elements in your image. To get started, click on the Object select tool in the toolbar and simply pinpoint specific elements on the canvas to select and make edits instantly. [caption id="attachment_177898" align="alignnone" width="3260"] Paint showing colorful fish swimming in the water and Object Select highlighting the image.[/caption] Sticker generator and object select will be available only on Copilot+ PCs. To use sticker generator, you will need to sign in with your Microsoft account. Lastly, we are introducing a new welcome experience in Paint designed to help users discover and learn about the app’s latest and most useful features. This dialog provides a quick overview of what’s possible in Paint and serves as a helpful starting point for both new and returning users. You can close it anytime and revisit it later by clicking the megaphone icon in the top-right corner of the toolbar. [caption id="attachment_177904" align="alignnone" width="3260"] Paint showing the welcome experience highlighting the new features to explore in Paint.[/caption] We hope you enjoy these updates and look forward to seeing what you create in Paint! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint.

          Snipping Tool (version 11.2504.38.0)

          In this update, we’re introducing two new features to Snipping Tool—perfect screenshot and color picker. Perfect screenshot is a new AI-powered feature in Snipping Tool that allows you to precisely capture content on your screen without the need to crop or resize it post-capture on your Copilot+ PC. To get started, invoke the Snipping Tool capture toolbar from within the app or by using the Print Screen keyboard shortcut. Select the Perfect screenshot button from the toolbar when in rectangle mode and start selecting a region of your screen. Once activated, perfect screenshot will intelligently resize based on the content in your selection. You can also quickly enable perfect screenshot by holding the Ctrl keyboard shortcut after invoking Snipping Tool while selecting a region of your screen. Move or edit the area before confirming your capture, ensuring you get the perfect screenshot every time! Perfect screenshot in Snipping Tool will be available only on Copilot+ PCs. [caption id="attachment_177900" align="alignnone" width="3714"] Snipping Tool’s screen capture and perfect screenshot capturing a specific area of the screen.[/caption] We have also added the ability to capture more information on your screen through the introduction of color picker. To get started, invoke the Snipping Tool capture toolbar from within the app or by using the Print Screen keyboard shortcut. Select Color picker from the toolbar and then inspect or select a color code on your screen, choosing from HEX, RGB or HSL values. Need to be more precise? You can zoom by scrolling in on your pointer or using by using the Ctrl +/- keyboard shortcuts. Color picker is great for designers, developers, and anyone who might need to quickly match a color you see on your screen as part of a project. [caption id="attachment_177901" align="alignnone" width="440"] Snipping Tool’s color picker tool selecting a color on the screen to inspect.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

          Notepad (version 11.2504.46.0)

          [caption id="attachment_177902" align="alignnone" width="1274"] Notepad using the AI write feature to highlight text.[/caption] With this update, we are introducing the ability to write new content in Notepad using generative AI. The new write feature helps you quickly draft text based on your prompt, making it easy to start from a blank page or build upon existing content with AI-powered assistance. To get started, place your cursor where you want to insert new text or select content you'd like to use as a reference. Then right-click and choose Write, select Write from the Copilot menu, or use the Ctrl + Q keyboard shortcut. Enter your instruction into the dialog and click Send. The AI-generated output will appear directly on the canvas. You can select Keep text to add it to your document or Discard it if it doesn’t fit your needs. You can also continue refining the output by entering follow-up prompts to evolve your draft further. If you prefer, you can disable AI features in app settings. To use write, you need to sign in with your Microsoft account. Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Enterprise, and Copilot Pro subscribers will be able to use AI credits to use Write in Notepad. Learn more about AI credits. You can learn more about write in Notepad here. FEEDBACK: Please share your feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Notepad. As always, we love getting feedback from the community and we will be looking out for your thoughts and suggestions on these updates! Thanks, Dave Grochocki, Principal Group Product Manager – Windows Inbox Apps]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5603-dev-channel/ Mon, 19 May 2025 21:04:02 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177891 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5603 (KB5058488) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5603 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5603 (KB5058488) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Introducing AI actions in File Explorer

          With AI actions in File Explorer, you can interact more deeply with your files by right-clicking to quickly take actions like editing images or summarizing documents. Like with Click to Do, AI actions in File Explorer allow you to stay in your flow while leveraging the power of AI to take advantage of editing tools in apps or Copilot functionality without having to open your file. AI actions in File Explorer are easily accessible - to try out AI actions in File Explorer, just right-click on a file and you will see a new AI actions entry on the content menu that allows you to choose from available options for your file. [caption id="attachment_177881" align="alignnone" width="1166"] File Explorer with context menu expanded on a file showing new AI actions highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Today, you can try one of four image actions for seamless editing or web searches with images:
          • Bing Visual Search: Allows you to search the web using an image instead of text. Find similar images and products, get details about sites using the image, and identify landmarks, plants, and famous faces. From searching what you see on your screen, to shopping your preferred style, getting help with that homework problem, or translating text, getting answers is more intuitive than ever.
          • Blur Background: Opens the Photos app which automatically finds the background in the photo, and with a single click, instantly highlights your subject and blurs out the background. You can also customize the effect by adjusting the Blur Intensity or use the Brush Tool to modify the areas being blurred.
          • Erase Objects: With Photos by selecting or highlighting an unwanted element in your photo and Generative Erase makes it disappear.  It allows you to fix and remove distractions from your photos.
          • Remove Background: With Paint allows you to alter any image automatically in just one click leaving a smooth cutout of the subject. Background removal can detect the subject from the entire canvas or using the selection tool.
          These four image actions currently support these file types: .jpg, .jpeg, and .png. Over the course of the coming weeks, we will begin to roll out new AI actions for Microsoft 365 files: [caption id="attachment_177883" align="alignnone" width="1050"] A summary of a document in File Explorer via the Summarize Microsoft 365 action.[/caption]
          • Summarize: With Copilot you can generate summaries of various document types stored on OneDrive and SharePoint without the need to open them individually. Find the information you need quickly! Supported file types: .docx, .doc, .pptx, .ppt, .xlsx, .xls, .pdf, .rtf, .txt, .loop.
          • Create an FAQ: Copilot can help you turn your OneDrive files into a neatly formatted, AI-generated Q&A list. Whether you’re building internal knowledge bases, prepping for meetings, or crafting quick-start guides, “Create an FAQ” distills complex information into clear, shareable FAQs in seconds. Supported file types: xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt, .rtf, .aspx, .htm, and .html.
          To see AI actions for Microsoft 365 files, you must be:
          • For Summarize, you need to be Microsoft 365 subscriber with a Copilot subscription (Microsoft account and Microsoft Entra ID supported).
          • For Create an FAQ, you need to be a commercial Microsoft 365 subscriber with a Copilot subscription (Microsoft Entra ID supported). Consumer support with a Microsoft account is coming later.
          • Enrolled in the Microsoft 365 Insider Program. Your PC will need to be part of the Beta Channel update channel. Use these instructions to get setup today: Become a Microsoft 365 Insider on Windows.
          Let us know what you think of these new AI actions in File Explorer!

          Introducing Advanced Settings

          Advanced settings are now available via Settings > System > Advanced with some new features. The Advanced page is a redesign of the For Developers page, intending to make its settings easier to find for a broader audience. With the redesign of this page, we’ve added additional settings: Enable long paths, Virtual workspaces, and File Explorer + version control. Enable long paths allows you to remove MAX_PATH limitations from common Win32 file and directory functions. Virtual workspaces allow you to enable/disable virtual environments such as Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and more. File Explorer + version control provides the ability to display Git information directly inside File Explorer. Simply select your repository folder and File Explorer will display information such as your branch, diff count, last commit message, and more. [caption id="attachment_177884" align="alignnone" width="2496"] Advanced settings page for File Explorer.[/caption]

          Windows Advanced settings is here! We restructured the For Developers page and added new features such as File Explorer with version control 🚀

          Easily view your Git information directly in columns within File Explorer! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QukvK76Bw1 — Kayla Cinnamon ☕ @ #MSBuild (@cinnamon_msft) May 19, 2025

          FEEDBACK: Please file feedback on GitHub at microsoft/WindowsAdvancedSettings.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • In addition to the new grouping of the Accessibility flyout in quick settings, we are adding text descriptions for the assistive technologies like Narrator, Voice access, etc. for easy identification and learning by the users.
          [caption id="attachment_177885" align="alignnone" width="434"] Accessibility flyout via quick setting showing text descriptions for assistive technologies like Narrator, Voice access, etc.[/caption]

          [Search on the Taskbar]

          We are beginning to roll out some improvements for the Windows search box on your taskbar:
          • When showing search results, we will provide a notice that your search results may be incomplete if Windows is still indexing your PC with a link to check your indexing status. You can dismiss this notice.
          • We are also providing a status for files and folders on your PC so you can easily see if a file or folder is available when online (cloud) or available on your device.
          [caption id="attachment_177886" align="alignnone" width="578"] Windows search box improvements for search results highlighted in red boxes.[/caption]

          [Voice access]

          • We have temporarily disabled Chinese support in voice access to address some issues. We plan to begin rolling this change out again in a future flight soon.

          [Widgets]

          We’re trying out a new visual experience for the widgets board, with a more organized, personalized, and engaging feed. In addition, we are introducing Copilot-curated stories into the feed. These make it easy to get a multifaceted view on a single topic, connecting summaries, videos, and images from trusted MSN premium publishers. Some features, such as pinning and hiding, are still under development. Explore this experience and please share your feedback as we'll continue to evolve the experience. [caption id="attachment_177887" align="alignnone" width="595"] The new visual experience for the widgets board.[/caption] You can choose to return to the previous widgets board experience, by changing the ‘Copilot Discover (Preview)’ toggle in the Personalize MSN settings dialog (shown below). [caption id="attachment_177888" align="alignnone" width="520"] Toggle for Copilot Discover (Preview) in a red box.[/caption]

          [Power & Battery]

          • We're introducing User Interaction-Aware CPU Power Management, an OS-level enhancement that helps reduce power consumption and extend your battery life. After a period of inactivity on your PC, Windows now conserve power by automatically applying efficient power management policies. This happens seamlessly to save energy while you're inactive, with full performance instantly restored the moment you get back to it. It's another way we're working to make your Windows experience both responsive and energy-efficient!
            • Please note: Actual savings depend on device segment, power mode and whether you’re plugged in or running on battery, according to manufacturer-defined Processor Power Management (PPM) settings.

          [Windows Share]

          • In the Windows share window, as part of the ability to quickly edit and enhance images while sharing, we have adjusted the UI so that now you can now select their compression scale from High, Medium, or Low Quality, instead of choosing from an entire scale ranging from 0-100.
          [caption id="attachment_177889" align="alignnone" width="318"] New drop-down menu for compression scale of high, medium, or low when sharing images in the Windows share window.[/caption]

          [Windows Backup]

          • We're trying out different variations of the landing page when you launch the Windows Backup app.

          [Snipping Tool]

          • [ADDED] Last month, we announced Snipping Tool's new text extractor feature -- designed to minimize the number of steps it takes to copy text to your clipboard without having to take a screenshot of your screen. With this Windows update, we're making it easier to jump directly into text extractor via Win + Shift + T. You can learn more about using text extractor here. You should be on Snipping Tool version 11.2503.29.0 or higher as well.

          [Settings]

          We are rolling out some small changes for your setting your browser defaults in Windows 11 via Settings > Apps > Default apps:
          1. For Add new link/file types of 'Set Default' button, we have added additional types for the "Set Default" button. You can now set more types.
          2. For one-click button of PDF for browser sets, we have added a new button for making your default browser also the default app for PDF files.
          [caption id="attachment_177890" align="alignnone" width="968"] Browser default settings page showing new set default button for PDF files.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • Fixed an issue where core Windows surfaces were not able to load in safe mode (File Explorer, Start menu, and others) after latest flights.

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue causing Start menu to be blank for some Insiders in the previous flight.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where if File Explorer was maximized and you clicked the new tab button it would unmaximize the window.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue related to loading Bluetooth information which could lead to Settings and Quick Settings crashes.
          • Fixed an issue where you couldn't switch active hours from manually to automatic in Settings > Windows Update.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing Settings > Personalization > Lock screen to crash for some Insiders.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • The option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build.
          • [ADDED 5/23] When Virtualization Based Security is enabled, applications dependent on virtualization, such as VMware Workstation, lose the ability to run unless the “Windows Hypervisor Platform” Windows optional component is installed on the system. Previously, installing the optional component was not required.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Start menu]

          • We’re investigating reports that clicking your profile picture isn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the last couple of flights.

          [File Explorer]

          The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • [NEW] Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate.
          • [NEW] When your Windows display language is configured with a right-to-left language, the action result canvas displays text from left to right for AI actions for Microsoft 365 files.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          [Narrator]

          • We are investigating an issue where the richer image descriptions on your Copilot+ PC with Narrator do not work.

          [Voice Access]

          • We are investigating an issue where support for more descriptive and flexible language on Copilot+ PCs does not work as expected.

          [Widgets]

          • [NEW] Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-4151-beta-channel/ Mon, 19 May 2025 21:03:55 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177879 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4151 (KB5058486) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          IMPORTANT NOTE: 

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4151 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4151 (KB5058486) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. IMPORTANT NOTE: Build 22635.5305 was the last update released to the Beta Channel based on Windows 11, version 23H2. All Insiders in the Beta Channel will now be upgraded automatically to Windows 11, version 24H2 with today’s flight of Build 26120.4151. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Introducing AI actions in File Explorer

          With AI actions in File Explorer, you can interact more deeply with your files by right-clicking to quickly take actions like editing images or summarizing documents. Like with Click to Do, AI actions in File Explorer allow you to stay in your flow while leveraging the power of AI to take advantage of editing tools in apps or Copilot functionality without having to open your file. AI actions in File Explorer are easily accessible - to try out AI actions in File Explorer, just right-click on a file and you will see a new AI actions entry on the content menu that allows you to choose from available options for your file. [caption id="attachment_177881" align="alignnone" width="1166"] File Explorer with context menu expanded on a file showing new AI actions highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Today, you can try one of four image actions for seamless editing or web searches with images:
          • Bing Visual Search: Allows you to search the web using an image instead of text. Find similar images and products, get details about sites using the image, and identify landmarks, plants, and famous faces. From searching what you see on your screen, to shopping your preferred style, getting help with that homework problem, or translating text, getting answers is more intuitive than ever.
          • Blur Background: Opens the Photos app which automatically finds the background in the photo, and with a single click, instantly highlights your subject and blurs out the background. You can also customize the effect by adjusting the Blur Intensity or use the Brush Tool to modify the areas being blurred.
          • Erase Objects: With Photos by selecting or highlighting an unwanted element in your photo and Generative Erase makes it disappear.  It allows you to fix and remove distractions from your photos.
          • Remove Background: With Paint allows you to alter any image automatically in just one click leaving a smooth cutout of the subject. Background removal can detect the subject from the entire canvas or using the selection tool.
          These four image actions currently support these file types: .jpg, .jpeg, and .png. Over the course of the coming weeks, we will begin to roll out new AI actions for Microsoft 365 files: [caption id="attachment_177883" align="alignnone" width="1050"] A summary of a document in File Explorer via the Summarize Microsoft 365 action.[/caption]
          • Summarize: With Copilot you can generate summaries of various document types stored on OneDrive and SharePoint without the need to open them individually. Find the information you need quickly! Supported file types: .docx, .doc, .pptx, .ppt, .xlsx, .xls, .pdf, .rtf, .txt, .loop.
          • Create an FAQ: Copilot can help you turn your OneDrive files into a neatly formatted, AI-generated Q&A list. Whether you’re building internal knowledge bases, prepping for meetings, or crafting quick-start guides, “Create an FAQ” distills complex information into clear, shareable FAQs in seconds. Supported file types: xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt, .rtf, .aspx, .htm, and .html.
          To see AI actions for Microsoft 365 files, you must be:
          • For Summarize, you need to be Microsoft 365 subscriber with a Copilot subscription (Microsoft account and Microsoft Entra ID supported).
          • For Create an FAQ, you need to be a commercial Microsoft 365 subscriber with a Copilot subscription (Microsoft Entra ID supported). Consumer support with a Microsoft account is coming later.
          • Enrolled in the Microsoft 365 Insider Program. Your PC will need to be part of the Beta Channel update channel. Use these instructions to get setup today: Become a Microsoft 365 Insider on Windows.
          Let us know what you think of these new AI actions in File Explorer!

          Introducing Advanced Settings

          Advanced settings are now available via Settings > System > Advanced with some new features. The Advanced page is a redesign of the For Developers page, intending to make its settings easier to find for a broader audience. With the redesign of this page, we’ve added additional settings: Enable long paths, Virtual workspaces, and File Explorer + version control. Enable long paths allows you to remove MAX_PATH limitations from common Win32 file and directory functions. Virtual workspaces allow you to enable/disable virtual environments such as Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and more. File Explorer + version control provides the ability to display Git information directly inside File Explorer. Simply select your repository folder and File Explorer will display information such as your branch, diff count, last commit message, and more. [caption id="attachment_177884" align="alignnone" width="2496"] Advanced settings page for File Explorer.[/caption]

          Windows Advanced settings is here! We restructured the For Developers page and added new features such as File Explorer with version control 🚀

          Easily view your Git information directly in columns within File Explorer! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QukvK76Bw1 — Kayla Cinnamon ☕ @ #MSBuild (@cinnamon_msft) May 19, 2025

          FEEDBACK: Please file feedback on GitHub at microsoft/WindowsAdvancedSettings.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • In addition to the new grouping of the Accessibility flyout in quick settings, we are adding text descriptions for the assistive technologies like Narrator, Voice access, etc. for easy identification and learning by the users.
          [caption id="attachment_177885" align="alignnone" width="434"] Accessibility flyout via quick setting showing text descriptions for assistive technologies like Narrator, Voice access, etc.[/caption]

          [Search on the Taskbar]

          We are beginning to roll out some improvements for the Windows search box on your taskbar:
          • When showing search results, we will provide a notice that your search results may be incomplete if Windows is still indexing your PC with a link to check your indexing status. You can dismiss this notice.
          • We are also providing a status for files and folders on your PC so you can easily see if a file or folder is available when online (cloud) or available on your device.
          [caption id="attachment_177886" align="alignnone" width="578"] Windows search box improvements for search results highlighted in red boxes.[/caption]

          [Voice access]

          • We have temporarily disabled Chinese support in voice access to address some issues. We plan to begin rolling this change out again in a future flight soon.

          [Widgets]

          We’re trying out a new visual experience for the widgets board, with a more organized, personalized, and engaging feed. In addition, we are introducing Copilot-curated stories into the feed. These make it easy to get a multifaceted view on a single topic, connecting summaries, videos, and images from trusted MSN premium publishers. Some features, such as pinning and hiding, are still under development. Explore this experience and please share your feedback as we'll continue to evolve the experience. [caption id="attachment_177887" align="alignnone" width="595"] The new visual experience for the widgets board.[/caption] You can choose to return to the previous widgets board experience, by changing the ‘Copilot Discover (Preview)’ toggle in the Personalize MSN settings dialog (shown below). [caption id="attachment_177888" align="alignnone" width="520"] Toggle for Copilot Discover (Preview) in a red box.[/caption]

          [Power & Battery]

          • We're introducing User Interaction-Aware CPU Power Management, an OS-level enhancement that helps reduce power consumption and extend your battery life. After a period of inactivity on your PC, Windows now conserve power by automatically applying efficient power management policies. This happens seamlessly to save energy while you're inactive, with full performance instantly restored the moment you get back to it. It's another way we're working to make your Windows experience both responsive and energy-efficient!
            • Please note: Actual savings depend on device segment, power mode and whether you’re plugged in or running on battery, according to manufacturer-defined Processor Power Management (PPM) settings.

          [Windows Share]

          • In the Windows share window, as part of the ability to quickly edit and enhance images while sharing, we have adjusted the UI so that now you can now select their compression scale from High, Medium, or Low Quality, instead of choosing from an entire scale ranging from 0-100.
          [caption id="attachment_177889" align="alignnone" width="318"] New drop-down menu for compression scale of high, medium, or low when sharing images in the Windows share window.[/caption]

          [Windows Backup]

          • We're trying out different variations of the landing page when you launch the Windows Backup app.

          [Snipping Tool]

          • [ADDED] Last month, we announced Snipping Tool's new text extractor feature -- designed to minimize the number of steps it takes to copy text to your clipboard without having to take a screenshot of your screen. With this Windows update, we're making it easier to jump directly into text extractor via Win + Shift + T. You can learn more about using text extractor here. You should be on Snipping Tool version 11.2503.29.0 or higher as well.

          [Settings]

          We are rolling out some small changes in the EEA region for default browsers via Settings > Apps > Default apps:
          1. Additional file and link types will be set for the new default browser, if it registers for them.
          2. There is now a separate one-click button for browsers to make it easy to also change your .pdf default, if the browser registers for the .pdf file type.
          [caption id="attachment_177890" align="alignnone" width="968"] Browser default settings page showing new set default button for PDF files.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • Fixed an issue where core Windows surfaces were not able to load in safe mode (File Explorer, Start menu, and others) after latest flights.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where if File Explorer was maximized and you clicked the new tab button it would unmaximize the window.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue related to loading Bluetooth information which could lead to Settings and Quick Settings crashes.
          • Fixed an issue where you couldn't switch active hours from manually to automatic in Settings > Windows Update.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing Settings > Personalization > Lock screen to crash for some Insiders.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • The option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Start menu]

          • We’re investigating reports that clicking your profile picture isn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the last couple of flights.

          [File Explorer]

          The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer:
          • [NEW] Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate.
          • [NEW] When your Windows display language is configured with a right-to-left language, the action result canvas displays text from left to right for AI actions for Microsoft 365 files.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          [Narrator]

          • We are investigating an issue where Describe image feature of narrator does not work.

          [Voice Access]

          • We are investigating an issue where support for more descriptive and flexible language on Copilot+ PCs does not work as expected.

          [Widgets]

          • [NEW] Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/19/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-4188-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Mon, 19 May 2025 17:25:19 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177876 [UPDATE 5/27] We are releasing Build 26100.4202 (KB5058499) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself.

          Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.4188 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> [UPDATE 5/27] We are releasing Build 26100.4202 (KB5058499) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself. Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.4188 (KB5058499) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
          • [Click to Do (preview)]
            • New! We’re introducing more intelligent text actions to enhance your Click to Do experience even further on AMD and Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs. Use WIN key + mouse-click or WIN + Q to select a text block and then drag to select the text that you want. You’ll see options to Summarize, Create a bulleted list, or to help you Rewrite your text, so it sounds more causal, more formal, or more polished.
            • New! Click to Do can now perform intelligent text actions in Spanish and French.
            • New!¹Ask Copilot is a new action within Click to Do. When you highlight text or an image, Click to Do offers the Ask Copilot Selecting it opens Microsoft Copilot with your content in the prompt box. You can send the selected text or image directly to the Copilot app to complete your prompt.
            • New!² Click to Do (preview) is now available in the European Economic Area (EEA), bringing NPU-powered intelligent text actions for English to more users, along with new support for Spanish and French—enabling actions Summarize, Create a bulleted list, and Refine in these languages.
            • New! If your PC has pen and inking capabilities, you can configure the shortcut button to open Click to Do with a single-click, double-click, or press and hold through Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Pen & Windows Ink.
            • New! You can add Click to Do as one of the four apps in the pen menu on your PC. If all slots for the pen menu are full, you might need to replace one app with Click to Do in the menu settings.
          • [Copilot]
            • New! You can open Copilot on Windows with Win + C. You can personalize your Copilot key and Win + C experience at any time with the existing “Customize Copilot key on keyboard” under Settings > Personalization > Text input. For Enterprise users, see Updated Windows and Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat experience.
            • New! To press to talk with Copilot on Windows, hold the Copilot key or Win + C for two seconds if you don’t have a Copilot key. Press Esc or stay silent for a few seconds to end the call. You can also use Alt + Spacebar to talk with Copilot on Windows. This feature enables you to interact with Copilot using your voice, providing instant responses while you continue your tasks.
          • [Cross Device Resume] New! Seamlessly resume working on OneDrive files from your phone (iOS and Android) on your Windows 11 PC with a single click. With this feature, you will get a notification asking you if you want to pick up where you left off editing a OneDrive file like a Word doc that you last viewed or edited on your phone within a 5-minute time window preceding unlocking your PC.
          • [Energy saver] New! IT admins can manage Energy saver settings on Windows 11 PCs through group policies and MDM configurations using Microsoft Intune. This feature helps extend battery life by limiting background activity, dimming the screen, and contributing to environmental sustainability. To configure the policy, go to the Local Group Policy under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Energy Saver Settings and “Enable Energy Saver to Always Be On.”
          • [Graphics] New! Manage your PC’s HDR features under Settings > System > Display > Updates include: A clearer label for “Use HDR” that better explains which media types are supported. The ability to stream HDR video even when HDR is turned off. On PCs with Dolby Vision, a new toggle lets you turn Dolby Vision on or off independently of HDR—giving you more control over your viewing experience.
          • [Narrator] New! Enhance digital accessibility with AI-powered image descriptions in Narrator on Copilot+ PCs. This feature provides detailed descriptions of images, charts, and graphs for blind and low-vision users. To turn on Narrator, press Ctrl + Windows key + Enter or search for 'Narrator' in Windows search. Use Narrator key + Ctrl + D for image descriptions.
          • [Improved Windows Search]
            • New! As part of improving Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, we’re beginning to roll out the ability to type a setting you’re looking for in the Windows search box on your taskbar without needing to remember the exact setting name. For example, you can use your own words to find settings like “change my theme” or “about my PC”. You no longer need to remember the exact setting name you are looking for.
            • New! In the European Economic Area (EEA), you can now find cloud photos using improved Windows Search on the taskbar. Describe the photos, like 'European castles' or 'summer picnics,' in the search box. Photos from the cloud and your Copilot+ PC appear in the search results. Exact keyword matches within your cloud files will also show up. This feature is gradually rolling out to Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered PCs coming soon.
          • [Search on Taskbar] New! Improved support for web search providers in Windows Search for the EEA, including with increased discoverability.
          • [Settings]
            • New! Find answers to commonly asked questions about your PC and Windows 11 in the new FAQs section on the Settings > System > About It covers topics like system setup, performance, and compatibility - all in one place.
            • New! The dialog to rename your printer under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners now matches the Windows 11 look and feel.
            • New! Mouse settings are now easier to access under Settings > Accessibility > Mouse and Mouse pointer and touch, with no need to open Control Panel. You’ll find updated icons for Mouse pointer speed and Enhance mouse pointer precision, plus options for customizing the mouse indicator, pointer trails, and hover activation time.
          • [Taskbar]
            • New! Admins can configure taskbar policies so users can unpin specific apps, ensuring they are not repinned during the next policy refresh. To turn on this feature, use the new PinGeneration option.
            • Fixed: When using Tab and Shift + Tab to move keyboard focus around the taskbar, if you go backwards at least once you can get keyboard focus stuck on the taskbar frame, which could lead screen readers to just say “pane”.
            • Fixed: Keyboard focus may be unexpectedly set to widgets in the taskbar on login, which can make widgets invoke
          • [Voice access]
            • New! Voice access now includes an in-product experience that highlights new features and improvements. Use the settings menu to open or dismiss it anytime.
            • New! You can find voice access under Accessibility in Quick Settings at the lower-right corner of your screen near the clock. To open Quick Settings, select the network, volume, or battery icon.
            • Fixed: Voice access may freeze with error “working on it” when dictating.
          • [Voice typing] New! You control the profanity filter. When you turn it on, it masks profanity with asterisks. When you turn it off, words appear as spoken. To change the setting, open voice typing (Win + H), select the settings icon, and turn on the Filter profanity switch.
          • [Windows Share]
            • New! Make last-minute edits such as cropping, rotating, and adding filters to images shared through the Windows Share window.
            • New! When you drag a local file from File Explorer or your desktop, a tray appears at the top of your screen. Drop the file into a suggested app or select More… to open the Windows share window.
            • New! Add apps that support sharing directly to the right-click menu for local files in File Explorer or on the desktop.
          • [Audio] Fixed: The startup sound may not play on boot, although it is enabled.
          • [MMC] Fixed: Improved the colors used in MMC when items are selected, both generally, and when contrast modes are enabled.
          • [USB] Fixed: Certain USB devices may become disconnected after sleep, until you reboot your PC.
          • [Input]
            • Fixed: Voice typing won't start from the touch keyboard when using the Chinese (Simplified) narrow layout.
            • Fixed: When using the Symbols section of the touch keyboard, pressing the key to change pages may unexpectedly insert a character into password fields.
            • Fixed: Typing in some apps may stop working after disconnecting from a remote desktop session.
          • [JPG] Fixed: When using CopyPixels the pixels may be unexpectedly inverted in certain cases.
          • [Bluetooth] Fixed: Settings may crash when loading information about Bluetooth devices.
          • [Display] Fixed: Unexpected scaling and window position changes may occur after sleep/resume for some devices.
          • [Print] Fixed: Non-admin users can't uninstall printers that they’ve added.
          • [Windows Hello] Fixed: When using Windows Hello for Business facial recognition, the camera may unexpectedly fail after waking the PC from sleep, blocking login using this method.
          • [Camera] Fixed: Settings may crash when interacting with content under Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Cameras.
          • [File Explorer] Fixed: If you have disconnected network drives when doing a search from Home it may prevent searches from executing and you remain on Home.
          • [UHF Tuning] Fixed: Tuning scan for UHF channels doesn't work, and only VHF channels are returned.
          ¹ Coming later to the European Economic Area. Functionality will vary by device and market. See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs. ² Functionality will vary by device and market; text actions will be available across markets in select character sets. See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs.

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [BitLocker] Fixed: This update addresses an issue where devices with BitLocker on removable drives could encounter a blue screen error after resuming from sleep or hybrid-booting.
          • [Boot menu screens] Fixed: This update addresses the issue where early boot screens, such as BitLocker PIN, BitLocker Recovery key, and boot menu screens, render slowly.
          • [Graphics kernel] Fixed: An issue where some game titles become unresponsive after upgrading to Windows 11, version 24H2.
          • [Memory leak] Fixed: This update addresses an issue in the Input Service that causes increased memory usage, potentially impacting performance in multi-user, multi-lingual, and remote desktop usage.
          • [Multimedia] Fixed: If you turn on multi-app mode or basic camera mode in advanced camera settings, the Windows Hello Face Enrollment might not work and show a bad camera preview.
          • [Network] Fixed: This update addresses an issue where Windows Server 2025 always shows the network as "public" on new domain controllers. It now checks for a domain controller name before using loopback addresses to ensure proper Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) binding.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/16/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27858-canary-channel/ Fri, 16 May 2025 17:05:31 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177873 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27858 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes a

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27858 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27858 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [Input]

          • We are trying out a new experience to improve the discoverability of the emoji and more panel in Windows 11 with the introduction of a new system tray icon on the taskbar. With this new system tray icon, you can easily express yourself by using emojis, GIFs, Kaomoji etc. across all apps and surfaces in Windows in addition to using the WIN + . keyboard shortcut which is also now shown on the emoji and more panel. This new system tray icon for the emoji and more panel shows can be changed by right-clicking on the icon to go to taskbar settings page.
          [caption id="attachment_177656" align="alignnone" width="469"] The new system tray icon for the emoji and more panel highlighted with a red box.[/caption]

          Fixes

          [General]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to see a black screen when upgrading to the previous flight.
          • Fixed an issue causing text to disappear in places across the system after the previous flight.

          [File Explorer]

          • As part of our ongoing commitment to improving File Explorer accessibility, this release includes increased support for the text scaling (via Settings > Accessibility > Text size) across File Explorer, File Open/Save dialogs and the copy dialogs.

          [Desktop icons]

          • Updated the logic for apps pinned to the desktop, so that packaged apps no longer show an accent colored backplate (for example, if you were to drag and drop Snipping Tool from the apps list in Start to the desktop). In doing this, the icons should be bigger and easier to see now. Please note, you may need to create new shortcuts for this to take effect, if you already have something on your desktop.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where voice typing wouldn’t start from the touch keyboard when using the Chinese (Simplified) narrow layout.
          • Fixed a high hitting ctmon.exe crash, which could impact the ability to type.

          [Windowing]

          • Fixed an explorer.exe crash related to snap layouts which could happen when dragging a window or hovering over the maximize button in a window.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where the taskbar icons weren’t increasing in size as they should when using your PC in a tablet posture.
          • Fixed an issue where when using Hebrew or Arabic as your display language, if you pressed WIN + T then arrow keys, focus through the taskbar icons would move in the opposite direction.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue causing night light to not work for some Insiders after the latest flights.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing unexpected FPS caps for some Insiders in the previous flight.

          [Network]

          • Mitigated an issue believed to be the cause of reports that wi-fi stopped working for some Insiders after the previous flight.

          [Audio]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to MIDI devices not being recognized in recent Canary flights.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to see a bugcheck with KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE after the previous flight.
          • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to see a bugcheck with SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED after the previous flight.
          • Fixed an issue where setting your desktop background to a JXR HDR wallpaper wasn’t working for extra wide format (21x9).

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • [NEW] You may see an Administrative Templates error message when opening Group Policy Editor. If you click OK, you should be able to proceed as normal.
          • [ADDED 5/19] We’re investigating an issue where the taskbar is unexpectedly not showing acrylic material after upgrading to this build.
          • [ADDED 5/19] We’re working on the fix for an issue where audio devices with high sampling (like 192Hz) and multiple channels aren’t producing sound after upgrading to this build. Thanks Insiders that provided detailed information in your feedback!

          [Input]

          • [NEW] Pen input may be non-responsive on some PCs that support pen for inking.

          [Task Manager]

          • [ADDED] Search and other options such as filtering in Task Manager does not work.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/15/releasing-windows-11-build-22631-5409-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 15 May 2025 17:26:07 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177871 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5409 (KB5058502) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5409 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Build 22631.5409 (KB5058502) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).   Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
          • [Copilot]
            • New! You can open Copilot on Windows with Win + C. You can personalize your Copilot key and Win + C experience at any time with the existing “Customize Copilot key on keyboard” under Settings > Personalization > Text input. For Enterprise users, see Updated Windows and Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat experience.
            • New! To press to talk with Copilot on Windows, hold the Copilot key or Win + C for two seconds if you don’t have a Copilot key. Press Esc or stay silent for a few seconds to end the call. You can also use Alt + Spacebar to talk with Copilot on Windows. This feature enables you to interact with Copilot using your voice, providing instant responses while you continue your tasks
          • [Search on Taskbar] Improved support for web search providers in Windows Search for the EEA, including with increased discoverability.
          • [Settings] New! Find answers to commonly asked questions about your PC and Windows 11 in the new FAQs section on the Settings > System > About. It covers topics like system setup, performance, and compatibility - all in one place.
          • Taskbar] New! Admins can configure taskbar policies so users can unpin specific apps, ensuring they are not repinned during the next policy refresh. To turn on this feature, use the new PinGeneration option.
          • [Voice access] Fixed: Voice access may freeze with error “working on it” when dictating.
          • [Widgets] New! There are some new updates to the new Widgets on Lock experience for devices in the European Economic Area (EEA). In addition to accessibility and craftsmanship improvements, the Lock screen weather widget now supports customization. To configure your weather widget, go to Settings > Personalization> Lock screen and select the “Customize widget” option from the weather widget more options menu. More widgets will be customizable in the future.
          • [Windows Share]
            • New! When you drag a local file from File Explorer or your desktop, a tray appears at the top of your screen. Drop the file into a suggested app or select More… to open the Windows share window.
          • [Input]
            • Fixed: Voice typing won't start from the touch keyboard when using the Chinese (Simplified) narrow layout.
            • Fixed: When using the Symbols section of the touch keyboard, pressing the key to change pages may unexpectedly insert a character into password fields.

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [Blue screen error] Fixed: This update addresses an issue where devices encounter a blue screen exception with error code SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (win32kfull.sys).
          • [HoloLens] Fixed: An issue that stopped the HoloCamera app from saving pictures on HoloLens due to incorrect folder access and a related problem with Mixed Reality Capture.
          • [Memory leak] Fixed: This update addresses an issue in the Input Service that causes increased memory usage, potentially impacting performance in multi-user, multi-lingual, and remote desktop usage.
          • [Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)] Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
          • [Windows Shell] Fixed: This update addresses an issue when Explorer and the Start Menu stop working when a device is connected to an AAD account.
          • [Windows Update & Servicing] Fixed: The Windows Update service stopped working when devices running Windows 11 22H2 or 23H2 tried to download the Windows 24H2 feature update through Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/15/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-5912-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 15 May 2025 17:25:59 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177869 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5912 (KB5058481) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2.

          This update includes the following features and improvement

          The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.5912 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5912 (KB5058481) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. This update includes the following features and improvements (items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented): [Calendar flyout]
          • Brings back the clock view that displays seconds onto the calendar that was once removed.
          • Enhances the Rich Calendar feature by extending the upcoming events period to 30 days.
          • Adds description text for the weather button on the rich calendar.
          [GDI/GDI+]
          • Fixed: Some GB18030-2022 characters in plane 2 are not rendered.
          • Fixed: Some GB18030 characters are rendered wider. Additionally, the sample paragraph is not rendered correctly.
          [Mobile Operator Profiles]
          • Updated: Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles are updated.​​​​​​​
          [WinSaS]
          • Fixed: An issue affecting the Windows Account Sync Consent system in European Economic Area markets, where secondary accounts were not acknowledged, leading to increased server load.
          Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/14/copilot-on-windows-hey-copilot-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Wed, 14 May 2025 16:16:43 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177865 Hello Windows Insiders, we are beginning to roll out an update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows via the Microsoft Store which introduces the following changes and improvements:

          Copilot wake word: Windows Insiders can now inv

          The post Copilot on Windows: “Hey, Copilot!” begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Copilot wake word: Windows Insiders can now invoke Copilot with the phrase “Hey, Copilot!”. This opt-in feature gives people a new way to easily start a conversation with Copilot Voice, anytime the feature is enabled, and their PC is unlocked. With this new hands-free experience, you can stay in your flow when you need answers to a question or just need someone to bounce an idea off of. To get started, enable “Hey, Copilot” in the Settings of your Copilot app, then simply ask a question starting with “Hey, Copilot…”. You’ll see the Copilot microphone appear on your screen, along with a chime to indicate that Copilot is listening. To end a conversation, tap ‘X’ or Copilot will end the call automatically after a few seconds of no interaction. You will hear a chime confirming that the conversation has ended. [caption id="attachment_177867" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Invoke Copilot with your voice with “Hey Copilot”.[/caption] FAQs: How do I use ‘Hey Copilot’ once enabled? 
          • Anytime your PC is unlocked, and the feature is enabled, simply say “Hey Copilot” or “Hey Copilot, what is the weather in Palm Springs this weekend?” (or whatever question you have) and Copilot Voice will respond.
          • Anytime the wake word is detected you will see the Copilot Voice Floating UI appear on the bottom of your screen and either hear a small chime, or a voice greeting or response from Copilot.
          • You can end a conversation by tapping the X on the Copilot Voice Floating Call UI or wait a few seconds without speaking and the call will end automatically. You will hear a hang up chime or a voice confirmation that the call ended.
          Is ‘Hey Copilot’ on by default?   No, you must enable this feature within Copilot’s settings to use it. To configure:
          1. Open Copilot
          2. Tap your avatar in the bottom left corner,
          3. Tap Settings
          4. Scroll down to Voice mode
          5. Toggle “Listen for ‘Hey, Copilot’ to start a conversation” on or off.  It is off by default.
          Why does Windows show my microphone in use when I turn on ‘Hey Copilot’?  Windows will show Copilot in use of the microphone via the Windows System Tray when either of these are true:
          • ‘Hey Copilot’ is enabled and the Copilot app is running in (open, minimized, or running in the background)
          • Any Copilot Voice conversation is going on
          How do I tell the difference between if Copilot is only listening for the wake word or if I’m in a Copilot Voice conversation?  If you see the Copilot Voice interface, you are in a conversation with Copilot Voice. Is my data/voice/recordings sent to the cloud when ‘Hey Copilot’ is enabled? No. When ‘Hey Copilot’ is enabled, Copilot uses the microphone with an on-device wake word spotter that only detects the ‘Hey Copilot’ phrase. The wake word spotter uses an on-device 10 second audio buffer in memory. This audio buffer is never recorded or stored locally. When the wake word is detected, the Copilot Voice Floating UI will appear and begin to establish a Copilot Voice conversation. In parallel, the audio buffer will send audio from when “Hey Copilot” was detected to the cloud so it can be used to help answer the question you asked. Will ‘Hey Copilot’ work when my PC is off or locked?  No, your PC must be powered on and unlocked. It will respond to any voice it hears when unlocked. Will ‘Hey Copilot’ work if I’m offline? Recognition of the wake word is always performed locally and will try to establish a Copilot Voice call when detected. If you are offline you will see Copilot attempt to establish a connection but will not able to and see the call end. Copilot Voice responses require internet access and cloud processing, similar to typed interactions. What languages work with ‘Hey Copilot’?  Today, the ‘Hey Copilot’ wake word is only trained and available in English. This Copilot app update (version 1.25051.10.0 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. Hey Copilot will first roll out to Insiders worldwide, who have their display language in Windows set to English. The above-mentioned features are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience on Windows. FEEDBACK: Please provide feedback directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”. Thanks, Microsoft Copilot Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5600-dev-channel/ Mon, 12 May 2025 21:04:03 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177862 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5600 (KB5058493) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5600 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5600 (KB5058493) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          Intelligent text actions in Click to Do for AMD and Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs

          We’re introducing more intelligent text actions to enhance your Click to Do experience even further on AMD and Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs. Use WIN key + mouse-click or WIN + Q to select a text block and then drag to select the text that you want. You’ll see options to Summarize, Create a bulleted list, or to help you Rewrite your text, so it sounds more causal, more formal, or more polished. [caption id="attachment_177861" align="alignnone" width="1920"] More intelligent text actions in Click to Do with options to Summarize, Create a bulleted list, or Rewrite.[/caption] Click to Do leverages the capabilities of Phi Silica, the on-device Small Language Model (SLM) that is built right into Windows. Results from our local model will show directly inline and if you’re happy with the rewrites you can copy them directly to your clipboard for use anywhere. The intelligent text actions are available when your default language is set to English, at least 10 words are selected, and you’re signed in with either a Microsoft account or Microsoft Entra account. You can learn more about using Click to Do here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • ⁠For Windows Insiders using French or Spanish as their primary language on their PC, Click to Do will temporarily only provide Summarize, Create a bulleted list, Refine as intelligent text actions. Rewrite and its options, including Refine, will return in a future update.

          [Dynamic Lighting]

          • Dynamic Lighting compatible devices can now be safely removed using the "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" taskbar icon.

          [Settings]

          • The new agent in Settings experience is currently beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel first and once the right ML models are set up for the Dev Channel, we will begin rolling this experience out in the Dev Channel with a future flight.
          • We’re making it easy to find answers to common questions about your PC and Windows 11 with a dedicated FAQs section on the Settings > System > About page, providing quick and helpful insights for using your PC all in one place. Whether you’re curious about system configuration, performance, or compatibility, this experience ensures you get the information you need for the frequently asked questions for those topics. We hope these FAQs will help you make informed decisions about your PC with ease.
          [caption id="attachment_177765" align="alignnone" width="650"] FAQ section highlighted in a red box on the About settings page.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed a few crashes impacting Start menu reliability for Insiders in recent flights.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed a deadlock which could occur when loading File Explorer Home, causing it to hang.
          • Fixed an issue where Shared by and Activity information was missing in the tooltip when hovering over recent documents in File Explorer Home.
          • Fixed an issue which could cause explorer.exe to crash when closing File Explorer.

          [Voice Access]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing voice access crashes when using Spanish.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where when using Tab and Shift + Tab to move keyboard focus around the taskbar, if you went backwards at least once you could get keyboard focus stuck on the taskbar frame, which would potentially lead screen readers to just say “pane”.
          • Fixed an issue which could cause the media controls in the preview windows for apps in the taskbar (that support it) to flicker.

          [Windows Spotlight]

          • Fixed an issue where the Windows Spotlight flyout for “learn more about this picture” (when using it as your desktop background) might get stuck above other app windows.

          [Live captions]

          • Fixed an issue causing live captions to crash in the previous build.

          [Other]

          • Improved the colors used in MMC when items are selected, both generally, and when contrast modes are enabled.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which could make some apps like Word hang when trying to print.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • [NEW] The option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] You are always in control and can always choose to remove Recall anytime via “Turn Windows features on or off”. Removing Recall will delete entry points and binaries. Like any feature, Windows sometimes keeps temporary copies of binaries for serviceability. These Recall binaries are not executable and are eventually removed over time.
          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • [NEW] Image actions may not show up in Click to Do.
          • [NEW] Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.
          • [NEW] For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel, Click to Do's intelligent text actions may not offer support for Spanish or French.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Start menu]

          • We’re investigating reports that clicking your profile picture isn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the last flight.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          [Narrator]

          • [NEW] We are investigating an issue where the richer image descriptions on your Copilot+ PC with Narrator do not work.

          [Voice Access]

          • [NEW] We are investigating an issue where support for more descriptive and flexible language on Copilot+ PCs does not work as expected.

          Entra ID support for AI features in Paint and Notepad

          We are rolling out Entra ID support for AI features in Paint (version 11.2503.381.0 and higher) and Notepad (version 11.2503.16.0 and higher) to Windows Insiders on IT-managed PCs in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels. This update enables commercial customers to access AI features that were previously limited to consumers. In Paint, Entra ID unlocks access to Cocreator, which generates images by combining a sketch and text prompt and Generative Fill, which adds new elements to selected areas of a canvas based on descriptive input. These tools help teams explore ideas visually and speed up creative workflows. In Notepad, Entra ID unlocks the ability to quickly summarize or rewrite text content.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3964-beta-channel/ Mon, 12 May 2025 21:03:56 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177857 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3964 (KB5058496) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          REMINDER: 

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3964 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3964 (KB5058496) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. REMINDER: Build 22635.5305 was the last update released to the Beta Channel based on Windows 11, version 23H2. All Insiders in the Beta Channel will be getting upgraded to Windows 11, version 24H2 soon. Until that happens, Insiders on Windows 11, version 23H2 in the Beta Channel can choose to upgrade to Windows 11, version 24H2 and this build today if they want. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          Introducing the new agent in Settings

          Last week, we announced a change to Settings designed to help solve one of the most common frustrations we heard: finding and changing settings on your PC. With this update to Settings, you will be able to simply describe what you need help with like, “how to control my PC by voice” or “my mouse pointer is too small” and the agent will recommend the right steps you can take to address the issue. An agent uses AI on your PC to understand your intent and with your permission, automate and execute tasks on your behalf. This experience is rolling out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs with support for AMD- and Intel™-powered PCs coming soon. Please note that this experience works if your primary display language is set to English. [caption id="attachment_177859" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Agent powered search results for my mouse pointer is too small in Settings.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Settings > All other settings.

          Intelligent text actions in Click to Do for AMD and Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs

          We’re introducing more intelligent text actions to enhance your Click to Do experience even further on AMD and Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs. Use WIN key + mouse-click or WIN + Q to select a text block and then drag to select the text that you want. You’ll see options to Summarize, Create a bulleted list, or to help you Rewrite your text, so it sounds more causal, more formal, or more polished. [caption id="attachment_177861" align="alignnone" width="1920"] More intelligent text actions in Click to Do with options to Summarize, Create a bulleted list, or Rewrite.[/caption] Click to Do leverages the capabilities of Phi Silica, the on-device Small Language Model (SLM) that is built right into Windows. Results from our local model will show directly inline and if you’re happy with the rewrites you can copy them directly to your clipboard for use anywhere. The intelligent text actions are available when your default language is set to English, at least 10 words are selected, and you’re signed in with either a Microsoft account or Microsoft Entra account. You can learn more about using Click to Do here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • ⁠For Windows Insiders using French or Spanish as their primary language on their PC, Click to Do will temporarily only provide Summarize, Create a bulleted list, Refine as intelligent text actions. Rewrite and its options, including Refine, will return in a future update.

          [Dynamic Lighting]

          • Dynamic Lighting compatible devices can now be safely removed using the "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" taskbar icon.

          [Settings]

          • We’re making it easy to find answers to common questions about your PC and Windows 11 with a dedicated FAQs section on the Settings > System > About page, providing quick and helpful insights for using your PC all in one place. Whether you’re curious about system configuration, performance, or compatibility, this experience ensures you get the information you need for the frequently asked questions for those topics. We hope these FAQs will help you make informed decisions about your PC with ease.
          [caption id="attachment_177765" align="alignnone" width="650"] FAQ section highlighted in a red box on the About settings page.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed a few crashes impacting Start menu reliability for Insiders in recent flights.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed a deadlock which could occur when loading File Explorer Home, causing it to hang.
          • Fixed an issue where Shared by and Activity information was missing in the tooltip when hovering over recent documents in File Explorer Home.
          • Fixed an issue which could cause explorer.exe to crash when closing File Explorer.

          [Voice Access]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing voice access crashes when using Spanish.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where when using Tab and Shift + Tab to move keyboard focus around the taskbar, if you went backwards at least once you could get keyboard focus stuck on the taskbar frame, which would potentially lead screen readers to just say “pane”.
          • Fixed an issue which could cause the media controls in the preview windows for apps in the taskbar (that support it) to flicker.

          [Windows Spotlight]

          • Fixed an issue where the Windows Spotlight flyout for “learn more about this picture” (when using it as your desktop background) might get stuck above other app windows.

          [Live captions]

          • Fixed an issue causing live captions to crash in the previous build.

          [Other]

          • Improved the colors used in MMC when items are selected, both generally, and when contrast modes are enabled.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which could make some apps like Word hang when trying to print.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • We’re working on the fix for an issue where core Windows surfaces are not able to load in safe mode (File Explorer, Start menu, and others) after the previous flight.
          • [NEW] The option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] You are always in control and can always choose to remove Recall anytime via “Turn Windows features on or off”. Removing Recall will delete entry points and binaries. Like any feature, Windows sometimes keeps temporary copies of binaries for serviceability. These Recall binaries are not executable and are eventually removed over time.
          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • [NEW] Image actions may not show up in Click to Do.
          • [NEW] Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Start menu]

          • We’re investigating reports that clicking your profile picture isn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the last flight.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          [Narrator]

          • [NEW] We are investigating an issue where the richer image descriptions on your Copilot+ PC with Narrator do not work.

          [Voice Access]

          • [NEW] We are investigating an issue where support for more descriptive and flexible language on Copilot+ PCs does not work as expected.

          Entra ID support for AI features in Paint and Notepad

          We are rolling out Entra ID support for AI features in Paint (version 11.2503.381.0 and higher) and Notepad (version 11.2503.16.0 and higher) to Windows Insiders on IT-managed PCs in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels. This update enables commercial customers to access AI features that were previously limited to consumers. In Paint, Entra ID unlocks access to Cocreator, which generates images by combining a sketch and text prompt and Generative Fill, which adds new elements to selected areas of a canvas based on descriptive input. These tools help teams explore ideas visually and speed up creative workflows. In Notepad, Entra ID unlocks the ability to quickly summarize or rewrite text content.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/12/copilot-on-windows-windows-insiders-can-now-use-vision-with-2-apps-and-new-highlights-feature-with-1-app/ Mon, 12 May 2025 17:48:36 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177852 Hello Windows Insiders, we are beginning to roll out an update today for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows via the Microsoft Store which introduces the following changes and improvements to Copilot Vision on Windows:

          Highlights:

          The post Copilot on Windows: Windows Insiders can now use Vision with 2 apps and new Highlights feature with 1 app appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Highlights: Now when you share a single browser or app window using Copilot Vision, Copilot can guide, navigate, and coach you to complete a specific task using visual cues. Just ask Copilot to “show me how”, and Copilot will highlight where in the shared browser or app to click to help you accomplish your task. Today, Highlights works with a single app. Press the stop button to stop the Copilot highlights and resume your normal Vision session. Here are some examples of things to try:
          • Share your Settings window and ask Copilot “Show me how to turn on night light.”
          • Share your favorite productivity app and ask Copilot “Show me how to add a footer.”
          • Share your favorite video editing app and ask Copilot “Show me how to add text to my video.”
          [caption id="attachment_177854" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Copilot Vision on Windows highlights – “Show me how to get started to create a video in Clipchamp”.[/caption] 2-app support: Copilot Vision on Windows now supports sharing up to two applications. Copilot can then help analyze, offer insights, and answer your questions across the shared apps. For example, share the apps for your backpacking adventure packing list and an online list, and ask Copilot “Is there anything missing from my packing list, compared to the online list?” To get started with Copilot Vision on Windows click the glasses icon in your composer, select which browser window or app you want to share, and ask Copilot to help with whatever you’re working on. To stop sharing, press ‘Stop’ or ‘X’ in the composer. This Copilot app update (version 1.25044.92.0 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. Currently Copilot Vision on Windows, including highlights and 2-app support is available to Insiders in the U.S. The above-mentioned features are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience on Windows. FEEDBACK: Please provide feedback directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”. Thanks, Microsoft Copilot Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5581-dev-channel/ Mon, 05 May 2025 21:01:39 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177845 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5581 (KB5055651) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5581 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5581 (KB5055651) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Energy saver now available in Microsoft Intune

          We are bringing the ability to manage energy saver in Windows 11 to Microsoft Intune to allow IT administrators to control the energy saver settings on Windows 11 PCs through group policies and Mobile Device Management (MDM) configurations. This feature, when enabled, intelligently balances your battery use, so it can last longer between charges. It extends battery life by managing power usage efficiently. It limits background activity and reduces screen brightness, ensuring that devices consume less power while maintaining optimal performance. By automatically managing system processes and power usage, the energy saver group policy helps reduce overall energy consumption. This not only saves costs but also contributes to environmental sustainability. IT administrators can activate the policy by using either method below:
          • Local Group Policy Editor in Windows 11
          • Microsoft Intune Admin Center
          [caption id="attachment_177847" align="alignnone" width="639"] New group policy highlighted in a red box in Local Group Policy Editor.[/caption] The path for the new policy configuration can be found at in Local Group Policy Editor by navigating to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Energy Saver Settings and “Enable Energy Saver to Always Be On”.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*  

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • We're trying out different treatments of the UI in Recall including trying out different locations for snapshot actions and the timeline.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • We have adjusted the needy state pill under apps on the taskbar that need attention to be wider and more visible.
          [caption id="attachment_177848" align="alignnone" width="505"] Wider needy state pill UI showing for Microsoft Teams on the taskbar indicating the app needs attention.[/caption]
          • Admins can now allow users to unpin specific pinned apps, ensuring they are not pinned again during the next policy refresh cycle. To enable this feature, use the new PinGeneration option. Learn more about configuring pinned apps on the taskbar.

          [Graphics]

          We’re introducing some improvements for managing HDR capabilities of your PC via under Settings > System > Display > HDR: [caption id="attachment_177851" align="alignnone" width="639"] New HDR management settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption]
          • We have changed the wording for “Use HDR” inside display capabilities to improve clarity on supported media types.
          • On PCs with HDR displays, we have added the option to allow HDR video streaming even when HDR is off in settings.
          • On PCs with Dolby Vision displays, we have added the option to toggle Dolby Vision mode independently from HDR. You can now enjoy HDR with Dolby Vision either on or off based on your preference.
          Learn more about HDR settings in Windows.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing keyboard focus to get set to widgets in the taskbar on login, which could make widgets unexpectedly invoke.
          • Fixed an issue where WIN + CTRL + wasn’t working to cycle between windows of open apps for that position on the taskbar.

          [Audio]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause the startup sound not to play, though it was enabled.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause unexpected scaling and window position changes after sleep/resume for some devices.

          [Windows Update]

          • Fixed an issue where after resetting your PC, taking subsequent cumulative updates may fail with error 0x800f081f.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • When joining the Dev Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will no longer be offered Build 26200.5518 first and will be offered the most current available update in the Dev Channel.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • We’re investigating an issue where core Windows surfaces are not able to load in safe mode (File Explorer, Start menu, and others) after the previous flight.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Live Captions]

          • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue where live captions is crashing on this build.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] You are always in control and can always choose to remove Recall anytime via “Turn Windows features on or off”. Removing Recall will delete entry points and binaries. Like any feature, Windows sometimes keeps temporary copies of binaries for serviceability. These Recall binaries are not executable and are eventually removed over time.
          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Start menu]

          • We’re investigating reports that clicking your profile picture isn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the last flight.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/05/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3950-beta-channel/ Mon, 05 May 2025 21:01:31 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177843 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3950 (KB5055653) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          REMINDER:

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3950 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3950 (KB5055653) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. REMINDER: Build 22635.5305 was the last update released to the Beta Channel based on Windows 11, version 23H2. All Insiders in the Beta Channel will be getting upgraded to Windows 11, version 24H2 soon. Until that happens, Insiders on Windows 11, version 23H2 in the Beta Channel can choose to upgrade to Windows 11, version 24H2 and this build today if they want. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Energy saver now available in Microsoft Intune

          We are bringing the ability to manage energy saver in Windows 11 to Microsoft Intune to allow IT administrators to control the energy saver settings on Windows 11 PCs through group policies and Mobile Device Management (MDM) configurations. This feature, when enabled, intelligently balances your battery use, so it can last longer between charges. It extends battery life by managing power usage efficiently. It limits background activity and reduces screen brightness, ensuring that devices consume less power while maintaining optimal performance. By automatically managing system processes and power usage, the energy saver group policy helps reduce overall energy consumption. This not only saves costs but also contributes to environmental sustainability. IT administrators can activate the policy by using either method below:
          • Local Group Policy Editor in Windows 11
          • Microsoft Intune Admin Center
          [caption id="attachment_177847" align="alignnone" width="639"] New group policy highlighted in a red box in Local Group Policy Editor.[/caption] The path for the new policy configuration can be found at in Local Group Policy Editor by navigating to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Energy Saver Settings and “Enable Energy Saver to Always Be On”.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • We're trying out different treatments of the UI in Recall including trying out different locations for snapshot actions and the timeline.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • We have adjusted the needy state pill under apps on the taskbar that need attention to be wider and more visible.
          [caption id="attachment_177848" align="alignnone" width="505"] Wider needy state pill UI showing for Microsoft Teams on the taskbar indicating the app needs attention.[/caption]
          • Admins can now allow users to unpin specific pinned apps, ensuring they are not pinned again during the next policy refresh cycle. To enable this feature, use the new PinGeneration option. Learn more about configuring pinned apps on the taskbar.

          [Graphics]

          We’re introducing some improvements for managing HDR capabilities of your PC via under Settings > System > Display > HDR: [caption id="attachment_177851" align="alignnone" width="629"] New HDR management settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption]
          • We have changed the wording for “Use HDR” inside display capabilities to improve clarity on supported media types.
          • On PCs with HDR displays, we have added the option to allow HDR video streaming even when HDR is off in settings.
          • On PCs with Dolby Vision displays, we have added the option to toggle Dolby Vision mode independently from HDR. You can now enjoy HDR with Dolby Vision either on or off based on your preference.
          Learn more about HDR settings in Windows.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing keyboard focus to get set to widgets in the taskbar on login, which could make widgets unexpectedly invoke.
          • Fixed an issue where WIN + CTRL + <number> wasn’t working to cycle between windows of open apps for that position on the taskbar.

          [Audio]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause the startup sound not to play, though it was enabled.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause unexpected scaling and window position changes after sleep/resume for some devices.

          [Windows Update]

          • Fixed an issue where after resetting your PC, taking subsequent cumulative updates may fail with error 0x800f081f.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • When joining the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be no longer be offered Build 26120.3360 first and will be offered the most current available update in the Beta Channel.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • We’re investigating an issue where core Windows surfaces are not able to load in safe mode (File Explorer, Start menu, and others) after the previous flight.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Live Captions]

          • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue where live captions is crashing on this build.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] You are always in control and can always choose to remove Recall anytime via “Turn Windows features on or off”. Removing Recall will delete entry points and binaries. Like any feature, Windows sometimes keeps temporary copies of binaries for serviceability. These Recall binaries are not executable and are eventually removed over time.
          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Start menu]

          • We’re investigating reports that clicking your profile picture isn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the last flight.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3941-beta-channel/ Fri, 25 Apr 2025 17:04:36 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177831 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3941 (KB5055634) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3941 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3941 (KB5055634) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          New profanity filter setting for voice typing

          We’re excited to address the top customer feedback for voice typing by starting to roll out a new setting that lets you control the profanity filter. With this setting on, voice typing will continue to filter out profanity, masking it with asterisks, like it already did. With the setting off, it will type out your profanity like any other words. To adjust this setting, open voice typing (Win + H), select the settings icon, and use the Filter profanity toggle in the settings menu. [caption id="attachment_177830" align="alignnone" width="453"] New filter profanity option in voice typing settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Input and Language > Voice Typing (Windows key plus H).

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          Click to Do is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • If your PC supports pen and inking, you can configure the shortcut button (usually at the tail of your pen) to open Click to Do with a single-click, with a double-click, or by press and hold. You can configure this via Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Pen & Windows Ink.
          [caption id="attachment_177834" align="alignnone" width="650"] Pen & Windows Ink settings page with option to point pen shortcut to Click to Do highlighted in a red box.[/caption]
          • Click to Do can also be added as 1 of the 4 apps you can launch via the pen menu when using a pen with your PC. If all 4 of the slots for the pen menu are configured with apps, you may need to swap out one of those apps with Click to Do via the pen menu settings.
          [caption id="attachment_177835" align="alignnone" width="450"] Click to Do shown in the pen menu.[/caption]

          [Improved Windows Search

          Improved Windows Search is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • If you are signed into OneDrive with a work or school account (Entra ID), you will only see matches for keywords you are searching for within the text of your cloud files in the results shown in the Windows search box on the taskbar – not photos.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • We are improving Accessibility flyout in quick settings by grouping the assistive technologies by vision, hearing, motor and mobility for easy identification to help you find the right accessibility feature based on your needs.
          [caption id="attachment_177836" align="alignnone" width="450"] New grouping by vision, hearing, motor and mobility in the Accessibility flyout in quick settings.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • Fixed an underlying issue causing apps to appear blank after installing the latest flights.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following fixes are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed the issue causing images that are used with Click to Do image actions to be stuck in your temp folder on your PC.

          [Login and Lock]

          • Fixed an issue causing Windows Hello facial recognition to not work for login for some Insiders after the last two flights.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where when using the Symbols section of the touch keyboard, pressing the key to change pages may unexpectedly insert a character into password fields.
          • Fixed an issue where toggling back and forth to the Japanese touch keyboard could block input on it.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue where hovering over the cards at the top of System > About wasn’t showing the correct corner radius.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing Quick Assist to not work for non-administrator users (showing error 1002).
          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing certain apps to fail to open with an error saying, “The application was unable to load a required virtual machine component”.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to certain USB devices becoming disconnected after sleep, until you rebooted your PC.

          Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

          [General]

          • We fixed the issue that caused Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to not work and the option “Fix problems using Windows Update” option under Settings > Recovery to also not work. If you experience any issues with these experiences, please file feedback in Feedback Hub.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [REMINDER] When joining the Beta Channels on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26120.3360 After installing that update, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest 24H2-based flight in the Beta Channel is just temporary.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • Windows Sandbox may fail to launch with a 0x800705b4 error. If you hit this, you can try reinstalling Sandbox by unchecking Sandbox under "Turn Windows features on or off" to uninstall it then reboot, go back to "Turn Windows features on or off" and check Sandbox to reinstall it and reboot again.
          • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue where core Windows surfaces are not able to load in safe mode (File Explorer, Start menu, and others) after the previous flight.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • [NEW] Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] You are always in control and can always choose to remove Recall anytime via “Turn Windows features on or off”. Removing Recall will delete entry points and binaries. Like any feature, Windows sometimes keeps temporary copies of binaries for serviceability. These Recall binaries are not executable and are eventually removed over time.
          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Start menu]

          • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that clicking your profile picture isn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the last flight.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-5305-beta-channel/ Fri, 25 Apr 2025 17:04:32 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177828 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5305 (KB5055636) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 23H2.

          IMPORTANT NOTE: This will be the l

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5305 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5305 (KB5055636) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 23H2. IMPORTANT NOTE: This will be the last update released to the Beta Channel based on Windows 11, version 23H2. All Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will be getting upgraded to Windows 11, version 24H2 soon. Going forward – updates released to the Beta Channel will now be based on Windows 11, version 24H2.  Windows 11, version 24H2 is currently available as an optional upgrade for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel today. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          New profanity filter setting for voice typing

          We’re excited to address the top customer feedback for voice typing by starting to roll out a new setting that lets you control the profanity filter. With this setting on, voice typing will continue to filter out profanity, masking it with asterisks, like it already did. With the setting off, it will type out your profanity like any other words. To adjust this setting, open voice typing (Win + H), select the settings icon, and use the Filter profanity toggle in the settings menu. [caption id="attachment_177830" align="alignnone" width="453"] New filter profanity option in voice typing settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption] ALT-TEXT: New filter profanity option in voice typing settings highlighted in a red box. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Input and Language > Voice Typing (Windows key plus H).

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • Admins can now allow users to unpin specific pinned apps, ensuring they are not pinned again during the next policy refresh cycle. To enable this feature, use the new PinGeneration option. Learn more about configuring pinned apps on the taskbar.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where if you tapped the View button in File Explorer with touch, File Explorer would crash.

          [Windows Spotlight]

          • Fixed an issue where the Windows Spotlight flyout for “learn more about this picture” (when using it as your desktop background) might get stuck above other app windows.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where when using the Symbols section of the touch keyboard, pressing the key to change pages may unexpectedly insert a character into password fields.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue where hovering over the cards at the top of System > About wasn’t showing the correct corner radius.

          Known issues

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • [NEW] Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5570-dev-channel/ Fri, 25 Apr 2025 17:03:49 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177839 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5570 (KB5055632) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5570 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5570 (KB5055632) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          New profanity filter setting for voice typing

          We’re excited to address the top customer feedback for voice typing by starting to roll out a new setting that lets you control the profanity filter. With this setting on, voice typing will continue to filter out profanity, masking it with asterisks, like it already did. With the setting off, it will type out your profanity like any other words. To adjust this setting, open voice typing (Win + H), select the settings icon, and use the Filter profanity toggle in the settings menu. [caption id="attachment_177830" align="alignnone" width="453"] New filter profanity option in voice typing settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Input and Language > Voice Typing (Windows key plus H).

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          Click to Do is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • If your PC supports pen and inking, you can configure the shortcut button (usually at the tail of your pen) to open Click to Do with a single-click, with a double-click, or by press and hold. You can configure this via Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Pen & Windows Ink.
          [caption id="attachment_177834" align="alignnone" width="650"] Pen & Windows Ink settings page with option to point pen shortcut to Click to Do highlighted in a red box.[/caption]
          • Click to Do can also be added as 1 of the 4 apps you can launch via the pen menu when using a pen with your PC. If all 4 of the slots for the pen menu are configured with apps, you may need to swap out one of those apps with Click to Do via the pen menu settings.
          [caption id="attachment_177835" align="alignnone" width="450"] Click to Do shown in the pen menu.[/caption]

          [Improved Windows Search

          Improved Windows Search is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • If you are signed into OneDrive with a work or school account (Entra ID), you will only see matches for keywords you are searching for within the text of your cloud files in the results shown in the Windows search box on the taskbar – not photos.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • We are improving Accessibility flyout in quick settings by grouping the assistive technologies by vision, hearing, motor and mobility for easy identification to help you find the right accessibility feature based on your needs.
          [caption id="attachment_177836" align="alignnone" width="450"] New grouping by vision, hearing, motor and mobility in the Accessibility flyout in quick settings.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • Fixed an underlying issue causing apps to appear blank after installing the latest flights.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          The following fixes are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed the issue causing images that are used with Click to Do image actions to be stuck in your temp folder on your PC.

          [Login and Lock]

          • Fixed an issue causing Windows Hello facial recognition to not work for login for some Insiders after the last two flights.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where when using the Symbols section of the touch keyboard, pressing the key to change pages may unexpectedly insert a character into password fields.
          • Fixed an issue where toggling back and forth to the Japanese touch keyboard could block input on it.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue where hovering over the cards at the top of System > About wasn’t showing the correct corner radius.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing Quick Assist to not work for non-administrator users (showing error 1002).
          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing certain apps to fail to open with an error saying, “The application was unable to load a required virtual machine component”.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to certain USB devices becoming disconnected after sleep, until you rebooted your PC.

          Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

          [General]

          • We fixed the issue that caused Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to not work and the option “Fix problems using Windows Update” option under Settings > Recovery to also not work. If you experience any issues with these experiences, please file feedback in Feedback Hub.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT]When joining the Dev Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26200.5518 After installing that update, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest 24H2-based flight in the Dev Channel is just temporary.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • Windows Sandbox may fail to launch with a 0x800705b4 error. If you hit this, you can try reinstalling Sandbox by unchecking Sandbox under "Turn Windows features on or off" to uninstall it then reboot, go back to "Turn Windows features on or off" and check Sandbox to reinstall it and reboot again.
          • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue where core Windows surfaces are not able to load in safe mode (File Explorer, Start menu, and others) after the previous flight.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • [NEW] Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] You are always in control and can always choose to remove Recall anytime via “Turn Windows features on or off”. Removing Recall will delete entry points and binaries. Like any feature, Windows sometimes keeps temporary copies of binaries for serviceability. These Recall binaries are not executable and are eventually removed over time.
          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Start menu]

          • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that clicking your profile picture isn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the last flight.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/23/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27842-canary-channel/ Wed, 23 Apr 2025 17:05:33 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177825 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27842 to the Canary Channel.

          [UPDATE 4/25] We have released the ISOs for Build 27842 -

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27842 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27842 to the Canary Channel. [UPDATE 4/25] We have released the ISOs for Build 27842 - download them here. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [General]

          • The improved battery iconography in Windows 11 may disappear for Windows Insiders in the current flights. We’re beginning to re-roll this change out to Windows Insiders.
          • We’re previewing a new, more streamlined UI for unexpected restarts which better aligns with Windows 11 design principles and supports our goal of getting users back into productivity as fast as possible. We’ve simplified your experience while preserving the technical information on the screen. As a reminder, for Windows Insiders this appears as a “green screen”. This is currently rolling out to Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 and higher in the Beta, Dev, and Canary Channels.
          [caption id="attachment_177754" align="alignnone" width="759"] The updated UI for unexpected restarts for Windows Insiders on preview builds.[/caption]

          [Windows Security]

          • We are beginning to roll out (again) a change in the Windows Security app where will show more details such as manufacturer and manufacturer version for Pluton TPM chips if your PC has one under Device security > Security processor details.

          [Input]

          • [ADDED] As part of our ongoing work to improve our settings experiences, we’re starting to make more mouse related settings available directly under Settings > Accessibility > Mouse and Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch without needing to go into Control Panel. This includes the settings for mouse indicator, mouse pointer trails, and further mouse behavior and pointer customization. As part of this work, we have also added the ability to adjust the amount of time needed to hover over a window to activate it, if you have activated on hover enabled. Finally, we updated the icon used for Mouse pointer speed in Bluetooth & Devices > Mouse and added an icon to the Enhance mouse pointer precision option.
          • [ADDED] We’re updating the Bluetooth & Devices > Pen and Windows Ink, and Bluetooth & Devices > Touch pages in Settings to have options if you want press and hold for pen or touch to perform a right click action.

          [Other]

          • Support for the Visual Studio Graphics Analyzer's shader debugging feature is being removed. In this build, attempting to use it may crash Visual Studio or the analysis session. It is recommended that customers use alternative graphics debuggers such as PIX for D3D12 or RenderDoc.
          • We’re removing the bypassnro.cmd script from the build to enhance security and user experience of Windows 11. This change ensures that all users exit setup with internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account.

          Fixes

          [General]

          • Fixed the issue causing the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update to not render correctly and automatically turn off by itself.
          • Fixed an issue in the latest builds causing some Insiders to see a bugcheck with WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR doing various actions on their PC.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • Fixed an issue impacting explorer.exe reliability in the latest builds.
          • Fixed an issue where when using Hebrew or Arabic as your display language, if you pressed WIN + T then arrow keys, focus through the taskbar icons would move in the opposite direction.

          [Administrator Protection]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause lsass.exe to unexpectedly use a lot of CPU impacting performance after enabling Administrator Protection.

          [Input]

          • Fixed a high hitting ctfmon.exe crash, which could impact the ability to type.
          • Fixed an issue in the latest builds causing DWM to crash when inking (which could lead to you seeing a black screen flash).

          [Login and Lock]

          • Updated the web sign-in icon slightly to better align with the other icons when selecting a sign in option on the login screen.

          [Windows Security]

          • Fixed an issue where the Smart App Control icon wasn’t displaying correctly in the Windows Security app.

          [Display and Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue where external graphics cards connected over Thunderbolt were unexpectedly not discoverable in some cases.
          • Fixed an issue where some JPG images weren’t displaying, although they could display correctly on older builds.
          • Fixed an issue where you might need to press the Windows key plus P twice in order to switch topologies.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue where the IP Helper Service was failing to start in the latest builds. This may have caused issues with some apps.
          • Fixed an issue causing midisrv.exe crashes in the latest builds.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing the Run dialog to not show an autocomplete dropdown if you started typing a file path.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing night light to not work for some Insiders after the latest flight.

          [Xbox Controllers]

          • [NEW] Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on "View" and then "Devices by Driver". Find the driver named "oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)" where the "XXX" will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click "Uninstall".

          [Taskbar]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue where the taskbar icons aren’t increasing in size as they should when using your PC in a tablet posture.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/21/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3872-beta-channel/ Mon, 21 Apr 2025 21:04:04 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177813 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3872 (KB5055640) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3872 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3872 (KB5055640) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          New text actions in Click to Do

          We are beginning to roll out two new text actions in Click to Do! [caption id="attachment_177815" align="alignnone" width="2880"] New reading text actions in Click to Do highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Practice in Reading Coach: Improve your reading fluency and pronunciation with the "Practice in Reading Coach" Click to Do action. Simply select the text recognized by Click to Do on your screen, choose the Practice in Reading Coach action, and read the text out loud. The Reading Coach provides feedback and guides you on where to make improvements. To use this feature, install the free Microsoft Reading Coach application from the Microsoft Store. Read with Immersive Reader: Enhance your reading experience with the "Read with Immersive Reader" Click to Do action. This feature displays recognized text in a distraction-free environment, allowing you to focus on reading. Originally designed to meet the needs of readers with dyslexia and dysgraphia, Immersive Reader helps readers of all ages and abilities improve their reading and writing skills using proven techniques. Customize the text by changing its size, spacing, font, or background theme. You can also have the text read out loud, use syllable break to split words, and highlight nouns, verbs, and adjectives to aid grammar learning. The picture dictionary option provides visual representations of unfamiliar words for instant understanding. Install the free Microsoft Reading Coach application from the Microsoft Store to access this feature Text actions in Click to Do are rolling out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon. You can learn more about using Click to Do here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

          Finding photos saved in the cloud via the Windows search box, now available for Windows Insiders in the EEA

          Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area can now find photos saved in the cloud with improved Windows Search to the Windows search box on the taskbar. Just use your own words to find photos stored and saved in the cloud by describing what they are about like “European castles” or “summer picnics” in the search box on your taskbar. In addition to photos stored locally on your Copilot+ PC, photos from the cloud will now show up in the search results together. In addition to searching for photos, exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will show in the search results. [caption id="attachment_177644" align="alignnone" width="2880"] Results including dog on beach photos from the cloud in the Windows search box on the taskbar with improved Windows Search.[/caption] Improved Windows Search experiences in the Windows search box on the taskbar continue to gradually roll out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, including finding photos saved in the cloud, so you may not see these experiences right away. Support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs is coming soon. See here for more details. You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot + PCs here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Search.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Improvements for voice access

          We’re beginning to roll out several improvements for voice access in this build. Add custom words to the dictionary: We are introducing the ability for you to add your own words to the dictionary in voice access. Adding your own words, including difficult to pronounce words, to the dictionary in voice access will help improve dictation accuracy. It increases the probability of recognizing these words more accurately by creating a bias that helps voice access become more context aware and proactively understanding your specific vocabulary. The feature will be available in all the currently supported voice access languages i.e. English, French, German, Spanish and Chinese. You can add your own words to the dictionary in voice access in a few ways:
          • After spelling a word using “Spell that” command or making a correction using “Correct that”
          • Anywhere when you want to manually add a word by using “Add to Vocabulary” command.
          [caption id="attachment_177816" align="alignnone" width="2880"] Voice access vocabulary builder dialog for adding your own words to the dictionary.[/caption]
          • Directly through the settings menu in voice access.
          [caption id="attachment_177817" align="alignnone" width="2879"] Add to vocabulary option in voice access settings menu highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Discoverability voice access features: Voice access will now support an immersive in-product experience to announce new features and improvements. It will help you quickly discover and learn more about new features in voice access to try out. You can launch or dismiss this new experience from the settings menu. [caption id="attachment_177818" align="alignnone" width="2880"] New voice access in-product experience for highlighting new features and improvements in voice access.[/caption] And we are also including voice access under the Accessibility flyout via quick settings in the system tray of the taskbar. [caption id="attachment_177819" align="alignnone" width="364"] Voice access as an option under the Accessibility flyout via quick settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Voice access.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Improved Windows Search

          Improved Windows Search is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • You can now turn off searching for content saved in the cloud on your Copilot+ PC via Settings > Privacy and Security > Search permissions to access this setting. Please note this currently works only for the Windows search box on the taskbar. However, in a future update this setting will also apply to search in File Explorer.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re starting to roll out the change so that when you launch File Explorer folders from outside of File Explorer (for example, from an app or from the desktop), by default they will now open in a new tab if you have an existing File Explorer window. If you’d prefer that they continue opening in a new window, you can change this in File Explorer folder options, under General > Browse Folders.

          [Widgets]

          • We are trying out improvements to the notification settings page in widgets on Windows 11 by introducing the ability to control the notifications per feed or dashboard. This change is currently rolling out to Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA).

          [Windows Security]

          • We are beginning to roll out a change in the Windows Security app where will show more details such as manufacturer and manufacturer version for Pluton TPM chips if your PC has one under Device security > Security processor details.

          [Settings]

          • We’ve updated the dialog when renaming your printer under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners to match the Windows 11 visuals.
          [caption id="attachment_177820" align="alignnone" width="466"] Updated dialog for renaming your printer.[/caption]

          [Other]

          • When running the pnputil /enum-drivers command, we're adding a new field that enumerates driver package catalog attributes, indicating the driver type and if the driver is attestation-signed.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing Start menu to crash when creating folders recently for some Insiders.
          • Mitigated an issue after the last flight, where if you press the Windows key to open Start and start typing to search, focus was not transferred to search and so your search wouldn’t work.

          [Windowing]

          • Fixed an issue where the colors used for the snap layouts at the top of the screen weren’t displayed correctly for some Insiders, making some text unreadable.

          [Search on the Taskbar]

          • Mitigated an issue causing search to load very slowly, sitting at a blank screen for 15 – 20 seconds, for some people recently.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where voice typing wouldn’t start from the touch keyboard when using the Chinese (Simplified) narrow layout.

          [Task Manager]

          • Fixed an issue causing search and other options such as filtering in Task Manager to not work in the previous flight.

          [Voice Access]

          • Fixed an issue which could voice access to freeze with error “working on it” when dictating.

          [Other]

          • Mitigated an underlying issue which was leading to third party screen readers not working in certain scenarios (such as navigating browsers) for some Insiders after the last flight.
          • We did some work to improve the performance of loading early boot UI including the BitLocker PIN, BitLocker Recovery key, and boot menu screens.

          Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

          [General]

          • We have mitigated the issue causing some apps like Spotify to not install from the Microsoft Store with an 0x80070032 error.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [REMINDER] When joining the Beta Channels on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26120.3360 After installing that update, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest 24H2-based flight in the Beta Channel is just temporary.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • Quick Assist will not work for non-administrator users.
          • After installing this update, Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) may not work, and you may not be able to use the “Fix problems using Windows Update” option under Settings > Recovery. These issues will be fixed in another update soon.
          • Some apps may appear blank after installing this update. Closing and re-launching the app may correct the issue.
          • [NEW] Windows Sandbox may fail to launch with a 0x800705b4 error. If you hit this, you can try reinstalling Sandbox by unchecking Sandbox under "Turn Windows features on or off" to uninstall it then reboot, go back to "Turn Windows features on or off" and check Sandbox to reinstall it and reboot again.

          [Login and Lock]

          • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing Windows Hello facial recognition to not work for login for some Insiders after the previous flight.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] You are always in control and can always choose to remove Recall anytime via “Turn Windows features on or off”. Removing Recall will delete entry points and binaries. Like any feature, Windows sometimes keeps temporary copies of binaries for serviceability. These Recall binaries are not executable and are eventually removed over time.
          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • In small cases, Click to Do may fail to launch. Trying again should get Click to Do to launch.
          • There is an issue where images that are used with Click to Do image actions are stuck in your temp folder on your PC. This issue will be fixed in the next flight. You can manually clear your temp folder under C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Temp.
          • We’re investigating reports that the Click to Do icon is incorrectly showing up on non-Copilot+ PCs. If you happen to see this on your non-Copilot+ PC, please file feedback in Feedback Hub and let us know.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Start menu]

          • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that clicking your profile picture isn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the last flight.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/21/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5562-dev-channel/ Mon, 21 Apr 2025 21:04:00 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177821 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5562 (KB5055642) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5562 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5562 (KB5055642) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          New text actions in Click to Do

          We are beginning to roll out two new text actions in Click to Do! [caption id="attachment_177815" align="alignnone" width="2880"] New reading text actions in Click to Do highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Practice in Reading Coach: Improve your reading fluency and pronunciation with the "Practice in Reading Coach" Click to Do action. Simply select the text recognized by Click to Do on your screen, choose the Practice in Reading Coach action, and read the text out loud. The Reading Coach provides feedback and guides you on where to make improvements. To use this feature, install the free Microsoft Reading Coach application from the Microsoft Store. Read with Immersive Reader: Enhance your reading experience with the "Read with Immersive Reader" Click to Do action. This feature displays recognized text in a distraction-free environment, allowing you to focus on reading. Originally designed to meet the needs of readers with dyslexia and dysgraphia, Immersive Reader helps readers of all ages and abilities improve their reading and writing skills using proven techniques. Customize the text by changing its size, spacing, font, or background theme. You can also have the text read out loud, use syllable break to split words, and highlight nouns, verbs, and adjectives to aid grammar learning. The picture dictionary option provides visual representations of unfamiliar words for instant understanding. Install the free Microsoft Reading Coach application from the Microsoft Store to access this feature Text actions in Click to Do are rolling out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon. You can learn more about using Click to Do here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

          Finding photos saved in the cloud via the Windows search box, now available for Windows Insiders in the EEA

          Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area can now find photos saved in the cloud with improved Windows Search to the Windows search box on the taskbar. Just use your own words to find photos stored and saved in the cloud by describing what they are about like “European castles” or “summer picnics” in the search box on your taskbar. In addition to photos stored locally on your Copilot+ PC, photos from the cloud will now show up in the search results together. In addition to searching for photos, exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will show in the search results. [caption id="attachment_177644" align="alignnone" width="2880"] Results including dog on beach photos from the cloud in the Windows search box on the taskbar with improved Windows Search.[/caption] Improved Windows Search experiences in the Windows search box on the taskbar continue to gradually roll out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, including finding photos saved in the cloud, so you may not see these experiences right away. Support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs is coming soon. See here for more details. You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot + PCs here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Search.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Improvements for voice access

          We’re beginning to roll out several improvements for voice access in this build. Add custom words to the dictionary: We are introducing the ability for you to add your own words to the dictionary in voice access. Adding your own words, including difficult to pronounce words, to the dictionary in voice access will help improve dictation accuracy. It increases the probability of recognizing these words more accurately by creating a bias that helps voice access become more context aware and proactively understanding your specific vocabulary. The feature will be available in all the currently supported voice access languages i.e. English, French, German, Spanish and Chinese. You can add your own words to the dictionary in voice access in a few ways:
          1. After spelling a word using “Spell that” command or making a correction using “Correct that”
          1. Anywhere when you want to manually add a word by using “Add to Vocabulary” command.
          [caption id="attachment_177816" align="alignnone" width="2880"] Voice access vocabulary builder dialog for adding your own words to the dictionary.[/caption]
          1. Directly through the settings menu in voice access.
          [caption id="attachment_177817" align="alignnone" width="2879"] Add to vocabulary option in voice access settings menu highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Discoverability voice access features: Voice access will now support an immersive in-product experience to announce new features and improvements. It will help you quickly discover and learn more about new features in voice access to try out. You can launch or dismiss this new experience from the settings menu. [caption id="attachment_177818" align="alignnone" width="2880"] New voice access in-product experience for highlighting new features and improvements in voice access.[/caption] And we are also including voice access under the Accessibility flyout via quick settings in the system tray of the taskbar. [caption id="attachment_177819" align="alignnone" width="364"] Voice access as an option under the Accessibility flyout via quick settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Voice access.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Improved Windows Search

          Improved Windows Search is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • You can now turn off searching for content saved in the cloud on your Copilot+ PC via Settings > Privacy and Security > Search permissions to access this setting. Please note this currently works only for the Windows search box on the taskbar. However, in a future update this setting will also apply to search in File Explorer.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re starting to roll out the change so that when you launch File Explorer folders from outside of File Explorer (for example, from an app or from the desktop), by default they will now open in a new tab if you have an existing File Explorer window. If you’d prefer that they continue opening in a new window, you can change this in File Explorer folder options, under General > Browse Folders.

          [Widgets]

          • We are trying out improvements to the notification settings page in widgets on Windows 11 by introducing the ability to control the notifications per feed or dashboard. This change is currently rolling out to Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA).

          [Windows Security]

          • We are beginning to roll out a change in the Windows Security app where will show more details such as manufacturer and manufacturer version for Pluton TPM chips if your PC has one under Device security > Security processor details.

          [Settings]

          • We’ve updated the dialog when renaming your printer under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners to match the Windows 11 visuals.
          [caption id="attachment_177820" align="alignnone" width="466"] Updated dialog for renaming your printer.[/caption]

          [Other]

          • When running the pnputil /enum-drivers command, we're adding a new field that enumerates driver package catalog attributes, indicating the driver type and if the driver is attestation-signed.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing Start menu to crash when creating folders recently for some Insiders.
          • Mitigated an issue after the last flight, where if you press the Windows key to open Start and start typing to search, focus was not transferred to search and so your search wouldn’t work.

          [Windowing]

          • Fixed an issue where the colors used for the snap layouts at the top of the screen weren’t displayed correctly for some Insiders, making some text unreadable.

          [Search on the Taskbar]

          • Mitigated an issue causing search to load very slowly, sitting at a blank screen for 15 – 20 seconds, for some people recently.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where voice typing wouldn’t start from the touch keyboard when using the Chinese (Simplified) narrow layout.

          [Task Manager]

          • Fixed an issue causing search and other options such as filtering in Task Manager to not work in the previous flight.

          [Voice Access]

          • Fixed an issue which could voice access to freeze with error “working on it” when dictating.

          [Other]

          • Mitigated an underlying issue which was leading to third party screen readers not working in certain scenarios (such as navigating browsers) for some Insiders after the last flight.
          • We did some work to improve the performance of loading early boot UI including the BitLocker PIN, BitLocker Recovery key, and boot menu screens.

          Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

          [General]

          • We have mitigated the issue causing some apps like Spotify to not install from the Microsoft Store with an 0x80070032 error.
          • Fixed an issue causing the previous flight in the Dev Channel to fail to install with error 0x80070306 for some Insiders.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT] When joining the Dev Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26200.5518 After installing that update, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest 24H2-based flight in the Dev Channel is just temporary.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • Quick Assist will not work for non-administrator users.
          • After installing this update, Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) may not work, and you may not be able to use the “Fix problems using Windows Update” option under Settings > Recovery. These issues will be fixed in another update soon.
          • Some apps may appear blank after installing this update. Closing and re-launching the app may correct the issue.
          • [NEW] Windows Sandbox may fail to launch with a 0x800705b4 error. If you hit this, you can try reinstalling Sandbox by unchecking Sandbox under "Turn Windows features on or off" to uninstall it then reboot, go back to "Turn Windows features on or off" and check Sandbox to reinstall it and reboot again.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] You are always in control and can always choose to remove Recall anytime via “Turn Windows features on or off”. Removing Recall will delete entry points and binaries. Like any feature, Windows sometimes keeps temporary copies of binaries for serviceability. These Recall binaries are not executable and are eventually removed over time.
          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • In small cases, Click to Do may fail to launch. Trying again should get Click to Do to launch.
          • There is an issue where images that are used with Click to Do image actions are stuck in your temp folder on your PC. This issue will be fixed in the next flight. You can manually clear your temp folder under C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Temp.
          • We’re investigating reports that the Click to Do icon is incorrectly showing up on non-Copilot+ PCs. If you happen to see this on your non-Copilot+ PC, please file feedback in Feedback Hub and let us know.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Start menu]

          • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that clicking your profile picture isn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the last flight.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/18/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-5240-beta-channel/ Fri, 18 Apr 2025 17:03:36 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177809 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5240 (KB5055645) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 23H2.

          Note: Windows 11, version 24H2

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5240 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5240 (KB5055645) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 23H2. Note: Windows 11, version 24H2 is available as an optional upgrade for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where the Organize and New Folder options might not be visible in the Save Dialog when using dark mode.

          [Settings]

          •  Fixed an issue where the total storage size shown in System > About may not be displayed correctly.

          [Voice Access]

          • Fixed an issue which could voice access to freeze with error “working on it” when dictating.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/15/text-extractor-in-snipping-tool-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Tue, 15 Apr 2025 22:47:07 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177805 UPDATE 4/23: The following update for Snipping Tool update is now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels.

          Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out an update to Snipping Tool to Win

          The post Text extractor in Snipping Tool begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> UPDATE 4/23: The following update for Snipping Tool update is now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out an update to Snipping Tool to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.

          Snipping Tool (version 11.2503.27.0 11.2503.29.0)

          Text Extractor

          In this update, we are adding text extractor in the Snipping Tool capture bar – designed to minimize the number of steps it takes to copy text to your clipboard without having to take a screenshot of your screen. To get started, open Snipping Tool via Win + Shift + S or launch the app and click the new “Text Extractor” button in the toolbar. [caption id="attachment_177807" align="alignnone" width="406"] Snipping tool capture toolbar with the cursor hovering over the new “Text Extractor” tool.[/caption] Select the region you would like to scan for text (just as you would for standard rectangle snip), and you will be able to manually select the text to copy to clipboard, or you can click on the “Copy all text” button in the toolbar to quickly copy all text in the region. You can also explore the “More options” dropdown menu to “Remove line breaks” from copied text or simplify the experience entirely with the “Automatically copy text” selection, which will dismiss Snipping Tool earlier and automatically copy all text in your selection region directly to your clipboard. [caption id="attachment_177808" align="alignnone" width="628"] Snipping tool Text Extractor tool with highlighted text to be copied to clipboard.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool. As always, we love getting feedback from the community and we will be looking out for your thoughts and suggestions on these updates! Thanks, Dave Grochocki, Principal Group Product Manager – Windows Inbox Apps]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/15/releasing-windows-11-build-22631-5261-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Tue, 15 Apr 2025 21:20:08 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177803 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5261 (KB5055629) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5261 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Build 22631.5261 (KB5055629) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).   Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
          • [Narrator] New! Keep track of what Narrator has spoken and access it for quick reference. With speech recap, you can quickly access spoken content, follow along with live transcription, and copy what Narrator last said—all with simple keyboard shortcuts.
          • [Phone Link] New! You can do even more with your Windows PC and your mobile devices with direct access to cross-device features from the Start menu. For example, you can make phone calls, send SMS messages, access your photos, or share content between your mobile devices and PC.
          • [Widgets]
            • New! Web developers can use their existing content to create interactive widgets that can be added to multiple widgets surfaces.
            • [ADDED 4/18] New!  Support for lock screen widgets (previously referred to as “Weather and more”) arrives on devices in the European Economic Area (EEA). You can add, remove, and rearrange lock screen widgets such as Weather, Watchlist, Sports, Traffic, and more. Any widget that supports the small sizing option can be added. To customize your lock screen widgets, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen​​​​​​​.
          • [File Explorer]
            • New! Pivot-based curated views on File Explorer Home that support ease of access of Microsoft 365 content on Windows. Be more productive and get highly relevant content at your fingertips on File Explorer Home.
            • Fixed: Improved the performance of extracting zipped files, particularly in the case where you’re unzipping a large number of small files.
          • [Windows Share] New! Make last-minute edits such as cropping, rotating, and adding filters to images shared through the Windows Share window. UPDATE 4/16: This change will roll out at a later date.
          • [Start]
            • Fixed: You can’t use touch gestures to view the list of apps pinned in the Start menu.
            • Fixed: The Sign out and More options in the Start menu account manager might not be visible with increased text size.
          • [Taskbar] Fixed: If you use the arrow keys after pressing the Windows key + T, the arrows move in the wrong direction for Arabic and Hebrew display languages.

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [Sign-In Impact] [UPDATED] Fixed: An issue affecting the USBxHCI controller and all devices that connect to your computer using a USB port on Intel(R) Core(TM) Ultra 200V Series Processors. The built-in USB camera won't work with Windows Hello sign-in unless you manually disable Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS). To turn off ESS, go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Additional settings > Sign in with an external camera or fingerprint reader > toggle switch ON. If you create a Windows Hello container while using Windows 11, version 23H2, it might prevent you from using ESS after you upgrade to Windows 11, version 24H2.
          • [Server Message Block (SMB)] Fixed: An issue where an Excel file, hosted on a SMB file share with Access Based Enumeration enabled, containing links to multiple other files hosted on network shares, might take longer to open.
          • [Xbox] ​​​​​​​
            • Fixed: This update addresses an issue affecting Xbox Elite Wireless Controllers with certain firmware versions, where the keyboard might not function and displays an error indicator in the device manager
            • Fixed: The driver verifier stops responding during gamepad controller driver certification, affecting Windows Hardware Quality Labs testing.​​​​​​​
          • [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] Fixed: This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/14/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-5794-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Mon, 14 Apr 2025 21:07:14 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177799 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5794 (KB5055612) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2.

          This update includes the following features and improvement

          The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.5794 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5794 (KB5055612) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. This update includes the following features and improvements (items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented):
          • [Graphics] Fixed: The check for GPU paravirtualization was case-sensitive in Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2). This issue might potentially cause GPU paravirtualization support to fail.
          • [OS Security] Fixed: Updates to the Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist (DriverSiPolicy.p7b). Additions have been made to blocklist drivers with security vulnerabilities that have been used in Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
          Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-5235-beta-channel/ Mon, 14 Apr 2025 21:05:54 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177801 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5235 (KB5055615) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 23H2.

          Note: Windows 11, version 24H2

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5235 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5235 (KB5055615) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 23H2. Note: Windows 11, version 24H2 is available as an optional upgrade for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Made some slight adjustments to improve visibility of keyboard focus of elements in the Open and Save dialog navigation buttons. The border is darker now.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause Settings to hang when adjusting "If you've been away, when should Window require you to sign in again?" under Accounts > Sign-in Options.

          Known issues

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new grid and category views on the All” page in the Start menu:
          • When right-clicking on an app, the "Start settings" context menu flashes before the app's context menu appears.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5551-dev-channel/ Fri, 11 Apr 2025 17:04:08 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177796 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5551 (KB5055617) to the Dev Channel.

          REMINDER: Starting with Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5551 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5551 (KB5055617) to the Dev Channel. REMINDER: Starting with Build 26200.5510 releases on March 24th, the Dev Channel has jumped ahead to receive 26200 series builds. This means that the window to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel is closed. These 26200 series builds are based on Windows 11, version 24H2 and will contain many of the same features and improvements as the 26120 series builds that will continue to be released in the Beta Channel. Over time, we be making behind-the-scenes platform changes in these builds and these builds may have different known issues as a result of those changes than what we’re flighting to the Beta Channel.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          Find the settings you want more easily with the Windows search box

          As part of improving Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, we’re beginning to roll out the ability to type a setting you’re looking for in the Windows search box on your taskbar without needing to remember the exact setting name. For example, you can use your own words to find settings like “change my theme” or “about my PC”. You no longer need to remember the exact setting name you are looking for. Thanks to the power of the 40+ TOPS NPU onboard Copilot+ PCs, these search improvements work even when you’re not connected to the internet. You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot + PCs here. [caption id="attachment_177791" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Windows search box on the taskbar showing a semantic settings search.[/caption] FEEDBACK for Windows Taskbar Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Search.

          Making visual content more accessible with image descriptions in Narrator

          We are enhancing digital accessibility with the ability to get rich, detailed descriptions of images, charts, graphs in Narrator by using the power of AI on Copilot+ PCs. In today’s digital world, images are everywhere—on websites, apps, and documents. But for blind and low-vision users, many of these visuals remain inaccessible due to missing or inadequate alt text. With this new feature that is beginning to roll out, Narrator will now generate more richer image descriptions on your Copilot+ PC. Simply press Narrator key + Ctrl + D and Narrator will read out a contextual description of the image describing people, objects, colours, text, and numbers from the image. On non-Copilot+ PCs, this experience will continue to give you very basic image descriptions. For example, for an image about stock performance, users will get the following detailed description. The image is a graph showing the stock prices of Microsoft Corporation, with the S&P 500 and NASDAQ Computer indexes. The graph shows a steady increase in Microsoft's stock price over the period from June 18th to June 23rd. [caption id="attachment_177792" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Screenshot of Edge browser containing an image of “stock performance graph” with “Describe image” window open next to it showing the description of the image.[/caption] The window also contains regenerate, like, dislike and copy button at the bottom. [caption id="attachment_177794" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Screenshot of Edge browser with Narrator’s focus on an image of graph. There’s an info bar on top of the screen which says, “We are setting up image description feature. Keep your PC connected to internet and check back soon.” along with a “Check status” button.[/caption] This feature is currently available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon. To turn Narrator on, you can press “Ctrl + Windows key + Enter” on your PC or search for “Narrator” in Windows search box. When you try the image descriptions feature for the first time using Narrator Key + Ctrl + D, we download the models required for getting image descriptions. You can check the download status via Settings > Windows update. If you are new to Narrator, you can find more information and learn about using Narrator from the  complete guide to Narrator. Also check out frequently asked questions about rich image descriptions in Narrator here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Widgets]

          • We are trying out the ability to read content such as full articles, slideshows, and videos directly within your MSN feed in the widgets board in Windows 11. Try it out and let us know what you think by using the feedback button at the top of your widgets board. As a reminder, you can manage whether your MSN feed is shown in the widgets board or not directly within the widget settings. We are beginning to roll this change out to Windows Insiders across all channels.
          [caption id="attachment_177795" align="alignnone" width="2881"] Full article shown directly in the MSN feed in the widgets board.[/caption] The following improvements are for Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA) with the new lock screen widgets experience (previously referred to as “Weather and more”):
          • There are some new updates to the new Widgets on Lock experience. In addition to accessibility and craftsmanship improvements, the Lock screen weather widget now supports customization. To configure your weather widget, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and click the "Customize widget" option from the weather widget more options menu. More widgets will be customizable in the future.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Recall (Preview)]

          The following fixes are rolling out for Recall on Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed an issue which could cause Settings to crash when adding an app to filter on under Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue causing File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders after the latest flights.
          • Fixed an issue where the Organize and New Folder options might not be visible in the Save Dialog when using dark mode.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing app icons in the taskbar to become unexpectedly oversized in recent flights after disconnecting from an external display and some other cases.

          [Desktop icons]

          • Updated the logic for apps pinned to the desktop, so that packaged apps no longer show an accent colored backplate (for example, if you were to drag and drop Snipping Tool from the apps list in Start to the desktop). In doing this, the icons should be bigger and easier to see now. Please note, you may need to create new shortcuts for this to take effect, if you already have something on your desktop.

          [Input]

          • If your touchpad wasn’t working with the previous flight, that should be resolved now.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue where when using CopyPixels the pixels may be unexpectedly inverted in certain cases.
          • Fixed an issue where some JPG images weren’t displaying, although they could display correctly on older builds.

          Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

          [General]

          • We fixed the issue causing Windows Sandbox to not work in the last flight.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT] When joining the Dev Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26200.5518 After installing that update, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest 24H2-based flight in the Dev Channel is just temporary.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • Quick Assist will not work for non-administrator users.
          • [NEW] After installing this update, Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) may not work, and you may not be able to use the “Fix problems using Windows Update” option under Settings > Recovery. These issues will be fixed in another update soon.
          • [NEW] Some apps may appear blank after installing this update. Closing and re-launching the app may correct the issue.
          • [NEW] Some apps like Spotify may fail to launch after installing this update. If you uninstall the update, these apps should launch again. We're working on a fix. Be sure to file feedback if you hit this before uninstalling the update!
          • [ADDED] Some apps like Spotify may not install from the Microsoft Store with an 0x80070032 error.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] You are always in control and can always choose to remove Recall anytime via “Turn Windows features on or off”. Removing Recall will delete entry points and binaries. Like any feature, Windows sometimes keeps temporary copies of binaries for serviceability. These Recall binaries are not executable and are eventually removed over time.
          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • In small cases, Click to Do may fail to launch. Trying again should get Click to Do to launch.
          • There is an issue where images that are used with Click to Do image actions are stuck in your temp folder on your PC. This issue will be fixed in the next flight. You can manually clear your temp folder under C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Temp.
          • We’re investigating reports that the Click to Do icon is incorrectly showing up on non-Copilot+ PCs. If you happen to see this on your non-Copilot+ PC, please file feedback in Feedback Hub and let us know.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Task Manager]

          • [NEW] Search and other options such as filtering in Task Manager does not work.
          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3863-beta-channel/ Fri, 11 Apr 2025 17:04:03 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177789 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3863 (KB5055613) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3863 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3863 (KB5055613) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          Find the settings you want more easily with the Windows search box

          As part of improving Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, we’re beginning to roll out the ability to type a setting you’re looking for in the Windows search box on your taskbar without needing to remember the exact setting name. For example, you can use your own words to find settings like “change my theme” or “about my PC”. You no longer need to remember the exact setting name you are looking for. Thanks to the power of the 40+ TOPS NPU onboard Copilot+ PCs, these search improvements work even when you’re not connected to the internet. You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot + PCs here. [caption id="attachment_177791" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Windows search box on the taskbar showing a semantic settings search.[/caption] FEEDBACK for Windows Taskbar Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Search.

          Making visual content more accessible with image descriptions in Narrator

          We are enhancing digital accessibility with the ability to get rich, detailed descriptions of images, charts, graphs in Narrator by using the power of AI on Copilot+ PCs. In today’s digital world, images are everywhere—on websites, apps, and documents. But for blind and low-vision users, many of these visuals remain inaccessible due to missing or inadequate alt text. With this new feature that is beginning to roll out, Narrator will now generate more richer image descriptions on your Copilot+ PC. Simply press Narrator key + Ctrl + D and Narrator will read out a contextual description of the image describing people, objects, colours, text, and numbers from the image. On non-Copilot+ PCs, this experience will continue to give you very basic image descriptions. For example, for an image about stock performance, users will get the following detailed description. The image is a graph showing the stock prices of Microsoft Corporation, with the S&P 500 and NASDAQ Computer indexes. The graph shows a steady increase in Microsoft's stock price over the period from June 18th to June 23rd. [caption id="attachment_177792" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Screenshot of Edge browser containing an image of “stock performance graph” with “Describe image” window open next to it showing the description of the image.[/caption] The window also contains regenerate, like, dislike and copy button at the bottom. [caption id="attachment_177794" align="alignnone" width="3840"] Screenshot of Edge browser with Narrator’s focus on an image of graph. There’s an info bar on top of the screen which says, “We are setting up image description feature. Keep your PC connected to internet and check back soon.” along with a “Check status” button.[/caption] This feature is currently available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon. To turn Narrator on, you can press “Ctrl + Windows key + Enter” on your PC or search for “Narrator” in Windows search box. When you try the image descriptions feature for the first time using Narrator Key + Ctrl + D, we download the models required for getting image descriptions. You can check the download status via Settings > Windows update. If you are new to Narrator, you can find more information and learn about using Narrator from the  complete guide to Narrator. Also check out frequently asked questions about rich image descriptions in Narrator here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Widgets]

          • We are trying out the ability to read content such as full articles, slideshows, and videos directly within your MSN feed in the widgets board in Windows 11. Try it out and let us know what you think by using the feedback button at the top of your widgets board. As a reminder, you can manage whether your MSN feed is shown in the widgets board or not directly within the widget settings. We are beginning to roll this change out to Windows Insiders across all channels.
          [caption id="attachment_177795" align="alignnone" width="2881"] Full article shown directly in the MSN feed in the widgets board.[/caption] The following improvements are for Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA) with the new lock screen widgets experience (previously referred to as “Weather and more”):
          • There are some new updates to the new Widgets on Lock experience. In addition to accessibility and craftsmanship improvements, the Lock screen weather widget now supports customization. To configure your weather widget, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and click the "Customize widget" option from the weather widget more options menu. More widgets will be customizable in the future.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Recall (Preview)]

          The following fixes are rolling out for Recall on Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed an issue which could cause Settings to crash when adding an app to filter on under Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue causing File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders after the latest flights.
          • Fixed an issue where the Organize and New Folder options might not be visible in the Save Dialog when using dark mode.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing app icons in the taskbar to become unexpectedly oversized in recent flights after disconnecting from an external display and some other cases.

          [Desktop icons]

          • Updated the logic for apps pinned to the desktop, so that packaged apps no longer show an accent colored backplate (for example, if you were to drag and drop Snipping Tool from the apps list in Start to the desktop). In doing this, the icons should be bigger and easier to see now. Please note, you may need to create new shortcuts for this to take effect, if you already have something on your desktop.

          [Input]

          • If your touchpad wasn’t working with the previous flight, that should be resolved now.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue where when using CopyPixels the pixels may be unexpectedly inverted in certain cases.
          • Fixed an issue where some JPG images weren’t displaying, although they could display correctly on older builds.

          Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

          [General]

          • We fixed the issue causing Windows Sandbox to not work in the last flight.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [REMINDER] When joining the Beta Channels on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26120.3360 After installing that update, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest 24H2-based flight in the Beta Channel is just temporary.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • Quick Assist will not work for non-administrator users.
          • [NEW] After installing this update, Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) may not work, and you may not be able to use the “Fix problems using Windows Update” option under Settings > Recovery. These issues will be fixed in another update soon.
          • [NEW] Some apps may appear blank after installing this update. Closing and re-launching the app may correct the issue.
          • [NEW] Some apps like Spotify may fail to launch after installing this update. If you uninstall the update, these apps should launch again. We're working on a fix. Be sure to file feedback if you hit this before uninstalling the update!
          • [ADDED] Some apps like Spotify may not install from the Microsoft Store with an 0x80070032 error.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] You are always in control and can always choose to remove Recall anytime via “Turn Windows features on or off”. Removing Recall will delete entry points and binaries. Like any feature, Windows sometimes keeps temporary copies of binaries for serviceability. These Recall binaries are not executable and are eventually removed over time.
          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • In small cases, Click to Do may fail to launch. Trying again should get Click to Do to launch.
          • There is an issue where images that are used with Click to Do image actions are stuck in your temp folder on your PC. This issue will be fixed in the next flight. You can manually clear your temp folder under C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Temp.
          • We’re investigating reports that the Click to Do icon is incorrectly showing up on non-Copilot+ PCs. If you happen to see this on your non-Copilot+ PC, please file feedback in Feedback Hub and let us know.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Task Manager]

          • [NEW] Search and other options such as filtering in Task Manager does not work.
          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/10/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-3902-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 10 Apr 2025 17:03:23 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177786 [UPDATE 4/18] We are releasing Build 26100.3909 (KB5055627) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself. An additional fix is noted below.

          Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re re

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.3902 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> [UPDATE 4/18] We are releasing Build 26100.3909 (KB5055627) today which is a small update that addresses some issues with the update itself. An additional fix is noted below. Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.3902 (KB5055627) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
          • [Recall (preview)¹] New! You work across so many apps, sites, and documents it can be hard to remember where you saw something you want to get back to. Recall (preview)* saves you time by offering an entirely new way to search for things you’ve seen or done on your PC securely. With the AI capabilities of Copilot+ PCs, it’s now possible to quickly find and get back to any app, website, image, or document just by describing its content. To use Recall, you will need to opt-in to saving snapshots, which are images of your activity, and enroll in Windows Hello to confirm your presence so only you can access your snapshots. You are always in control of what snapshots are saved and can pause saving snapshots at any time. As you use your Copilot+ PC throughout the day working on documents or presentations, taking video calls, and context switching across activities, Recall will take regular snapshots and help you find things faster and easier. When you need to find or get back to something you’ve done previously, open Recall and authenticate with Windows Hello. When you’ve found what you were looking for, you can reopen the application, website, or document, or use Click to Do to act on any image or text in the snapshot you found. You can learn more about using Recall (preview) here.
          • [Click to Do (preview)²] New! Click to Do (preview) makes it easier than ever to take immediate action on whatever catches your eye on-screen on your Copilot+ PC, saving you time by helping complete tasks inline, and quickly getting you to the app that can best complete the job for you. For example, select an image using Click to Do to take actions like erasing objects using the Photos app or remove the background using Paint. To use Click to Do, simply press WIN key + mouse-click, WIN + Q, through the Snipping Tool menu and print screen, or searching “Click to Do” in the search box on the Windows taskbar. You can learn more about using Click to Do (Preview) here.
            • New! On Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, Click to Do includes intelligent text actions. Use WIN key + mouse-click or WIN + Q to select a text block and then drag to select the text that you want. You’ll see options to Summarize or to help you Rewrite your text, so it sounds more causal or more formal. These text actions leverage the capabilities of Phi Silica, the on-device Small Language Model (SLM) that is built right into Windows.
            • New! Easily open Click to Do when you swipe from the rightmost edge of your display.
            • New! We are providing policies for managing Click to Do in a commercial environment. IT admins can learn more here.
          • [Improved Windows Search³]
            • New! Finding your documents, photos, and settings across Windows 11 is easier on Copilot+ PCs with improved Windows Search, powered by semantic indexing models along with traditional lexical indexing. Whether it’s searching in File Explorer, in the Windows Search on your taskbar, or in Settings – just type what’s on your mind to find it on your Copilot+ PC. You no longer need to remember file names, exact words in file content, or settings names. Searching for settings like “change my theme” will work within the Settings app for now. Thanks to the power of the 40+ TOPS NPU onboard Copilot+ PCs, these search improvements work even when you’re not connected to the internet. You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot+ PCs here. Now available on AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs.
            • New! Locating your photos stored and saved in the cloud is getting simpler on Copilot+ PCs You can use your own words in the search box at the upper-right corner of File Explorer like “summer picnics”. In addition to photos stored locally on your Copilot+ PC, photos from the cloud will now show up in the search results together. Exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will also show in the search results. You can try this experience out today with your personal OneDrive when signed in with your Microsoft account and connected to the internet. Now available on AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs.
          • [Narrator] New! Keep track of what Narrator has spoken and access it for quick reference. With speech recap, you can quickly access spoken content, follow along with live transcription, and copy what Narrator last said—all with simple keyboard shortcuts.
          • [Phone Link] New! You can do even more with your Windows PC and your mobile devices with direct access to cross-device features from the Start menu. For example, you can make phone calls, send SMS messages, access your photos, or share content between your mobile devices and PC.
          • [Widgets]
            • New! Web developers can use their existing content to create interactive widgets that can be added to multiple widgets surfaces. For more information, click here.
            • [ADDED 4/18] New! There are some new updates to the new Widgets on Lock experience for devices in the European Economic Area (EEA). In addition to accessibility and craftsmanship improvements, the Lock screen weather widget now supports customization. To configure your weather widget, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and select the “Customize widget” option from the weather widget more options menu. More widgets will be customizable in the future.
          • [File Explorer]
            • New! Pivot-based curated views on File Explorer Home that support ease of access of Microsoft 365 content on Windows. Be more productive and get highly relevant content at your fingertips on File Explorer Home.
            • Fixed: As part of our ongoing commitment to improving File Explorer accessibility, this release includes increased support for the text scaling (Settings > Accessibility > Text size) across File Explorer, File Open/Save dialogs and the copy dialogs.
            • Fixed: Improved the performance of extracting zipped, particularly in the case where you’re unzipping a large number of small files.
            • Fixed: The address bar in File Explorer might unexpectedly not show a path after opening.
          • [Settings] New! You can manage which apps Windows can recommend actions from under Settings > Apps > Actions on Copilot+ PCs.
          • [Windows Share] New! Make last-minute edits such as cropping, rotating, and adding filters to images shared through the Windows Share window. UPDATE 4/16: This change will roll out at a later date.
          • [Windows Studio Effects] New! The Studio Effects automatic framing filter will be enabled when the camera is used for the first time if your PC supports Studio Effects and if you have not used Studio Effects before.
          • [Start]
            • Fixed: If you have multiple pages of apps pinned to Start menu, you cannot use touch to switch pages.
            • Fixed: The "Sign out" and "More options" buttons in the Start menu account manager might not be visible with increased text size.
          • [Taskbar]
            • Fixed: The underlines under app icons in the taskbar might remain and stay visible even if the app has been closed.
            • Fixed: If you use the arrow keys after pressing the Windows key plus T, the arrows move in the wrong direction for Arabic and Hebrew display languages.
          • [Desktop icons] The logic for apps pinned to the desktop has been updated, so that packaged apps no longer show an accent colored backplate. For example, if you were to drag and drop Snipping Tool from the apps list in Start to the desktop the icons should be bigger and easier to see now.
          • [Display] Fixed: You may need to press the WIN + P keyboard shortcut twice to switch topologies.
          • [ExtFloodFill] Fixed: There is an uncommon issue with ExtFloodFill where a horizontal line might appear in the incorrect location in Win32 applications.
          • [Graphics]
            • Fixed: External graphics cards connected over Thunderbolt might unexpectedly not be discoverable in some cases.
          • [Hyper-V Manager] Fixed: Hyper-V Manager unexpectedly shows 0% CPU usage for VMs.
          ¹ Recall (preview) will be available starting early 2025 in most markets, rolling out to the European Economic Area later this year. Optimized for select languages (English, Chinese (Simplified), French, German, Japanese, and Spanish). Content-based and storage limitations apply. Requires Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security. See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs. ² Coming later to Copilot+ PCs in the European Economic Area.  Functionality will vary by device and market; text actions will be available across markets in select character sets. See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs. ³ Works with specific text, image, and document formats only; optimized for select languages (English, Chinese (Simplified), French, German, Japanese, and Spanish). See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs.

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [Windows Update] We now provide an estimated time for how long your PC will be offline to install updates from Windows Update. This estimate will be shown on the Windows Update settings page and via the Start menu power button.
          • [Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP Client)] Fixed: This update addresses an issue affecting internet connectivity on devices after resuming from sleep mode. Users might experience intermittent internet connections.
          • [File Systems] Fixed: This update addresses an issue when the operating system stops unexpectedly, and an error message appears on a blue screen during normal usage with a user profile redirected to a network VHD(X).
          • [Imaging] Fixed: This update addresses an issue where some content pages with JPEG images were not displaying.
          • [ADDED 415] [Windows Setup] Fixed: If you install Windows 11, version 24H2 with Windows Setup and run System Preparation (Sysperp) afterwards, the boot file configuration is not properly updated, resulting in push-button reset options not working.
          • [ADDED 4/22] Fixed an issue causing Windows Hello facial recognition to not work for some insiders after Build 26100.3902.

          Known issues

          • After installing this update, Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) may not work, and you may not be able to use the "Fix problems using Windows Update" option under Settings > Recovery. These issues will be fixed in another update soon.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/08/copilot-on-windows-vision-and-file-search-begin-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Tue, 08 Apr 2025 20:12:48 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177779 Hello Windows Insiders, we are beginning to roll out an update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows via the Microsoft Store which introduces the following changes and improvements:

          File search: You can now find, open and ask que

          The post Copilot on Windows: Vision and file search begin rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> File search: You can now find, open and ask questions about the contents of a file on your device from the Copilot on Windows app. You can adjust your permissions for what Copilot can access, retrieve, or read in Copilot Settings under Permission settings. File search supports most file types and can read .docx, .xlsx, .pptx, .txt, .pdf, .json files. Ask Copilot questions like "Can you find my resume", "Open the trip planning doc I was working on last week", or "Look at my budget file and tell me how much I spent on dining last month". [caption id="attachment_177782" align="alignnone" width="2560"] File search in Copilot on Windows.[/caption] Copilot Vision on Windows: You can share any browser or app window with Copilot. Copilot can then help analyze, offer insights, or answer your questions, coaching you through it aloud. To get started click the glasses icon in your composer, select which browser window or app you want to share, and ask Copilot to help with whatever you’re working on. To stop sharing, press 'Stop' or 'X' in the composer. [caption id="attachment_177783" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Copilot Vision on Windows.[/caption] This Copilot app update (version 1.25034.133.0 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. Copilot Vision on Windows will first roll out to Insiders in the U.S., and file search will roll out to Insiders worldwide. The above-mentioned features are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience on Windows. FEEDBACK: Please provide feedback directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”. Thanks, Microsoft Copilot Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-5170-beta-channel/ Mon, 07 Apr 2025 21:04:40 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177775 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5170 (KB5055623) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 23H2.

          Note: Windows 11, version 24H2

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5170 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5170 (KB5055623) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 23H2. Note: Windows 11, version 24H2 is available as an optional upgrade for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          [File Explorer] 

          • We’re starting to roll out the change again so that when you launch File Explorer folders from outside of File Explorer (for example, from an app or from the desktop), by default they will now open in a new tab if you have an existing File Explorer window open (which we temporarily disabled to address some issues). As a reminder - if you’d prefer that they continue opening in a new window, you can change this in File Explorer folder options, under General > Browse Folders.
          • The change that introduced labels on unlabeled actions such as cut, copy, paste, rename, share, and delete in the File Explorer context menu that began rolling out in Build 22635.4660 has been disabled. Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel can upgrade to Windows 11, version 24H2 flights to get this change back.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue where when using increased text size, the sign out and more options buttons may not be visible in the Start menu account manager.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where was causing File Explorer to crash in some cases when copying or renaming files in recent builds.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where if you typed in some apps, they might stop working after disconnecting from a remote desktop session.

          Known issues

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new grid and category views on the All” page in the Start menu:
          • When right-clicking on an app, the "Start settings" context menu flashes before the app's context menu appears.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5518-dev-channel-2/ Thu, 03 Apr 2025 17:04:12 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177771 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5518 (KB5055625) to the Dev Channel.

          REMINDER: Starting with

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5518 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5518 (KB5055625) to the Dev Channel. REMINDER: Starting with Build 26200.5510 releases on March 24th, the Dev Channel has jumped ahead to receive 26200 series builds. This means that the window to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel is closed. These 26200 series builds are based on Windows 11, version 24H2 and will contain many of the same features and improvements as the 26120 series builds that will continue to be released in the Beta Channel. Over time, we be making behind-the-scenes platform changes in these builds and these builds may have different known issues as a result of those changes than what we’re flighting to the Beta Channel.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Taskbar icon scaling

          We are starting to roll out taskbar icon scaling to Windows Insiders – an improvement to the Windows taskbar that ensures that you have quick access to more of your favorite apps, even when your taskbar is full. With taskbar icon scaling, when your taskbar starts to get crowded with pinned or open apps, the icons will automatically scale down to a smaller size. This means you can keep more apps visible and accessible without the need to dive into a secondary menu. It's all about making your workflow smoother and more efficient. [caption id="attachment_177768" align="alignnone" width="2879"] The taskbar with small taskbar icons with setting highlighted in a red box.[/caption] We understand that everyone has their own preferences, so we’ve included settings to tailor this feature to your liking. You can choose when Windows will show smaller taskbar buttons:
          • When taskbar is full: By default, taskbar icons will automatically turn smaller when the taskbar is full. This helps you maintain access to more apps without any extra effort.
          • Never: For users who prefer their icons to remain the same size as before, regardless of how many apps are open, there’s an option to prevent the icons from scaling down.
          • Always: If you love the look of smaller icons and want them to stay that way all the time, you can set your taskbar icons to always be small.
          To customize your taskbar icon scaling settings, simply right-click an empty region of your taskbar and select “Taskbar settings”, expand “Taskbar behaviors” section, and make your selection for the setting “Show smaller taskbar buttons”. As always, we value your feedback, so let us know what you think! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Taskbar.

          Making sharing files in Windows easier

          Sharing files in Windows is getting a lot easier and quicker with our new drag tray feature. When you start dragging a local file with mouse (or touch) from File Explorer or your desktop, a handy tray appears at the very top of your screen allowing you to drop the file into one of the displayed apps or choose “More…”  to open the Windows share window. New drag tray UI that appears at the top of your screen when dragging a local file from File Explorer or your desktop. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files, Folders, and Online Storage > File sharing.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • The improved battery iconography in Windows 11 may disappear for Windows Insiders in the current flights. We’re beginning to re-roll this change out to Windows Insiders.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          Recall is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • We are trying out a basic search history feature in Recall.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          Click to Do is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • Ask Copilot is a new action within Click to Do. When you highlight either text or image with Click to Do, you’re given an option to Ask Copilot. Microsoft Copilot opens with your content in the prompt box. You can send selected text or image within Click to Do Directly to Copilot app. The selected text or image is handed off to the Copilot app where you can complete your prompt. This feature is not available in the European Economic Area (EEA). You can learn more about this Click to Do here..
          [caption id="attachment_177770" align="alignnone" width="723"] Click to Do with Microsoft Edge showing Ask Copilot option in the Click to Do menu.[/caption]
          • You can now swipe using touch from the right of your screen to invoke Click to Do on your Copilot+ PC. You can adjust this experience back to notifications if you want via Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touch.

          [Studio Effects]

          • [ADDED] For Windows Insiders on PCs that support Studio Effects, if you have not used Studio Effects before, we are automatically enabling the automatic framing filter, and a notification toast will pop up letting you know about this when you first use the video camera. You can easily turn it off via Studio Effects in quick settings (Win + A) on your taskbar. 

          [Input]

          • As part of our ongoing work to improve our settings experiences, we’re starting to make more mouse related settings available directly under Settings > Accessibility > Mouse and Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch without needing to go into Control Panel. This includes the settings for mouse indicator, mouse pointer trails, and further mouse behavior and pointer customization. As part of this work, we have also added the ability to adjust the amount of time needed to hover over a window to activate it, if you have activated on hover enabled. Finally, we updated the icon used for Mouse pointer speed in Bluetooth & Devices > Mouse and added an icon to the Enhance mouse pointer precision option.
          • We’re updating the Bluetooth & Devices > Pen and Windows Ink, and Bluetooth & Devices > Touch pages in Settings to have options if you want press and hold for pen or touch to perform a right click action.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Improved Windows Search]

          The following fixes are rolling out for improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed an issue which was causing semantic search to stop working for some Insiders (until you reboot your PC).

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue where external graphics cards connected over Thunderbolt were unexpectedly not discoverable in some cases.

          [Hyper-V]

          • Fixed an issue where Hyper-V Manager may erroneously report 0% CPU usage for VMs in some scenarios.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • [NEW] Quick Assist will not work for non-administrator users.
          • [NEW] Windows Sandbox will not work in this build or is available to be installed. This is fixed in the next flight.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • [NEW] In small cases, Click to Do may fail to launch. Trying again should get Click to Do to launch.
          • [NEW] There is an issue where images that are used with Click to Do image actions are stuck in your temp folder on your PC. This issue will be fixed in the next flight. You can manually clear your temp folder under C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Temp.
          • [ADDED 4/4] We’re investigating reports that the Click to Do icon is incorrectly showing up on non-Copilot+ PCs. If you happen to see this on your non-Copilot+ PC, please file feedback in Feedback Hub and let us know.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders. If you launch File Explorer to a different folder (for example, using search or the Run dialog), you should be able to navigate your folders.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          [Widgets]

          • Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA) with the new Lock screen widgets experience may see the weather widget temporarily unavailable.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/04/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3671-beta-channel/ Thu, 03 Apr 2025 17:04:07 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177766 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3671 (KB5055622) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3671 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3671 (KB5055622) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Taskbar icon scaling

          We are starting to roll out taskbar icon scaling to Windows Insiders – an improvement to the Windows taskbar that ensures that you have quick access to more of your favorite apps, even when your taskbar is full. With taskbar icon scaling, when your taskbar starts to get crowded with pinned or open apps, the icons will automatically scale down to a smaller size. This means you can keep more apps visible and accessible without the need to dive into a secondary menu. It's all about making your workflow smoother and more efficient. [caption id="attachment_177768" align="alignnone" width="2879"] The taskbar with small taskbar icons with setting highlighted in a red box.[/caption] We understand that everyone has their own preferences, so we’ve included settings to tailor this feature to your liking. You can choose when Windows will show smaller taskbar buttons:
          • When taskbar is full: By default, taskbar icons will automatically turn smaller when the taskbar is full. This helps you maintain access to more apps without any extra effort.
          • Never: For users who prefer their icons to remain the same size as before, regardless of how many apps are open, there’s an option to prevent the icons from scaling down.
          • Always: If you love the look of smaller icons and want them to stay that way all the time, you can set your taskbar icons to always be small.
          To customize your taskbar icon scaling settings, simply right-click an empty region of your taskbar and select “Taskbar settings”, expand “Taskbar behaviors” section, and make your selection for the setting “Show smaller taskbar buttons”. As always, we value your feedback, so let us know what you think! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Taskbar.

          Making sharing files in Windows easier

          Sharing files in Windows is getting a lot easier and quicker with our new drag tray feature. When you start dragging a local file with mouse (or touch) from File Explorer or your desktop, a handy tray appears at the very top of your screen allowing you to drop the file into one of the displayed apps or choose “More…”  to open the Windows share window. New drag tray UI that appears at the top of your screen when dragging a local file from File Explorer or your desktop. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files, Folders, and Online Storage > File sharing.

          Announcing the availability of the test remediation package for quick machine recovery (QMR)

          As a follow up to last week’s announcement of quick machine recovery, we are thrilled to announce that the test remediation package is now available for Windows Insiders to experience the full capabilities of QMR in action. We encourage Windows Insiders to test it today. The remediation package “Quick machine recovery update for Windows 11” will be automatically installed by QMR when “test mode” is activated.  To verify the quick machine recovery remediation is installed, go to Settings > Windows Update > Update history. The remediation should be listed under Quality updates. Please note that the ability to see the remediation package in your Windows Update history is gradually rolling out in the Beta Channel so not everyone will see this listed there right away. To provide feedback, simply open the Feedback Hub app on your Windows device, navigate to Recovery and Uninstall > Quick Machine Recovery, and share your insights. Stay tuned for further updates and enhancements as we continue to improve the resilience and reliability of Windows.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • The improved battery iconography in Windows 11 may disappear for Windows Insiders in the current flights. We’re beginning to re-roll this change out to Windows Insiders.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          Recall is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • We are trying out a basic search history feature in Recall.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          Click to Do is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • Ask Copilot is a new action within Click to Do. When you highlight either text or image with Click to Do, you’re given an option to Ask Copilot. Microsoft Copilot opens with your content in the prompt box. You can send selected text or image within Click to Do Directly to Copilot app. The selected text or image is handed off to the Copilot app where you can complete your prompt. This feature is not available in the European Economic Area (EEA). You can learn more about this Click to Do here..
          [caption id="attachment_177770" align="alignnone" width="723"] Click to Do with Microsoft Edge showing Ask Copilot option in the Click to Do menu.[/caption]
          • You can now swipe using touch from the right of your screen to invoke Click to Do on your Copilot+ PC. You can adjust this experience back to notifications if you want via Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touch.

          [Studio Effects]

          • [ADDED] For Windows Insiders on PCs that support Studio Effects, if you have not used Studio Effects before, we are automatically enabling the automatic framing filter, and a notification toast will pop up letting you know about this when you first use the video camera. You can easily turn it off via Studio Effects in quick settings (Win + A) on your taskbar. 

          [Input]

          • As part of our ongoing work to improve our settings experiences, we’re starting to make more mouse related settings available directly under Settings > Accessibility > Mouse and Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch without needing to go into Control Panel. This includes the settings for mouse indicator, mouse pointer trails, and further mouse behavior and pointer customization. As part of this work, we have also added the ability to adjust the amount of time needed to hover over a window to activate it, if you have activated on hover enabled. Finally, we updated the icon used for Mouse pointer speed in Bluetooth & Devices > Mouse and added an icon to the Enhance mouse pointer precision option.
          • We’re updating the Bluetooth & Devices > Pen and Windows Ink, and Bluetooth & Devices > Touch pages in Settings to have options if you want press and hold for pen or touch to perform a right click action.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Improved Windows Search]

          The following fixes are rolling out for improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed an issue which was causing semantic search to stop working for some Insiders (until you reboot your PC).

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue where external graphics cards connected over Thunderbolt were unexpectedly not discoverable in some cases.

          [Hyper-V]

          • Fixed an issue where Hyper-V Manager may erroneously report 0% CPU usage for VMs in some scenarios.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [REMINDER] When joining the Beta Channels on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26120.3360 After installing that update, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest 24H2-based flight in the Beta Channel is just temporary.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
          • [NEW] Quick Assist will not work for non-administrator users.
          • [NEW] Windows Sandbox will not work in this build or is available to be installed. This is fixed in the next flight.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • [NEW] In small cases, Click to Do may fail to launch. Trying again should get Click to Do to launch.
          • [NEW] There is an issue where images that are used with Click to Do image actions are stuck in your temp folder on your PC. This issue will be fixed in the next flight. You can manually clear your temp folder under C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Temp.
          • [ADDED 4/4] We’re investigating reports that the Click to Do icon is incorrectly showing up on non-Copilot+ PCs. If you happen to see this on your non-Copilot+ PC, please file feedback in Feedback Hub and let us know.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders. If you launch File Explorer to a different folder (for example, using search or the Run dialog), you should be able to navigate your folders.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          [Widgets]

          • Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA) with the new Lock screen widgets experience may see the weather widget temporarily unavailable.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/31/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-5160-beta-channel/ Mon, 31 Mar 2025 21:05:14 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177762 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5160 (KB5053654) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 23H2.

          Note: Windows 11, version 24H2

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5160 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5160 (KB5053654) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 23H2. Note: Windows 11, version 24H2 is available as an optional upgrade for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Introducing speech recap in Narrator  

          We are always working to make Narrator more intuitive, efficient, and helpful for users who rely on it every day. With that in mind, we are introducing a new feature—speech recap —designed to help you keep track of what Narrator has spoken and access it for quick reference.  With speech recap, you can quickly access spoken content, follow along with live transcription, and copy what Narrator last said—all with simple keyboard shortcuts. Speech recap also provides a history of spoken content without having to redo the task just to follow what Narrator said. [caption id="attachment_177752" align="alignnone" width="660"] The new speech recap window in Narrator.[/caption] You can open the speech recap window with Narrator key + Alt + X and can find the last 500 strings Narrator had spoken. Note that we refresh the text in this window every time Narrator starts. You can use standard reading commands and arrow keys to read the contents in speech recap window and copy text required for reference. Need to save or share something Narrator just said last? You can copy it instantly without opening the speech recap window. Use Narrator key + Control + X to copy the last spoken phrase to your clipboard. Few scenarios where you can use speech recap and related shortcuts include referring to a hint you heard when opening a new window, copying an error code that was spoken or adding Narrator speech to training materials. [caption id="attachment_177753" align="alignnone" width="660"] Narrator’s speech recap window snapped to the right corner of screen showing real-time transcriptions.[/caption] Live transcription of Narrator speech is useful for Assistive Technology (AT) trainers, teachers of visually impaired (TVIs) who support students in class or for professionals who are hard of hearing and want to use Narrator. To see live transcription of Narrator audio, use the same command Narrator key + Alt + X to open the speech recap window and snap it to the portion of the screen you want to view it. As you do tasks with Narrator, you can follow along and see the text in this window update. These keyboard shortcuts follow a simple patten making it easy to learn:
          • Control + Windows key + Enter = Turn Narrator on/Off
          • Narrator key + X = Re-hear what Narrator said last
          • Narrator key + control + X = Copy what Narrator said last
          • Narrator key + Alt + X = Open Speech recap window for history and live transcriptions
          FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Copilot on Windows]

          • You can now launch Copilot on Windows with Win + C. You can personalize your Copilot key and Win + C experience at any time with the existing "Customize Copilot key on keyboard" under Settings > Personalization > Text input.
          • To access the press to talk feature and start a conversation with Copilot on Windows, press and hold the Copilot key for 2 seconds. For PCs without the Copilot key, press and hold Win + C for 2 seconds. To end your conversation, press the Esc key. If there is no speaking for several seconds, Copilot will automatically end the conversation. When the conversation is over, the microphone on the screen will disappear. As announced previously, you can also press and hold Alt + Spacebar to talk with Copilot on Windows. Press to talk allows you to interact with Copilot using your voice, providing instant responses while staying in your current workflow and continuing tasks without interruption. Press to talk is supported in the latest Copilot app update (version 1.25033.139.0 and higher). This update is beginning to roll out across Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store.
          • Developers can get the same trigger for press to talk for their apps that support the Copilot key by using Handle Microsoft Copilot hardware key state changes. Note, the enterprise-focused Microsoft 365 Copilot app does not have this support today.
          • Win + C and press to talk are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience for Windows.

          [Windows Share]

          • In the Windows share window, we are adding the ability to quickly edit and enhance images while sharing. This includes in-line image editing capabilities, such as cropping, rotating, and applying filters, as well as the ability to compress images to reduce file size for easier sharing. This ability works only for local images stored on your PC. Supported image formats: .jpg, .jpeg, .dib, .png, .tif, .tiff, and .bmp.
          [caption id="attachment_177756" align="alignnone" width="515"] New edit button in the Windows share window when sharing local images.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177757" align="alignnone" width="544"] The image editing experience from the Windows share window with a picture of the dog Kilo.[/caption]

          [Settings]

          • We’re making it easy to find answers to common questions about your PC and Windows 11 with a dedicated FAQs section on the Settings > System > About page, providing quick and helpful insights for using your PC all in one place. Whether you’re curious about system configuration, performance, or compatibility, this experience ensures you get the information you need for the frequently asked questions for those topics. We hope these FAQs will help you make informed decisions about your PC with ease.
          [caption id="attachment_177765" align="alignnone" width="623"] FAQ section highlighted in a red box on the About settings page.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed a delay in app icons showing sometimes in grid and category views after installing an app.

          [Desktop icons]

          • Updated the logic for apps pinned to the desktop, so that packaged apps no longer show an accent colored backplate (for example, if you were to drag and drop Snipping Tool from the apps list in Start to the desktop). In doing this, the icons should be bigger and easier to see now. Please note, you may need to create new shortcuts for this to take effect, if you already have something on your desktop.

          Known issues

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new grid and category views on the All” page in the Start menu:
          • When right-clicking on an app, the "Start settings" context menu flashes before the app's context menu appears.

          [Widgets]

          • [NEW] Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA) with the new Lock screen widgets experience may see the weather widget temporarily unavailable.

          [Narrator]

          • [NEW] If you use Narrator and experience an issue where Narrator crashes on launch, please restart your PC to get Narrator working again. If that does not resolve your issue, you can use a secondary screen reader to help you file feedback in Feedback Hub or have someone assist you in filing feedback.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3653-beta-channel/ Fri, 28 Mar 2025 17:04:30 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177749 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3653 (KB5053658) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel b

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3653 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3653 (KB5053658) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Introducing quick machine recovery

          Quick machine recovery (QMR), part of the Windows Resiliency Initiative announced at Ignite 2024 is now available in the latest Windows Insider Preview build. This feature, when enabled, addresses widespread boot issues on Windows 11 devices by automatically detecting and applying fixes directly from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) thereby reducing the system downtime and manual intervention. When a critical boot failure occurs, the device enters WinRE, connects to the network, and sends diagnostic data to Microsoft, which can then deploy targeted remediations via Windows Update. IT admins are encouraged to enable, customize, or test this feature, which is enabled by default for home users. Windows Insiders can start testing it today and provide feedback via Feedback Hub to refine the feature further. In the Feedback Hub app on your Windows device, select Recovery and Uninstall > Quick Machine Recovery. Keep an eye out for a test remediation package coming your way in the next few days, allowing you to experience the quick machine recovery in action.

          Introducing speech recap in Narrator  

          We are always working to make Narrator more intuitive, efficient, and helpful for users who rely on it every day. With that in mind, we are introducing a new feature—speech recap —designed to help you keep track of what Narrator has spoken and access it for quick reference.  With speech recap, you can quickly access spoken content, follow along with live transcription, and copy what Narrator last said—all with simple keyboard shortcuts. [caption id="attachment_177752" align="alignnone" width="668"] The new speech recap window in Narrator.[/caption] You can open the speech recap window with Narrator key + Alt + X and can find the last 500 strings Narrator had spoken. Note that we refresh the text in this window every time Narrator starts. You can use standard reading commands and arrow keys to read the contents in speech recap window and copy text required for reference. Need to save or share something Narrator just said last? You can copy it instantly without opening the speech recap window. Use Narrator key + Control + X to copy the last spoken phrase to your clipboard. Few scenarios where you can use speech recap and related shortcuts include referring to a hint you heard when opening a new window, copying an error code that was spoken or adding Narrator speech to training materials. [caption id="attachment_177753" align="alignnone" width="660"] Narrator’s speech recap window snapped to the right corner of screen showing real-time transcriptions.[/caption] Live transcription of Narrator speech is useful for Assistive Technology (AT) trainers, teacher of students with visual impairments (TSVI) who support students in class and for professionals who are hard of hearing and want to use Narrator. To see live transcription of Narrator audio, use the same command Narrator key + Alt + X to open the speech recap window and snap it to the portion of the screen you want to view it. As you do tasks, you can see real-time transcriptions of Narrator speech. These keyboard shortcuts follow a simple patten making it easy to learn:
          • Control + Windows key + Enter = Turn Narrator on/Off
          • Narrator key + X = Re-hear what Narrator said last
          • Narrator key + control + X = Copy what Narrator said last
          • Narrator key + Alt + X = Open Speech recap window for history and live transcriptions
          FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • We're previewing a new, more streamlined UI for unexpected restarts which better aligns with Windows 11 design principles and supports our goal of getting users back into productivity as fast as possible. We’ve simplified your experience while preserving the technical information on the screen. As a reminder, for Windows Insiders this appears as a “green screen”. This is beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 and higher in the Beta, Dev, and Canary Channels.
          [caption id="attachment_177754" align="alignnone" width="711"] The updated UI for unexpected restarts for Windows Insiders on preview builds.[/caption]

          [Copilot on Windows]

          • You can now launch Copilot on Windows with Win + C. You can personalize your Copilot key and Win + C experience at any time with the existing "Customize Copilot key on keyboard" under Settings > Personalization > Text input.
          • To access the press to talk feature and start a conversation with Copilot on Windows, press and hold the Copilot key for 2 seconds. For PCs without the Copilot key, press and hold Win + C for 2 seconds. To end your conversation, press the Esc key. If there is no speaking for several seconds, Copilot will automatically end the conversation. When the conversation is over, the microphone on the screen will disappear. As announced previously, you can also press and hold Alt + Spacebar to talk with Copilot on Windows. Press to talk allows you to interact with Copilot using your voice, providing instant responses while staying in your current workflow and continuing tasks without interruption. Press to talk is supported in the latest Copilot app update (version 1.25033.139.0 and higher). This update is beginning to roll out across Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store.
          • Developers can get the same trigger for press to talk for their apps that support the Copilot key by using Handle Microsoft Copilot hardware key state changes. Note, the enterprise-focused Microsoft 365 Copilot app does not have this support today.
          • Win + C and press to talk are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience for Windows.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          Click to Do is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • On your Copilot+ PCs, you can now access Click to Do from the Start menu including the ability to pin it to Start and your taskbar.
          [caption id="attachment_177755" align="alignnone" width="485"] Click to Do on the Start menu All list highlighted in a red box.[/caption]
          • Click to Do can now perform intelligent text actions in Spanish and French in addition to English. We will continue to roll out support for additional languages in future updates. Text actions are currently available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs and coming soon for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs.
          • Click to Do has a text action to create a bulleted list. Currently available in English, Spanish, and French and on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs and coming soon for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs.
          • We are providing policies for managing Click to Do in a commercial environment. IT admins can learn more here.

          [Windows Share]

          • When you share links or web content using the Windows share window, you will see a visual preview for that content.
          [caption id="attachment_177485" align="alignnone" width="569"] Visual preview of links and web content in the Windows share window.[/caption]
          • In the Windows share window, we are adding the ability to quickly edit and enhance images while sharing. This includes in-line image editing capabilities, such as cropping, rotating, and applying filters, as well as the ability to compress images to reduce file size for easier sharing. This ability works only for local images stored on your PC. Supported image formats: .jpg, .jpeg, .dib, .png, .tif, .tiff, and .bmp.
          [caption id="attachment_177756" align="alignnone" width="568"] New edit button in the Windows share window when sharing local images.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177757" align="alignnone" width="592"] The image editing experience from the Windows share window with a picture of the dog Kilo.[/caption]

          [Other]

          • We're removing the bypassnro.cmd script from the build to enhance security and user experience of Windows 11. This change ensures that all users exit setup with internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where the taskbar icons weren’t increasing in size as they should when using your PC in a tablet posture.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where if the search indexer was hung, it could lead to File Explorer also hanging.
          • Fixed an issue where the date for files and folders in Home may be unexpectedly blank.
          • Fixed an issue which was impacting File Explorer launch reliability.
          • Fixed an issue where if you had disconnected network drives when doing a search from Home it might prevent searches from executing and you’d remain on Home.
          • Fixed an issue causing File Explorer to crash when moving or renaming certain files.

          [Windowing]

          • Fixed an explorer.exe crash related to snap layouts which could happen when dragging a window or hovering over the maximize button in a window.

          [Windows Update]

          • Fixed an issue which could result in you seeing a message asking for you to reboot to install a cumulative update that was already installed.
          • Fixed an issue where an installed cumulative update may unexpectedly not show in Settings> Windows Update > Update History.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash for some Insiders when going to System > Power & Battery in the latest flights.
          • Fixed an issue where text in the Advanced Camera Options in Bluetooth & devices > Cameras might not load correctly.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [REMINDER] When joining the Beta Channels on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26120.3360 After installing that update, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest 24H2-based flight in the Beta Channel is just temporary.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates which will resolve this issue.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders. If you launch File Explorer to a different folder (for example, using search or the Run dialog), you should be able to navigate your folders.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          [Widgets]

          • [NEW] Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA) with the new Lock screen widgets experience may see the weather widget temporarily unavailable.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5516-dev-channel/ Fri, 28 Mar 2025 17:04:21 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177758 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5516 (KB5054687) to the Dev Channel.

          REMINDER: Starting with Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5516 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5516 (KB5054687) to the Dev Channel. REMINDER: Starting with Build 26200.5510 releases on March 24th, the Dev Channel has jumped ahead to receive 26200 series builds. This means that the window to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel is closed. These 26200 series builds are based on Windows 11, version 24H2 and will contain many of the same features and improvements as the 26120 series builds that will continue to be released in the Beta Channel. Over time, we be making behind-the-scenes platform changes in these builds and these builds may have different known issues as a result of those changes than what we’re flighting to the Beta Channel.

          Improved Windows Search for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs

          Local Semantic Search

          We are making finding your documents, photos, and settings across Windows 11 easier on AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs by introducing semantic indexing along with traditional indexing. Whether it’s searching in File Explorer, in the Windows search box on your taskbar, or in Settings – just type what’s on your mind to find it on your Copilot+ PC. You no longer need to remember file names, exact words in file content, or settings names. For example, you can use your own words to find images by typing “bridge at sunset”, documents by describing what they are about like “Europe trip budget”, or settings like “change my theme”. Thanks to the power of the 40+ TOPS NPU onboard Copilot+ PCs, these search improvements work even when you’re not connected to the internet. [caption id="attachment_177534" align="alignnone" width="478"] Use your own words to search for documents and images in File Explorer.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177536" align="alignnone" width="640"] Use your own words to search for documents and images from your taskbar.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177537" align="alignnone" width="435"] Use your own words to change settings on your Copilot+ PC in Settings.[/caption] You can go to Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows to adjust which locations are indexed on your PC or turn on “Enhanced” to index your entire PC. Searching for settings like “change my theme” will work within the Settings app for now. In a future flight, you will be able to do this within the Windows search box on the taskbar. These experiences are supported in select languages (Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish) and document formats. Supported file formats include .txt, .pdf, .docx, .doc, .rtf, .pptx, .ppt, .xls, .xlsx for documents and .jpg/.jpeg, .png, .gif, .bmp, .ico for images. See here for more details. You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot + PCs here.

          Find photos saved in the cloud with improved Windows Search

          We are also announcing support for also finding photos saved in the cloud with improved Windows Search for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs. Just use your own words to find photos stored and saved in the cloud by describing what they are about like “European castles” or “summer picnics” in the search box at the top right corner of File Explorer or also in the Windows search box. In addition to photos stored locally on your Copilot+ PC, photos from the cloud will now show up in the search results together. In addition to searching for photos, exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will show in the search results. [caption id="attachment_177578" align="alignnone" width="608"] Results including mountain bike photos one from the cloud in File Explorer with improved Windows Search.[/caption] You can try this experience out today with your personal OneDrive when signed in with your Microsoft account and connected to the internet. If you are signed into OneDrive with a work or school account (Entra ID), you will only see matches for keywords you are searching for within the text of your cloud files in the search results – not photos. Third-party cloud providers will be able to support this experience with their services as well with documentation coming soon. We’re excited to introduce a new way to find your cloud content in Windows and will continue improving search results and capabilities over time. These improved Windows Search experiences continue to gradually roll out to Windows Insiders on Copilot+ PCs, including finding photos saved in the cloud, so you may not see these experiences right away. You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot + PCs here. FEEDBACK for File Explorer Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer Search. FEEDBACK for Windows Taskbar Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Search. FEEDBACK for Settings Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Settings > Search Settings.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Introducing speech recap in Narrator

           We are always working to make Narrator more intuitive, efficient, and helpful for users who rely on it every day. With that in mind, we are introducing a new feature—speech recap —designed to help you keep track of what Narrator has spoken and access it for quick reference.  With speech recap, you can quickly access spoken content, follow along with live transcription, and copy what Narrator last said—all with simple keyboard shortcuts. [caption id="attachment_177752" align="alignnone" width="660"] The new speech recap window in Narrator.[/caption] You can open the speech recap window with Narrator key + Alt + X and can find the last 500 strings Narrator had spoken. Note that we refresh the text in this window every time Narrator starts. You can use standard reading commands and arrow keys to read the contents in speech recap window and copy text required for reference. Need to save or share something Narrator just said last? You can copy it instantly without opening the speech recap window. Use Narrator key + Control + X to copy the last spoken phrase to your clipboard. Few scenarios where you can use speech recap and related shortcuts include referring to a hint you heard when opening a new window, copying an error code that was spoken or adding Narrator speech to training materials. [caption id="attachment_177753" align="alignnone" width="660"] Narrator’s speech recap window snapped to the right corner of screen showing real-time transcriptions.[/caption] Live transcription of Narrator speech is useful for Assistive Technology (AT) trainers, teacher of students with visual impairments (TSVI) who support students in class and for professionals who are hard of hearing and want to use Narrator. To see live transcription of Narrator audio, use the same command Narrator key + Alt + X to open the speech recap window and snap it to the portion of the screen you want to view it. As you do tasks, you can see real-time transcriptions of Narrator speech. These keyboard shortcuts follow a simple patten making it easy to learn:
          • Control + Windows key + Enter = Turn Narrator on/Off
          • Narrator key + X = Re-hear what Narrator said last
          • Narrator key + control + X = Copy what Narrator said last
          • Narrator key + Alt + X = Open Speech recap window for history and live transcriptions
          FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • We're previewing a new, more streamlined UI for unexpected restarts which better aligns with Windows 11 design principles and supports our goal of getting users back into productivity as fast as possible. We’ve simplified your experience while preserving the technical information on the screen. As a reminder, for Windows Insiders this appears as a “green screen”. This is beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 and higher in the Beta, Dev, and Canary Channels.
          [caption id="attachment_177754" align="alignnone" width="711"] The updated UI for unexpected restarts for Windows Insiders on preview builds.[/caption]

          [Copilot on Windows]

          • You can now launch Copilot on Windows with Win + C. You can personalize your Copilot key and Win + C experience at any time with the existing "Customize Copilot key on keyboard" under Settings > Personalization > Text input.
          • To access the press to talk feature and start a conversation with Copilot on Windows, press and hold the Copilot key for 2 seconds. For PCs without the Copilot key, press and hold Win + C for 2 seconds. To end your conversation, press the Esc key. If there is no speaking for several seconds, Copilot will automatically end the conversation. When the conversation is over, the microphone on the screen will disappear. As announced previously, you can also press and hold Alt + Spacebar to talk with Copilot on Windows. Press to talk allows you to interact with Copilot using your voice, providing instant responses while staying in your current workflow and continuing tasks without interruption. Press to talk is supported in the latest Copilot app update (version 1.25033.139.0 and higher). This update is beginning to roll out across Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store.
          • Developers can get the same trigger for press to talk for their apps that support the Copilot key by using Handle Microsoft Copilot hardware key state changes. Note, the enterprise-focused Microsoft 365 Copilot app does not have this support today.
          • Win + C and press to talk are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience for Windows.

          [Click to Do (Preview)]

          Click to Do is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • On your Copilot+ PCs, you can now access Click to Do from the Start menu including the ability to pin it to Start and your taskbar.
          [caption id="attachment_177755" align="alignnone" width="486"] Click to Do on the Start menu All list highlighted in a red box.[/caption]
          • Click to Do can now perform intelligent text actions in Spanish and French in addition to English. We will continue to roll out support for additional languages in future updates. Text actions are currently available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs and coming soon for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs.
          • Click to Do has a text action to create a bulleted list. Currently available in English, Spanish, and French and on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs and coming soon for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs.
          • We are providing policies for managing Click to Do in a commercial environment. IT admins can learn more here.

          [Windows Share]

          • When you share links or web content using the Windows share window, you will see a visual preview for that content.
          [caption id="attachment_177485" align="alignnone" width="569"] Visual preview of links and web content in the Windows share window.[/caption]
          • In the Windows share window, we are adding the ability to quickly edit and enhance images while sharing. This includes in-line image editing capabilities, such as cropping, rotating, and applying filters, as well as the ability to compress images to reduce file size for easier sharing. This ability works only for local images stored on your PC. Supported image formats: .jpg, .jpeg, .dib, .png, .tif, .tiff, and .bmp.
          [caption id="attachment_177756" align="alignnone" width="568"] New edit button in the Windows share window when sharing local images.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177757" align="alignnone" width="592"] The image editing experience from the Windows share window with a picture of the dog Kilo.[/caption]

          [Other]

          • We're removing the bypassnro.cmd script from the build to enhance security and user experience of Windows 11. This change ensures that all users exit setup with internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where the taskbar icons weren’t increasing in size as they should when using your PC in a tablet posture.

          [File Explorer]

          • Did some more work to improve the performance of extracting zipped files in File Explorer, particularly in the case where you’re unzipping a large number of small files.
          • Fixed an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also have impacted the other title bar buttons.
          • Fixed an issue where if the search indexer was hung, it could lead to File Explorer also hanging.
          • Fixed an issue where the date for files and folders in Home may be unexpectedly blank.
          • Fixed an issue which was impacting File Explorer launch reliability.
          • Fixed an issue where if you had disconnected network drives when doing a search from Home it might prevent searches from executing and you’d remain on Home.
          • Fixed an issue causing File Explorer to crash when moving or renaming certain files.

          [Login and Lock]

          • Updated the web sign-in icon slightly to better align with the other icons when selecting a sign in option on the login screen.

          [Windowing]

          • Fixed an explorer.exe crash related to snap layouts which could happen when dragging a window or hovering over the maximize button in a window.

          [Windows Update]

          • Fixed an issue which could result in you seeing a message asking for you to reboot to install a cumulative update that was already installed.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue causing the navigation pane entries to not be aligned correctly in the previous flight.
          • Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash for some Insiders when going to System > Power & Battery in the latest flights.
          • Fixed an issue where text in the Advanced Camera Options in Bluetooth & devices > Cameras might not load correctly.

          Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

          [General]

          • Fixed the issue causing the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update to not render correctly and is automatically turned off by itself.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates which will resolve this issue.

          [Recall]

          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.

          [Click to Do]

          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions leverage the power of Microsoft’s secure cloud to improve your text results by ensuring prompts and responses are safe and appropriate. This data is automatically deleted. Local moderation to ensure the safety of prompts and responses will be added in the future, replacing this cloud endpoint.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders. If you launch File Explorer to a different folder (for example, using search or the Run dialog), you should be able to navigate your folders.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          [Widgets]

          • [NEW] Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA) with the new Lock screen widgets experience may see the weather widget temporarily unavailable.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/26/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27823-canary-channel/ Wed, 26 Mar 2025 17:05:15 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177744 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27823 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes a

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27823 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27823 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          [Settings]

          • [ADDED] We are rolling out “top cards” under Settings > System > About. These top cards provide an easy way to view your PC’s key specifications—processor, RAM, storage, and GPU—helping you understand your PC’s capabilities at a glance. This is designed to simplify decision-making by highlighting potential areas for hardware improvements while giving you a clear snapshot of your PC. Top Cards won’t appear yet on managed commercial PCs. Note this change appears only on specific PC form-factors such as desktops.
          [caption id="attachment_177527" align="alignnone" width="572"] New top cards at the top of the About settings page displaying your PC’s processor, RAM, storage, and GPU specifications.[/caption]

          Fixes

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where File Explorer might be blank and not render if you ALT + Tab to it from a minimized state in the latest Canary builds.
          • Fixed an issue where the see more menu “…” in the command bar was drawing in the wrong direction at some resolutions.
          • As part of our ongoing commitment to improving File Explorer accessibility, this release includes increased support for the text scaling (via Settings > Accessibility > Text size) across File Explorer, File Open/Save dialogs and the copy dialogs.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause a ctfmon.exe crash when copying content from certain apps.
          • Fixed an issue where GetRawInputData was unexpectedly failing to read data in some cases, with lastWin32Errror invalid handle error.

          [Login and Lock]

          • Fixed an issue where clicking Sign in Options was crashing for some Insiders.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause Settings to crash when interacting with Bluetooth & Devices > Cameras.
          • Fixed an issue causing some unexpected space at the top of System > Sound, and some other Settings pages.

          [Printing]

          • Fixed an issue where non-admin users couldn’t uninstall printers that they’d added.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to unexpectedly see a message saying a Send to OneNote driver for printing wasn’t working.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing certain apps to fail to install in Builds 27813+.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing some Insiders to unexpectedly get bugchecks with UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR when upgrading or clean installing the latest builds.
          • Fixed an issue where when using CopyPixels the pixels may be unexpectedly inverted in certain cases.
          • Fixed an issue in the latest Canary builds where traffic routing might not work correctly when network adapters were connected.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • [NEW] The toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update is not rendering correctly and gets turned off by itself. This is just a visual issue and will be fixed in a future flight soon.

          [Taskbar]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue where the taskbar icons aren’t increasing in size as they should when using your PC in a tablet posture.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/24/march-2025-microsoft-photos-update-now-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:10:14 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177732 Hello Windows Insiders,

          Today we are beginning to roll out a Microsoft Photos app update to Windows Insiders on Windows 11 across all Insider Channels and also to Windows Insiders on Windows 10 in the Release Preview Channel. Not all Insiders will s

          The post March 2025 Microsoft Photos update now rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Search the web with OCR-extracted text The Photos app now comes with a powerful Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature which supports over 160 languages, which began rolling out again for Windows Insiders on Windows 11 and Windows 10 at the end of January. To use OCR, simply click the Scan Text button in the Photos Viewer. The app will highlight the recognized text with an overlay, allowing you to easily select and copy it to your clipboard. With this update, we’re adding “Search in Web” functionality so you can quickly search for any selected text from your images right from the app. [caption id="attachment_177734" align="alignnone" width="1798"] Search in Web can help you find online results from OCR selected text.[/caption] This enhancement makes it easier than ever to extract and find online results of text from documents, notes, screenshots, and more. Whether you're capturing text from a document or simply exploring the contents of an image, the Photos app’s OCR and online search features streamline your workflow and boost your productivity.

          Quick access to AI editing and visual search from File Explorer and your desktop

          Introducing new File Explorer shortcuts that give you direct access to AI editing and Visual Search without needing to open the Photos app. [caption id="attachment_177736" align="alignnone" width="573"] Right click on an image to find shortcuts to Microsoft Designer, Bing Visual Search and more highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Right-click an image in File Explorer and select "Create with Designer" to add rich text, adjust composition with object selection, or enhance colors with color pop. [caption id="attachment_177737" align="alignnone" width="656"] Add fun text to your image with Microsoft Designer.[/caption] Plus, use the "Erase Object" shortcut to quickly remove unwanted elements. And with "Visual Search with Bing" shortcut, you can easily look up similar images, related products, and more right from your desktop.

          Show subfolder images and videos in the Photos Gallery

          Now you can use filters to adjust how your subfolder and gallery content show up. By enabling "Show subfolders", you can now see all the images and videos from subfolders in the Gallery, making it a richer navigation experience. [caption id="attachment_177738" align="alignnone" width="266"] Filter option to “show subfolders” images and videos.[/caption]

          Introducing the new Copilot button in the Photos app

          We are excited to unveil the Copilot button in the Photos app that brings AI directly to your fingertips. This Copilot integration is rolling out soon and with this new feature, you can effortlessly share your photos with AI to receive:
          • Photo Editing Tips: Get expert advice on enhancing your images.
          • Image Insights: Discover interesting details about your photos.
          • Framing Suggestions: Improve your photography skills with personalized recommendations.
          New Copilot button at the top of Photos Viewer highlighted in a red box. [caption id="attachment_177739" align="alignnone" width="619"] New Copilot button at the top of Photos Viewer highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

          Other fixes and improvements

          • Due to popular requests, the Photos app now supports JXL files.
          • We implemented bug fixes for the Image Creator and Restyle Image features on Copilot+ PCs to improve overall quality and performance. This includes successfully loading Image Creator in the Photos app on the initial launch of Photos and being able to Save generated images under a different file name.
          To get these new features, update your app to version 2025.11030.20006.0 or higher via the Microsoft Store. This update is currently rolling out, so it may not be available right away. As always, we love getting your feedback so please share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Apps > Photos. Lydia Ko, Senior Product Manager, Microsoft Photos]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/24/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3585-beta-channel/ Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:04:16 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177728 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3585 (KB5053644) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

          Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3585 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3585 (KB5053644) to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Improved Windows Search for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs

          Local Semantic Search

          We are making finding your documents, photos, and settings across Windows 11 easier on AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs by introducing semantic indexing along with traditional indexing. Whether it’s searching in File Explorer, in the Windows search box on your taskbar, or in Settings – just type what’s on your mind to find it on your Copilot+ PC. You no longer need to remember file names, exact words in file content, or settings names. For example, you can use your own words to find images by typing “bridge at sunset”, documents by describing what they are about like “Europe trip budget”, or settings like “change my theme”. Thanks to the power of the 40+ TOPS NPU onboard Copilot+ PCs, these search improvements work even when you’re not connected to the internet. [caption id="attachment_177534" align="alignnone" width="462"] Use your own words to search for documents and images in File Explorer.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177536" align="alignnone" width="676"] Use your own words to search for documents and images from your taskbar.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177537" align="alignnone" width="410"] Use your own words to change settings on your Copilot+ PC in Settings.[/caption] You can go to Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows to adjust which locations are indexed on your PC or turn on “Enhanced” to index your entire PC. Searching for settings like “change my theme” will work within the Settings app for now. In a future flight, you will be able to do this within the Windows search box on the taskbar. These experiences are supported in select languages (Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish) and document formats. Supported file formats include .txt, .pdf, .docx, .doc, .rtf, .pptx, .ppt, .xls, .xlsx for documents and .jpg/.jpeg, .png, .gif, .bmp, .ico for images. See here for more details. You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot + PCs here.

          Find photos saved in the cloud with improved Windows Search

          We are also announcing support for finding photos saved in the cloud with improved Windows Search for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs. Just use your own words to find photos stored and saved in the cloud by describing what they are about like “European castles” or “summer picnics” in the search box at the top right corner of File Explorer or also in the Windows search box. In addition to photos stored locally on your Copilot+ PC, photos from the cloud will now show up in the search results together. In addition to searching for photos, exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will show in the search results. [caption id="attachment_177578" align="alignnone" width="618"] Results including mountain bike photos one from the cloud in File Explorer with improved Windows Search.[/caption] You can try this experience out today with your personal OneDrive when signed in with your Microsoft account and connected to the internet. If you are signed into OneDrive with a work or school account (Entra ID), you will only see matches for keywords you are searching for within the text of your cloud files in the search results – not photos. Third-party cloud providers will be able to support this experience with their services as well with documentation coming soon. We’re excited to introduce a new way to find your cloud content in Windows and will continue improving search results and capabilities over time. These improved Windows Search experiences continue to gradually roll out to Windows Insiders on Copilot+ PCs, including finding photos saved in the cloud, so you may not see these experiences right away. IMPORTANT NOTE: You may need to reboot 1-2 times to trigger getting these improved Windows Search experiences.  You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot + PCs here. FEEDBACK for File Explorer Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer Search. FEEDBACK for Windows Taskbar Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Search. FEEDBACK for Settings Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Settings > Search Settings.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Did some more work to improve the performance of extracting zipped files in File Explorer, particularly in the case where you’re unzipping a large number of small files.
          • Fixed an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also have impacted the other title bar buttons.

          [Login and Lock]

          • Updated the web sign-in icon slightly to better align with the other icons when selecting a sign in option on the login screen.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue causing the navigation pane entries to not be aligned correctly in the previous flight.

          Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

          [General]

          • Fixed the issue causing a 0x80070005 error attempting to reinstall this build using the option to “Fix problems using Windows Update” under Settings > System > Recovery.
          • Fixed the issue causing the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update to not render correctly and is automatically turned off by itself.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [REMINDER] When joining the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26120.3360 After installing that update, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest flight in the Beta Channel is just temporary.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

          [Recall]

          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.

          [Click to Do]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [Settings]

          • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing Settings to crash for some Insiders when going to System > Power & Battery.
          • [NEW] Text in the Advanced Camera Options in Bluetooth & devices > Cameras may not load correctly in this build.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders. If you launch File Explorer to a different folder (for example, using search or the Run dialog), you should be able to navigate your folders.
          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer to crash when moving or renaming certain files.

          [Taskbar]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue where the taskbar icons aren’t increasing in size as they should when using your PC in a tablet posture.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Beta Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/24/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5510-dev-channel/ Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:04:12 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177726 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5510 (KB5054148) to the Dev Channel.

          Starting today, the Dev Channel is jumping ahead to receive 26200 s

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5510 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5510 (KB5054148) to the Dev Channel. Starting today, the Dev Channel is jumping ahead to receive 26200 series builds. This means that the window to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel is closed and once Build 26200.5510 is installed. If you are in the Dev Channel today and still want to switch to the Beta Channel at the last minute, when Build 26200.5510 is offered you can pause updates in Windows Update and switch your channel to the Beta Channel and un-pause updates. These 26200 series builds are based on Windows 11, version 24H2 and will contain many of the same features and improvements as the 26120 series builds that will continue to be released in the Beta Channel. Over time, we will be making behind-the-scenes platform changes in these builds and these builds may have different known issues because of those changes than what we’re flighting to the Beta Channel. In the case of Build 26200.5510 today – this build contains the same features and improvements as Build 26120.3576 released previously. As always, if you experience any issues while you use your PC on these builds we release to the Dev Channel, please file feedback in Feedback Hub. IMPORTANT NOTE for Insiders on Copilot+ PCs: Please note that when you update from Build 26120.3576 to Build 26200.5510 on your Copilot+ PC, you will see your snapshots in Recall and Recall settings get deleted and reset.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates which will resolve this issue.
          • The toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update is not rendering correctly and gets turned off by itself. This is just a visual issue and will be fixed in a future flight soon.

          [Recall]

          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some people may experience Recall being no longer able to save new snapshots or modify settings. This will be fixed in a future flight.
          • Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.

          [Click to Do]

          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also have an impact on the other title bar buttons.
          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders. If you launch File Explorer to a different folder (for example, using search or the Run dialog), you should be able to navigate your folders.

          [Taskbar]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue where the taskbar icons aren’t increasing in size as they should when using your PC in a tablet posture.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26200.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/24/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-3624-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Mon, 24 Mar 2025 17:03:40 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177723 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.3624 (KB5053656) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100).

          This up

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.3624 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Build 26100.3624 (KB5053656) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). This update includes all of the same improvements and fixes from Build 26100.3613 plus the additional features gradually rolling out for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented. [Improved Windows Search]
          • New! Finding your documents, photos, and settings across Windows 11 is easier on Copilot+ PCs with improved Windows Search, powered by semantic indexing models along with traditional lexical indexing. Whether it’s searching in File Explorer, in the Windows Search on your taskbar, or in Settings – just type what’s on your mind to find it on your Copilot+ PC. You no longer need to remember file names, exact words in file content, or settings names. Searching for settings like “change my theme” will work within the Settings app for now. Thanks to the power of the 40+ TOPS NPU onboard Copilot+ PCs, these search improvements work even when you’re not connected to the internet. For more info, see semantic search on Copilot+ PCs. Available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon.
          • New! Locating your photos stored and saved in the cloud is getting simpler on Copilot+ PCs  You can use your own words in the search box at the top right corner of File Explorer like “summer picnics”. In addition to photos stored locally on your Copilot+ PC, photos from the cloud will now show up in the search results together. Exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will also show in the search results. You can try this experience out today with your personal OneDrive when signed in with your Microsoft account and connected to the internet. To learn more, see semantic search on Copilot+ PCs. Available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/21/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-5097-beta-channel/ Fri, 21 Mar 2025 17:03:41 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177721 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5097 (KB5053648) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5097 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.
          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5097 (KB5053648) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Continuing our work to improve File Explorer accessibility, this release expands support for text scaling across different warning and error message dialogs, via ‘Settings > Accessibility > Text size. If you see areas in File Explorer which are still not responding after the improvements in the latest updates, please file feedback Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer.
          • Fixed an issue where if the search indexer was hung, it could lead to File Explorer also hanging.
          • Fixed an issue where the date for files and folders in Home may be unexpectedly blank.
          • Fixed an issue which was impacting File Explorer launch reliability.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where when using Hebrew or Arabic as your display language, if you pressed WIN + T then arrow keys, focus through the taskbar icons would move in the opposite direction.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where voice typing wouldn’t start from the touch keyboard when using the Chinese (Simplified) narrow layout.

          [Login and Lock]

          • Updated the web sign-in icon slightly to better align with the other icons when selecting a sign in option on the login screen.

          [Windows Sandbox]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing Windows Sandbox to fail to launch in recent Beta builds for some Insiders, with error 0x80072746.

          Known issues

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new grid and category views on the All” page in the Start menu:
          • There's sometimes a delay in app icons showing in grid and category views after installing an app.
          • When right-clicking on an app, the "Start settings" context menu flashes before the app's context menu appears.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27818-canary-channel/ Wed, 19 Mar 2025 17:04:04 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177717 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27818 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes a

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27818 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27818 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          [Windows Security]

          • We are beginning to roll out a change in the Windows Security app where will show more details such as manufacturer and manufacturer version for Pluton TPM chips if your PC has one under Device security > Security processor details.

          [Other]

          • Suggested actions that appear when you copy a phone number or future date in Windows 11 are now deprecated. We are disabling this feature.

          Fixes

          [General]

          • Fixed a d3d9.dll crash which was causing multiple apps to fail to launch starting with Build 27802 for some Insiders.

          [File Explorer]

          • Did some more work to improve the performance of extracting zipped files in File Explorer, particularly where you’re unzipping a large number of small files.
          • Fixed an issue where File Explorer Home might not load correctly and just show random floating text saying “Name”.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • Fixed an issue with the taskbar app window previews, where the corners of the flyout weren’t drawn with the correct radius in certain cases.
          • Fixed an issue where the underlines under app icons in the taskbar may get stuck showing even if the app had been closed.

          [Input]

          • Fixed a high hitting ctmon.exe crash, which could impact the ability to type.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which could result in Settings failing to launch with "The instruction at 0x00007FFEDEBDC003 referenced memory at 0x0000000000000010. The memory could not be read”. If impacted, you might also see a similar error message with RuntimeBroker.exe.
          • Fixed an issue for Japanese users, where the name displayed at the top of Settings > Accounts showed First Name Last Name instead of Last Name First Name.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause sluggish video when using multiple monitors after changing from Second Screen Only to Duplicate display mode in the latest Canary builds.
          • Made a couple of fixes to address issues which could cause Settings > System > Display > Graphics to crash.
          • "Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to certain games failing to launch after an upgrade, saying DirectX function CreateComputePipelineState failed with E_INVALIDARG or StorePipeline failed with E_UNEXPECTED.

          [Admin Protection]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause Visual Studio Code to not be able to be installed when Admin Protection was enabled.

          [Remote Desktop]

          • Fixed an issue which could lead to Remote Desktop freezing when connecting.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing certain apps to fail to open with an error saying "The application was unable to load a required virtual machine component".

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.

          [Taskbar]

          • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue where the taskbar icons aren’t increasing in size as they should when using your PC in a tablet posture.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/18/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-3613-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Tue, 18 Mar 2025 21:02:41 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177712 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.3613 (KB5053656) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100).

          Below i

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.3613 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Build 26100.3613 (KB5053656) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
          • [Live Captions]
            • New! We are enhancing communication on AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs with live captions and real-time translation. This change brings the ability in live captions to translate more than 44 languages into English, including speakers in real-time video calls, recordings and streamed content.
            • New! On Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, we’re bringing the ability to do real-time translation to Chinese (Simplified). Supported languages include Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, German, Greek, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, and Swedish.
          • [Windows Studio Effects] [ADDED 3/21] New! An icon will appear in the system tray when you use an app that supports Windows Studio Effects. This only occurs on a device that has a neural processing unit (NPU). Select the icon to open the Studio Effects page in Quick Settings. To view the app that is using the camera, hover over the icon for a tooltip.
          • [Settings]
            • New! With this update, we will gradually make available the Settings homepage for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. The feature will show some existing cards relevant to enterprise-managed PCs like “Recommended settings” and “Bluetooth devices” as well as two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards. UPDATE 3/20: This change will roll out at a later date.
            • New! We are rolling out “top cards” under Settings > System > About. These top cards provide an easy way to view your PC’s key specifications—processor, RAM, storage, and GPU—helping you understand your PC’s capabilities at-a-glance.
            • Fixed: For Japanese users, the name displaying at the top of Settings > Accounts shows First Name Last Name instead of Last Name First Name.
          • [Input]
            • New! We have enabled the Gamepad keyboard layout for the touch keyboard in Windows 11. This change introduces the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type. This includes button accelerators (example: X button for backspace, Y button for spacebar) additionally the keyboard keys have been vertically aligned for better controller navigation patterns.
            • New! A new experience to improve the discoverability of the emoji and more panel in Windows 11 with the introduction of a new system tray icon on the taskbar.
            • Fixed: Improved ctfmon.exe reliability, by addressing a system restart which could impact the ability to type.
            • Fixed: ctfmon.exe may restart when copying data from certain apps.
          • [Voice access]
            • New! Natural language commanding in voice access provides users with the flexibility to speak commands naturally, using filler words and synonyms, rather than rigid, predefined commands. Available initially on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs.
            • New! We are introducing Chinese support for voice access. You can now use Voice access to navigate, dictate, and interact with Windows using voice commands in Simplified Chinese (zh-cn) and Traditional Chinese (zh-tw). UPDATE 4/2: This change will roll out at a later date.
          • [Task Manager] New! We are changing the way Task Manager calculates CPU utilization for the Processes, Performance, and Users pages. Task Manager will now use the standard metrics to display CPU workload consistently across all pages and aligning with industry standards and third-party tools. For backward compatibility, a new optional column called CPU Utility is available (hidden by default) on the Details tab showing the previous CPU value used on the Processes page. UPDATE 4/2: This change will roll out at a later date.
          • [Widgets]
            • New! Introducing the ability for web developers to easily utilize their existing web content to build dynamic and interactive widgets that can be added to the widgets surfaces in Windows 11. For more information, click here. UPDATE 3/24: This change will roll out at a later date.
            • New! We’re bringing support for lock screen widgets (previously referred to as “Weather and more”) to devices in the European Economic Area (EEA). You can add, remove, and rearrange lock screen widgets such as Weather, Watchlist, Sports, Traffic, and more. Any widget that supports the small sizing option can be added here. To customize your lock screen widgets, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
          • [File Explorer] Fixed: The "see more" (…) menu in the File Explorer command bar opens in the wrong direction in some cases.
          • [Remote Desktop] Fixed: Remote Desktop won't use UDP, only TCP.
          • [Screen orientation] Fixed: Screen may unexpectedly change orientation coming out of sleep on 2-in-1 devices.
          • [Application Installation] Fixed: The MsiCloseHandle API experiences prolonged execution time when handling MSI files containing a large number of files.
          • [Boot menu] Fixed: If an update fails and rolls back, it may result in an extraneous and non-functional boot menu entry. This fix stops devices from newly encountering this. Extra boot entries can be managed in the Boot section of System Configuration (msconfig), if you have encountered this issue already.
          • [Authentication]
            • Fixed: Kerberos authentication fails in certain scenarios when RC4 is used for encryption
            • Fixed: FIDO Cached Credential Logon may fail in certain cases when device is Hybrid Domain Joined.
            • Fixed: Opening certain apps after a password change could unexpectedly lead to lockout, if account lockout policy is enabled.
          • [General Reliability] Fixed: An underlying issue may lead to your PC experiencing a bugcheck (blue screen) with PDC_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT when resuming from sleep.
          • [Network] Fixed: The description of the virtual NIC doesn't display correctly in Network Connections (ncpa.cpl), showing garbage characters.
          • [Color Profile] Fixed: Under Settings > System > Display > Color Management, it might not display the expected color profile list for the selected monitor.
          • [Color Profile] Fixed: The color profile settings may not be applied after resuming from sleep.
          • [Deprecation]
            • Suggested actions that appear when you copy a phone number or future date in Windows 11 are now deprecated and being removed.
            • We are removing the Location History feature, an API used by Cortana to access 24 hours of device history when location was enabled. With the removal of the Location History feature, location data will no longer be saved locally, and the corresponding settings are also being removed from Settings > Privacy & security > Location page.

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [Display Kernel] Fixed: This update addresses an issue affecting High Dynamic Range (HDR) content playback on Dolby Vision capable displays, where users may see regular HDR instead of Dolby Vision, missing specific content indicators.
          • [PowerShell] Fixed: This update resolves an issue where critical PowerShell modules required for device configuration were not executed under Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policies.
          • [OOBE] Fixed: Addresses an issue that prevents the ESP from running every time a new user logs onto the device even when configured by policy.
          • [Cryptography] Fixed: This update addresses an issue affecting Credential Roaming resulting in certificates and keys not being roamed into Active Directory and not being made available users' machines.
          • [File Systems (Filters)] Fixed: This update resolves an issue for users with profiles redirected to a network Virtual Hard Disk (VHD or VHDX), where a specific failure could lead to a system crash.
          • [Graphics] Fixed an issue where certain 3rd party apps could cause a Settings crash from the graphics settings page.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team EDITOR'S NOTE: Removed a fix under "Normal rollout" that does not apply to this release. ]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/17/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-5090-beta-channel/ Mon, 17 Mar 2025 21:04:38 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177710 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5090 (KB5053649) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5090 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.
          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5090 (KB5053649) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          [Voice access]

          • We are introducing Chinese support for voice access. You can now use Voice access to navigate, dictate, and interact with Windows using voice commands in Simplified Chinese (zh-cn) and Traditional Chinese (zh-tw).

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          The following are fixes for Windows Insiders with the new grid and category views on the All” page in the Start menu:
          • We fixed the issue causing Windows Tools related apps to be broken out into folders instead of being in one single app.

          [Windows Update]

          • Fixed an issue which could result in a quality update unexpectedly being missing from Settings > Windows Update > Update History, although it was installed.

          [Login and Lock]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause the login screen to crash if you clicked the sign in options link.

          Known issues

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new grid and category views on the All” page in the Start menu:
          • There's sometimes a delay in app icons showing in grid and category views after installing an app.
          • When right-clicking on an app, the "Start settings" context menu flashes before the app's context menu appears.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/17/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3576-dev-and-beta-channels/ Mon, 17 Mar 2025 21:04:33 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177706 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3576 (KB5053650) to the Dev and Beta Channels.

          As a reminder – we’re also offering the same Dev Channel updates based on 

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3576 (Dev and Beta Channels) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3576 (KB5053650) to the Dev and Beta Channels. As a reminder – we’re also offering the same Dev Channel updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. These updates will be optional at first, so if you are in the Beta Channel today, you can upgrade when you are ready to do so. We plan to make these updates recommended later this year, which means you will eventually get upgraded to 24H2-based updates automatically in the Beta Channel. If you are an Insider in the Dev Channel, the window is open to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel if you would like. This window will only be open for as long as we’re releasing the same 24H2-based updates (same build numbers) across both the Dev and Beta Channels. When the Dev Channel jumps ahead (higher build numbers), the window to switch will close. Please note that switching from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel may result in the loss of some features temporarily. IMPORTANT: This window is closing soon, so we highly encourage you to evaluate which channel you would like to be in during this time in which the window to switch is still open.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Voice access commanding made more intuitive and user-friendly

          On Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, we’re introducing the ability for you to speak more flexibly while giving existing commands in voice access. Traditionally, voice commands in voice access would require you to follow a fixed syntax, making interactions rigid and sometimes frustrating. For example, if you said “Can you Open Edge application” instead of “Open Edge” which is the actual command, it wouldn’t work. With this improvement to voice access, you can now say "Can you open Edge application", or "Switch to Microsoft Edge", or "Please open the Edge browser". Voice access understands your intent and executes the right action for the voice command you speak. This means that you no longer need to pause and remember the exact phrasing of a command, just say what feels most intuitive. Just in case something doesn’t get picked up correctly, voice access will also show you real-time command suggestions based on your last utterance to help you recollect the right commands. [caption id="attachment_177708" align="alignnone" width="1421"] Real-time command suggestions in voice access to help you remember the right commands.[/caption] We’re making voice access more flexible, intelligent, and easy to use on your Copilot+ PC. Let us know what you think! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Voice access.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Voice access]

          • We are introducing Chinese support for voice access. You can now use Voice access to navigate, dictate, and interact with Windows using voice commands in Simplified Chinese (zh-cn) and Traditional Chinese (zh-tw).

          [Settings]

          • [ADDED 3/20] We're beginning to introduce a new settings page under Settings > Apps > Actions for managing which apps Windows can recommend actions from on Copilot+ PCs. For example, turning off the Photos app on this settings page will turn off the available actions from the Photos app in Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs. 

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue causing the see more “…” menu in the command bar to open in the wrong direction for some resolutions.

          [Login and Lock screen]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause the login screen to crash if you clicked the sign in options link.

          [Recall (Preview)]

          The following fixes are rolling out for Recall on Copilot+ PCs:
          • We fixed the issue where if you were trying out Recall on a PC managed by an IT administrator in your organization (signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID), you would see your Recall snapshots get deleted after installing Build 26120.3380 and after each reboot on that build.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue causing an unexpected amount of extra space at the top of Settings > System > Sound, and a couple other pages.

          [Printing]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to unexpectedly see a message saying a Send to OneNote driver for printing wasn’t working.
          • Fixed an issue where non-admin users couldn't uninstall printers that they'd added.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [NEW] When joining the Dev or Beta Channels on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be offered Build 26120.3360 After installing Build 26120.3360, you will be offered the most recent update available. This 2-hop experience to get onto the latest flight in the Dev or Beta Channels is just temporary.
          • [NEW] If you use the option “Fix problems using Windows Update” under Settings > System > Recovery, you will experience a 0x80070005 error attempting to reinstall this build.
          • [NEW] The toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update is not rendering correctly and gets turned off by itself. This is just a visual issue and will be fixed in a future flight soon.
          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates which will resolve this issue.

          [Recall]

          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • [NEW] Some people may experience Recall being no longer able to save new snapshots or modify settings. This will be fixed in a future flight.
          • [NEW] Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.

          [Click to Do]

          • [UPDATED 3/17] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also have an impact on the other title bar buttons.
          • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders. If you launch File Explorer to a different folder (for example, using search or the Run dialog), you should be able to navigate your folders.

          [Taskbar]

          • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue where the taskbar icons aren’t increasing in size as they should when using your PC in a tablet posture.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/17/paint-update-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders-2/ Mon, 17 Mar 2025 20:33:28 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177702 UPDATE 3/20: The following update for Paint is now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels.

          Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out an update for Paint (version 11.2502.121

          The post Paint update begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> UPDATE 3/20: The following update for Paint is now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out an update for Paint (version 11.2502.121.0) to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11. In this update, we are improving the Cocreator side panel user experience with a simplified and more intuitive layout. To get started, click on Cocreator in the Copilot menu and describe what you would like to create. Start drawing on the canvas with your mouse or pen to start generating the artwork with AI. You can use the Creativity slider and the Select style dropdown as it is today. The newly introduced Try again button can be used to generate a new version of the image, and the Apply button can be used to apply the generated content to the Paint canvas once you are satisfied with the final result. [caption id="attachment_177704" align="alignnone" width="1363"] Image of the Paint app window with the Cocreator side panel opened.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint. As always, we love getting feedback from the community and we will be looking out for your thoughts and suggestions on these updates! Thanks, Dave Grochocki, Principal Group Product Manager – Windows Inbox Apps]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/13/snipping-tool-and-notepad-app-updates-begin-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Thu, 13 Mar 2025 18:44:44 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177692 UPDATE 3/20: The following update for Snipping Tool and Notepad is now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels.

          Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out updates to Snipping Tool and

          The post Snipping Tool and Notepad app updates begin rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> UPDATE 3/20: The following update for Snipping Tool and Notepad is now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out updates to Snipping Tool and Notepad to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.

          Snipping Tool (version 11.2502.18.0)

          Draw & Hold In this update, we are making improvements to the inking markup experience by introducing draw & hold, which helps you draw neat lines and shapes with ease. To get started, open Snipping Tool and capture a screenshot of any content on your screen. If the image does not automatically open in the app, click on the toast notification to “Mark up and share” your image. Select the pen tool and draw a line, arrow, rectangle, or oval over the image – before letting go of the shape, hold your cursor or pen still for a moment to convert your stroke into a well-formed shape. Resize, move, or adjust your shape as needed before clicking away to let the ink dry. [caption id="attachment_177694" align="alignnone" width="1818"] Animated gif showing draw and hold in Snipping Tool.[/caption] Protocol Launch For developers, Snipping Tool now supports a new and improved protocol launch experience! App callers can now customize which Snipping Tool capture features are shown when invoked from their experience. The protocol is designed to offer improved flexibility, security, and ease of use, aligning closely with familiar HTTP-based interactions. This shift can make use of the protocol more intuitive for developers, and it expands support for better integration with web technologies. To learn more and get started, check out the Launch Snipping Tool developer documentation page. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

          Notepad (version 11.2501.29.0 11.2501.30.0)

          With this update, we are introducing the ability to summarize content in Notepad with the help of generative AI. We are also adding recent files to the File menu, a highly-requested feature, allowing you to quickly reopen recently closed documents. Summarize To get started, select the text you want to summarize, then right-click and choose Summarize, select Summarize from the Copilot menu, or use the Ctrl + M keyboard shortcut. Notepad will generate a summary of the selected text, providing a quick way to condense content. You can experiment with different summary lengths to refine the output. [caption id="attachment_177695" align="alignnone" width="1956"] Image showing Notepad with highlighted text and a dialogue with the results of using the summarize feature to summarize the text.[/caption] If you prefer, you can disable AI features in app settings. To use Summarize, you need to sign in with your Microsoft personal account. Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, and Copilot Pro subscribers will be able to use AI credits to use Summarize in Notepad. Recent Files With recent files, you can now reopen your recently closed files directly within Notepad. To access Recent Files, open Notepad and go to the File menu, where you will find a list of your recently used documents. Click on any file to instantly reopen and continue editing. [caption id="attachment_177696" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image of a Notepad with the file menu open and highlighting the Recent option to open a recent file.[/caption] You can also clear the Recent list at any time or turn off the Recent Files feature in app settings if you prefer not to keep a history of recently closed files. FEEDBACK: Please share your feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Notepad. [These features in Snipping Tool and Notepad are beginning to rollout in these updates, so it may not be available to all Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing them out to everyone.] As always, we love getting feedback from the community and we will be looking out for your thoughts and suggestions on these updates! Thanks, Dave Grochocki, Principal Group Product Manager – Windows Inbox Apps]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/13/releasing-windows-11-build-22631-5116-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 13 Mar 2025 17:16:24 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177690 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5116 (KB5053657) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.5116 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Build 22631.5116 (KB5053657) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).   Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
          • [File Explorer]
            • New! As part of our ongoing commitment to improving File Explorer accessibility, this release includes increased support for the text scaling (Settings > Accessibility > Text size) across File Explorer, File Open/Save dialogs, and the copy dialogs.
            • New! Context menu labels. [UPDATED] We're no longer going to roll this change out in this release to address a few more issues.
          • [Settings]
            • New!With this update, we will gradually make available the Settings homepage for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. The feature will show some existing cards relevant to enterprise-managed PCs like “Recommended settings” and “Bluetooth devices” as well as two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards. UPDATE 3/20: This change will roll out at a later date.
            • New! We are rolling out “top cards” under Settings > System > About. These top cards provide an easy way to view your PC’s key specifications—processor, RAM, storage, and GPU—helping you understand your PC’s capabilities at-a-glance.
            • Fixed: For Japanese users, the name displaying at the top of Settings > Accounts shows “First Name” “Last Name” instead of “Last Name” “First Name”.
          • [Input]
            • New! We have enabled the Gamepad keyboard layout for the touch keyboard in Windows 11. This change introduces the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type. This includes button accelerators (example: X button for backspace, Y button for spacebar) additionally the keyboard keys have been vertically aligned for better controller navigation patterns.
            • New! New experience to improve the discoverability of the emoji and more panel in Windows 11 with the introduction of a new system tray icon on the taskbar.
            • Fixed: ctfmon.exe may restart when copying data from certain applications.
          • [Voice access] [ADDED] New! We are introducing Chinese support for voice access. You can now use Voice access to navigate, dictate, and interact with Windows using voice commands in Simplified Chinese (zh-cn) and Traditional Chinese (zh-tw). UPDATE 4/2: This change will roll out at a later date.

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [File Systems (Filters)] This update adds support for a new function in Filter Manager that enhances the system’s ability to notify applications of directory changes while minimizing I/O operations.
          • [Noto Fonts] This update enhances text quality and customer experience in web browsing for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages by introducing the Noto font family. This provides modern, comprehensive font support for these languages.
          • [Remote Desktop] Fixed: Certain Get-Help troubleshooters might not run in a Remote Desktop session.
          • [COSA] Updated: This update addresses an issue affecting mobile connectivity configurations for Connected PCs. It resolves incorrect Internet of Things (IOT) Access Point Name (APN) settings that were previously applied.
          • [Printers] Fixed: Printers using Independent Hardware Vendor (IHV) drivers might unexpectedly output incorrect or unwanted text.
          • [File System Fixed: This update resolves an issue for users with profiles redirected to a network Virtual Hard Disk (VHD or VHDX), where a specific failure could lead to a system crash.
          • [File System Filter] Fixed: Addresses an issue where a stop error may occur during normal usage with a user profile redirected to a network VHD(X).
          • [Deprecation] Suggested actions that appear when you copy a phone number or future date in Windows 11 are now deprecated and being removed.
          • [ADDED] Improved support for web search providers in Windows Search for the EEA, including with increased discoverability.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team EDITOR'S NOTE: The above blog post has been edited with additional wording for features and improvements gradually rolling out. ]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/13/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-5674-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 13 Mar 2025 17:12:06 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177688 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5674 (KB5053643) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2.

          This update includes the following features and improvement

          The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.5674 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5674 (KB5053643) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. This update includes the following features and improvements (items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented):
          • [Noto Fonts] This update provides Noto CJK (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean) fonts in Windows.
          • [Mobile Operator Profiles] Updated: Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles are updated.
          • [Thumbnails] Fixed: Thumbnails in File Explorer may crash resulting in white pages appearing instead of the actual thumbnail.
          • [Temporary files] This update enables system processes to store temporary files in a secure directory "C:\Windows\SystemTemp" via either calling GetTempPath2 API or using .NET's GetTempPath API, thereby reducing the risk of unauthorized access.
          • [Remote Desktop] Fixed: Certain Get-Help troubleshooters might not run in a Remote Desktop session.
          • [Web Search Providers] This update introduces improved support in Windows Search for the European Economic Area (EEA), including increased discoverability.
          • [Printers] Fixed: Printers using Independent Hardware Vendor (IHV) drivers might unexpectedly output incorrect or unwanted text.
          • [ADDED] Improved support for web search providers in Windows Search for the EEA, including with increased discoverability. 
          Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27813-canary-channel/ Wed, 12 Mar 2025 17:04:38 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177686 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27813 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes a

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27813 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27813 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          [Other]

          • We are removing the Location History feature, an API used by Cortana to access 24 hours of device history when location was enabled. With the removal of the Location History feature, location data will no longer be saved locally, and the corresponding settings are also being removed from Settings > Privacy & security > Location page.

          Fixes

          [Audio]

          • Fixed an issue with the WDMAud system driver which was leading to some app crashes after the recent MIDI work.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue where in Settings > System > Display > Color Management, it might not display the expected color profile list for the selected monitor.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • We are working on the fix for a d3d9.dll crash which is causing multiple apps to fail to launch starting with Build 27802 for some Insiders.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3380-dev-and-beta-channels/ Mon, 10 Mar 2025 21:03:57 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177683 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3380 (KB5053660) to the Dev and Beta Channels.

          As a reminder – we’re also offering the same Dev Channel updates based on 

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3380 (Dev and Beta Channels) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3380 (KB5053660) to the Dev and Beta Channels. As a reminder – we’re also offering the same Dev Channel updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. These updates will be optional at first, so if you are in the Beta Channel today, you can upgrade when you are ready to do so. We plan to make these updates recommended later this year, which means you will eventually get upgraded to 24H2-based updates automatically in the Beta Channel. If you are an Insider in the Dev Channel, the window is open to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel if you would like. This window will only be open for as long as we’re releasing the same 24H2-based updates (same build numbers) across both the Dev and Beta Channels. When the Dev Channel jumps ahead (higher build numbers), the window to switch will close. Please note that switching from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel may result in the loss of some features temporarily. IMPORTANT: This window is closing soon, so we highly encourage you to evaluate which channel you would like to be in during this time in which the window to switch is still open.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Recommended files in File Explorer

          Recommended files in File Explorer Home are now available to all Windows Insiders who are signed in with their personal Microsoft account (and local accounts). These files will provide you quick access to relevant files based on your activity in the Recommended section which is displayed as a carousel with thumbnail previews. This includes content such as files you frequently use, have recently downloaded, or added to your File Explorer Gallery. Users with a work/school account (Entra ID) will have additional types of recommendations available with this update. This change is not yet rolling out in the EEA (European Economic Area). Quick access folders will continue to be available in the navigation pane for easy access to pinned folders. [caption id="attachment_177672" align="alignnone" width="605"] File Explorer Home showing Recommended files.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Live captions]

          • On AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs, we’re beginning to roll out the ability to do real-time translation to Chinese (Simplified). Supported languages include Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech Danish, German, Greek English Spanish, English, Estonian, Finnish, France, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovene, and Swedish.

          [Start menu]

          • We are trying out a new change where we will recommend a snap group in the Recommended section of the Start menu based on two apps that are most likely to be snapped together. Let us know what you think if you see this!
          [caption id="attachment_177673" align="alignnone" width="500"] Example of recommended apps to snap together on the Recommended section of the Start menu.[/caption]

          [Search on the Taskbar]

          • Improved support for web search providers in Windows Search for the EEA, including with increased discoverability.

          [Notifications]

          • To ensure you never lose access to your Microsoft account, we are introducing a new toast notification that will prompt you to add a secondary email or recovery phone number to your account. This will only appear if you’re signed in to your PC with your Microsoft account and this information is missing from your profile. Adding these account proofs will help you recover your Microsoft account if you ever forget your password or get locked out for any reason.

          [Widgets]

          • In this flight, we’re introducing the ability for web developers to easily utilize their existing web content to build dynamic and interactive widgets that can be added to the widgets surfaces in Windows 11. For more information, click here.

          [Input]

          • We are trying out a new experience to improve the discoverability of the emoji and more panel in Windows 11 with the introduction of a new system tray icon on the taskbar. With this new system tray icon, you can easily express yourself by using emojis, GIFs, Kaomoji etc. across all apps and surfaces in Windows in addition to using the WIN + . keyboard shortcut which is also now shown on the emoji and more panel. This new system tray icon for the emoji and more panel shows can be changed by right-clicking on the icon to go to taskbar settings page.
          [caption id="attachment_177656" align="alignnone" width="427"] The new system tray icon for the emoji and more panel highlighted with a red box.[/caption]

          [Settings]

          • We are rolling out “top cards” under Settings > System > About. These top cards provide an easy way to view your PC’s key specifications—processor, RAM, storage, and GPU—helping you understand your PC’s capabilities at a glance. This is designed to simplify decision-making by highlighting potential areas for hardware improvements while giving you a clear snapshot of your PC. Top Cards won’t appear yet on managed commercial PCs. Note this change appears only on specific PC form-factors such as desktops.
          [caption id="attachment_177527" align="alignnone" width="613"] New top cards at the top of the About settings page displaying your PC’s processor, RAM, storage, and GPU specifications.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • As part of our ongoing commitment to improving File Explorer accessibility, this release includes increased support for the text scaling (via Settings > Text size) across File Open/Save dialogs and Wizard dialogs.

          [Windowing]

          • Fixed an issue where the Snap Bar at the top of the screen was unexpectedly showing corners on the side closest to the screen.

          [Input]

          • Fixed a high hitting ctfmon.exe crash, which could impact the ability to type.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to Settings crashing when adding a color profile in Settings > System > Display.
          • Fixed an issue where Settings might crash after using Settings to sign into an MSA.
          • Fixed an issue for Japanese users, where the name displayed at the top of Settings > Accounts showed First Name Last Name instead of Last Name First Name.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue which could lead to a bugcheck with PDC_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT when resuming from sleep.
          • Fixed an issue with windows.storage.dll in the last few flights, where trying to open files from an app could lead to the app crashing.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates which will resolve this issue.

          [Recall]

          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • [ADDED 3/13] After installing this update, you may be notified to turn snapshots back on in Recall via Recall's system tray icon. If you see this, please file feedback.
          • [NEW] If you are trying out Recall on a PC managed by an IT administrator in your organization (signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID), you will see your Recall snapshots get deleted after installing this build and then continue to get deleted each time you reboot. As a temporary work around until we fix this issue, you can follow these steps before installing this update to prevent your snapshots from being deleted (you may need to do these steps prior to each reboot as well after installing this update):
            • Type gpedit.msc in the search box on your taskbar to open Group Policy Editor.
            • Navigate down to the following: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows AI.
            • AI-generated content may be incorrect.
            • Set “Allow Recall to be enabled” to Enabled.
            • Set “Turn off saving snapshots for use with Recall” to Disabled.
          • Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.

          [Click to Do]

          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions leverage the power of Microsoft’s secure cloud to improve your text results by ensuring prompts and responses are safe and appropriate. This data is automatically deleted. Local moderation to ensure the safety of prompts and responses will be added in the future, replacing this cloud endpoint.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also have an impact on the other title bar buttons.

          [Task Manager]

          • After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/10/copilot-on-windows-press-to-talk-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:35:50 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177678 Hello Windows Insiders, we are beginning to roll out an update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows via the Microsoft Store which introduces the following changes and improvements:

          Press to talk: Allows you to interact with Copi

          The post Copilot on Windows: Press to talk begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Press to talk: Allows you to interact with Copilot using your voice by using a hotkey, providing instant responses while staying in your current workflow and continuing tasks without interruption. To start a voice conversation with Copilot, hold the Alt + Spacebar for 2 seconds on your PC. To end your conversation, press the Esc key. If there is no speaking for several seconds Copilot will automatically end the conversation. When the conversation is over the microphone on the screen will disappear. [caption id="attachment_177681" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Hold Alt + Spacebar for 2 seconds to start a voice conversation with Copilot.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177682" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Copilot on Windows app.[/caption] This Copilot app update (version 1.25024.100.0 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. The above-mentioned features are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience for Windows. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Copilot or directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”. Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27808-canary-channel/ Fri, 07 Mar 2025 18:05:36 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177663 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27808 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes a

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27808 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27808 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [Task Manager]

          • We are beginning to roll out a change to the way Task Manager calculates CPU utilization for the Processes, Performance, and Users pages. Task Manager will now use the standard metrics to display CPU workload consistently across all pages and aligning with industry standards and third-party tools. For backward compatibility, a new optional column called CPU Utility is available (hidden by default) on the Details tab showing the previous CPU value used on the Processes page.
          [caption id="attachment_177652" align="alignnone" width="328"] New CPU utility column option for Details page in Task Manager.[/caption]

          Fixes

          [Gaming]

          • Fixed an issue leading to some popular games like Roblox potentially having a bugcheck (green screen) on launch on Build 27802.

          [Printing]

          • Fixed an issue where printing from some apps might cause a bugcheck (green screen) on Build 27802.

          [Search]

          • Fixed an issue causing the search window to be blank for some Insiders recently when searching from the taskbar, due to a background crash.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to Settings crashing when adding a color profile in Settings > System > Display.
          • Fixed an issue which could cause color profiles to not load correctly after waking your PC from sleep.

          [Power and Battery]

          • Fixed an issue where the colors in the new battery icon weren’t displayed correctly when you have your mode in Personalization > Colors set to certain options with Custom.

          [BitLocker]

          • We did some work to improve the performance of loading early boot UI including the BitLocker PIN, BitLocker Recovery key, and boot menu screens.
          • Fixed an issue for a small number of Insiders which was causing a BitLocker loop in Build 27802.
          • Fixed an issue in recent flights where if you tried to run Get-BitLockerVolume, it unexpectedly showed an error.

          [Other]

          • We believe one of the underlying changes in the previous flight addressed the issue causing reports that Hyper-V, and other features which rely on Hyper-V (such as WSL) weren’t working properly. If you continue having issues, please don’t hesitate to file a new piece of feedback in the Feedback Hub.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • [NEW] We are investigating a d3d9.dll crash which is causing multiple apps to fail to launch starting with Build 27802 for some Insiders.

          Microsoft Store Update

          Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels running version 22402.x and higher of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out: New Spotlight Design: We are trying out a new design for the “spotlight” on the department pages that show off more products at a glance for users to explore. [caption id="attachment_177665" align="alignnone" width="1024"] New spotlight design in the Store.[/caption] Updates to the Downloads Page: We’re continuing to improve the Downloads page with new sections to display updates for Microsoft-managed apps, which will be automatically applied, and updates for publisher-managed apps where you can update each independently. This ensures you can more easily view and manage updates for your apps and games. [caption id="attachment_177667" align="alignnone" width="1024"] New sections to display updates for Microsoft-managed apps in the Store highlighted in green boxes.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-5025-beta-channel/ Fri, 07 Mar 2025 18:05:28 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177670 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5025 (KB5053661) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5025 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.
          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5025 (KB5053661) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Recommended files in File Explorer

          Recommended files in File Explorer Home are now available to all Windows Insiders who are signed in with their personal Microsoft account (and local accounts). These files will provide you quick access to relevant files based on your activity in the Recommended section which is displayed as a carousel with thumbnail previews. This includes content such as files you frequently use, have recently downloaded, or added to your File Explorer Gallery. Users with a work/school account (Entra ID) will have additional types of recommendations available with this update. This change is not yet rolling out in the EEA (European Economic Area). Quick access folders will continue to be available in the navigation pane for easy access to pinned folders. [caption id="attachment_177672" align="alignnone" width="1717"] File Explorer Home showing Recommended files.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • We are trying out a new change where we will recommend a snap group in the Recommended section of the Start menu based on two apps that are most likely to be snapped together. Let us know what you think if you see this!
          [caption id="attachment_177673" align="alignnone" width="538"] Example of recommended apps to snap together on the Recommended section of the Start menu.[/caption]

          [Search on the Taskbar]

          • Improved support for web search providers in Windows Search for the EEA, including with increased discoverability.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may have also impacted the other title bar buttons.

          Known issues

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new grid and category views on the All” page in the Start menu:
          • There's sometimes a delay in app icons showing in grid and category views after installing an app.
          • When right-clicking on an app, the "Start settings" context menu flashes before the app's context menu appears.
          • Windows Tools related apps are broken out into folders instead of being in one single app.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/03/update-for-copilot-on-windows-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders-with-new-features-and-improvements/ Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:59:51 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177659 Hello Windows Insiders, we are beginning to roll out an update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows via the Microsoft Store which introduces the following changes and improvements:
          • Native XAML app and new UI: Includes
            

            The post Update for Copilot on Windows begins rolling out to Windows Insiders with new features and improvements appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

            ]]>
          • Native XAML app and new UI: Includes a new side panel where you can easily start a new conversation and see your conversation history.
          [caption id="attachment_177661" align="alignnone" width="1144"] The new Copilot on Windows native app and user interface.[/caption]
          • Ask questions about your PC, like "How do I set up a Bluetooth headset on this device?" and Copilot provides information tailored to your current version of Windows.
          [caption id="attachment_177662" align="alignnone" width="1155"] Copilot on Windows with OS context.[/caption] As a reminder, you can get quick access to the Copilot app using the Alt + Space hotkey across all PCs and the Copilot Key for those using a Copilot+ PC. This Copilot app update (version 1.25023.101.0 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. This is a gradual roll out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience for Windows. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Copilot or directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”. Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-5015-beta-channel/ Fri, 28 Feb 2025 18:04:59 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177654 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5015 (KB5052089) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5015 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.
          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5015 (KB5052089) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Input]

          • We are trying out a new experience to improve the discoverability of the emoji and more panel in Windows 11 with the introduction of a new system tray icon on the taskbar. With this new system tray icon, you can easily express yourself by using emojis, GIFs, Kaomoji etc. across all apps and surfaces in Windows in addition to using the WIN + . keyboard shortcut which is also now shown on the emoji and more panel. This new system tray icon for the emoji and more panel shows can be changed by right-clicking on the icon to go to taskbar settings page.
          [caption id="attachment_177656" align="alignnone" width="442"] The new system tray icon for the emoji and more panel highlighted with a red box.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Building on our commitment to improve File Explorer accessibility, this release adds more text scaling support in various warning and error message dialogs for text scaling (via Settings > Accessibility > Text size).
          • Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders in the previous flight.

          [Windowing]

          • Fixed an issue where the Snap Bar at the top of the screen was unexpectedly showing corners on the side closest to the screen.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue where the storage count in Settings > System > About wasn’t correct in some cases.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue for Insiders using the ability to resume OneDrive files, which could result in your mouse frequently showing a spinning icon.

          Known issues

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new grid and category views on the All” page in the Start menu:
          • There's sometimes a delay in app icons showing in grid and category views after installing an app.
          • When right-clicking on an app, the "Start settings" context menu flashes before the app's context menu appears.
          • Windows Tools related apps are broken out into folders instead of being in one single app.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also impact the other title bar buttons.

          Snipping Tool Update (version 11.2501.7.0)

          We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels (in addition to the Canary and Dev Channels already) that introduces trim! With trim, you can adjust the start and end times of your screen recordings to cut out any unnecessary video snippets from your video. [caption id="attachment_177646" align="alignnone" width="675"] New trim capability for screen recordings in Snipping Tool.[/caption] To get started, record a new screen recording with Snipping Tool. Open the recording in the app and select the new Trim button at the top of the window to enter the trim feature. Use the grabbers to move and select new timepoints for the start and end times of your screen recording. Press the Apply or Cancel button to save or discard your changes. You can also re-enter trim to undo or adjust any trimmed portions. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3360-dev-and-beta-channels/ Fri, 28 Feb 2025 18:04:52 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177650 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3360 (KB5052090) to the Dev and Beta Channels.

          As a reminder – we’re also offering the same Dev Channel updates based on 

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3360 (Dev and Beta Channels) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3360 (KB5052090) to the Dev and Beta Channels. As a reminder – we’re also offering the same Dev Channel updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. These updates will be optional at first, so if you are in the Beta Channel today, you can upgrade when you are ready to do so. We plan to make these updates recommended later this year, which means you will eventually get upgraded to 24H2-based updates automatically in the Beta Channel. If you are an Insider in the Dev Channel, the window is open to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel if you would like. This window will only be open for as long as we’re releasing the same 24H2-based updates (same build numbers) across both the Dev and Beta Channels. When the Dev Channel jumps ahead (higher build numbers), the window to switch will close. Please note that switching from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel may result in the loss of some features temporarily. IMPORTANT: This window is closing soon, so we highly encourage you to evaluate which channel you would like to be in during this time in which the window to switch is still open.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Choose what Lock screen widgets appear

          We’re beginning to roll out support for lock screen widgets (previously referred to as “Weather and more”) to Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA). You can add, remove, and rearrange lock screen widgets such as Weather, Watchlist, Sports, Traffic, and more. Any widget that supports the small sizing option can be added here. To customize your lock screen widgets, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. We are starting this rollout first with Insiders in the EEA and plan to expand to Insiders in other regions in the future. Insiders outside the EEA will continue to see the “Weather and more” experience. [caption id="attachment_177608" align="alignnone" width="625"] Customization settings for lock screen widgets shown in Settings.[/caption] As part of this, we’re also adding support for a new group policy called “Disable Widgets On Lock Screen” that will allow IT administrators to disable lock screen widgets without disabling widgets elsewhere on PCs they manage. To edit this policy, please launch the Local Group Policy Editor app and navigate to Computer Configurations > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Widgets. This policy is only supported in EEA regions at this time but will expand to include other regions in the future as well. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Lock screen.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Task Manager]

          • We are beginning to roll out a change to the way Task Manager calculates CPU utilization for the Processes, Performance, and Users pages. Task Manager will now use the standard metrics to display CPU workload consistently across all pages and aligning with industry standards and third-party tools. For backward compatibility, a new optional column called CPU Utility is available (hidden by default) on the Details tab showing the previous CPU value used on the Processes page.
          [caption id="attachment_177652" align="alignnone" width="357"] New CPU utility column option for Details page in Task Manager.[/caption]

          [Windows Share]

          • We are adding the ability to share directly to apps that support sharing in Windows when right-clicking on local files in File Explorer or the desktop.
          [caption id="attachment_177359" align="alignnone" width="468"] Share with apps directly through the context menu in File Explorer or on the desktop.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where File Explorer Home might not load correctly and just show random floating text saying “Name”.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where the underlines under app icons in the taskbar may get stuck showing even if the app had been closed.

          [Remote Desktop]

          • Fixed an issue which was leading to some people experiencing Remote Desktop freezes on login, or frequent disconnects.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue where an underlying crash was causing Settings to show an error message on launch ("The instruction at 0x00007FFEDEBDC003 referenced memory at 0x0000000000000010. The memory could not be read,"). If impacted, you might also have seen a similar error message with RuntimeBroker.exe.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue where if you were upgrading to a higher build number and it failed and rolled back, it could potentially result in a duplicate Windows entry in the boot menu.
          • Fixed an issue for Insiders using the ability to resume OneDrive files, which could result in your mouse frequently showing a spinning icon.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates which will resolve this issue.

          [Recall]

          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.

          [Click to Do]

          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions leverage the power of Microsoft’s secure cloud to improve your text results by ensuring prompts and responses are safe and appropriate. This data is automatically deleted. Local moderation to ensure the safety of prompts and responses will be added in the future, replacing this cloud endpoint.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also have an impact on the other title bar buttons.

          [Task Manager]

          • [NEW] After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
          • [NEW] The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

          Snipping Tool Update (version 11.2501.7.0)

          We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels (in addition to the Canary and Dev Channels already) that introduces trim! With trim, you can adjust the start and end times of your screen recordings to cut out any unnecessary video snippets from your video. [caption id="attachment_177646" align="alignnone" width="675"] New trim capability for screen recordings in Snipping Tool.[/caption] To get started, record a new screen recording with Snipping Tool. Open the recording in the app and select the new Trim button at the top of the window to enter the trim feature. Use the grabbers to move and select new timepoints for the start and end times of your screen recording. Press the Apply or Cancel button to save or discard your changes. You can also re-enter trim to undo or adjust any trimmed portions. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27802-canary-channel/ Fri, 28 Feb 2025 18:04:46 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177647 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27802 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          What’s

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27802 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27802 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          What’s new with Build 27802

          Improving the battery iconography in Windows 11

          Introducing new and improved battery icons in Windows 11! These icons have been designed to communicate the battery status of your PC with just a quick glance. Key changes include colored icons to indicate charging states, simplified overlays that don’t block the progress bar, and an option to turn on battery percentage. [caption id="attachment_177547" align="alignnone" width="338"] Battery shown in black, yellow, and green to indicate different charging states.[/caption] When your battery icon is green, this shows that your PC is charging and in a good state. A yellow battery icon will let you know that your PC using battery in energy saving mode – this automatically happens when your battery is less than or equal to 20% to preserve power. When the battery icon is red, you have a critically low battery and should plug in your PC as soon as possible. You will see these new battery icons on the taskbar in the system tray, in the quick settings flyout, and in Settings. The new battery icons will begin showing on the Lock screen in a future flight. As always, your PC’s battery status and more will also be available to you when you hover over the battery icon in the system tray and under Settings > System > Power & battery where you can also adjust the battery level percentage in which energy saver mode kicks on for your PC. [caption id="attachment_177548" align="alignnone" width="633"] The toggle to turn on showing battery percentage in Settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Along with the updates to the battery icon, we are also introducing the ability to show your battery percentage next to the battery icon in the system tray – a highly requested feature by Insiders and customers. To enable this, go to Settings > Power & battery and toggle on the “Battery Percentage” setting. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > System Tray.

          Changes and Improvements

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • We are rolling out the ability to share files directly from the jump lists on the taskbar, which appears when you right-click on an app with a jump list like Notepad the taskbar.
          [caption id="attachment_177429" align="alignnone" width="265"] Share icon appearing on a txt file on the jump list for Notepad.[/caption]

          [Spotlight on the desktop]

          • We’re beginning to roll out some changes to the Desktop Spotlight icon interaction model for Windows Insiders. You can now quickly and easily discover more information about your background image by simply hovering over or clicking on the “Learn about this picture” icon on your desktop.

          Fixes

          [General]

          • We fixed the issue causing Insiders to see an error trying to install Build 27788 (0x8007000d) along with a failed .NET update (0x80073712). This issue should not occur with Build 27802.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where if you opened a File Explorer window and minimized it, it might not be rendered correctly when you restore it.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • Fixed an issue when using multiple monitors, where the distance between the date and time and edge of the screen wasn’t consistent.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where if you were using a non-default mouse color (enabled in Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch), it may unexpectedly revert back to white when you encountered a UAC dialog.

          [Lock Screen]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing the login screen to crash when clicking the “sign-in options” link for some Insiders.

          [Administrator Protection]

          • Fixed a rare issue when Administrator Protection was enabled, which could cause you to see a resource loader cache error loading the MUI file on sign in.
          • Removed extraneous space between Dynamic Lock and Administrator Protection under Account Protection in Windows Security.
          • Fixed an issue where Administrator Protection wasn’t showing in the results if you searched from the taskbar.

          [Audio]

          • Fixed an issue causing a small percentage of Insiders to not be able to hear audio in the last couple builds due to a background audio crash.

          [Remote Desktop]

          • Fixed an issue in the last two Canary Channel builds where if you used remote desktop to connect to your PC and then tried to sign into the computer locally, it would sit at a black screen.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an underlying issue causing some Insiders to see a bugcheck with WIN32K_CRITICAL_FAILURE in recent builds.
          • Fixed an underlying issue causing some Insiders to see a bugcheck with KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE in recent builds.
          • Fixed an issue where SFC /scannow is showing errors every time it was run.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.

          [Gaming]

          • [NEW] Some popular games like Roblox may cause a bugcheck (green screen) on this build. We're working on a fix for the next Canary Channel flight. You can pause updates and skip taking this build until we release a new build with the fix.

          [Printing]

          • [NEW] Printing from some apps may cause a bugcheck (green screen).

          [Power and Battery]

          • [NEW] The colors in the new battery icon aren’t displayed correctly when you have your mode in Personalization > Colors set to certain options with Custom.

          [Search]

          • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing the search window to be blank for some Insiders recently when searching from the taskbar, due to a background crash.

          [Hyper-V]

          • We’re investigating reports where Hyper-V, and other features which rely on Hyper-V (such as WSL) don’t work properly.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/21/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4950-beta-channel/ Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:04:44 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177638 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4950 (KB5052078) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4950 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.
          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4950 (KB5052078) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Making sharing files in Windows easier

          Sharing files in Windows is getting a lot easier and quicker with our new drag tray feature. When you start dragging a local file with mouse (or touch) from File Explorer or your desktop, a handy tray appears at the very top of your screen allowing you to drop the file into one of the displayed apps or choose “More…”  to open the Windows share window. [caption id="attachment_177640" align="alignnone" width="1200"] New drag tray UI that appears at the top of your screen when dragging a local file from File Explorer or your desktop.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files, Folders, and Online Storage > File sharing.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • We’re introducing two new views to the “All” page in the Start menu: grid and category view. Grid and list view shows your apps in alphabetical order and category view groups all your apps into categories, ordered by usage. This change is gradually rolling out so you may not see it right away. We plan to begin rolling this out to Windows Insiders who are receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels soon.
          [caption id="attachment_177642" align="alignnone" width="630"] The All page in the Start menu with the new grid view.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177643" align="alignnone" width="630"] The All page in the Start menu with the new category view.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • As part of our ongoing commitment to improving File Explorer accessibility, this update includes increased support for the text scaling (via Settings > Accessibility > Text size) across File Open/Save dialogs and Wizard dialogs.
          • Fixed an issue where File Explorer Home might not load correctly and just show random floating text saying “Name”.

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue with the taskbar app window previews, where the corners of the flyout weren’t drawn with the correct radius in certain cases.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue for Japanese users, where the name displayed at the top of Settings > Accounts showed First Name Last Name instead of the expected Last Name First Name format.

          Known issues

          [Start menu]

          The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new grid and category views on the All” page in the Start menu:
          • [NEW] There's sometimes a delay in app icons showing in grid and category views after installing an app.
          • [NEW] When right-clicking on an app, the "Start settings" context menu flashes before the app's context menu appears.
          • [NEW] Windows Tools related apps are broken out into folders instead of being in one single app.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also impact the other title bar buttons.

          [Settings]

          • There is a known issue where the two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards are showing up on non-managed PCs signed in with Microsoft accounts.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/21/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3291-dev-and-beta-channels/ Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:04:31 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177635 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3291 (KB5052080) to the Dev and Beta Channels.

          The update includes two improvements for Windows Insiders on Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3291 (Dev and Beta Channels) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3291 (KB5052080) to the Dev and Beta Channels. The update includes two improvements for Windows Insiders on Copilot+ PCs:
          • We are previewing the ability to use improved Windows Search to find files saved in the cloud directly from the Windows search box on the taskbar with Windows Insiders with Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs.
          • This update improves your Recall (Preview) experience and as a result, your previous snapshots were deleted. After installing this build, Recall will continue to save new snapshots normally going forward only if you have the option to save snapshots turned on in Settings.
          As a reminder – we’re also offering the same Dev Channel updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. These updates will be optional at first, so if you are in the Beta Channel today, you can upgrade when you are ready to do so. We plan to make these updates recommended later this year, which means you will eventually get upgraded to 24H2-based updates automatically in the Beta Channel. If you are an Insider in the Dev Channel, the window is open to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel if you would like. This window will only be open for as long as we’re releasing the same 24H2-based updates (same build numbers) across both the Dev and Beta Channels. When the Dev Channel jumps ahead (higher build numbers), the window to switch will close. IMPORTANT: This window is closing soon, so we highly encourage you to evaluate which channel you would like to be in during this time in which the window to switch is still open.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          Find photos saved in the cloud via the Windows search box with improved Windows Search

          We are excited to extend support for finding photos saved in the cloud with improved Windows Search to the Windows search box on the taskbar. Just use your own words to find photos stored and saved in the cloud by describing what they are about like “European castles” or “summer picnics” in the search box on your taskbar. In addition to photos stored locally on your Copilot+ PC, photos from the cloud will now show up in the search results together. In addition to searching for photos, exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will show in the search results. [caption id="attachment_177644" align="alignnone" width="675"] Results including dog on beach photos from the cloud in the Windows search box on the taskbar with improved Windows Search.[/caption] You can try this experience out today with your personal OneDrive when signed in with your Microsoft account and connected to the internet. If you are signed into OneDrive with a work or school account (Entra ID), you will only see matches for keywords you are searching for within the text of your cloud files in the search results – not photos. Third-party cloud providers will be able to support this experience with their services as well, with documentation coming soon. We’re excited to introduce a new way to find your cloud content in Windows and will continue improving search results and capabilities over time. The improved Windows Search experiences continue to gradually roll out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, including finding photos saved in the cloud, so you may not see these experiences right away. Some of these improved Windows Search experiences are not yet available in all regions, with expanded availability coming over time. Support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs is coming soon. See here for more details. NOTE: For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows. You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot + PCs here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Search.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Recall (Preview)]

          Recall is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • [IMPORTANT] As mentioned last week, this update improves your Recall experience and as a result, your previous snapshots were deleted. After installing this build, Recall will continue to save new snapshots normally going forward only if you have the option to save snapshots turned on in Settings.

          [Other]

          • As part of the deprecation and removal of Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool (MSDT), this build includes several changes that direct MSDT troubleshooter links in Control Panel to Settings > System > Troubleshoot.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Live captions & real-time translation]

          The following fixes are rolling out for live captions and real-time translation on Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed the issue where you might see a crash on first launch of live captions.
          • Fixed the issue where if audio is playing or the microphone is enabled, switching languages will crash live captions.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed a few issues impacting File Explorer reliability for Insiders.
          • Fixed an issue where opening File Explorer from the command line may result in the address bar being empty and not displaying the current path.
          • Fixed an issue where you couldn't select multiple files in the Recommended section of Home by holding Shift and clicking the files.

          [Power & Battery]

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause color profiles to not load correctly after waking your PC from sleep.

          [Remote Desktop]

          • Fixed an issue where Remote Desktop wouldn’t use UDP, only TCP.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates which will resolve this issue.

          [Recall]

          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.
          • Some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots”, while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.

          [Click to Do]

          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          • [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions leverage the power of Microsoft’s secure cloud to improve your text results by ensuring prompts and responses are safe and appropriate. This data is automatically deleted. Local moderation to ensure the safety of prompts and responses will be added in the future, replacing this cloud endpoint.
          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also have an impact on the other title bar buttons.

          Snipping Tool (version 11.2501.7.0)

          We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels that introduces trim! With trim, you can adjust the start and end times of your screen recordings to cut out any unnecessary video snippets from your video. [caption id="attachment_177646" align="alignnone" width="630"] New trim capability for screen recordings in Snipping Tool.[/caption] To get started, record a new screen recording with Snipping Tool. Open the recording in the app and select the new Trim button at the top of the window to enter the trim feature. Use the grabbers to move and select new timepoints for the start and end times of your screen recording. Press the Apply or Cancel button to save or discard your changes. You can also re-enter trim to undo or adjust any trimmed portions. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx). UPDATE: If you are in the Beta Channel, these updates are currently offered to you as an optional upgrade, and you can upgrade when you are ready to do so. We plan to make these updates recommended in the Beta Channel later this year, which means you will eventually get upgraded to 24H2-based updates automatically.
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/18/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-3321-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:29:56 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177632 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.3321 (KB5052093) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100).

          Below i

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.3321 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Build 26100.3321 (KB5052093) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
          • [Battery] New! Improved icons show your battery status with just a quick glance. When your battery icon is green, your PC is charging and in a good state. Yellow means that your PC battery is in energy saving mode. Windows makes this change for you when your battery power is less than or equal to 20%. Red means battery power is low, and you must plug in your PC as soon as possible. We're also introducing the ability to show your battery percentage next to the battery icon in the system tray which can be enabled via Settings > Power & battery and toggling on the “Battery Percentage” setting. [UPDATE 2/25] We have stopped the roll out of this change to address some issues. We plan to begin rolling it out in a future update soon.
          • [Taskbar]
            • New! You can now share files directly from a jump list on the taskbar. Jump lists appear when you right-click an app that has a jump list.
          • [Windows Spotlight]
            • New! There’s a quick and easy way to find out more information about a background image. Simply hover over the image or click the “Learn about this picture” icon.
            • New! This update makes Windows Spotlight easier to find. You’ll notice changes to the icon color and background. Also, the icon will show at the lower right area on your desktop.
          • [Lock screen] New! This update makes it easier to learn more about the image on your lock screen when you click the “Like” icon.
          • [Narrator] New! There are new functions for Narrator scan mode. Skip past links (n) allows you to go to the text after a link. Use the comma (,) to jump to the start of an item (large table, long list, or another item.) Use the period (.) to jump to the end of an item. This is most helpful when you read long emails, news articles, and wiki pages. Jump to lists (l) allows you to quickly access a list on a web page or in a document. To use these new functions, turn on Narrator first (Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter). Then turn scan mode on by pressing Caps lock + Spacebar. Note that scan mode is on by default on most web pages (like news articles, wiki page, and so on).
          • [Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers] New! Some of you might see a new referral card for a PC Game Pass subscription on the Settings home page. With it, you can invite friends and family to try a PC Game Pass for free. If you qualify, the card only appears when you sign in to your PC using your Microsoft account.
          • [File Explorer]
            • New! You can now snooze or turn off the “Start backup” reminder in the File Explorer address bar. This only applies if you are not already backing up your files and folder. To view this new option, right-click Start backup.
            • Fixed: Improves performance when it loads folders that have a large number of media files.
            • Fixed: When you enter a URL in the address bar, it might not go to the location.
            • Fixed: The address bar overlaps files when you use the F11 full-screen mode.
            • Fixed: The context menu opens slowly when you right-click cloud files.
            • Thumbnails for cloud files display more consistently in search results.
          • [HTML Help Viewer] New! This update adds text scaling support.
          • [Start menu] Fixed: The colors are wrong when you open the account manager flyout menu. This occurs when you use a mixed dark and light custom mode in Settings > Personalization > Colors.
          • [Scanners] Fixed: Apps might not recognize a scanner is available when it is connected.
          • [Audio]
            • Fixed: The volume might increase to 100% when you wake your PC from sleep.
            • Fixed: You might hear a mute and unmute sound several times.
            • Fixed: A USB audio device might stop working after your PC is idle for a short time.
          • [GDI+] Fixed: After you use GDI+ to shrink an image, the colors of the image might be wrong.
          • [Mouse] Fixed: In Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch, you can choose a color for the mouse that is not the default. When you choose a color, it reverts to white after the User Account Control (UAC) dialog appears.
          • [Task Manager] Fixed: Task Manager may identify an HDD as an SSD.
          • [Camera]
            • [ADDED 2/19] New! Multi-app camera: Allows multiple applications to access the camera stream simultaneously, developed with the Hard-of-Hearing community to provide video streaming for both a sign language interpreter and the end audience at the same time.
            • [ADDED 2/19] New! Basic camera: Enables basic camera functionality for improved debugging, recommended as a last resort when your camera is not functioning correctly.

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [Daylight saving time (DST)] This update supports (DST) changes in Paraguay.
          • [Open Secure Shell (OpenSSH) (known issue)] Fixed: The service fails to start, which stops SSH connections. There is no detailed logging, and you must run the sshd.exe process manually.
          • [Get Help app] Fixed: It fails to open on Windows Server 2025.
          • [Remote Desktop] 
            • Fixed: There are display rendering issues when you connect to certain PCs.
            • Fixed: It stops responding.
          • [Live captions] Fixed: If you disconnect an external monitor, the live captions window might not show.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4945-beta-channel/ Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:03:58 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177630 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4945 (KB5052084) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4945 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.
          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4945 (KB5052084) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          [Spotlight on the desktop]

          • We’re beginning to roll out some additional changes to the Desktop Spotlight icon for Windows Insiders to help with discoverability including changes to the icon color/backplate and moving the icon to the bottom right position on your desktop.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Did some more work to improve the performance of extracting zipped files in File Explorer, particularly when you’re unzipping a large number of small files.
          • Fixed a few issues impacting File Explorer reliability for Insiders.
          • Fixed an issue where opening File Explorer from the command line may result in the address bar being empty and not displaying the current path.
          • Fixed an issue where you couldn't select multiple files in the Recommended section of Home by holding Shift and clicking the files
          • Fixed an issue causing the see more “…” menu in the command bar to open in the wrong direction for some resolutions.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue which could cause explorer.exe to crash when opening the input flyout sometimes.
          • Fixed an issue where when using the touch keyboard on the login screen to sign in to your PC, you may unexpectedly see two touch keyboards launch.

          [Lock screen]

          • Fixed an issue in recent flights where if you tried to reset your password from the login screen, it wouldn’t work due to an underlying crash.

          Known issues

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re investigating an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also impact the other title bar buttons.

          [Settings]

          • There is a known issue where the two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards are showing up on non-managed PCs signed in with Microsoft accounts.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3281-dev-and-beta-channels/ Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:03:52 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177626 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3281 (KB5052086) to the Dev and Beta Channels.

          As a reminder – we’re also offering this same the same Dev Channel updates bas

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3281 (Dev and Beta Channels) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3281 (KB5052086) to the Dev and Beta Channels. As a reminder – we’re also offering this same the same Dev Channel updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. These updates will be optional at first, so if you are in the Beta Channel today, you can upgrade when you are ready to do so. We plan to make these updates recommended later this year, which means you will eventually get upgraded to 24H2-based updates automatically in the Beta Channel. If you are an Insider in the Dev Channel, the window is open to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel if you would like. This window will only be open for as long as we’re releasing the same 24H2-based updates (same build numbers) across both the Dev and Beta Channels. When the Dev Channel jumps ahead (higher build numbers), the window to switch will close. This window is closing soon, so we highly encourage you to evaluate which channel you would like to be in during the time in which the window to switch is open.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Ability to seamlessly resume OneDrive files in 1-click from your phone to PC

          We are gradually rolling out the ability to seamlessly resume working on OneDrive files from your phone (iOS and Android) on your Windows 11 PC with a single click. With this feature, you will get a notification asking you if you want to pick up where you left off editing a OneDrive file like a Word doc that you last viewed or edited on your phone within a 5-minute time window preceding unlocking your PC. [caption id="attachment_177446" align="alignnone" width="377"] A cross-device resume notification indicating that you can continue working across devices seamlessly.[/caption] Upon clicking on this notification, the same file that you were viewing or editing previously on your phone will open in your default browser on your PC. Here are some important details about how this feature works:
          • This feature works only when signing into OneDrive with a Microsoft account. Work and school accounts are not supported. And you need to be using the same Microsoft account signing into OneDrive on your phone and signing into your Windows 11 PC.
          • This feature supports Word docs, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, OneNote notebooks/pages, and PDFs.
          • The OneDrive file must be opened on your phone when your PC is locked. If you then unlock your PC within 5 minutes of accessing the file on your phone, you will receive the resume notification as noted above.
          • For the best experience using this feature, you should be logged into OneDrive in your default browser on your PC.
          This feature can be managed and turned off via Settings > Apps > Resume. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers -> Linked Phone.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Recall (Preview)]

          Recall is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
          • We're improving Recall on the next update. This important update will improve your experience. As part of this upcoming update, your existing snapshots will be deleted.
          • Recall filtering options are now easily accessible via the Recall system tray flyout instead of having to set filtering directly in Settings.
          [caption id="attachment_177628" align="alignnone" width="284"] New filtering options in the Recall system tray flyout highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • We are rolling out the ability to share files directly from the jump lists on the taskbar, which appears when you right-click on an app with a jump list like Notepad the taskbar.
          [caption id="attachment_177429" align="alignnone" width="262"] Share icon appearing on a txt file on the jump list for Notepad.[/caption]

          [Snap]

          • We are introducing an improvement to Snap in Windows 11 aimed at driving contextual learning and discovery of the feature. Inline messaging will now appear when you accidentally invoke the Snap Bar when dragging an app to the top middle of your desktop or Snap Flyout when hovering over the Minimize or Maximize button of an app. This messaging is designed to provide guidance on snapping app windows and educating users on the keyboard shortcuts for quickly snapping app windows in the future. We are trying several variants of this experience out.
          [caption id="attachment_177551" align="alignnone" width="324"] Inline messaging as seen at the top of the Snap Flyout.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177553" align="alignnone" width="539"] Inline messaging as seen at the top of the Snap Bar.[/caption]

          [File Explorer]

          • When “Restore previous folder windows at logon” is enabled in File Explorer, we will also now restore all the extra tabs which you previously had open in each File Explorer window. As part of this work, we have also updated the logic for the “Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign back in” setting via Settings > Accounts > Sign in options, so that when you enable this, we will automatically enable the File Explorer specific setting for you too.
          • We’re adding a new option to snooze or turn off the “Start backup” reminder in the File Explorer address bar, for those that aren’t already backing up their Documents, Pictures, or Desktop folders. This option is available when you right-click “Start backup”.
          • We are disabling account-based content in File Explorer under Recent, Favorites, Details Pane, and Recommended for Entra IDs in the European Economic Area (EEA).

          [Spotlight on the lock screen]

          • We’re trying out a few different treatments for the top right hotspot (“Like the image that you see”) on the lock screen. You can now learn more about the spotlight image on your lock screen by clicking on the “Like icon” that takes you to the Spotlight landing page.

          [Spotlight on the desktop]

          • We’re beginning to roll out some changes to the Desktop Spotlight icon interaction model for Windows Insiders. You can now quickly and easily discover more information about your background image by simply hovering over or clicking on the “Learn about this picture” icon on your desktop.
          • We’re beginning to roll out some additional changes to the Desktop Spotlight icon for Windows Insiders to help with discoverability including changes to the icon color/backplate and moving the icon to the bottom right position on your desktop.

          [Settings]

          • Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers coming to Settings homepage will begin to see a new card for referring a PC Game Pass subscription to their friends to try PC Game Pass for free. This new card will only appear on the Settings homepage if you’re signed into your PC with your Microsoft account and meet the required eligibility criteria.
          [caption id="attachment_177554" align="alignnone" width="429"] New Settings homepage card for referring PC Game Pass to friends.[/caption]
          • We are temporarily disabling the Settings homepage for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator which began rolling out with Build 26120.3073. We plan to address some issues and roll it out again in a future flight.

          [Other]

          • We are removing the Location History feature, an API used by Cortana to access 24 hours of device history when location was enabled. With the removal of the Location History feature, location data will no longer be saved locally, and the corresponding settings are also being removed from Settings > Privacy & security > Location page.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • Fixed the issue causing unexpectedly high DCOM CPU usage for some Insiders after opening the Performance section of Task Manager

          [Lock screen]

          • Fixed an issue in recent flights where if you tried to reset your password from the login screen, it wouldn’t work due to an underlying crash.

          [File Explorer]

          • As part of our ongoing commitment to improving File Explorer accessibility, this release includes increased support for the text scaling (via Settings > Accessibility > Text size) across File Explorer, File Open/Save dialogs and the copy dialogs.
          • Fixed an issue causing the see more “…” menu in the command bar to open in the wrong direction for some resolutions.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • Fixed an issue when using multiple monitors, where the distance between the date and time and edge of the screen wasn’t consistent.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          The following fixes are rolling out for improved Windows Search on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs:
          • Fixed the issue where the AI sparkle and underline animation in the File Explorer search box was not present.
          • The search box on the taskbar now has the AI sparkle and underline animation just like the File Explorer search box has.
          [caption id="attachment_177629" align="alignnone" width="471"] AI sparkle and underline animation in the search box on the taskbar.[/caption]
          • Fixed the issue where In some rare cases, improved Windows search experiences may not be available and may require a reboot to start working.
          • Fixed the issue where in some rare cases, File explorer search might be unresponsive and may require a reboot to start working.
          • Fixed the issue where the tip about the new search improvements would appear whenever you set focus to the search box in File Explorer, rather than only once.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where if you were using a non-default mouse color (enabled in Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch), it may unexpectedly revert back to white when you encountered a UAC dialog.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash on launch for some Insiders.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue for Shared PC users, where when signing in with a Guest account using Shared PC, the sign in may fail. This happened if DeviceLock password policies were configured.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates which will resolve this issue.

          [Recall]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • [NEW] Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.
          • [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.
          • Some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots”, while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.

          [Click to Do]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.
          • The intelligent text actions leverage the power of Microsoft’s secure cloud to improve your text results by ensuring prompts and responses are safe and appropriate. This data is automatically deleted. Local moderation to ensure the safety of prompts and responses will be added in the future, replacing this cloud endpoint.

          [Live captions & real-time translation]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may see a crash on first launch of live captions. Restart live captions if you encounter this issue and you will not see it again.
          • If audio is playing or the microphone is enabled, switching languages will crash live captions. Stop audio when changing languages to resume captions or translations.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re investigating an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also have an impact on the other title bar buttons.

          [Power and Battery]

          • The colors in the new battery icon aren’t displayed correctly when you have your mode in Personalization > Colors set to certain options with Custom.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx). UPDATE: If you are in the Beta Channel, these updates are currently offered to you as an optional upgrade, and you can upgrade when you are ready to do so. We plan to make these updates recommended in the Beta Channel later this year, which means you will eventually get upgraded to 24H2-based updates automatically.
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/13/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-5552-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 13 Feb 2025 18:11:37 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177624 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5552 (KB5052077) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2.

          This update includes the following features and improvement

          The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.5552 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5552 (KB5052077) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. This update includes the following features and improvements (items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented):
          • [Daylight saving time (DST)] This update supports (DST) changes in Paraguay.
          • [Input Method Editor (IME)]
            • Fixed: The Chinese IME stops responding when you change the font family or font size.
            • Fixed: The color contrast ratio of the Chinese IME search suggestion panel is less than you expect.
          • [dwm.exe] Fixed: It stops responding many times.
          • [Country and Operator Settings Asset] This update brings COSA profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
          • [Narrator]
            • Fixed: It fails to say the Chinese IME candidate window quick action buttons right.
            • Fixed: It does not say the control type for the Chinese IME suggestion opt-in item.
            • Fixed: It does not say the heading of the Chinese IME suggestion opt-in panel.
          • [Open Secure Shell (OpenSSH) (known issue)] Fixed: The service fails to start, which stops SSH connections. There is no detailed logging, and you must run the sshd.exe process manually.
          Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/13/releasing-windows-11-build-22631-4969-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 13 Feb 2025 18:11:30 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177622 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.4969 (KB5052094) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.4969 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Build 22631.4969 (KB5052094) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).   Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
          • [Taskbar] New! You can now share files directly from a jump list on the taskbar. Jump lists appear when you right-click an app that has a jump list.
          • [Windows Spotlight]
            • New! There’s a quick and easy way to find out more information about a background image. Simply hover over the image or click the “Learn about this picture” icon.
            • New! This update makes Windows Spotlight easier to find. You’ll notice changes to the icon color and background. Also, the icon will show at the lower right area on your desktop.
          • [Lock screen] New! This update makes it easier to learn more about the image on your lock screen when you click the “Like” icon.
          • [Narrator] New! There are new functions for Narrator scan mode. Skip past links (n) allows you to go to the text after a link. Use the comma (,) to jump to the start of an item (large table, long list, or another item.) Use the period (.) to jump to the end of an item. This is most helpful when you read long emails, news articles, and wiki pages. Jump to lists (l) allows you to quickly access a list on a web page or in a document. To use these new functions, turn on Narrator first (Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter). Then turn scan mode on by pressing Caps lock + Spacebar. Note that scan mode is on by default on most web pages (like news articles, wiki page, and so on).
          • [Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers] New! Some of you might see a new referral card for a PC Game Pass subscription on the Settings home page. With it, you can invite friends and family to try a PC Game Pass for free. If you qualify, the card only appears when you sign in to your PC using your Microsoft account.
          • [File Explorer] 
            • New! You can now snooze or turn off the “Start backup” reminder in the File Explorer address bar. This only applies if you are not already backing up your files and folder. To view this new option, right-click Start backup.
            • Fixed: When you enter a URL in the address bar, it might not go to the location.
            • Fixed: The address bar overlaps files when you use the F11 full-screen mode.
            • Fixed: The context menu opens slowly when you right-click cloud files.
            • Thumbnails for cloud files display more consistently in search results.
          • [Start menu] Fixed: The colors are wrong when you open the account manager flyout menu. This occurs when you use a mixed dark and light custom mode in Settings > Personalization > Colors.
          • [Mouse] Fixed: In Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch, you can choose a color for the mouse that is not the default. When you choose a color, it reverts to white after the User Account Control (UAC) dialog appears.

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [File Explorer] We are disabling account-based content in File Explorer under Recent, Favorites, Details Pane, and Recommended for Entra IDs in the European Economic Area (EEA).
          • [Daylight saving time (DST)] This update supports (DST) changes in Paraguay.
          • [dwm.exe] Fixed: It stops responding many times.
          • [Country and Operator Settings Asset] This update brings COSA profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
          • [Open Secure Shell (OpenSSH) (known issue)] Fixed: The service fails to start, which stops SSH connections. There is no detailed logging, and you must run the sshd.exe process manually.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4880-beta-channel/ Fri, 07 Feb 2025 18:04:19 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177619 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4880 (KB5052100) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4880 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.
          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4880 (KB5052100) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Settings]

          • Fixed the issue causing the Home page of Settings to crash for some Insiders.

          Known issues

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re investigating an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also impact the other title bar buttons.

          [Settings]

          • There is a known issue where the two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards are showing up on non-managed PCs signed in with Microsoft accounts.

          Paint Update

          We are rolling out an update for Paint (version 11.2412.271.0 and higher) to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. In this update, we are introducing the Copilot menu to Paint where you can access all the intelligent features which help you complete your image generation and editing tasks faster. Clicking on the Copilot icon from the toolbar will expand into a drop-down menu where you can easily access the features Cocreator, Image Creator, Generative erase, and Remove background. Note that Cocreator is only available on Copilot+ PCs. Within the dropdown, each feature will also include a short description to help you choose the right tool. [caption id="attachment_177577" align="alignnone" width="634"] Paint Copilot menu opened.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27788-canary-channel/ Wed, 05 Feb 2025 18:04:41 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177612 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27788 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          What’s

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27788 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27788 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          What’s new with Build 27788

          Windows MIDI Services Public Preview

          We’re excited to release the first in-box public preview of Windows MIDI Services, our complete rewrite of MIDI on Windows with a focus on a great experience for musicians and a strong foundation for future expansion and enhancement. MIDI is the standard, first released in 1983, that is used to synchronize synthesizers and drum machines in almost all modern electronic music. It’s used to record and play back note information, control stage lights and effects, keep mixers in a large venue in sync, and so much more. Although it is not itself audio, the MIDI protocol is essential to making music and was heavily used in the rise of hip-hop and other genres. MIDI 2.0 is the first major update to the core MIDI protocol since 1983, offering everything that modern musicians need today, like increased speed and fidelity, better control of instruments, modern bi-directional conversations and negotiation between instruments, discovery, better USB timing, and more. Windows MIDI Services is our new MIDI stack which handles not only MIDI 2.0 but also brings our MIDI 1.0 implementation up to modern expectations. It works on 64-bit operating systems on all supported processors, including Arm64. Windows MIDI Services offers the following benefits:
          • Full support of the MIDI 2.0 Standard, including high-speed data transmission, higher-fidelity messages, increased resolution for controller values, and full in-service MIDI 2.0 endpoint discovery and protocol negotiation.
          • Faster transports, leading to better timing and reduced jitter.
          • Faster USB MIDI driver with full support for both MIDI 1.0 and MIDI 2.0.
          • Every endpoint is now multi-client, meaning multiple apps can use a device at the same time.
          • Better endpoint and port
          • In-service scheduling of outgoing timestamped messages, and timestamped incoming messages, for apps using the new Windows MIDI Services App SDK.
          • Built-in loopback and app-to-app MIDI
          • Automatic translation between MIDI 1.0 and MIDI 2.0 based on API, application, and device needs.
          • Much more device metadata available to applications.
          • Better device add/update/remove notifications.
          • Backwards compatibility with our WinMM (MME) MIDI 1.0 API (and WinRT MIDI 1.0 in the future) enabling applications to light up with new features without any changes, and even access MIDI 2.0 devices at a MIDI 1.0 feature level.
          • Open source. The MIDI Service, all its transports, all the tools, the tests, and the SDK are all MIT-licensed open source, and have been developed in concert with hardware and software partners around the world.
          New USB MIDI 2.0 Class Driver: The new USB MIDI 2.0 Class Driver, graciously provided to Microsoft by AMEI (Association of Musical Electronics Industry of Japan) and written by AmeNote, is a high-speed USB MIDI driver which works with both the new USB MIDI 2.0 devices, as well as with class-compliant USB MIDI 1.0 devices. By default, for compatibility, this is enabled only for USB MIDI 2.0 devices and a handful of USB MIDI 1.0 devices. However, you may manually assign this driver to any class-compliant USB MIDI 1.0 device yourself to gain the better transfer mechanisms. We also have several built-in transports for things that were not previously available without third-party drivers. Learn more about the built-in transports here. Windows MIDI Services App SDK and Tools: Applications using Windows MIDI Services do so through the Windows MIDI Services App SDK, shipped out-of-band. Current preview releases are available on our GitHub repo releases page. Please note that these are unsigned releases and so will give you a warning when you download and install. In addition to installing the required runtime components, the SDK runtime installer includes these tools:
          • Windows MIDI Services Console (midi.exe): The all-around console tool for sending messages, checking the state of MIDI, monitoring incoming messages, sending System Exclusive, and much more.
          • MIDI Diagnostics (mididiag.exe): A tech support tool which provides information about the state of MIDI on the PC.
          • MIDI Kernel Streaming Endpoint Info (midiksinfo.exe): A hardware developer-focused tool which provides information about the KS (Kernel Streaming) endpoints.
          • MIDI multicast dynamic DNS Info (midimdnsinfo.exe): A tool to support the upcoming Network MIDI 2.0 transport.
          The Windows MIDI Services App SDK also includes the MIDI Settings app – a desktop application for managing endpoints, renaming endpoints and ports, creating loopback devices, managing your network MIDI 2.0 connections, and more. In addition, we’re currently working on our Network MIDI 2.0 transport, recently demonstrated at the NAMM Show in California, the virtual patch-bay to enable routing between endpoints, and a rewrite of our BLE MIDI 1.0 transport. This will all ship in a future version of Windows MIDI Services. We look forward to having Windows Insiders who dabble in music creation try out the Windows MIDI Services Public Preview and MIDI 2.0. Try out using existing applications that use the WinMM MIDI 1.0 function with the new Windows MIDI Services installed. Additionally, any MIDI 1.0 devices with specific IHV drivers. You can also join the discussion here on Discord if you have questions or are looking to help! You will find a list of known issues documented here.

          Ability to seamlessly resume OneDrive files in 1-click from your phone to PC

          We are gradually rolling out the ability to seamlessly resume working on OneDrive files from your phone (iOS and Android) on your Windows 11 PC with a single click. With this feature, you will get a notification asking you if you want to pick up where you left off editing a OneDrive file like a Word doc that you last viewed or edited on your phone within a 5-minute time window preceding unlocking your PC. [caption id="attachment_177446" align="alignnone" width="400"] A cross-device resume notification indicating that you can continue working across devices seamlessly.[/caption] Upon clicking on this notification, the same file that you were viewing or editing previously on your phone will open in your default browser on your PC. Here are some important details about how this feature works:
          • This feature works only when signing into OneDrive with a Microsoft account. Work and school accounts are not supported. And you need to be using the same Microsoft account signing into OneDrive on your phone and signing into your Windows 11 PC.
          • This feature supports Word docs, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, OneNote notebooks/pages, and PDFs.
          • The OneDrive file must be opened on your phone when your PC is locked. If you then unlock your PC within 5 minutes of accessing the file on your phone, you will receive the resume notification as noted above.
          • For the best experience using this feature, you should be logged into OneDrive in your default browser on your PC.
          This feature can be managed and turned off via Settings > Apps > Resume. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers -> Linked Phone.

          Changes and Improvements

          [File Explorer]

          • When “Restore previous folder windows at logon” is enabled in File Explorer, we will also now restore all the extra tabs which you previously had open in each File Explorer window. As part of this work, we have also updated the logic for the “Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign back in” setting via Settings > Accounts > Sign in options, so that when you enable this, we will automatically enable the File Explorer specific setting for you too.
          • We’re adding a new option to snooze or turn off the “Start backup” reminder in the File Explorer address bar, for those that aren’t already backing up their Documents, Pictures, or Desktop folders. This option is available when you right-click “Start backup”.

          [Settings]

          • We are starting to roll out the Settings homepage for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. The feature will show some existing cards relevant to enterprise-managed PCs like “Recommended settings” and “Bluetooth devices” as well as two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards. For commercial customers who also use their Microsoft account on their managed PC, there will also be a new accounts card indicating the presence of both work and school and Microsoft account types. We are starting the rollout of this gradually with managed commercial PCs who have both work and school, and Microsoft accounts presently seeing this experience first. [UPDATE 2/13] We are temporarily disabling the Settings homepage for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. We plan to address some issues and roll it out again in a future flight.
          [caption id="attachment_177526" align="alignnone" width="621"] The Settings homepage for a commercial customer on a managed PC.[/caption]

          Fixes

          [General]

          • Fixed an issue in Build 27783 which was causing multiple surfaces (including the taskbar, search, Settings, and lock screen) to cyclically crash for a small number of Insiders.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to have a SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION bugcheck in Build 27783.
          • Fixed an issue where the description for virtual NICs wasn’t displayed correctly in ncpa.cpl, it showed garbled characters.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which could cause scanning apps to not detect a scanner, although one was connected.
          • Improved the colors used in MMC when items are selected, both generally, and when contrast modes are enabled.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • We’re working on the fix for an issue where SFC /scannow is showing errors every time it’s run.
          • [ADDED] If you see an error trying to install Build 27788 (0x8007000d) along with a failed .NET update (0x80073712), click retry on Build 27788 and not the .NET update and the build should install.

          [File Explorer]

          • If you open a File Explorer window and minimize it in this build, it may not be rendered correctly when you restore it.

          [Settings]

          • [NEW] The Home page of Settings may crash. If you are impacted by this, you should still be able to open specific Settings pages directly by searching for them from the taskbar.

          [Hyper-V]

          • We’re investigating reports where Hyper-V, and other features which rely on Hyper-V (such as WSL) don’t work properly.

          Microsoft Store Update

          Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels running version 22501.1401.xx and higher of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out: Improving installation options for games: We’re adding a new capability that lets you install individual components for some games. For instance, Call of Duty and Halo can let you install (or not install) high-resolution textures or the campaign. This gives you greater control of your gaming experience and the install size of your games. [caption id="attachment_177615" align="alignnone" width="615"] Example of game components that can be individually installed in the Microsoft Store for some games.[/caption] Once your game is installed, you can return to its product page, click the new Manage button, and modify what components are installed. [caption id="attachment_177616" align="alignnone" width="612"] New Manage button on some game product pages showing components.[/caption] Give it a try and let us know what you think! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4870-beta-channel/ Mon, 03 Feb 2025 22:02:25 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177606 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4870 (KB5050087) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4870 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.
          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4870 (KB5050087) to the Beta Channel. Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          Choose what Lock screen widgets appear

          We’re beginning to roll out support for lock screen widgets (previously referred to as “Weather and more”) to Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA). You can add, remove, and rearrange lock screen widgets such as Weather, Watchlist, Sports, Traffic, and more. Any widget that supports the small sizing option can be added here. To customize your lock screen widgets, navigate to Settings >  Personalization > Lock screen. We are starting this rollout first with Insiders in the EEA and plan to expand to Insiders in other regions in the future. Insiders outside the EEA will continue to see the “Weather and more” experience. [caption id="attachment_177608" align="alignnone" width="600"] Customization settings for lock screen widgets shown in Settings.[/caption] As part of this, we’re also adding support for a new group policy called “Disable Widgets On Lock Screen” that will allow IT administrators to disable lock screen widgets without disabling widgets elsewhere on PCs they manage. To edit this policy, please launch the Local Group Policy Editor app and navigate to Computer Configurations > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Widgets. This policy is only supported in EEA regions at this time but will expand to include other regions in the future as well. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Lock screen.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer] 

          • For Windows Insiders signed in with a work or school account (Entra ID), File Explorer will begin showing people icons under the “Activity” column on File Explorer Home and on “Recommended” at the top of File Explorer Home. When you hover or click over a people icon, it will display the Live Persona Card for that person from Microsoft 365.
          [caption id="attachment_177609" align="alignnone" width="437"] Activity column under File Explorer Home showing people icons highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • Fixed an issue causing Start menu to crash for some Insiders when interacting with the letters in the apps list.
          • Fixed an issue where the colors were not correct when opening the account manager flyout on the when using a mixed dark and light custom mode in Settings > Personalization > Colors.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where if you opened a File Explorer window and minimized it, it might not be rendered correctly when you restored it.
          • Fixed an issue which was impacting File Explorer reliability for some Insiders.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing explorer.exe to crash when dropping files into File Explorer sometimes in the latest flights.

          [Other]

          • Fixed a high hitting background sihost.exe crash in the latest flights.

          Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

          [Other]

          This update includes fixes for the following issues:
          • [USB cameras] Fixed: Your device does not recognize the camera is on. This issue occurs after you install the January 2025 security update.
          • [USB audio device drivers] Fixed: The code 10 error message, “This device cannot start” appears. This occurs when you connect to certain external audio management devices.

          Known issues

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re investigating an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also impact the other title bar buttons.

          [Settings]

          • The Home page of Settings may crash. If you are impacted by this, you should still be able to open specific Settings pages directly by searching for them from the taskbar.
          • There is a known issue where the two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards are showing up on non-managed PCs signed in with Microsoft accounts.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/31/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3073-dev-and-beta-channels/ Fri, 31 Jan 2025 18:04:00 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177572 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3073 (KB5050090) to the Dev Channel. With this update, we are previewing the ability to use improved Windows Search to find files

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3073 (Dev and Beta Channels) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3073 (KB5050090) to the Dev Channel. With this update, we are previewing the ability to use improved Windows Search to find files saved in your OneDrive with Windows Insiders with Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs. We also have a small Paint update rolling out (see below). Starting today, we are beginning to offer the same Dev Channel updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. These updates will be optional at first, so if you are in the Beta Channel today, you can upgrade when you are ready to do so. [caption id="attachment_177574" align="alignnone" width="711"] Optional Windows 11, version 24H2 update offers in Windows Update for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel highlighted in a red box.[/caption] We plan to make these updates recommended later this year, which means you will eventually get upgraded to 24H2-based updates automatically if you are in the Beta Channel. Until that happens, the Beta Channel will continue to receive both updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 AND Windows 11, version 23H2 (but sometimes not at the same time). Please note that if you choose to upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Beta Channel, you may lose some feature rollouts.  If you are an Insider in the Dev Channel, you now have a window to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel if you would like. This window will only be open for as long as we’re releasing the same 24H2-based updates across both the Dev and Beta Channels. By the end of February, the Dev Channel will jump ahead to receiving updates with higher build numbers and once this happens, the opportunity to switch between these channels will close. When the Dev Channel jumps ahead, things might not be as stable as the Dev Channel is today, so we highly encourage you to evaluate which channel you would like to be in during the time in which the window to switch is open.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          Find photos saved in the cloud with improved Windows Search

          A few weeks ago, we began previewing improved Windows Search with Windows Insiders on Copilot+ PCs. In that first preview, we introduced semantic indexing along with traditional lexical indexing for finding files saved locally in indexed locations on Copilot+ PCs with 40+ TOPS NPU onboard. Today, we are excited to announce support for also finding photos saved in the cloud with improved Windows Search. Just use your own words to find photos stored and saved in the cloud by describing what they are about like “European castles” or “summer picnics” in the search box at the top right corner of File Explorer. In addition to photos stored locally on your Copilot+ PC, photos from the cloud will now show up in the search results together. In addition to searching for photos, exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will show in the search results. [caption id="attachment_177578" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Results including mountain bike photos from the cloud in File Explorer with improved Windows Search.[/caption] Finding photos saved in the cloud currently works when searching within File Explorer directly. This will also work directly from the Windows search box on the taskbar in a future flight. You can try this experience out today with your personal OneDrive when signed in with your Microsoft account and connected to the internet. If you are signed into OneDrive with a work or school account (Entra ID), you will only see matches for keywords you are searching for within the text of your cloud files in the search results – not photos. Third-party cloud providers will be able to support this experience with their services as well with documentation coming soon. We're excited to introduce a new way to find your cloud content in Windows and will continue improving search results and capabilities over time. These improved Windows Search experiences continue to gradually roll out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, including finding photos saved in the cloud, so you may not see these experiences right away. Support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs is coming soon. See here for more details. You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot + PCs here. FEEDBACK for File Explorer Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer Search.

          Other changes that are included in this Dev and Beta Channel update

          This update (Build 26120.3073) includes other changes and improvements available to Windows Insiders across all Windows 11 PCs in addition to the features noted above that are exclusive to Copilot+ PCs. These changes are documented below in two buckets:
          • New features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*).
          • New features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel.
          For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Settings]

          • We are starting to roll out the Settings homepage for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. The feature will show some existing cards relevant to enterprise-managed PCs like “Recommended settings” and “Bluetooth devices” as well as two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards. For commercial customers who also use their Microsoft account on their managed PC, there will also be a new accounts card indicating the presence of both work and school and Microsoft account types. We are starting the rollout of this gradually with managed commercial PCs who have both work and school, and Microsoft accounts presently seeing this experience first.
          [caption id="attachment_177526" align="alignnone" width="649"] The Settings homepage for a commercial customer on a managed PC.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing the taskbar preview windows to not display sometimes when hovering over open apps in the taskbar.

          [File Explorer]

          • We did some work to help address an issue where File Explorer might hang when browsing a folder with lots of media in it.
          • Fixed an issue where if you opened a File Explorer window and minimized it in, it might not be rendered correctly when you restored it.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          • Fixed the issue where in some rare cases, searching on Outlook while offline might result in some results not being found.

          [Live Captions]

          • Fixed an issue where live captions might show an icon in the taskbar, but the window wouldn’t display on the screen, after disconnecting a second monitor.

          [Remote Desktop]

          •  Fixed an issue which was causing Remote Desktop to show significant display / rendering issues when connecting to certain other computers.

          [Settings]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing Settings to crash when interacting with the Bluetooth & Devices page sometimes.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue where when using GDI+ to shrink an image, the colors may be wrong afterwards..
          • Fixed an issue which could cause shutdown to be noticeably slower on certain devices when a controller was connected.
          • Fixed an underlying issue causing the Windows Security pop up when signing into certain Wi-Fi networks to not be interactable. This may have also impacted interacting with this pop up for certain other options in Settings.
          • Fixed an issue where the description for virtual NICs wasn’t displayed correctly in ncpa.cpl, it showed garbled characters.

          Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

          [General]

          • We fixed the issue causing a 0xc0e90001 error to occur when booting into Windows Recovery (WinRE) on Arm64 PCs.

          [Other]

          • [Memory leak] Fixed: Leaks occur when predictive input ideas show.
          • [High dynamic range (HDR)] Fixed: The display of some games appears oversaturated. This occurs when you use Auto HDR.
          • [Remote Desktop Gateway] Fixed: You get errors or cannot sign when you connect to Windows 11 workstations. This occurs when you enforce device redirection.
          • [USB audio device drivers] Fixed: The code 10 error message, “This device cannot start” appears. This occurs when you connect to certain external audio management devices.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates which will resolve this issue.
          • [NEW] We're investigating an issue causing unexpectedly high DCOM CPU usage for some Insiders after opening the Performance section of Task Manager

          [Recall]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.
          • Some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots”, while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.
          • Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

          [Click to Do]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.
          • The intelligent text actions leverage the power of Microsoft’s secure cloud to improve your text results by ensuring prompts and responses are safe and appropriate. This data is automatically deleted. Local moderation to ensure the safety of prompts and responses will be added in the future, replacing this cloud endpoint.
          • If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.

          [Live captions & real-time translation]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may see a crash on first launch of live captions. Restart live captions if you encounter this issue and you will not see it again.
          • If audio is playing or the microphone is enabled, switching languages will crash live captions. Stop audio when changing languages to resume captions or translations.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • [NEW] The AI sparkle and underline animation in the File Explorer search box is not present in this build even when improved Windows Search is in use on your Copilot+ PC. If your search results are powered by improved Windows Search, you will see a notice at the bottom of File Explorer stating, “Search uses AI to find results” and directing you to file feedback if something doesn’t look right.
          • In this build, the search box on the taskbar does not yet have the same underline and sparkles icon UI that the File Explorer search box has. This is coming in a future flight.
          • In some rare cases, improved Windows search experiences may not be available and may require a reboot to start working.
          • In some rare cases, File explorer search might be unresponsive and may require a reboot to start working.
          • The tip about the new search improvements appears whenever you set focus to the search box in File Explorer, rather than only once.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’re investigating an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also have an impact on the other title bar buttons.

          [Power and Battery]

          • [NEW] The colors in the new battery icon aren’t displaying correctly when you have your mode in Personalization > Colors set to certain options with Custom.

          [Settings]

          • [NEW] The Home page of Settings may crash. If you are impacted by this, you should still be able to open specific Settings pages directly by searching for them from the taskbar.

          Paint Update

          We are rolling out an update for Paint (version 11.2412.271.0 and higher) to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels. In this update, we are introducing the Copilot menu to Paint where you can access all the intelligent features which help you complete your image generation and editing tasks faster. Clicking on the Copilot icon from the toolbar will expand into a drop-down menu where you can easily access the features Cocreator, Image Creator, Generative erase, and Remove background. Note that Cocreator is only available on Copilot+ PCs. Within the dropdown, each feature will also include a short description to help you choose the right tool. [caption id="attachment_177577" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Paint Copilot menu opened.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27783-canary-channel/ Wed, 29 Jan 2025 18:05:03 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177567 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27783 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          What’s

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27783 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27783 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          What’s new with Build 27783

          Shared Content in File Explorer Home 

          File Explorer will now provide you with quick access to files that have been shared with you. If you are signed into Windows with your Microsoft account, you will be able to view files that have been shared with your account, such as email, Teams chat, etc. If you are a commercial customer who is signed-in with your Microsoft Entra ID account, you will additionally be able to view files that they have shared with others. You can access this feature by launching File Explorer Home and clicking on the ‘Shared’ tab item. You will also be able to view a broader set of file types in their Recent, Favorites, and Shared sections on the homepage. For example, if you’ve recently opened/edited files in Designer, Loop, Power BI, Forms, etc. these files will now be available in your Recent list. [caption id="attachment_177176" align="alignnone" width="712"] File Explorer Home with new tabs for Recent, Favorites, and Shared.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer.

          Changes and Improvements

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          [Magnifier]

          • We’re adding a new keyboard shortcut CTRL + ALT + Minus for Magnifier users to quickly toggle between the current zoom and 1X zoom.
          • In addition to the keyboard shortcut CTRL + ALT + Minus to quickly toggle between the current zoom and 1X zoom, we have also added buttons in Magnifier to reset zoom to fit to screen and reset zoom to your last/preferred magnification.
          [caption id="attachment_177513" align="alignnone" width="536"] New buttons in Magnifier to reset zoom to fit to screen and reset zoom to your last or preferred magnification highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

          Fixes

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • Fixed an issue which was causing the taskbar preview windows to not display sometimes when hovering over open apps in the taskbar.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue for Pinyin IME users, where switching between windows (like with ALT + Tab) may unexpectedly switch the IME from Chinese to English.

          [Windowing]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to unexpected app window freezes for some people when using ALT + Tab between certain types of apps.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash when going to Settings > System > Display > Graphics for some people.

          [Remote Desktop]

          • Fixed an issue causing MTSC.exe for Remote Desktop to fail on the previous build with error 0x80080005.
          • Fixed an issue which was causing Remote Desktop to show significant display / rendering issues when connecting to certain other computers.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing an explorer.exe memory leak in recent Canary Channel builds, leading to performance issues over time.
          • Fixed an issue where the shutdown /r/ /fw command wasn’t working sometimes.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • We’re working on the fix for an issue where SFC /scannow is showing errors every time it’s run.

          [File Explorer]

          • If you open a File Explorer window and minimize it in this build, it may not render correctly when you restore it.

          [Hyper-V]

          • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that Hyper-V, and other features which rely on Hyper-V (such as WSL) don’t work properly after the last flight.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/28/seamless-phone-integration-from-the-start-menu-gets-even-better-for-windows-insiders/ Tue, 28 Jan 2025 23:17:33 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177561 Hello Windows Insiders,

          Last year, we previewed the ability for existing Android connected use

          The post Seamless phone integration from the Start menu gets even better for Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> previewed the ability for existing Android connected users to access their Android device from the Start menu. We are excited to now bring you more improvements:
          1. Easy set up for new users: Brand new users can now connect their Android or iPhone device to their PC from the Start menu.
          2. Connected iPhone users can now access features from the Start menu.
          3. Both Android and iPhone connected users can now share files across devices directly from the Start menu.

          New users: Connect your Android or iPhone device

          To get started, open the Start menu and select the device type (Android or iPhone) from the right-side pane. Follow the on-screen instructions to connect your device with the PC and start accessing your phone from the Start Menu in no time. [caption id="attachment_177563" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Connect your phone to Windows PC from the Start menu.[/caption]

          Accessing iPhone experiences in Start menu

          Connected iPhone users can now access their phone features directly from the Start menu. This seamless integration allows iPhone users to enjoy the same benefits as Android users, including ability to view phone’s battery status and connectivity, ability to access messages and calls, and keeping track of the latest activities, all conveniently integrated into the Start menu. [caption id="attachment_177565" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Access your iPhone from Start menu.[/caption]

          Share Files between your Android or iPhone device and Windows PC from the Start menu

          We previewed the ability to share files between your devices in December. Now, you can easily send files across your devices (Android/iPhone and Windows PC) right from the Start menu. Select “Send files” to begin transferring. [caption id="attachment_177564" align="alignnone" width="199"] Send files from your PC to phone from the Start menu.[/caption] Figure 3. Send files from your PC to phone from the Start menu. These features are gradually rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels. They can be managed via Settings > Personalization > Start (support link). Requirements:
          • Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 4805 and higher in Beta Channel and 26120.3000 and higher in Dev channel.
          • Phone Link version 1.24121.30.0 or higher.
          • Your PC must be signed in with a Microsoft account and must have Bluetooth LE capability.
          • Not supported for PCs running Pro Education or Education SKUs.
          FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Phone Link. Give it a try and let us know your feedback and suggestions. You can also join the conversation on our Windows Insider community forums and social media channels. Thanks, Windows Insider Program & Connected Experiences Teams]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/24/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4805-beta-channel/ Fri, 24 Jan 2025 18:04:14 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177549 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4805 (KB5050105) to the Beta Channel.

          Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4805 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4805 (KB5050105) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Snap]

          • We are introducing an improvement to Snap in Windows 11 aimed at driving contextual learning and discovery of the feature. Inline messaging will now appear when you accidentally invoke the Snap Bar when dragging an app to the top middle of your desktop or Snap Flyout when hovering over the Minimize or Maximize button of an app. This messaging is designed to provide guidance on snapping app windows and educating users on the keyboard shortcuts for quickly snapping app windows in the future. We are trying several variants of this experience out.
          [caption id="attachment_177551" align="alignnone" width="340"] Inline messaging as seen at the top of the Snap Flyout.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177553" align="alignnone" width="578"] Inline messaging as seen at the top of the Snap Bar.[/caption]

          [Input]

          • After being temporarily disabled to address some issues with Build 22635.4400, we are beginning to roll out a new Gamepad keyboard layout for the touch keyboard in Windows 11 again. This change introduces the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type. This includes button accelerators (example: X button for backspace, Y button for spacebar) additionally the keyboard keys have been vertically aligned for better controller navigation patterns.
          [caption id="attachment_177283" align="alignnone" width="691"] New Gamepad keyboard layout for the touch keyboard in Windows 11 that supports the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type.[/caption]

          [Narrator]

          • We have added new functionalities to Narrator scan mode. Jump to list item (I’) allows you to quickly access and jump to a list item on a page or a document. Beginning and end of element (Comma (,)  and Period (.)) allow you to quickly jump to the beginning or end of large tables, lists or landmarks. This is most helpful when navigating through long emails, news articles, and wiki pages. To try these new features, you need to turn on Narrator first (Win key + Ctrl + Enter), then turn scan mode ON by pressing Caps Lock + Spacebar and finally use the new shortcuts – ‘I’, ‘,’ and ‘.’. Please note that scan mode is ‘ON’ by default on most web pages (like news articles, wiki pages, etc.).

          [Settings]

          • Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers coming to Settings homepage will begin to see a new card for referring a PC Game Pass subscription to their friends to try PC Game Pass for free. This new card will only appear on the Settings homepage if you're signed into your PC with your Microsoft account and meet the required eligibility criteria.
          [caption id="attachment_177554" align="alignnone" width="487"] New Settings homepage card for referring PC Game Pass to friends.[/caption]

          Known issues

          [Start menu]

          • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing Start menu to crash for some Insiders when interacting with the letters in the apps list.

          [File Explorer]

          • If you open a File Explorer window and minimize it in this build, it may not render correctly when you restore it.
          • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also impact the other title bar buttons.

          [Settings]

          • The Home page of Settings may crash. If you are impacted by this, you should still be able to open specific Settings pages directly by searching for them from the taskbar.
          • There is a known issue where the two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards are showing up on non-managed PCs signed in with Microsoft accounts.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/24/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-3000-dev-channel/ Fri, 24 Jan 2025 18:04:07 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177544 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3000 (KB5050103) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3000 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3000 (KB5050103) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Improving the battery iconography in Windows 11

          Introducing new and improved battery icons in Windows 11! These icons have been designed to communicate battery status of your PC with just a quick glance. Key changes include colored icons to indicate charging states, simplified overlays that don’t block the progress bar, and an option to turn on battery percentage. [caption id="attachment_177547" align="alignnone" width="395"] Battery shown in black, yellow, and green to indicate different charging states.[/caption] When your battery icon is green, this shows that your PC is charging and in a good state. A yellow battery icon will let you know that your PC using battery in energy saving mode – this automatically happens when your battery is less than or equal to 20% to preserve power. When the battery icon is red, you have a critically low battery and should plug in your PC as soon as possible. You will see these new battery icons on the taskbar in the system tray, in the quick settings flyout, and in Settings. The new battery icons will begin showing on the Lock screen in a future flight. As always, your PC’s battery status and more will also be available to you when you hover over the battery icon in the system tray and under Settings > System > Power & battery where you can also adjust the battery level percentage in which energy saver mode kicks on for your PC. [caption id="attachment_177548" align="alignnone" width="700"] The toggle to turn on showing battery percentage in Settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Along with the updates to the battery icon, we are also introducing the ability to show your battery percentage next to the battery icon in the system tray – a highly requested feature by Insiders and customers. To enable this, go to Settings > Power & battery and toggle on the "Battery Percentage" setting. [We are beginning to roll this out to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders just yet as we plan to monitor feedback before pushing it out to everyone.] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > System Tray.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Input]

          • After being temporarily disabled to address some issues with Build 26120.2213, we are beginning to roll out a new Gamepad keyboard layout for the touch keyboard in Windows 11 again. This change introduces the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type. This includes button accelerators (example: X button for backspace, Y button for spacebar) additionally the keyboard keys have been vertically aligned for better controller navigation patterns.
          [caption id="attachment_177283" align="alignnone" width="691"] New Gamepad keyboard layout for the touch keyboard in Windows 11 that supports the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type.[/caption]

          [Narrator]

          • We have added new functionalities to Narrator scan mode. Jump to list item (I’) allows you to quickly access and jump to a list item on a page or a document. Beginning and end of element (Comma (,)  and Period (.)) allow you to quickly jump to the beginning or end of large tables, lists or landmarks. This is most helpful when navigating through long emails, news articles, and wiki pages. To try these new features, you need to turn on Narrator first (Win key + Ctrl + Enter), then turn scan mode ON by pressing Caps Lock + Spacebar and finally use the new shortcuts – ‘I’, ‘,’ and ‘.’. Please note that scan mode is ‘ON’ by default on most web pages (like news articles, wiki pages, etc.).

          [Search on the Taskbar]

          • Improved support for web search providers in Windows Search for the EEA, including clearer provider attribution in tabs.

          [Other]

          • Suggested actions that appear when you copy a phone number or future date in Windows 11 are now deprecated. With this build, we’re beginning to disable the feature.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [General]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing significant performance degradation for a small population of Insiders in the previous flight due to repeated background crashes.

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where sometimes you would be unable to navigate by entering a path in the address bar.
          • Fixed an issue where the File Explorer address bar unexpectedly overlapped with content while in full screen (F11) view.
          • Improved performance of context menu launches for people when right-clicking on cloud files.
          • Made a change to help ensure thumbnails for cloud files are displayed more consistently in search results within File Explorer.
          • Fixed an issue where searching might lose keyboard focus on the text box while you were typing.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to scanners not being detected by scanning apps, although the scanner was connected.
          • Fixed an underlying issue which could result in 2 in 1 PCs unexpectedly changing screen orientation when coming out of sleep.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates which will resolve this issue.
          • A 0xc0e90001 error will occur when booting into Windows Recovery (WinRE) on Arm64 PCs. This will be fixed in the next Dev Channel flight. For recovery options on your PC, visit Settings > System > Recovery.

          [Recall]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.
          • Some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots”, while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.
          • Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

          [Click to Do]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.
          • The intelligent text actions leverage the power of Microsoft’s secure cloud to improve your text results by ensuring prompts and responses are safe and appropriate. This data is automatically deleted. Local moderation to ensure the safety of prompts and responses will be added in the future, replacing this cloud endpoint.
          • If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.

          [Live captions & real-time translation]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may see a crash on first launch of live captions. Restart live captions if you encounter this issue and you will not see it again.
          • If audio is playing or the microphone is enabled, switching languages will crash live captions. Stop audio when changing languages to resume captions or translations.

          [File Explorer]

          • If you open a File Explorer window and minimize it in this build, it may not render correctly when you restore it.
          • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also impact the other title bar buttons.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • In this build, the search box on the taskbar does not yet have the same underline and sparkles icon UI that the File Explorer search box has. This is coming in a future flight.
          • In some rare cases, improved Windows search experiences may not be available and may require a reboot to start working.
          • In some rare cases, File explorer search might be unresponsive and may require a reboot to start working.
          • In some rare cases, searching on Outlook while offline might result in some results not being found.
          • The underline animation in the File Explorer search box sometimes does not stop pulsing.
          • The tip about the new search improvements appears whenever you set focus to the search box in File Explorer, rather than only once.

          [Voice Access]

          • [NEW] Voice access may not work in this build.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/21/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-3025-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Tue, 21 Jan 2025 23:25:07 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177541 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.3025 (KB5050094) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100).

          Below i

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.3025 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Build 26100.3025 (KB5050094) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
          • [Taskbar] New! This update improves the previews that show when your cursor hovers over apps on the taskbar. The update also improves their animations.
          • [Windows Studio Effects] New! An icon will appear in the system tray when you use an app that supports Windows Studio Effects. This only occurs on a device that has a neural processing unit (NPU). Select the icon to open the Studio Effects page in Quick Settings. To view the app that is using the camera, hover over the icon for a tooltip.
          • [Fonts] New! This update adds Simsun-ExtG, a new simplified Chinese font. It includes the Biangbiang noodles character. Some apps might not be able to display these new extension characters yet. The font has 9,753 ideographs that support Unicode Extensions G, H, and I. See the list below.
            • Unicode range G 30000-3134A (4,939 chars)
            • Unicode range H 31350-323AF (4,192 chars)
            • Unicode range I 2EBF0-2EE5D (622 chars)
          • [File Explorer] 
            • New! You now have quick access to items that others have shared with you. Shared items include files, emails, Teams chats, and more. To view them, you must use a Microsoft account or a Microsoft Entra ID account to sign in to Windows. To view these shared items, go to the File Explorer Home page and choose the Shared tab. If you use a Microsoft Entra ID account to sign in, you have more viewing choices. You will see the files that you have shared with others. Also, the Recent, Favorites, and Shared sections of the page will show a broader set of file types. [UPDATE 1/27] This feature is no longer rolling out and will begin rolling out in a future update.
            • New! When you right-click items in the left pane, the “New Folder” command appears on the context menu.
            • Fixed: After you do a search, that search might repeat when you don’t want it to.
            • Fixed: The date and time properties of a file might update after you copy it.
            • Fixed: Icons on the details pane might not update as you expect when you change a theme. This makes it hard to view the change when you switch between dark and light themes.
            • Fixed: The search box might lose input focus as you type.
          • [Settings] New! You can change time zones in Settings > Time & Language > Date & Time. You don’t have to be an admin to make this change.
          • [Domains] Fixed: A device might fail to join a domain.
          • [Mouse]
            • Fixed: The mouse cursor might disappear. This occurs when you hover over text fields in certain applications.
            • Fixed: If you turn on pointer trails, the mouse cursor becomes transparent, and a black box appears behind it.
            • Fixed: The mouse cursor might stutter when it moves across the screen. This occurs even when the system is not using a lot of resources.
          • [Pinyin Input Method Editor (IME)] Fixed: When you switch app windows, the IME language might change from Chinese to English.
          • [Snipping Tool] Fixed: Snipping Tool screenshots might be distorted. This occurs when you use two or more monitors that have different display scaling.
          • [Task Manager] Fixed: It takes too long to close after you close the app.
          • [Microsoft Excel 2016] Fixed: When you open certain files, Excel opens, but the screen might remain on the loading screen.
          • [Dam.sys] Fixed: A watchdog timeout error might occur when your PC resumes from sleep.
          • [Windows update installation] Fixed: Cumulative updates might not install. The error code is 0x800736b3. This occurs after a feature on demand fails to install.

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [Windows Backup] New! You will now have a standard Windows 11 taskbar after restoring from a backup via the Windows Setup experience (OOBE) on a new Windows PC. You can still find your apps in the Start menu and Search and pin apps you want to your taskbar. This change is not yet rolling out in the EEA (European Economic Area).
          • [High dynamic range (HDR)] Fixed: The display of some games appears oversaturated. This occurs when you use Auto HDR.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team UPDATE 1/23/25: Removed Windows Mobile Hotspot now supports 6 GHz connections - this change is not yet rolling out. ]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/17/previewing-improved-windows-search-on-copilot-pcs-with-windows-insiders-in-the-dev-channel/ Fri, 17 Jan 2025 20:04:02 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177532 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2992 (KB5050083) to the Dev Channel. With this update, we are previewing improved Windows Search with Windows Insiders with Snapdr

          The post Previewing Improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs with Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2992 (KB5050083) to the Dev Channel. With this update, we are previewing improved Windows Search with Windows Insiders with Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs.

          New Copilot+ PC experiences

          Improved Windows Search

          We are making finding your documents, photos, and settings across Windows 11 easier on Copilot+ PCs by introducing semantic indexing along with traditional indexing. Whether it’s searching in File Explorer, in the Windows search box on your taskbar, or in Settings – just type what’s on your mind to find it on your Copilot+ PC. You no longer need to remember file names, exact words in file content, or settings names. For example, you can use your own words to find images by typing "bridge at sunset", documents by describing what they are about like "Europe trip budget", or settings like "change my theme”. Thanks to the power of the 40+ TOPS NPU onboard Copilot+ PCs, these search improvements work even when you’re not connected to the internet. [caption id="attachment_177534" align="alignnone" width="476"] Use your own words to search for documents and images in File Explorer.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177536" align="alignnone" width="770"] Use your own words to search for documents and images from your taskbar.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177537" align="alignnone" width="366"] Use your own words to change settings on your Copilot+ PC in Settings.[/caption] Today, searching for files on your Copilot+ PC with improved Windows Search will only work for files saved locally in indexed locations on your PC. You can go to Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows to adjust which locations are indexed on your PC or turn on “Enhanced” to index your entire PC. In a future flight, we will support searching for documents and photos stored in cloud storage providers such as OneDrive. Searching for settings like "change my theme” will work within the Settings app for now. In a future flight, you will be able to do this within the Windows search box on the taskbar. These improved Windows Search experiences will gradually roll out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon. These experiences are supported in select languages (Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish) and document formats. Supported file formats include .txt, .pdf, .docx, .doc, .rtf, .pptx, .ppt, .xls, .xlsx for documents and .jpg/.jpeg, .png, .gif, .bmp, .ico for images. See here for more details. You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot + PCs here. FEEDBACK for File Explorer Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer Search. FEEDBACK for Windows Taskbar Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Search. FEEDBACK for Settings Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Settings > Search Settings.

          New text action for Click to Do (Preview)

          You’ll see a new text action for Click to Do available on Copilot+ PCs called Refine. To try this out, press Win + Click directly on a block of text or press Win + Q and then navigate to the text you’d like to proofread and refine. When you open the menu, the new action will be under Rewrite > Refine. [caption id="attachment_177538" align="alignnone" width="773"] New Refine text action in Click to Do.[/caption] All the other actions you’ve seen in Click to Do are still here. If anything looks missing, please check the Microsoft Store for the latest Photos and Paint apps installed. You can learn more about using Click to Do here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

          Other changes included in this Dev Channel update

          This update (Build 26120.2992) includes other changes and improvements available to Windows Insiders across all Windows 11 PCs in addition to the features noted above that are exclusive to Copilot+ PCs. These changes are documented below in two buckets:
          • New features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*).
          • New features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel.
          For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • We’ve added a New Folder option in the context menu when right-clicking locations in the navigation pane.

          [Magnifier]

          • We’re adding a new keyboard shortcut CTRL + ALT + Minus for Magnifier users to quickly toggle between the current zoom and 1X zoom.
          • In addition to the keyboard shortcut CTRL + ALT + Minus to quickly toggle between the current zoom and 1X zoom, we have also added buttons in Magnifier to reset zoom to fit to screen and reset zoom to your last/preferred magnification.
          [caption id="attachment_177513" align="alignnone" width="571"] New buttons in Magnifier to reset zoom to fit to screen and reset zoom to your last or preferred magnification highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where the date/time properties of files were unexpectedly updated in some cases after copying them.
          • Fixed an issue where File Explorer may sometimes lose focus on the search box while typing.
          • Fixed an issue where when you did a search it may unexpectedly trigger the search happening repeatedly.
          • Fixed an issue where the Details Pane icons weren’t responding correctly to theme changes, making it hard to see if you switched from dark to light or vice versa.
          • Fixed a black flash in File Explorer that appeared when duplicating a tab.

          [Task Manager]

          • Fixed an issue where Task manager wrongly identified an HDD as an SSD.

          [Click to Do]

          • We fixed the issue where Click to Do would sometimes not highlight any info on screen if there is no content on a connected external monitor in extended mode.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Dev Channel

          [Windows Backup]

          • [UPDATED 1/21] You will now have a standard Windows 11 taskbar after restoring from a backup via the Windows Setup experience (OOBE) on a new Windows PC. You can still find your apps in the Start menu and Search and pin apps you want to your taskbar. This change is not yet rolling out in the EEA (European Economic Area).

          Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

          [Other]

          • [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates which will resolve this issue.
          • [NEW] A 0xc0e90001 error will occur when booting into Windows Recovery (WinRE) on Arm64 PCs. This will be fixed in the next Dev Channel flight. For recovery options on your PC, visit Settings > System > Recovery.

          [Recall]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.
          • Some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots”, while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.
          • Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

          [Click to Do]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.
          • The intelligent text actions leverage the power of Microsoft’s secure cloud to improve your text results by ensuring prompts and responses are safe and appropriate. This data is automatically deleted. Local moderation to ensure the safety of prompts and responses will be added in the future, replacing this cloud endpoint.
          • [NEW] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.

          [Live captions & real-time translation]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may see a crash on first launch of live captions. Restart live captions if you encounter this issue and you will not see it again.
          • If audio is playing or the microphone is enabled, switching languages will crash live captions. Stop audio when changing languages to resume captions or translations.

          [File Explorer]

          • [NEW] If you open a File Explorer window and minimize it in this build, it may not render correctly when you restore it.

          [Improved Windows Search]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • [NEW] In this build, the search box on the taskbar does not yet have the same underline and sparkles icon UI that the File Explorer search box has. This is coming in a future flight.
          • [NEW] In some rare cases, improved Windows search experiences may not be available and may require a reboot to start working.
          • [NEW] In some rare cases, File explorer search might be unresponsive and may require a reboot to start working.
          • [NEW] In some rare cases, searching on Outlook while offline might result in some results not being found.
          • [NEW] The underline animation in the File Explorer search box sometimes does not stop pulsing.
          • [NEW] The tip about the new search improvements appears whenever you set focus to the search box in File Explorer, rather than only once.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/17/releasing-windows-11-build-22631-4825-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Fri, 17 Jan 2025 18:03:25 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177528 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.4825 (KB5050092) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).

          The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.4825 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Build 22631.4825 (KB5050092) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).   Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

          Gradual rollout

          The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
          • [Taskbar] New! This update improves the previews that show when your cursor hovers over apps on the taskbar. The update also improves their animations.
          • [Windows Studio Effects] New! An icon will appear in the system tray when you use an app that supports Windows Studio Effects. This only occurs on a device that has a neural processing unit (NPU). Select the icon to open the Studio Effects page in Quick Settings. To view the app that is using the camera, hover over the icon for a tooltip.
          • [Work across devices]New! You know that you can use an iOS or Android phone to access your Microsoft OneDrive files. If you do that when your PC is locked, you can now continue working on that file from where you left off on your PC. Just sign in to your PC within five minutes of using your phone. When Windows asks if you want to resume work on that file, select the file to open it. To use this feature, you must sign in to OneDrive and your PC using the same Microsoft account. Work and school accounts do not support this feature. This feature works for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and PDF files. For the best experience, sign in to OneDrive on your PC using your default browser. To manage this feature, go to Settings > Apps > Resume. [UPDATE 1/27] This feature is no longer rolling out and will begin rolling out in a future update.
          • [Fonts] New! This update adds Simsun-ExtG, a new simplified Chinese font. It includes the Biangbiang noodles character. Some apps might not be able to display these new extension characters yet. The font has 9,753 ideographs that support Unicode Extensions G, H, and I. See the list below.
            • Unicode range G 30000-3134A (4,939 chars)
            • Unicode range H 31350-323AF (4,192 chars)
            • Unicode range I 2EBF0-2EE5D (622 chars)
          • [File Explorer] 
            • New!You now have quick access to items that others have shared with you. Shared items include files, emails, Teams chats, and more. To view them, you must use a Microsoft account or a Microsoft Entra ID account to sign in to Windows. To view these shared items, go to the File Explorer Home page and choose the Shared tab. If you use a Microsoft Entra ID account to sign in, you have more viewing choices. You will see the files that you have shared with others. Also, the Recent, Favorites, and Shared sections of the page will show a broader set of file types. [UPDATE 1/27] This feature is no longer rolling out and will begin rolling out in a future update.
            • New! When you right-click items in the left pane, the “New Folder” command appears on the context menu.
            • Fixed: After you do a search, that search might repeat when you don’t want it to.
            • Fixed: The date and time properties of a file might update after you copy it.
            • Fixed: Icons on the details pane might not update as you expect when you change a theme. This makes it hard to view the change when you switch between dark and light themes.
            • Fixed: The search box might lose input focus as you type.
          • [Windows Share] New! You can now share directly to apps that support sharing in Windows. Just right-click local files in File Explorer or on the desktop.
          • [Magnifier app]
            • New! This update adds a new keyboard shortcut: CTRL + ALT + Minus sign. Use it to quickly switch between the current zoom and 1X zoom.
            • New! This update adds buttons to reset zoom. You can reset zoom to fit to the screen and reset zoom to your last or preferred magnification.
          • [Snipping Tool] Fixed: Snipping Tool screenshots might be distorted. This occurs when you use two or more monitors that have different display scaling.
          • [Chinese Pinyin IME] Fixed: When you switch app windows, the IME language might change from Chinese to English.

          Normal rollout

          This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
          • [Windows Backup (UPDATED 1/21)] New! You will now have a standard Windows 11 taskbar after restoring from a backup via the Windows Setup experience (OOBE) on a new Windows PC. You can still find your apps in the Start menu and Search and pin apps you want to your taskbar. This change is not yet rolling out in the EEA (European Economic Area).
          • [Task Manager] Fixed: The CPU index number might be wrong when you set process affinity. This occurs on servers that have two or more non-uniform memory access (NUMA) nodes.
          • [Remote desktop]
            • Fixed: When you reconnect to a console session, it stops responding.
            • Fixed: The Action Center does not display in certain scenarios.
          • [Exporting chart objects] Fixed: You can’t export a file to PDF and XLSX formats if the file has a chart object.
          • [Virtual memory] Fixed: An issue depletes virtual memory, which might cause some apps to fail.
          • [Chinese Pinyin input method editor (IME)] Bing will stop giving automatic suggestions in the search box for search engine sites, like Baidu. To get manual suggestions, use Ctrl + Tab or the chevron button (>).
          • [Near Field Communication (NFC) readers] Fixed: At times, they fail to read card Universal Unique Identifiers (UUID). This occurs after many point-of-sale (POS) app scans.
          • [USB Print and IPP Over USB] Fixed: An installed printer fails when the spooler initializes.
          • [Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform (WARP)] This update adds support for Y210, Y216, Y410, and Y416 for the High Efficiency Image File (HEIF) format.
          • [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
          Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/17/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4800-beta-channel/ Fri, 17 Jan 2025 18:03:19 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177523 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4800 (KB5050085) to the Beta Channel.

          Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4800 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4800 (KB5050085) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Widgets]

          • In this flight, we're introducing the ability for web developers to easily utilize their existing web content to build dynamic and interactive widgets that can be added to the widgets surfaces in Windows 11. For more information, click here.

          [File Explorer] 

          • We are temporarily disabling the change that began rolling out with Build 22635.4580 where File Explorer opens in a new tab by default if you have an existing File Explorer window open when launching File Explorer from outside of File Explorer (for example, from an app or from the desktop) to address some issues.

          [Windows Backup]

          • [UPDATED 1/21] You will now have a standard Windows 11 taskbar after restoring from a backup via the Windows Setup experience (OOBE) on a new Windows PC. You can still find your apps in the Start menu and Search and pin apps you want to your taskbar. This change is not yet rolling out in the EEA (European Economic Area).

          [Search on the Taskbar]

          • Improved support for web search providers in Windows Search for the EEA, including clearer provider attribution in tabs.

          [Settings]

          • We are rolling out “top cards” under Settings > System > About. These top cards provide an easy way to view your PC’s key specifications—processor, RAM, storage, and GPU—helping you understand your PC’s capabilities at a glance. This is designed to simplify decision-making by highlighting potential areas for hardware improvements while giving you a clear snapshot of your PC. Top Cards won’t appear yet on managed commercial PCs.
          [caption id="attachment_177527" align="alignnone" width="657"] New top cards at the top of the About settings page displaying your PC’s processor, RAM, storage, and GPU specifications.[/caption]

          • We are starting to roll out the Settings homepage for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. The feature will show some existing cards relevant to enterprise-managed PCs like “Recommended settings” and “Bluetooth devices” as well as two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards. For commercial customers who also use their Microsoft account on their managed PC, there will also be a new accounts card indicating the presence of both work and school and Microsoft account types. We are starting the rollout of this gradually with managed commercial PCs who have both work and school and Microsoft accounts presently seeing this experience first.

          [caption id="attachment_177526" align="alignnone" width="638"] The Settings homepage for a commercial customer on a managed PC.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • As part of our ongoing commitment to improving File Explorer accessibility, this updates includes increased support for the text scaling (via Settings > Accessibility > Text size) across File Explorer, File Open/Save dialogs and the copy dialogs.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Beta Channel

          [Windows Backup]

          • [UPDATED 1/21] You will now have a standard Windows 11 taskbar after restoring from a backup via the Windows Setup experience (OOBE) on a new Windows PC. You can still find your apps in the Start menu and Search and pin apps you want to your taskbar. This change is not yet rolling out in the EEA (European Economic Area).

          Known issues

          [File Explorer]

          • [NEW] If you open a File Explorer window and minimize it in this build, it may not render correctly when you restore it.

          [Settings]

          • [NEW] The Home page of Settings may crash. If you are impacted by this, you should still be able to open specific Settings pages directly by searching for them from the taskbar.
          • [NEW] There is a known issue where the two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards are showing up on non-managed PCs signed in with Microsoft accounts.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.

          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon
          ]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/17/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-5435-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Fri, 17 Jan 2025 18:03:10 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177530 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5435 (KB5050081) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2.

          This update includes the following features and improvement

          The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.5435 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5435 (KB5050081) to the Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. This update includes the following features and improvements (items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented):
          • [Calendar] New! Stay informed and informed with the new calendar. See the weather forecast and learn about the holidays and events that are coming up. [UPDATE 1/27] We have paused the rollout for this feature to address some issues.
          • [Mail (UPDATED 1/21)] New! You now have the new Outlook for Windows app. A new app icon appears in the Apps section on the Start menu, near classic Outlook. There are no changes to any settings or defaults. If you are an IT admin, learn how to manage this update at Control the installation and use of new Outlook.
          • [GB18030-2022] This update adds support for this amendment.
          • [Virtual memory] Fixed: An issue depletes virtual memory, which might cause some apps to fail.
          • [Chinese Pinyin input method editor (IME)] Bing will stop giving automatic suggestions in the search box for search engine sites, like Baidu. To get manual suggestions, use Ctrl + Tab or the chevron button (>).
          • [Near Field Communication (NFC) readers] Fixed: At times, they fail to read card Universal Unique Identifiers (UUID). This occurs after many point-of-sale (POS) app scans.
          • [USB Print and IPP Over USB] Fixed: An installed printer fails when the spooler initializes.
          • [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
          • [Screen capture] Fixed: The Capture Service and Snipping Tool stop responding. This occurs when you press Windows logo key + Shift + S several times while Narrator is on.
          Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/16/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27774-canary-channel/ Thu, 16 Jan 2025 18:04:38 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177518 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27774 to the Canary Channel. We are releasing ISOs for this build – they can be downloaded here.

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27774 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27774 to the Canary Channel. We are releasing ISOs for this build – they can be downloaded here. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          [Windows Setup]

          • When installing Windows from installation media, you will now see a confirmation dialog when formatting or deleting partitions.

          [Administrator protection]

          • Administrator protection can now be enabled from Windows Security settings under the Account Protection tab. This allows users to enable this feature without requiring help from IT admins. It also allows Windows home users to enable Administrator protection via Windows Security settings. Changing this setting requires a Windows reboot.
          [caption id="attachment_177520" align="alignnone" width="621"] Administrator protection in Windows Security highlighted in a red box.[/caption]
          • With administrator protection enabled, the prompt requesting the user’s authorization for elevating untrusted and unsigned applications now comes with expanded color-coded regions which will now extend down over the app description.
          [caption id="attachment_177521" align="alignnone" width="335"] Windows Security credential dialog example showing expanded color over app description.[/caption]

          Fixes

          [General]

          • Fixed an underlying issue causing accent colored window borders to not be not displayed when enabled, shadows around windows not displaying when enabled, and window launching (and other) animations to show even though the setting to show animations is turned off in the latest Canary builds.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing the Xbox app to fail to launch with a “Please try again” error sometimes in the last two Canary builds.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • We’re working on the fix for an issue where SFC /scannow is showing errors every time it’s run.

          [File Explorer]

          • If you open a File Explorer window and minimize it in this build, it may not render correctly when you restore it.

          [Remote Desktop]

          • [NEW] Using MTSC.exe for Remote Desktop may fail on this build with error 0x80080005. As a workaround, please launch as admin.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27768-canary-channel/ Thu, 09 Jan 2025 18:05:15 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177515 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27768 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes a

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27768 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27768 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          [File Explorer]

          • We’ve added a New Folder option in the context menu when right-clicking locations in the navigation pane.

          [Settings]

          • The ability to change time zones is available again under Settings > Time & Language > Date & Time for standard (non-admin) users.

          Fixes

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed an issue where the date/time properties of files were unexpectedly updated in some cases after copying them.
          • Fixed an issue where File Explorer may sometimes lose focus on the search box while typing.
          • Fixed an issue where when you did a search it may unexpectedly trigger the search happening repeatedly.
          • Fixed an issue where the Details Pane icons weren’t responding correctly to theme changes, making it hard to see if you switched from dark to light or vice versa.
          • Fixed a black flash in File Explorer that appeared when duplicating a tab.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue which could lead to the mouse cursor unexpectedly stuttering when you moved it around sometimes.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which could result in some games appearing oversaturated when using Auto HDR.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders in Canary to experience bugchecks with error PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue causing accent colored window borders to not be not displayed when enabled, shadows around windows not displaying when enabled, and window launching (and other) animations to show even though the setting to show animations is turned off.
          • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue where SFC /scannow is showing errors every time it’s run.

          [File Explorer]

          • [NEW] If you open a File Explorer window and minimize it in this build, it may not render correctly when you restore it.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4660-beta-channel/ Fri, 03 Jan 2025 18:07:03 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177511 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4660 (KB5048808) to the Beta Channel.

          Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4660 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4660 (KB5048808) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer] 

          • To make it easier to use the File Explorer context menu, labels have been added to previously unlabeled actions such as cut, copy, paste, rename, share, and delete.
          [caption id="attachment_176878" align="alignnone" width="300"] Labels added to previously unlabeled actions in the File Explorer context menu.[/caption]

          [Magnifier]

          • In addition to the keyboard shortcut CTRL + ALT + Minus to quickly toggle between the current zoom and 1X zoom introduced with Build 22635.4515, we have also added buttons in Magnifier to reset zoom to fit to screen and reset zoom to your last/preferred magnification.
          [caption id="attachment_177513" align="alignnone" width="492"] New buttons in Magnifier to reset zoom to fit to screen and reset zoom to your last or preferred magnification highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

          [Other]

          • Suggested actions that appear when you copy a phone number or future date in Windows 11 are now deprecated. With this build, we're beginning to disable the feature.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [File Explorer]

          • Fixed a few issues impacting File Explorer performance and reliability.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/01/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27766-canary-channel/ Fri, 03 Jan 2025 18:06:57 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177509 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27766 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes a

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27766 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27766 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [General]

          • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

          Fixes

          [General]

          • We fixed the issue where if you roll back from Build 27764 to an earlier build (including if the upgrade failed), you would see an “Your organization used App Control for Business to block this app” dialog when attempting to use or install certain third-party apps on your PC due to an incorrect policy being enforced.
          • As of the latest Insider Preview builds in the Canary Channel, the main issues causing Insiders to experience an increase in rollbacks (with error code 0xc190010) when attempting to upgrade have been addressed. As a reminder, 0xc190010 is a generic error code that has multiple root causes, so if you’re continuing to experience issues, please file feedback (WIN + F) to investigate.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing some Insiders in Canary to experience frequent explorer.exe crashes after they clean installed or reset their PC.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue causing accent colored window borders to not be not displayed when enabled, shadows around windows not displaying when enabled, and window launching (and other) animations to show even though the setting to show animations is turned off.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/12/18/releasing-real-time-translation-in-live-captions-to-more-copilot-pcs-in-the-dev-channel/ Wed, 18 Dec 2024 18:03:39 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177493 The post Releasing Real-Time Translation in Live Captions to More Copilot+ PCs in the Dev Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.
          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2705 (KB5050636) to the Dev Channel. With this update, we are previewing real-time translation in live captions for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs. We also have an improvement for real-time translation on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs as well. Beyond these two changes, this update is the same as the update released to the Dev Channel last week.

          New experiences for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs

          Please install all the latest driver updates available from Windows Update to ensure the following experience work correctly on your AMD or Intel®-powered Copilot+ PC. To ensure you have the latest drivers for your Copilot+ PC, make sure the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” toggle is on under Settings > Windows Update. Just click the “Check for updates” button and install any new drivers that Windows Update delivers to you. If you’d like to test the latest driver versions available directly from our partners before they get to Windows Update, you can download them directly here:
          • Latest AMD graphics driver for Ryzen™ chipset.
          • Latest Intel NPU driver for the Intel® Core™ Ultra 200V Series processor.

          Live captions and real-time translation

          We are enhancing communication on AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs with live captions and real-time translation. We’re beginning to roll out the ability in live captions to translate more than 44 languages into English, including speakers in real-time video calls, recordings and streamed content. Real-time translation is rolling out AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs with English as the primary language in use. Be sure to check the known issues for real-time translation in live captions documented below in this blog post. [caption id="attachment_177495" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Real-time translation with Live captions while watching a video in Microsoft Edge.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Live captions.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Live captions]

          • On Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, we’re beginning to roll out the ability to do real-time translation to Chinese (Simplified). Supported languages include Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech Danish, German, Greek English Spanish, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovene, and Swedish.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates which will resolve this issue.

          [Recall]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.
          • Some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots”, while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.
          • Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

          [Click to Do]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.
          • The intelligent text actions leverage the power of Microsoft’s secure cloud to improve your text results by ensuring prompts and responses are safe and appropriate. This data is automatically deleted. Local moderation to ensure the safety of prompts and responses will be added in the future, replacing this cloud endpoint.
          • Sometimes Click to Do doesn’t highlight any info on screen if there is no content on a connected external monitor in extended mode.

          [Live captions & real-time translation]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Some Insiders may see a crash on first launch of live captions. Restart live captions if you encounter this issue and you will not see it again.
          • If audio is playing or the microphone is enabled, switching languages will crash live captions. Stop audio when changing languages to resume captions or translations.

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/12/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-2702-dev-channel/ Fri, 13 Dec 2024 18:04:13 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177488 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2702 (KB5048761) to the Dev Channel.

          Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2702 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2702 (KB5048761) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          Windows Camera Advanced Configurations

          We are beginning to roll out a new advanced camera options page. Just navigate to a camera under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras and click the edit button for advanced camera options. [caption id="attachment_177472" align="alignnone" width="634"] New advanced camera configurations page in Settings.[/caption] This new advanced camera options page will provide you with the following two configurations for your camera:
          • Multi-app camera: Allows multiple applications to access the camera stream simultaneously, developed with the Hard-of-Hearing community to enable video streaming to both a sign language interpreter and the end audience at the same time.
          • Basic camera: Enables basic camera functionality for improved debugging, recommended as a last resort when your camera is not functioning correctly. This feature was developed in collaboration with Microsoft support agents.
          Coming in a future build, we plan to introduce a third option here for selecting a media type. This feature will let you choose different media types like resolution and frame rate, with the default setting being “Let Windows Choose” for optimal experience. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers > Device Camera or Webcams.

          Passwordless Improvements

          As part of Microsoft’s commitment to a passwordless future, on Windows, we are launching API support for third-party passkey providers. Microsoft has been engaging with passkey manager partners on developing this capability. We are committed to bringing a passwordless future to all customers – together with third-party credential providers, we will raise the bar on login security with passkeys for all users on Windows. WebAuthn Plugin Authenticator APIs We are releasing updates to WebAuthn APIs to support a plugin authentication model for passkeys. In the coming months, Windows customers will be able to choose a third-party provider as an additional choice alongside the native Windows passkey provider while maintaining the Windows Hello user experience. Messages in WebAuthn flows will be forwarded to the plugin and responses are returned to the WebAuthn client applications. This enables plugins to create and authenticate with passkeys when requested by the customer. This model allows plugins to use Windows Hello as a user verification mechanism to enable a seamless passkey experience. You will notice additional user experience updates to the passkey flows and Settings alongside the new capabilities. If you are a developer for third-party passkeys, we invite you to integrate with Windows 11 to support customers in their passkey journey. To find out more about implementation detail, go to https://aka.ms/3P-Plugin-API. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security and Privacy > Passkey.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • We are improving the filtering for recommended websites on the Start menu based on feedback from Windows Insiders so that we show the highest quality sites based on your own browsing history. Please continue to give us feedback if you see a website recommended you feel shouldn't be.

          [Settings]

          • The ability to change time zones is available again under Settings > Time & Language > Date & Time for standard (non-admin) users.

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where if pointer trails were enabled, the mouse cursor may become invisible with a black box behind it.
          • Mitigated an issue where the ALT or Shift key on the keyboard may get stuck down in the latest flights after the Windows Hello prompt appeared for some Insiders.
          • Fixed an issue which could lead to the mouse cursor unexpectedly stuttering when you moved it around sometimes.

          [Graphics]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which could result in some games appearing oversaturated when using Auto HDR.

          Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

          [Rollback]

          • We fixed the issue where if you roll back from Build 26120.2510 to an earlier build, you would see an “Your organization used App Control for Business to block this app” dialog when attempting to use or install certain third-party apps on your PC due to an incorrect policy being enforced.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [NEW] After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates which will resolve this issue.

          [Recall]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.
          • Some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots”, while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.
          • Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

          [Click to Do]

          The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
          • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.
          • The intelligent text actions leverage the power of Microsoft’s secure cloud to improve your text results by ensuring prompts and responses are safe and appropriate. This data is automatically deleted. Local moderation to ensure the safety of prompts and responses will be added in the future, replacing this cloud endpoint.
          • Sometimes Click to Do doesn’t highlight any info on screen if there is no content on a connected external monitor in extended mode.

          Microsoft Edge Game Assist (Preview)

          We invite Windows Insiders to try out Microsoft Edge Game Assist (Preview)! [caption id="attachment_177487" align="alignnone" width="700"] The Microsoft Edge Game Assist experience in Game Bar.[/caption] Game Assist is the first in-game browser that delivers a rich gaming-centric browsing experience—including access to your browser data from your PC and mobile devices. Game Assist is a special version of Microsoft Edge that’s optimized for PC gaming and can appear on top of your game in Game Bar. It’s game-aware and will suggest tips and guides for what you’re playing. It also shares the same browser data with Edge on your PC so the information you care about is always accessible while you play, including your favorites, history, cookies, form fills, and more. Check out this blog post for more details and how to get started using Game Assist!

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
          • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
          • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/12/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4655-beta-channel/ Fri, 13 Dec 2024 18:04:07 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177483 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4655 (KB5048753) to the Beta Channel.

          Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4655 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4655 (KB5048753) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

          Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Start menu]

          • We are improving the filtering for recommended websites on the Start menu based on feedback from Windows Insiders so that we show the highest quality sites based on your own browsing history. Please continue to give us feedback if you see a website recommended you feel shouldn't be.

          [Spotlight on the lock screen]

          • We’re trying out a few different treatments for the top right hotspot ("Like the image that you see") on the lock screen. You can now learn more about the spotlight image on your lock screen by clicking on the "Like icon" that takes you to the Spotlight landing page.

          [Spotlight on the desktop]

          • We’re beginning to roll out some changes to the Desktop Spotlight icon interaction model for Windows Insiders. You can now quickly and easily discover more information about your background image by simply hovering over or clicking on the "Learn about this picture" icon on your desktop.

          [Windows Share]

          • When you share links or web content using the Windows share window, you will see a visual preview for that content.
          [caption id="attachment_177485" align="alignnone" width="561"] Visual preview of links and web content in the Windows share window.[/caption]

          Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

          [Taskbar]

          • Fixed an issue where the window previews weren’t showing when hovering over certain open apps in the taskbar.

          Microsoft Edge Game Assist (Preview)

          We invite Windows Insiders to try out Microsoft Edge Game Assist (Preview)! [caption id="attachment_177487" align="alignnone" width="700"] The Microsoft Edge Game Assist experience in Game Bar.[/caption] Game Assist is the first in-game browser that delivers a rich gaming-centric browsing experience—including access to your browser data from your PC and mobile devices. Game Assist is a special version of Microsoft Edge that’s optimized for PC gaming and can appear on top of your game in Game Bar. It’s game-aware and will suggest tips and guides for what you’re playing. It also shares the same browser data with Edge on your PC so the information you care about is always accessible while you play, including your favorites, history, cookies, form fills, and more. Check out this blog post for more details and how to get started using Game Assist!

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

          • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
          • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
          • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/12/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27764-canary-channel/ Wed, 11 Dec 2024 18:05:28 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177481 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27764 to the Canary Channel.

          We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes a

          The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27764 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27764 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

          Changes and Improvements

          [Start menu]

          • When right-clicking on apps pinned to the Start menu, jump lists will be shown for apps that have them such as PowerPoint.
          [caption id="attachment_177125" align="alignnone" width="339"] Jump lists will now be shown when right-clicking on apps pinned to the Start menu such as PowerPoint that have jump lists.[/caption]

          [Dynamic Lighting]

          • When no compatible devices are attached, the Dynamic Lighting settings page will now show a placeholder message and Brightness and Effects controls are disabled.
          • On the Dynamic Lighting settings page, we have added Forward, Backward, Outward and Inward direction options to the Wave effect, and added the Forward direction option to the Gradient effect.

          [Input]

          • We are beginning to roll out a change where we now hide the IME toolbar when apps are in full screen mode for those who have the IME toolbar enabled and type in Chinese or Japanese.

          [Narrator]

          • We have added new functionalities to Narrator scan mode. Skip past links (N’) allows you to navigate to the text after a link. This is most helpful when navigating through long emails, news articles, and wiki pages. Jump to lists (L’) allows you to quickly access a list on a web page or a document. To try these new features, you need to turn on Narrator first (Win key + Ctrl + Enter), then turn scan mode ON by pressing Caps Lock + Spacebar and finally use the new shortcuts – ‘N’ and ‘L’. Please note that scan mode is ‘ON’ by default on most web pages (like news articles, wiki page, etc.).

          [Speech in Windows]

          • We have improved our speech-to-text and text-to-speech experience on Windows. Users of Narrator, voice access, live captions, live translations, and voice typing might see a message asking them to update their language files manually. The language files will be released separately through Microsoft Store.

          Fixes

          [General]

          • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to see a bugcheck with error PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA while using their PC starting with Build 27754.

          [File Explorer]

          • We did some work to help address an issue where File Explorer might hang when browsing a folder with lots of media in it.

          [Taskbar & System Tray]

          • Fixed an issue on secondary monitors for left aligned taskbar users, where the widgets text in the taskbar might overlap the date and time.

          [Input]

          • Fixed an issue where if pointer trails were enabled, the mouse cursor may become invisible with a black box behind it.

          [Task Manager]

          • Fixed an issue where some HDDs were being incorrectly listed as SSD on the Performance page.

          [Display]

          • Fixed an issue which could result in lag and screen tearing on secondary monitors with full screen windows.

          [Other]

          • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to Excel sometimes hanging on launch when opening certain files.

          Known issues

          [General]

          • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
          • We’re investigating reports that some Insiders are still experiencing rollbacks (with error code 0xc190010) when attempting to install the latest Canary builds.
          • We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue causing accent colored window borders to not be not displayed when enabled, shadows around windows not displaying when enabled, and window launching (and other) animations to show even though the setting to show animations is turned off.
          • [ADDED 12/16] After installing Build 27764, some Windows Insiders are reporting hitting the issue that previously impacted the Dev Channel where an “Your organization used App Control for Business to block this app” dialog is shown when attempting to use or install certain third-party apps on your PC due to an incorrect policy being enforced. This forum post provides a workaround to correct this issue. 

          Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

          • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
          • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
          • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
          • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
          • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
          • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
          • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
          Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/12/11/sharing-files-between-your-iphone-and-windows-pc-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Wed, 11 Dec 2024 17:23:54 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177477 Hello Windows Insiders,

          Today we are beginning to gradually roll out the ability to seamlessly share files between your iPhone® and Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC when they are connected via Phone Link and the Link to Windows app.

          To use this feature

          The post Sharing files between your iPhone® and Windows PC rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

          ]]>
        • An iPhone® that is running iOS 16 or higher.
        • The Link to Windows app on your iPhone (version 1.24112.73 or higher).
        • Phone Link version 1.24112.89.0 or higher.
        • You are registered for the Windows Insider Program.
        [caption id="attachment_177479" align="alignnone" width="484"] Setup dialog for Phone Link to enable sharing files between your iPhone and PC.[/caption] If you haven't used your iPhone® with Phone Link before, you'll be offered file sharing during the Phone Link setup process. If you already have your iPhone® paired with Phone Link, you can set up file sharing by going to aka.ms/addAccount on your PC. [caption id="attachment_177480" align="alignnone" width="405"] Windows notification showing a file sent from your iPhone has been received.[/caption] To share a file from your iPhone® to your PC:
        • Navigate to a file or set of files you want to share on your iPhone®.
        • Tap the share icon.
        • Tap “Link to Windows”.
        • Tap the device you would like to share your file or files with.
        To share a file from your PC to your iPhone®:
        • Select the file or files you want to share on your PC (local files only).
        • Right-click on the file and select “Share.”
        • Select “My Phone”
        Note: If you do not see “My Phone”, select Phone Link. Feedback: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Phone Link. Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team iPhone® is a trademark of Apple Inc.]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/12/10/update-for-copilot-for-windows-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Tue, 10 Dec 2024 18:49:35 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177474 Hello Windows Insiders, we are beginning to roll out an update for the Microsoft Copilot app for Windows via the Microsoft Store that introduces the following changes and improvements:

        It’s native: With this update, the previous C

        The post Update for Copilot for Windows begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> It’s native: With this update, the previous Copilot progressive web app (PWA) is replaced with a native version. After installing the Copilot app update, when you run Copilot, you will see it appear in your system tray. [caption id="attachment_177476" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The new quick view for Copilot for Windows with Copilot icon shown in the system tray.[/caption] New quick view: You can access the new quick view for Copilot by using the Alt + Space keyboard shortcut on Windows 10 and 11 PCs. You will be able to move the quick view window and resize it to suit your workflow and you can use Alt + Space to open and close Copilot’s quick view whenever you need. To flip back to the main Copilot app window, just press the icon at the top left corner of the quick view window. PCs with the dedicated Copilot key will open the Copilot app in the main window. Copilot will continue to explore options related to the keyboard shortcuts for the app. Note: The Copilot app for Windows uses the RegisterHotKey function for the Alt + Space keyboard shortcut. Many apps use this keyboard shortcut today. For any apps installed on your PC that might utilize this keyboard shortcut, Windows will register whichever app is launched first on your PC and running in the background as the app that is invoked when using Alt + Space. This Copilot app update (version 1.24112.123.0 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. This is a gradual roll out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience for Windows. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Copilot. Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/12/06/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4580-beta-channel/ Fri, 06 Dec 2024 18:06:52 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177459 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4580 (KB5046733) to the Beta Channel.

        Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4580 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4580 (KB5046733) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • The more simplified system tray with shortened form date/time we began rolling out with Build 22635.4010 is being temporarily disabled to address a few issues. Thanks to all the Insiders who gave us feedback on this experience.

        [File Explorer] 

        • We're making a change so that when you launch File Explorer folders from outside of File Explorer (for example, from an app or from the desktop), by default they will now open in a new tab if you have an existing File Explorer window open. If you'd prefer that they continue opening in a new window, you can change this in File Explorer folder options, under General > Browse Folders.
        • When "Restore previous folder windows at logon" is enabled in File Explorer, we will also now restore all the extra tabs which you previously had open in each File Explorer window. As part of this work, we have also updated the logic for the "Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign back in" setting via Settings > Accounts > Sign in options, so that when you enable this, we will automatically enable the File Explorer specific setting for you too.
        • We're adding a new option to snooze or turn off the “Start backup” reminder in the File Explorer address bar, for those that aren't already backing up their Documents, Pictures, or Desktop folders. This option is available when you right-click "Start backup".

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Input]

        • Fixed an issue for Pinyin IME users, where switching between windows (like with ALT + Tab) may unexpectedly switch the IME from Chinese to English.

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Other]

        This update includes fixes for the following issues:
        • [Bluetooth LE Audio] Fixed: Some devices, like hearing aids, do not stream Bluetooth audio.
        • [Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) printer] Fixed: Windows stops responding when you use an IPP USB printer.
        • [Motherboard replacement] Fixed: Windows does not activate after you replace a motherboard.
        • [Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)] Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.

        Microsoft Store Update

        For Win32 apps that are “provided and updated” by their publishers, the Microsoft Store will now support updating directly in the Store. Previously, these apps could only be updated outside of the Microsoft Store. Insiders can head to the Downloads page and click Get Updates. If any installed apps of this type have updates, it’ll be displayed on the pending list. You can perform the update by clicking the update button; it won’t start automatically. [caption id="attachment_177453" align="alignnone" width="593"] Downloads page with update buttons for Win32 apps installed from the Store.[/caption] You can also head to the product page and see an update button. [caption id="attachment_177454" align="alignnone" width="350"] Update button on a Win32 app product page.[/caption] Windows Insiders across all channels running Microsoft Store version 22411.1401.x.x and higher will see this improvement. Click here to read more about recent updates to the Microsoft Store! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/12/06/previewing-more-copilot-experiences-with-windows-insiders-in-the-dev-channel/ Fri, 06 Dec 2024 18:04:14 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177455 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2510 (KB5048780) to the Dev Channel. With this update, we are previewing new experiences for AMD and Intel®-powered Copil

        The post Previewing More Copilot+ Experiences with Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2510 (KB5048780) to the Dev Channel. With this update, we are previewing new experiences for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs including Recall and more and expanding Click to Do (Preview) beyond Recall in Windows.

        Join the Dev Channel on your Copilot+ PC

        Here is how you can join the Dev Channel on your Copilot+ PC today (we have a video too!):
        1. Register for the Windows Insider Program here via our website with your Microsoft account or Microsoft Entra ID. This should be the same account you use to sign into your Copilot+ PC with.
        2. After you have registered, go to Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program on your PC and select the Get Started button.
        3. When asked to link an account, choose the account you’re signed into Windows with and be sure that it is the same account you registered for the program with.
        4. Choose the Dev Channel and reboot.
        5. After rebooting and signing into your Copilot+ PC, go to Settings > Windows Update and check for updates and Build 26120.2510 should be offered.
        6. Your PC will download the update and reboot to finish the update process.

        New experiences for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs

        The following experiences are rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel on AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs. Please install all the latest driver updates available from Windows Update to ensure the following experiences, like Recall, work correctly on your PC. To ensure you have the latest drivers for your Copilot+ PC, make sure the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” toggle is on under Settings > Windows Update. Just click the “Check for updates” button and install any new drivers that Windows Update delivers to you. If you’d like to test the latest driver versions available directly from our partners before they get to Windows Update, you can download them directly here:
        • Latest AMD graphics driver for Ryzen™ chipset.
        • Latest Intel NPU driver for the Intel® Core™ Ultra 200V Series processor.

        Recall (Preview)

        After previewing Recall with our Windows Insider community on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, we are expanding the preview of Recall to Windows Insiders on AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs. This includes Click to Do in Recall as well. With the AI capabilities of Copilot+ PCs, it’s now possible to quickly find and get back to apps, website, image, or document just by describing its content. [caption id="attachment_177438" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Recall with timeline control to go back in time to find something you did in the past on your PC.[/caption] We continue to invite you to try out Recall and share feedback, issues, or suggestions for improvement through in-experience links or the Feedback Hub. We also want to recognize the contributions of researchers and the security community in shaping Recall. If you’re an Insider also in this group, we additionally invite feedback on Recall’s updated security and privacy architecture through participation in our Windows Insider Preview Bug Bounty Program. To get started, check out this blog post which highlights all the steps required to opt-in to using Recall and saving snapshots on your Copilot+ PC. As we gradually roll out Recall in preview, Recall is supported on select languages including Chinese (simplified), English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. Content-based and storage limitations apply. See here for more details. Recall is not yet available in all regions, with expanded availability coming over time. As part of today’s update, we’re expanding the roll out of Recall (Preview) through the Windows Insider Program to the European Economic Area (EEA). As a reminder for when we first preview new features with Windows Insiders, you may encounter some known issues listed at the bottom of this blog post we highly recommend you read. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Recall or through in-experience links.

        Cocreator in Paint

        Microsoft Paint is your creative companion, making it effortless to bring your visions to life. The latest update to the Paint app (version 11.2410.1002.0 and higher) brings Cocreator to AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs. Paint Cocreator allows you to create amazing artwork with the help of AI. You can enter a text prompt and start drawing on the Paint canvas, and Cocreator will generate beautiful artwork based on your input, all for free and without the need for a subscription. [caption id="attachment_177465" align="alignnone" width="622"] Cocreator in the Microsoft Paint app allows you to create amazing artwork with the help of AI.[/caption] We are beginning to roll out Cocreator to AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs, so it may not be available on your PC just yet. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint.

        Restyle Image and Image Creator in the Photos app

        In the latest update to the Microsoft Photos app, we are introducing Image Creator and Restyle Image to AMD and Intel® Copilot+ PCs. These advanced AI-powered features are designed to unlock new creative possibilities—all powered locally on your device for fast and seamless performance. Image Creator lets you generate brand-new images from simple text prompts. For example, you can type “a serene lake at sunset” or “a vibrant city skyline at night,” and the AI will transform your idea into a feed of images. Whether you're seeking inspiration or crafting the perfect visual, Image Creator delivers endless possibilities for creativity. [caption id="attachment_177466" align="alignnone" width="692"] Image Creator in the Microsoft Photos app leverages the AI capabilities of your Copilot+ PC to transform a text prompt into a stunning gallery of diverse, uniquely crafted images.[/caption] Restyle Image allows you to take an existing photo and apply a variety of artistic styles. Whether you want to give your vacation photos a vintage aesthetic or turn a casual snapshot into a bold modern artwork, Restyle Image makes it effortless. [caption id="attachment_177467" align="alignnone" width="692"] Restyle Image uses AI on your Copilot+ PC to give your photos a creative twist. You can choose from pre-made style ideas, like 'fantasy’ or 'impressionist', or create your own to give your photo a new artistic effect.[/caption] To get these new features, update your Photos app to version 2024.11120.1001.0 or higher via the Microsoft Store. This update is currently rolling out, so it may not be available right away. Don’t forget to share your creations with us! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Apps > Photos.

        New ways to engage with Click to Do (Preview)

        In addition to expanding support for Click to Do with Recall to AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs, today’s update also introduces new ways for you to effortlessly engage with Click to Do outside of Recall on Copilot+ PCs. You can now engage with Click to Do by simply pressing WIN key + mouse-click, WIN + Q, through the Snipping Tool menu and print screen, or searching “Click to Do” through the search box on the Windows taskbar. These methods will make it easier than ever to take immediate action on whatever catches your eye on-screen. [caption id="attachment_177468" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Animated GIF showing WIN ley + click in action with visual effects.[/caption] We're also working on introducing more intelligent text actions to enhance your Click to Do experience even further. Use WIN key + mouse-click or WIN + Q to select a text block and then drag to select the text that you want. You’ll see options to Summarize or to help you Rewrite your text, so it sounds more causal or more formal. [caption id="attachment_177469" align="alignnone" width="1024"] More intelligent text actions in Click to Do with options to Summarize or Rewrite.[/caption] Click to Do is the first experience to leverage the capabilities of Phi Silica, the on-device Small Language Model (SLM) that is built right into Windows. Results from our local model will show directly inline and if you’re happy with the rewrites you can copy them directly to your clipboard for use anywhere. These more intelligent text actions are available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs today when your language is set to English with support for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs coming soon. The intelligent text actions leverage the power of Microsoft’s secure cloud to improve your text results by ensuring prompts and responses are safe and appropriate. This data is automatically deleted. The analysis of your screen is always performed locally on your device. Content is only shared out of Click to Do if you choose to complete an action, like copying text to your clipboard, for use in another app, or sharing an image with Bing for a visual search. You can continue to use the same image and text actions you saw for the Click to Do in the Recall experience we released two weeks ago as well including on AMD or Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs too. Click to Do in Recall will recognize text and images in snapshots and offers AI powered actions you can take on these. Just press the Windows logo key and left mouse-click on any image in a snapshot in Recall to get options like Copy, Save, Share, Visual Search with Bing, Blur background with Photos, or Remove background with Paint. And by pressing the WIN key and left mouse-click on any text in a snapshot will give you options to Copy, Search the web, or send email or open a website if an email or URL is recognized. To use Click to Do, you will need to have Recall enabled on your Copilot+ PC but do not have to opt in to having snapshots saved. You can learn more about using Click to Do here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

        Other changes included in this Dev Channel update

        This update (Build 26120.2510) includes other changes and improvements available to Windows Insiders across all Windows 11 PCs in addition to the features noted above that are exclusive to Copilot+ PCs. These changes are documented below in two buckets:
        • New features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*).
        • New features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel.
        For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        Modernized Windows Hello

        At Microsoft, we are committed to security and enhancing user experiences. As part of this commitment, we launched enhanced passkey features in September 2023 and are now revamping the Windows Hello user experience. This represents a significant update to Windows Hello, aligning it with contemporary Windows visual design standards. The primary focus is on making authentication intuitive and seamless. [caption id="attachment_177394" align="alignnone" width="511"] Image showing new Windows Hello iconography.[/caption] Modernized Windows Hello Visual Communication: The updated Windows Hello visuals are designed to facilitate fast and clear communication and appear on the Windows Sign-in screen as well as other authentication flows such as passkey, Recall, Microsoft Store and many more. [caption id="attachment_177396" align="alignnone" width="632"] Image of the Windows 11 login screen depicting new Windows Hello iconography.[/caption] Revamped Windows Hello credential user experience for passkeys and the new administrator protection experience: We redesigned Windows security credential user experience for passkey by creating a cleaner experience that supports secured and quick authentication. Users will now be able to switch between authentication options and select passkey/devices more intuitively. [caption id="attachment_177397" align="alignnone" width="633"] Image of new passkey sign-in flow screens.[/caption] This experience will also apply for the new administrator protection feature coming to Windows 11, version 24H2 and higher and currently in preview with Windows Insiders in the most recent Canary Channel builds. For more information on administrator protection – you can check out this blog post that highlights our investments in adminless experiences in Windows from Microsoft Ignite. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security and Privacy > Passwordless experience.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • The more simplified system tray with shortened form date/time we began rolling out with Build 26120.1843 is being temporarily disabled to address a few issues. Thanks to all the Insiders who gave us feedback on this experience.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • Fixed a few issues impacting taskbar and explorer.exe reliability.

        [Audio]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to USB audio devices going to sleep after 1 minute of idle time, and not waking up until the PC was rebooted.
        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead you to unexpectedly hear a mute or unmute noise in certain headsets.
        • Fixed an underlying issue that could lead to the audio on certain audio devices unexpectedly going to 100% on boot or after sleep.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to Excel sometimes hanging on launch when opening certain files.

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [Recall]

        • Fixed an issue where Recall didn’t warn that you must have Secure Boot enabled for Recall to save snapshots.
        • Improved the experience for submitting feedback for Recall by adding a loading dialog.
        • Fixed an issue where some users experience a delay before snapshots first appear in the timeline while using their device.
        • Fixed an issue where Recall won’t save any snapshots if you join the Dev Channel and install Build 26120.2415 after installing KB5046740.

        [Other]

        • [Exporting chart objects] Fixed: An app stops responding when it exports chart objects in PDF and XLSX formats.
        • [Internet connection] Fixed: A small number of devices cannot connect to the internet. This occurs when a DHCP server response has duplicate DHCP options. This stops IPv4 connections on certain networks.
        • [Display] Fixed: Some secondary displays might experience lag and screen tearing when a window is in full screen.
        • [HTML Applications (HTA)] Fixed: HTA optional components (OC) are now in ARM64 Windows PE.

        Known issues

        [Rollback]

        There is an issue where if you roll back from Build 26120.2510 to Build 26120.2415, you will see an “Your organization used App Control for Business to block this app” dialog when attempting to use or install certain third-party apps on your PC due to an incorrect policy being enforced. To avoid this, please take the following steps FIRST before rolling back:
        1. Open Command Prompt with administrator privileges.
        2. Type and hit enter: mountvol s: /s
        3. Type and hit enter: del S:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\cipolicies\active\{8E8A94F0-6EB9-42C7-A189-E018C8CF3D10}.cip
        4. Type and hit enter: del S:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\cipolicies\active\{36D62F7C-AB85-4F61-8724-744294F24023}.cip
        5. Type and hit enter: del S:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\cipolicies\active\{66D7D265-7EDD-47DD-86E4-F7C42CD55A8F}.cip
        6. Then proceed with rolling back.
        Note if you update back to Build 26120.2510 after rolling back, you will still need to do this workaround. If you do not do these steps FIRST before rolling back, your PC could get into a bad state. If you run into issues with Build 26120.2510, we recommend trying the option "Fix problems using Windows Update" via Settings > Recovery which delivers an in-place upgrade (IPU) of Build 26120.2510 instead of rolling back. We expect to have this issue fixed with the next Dev Channel flight.

        [Recall]

        The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
        • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.
        • Some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots”, while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.
        • Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

        [Click to Do]

        The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
        • Sometimes additional context is given when using more intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.
        • The intelligent text actions leverage the power of Microsoft’s secure cloud to improve your text results by ensuring prompts and responses are safe and appropriate. This data is automatically deleted. Local moderation to ensure the safety of prompts and responses will be added in the future, replacing this cloud endpoint.
        • Sometimes Click to Do doesn’t highlight any info on screen if there is no content on a connected external monitor in extended mode.

        Microsoft Store Update

        For Win32 apps that are “provided and updated” by their publishers, the Microsoft Store will now support updating directly in the Store. Previously, these apps could only be updated outside of the Microsoft Store. Insiders can head to the Downloads page and click Get Updates. If any installed apps of this type have updates, it’ll be displayed on the pending list. You can perform the update by clicking the update button; it won’t start automatically. [caption id="attachment_177453" align="alignnone" width="593"] Downloads page with update buttons for Win32 apps installed from the Store.[/caption] You can also head to the product page and see an update button. [caption id="attachment_177454" align="alignnone" width="350"] Update button on a Win32 app product page.[/caption] Windows Insiders across all channels running Microsoft Store version 22411.1401.x.x and higher will see this improvement. Click here to read more about recent updates to the Microsoft Store! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
        • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Please note that some accessibility features may not work with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/12/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27758-canary-channel/ Wed, 04 Dec 2024 18:06:03 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177450 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27758 to the Canary Channel.

        We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        What's ne

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27758 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27758 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        What's new in Build 27758

        Windows Camera Advanced Configurations

        We have introduced a new advanced camera options page in this build. Just navigate to a camera under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras and click the edit button for advanced camera options. [caption id="attachment_177472" align="alignnone" width="544"] New advanced camera configurations page in Settings.[/caption] This new advanced camera options page will provide you with the following two configurations for your camera:
        • Multi-app camera: Allows multiple applications to access the camera stream simultaneously, developed with the Hard-of-Hearing community to enable video streaming to both a sign language interpreter and the end audience at the same time.
        • Basic camera: Enables basic camera functionality for improved debugging, recommended as a last resort when your camera is not functioning correctly. This feature was developed in collaboration with Microsoft support agents.
        Coming in a future build, we plan to introduce a third option here for selecting a media type. This feature will let you choose different media types like resolution and frame rate, with the default setting being "Let Windows Choose" for optimal experience. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers > Device Camera or Webcams.

        Fixes

        [File Explorer]

        • Did some work so the search box in File Explorer shouldn’t draw off the end of the window anymore.

        [Taskbar]

        • Fixed an issue where right clicking on app icons in the taskbar might crash explorer.exe in the previous flight.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an issue for some people where the mouse cursor would become invisible when hovering over text fields in certain apps.

        [Desktop]

        • Fixed an issue where your desktop background might not show correctly sometimes with multiple monitors (showing big black areas).

        [Task Manager]

        • We are beginning to roll out a fix for the issue where if you resized Task Manager to be larger while settings was open, the Mica background wouldn't align with the new window size.

        [Narrator]

        • Fixed an issue in the previous flight which caused Narrator to crash on launch if you used one of the natural voices (like Jenny).

        [Audio]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to USB audio devices going to sleep after 1 minute of idle time, and not waking up until the PC was rebooted.
        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead you to unexpectedly hear a mute or unmute noise in certain headsets.

        [Settings]

        • Fixed an issue which could cause Settings to crash when selecting your default audio device.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue which could cause an unexpected black line along the top border of a window.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
        • We’re investigating reports that some Insiders are still experiencing rollbacks (with error code 0xc190010) when attempting to install the latest Canary builds.
        • We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue causing accent colored window borders to not be not displayed when enabled, shadows around windows not displaying when enabled, and window launching (and other) animations to show even though the setting to show animations is turned off.
        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing some Insiders to see a bugcheck with error PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA starting with the previous flight.

        Microsoft Store Update

        For Win32 apps that are “provided and updated” by their publishers, the Microsoft Store will now support updating directly in the Store. Previously, these apps could only be updated outside of the Microsoft Store. Insiders can head to the Downloads page and click Get Updates. If any installed apps of this type have updates, it'll be displayed on the pending list. You can perform the update by clicking the update button; it won't start automatically. [caption id="attachment_177453" align="alignnone" width="593"] Downloads page with update buttons for Win32 apps installed from the Store.[/caption] You can also head to the product page and see an update button. [caption id="attachment_177454" align="alignnone" width="350"] Update button on a Win32 app product page.[/caption] Windows Insiders across all channels running Microsoft Store version 22411.1401.x.x and higher will see this improvement. Click here to read more about recent updates to the Microsoft Store! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windowsand features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/22/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4515-beta-channel/ Fri, 22 Nov 2024 18:03:56 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177444 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4515 (KB5046756) to the Beta Channel.

        Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4515 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4515 (KB5046756) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        Ability to seamlessly resume OneDrive files in 1-click from your phone to PC

        We are gradually rolling out the ability to seamlessly resume working on OneDrive files from your phone (iOS and Android) on your Windows 11 PC with a single click. With this feature, you will get a notification asking you if you want to pick up where you left off editing a OneDrive file like a Word doc that you last viewed or edited on your phone within a 5-minute time window preceding unlocking your PC. [caption id="attachment_177446" align="alignnone" width="455"] A cross-device resume notification indicating that you can continue working across devices seamlessly.[/caption] Upon clicking on this notification, the same file that you were viewing or editing previously on your phone will open in your default browser on your PC. Here are some important details about how this feature works:
        • This feature works only when signing into OneDrive with a Microsoft account. Work and school accounts are not supported. And you need to be using the same Microsoft account signing into OneDrive on your phone and signing into your Windows 11 PC.
        • This feature supports Word docs, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, OneNote notebooks/pages, and PDFs.
        • The OneDrive file must be opened on your phone when your PC is locked. If you then unlock your PC within 5 minutes of accessing the file on your phone, you will receive the resume notification as noted above.
        • For the best experience using this feature, you should be logged into OneDrive in your default browser on your PC.
        • Your PC should be on Build 22635.4515 and higher in the Beta Channel.
        This feature can be managed and turned off via Settings > Apps > Resume. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers -> Linked Phone.

        Passwordless Improvements

        As part of Microsoft’s commitment to a passwordless future, on Windows, we are launching API support for third-party passkey providers. Microsoft has been engaging with passkey manager partners on developing this capability. We are committed to bringing a passwordless future to all customers - together with third-party credential providers, we will raise the bar on login security with passkeys for all users on Windows. WebAuthn Plugin Authenticator APIs We are releasing updates to WebAuthn APIs to support a plugin authentication model for passkeys. In the coming months, Windows customers will be able to choose a third-party provider as an additional choice alongside the native Windows passkey provider while maintaining the Windows Hello user experience. Messages in WebAuthn flows will be forwarded to the plugin and responses are returned to the WebAuthn client applications. This enables plugins to create and authenticate with passkeys when requested by the customer. This model allows plugins to use Windows Hello as a user verification mechanism to enable a seamless passkey experience. You will notice additional user experience updates to the passkey flows and Settings alongside the new capabilities. If you are a developer for third-party passkeys, we invite you to integrate with Windows 11 to support customers in their passkey journey. To find out more about implementation detail, go to https://aka.ms/3P-Plugin-API. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security and Privacy > Passkey.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Start menu]

        • We are rolling out the ability to right-click and share local files under the Recommended section of the Start menu.
        [caption id="attachment_177447" align="alignnone" width="343"] Share option shown when right-clicking on a local file under the Recommended section of the Start menu.[/caption]

        [Magnifier]

        • We're adding a new keyboard shortcut CTRL + ALT + Minus for Magnifier users to quickly toggle between the current zoom and 1X zoom.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue where sometimes you would be unable to navigate by entering a path in the address bar.
        • Fixed an issue where the File Explorer address bar was unexpectedly overlapping with content while in full screen (F11) view.
        • Improved performance of context menu launch for people when right-clicking on cloud files.
        • Made a change to help ensure thumbnails for cloud files are displayed more consistently in search results within File Explorer.
        • Fixed an issue which was causing some explorer.exe crashes in the last couple flights, including when trying to create new folders in certain locations.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/22/previewing-recall-with-click-to-do-on-copilot-pcs-with-windows-insiders-in-the-dev-channel/ Fri, 22 Nov 2024 18:03:30 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177434 UPDATE 12/6: With Build 26120.2510, we are welcoming Windows Insiders on AMD and Intel®-powered

        The post Previewing Recall with Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs with Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> UPDATE 12/6: With Build 26120.2510, we are welcoming Windows Insiders on AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs to try out Recall (Preview) and Click to Do (Preview). Insiders across Copilot+ PCs can now preview these experiences in the Dev Channel. The below blog post has been updated to reflect this.  Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2415 (KB5046723) to the Dev Channel. With this update, we welcome Windows Insiders with Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs to join the Dev Channel to try out Recall (Preview) with Click to Do (Preview).

        Join the Dev Channel on your Copilot+ PC

        Here is how you can join the Dev Channel on your Copilot+ PC today (we have a video too!):
        1. Register for the Windows Insider Program here via our website with your Microsoft account or Microsoft Entra ID. This should be the same account you use to sign into your Copilot+ PC with.
        2. After you have registered, go to Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program on your PC and select the Get Started button.
        3. When asked to link an account, choose the account you’re signed into Windows with and be sure that it is the same account you registered for the program with.
        4. Choose the Dev Channel and reboot.
        5. After rebooting and signing into your Copilot+ PC, go to Settings > Windows Update and check for updates and Build 26120.2415 Build 26120.2510 should be offered.
        6. Your PC will download the update and reboot to finish the update process.

        New Copilot+ PC experiences

        Retrace your steps with Recall (Preview)

        We’re excited to release the first preview of Recall to our Windows Insider community. Recall is an entirely new way to search for things you’ve seen or done on your PC securely. With the AI capabilities of Copilot+ PCs, it’s now possible to quickly find and get back to any app, website, image, or document just by describing its content. We invite you to try out Recall and share feedback, issues, or suggestions for improvement through in-experience links or the Feedback Hub. We also want to recognize the contributions of researchers and the security community in shaping Recall. If you’re an Insider also in this group, we additionally invite feedback on Recall’s updated security and privacy architecture through participation in our Windows Insider Preview Bug Bounty Program. As is typical when first previewing new features with Windows Insiders, you may encounter some known issues listed at the bottom of this blog post we highly recommend you read. Setup: After installing this build, the models for Recall and Click to Do will start to download in the background. You can check the download status via Settings > Windows Update. To open Recall you can find it in the Start menu under the All apps list. [caption id="attachment_177437" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The first page of the first-run experience for Recall.[/caption] When you open Recall, you can complete the first-run experience, which will ask you to opt-in to saving snapshots. It will also require you to enroll in Windows Hello to confirm your presence. This requires you to enable BitLocker and Secure Boot if you haven’t already. If you don’t enable saving snapshots, Recall will not save any snapshots of your activity. [caption id="attachment_177438" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Recall with timeline control to go back in time to find something you did in the past on your PC.[/caption] Find It: Use your PC as you normally would. When you need to find or get back to something you’ve done previously, open Recall and authenticate with Windows Hello. As we use our PCs throughout the day working on documents or presentations, taking video calls, and context switching across activities, Recall helps you find things faster and easier and reduces the strain when you can’t remember something. Search using the clues you remember. You can not only search for the text you need to get back to, but now simply describe what you're looking for (“pie chart”). You can also browse the timeline to see snapshots from a specific time you remember and get right back to that document or website quickly. Recall’s search results leverage AI to provide both text and visual matches for your query. AI can make mistakes, if the results aren’t accurate or don’t look right, please provide us with feedback using the feedback link. When you’ve found what you were looking for, you can get back to the application, website, or document, or use Click to Do to act on any image or text in the snapshot you found. You can learn more about using Recall here. [caption id="attachment_177439" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The Recall icon in the system tray indicating when Recall is in use and running and the flyout lets you pause saving snapshots and open Recall.[/caption] Control: With Recall, you’re in control of what snapshots are saved and when Recalls saves them. A new icon in the system tray displays status and provides quick access to Recall actions. When Recall is enabled, you’ll see the Recall icon visible. It provides visual cues to remind you when snapshots are being analyzed and saved. Click the icon and you will be able to pause saving snapshots or view more status information. When paused, you see a slash through the icon. [caption id="attachment_177440" align="alignnone" width="1024"] You can delete a snapshot in Recall from the bottom actions when you no longer want it saved.[/caption] You can delete any snapshot in Recall that you don’t want and tell Recall to ignore that app or website in that snapshot going forward, either when viewing an individual snapshot or by searching for what you want deleted and removing those results. [caption id="attachment_177441" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Windows Hello authentication is required to unlock the Recall experience.[/caption] Your data: Insiders and Recall users, we want you to know your snapshots are truly yours. We do not send your snapshots off your PC to Microsoft or third parties, and don’t use them for training purposes. Microsoft can’t access the keys to view your encrypted data, so we can’t restore your snapshots if you remove Windows Hello or restore your snapshots if you need to reset your PC or move to a new PC. We will in future updates provide ways for you to store a backup of your keys for these cases. For now, your Copilot + PC only releases the keys to use Recall if you show your face, fingerprint, or PIN. Please note that while in preview, we may make updates that require a reset of your saved snapshots and will let you know here. Technical Insiders can learn more about the security and privacy architecture of Recall here. Privacy: We’ve updated Recall to detect sensitive information like credit card details, passwords, and personal identification numbers. When detected, Recall won’t save or store those snapshots. We’ll continue to improve this functionality, and if you find sensitive information that should be filtered out, for your context, language, or geography, please let us know through Feedback Hub. We’ve also provided an option in Settings that we encourage you to enable that will anonymously share the apps and sites you prefer to be excluded from Recall to help us improve the product. And you can also choose to exclude specific apps and websites through the Recall settings page which we talk about below. [caption id="attachment_177442" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The Recall settings page where you can disable saving snapshots, change your storage settings, delete snapshots and filter webs and apps from being saved.[/caption] Settings: Try out the additional settings available to configure Recall. Changing Recall settings requires you to authenticate with Windows Hello. You can disable saving snapshots, pause temporarily, filter applications and websites in supported browsers, control disk usage, and delete your snapshots at any time via Settings > Privacy and security > Recall and snapshots. Please provide us with feedback if additional settings would improve your experience. You can also remove Recall entirely by typing “Turn Windows features on or off” in the search box on your taskbar. Uncheck Recall from the dialog and restart your PC. Enterprises:  As announced at Ignite, for our enterprise customers, Recall is removed by default on PCs managed by an IT administrator for work or school, as well as Enterprise versions of Windows 11. IT administrators fully control the availability of Recall within their organization. Employees must choose to opt-in to saving snapshots and enroll their face or fingerprint with Windows Hello for snapshots to be saved. Only the signed-in user can access and decrypt Recall data, so although enterprises cannot access employee Recall data, they can prevent Recall from being used altogether and prevent any saving of specific apps or sites. IT administrators can click here to learn more about managing Recall on Copilot+ PCs in their organizations. Recall (Preview) is available on Copilot+ PCs (AMD, Intel®, and Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs) with Build 26120.2510 released on 12/6. As we gradually roll out Recall in preview, Recall is supported on select languages including Chinese (simplified), English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. Content-based and storage limitations apply. See here for more details. Recall is not yet available in all regions, with expanded availability coming over time. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Recall or through in-experience links.

        Click to Do (Preview) with Recall

        With Click to Do in Recall, you can get more done with snapshots and improve your productivity and creativity. Click to Do recognizes text and images in snapshots and offers AI powered actions you can take on these, saving you time by helping complete tasks inline, and/or quickly getting you to the app that can best complete the job for you. [caption id="attachment_177443" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Click to Do in Recall showing image actions on a highlighted image.[/caption] For text, Click to Do offers the following actions:
        • Copy: Easily copy text to your clipboard.
        • Open with: Open the selected text with your preferred application.
        • Search the web: Quickly search the web for the selected text.
        • Open website: Open any URL you recognize on screen in your preferred browser
        • Send email: Send email to the email address recognized on screen in your preferred email app
        For image, Click to Do provides a variety of options:
        • Copy: Copy the image to your clipboard.
        • Save as: Save the image to your desired location.
        • Share: Share the image with others.
        • Open with: Open the image with your preferred application.
        • Visual search with Bing: Perform a visual search and surface relevant contents using Bing.
        • Blur background with Photos: Blur the background of the image using Photos app.
        • Erase objects with Photos: Erase unwanted objects from the image using Photos app.
        • Remove background with Paint: Remove the background of the image using Paint app.
        In this update Click to Do only works within the Recall experience. In a future update, you'll be able to effortlessly engage with Click to Do by simply pressing Windows logo key + mouse click, Windows logo key + Q, through the Snipping Tool menu and Print Screen, or searching “Click to Do” through Windows Search Box. These methods will make it easier than ever to take immediate action on whatever catches your eye on-screen. We're also working on introducing more intelligent text actions to enhance your experience even further. Just like with Recall noted above, Click to Do (Preview) is now available on Copilot+ PCs (AMD, Intel®, and Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs) with Build 26120.2510 released on 12/6. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Click to Do.

        Other changes included in this Dev Channel update (Build 26120.2415)

        This update (Build 26120.2415) includes additional changes and improvements available to Windows Insiders across every Windows 11 PCs. These changes include:
        • New features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*).
        • New features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel.
        For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Windows Hello]

        • The revamped and modernized Windows Hello user experience that is rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Canary Channels will start rolling out to Insiders in the Dev Channel soon.

        [Narrator]

        • We have added new functionalities to Narrator scan mode. Skip past links (N’) allows you to navigate to the text after a link. This is most helpful when navigating through long emails, news articles, and wiki pages. Jump to lists (L’) allows you to quickly access a list on a web page or a document. To try these new features, you need to turn on Narrator first (Win key + Ctrl + Enter), then turn scan mode ON by pressing Caps Lock + Spacebar and finally use the new shortcuts – ‘N’ and ‘L’. Please note that scan mode is ‘ON’ by default on most web pages (like news articles, wiki page, etc.).

        [Speech in Windows]

        • We have improved our speech-to-text and text-to-speech experience on Windows. Users of Narrator, voice access, live captions, live translations, and voice typing might see a message asking them to update their language files manually. The language files will be released separately through Microsoft Store.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • Fixed an issue causing explorer.exe to crash sometimes when interacting with app icons in the taskbar in the latest flights.

        [Desktop]

        • Fixed the issue where your desktop background may not show correctly sometimes with multiple monitors (showing big black areas).

        [File Explorer]

        • Did some work so the search box in File Explorer shouldn’t draw off the end of the window anymore.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an underlying issue in the last few flights that could cause Windows wheel devices to not scroll.

        [Narrator]

        • Fixed an issue in the previous flight which caused Narrator to crash on launch if you used one of the natural voices (like Jenny).

        Known issues

        [Recall with Click to Do]

        The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:
        • You must have Secure Boot enabled for Recall to save snapshots. Ensure Secure Boot is enabled before trying out Recall. This support article will help you enable Secure Boot.
        • Clicking links within Recall to submit feedback may experience a delay in loading the Feedback Hub application. Be patient and it will display.
        • Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.
        • Some users experience a delay before snapshots first appear in the timeline while using their device. If snapshots do not appear after 5 minutes, reboot your device. If saving snapshots is enabled, but you see snapshots are no longer being saved, reboot your device.
        • Some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots”, while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.
        • Websites added as filters may be saved if the content is in split screen or side bar pane in Edge. This will be addressed in an update.
        • Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.
        • Recall may not currently work with some accessibility applications.
        • [ADDED 12/2] There is an issue where Recall won't save any snapshots if you join the Dev Channel and install Build 26120.2415 after installing KB5046740. We recommend you not install this preview update before joining the Dev Channel until we fix the issue in a future update.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
        • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/20/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27754-canary-channel/ Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:05:26 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177431 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27754 to the Canary Channel.

        We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        What’s

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27754 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27754 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        What’s new with Build 27754

        Modernized Windows Hello

        At Microsoft, we are committed to security and enhancing user experiences. As part of this commitment, we launched enhanced passkey features in September 2023 and are now revamping the Windows Hello user experience. This represents a significant update to Windows Hello, aligning it with contemporary Windows visual design standards. The primary focus is on making authentication intuitive and seamless. [caption id="attachment_177394" align="alignnone" width="453"] Image showing new Windows Hello iconography.[/caption] Modernized Windows Hello Visual Communication: The updated Windows Hello visuals are designed to facilitate fast and clear communication and appear on the Windows Sign-in screen as well as other authentication flows such as passkey, Microsoft Store and many more. [caption id="attachment_177396" align="alignnone" width="583"] Image of the Windows 11 login screen depicting new Windows Hello iconography.[/caption] Revamped Windows Hello credential user experience for passkeys and the new administrator protection experience: We redesigned Windows security credential user experiences for passkey creating a cleaner experience that supports secured and quick authentication. Users will now be able to switch between authentication options and select passkey/devices more intuitively. [caption id="attachment_177397" align="alignnone" width="585"] Image of new passkey sign-in flow screens.[/caption] This experience will also apply for the new administrator protection feature coming to Windows 11, version 24H2 and higher and currently in preview with Windows Insiders in the most recent Canary Channel builds. For more information on administrator protection – you can check out this blog post that highlights our investments in adminlesss experiences in Windows from Microsoft Ignite. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security and Privacy > Passwordless experience.

        Changes and Improvements

        [General]

        • If you hold Shift and CTRL when clicking on a jump list item in Start menu or taskbar, this will now launch that item as admin, just like if you were to do Shift + CTRL and click the app icon itself. For example, if you right-click on Windows Terminal, and hold Shift and CTRL when you click PowerShell, it would open a PowerShell window as admin.

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • We’ve updated the previews that show when you mouse-over/hover over apps on the taskbar. We have also improved the animations for when these previews show on the taskbar based on Insider feedback.
        [caption id="attachment_177179" align="alignnone" width="555"] Updated taskbar previews shown for two open File Explorer windows.[/caption]
        • We are trying out a more simplified system tray to highlight the date/time in a shortened form and to show the notifications bell icon based on DND status. Without the notification bell icon, you can get to your notifications by clicking the date and time to Notification Center. You can revert to the long form of the date/time and bell icon visuals by toggling the values in the Settings via Settings > Date and Time under “Show time and day in the system tray” and Settings > System > Notifications under “Notifications”. These settings are also accessible through the context menu shown by right clicking the system tray clock/bell icon button.
        [caption id="attachment_177177" align="alignnone" width="348"] Simplified system tray shown with shortened form data and time and no notification bell icon.[/caption]

        Fixes

        [General]

        • Fixed the issue with applying policy for the Digital Markets Act in EEA regions in Build 27749.
        • Fixed an issue where an update failing and rolling back could potentially result in a duplicate Windows entry in the boot menu.

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing RAW images taken in portrait mode to unexpectedly display in landscape mode thumbnails.
        • Did some work so the search box in File Explorer shouldn’t draw off the end of the window anymore.

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • Fixed an issue on secondary monitors for left aligned taskbar users, where the widgets text in the taskbar might overlap the date and time.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could cause the mouse to unlock from a game window on a system with multiple monitors after opening and closing Game Bar, so you couldn’t use it within the game.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an underlying issue causing some apps used for remoting into other PCs to crash in the latest Canary builds.
        • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to see bugchecks with SYSTEM THREAD EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED in the latest Canary builds.
        • Fixed an issue where sfc /scannow was unexpectedly showing errors every time it was run. This issue is not fixed.
        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to Registry Editor going unresponsive if you pressed Alt after clicking on the license information in the About section.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
        • We’re investigating reports that some Insiders are still experiencing rollbacks (with error code 0xc190010) when attempting to install the latest Canary builds.
        • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that accent colored window borders are not displaying when enabled, and shadows aren’t displaying when enabled.
        • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that people are seeing window launching (and other) animations even though the setting to show animations is turned off.

        [Desktop]

        • We’re working on the fix for an issue where your desktop background may not show correctly sometimes with multiple monitors (showing big black areas).

        [Narrator]

        • [ADDED 11/22] Narrator is crashing on some builds with Natural voices like Jenny or Aria. We suggest you switch to a non-natural voice like David, Mark, etc. from Narrator settings page and restart your PC to continue using Narrator.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windowsand features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4510-beta-channel/ Fri, 15 Nov 2024 18:04:40 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177427 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4510 (KB5046716) to the Beta Channel.

        Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4510 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4510 (KB5046716) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • We are rolling out the ability to share files directly from the jump lists on the taskbar, which appears when you right-click on an app with a jump list like Notepad the taskbar.
        [caption id="attachment_177429" align="alignnone" width="318"] Share icon appearing on a txt file on the jump list for Notepad.[/caption]

        [Input]

        • We are beginning to roll out the new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 again that began rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel with Build 22635.4145.
        [caption id="attachment_177283" align="alignnone" width="692"] New Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 that supports the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type.[/caption]

        [Narrator]

        • We have added new functionalities to Narrator scan mode. Skip past links (N’) allows you to navigate to the text after a link. This is most helpful when navigating through long emails, news articles, and wiki pages. Jump to lists (L’) allows you to quickly access a list on a web page or a document. To try these new features, you need to turn on Narrator first (Win key + Ctrl + Enter), then turn scan mode ON by pressing Caps Lock + Spacebar and finally use the new shortcuts – ‘N’ and ‘L’. Please note that scan mode is ‘ON’ by default on most web pages (like news articles, wiki page, etc.).

        [Speech in Windows]

        • We have improved our speech-to-text and text-to-speech experience on Windows. Users of Narrator, voice access, live captions, live translations, and voice typing might see a message asking them to update their language files manually. The language files will be released separately through Microsoft Store.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Lock screen]

        • Fixed an issue where you might unexpectedly see a message saying “You’re offline. Widgets are unavailable”.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your PC over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/14/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-2448-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 14 Nov 2024 19:22:14 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177424 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.2448 (KB5046740) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100).

        Below i

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.2448 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Build 26100.2448 (KB5046740) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

        Gradual rollout

        The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
        • [Start menu] New! When you right-click apps that you have pinned to the Start menu, jump lists will appear for apps that have jump lists.
        • [Taskbar] New! The system tray shows a shortened date and time. Also, the notification bell icon might not show if you have set the toggle for “Do not disturb” to on. If the bell icon does not show, click the date and time to view your messages in the notification center. To go back to the long form of the date and time, go to Settings > Date and Time. Then turn on the toggle for “Show time and day in the system tray.” To show the bell icon, go to Settings > System > Notifications. Turn on the toggle for “Notifications.” You can also get to these settings using the context menu. Just right click the system tray clock or bell icon. The more simplified system tray with shortened form date/time is being temporarily disabled to address a few issues.
        • [Touchscreen] New! This update adds a new section for touchscreen edge gestures. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touch. There, you can choose if you would like to turn off the left or right screen edge touch gesture.
        • [Task Manager]
          • New! The Disconnect and Logoff dialogs now support dark mode and text scaling.
          • New! The Performance section now shows the type for each disk.
        • [Input Method Editor (IME)] New! After you install this update, the IME toolbar will hide when apps are in full screen mode. This only occurs when the IME toolbar is active, and you type Chinese or Japanese characters.
        • [File Explorer] New! You can share content to an Android device from the context menu in File Explorer and on the desktop. To use this feature, you must install and configure Phone Link on your PC.
        • [IFilters] New! Windows Search runs IFilters in Less Privileged App Containers (LPAC). LPACs are like app containers, but they deny more permissions by default. A process that runs in an LPAC only has access to the resources it needs. The process does not have access to sensitive system components and data. This reduces the potential damage that a compromised process can cause.
        • [Dynamic Lighting Settings page]
          • New! Its page will show a placeholder message when there is no compatible device attached to your computer. Also, the Brightness and Effects controls will be off.
          • New! This update adds the Forward, Backward, Outward, and Inward direction options to the Wave effect. The Gradient effect now has the Forward direction option.
        • [Narrator] New! We have added new functionalities to Narrator scan mode. Skip past links (N’) allows you to navigate to the text after a link. This is most helpful when navigating through long emails, news articles, and wiki pages. Jump to lists (L’) allows you to quickly access a list on a web page or a document. To try these new features, you need to turn on Narrator first (Win key + Ctrl + Enter), then turn scan mode ON by pressing Caps Lock + Spacebar and finally use the new shortcuts – ‘N’ and ‘L’. Please note that scan mode is ‘ON’ by default on most web pages (like news articles, wiki page, etc.).
        • [Speech in Windows] New! We have improved our speech-to-text and text-to-speech experience on Windows. Users of Narrator, voice access, live captions, live translations, and voice typing might see a message asking them to update their language files manually. The language files will be released separately through Microsoft Store.
        • [Settings] New! Tailored Experiences is now Personalized offers in the out of box experience (OOBE). You can find it on the Recommendations and offers page. Go to Settings > Privacy & security. Here, you can turn off the setting that sends data about your device to enhance Windows.
        • [Jump lists] New! If you hold Shift and CTRL and click a jump list item, this opens the item as an admin.  
        • [DISM] Fixed: The StartComponentCleanup task does not work properly. It stops at 71% and shows error 6842. 
        • [PowerShell] Fixed: The Get-WindowsCapability command sometimes fails. Then you have to restart your PC. 
        • [Windows Update] Fixed: When you install an update, you might get error 0x800f0905. 
        • [JPG files] Fixed: You cannot use an API to find rotation information. 
        • [Display]  
          • Fixed: App windows might collect in the corner of a monitor after your device goes to sleep. This occurs when you use multiple monitors. 
          • Fixed: Mica material might not display correctly. This occurs when you use a slideshow background. 
        • [Mouse] Fixed: When you use the "Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key," the circles might be tiny on some displays. 
        • [Clipboard] Fixed: Clipboard history (Windows logo key plus sign (+) V) might show no content. This issue occurs even though it is on, and you have copied text and images. 
        • [Taskbar] Fixed: When you choose "Automatically hide the taskbar," the search box shows as an icon, not as a search box. 
        • [File Explorer]  
          • Fixed: There might be more space than you expect between the items listed in the left pane. 
          • Fixed: The search box is cut off when the File Explorer window is small. 

        Normal rollout

        This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
        • [File Explorer] Fixed: When you select the See more button, the menu expands upward instead of dropping down. Because of this, the menu might go off the screen, depending on the position of File Explorer.
        • [HTML Applications (HTA)] Fixed: HTA optional components (OC) are now in ARM64 Windows PE.
        • [Task Manager] Fixed: The Users page might cause Task Manager to stop responding when you use the keyboard.
        • [Graphics Device Interface Plus (GDI+)]
        • Fixed: You cannot get the properties of image files using GDI+).
        • Fixed: Scaling is wrong when you re-encode images in GDI+.
        • [RAW format images] Fixed: They show in the wrong orientation.
        • [Exporting chart objects] Fixed: An app stops responding when it exports chart objects in PDF and XLSX formats.
        • [Mouse and Xbox game bar] Fixed: Your mouse might unlock from the game window. This occurs when you have multiple monitors and open and close the Xbox game bar.
        • [ADDED] [Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)] Fixed: It stops working and will not start up. 
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/14/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-5194-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/ Thu, 14 Nov 2024 19:11:36 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177420 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5194 (KB5046714) to BOTH the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2.

        The Beta Channel and

        The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.5194 to Beta and Release Preview Channels appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5194 (KB5046714) to BOTH the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. The Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel will receive the same Windows 10 build today just like we’ve been doing since June. However, this will be the last time we release a Windows 10 build to the Beta Channel as we will be shutting down the Beta Channel for Windows 10. Insiders on Windows 10 in the Beta Channel will be moved over to the Release Preview Channel, and we will continue to release builds for Windows 10 in the Release Preview Channel only going forward. Insiders on Windows 10 today in the Beta Channel can also move to the Release Preview Channel on their own via Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program and choosing the Release Preview Channel. We recommend customers prepare for Windows 10 end of support by moving to Windows 11 today.

        For Windows Insiders on Windows 10 in the Beta Channel, we’re beginning to roll out the following improvements

        • [Start menu] New! The Recommended section of the Start menu will show some Microsoft Store apps. These apps come from a small set of curated developers. This will help you to discover some of the great apps that are available. If you want to turn this off, go to Settings > Personalization > Start. Turn off the toggle for Show suggestions occasionally in Start.
        Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 10 who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Updated & Security > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.

        This update includes the following features and improvements for Windows Insiders in BOTH the Beta and Release Preview Channels

        Items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented:
        • [App list backup] Fixed: Win32 shortcuts might not back up to the cloud. ​​​​​​​
        • [Copy cloud files] Fixed: When you drag and drop files from a cloud files provider folder, it might result in a move instead of a copy. ​​​​​​​
        • [Motherboard replacement] Fixed: Windows does not activate after you replace a motherboard.
        • [Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)] Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • [Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) printer] Fixed: Windows stops responding when you use an IPP USB printer.
        Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/14/releasing-windows-11-build-22631-4534-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 14 Nov 2024 18:27:06 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177422 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.4534 (KB5046732) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.4534 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Build 22631.4534 (KB5046732) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).   Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

        Gradual rollout

        The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
        • [Start menu] New! When you right-click apps that you have pinned to the Start menu, jump lists will appear for apps that have jump lists.
        • [Taskbar] New! The system tray shows a shortened date and time. Also, the notification bell icon might not show if you have set the toggle for “Do not disturb” to on. If the bell icon does not show, click the date and time to view your messages in the notification center. To go back to the long form of the date and time, go to Settings > Date and Time. Then turn on the toggle for “Show time and day in the system tray.” To show the bell icon, go to Settings > System > Notifications. Turn on the toggle for “Notifications.” You can also get to these settings using the context menu. Just right click the system tray clock or bell icon. The more simplified system tray with shortened form date/time is being temporarily disabled to address a few issues.
        • [Touchscreen] New! This update adds a new section for touchscreen edge gestures. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touch. There, you can choose if you would like to turn off the left or right screen edge touch gesture.
        • [Mouse] New! This update adds the option to turn off enhanced mouse pointer precision to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Mouse. There is also a new option to change the direction in which the mouse scrolls.
        • [Task Manager]
          • New! The Disconnect and Logoff dialogs now support dark mode and text scaling.
          • New! The Performance section now shows the type for each disk.
        • [Input Method Editor (IME)] New! After you install this update, the IME toolbar will hide when apps are in full screen mode. This only occurs when the IME toolbar is active, and you type Chinese or Japanese characters.
        • [File Explorer] New! You can share content to an Android device from the context menu in File Explorer and on the desktop. To use this feature, you must install and configure Phone Link on your PC.
        • [IFilters] New! Windows Search runs IFilters in Less Privileged App Containers (LPAC). LPACs are like app containers, but they deny more permissions by default. A process that runs in an LPAC only has access to the resources it needs. The process does not have access to sensitive system components and data. This reduces the potential damage that a compromised process can cause.
        • [Dynamic Lighting Settings page]
          • New! Its page will show a placeholder message when there is no compatible device attached to your computer. Also, the Brightness and Effects controls will be off.
          • New! This update adds the Forward, Backward, Outward, and Inward direction options to the Wave effect. The Gradient effect now has the Forward direction option.
        • [Narrator] New! We have added new functionalities to Narrator scan mode. Skip past links (N’) allows you to navigate to the text after a link. This is most helpful when navigating through long emails, news articles, and wiki pages. Jump to lists (L’) allows you to quickly access a list on a web page or a document. To try these new features, you need to turn on Narrator first (Win key + Ctrl + Enter), then turn scan mode ON by pressing Caps Lock + Spacebar and finally use the new shortcuts – ‘N’ and ‘L’. Please note that scan mode is ‘ON’ by default on most web pages (like news articles, wiki page, etc.).
        • [Speech in Windows] New! We have improved our speech-to-text and text-to-speech experience on Windows. Users of Narrator, voice access, live captions, live translations, and voice typing might see a message asking them to update their language files manually. The language files will be released separately through Microsoft Store.
        • [Settings] New! Tailored Experiences is now Personalized offers in the out of box experience (OOBE). You can find it on the Recommendations and offers page. Go to Settings > Privacy & security. Here, you can turn off the setting that sends data about your device to enhance Windows.
        • [Taskbar] Fixed: When you choose "Automatically hide the taskbar," the search box shows as an icon, not as a search box.
        • [File Explorer]
          • Fixed: There might be more space than you expect between the items listed in the left pane.
          • Fixed: The search box is cut off when the File Explorer window is small.
        • [Jump lists] New! If you hold Shift and CTRL and click a jump list item, this opens the item as an admin.

        Normal rollout

        This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
        • [Motherboard replacement] Fixed: Windows does not activate after you replace a motherboard.
        • [Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)] Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • [Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) printer] Fixed: Windows stops responding when you use an IPP USB printer.
        • [Bluetooth LE Audio] Fixed: Some devices, like hearing aids, do not stream Bluetooth audio.
        • [ADDED] [Mouse and game bar] Fixed: Your mouse might unlock from the game window. This occurs when you have multiple monitors and open and close the game bar. 
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27749-canary-channel/ Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:04:57 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177418 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27749 to the Canary Channel. We are releasing ISOs for this build – they can be downloaded here.

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27749 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27749 to the Canary Channel. We are releasing ISOs for this build – they can be downloaded here. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        Changes and Improvements

        [Narrator]

        • We have added a new shortcut “Narrator key + control + X” to copy what Narrator last spoke to clipboard. It follows the pattern of using “Narrator key + X” which repeats the last spoken phrase out loud and is a good way to memorize similar shortcuts. You can use these shortcuts to review and copy what Narrator spoke, useful in cases you want to quickly copy some content or descriptions or codes/numbers for use.
        • Narrator will now auto-read contents of a mail in the new Outlook app similar to behavior in Outlook classic.

        Fixes

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue which was causing the items in the navigation pane to become very spread out (with unexpected padding between each item) for some people.
        • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing RAW images taken in portrait mode to unexpectedly display in landscape mode thumbnails.

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • Made a change so you will now see a search box if the taskbar auto-hides when the setting for search on the taskbar is set to “Search box” (rather than an icon).

        [Input]

        • Updated the mouse option “Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key”, so that the circles displayed are now DPI-aware, and aren’t really small on high DPI monitors.

        [Narrator]

        • We have addressed a performance issue where Narrator would slow down after 15 minutes of continuous use with a single application. If you continue to experience any performance delays, do report using Feedback Hub.
        • Fixed an issue where Narrator would add an additional announcement “contains style” whenever its focus is on text that has styling attributes such as bullets, numbers across applications such as Microsoft Edge, Teams, Outlook, etc.
        • Fixed an issue where few dialogs in Narrator were not adopting the 200% text scaling setting in Windows.

        [Task Manager]

        • Fixed an issue causing Task Manager to show a 0 count for apps and processes.

        [Audio]

        • Fixed an underlying issue that could lead to the audio on certain audio devices unexpectedly going to 100% on boot or after sleep.
        • Fixed a blank entry in Settings > Privacy, which was crashing Settings if you clicked it.

        [Other]

        • Mitigated an issue resulting in Git not working for Insiders with Arm PCs in the previous flight.
        • Fixed an issue causing some insiders to see a bugcheck with KERNEL_MODE_HEAP_CORRUPTION in the previous flight.
        • Fixed an underlying issue which could potentially lead to not being able to join a domain.
        • Fixed an issue where DirectAccess wasn’t working and might stay stuck in a connecting state.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
        • We’re investigating reports that some Insiders are still experiencing rollbacks (with error code 0xc190010) when attempting to install the latest Canary builds.
        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue causing some apps used for remoting into other PCs to crash in the latest Canary builds.
        • [NEW] This build has an issue with applying policy for the Digital Markets Act in EEA regions.

        [Desktop]

        • We’re working on the fix for an issue where your desktop background may not show correctly sometimes with multiple monitors (showing big black areas).

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4445-beta-channel/ Fri, 08 Nov 2024 18:04:04 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177415 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4445 (KB5046745) to the Beta Channel.

        Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4445 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4445 (KB5046745) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer] 

        • We’ve added a New Folder option in the context menu when right-clicking locations in the navigation pane.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar]

        • Fixed a few issues impacting explorer.exe reliability in the latest flights related to the taskbar, including an issue impacting some Insiders which could cause explorer.exe to crash sometimes when right clicking apps in the taskbar.
        • Fixed an issue on secondary monitors for left aligned taskbar users, where the widgets text in the taskbar might overlap the date and time.

        [File Explorer]

        • We fixed an issue where the date/time properties of files were unexpectedly updated in some cases after copying them.
        • We fixed an issue where the Details Pane icons weren’t responding correctly to theme changes, making it hard to see if you switched from dark to light or vice versa.
        • We fixed a black flash in File Explorer that appeared when duplicating a tab.
        • We made a change to help improve performance of context menu launch and File Explorer navigation.
        • We fixed an issue where when you did a search it may unexpectedly trigger the search happening repeatedly.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could result in Snipping Tool screenshots being distorted on certain displays.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-2222-dev-channel/ Fri, 08 Nov 2024 18:04:00 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177413 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2222 (KB5046746) to the Dev Channel.

        Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2222 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2222 (KB5046746) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • If you hold Shift and CTRL when clicking on a jump list item in Start menu or taskbar, this will now launch that item as admin, just like if you were to do Shift + CTRL and click the app icon itself. For example, if you right-click on Windows Terminal, and hold Shift and CTRL when you click PowerShell, it would open a PowerShell window as admin.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue causing the See More (“…”) menu to open in the wrong direction (and potentially display offscreen as a result).

        [Input]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could cause the mouse to unlock from a game window on a system with multiple monitors after opening and closing Game Bar, so you couldn’t use it within the game.

        [Windowing]

        • Fixed a recent issue causing windows to potentially unexpectedly move around after waking from sleep if you had multiple monitors.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to Registry Editor going unresponsive if you pressed Alt after clicking on the license information in the About section.

        Known issues

        [Narrator]

        • [NEW] [IMPORTANT] There is an issue in this build which will cause Narrator to crash on launch if you use one of the natural voices (like Jenny). If you are a Narrator user, we recommend pausing updates from Settings under Windows Update > “Pause Updates”. If you do install this update and encounter this issue, switching to another voice, like Microsoft David, in Settings under Accessibility > Narrator will stop the crashes. As Narrator is crashing, you will need to use a secondary screen reader, or have someone assist in order to do this.

        [Desktop]

        • We’re working on the fix for an issue where your desktop background may not show correctly sometimes with multiple monitors (showing big black areas).

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
        • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/06/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27744-canary-channel/ Wed, 06 Nov 2024 18:04:53 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177407 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27744 to the Canary Channel.

        We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        What’s

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27744 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27744 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        What’s new with Build 27744

        New Processor Feature Support in Prism

        In today’s Canary Channel Insider Preview build, we're previewing a major feature update to Prism, our emulator for Windows on Arm, that will make it possible for more 64-bit x86 (x64) applications to run under emulation by adding support for more CPU features under emulation. This new support in Prism is already in limited use today in the retail version of Windows 11, version 24H2, where it enables the ability to run Adobe Premiere Pro 25 on Arm. Starting with Build 27744, the support is being opened to any x64 application under emulation. You may find some games or creative apps that were blocked due to CPU requirements before will be able to run using Prism on this build of Windows. At a technical level, the virtual CPU used by x64 emulated applications through Prism will now have support for additional extensions to the x86 instruction set architecture. These extensions include AVX and AVX2, as well as BMI, FMA, F16C, and others, that are not required to run Windows but have become sufficiently commonplace that some apps expect them to be present. You can see some of the new features in the output of a tool like Coreinfo64.exe. [caption id="attachment_177409" align="alignnone" width="784"] You can see some of the new features in the output of a tool like Coreinfo64.exe with newly exposed CPU features are highlighted above in green.[/caption] Note that in today’s preview, only x64 applications can use these new CPU features. If you have a 32-bit app or a 64-bit app that uses a 32-bit helper to detect CPU feature support, that app won't detect the new features in Prism. We welcome any feedback from Insiders who are interested in trying out apps and games using this early preview of Prism. Please submit any feedback on compatibility issues or performance regressions through the Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Apps and the specific app you’re seeing issues with (if you don’t see the app listed, use "All other apps") to help us to ensure that this updated Prism provides a great experience. Thanks for helping us improve emulation on Windows. We're excited to see customers able to run more apps and games that they care about on Windows on Arm!

        Changes and Improvements

        [Start menu]

        • “All apps” is now just “All” on the Start menu.

        [Input]

        • We’re beginning to roll out a new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 that supports the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type. This includes button accelerators (example: X button for backspace, Y button for spacebar) additionally the keyboard keys have been vertically aligned for better controller navigation patterns.
        [caption id="attachment_177283" align="alignnone" width="861"] New Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 that supports the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type.[/caption]

        [Task Manager]

        • We’ve updated the design of the Disconnect and Logoff dialogs in Task Manager to now support dark mode and text scaling.
        • In the Performance section we now label listed disks with their type.

        [Settings]

        • The detach virtual hard disk (VHD/VHDx) button we added under Settings > System > Storage > Disks & Volumes introduced with Build 27686 is now back with this build after being temporarily disabled starting with Build 27718.

        Fixes

        [General]

        • We fixed the issue causing some Insiders with PCs that have older NVIDIA GPUs (like the GTX 970, Quadro K620, etc.) to experience issues where their displays appear stuck at a black screen and unresponsive or seeing their GPUs showing errors in Device Manager and not working correctly.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an underlying issue causing the Emoji Panel and Clipboard History to not open in certain surfaces anymore, including in Registry Editor.
        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to clipboard history not displaying items you’d copied.

        [Windows Sandbox]

        • Fixed an issue impacting performance of Windows Sandbox for some Insiders after the latest updates.

        [Graphics]

        • Fixed an which could lead dynamic refresh rate to get stuck at 60Hz on first boot.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to see a bugcheck with error PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA starting in Build 27723.
        • Fixed an issue causing remote desktop connection (mstsc.exe) to crash in the previous flight.
        • Fixed a msmpeg2vdec.dll related issue in the last couple flights which was leading to some apps crashing.
        • Fixed an issue where rotation info about JPGs couldn’t be queried via APIs (for example, via PowerShell).
        • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing the Get-WindowsCapability command to get into a state sometimes where it would fail unexpectedly until rebooting your PC.
        • Fixed an issue causing mica to not work correctly when using a slideshow for your desktop background.
        • Fixed an issue which could lead to certain apps not detecting a scanner, although one was connected.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
        • We’re investigating reports that some Insiders are still experiencing rollbacks (with error code 0xc190010) when attempting to install the latest Canary builds.

        [Desktop]

        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue where your desktop background may not show correctly sometimes with multiple monitors (showing big black areas).

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windowsand features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/06/new-ai-experiences-for-paint-and-notepad-begin-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Wed, 06 Nov 2024 18:01:59 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177401 UPDATED 11/14: The below Paint and Notepad updates are beginning to rollout to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. Please note that generative fill in Paint is ONLY available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs

        The post New AI experiences for Paint and Notepad begin rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> UPDATED 11/14: The below Paint and Notepad updates are beginning to rollout to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. Please note that generative fill in Paint is ONLY available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs on Windows 11, version 24H2 and higher so this feature will not be available in this Paint update in the Beta Channel.

        ---

        Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out updates to Paint and Notepad to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.

        Paint (version 11.2410.28.0)

        Generative fill

        In this update, we are introducing generative fill, a powerful new creation tool designed to help you make your artistic process more fun and intuitive. With generative fill, you can make edits and additions with just a few words while maintaining the existing art style of your project. Whether you’re a seasoned artist looking to add intricate details or a hobbyist experimenting with new ideas, generative fill helps you fine-tune your digital art, with just enough AI to assist you in realizing your creative vision while remaining in full control of the output. [caption id="attachment_177403" align="alignnone" width="900"] Paint app open with generative fill dialog open.[/caption] To get started, use the Selection tool in Paint toolbar to make a Rectangle or Free-form selection. Upon selecting the area, you will see a small menu pop up anchored to your selection. Select the Generative fill option on the menu, use the text box to describe what you want to add to your selection, and hit Create. If you don’t like what was generated, simply press the Try again button. You can also try refining your selection or text prompt. Use the arrow buttons to cycle through the generated options, and once you are satisfied with one of the generated images, press the Keep button to apply it to your Paint canvas. You can learn about generative fill in Paint here. Generative fill will initially be available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs. To use generative fill, you will need to sign in with your Microsoft account. This feature is only available for Windows Insiders in supported markets, where availability may vary based on regional criteria.  

        Generative erase

        We are also introducing generative erase, a new AI-powered tool that helps you remove unwanted objects from the canvas, filling in the empty space left behind to make it look like the object was never there. [caption id="attachment_177404" align="alignnone" width="901"] Paint app open with generative erase active.[/caption] To get started, select Generative erase on the left side of the canvas while using the eraser tool. With the generative erase brush, you can manually brush over one or multiple areas of the canvas to select the content you want to remove. “Add area to erase” lets you select more and “Reduce area to erase” lets you reduce your selection. After you are satisfied with your selection, click Apply to remove the object! You can also use rectangular or free-from selection tools to specify an area that you want to remove with the Generative erase command in the small menu pop up anchored to your selection or the right-click menu. Generative erase is available to users on all Windows 11 PCs.

        Update to Cocreator

        With this update, we have improved the underlying diffusion-based model for Cocreator to deliver better results faster, and with built-in moderation, it’s a creative experience you can trust. Cocreator is available on Snapdragon powered Copilot+ PCs. You can learn more about Paint Cocreator here.

        Update to Image Creator

        We launched Image Creator in Paint last year in preview, and we hope you have been enjoying the creative possibilities of AI image creation. We are excited to be expanding the preview to additional markets. Image Creator in Paint is available in preview to all Windows 11 users in the following regions: United States, France, UK, Canada, Italy, and Germany. To use Image Creator, you need to sign in with your Microsoft account. Microsoft 365 Personal and Family and Copilot Pro subscribers in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand will also now be able to use AI credits to use Image Creator in Paint. Learn more about AI credits. You can learn more about Image Creator in Paint here. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint.

        Notepad (version 11.2410.15.0 version 11.2410.17.0)

        With this update, we are introducing the ability to rewrite content in Notepad with the help of generative AI. You can rephrase sentences, adjust the tone, and modify the length of your content based on your preferences to refine your text. [caption id="attachment_177405" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Notepad app with rewrite dialog open.[/caption] To get started, select the text you want to rewrite, then right-click and choose the Rewrite option, select Rewrite from the menu bar, or use the Ctrl + I keyboard shortcut. Notepad will generate three variations of the rewritten text for you to choose from. Select one, or if you want to further refine the output, you can customize rewrite settings and click Retry to generate additional versions. Options to make your content longer or shorter and modifying the tone or format let you easily adjust your content for specific goals. The previous versions are still preserved in the current dialog, so you can easily revert to earlier versions if needed. If you prefer, you can disable the rewrite feature in app settings. Rewrite in Notepad is available in preview to all users on Windows 11 in the following regions: United States, France, UK, Canada, Italy, and Germany. To use rewrite, you need to sign in with your Microsoft account. Microsoft 365 Personal and Family and Copilot Pro subscribers in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand will also be able to use AI credits to use rewrite in Notepad. Learn more about AI credits. You can learn more about Rewrite in Notepad here. We have also continued to improve Notepad launch performance. With this update, most users will see app launch time improve by more than 35%, with some users seeing improvements of 55% or more. FEEDBACK: Please share your feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Notepad. [These features in Paint and Notepad are beginning to rollout in these updates, so it may not be available to all Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing them out to everyone.] As always, we love getting feedback from the community and we will be looking out for your thoughts and suggestions on these updates! Thanks, Dave Grochocki, Principal Group Product Manager – Windows Inbox Apps]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-2213-dev-channel/ Mon, 04 Nov 2024 22:04:43 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177398 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2213 (KB5045885) to the Dev Channel.

        Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2213 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2213 (KB5045885) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Input]

        • We are beginning to roll out a change where we now hide the IME toolbar when apps are in full screen mode for those who have the IME toolbar enabled and type in Chinese or Japanese.
        • We have temporarily disabled the new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 that began rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel with Build 26120.2130 to address some issues. This feature will roll out again in a future flight.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Start menu]

        • Fixed an issue impacting Start menu reliability.
        • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to see an unexpected amount of spacing between items in the Start menu apps list.
        • Fixed an issue where ability to pin / unpin apps to and from Start menu was unexpectedly unavailable for some people.

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue which was causing the items in the navigation pane to become very spread out (with unexpected padding between each item) for some people.
        • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing RAW images taken in portrait mode to unexpectedly display in landscape mode thumbnails.

        [Taskbar]

        • Made a change so you will now see a search box if the taskbar auto-hides when the setting for search on the taskbar is set to “Search box” (rather than an icon).
        • Made a fix for WIN + <# associated with position on taskbar> not working in some cases in the latest flights.
        • Fixed an issue where the X button to close an app window from the taskbar wasn’t working for some Insiders.
        • Fixed an issue on secondary monitors for left aligned taskbar users, where the widgets text in the taskbar might overlap the date and time.

        [Dev Drive]

        • Fixed an underlying issue leading to Dev Drives potentially not being accessible within WSL after the latest flights.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could potentially lead to not being able to join a domain.
        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to DISM /StartComponentCleanup not working properly, getting stuck at 71% and showing error 6842.
        • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing the Get-WindowsCapability command to get into a state sometimes where it would fail unexpectedly until rebooting your PC.
        • Fixed an issue where rotation info about JPGs couldn't be queried via APIs (for example, via PowerShell).

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [General]

        • Fixed an underlying issue leading to some games not launching in the previous flight.

        [Task Manager]

        • Fixed an issue causing Task Manager to show a 0 count for apps and processes.

        [Network]

        • Fixed an underlying issue impacting DHCP where unexpected duplicate options would fail lease acquisition, which could cause DHCP to not get an IP address, leading to Wi-Fi not working.
        • Fixed an issue where DirectAccess wasn’t working and might stay stuck in a connecting state.

        Known issues

        [Desktop]

        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue where your desktop background may not show correctly sometimes with multiple monitors (showing big black areas).

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
        • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/01/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4440-beta-channel/ Fri, 01 Nov 2024 17:09:02 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177392 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4440 (KB5045889) to the Beta Channel.

        Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4440 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4440 (KB5045889) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        Modernized Windows Hello

        At Microsoft, we are committed to security and enhancing user experiences. As part of this commitment, we launched enhanced passkey features in September 2023 and are now revamping the Windows Hello user experience. This represents a significant update to Windows Hello, aligning it with contemporary Windows visual design standards. The primary focus is on making authentication intuitive and seamless. [caption id="attachment_177394" align="alignnone" width="591"] Image showing new Windows Hello iconography.[/caption] Modernized Windows Hello Visual Communication: The updated Windows Hello visuals are designed to facilitate fast and clear communication and appear on the Windows Sign-in screen as well as other authentication flows such as passkey, Microsoft Store and many more. [caption id="attachment_177396" align="alignnone" width="721"] Image of the Windows 11 login screen depicting new Windows Hello iconography.[/caption] Revamped Windows Hello credential user experience for passkeys and the new administrator protection experience: We redesigned Windows security credential user experiences for passkey creating a cleaner experience that supports secured and quick authentication. Users will now be able to switch between authentication options and select passkey/devices more intuitively. [caption id="attachment_177397" align="alignnone" width="744"] Image of new passkey sign-in flow screens.[/caption] This experience will also apply for the new administrator protection feature coming to Windows 11, version 24H2 and higher and currently in preview with Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security and Privacy > Passwordless experience.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        [Input]

        • We have temporarily disabled the new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 that began rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel with Build 22635.4145 to address some issues. This feature will be roll out again in a future flight.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Input]

        • Fixed an underlying issue causing touch keyboard crashes and the IME candidate window to not appear for some Insiders in the previous flight.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-2200-dev-channel/ Fri, 25 Oct 2024 17:04:13 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177386 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2200 (KB5044376) to the Dev Channel.

        Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2200 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2200 (KB5044376) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Windows Studio Effects]

        • Windows Studio Effects delivers AI-based camera and audio enhancements on devices equipped with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU). Today, you can access Studio Effects in Quick Settings from the system tray of the taskbar. To further streamline your experience, an icon will now appear in the system tray when using any application with a Studio Effects-enabled camera. Simply click on this icon to launch the Studio Effects page in Quick Settings. Additionally, hovering over the icon will display a tooltip indicating which application is utilizing the camera.
        [caption id="attachment_177180" align="alignnone" width="438"] New Studio Effects icon shown in system tray when using any application with a Studio Effects-enabled camera.[/caption]

        [Dynamic Lighting]

        • When no compatible devices are attached, the Dynamic Lighting settings page will now show a placeholder message and Brightness and Effects controls are disabled.
        • On the Dynamic Lighting settings page, we have added Forward, Backward, Outward and Inward direction options to the Wave effect, and added the Forward direction option to the Gradient effect.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Start menu]

        • Fixed an issue where if you clicked or tapped on a letter on Start menu's All apps list, the All apps list may break.

        [Taskbar]

        • Fixed an issue where explorer.exe was crashing for some Insiders when hovering over certain open apps in the taskbar.

        [Settings]

        • Fixed an issue where there was a blank entry in Privacy & Security and clicking it would crash Settings.

        [Input]

        • Updated the mouse option “Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key”, so that the circles displayed are now DPI-aware, and aren’t really small on high DPI monitors.

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [Other]

        • [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] Fixed: This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
        • [HTML Applications (HTA)] Fixed: HTA optional components (OC) are now in ARM64 Windows PE.
        • [Live kernel debug files (dumps)] Fixed: sys creates live kernel debug files when it should not.
        • [User interface (UI)] Fixed: You cannot view some parts of the UI when you run certain apps.
        • [Winlogon] Fixed: A stop error occurs during shutdown.
        • [sfc /scannow command] Fixed: You get errors every time you run the command.
        • [Windows Disk Cleanup app] Fixed: This update addresses some of the causes for the wrong free space estimates and improves its accuracy.

        Known issues

        [Start menu]

        • [NEW] You may see there is an unexpected amount of spacing between items in the Start menu apps list.

        [Dev Drive]

        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue leading to Dev Drives potentially not being accessible within WSL.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
        • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4435-beta-channel/ Fri, 25 Oct 2024 17:03:56 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177388 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4435 (KB5044377) to the Beta Channel.

        Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4435 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4435 (KB5044377) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update*) and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • If you hold Shift and CTRL when clicking on a jump list item in Start menu or taskbar, this will now launch that item as admin, just like if you were to do Shift + CTRL and click the app icon itself.  For example, if you right-click on Windows Terminal, and hold Shift and CTRL when you click PowerShell, it would open a PowerShell window as admin.

        [Dynamic Lighting]

        • When no compatible devices are attached, the Dynamic Lighting settings page will now show a placeholder message and Brightness and Effects controls are disabled.
        • On the Dynamic Lighting settings page, we have added Forward, Backward, Outward and Inward direction options to the Wave effect, and added the Forward direction option to the Gradient effect.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar]

        • Made another fix for WIN + <# associated with position on taskbar> not working in some cases in the latest flights.
        • Fixed an issue where the X button to close an app window from the taskbar wasn’t working for some Insiders.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could cause the mouse to unlock from a game window on a system with multiple monitors after opening and closing Game Bar, so you couldn’t use it within the game.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Settings]

        • After disabling the ability to configure the Copilot key with Build 22635.4291, we are enabling this functionality again with refinements. We have limited the apps that can be launched by the Copilot key to those apps that have opted into this experience. This is to ensure apps targeted by the key know they will be used in this way and meet security and privacy requirements to keep customers safe. We will be publishing how apps can opt-in to this experience here in on this Microsoft Learn page soon. As a reminder, this setting can be found via Settings > Personalization > Text input.

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Other]

        This update includes fixes for the following issues:
        • [Bluetooth] Fixed: An app stops responding because of a memory leak in a device.
        • [Product activation phone numbers] Fixed: This adds new phone numbers for several regions.
        • [Collector sets] Fixed: They do not close properly when an exception occurs during startup or while the set is active. Because of this, the command to stop a collector set stops responding.
        • [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
        • [Windows Hello for Business] Fixed: PIN reset does not work when you select the “I forgot my PIN’ link on the credentials screen.
        • [Multi-Function Printer (MFP)] Fixed: When you use a USB cable to connect to it, it prints specific network command text when you do want it to.
        • [Microsoft Teams] Fixed: The issue stops you from joining Teams meetings when you select an Outlook meeting reminder.
        • [Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)] Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • [vmswitch] Fixed: A vmswitch triggers a stop error. This occurs when you use Load Balancing and Failover (LBFO) teaming with two virtual switches on a virtual machine (VM). In this case, one virtual switch uses single root Input/Output virtualization (SR-IOV).
        • [WebView2 apps] Fixed: They do not detect input from Xbox 360 and Bluetooth controllers.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/22/microsoft-photos-update-with-super-resolution-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Tue, 22 Oct 2024 18:45:44 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177378 UPDATE 2/5/2025: We are beginning to roll out OCR support in the Photos app again to Windows Insiders on Windows 11 across all Insider Channels. We've made some improvements to the experience. The OCR button h

        The post Microsoft Photos update with super resolution begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> UPDATE 2/5/2025: We are beginning to roll out OCR support in the Photos app again to Windows Insiders on Windows 11 across all Insider Channels. We've made some improvements to the experience. The OCR button has been updated and will show up for every image. If the image does not have any text, there will be a notice letting you know OCR can't be run on the image. We've also added a loading animation too. Let us know what you think! [caption id="attachment_177617" align="alignnone" width="1694"] Animated GIF showing OCR in the Photos app with the new OCR button.[/caption] UPDATE 11/21: OCR support in the Photos app has been temporarily disabled to address some issues and will be re-enabled again in a future update. UPDATE 10/24: We investigated and fixed an issue where super resolution was appearing on PCs it shouldn't be. The fix is rolling out now. Hello Windows Insiders, Today, we are releasing a preview of super resolution for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, along with OCR support and other productivity-focused improvements to the Photos app. This update is now available to Windows Insiders on Windows 11 across all Insider Channels.

        Introducing super resolution on Copilot+ PCs

        This update brings a preview of super resolution to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs*. Super resolution uses AI to enhance and enlarge images up to 8x the original image size. Super resolution is perfect for improving low-quality photos, preparing photos for large prints or displays, and tight cropping without giving up image resolution to zero into the content you want to focus on. Super resolution leverages the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) on the Copilot+ PC to deliver enhancements quickly and efficiently, all done locally on your PC. You can access super resolution from the Photos Editor to enhance your images within seconds. [caption id="attachment_177380" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Super resolution offers a simple way to upscale and enhance photos in the Photos Editor on Copilot+ PCs.[/caption]

        OCR Support in the Photos app for all Windows 11 and Windows 10 PCs

        We understand the importance of easily accessing and managing the information captured in your photos. To support this, we are introducing Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in the Photos app to improve productivity and make managing information in your images easier. With OCR, the app detects text in your photos, allowing you to copy it directly to your clipboard—whether it's from pictures of documents, notes, or screenshots. Once text is detected, you can copy specific sections and paste them into other apps.  OCR supports over 160 languages and can be accessed via the OCR icon at the bottom of the image when text is identified. [caption id="attachment_177381" align="alignnone" width="1024"] OCR provides a quick and easy way to extract text from images in the Photos Viewer on Windows 11 and Windows 10.[/caption]

        Other fixes and improvements

        • In response to user feedback, we are launching single-click support in the Gallery. With this update, you can now open individual images with a single click to make navigation more efficient. If double clicking is your preference, it will still work the same as before.
        • Enhancements to the Zoom feature now include large images automatically resizing to fit within the Viewer window and improved synchronization between the zoom slider and the zoom selection display.
        • We implemented bug fixes for the Image creator and Restyle image features on Copilot+ PCs to improve overall quality.
        To get these new features, update your app to version 2024.11100.17007.0 or higher via the Microsoft Store. This update is currently rolling out, so it may not be available right away. As always, we love getting your feedback so please share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Apps > Photos. Thanks, Alyssa Dunn Senior Product Manager, Microsoft Photos *Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs with Windows 11, version 24H2 and higher in the Canary, Dev, and Release Preview Channels. ]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/18/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-2130-dev-channel/ Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:03:44 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177373 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2130 (KB5044400) to the Dev Channel.

        Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2130 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2130 (KB5044400) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update)* and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Start menu]

        • “All apps” is now just “All” on the Start menu.

        [Input]

        • We’re beginning to roll out a new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 that supports the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type. This includes button accelerators (example: X button for backspace, Y button for spacebar) additionally the keyboard keys have been vertically aligned for better controller navigation patterns.
        [caption id="attachment_177283" align="alignnone" width="643"] New Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 that supports the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type.[/caption]

        [Narrator]

        • We have added a new shortcut “Narrator key + control + X" to copy what Narrator last spoke to clipboard. It follows the pattern of using "Narrator key + X" which repeats the last spoken phrase out loud and is a good way to memorize similar shortcuts. You can use these shortcuts to review and copy what Narrator spoke, useful in cases you want to quickly copy some content or descriptions or codes/numbers for use.
        • Narrator will now auto-read contents of a mail in the new Outlook app similar to behavior in Outlook classic.

        [Networking]

        • If you use the netsh wlan show networks command, you should be able to read SSIDs that are UTF-8 encoded. This means that Wi-Fi SSIDs with Unicode characters (like emojis) should be properly displayed in netsh output.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • Fixed an issue for a small number of Insiders after the latest builds, where on locking your PC, after waking the PC from sleep the login screen contents wouldn’t load and you couldn’t sign back in.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to clipboard history not displaying items you’d copied.

        [Taskbar]

        • Fixed an issue where if you had multiple windows open for an app on your taskbar, pressing WIN + multiple times wasn’t cycling between the windows, for example, pressing WIN + 1.

        [Narrator]

        • We have addressed a performance issue where Narrator would slow down after 15 minutes of continuous use with a single application. If you continue to experience any performance delays, do report using Feedback Hub.
        • Fixed an issue where Narrator would add an additional announcement "contains style" whenever its focus is on text that has styling attributes such as bullets, numbers across applications such as Microsoft Edge, Teams, Outlook, etc.
        • Fixed an issue where few dialogs in Narrator were not adopting the 200% text scaling setting in Windows.

        [Live captions]

        • Fixed an issue causing live captions to crash for some people in the previous flight when you tried to use it.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue causing mica to not work correctly when using a slideshow for your desktop background.

        Known issues

        [Taskbar]

        • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that explorer.exe is crashing for some Insiders when hovering over certain open apps in the taskbar.

        [Start menu]

        • If you click or tap on a letter on Start menu's All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, please try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
        • Updates delivered to the Dev Channe are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/18/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4371-beta-channel/ Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:03:38 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177371 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4371 (KB504498) to the Beta Channel.

        Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fix

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4371 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4371 (KB504498) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update)* and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Snap]

        • We’re trying out a behind-the-scenes change to improve what apps are suggested for snapping in snap layouts. Try out snapping different apps and let us know if you see improvements in what apps you see suggested.

        [Narrator]

        • We have added a new shortcut “Narrator key + control + X" to copy what Narrator last spoke to clipboard. It follows the pattern of using "Narrator key + X" which repeats the last spoken phrase out loud and is a good way to memorize similar shortcuts. You can use these shortcuts to review and copy what Narrator spoke, useful in cases you want to quickly copy some content or descriptions or codes/numbers for use.
        • Narrator will now auto-read contents of a mail in the new Outlook app similar to behavior in Outlook classic.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Did some work so the search box in File Explorer shouldn’t draw off the end of the window anymore.

        [Narrator]

        • We have addressed a performance issue where Narrator would slow down after 15 minutes of continuous use with a single application. If you continue to experience any performance delays, do report using Feedback Hub.
        • Fixed an issue where Narrator would add an additional announcement "contains style" whenever its focus is on text that has styling attributes such as bullets, numbers across applications such as Microsoft Edge, Teams, Outlook, etc.
        • Fixed an issue where few dialogs in Narrator were not adopting the 200% text scaling setting in Windows.

        Snipping Tool Update

        We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2409.23.0 and newer) to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels that introduces a new “Copy as table” feature. [caption id="attachment_177355" align="alignnone" width="648"] Snipping Tool showing copy as table option with text pasted into Microsoft Excel.[/caption] Customers can do even more with Snipping Tool! Alongside existing text features, like copying text from an image and redacting sensitive information, we’re adding a new option for “Copy as table”. Customers can use “Copy as table” to easily copy structured table data into an email, document, or spreadsheet. To get started, capture a screenshot with table data, select “Text actions,” and select “Copy as table.” You can paste the structured table data from there! Please note: the current implementation of the feature works best when your screenshot only includes one table. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/17/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27729-canary-channel/ Thu, 17 Oct 2024 21:03:50 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177369 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27729 to the Canary Channel.

        We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        Changes a

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27729 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27729 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        Changes and Improvements

        [Settings]

        • We are adding the ability to configure the Copilot key. You can choose to have the Copilot key launch an app that is MSIX packaged and signed, thus indicating the app meets security and privacy requirements to keep customers safe. The key will continue to launch Copilot on devices that have the Copilot app installed until a customer selects a different experience. This setting can be found via Settings > Personalization > Text input. If the keyboard connected to your PC does not have a Copilot key, adjusting this setting will not do anything. We are planning further refinements to this experience in a future flight.
        [caption id="attachment_177304" align="alignnone" width="635"] New setting for configuring the Copilot key highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        Fixes

        [General]

        • We fixed an underlying issue causing some games, including Microsoft Solitaire & Casual Games, to crash on launch after installing Build 27718+.

        [Windowing]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could cause the screen to go black for a few seconds for some people when using ALT + Tab.

        [Other]

        • We fixed an issue causing BitLocker to not work correctly for a small number of Insiders in the last 2 flights.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
        • We’re investigating reports that some Insiders are still experiencing rollbacks (with error code 0xc190010) when attempting to install the latest Canary builds.
        • [UPDATED] Some Insiders with PCs that have older NVIDIA GPUs (like the GTX 970, Quadro K620, etc.) are experiencing some issues where their displays appear stuck at a black screen and unresponsive or seeing their GPUs showing errors in Device Manager and not working correctly. We are aware of the issue and working on a fix. If you are impacted by this issue and unable to use your PC, you can boot into Windows Recovery (WinRE), roll back to the previous build, and pause updates in Windows Update to wait for a new build with the fix for this issue. If you paused updates with Build 27723 last week you will need to un-pause and re-pause updates to not take Build 27729 to remain on Build 27718 for right now.
        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing some Insiders to see a bugcheck with error PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA starting in Build 27723.

        [Input]

        • We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue causing the Emoji Panel and Clipboard History to not open in certain surfaces anymore, including in Registry Editor.

        Snipping Tool Update

        We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2409.23.0 and newer) to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels that introduces a new “Copy as table” feature. [caption id="attachment_177355" align="alignnone" width="556"] Snipping Tool showing copy as table option with text pasted into Microsoft Excel.[/caption] Customers can do even more with Snipping Tool! Alongside existing text features, like copying text from an image and redacting sensitive information, we’re adding a new option for “Copy as table”. Customers can use “Copy as table” to easily copy structured table data into an email, document, or spreadsheet. To get started, capture a screenshot with table data, select “Text actions,” and select “Copy as table.” You can paste the structured table data from there! Please note: the current implementation of the feature works best when your screenshot only includes one table. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windowsand features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/16/microsoft-store-october-2024-update-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Wed, 16 Oct 2024 22:01:03 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177364 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out updates to the Microsoft Store for all Insider Channels.

        A new product page experience

        [caption id="attachment_177366" align="alignnone" width="1024"]Microsoft Store October 2024 update rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> A new product page experience [caption id="attachment_177366" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The new product page experience on the Microsoft Store, showing an immersive hero image on Halo Infinite’s page.[/caption] We’re introducing a new feature for product pages that adds an immersive experience to the top of the page. For apps and games that provide a trailer, you’ll be able to enjoy it as you navigate to their various pages. Meanwhile, products without trailers will use beautiful hero images provided by the developers. There’s also an option in the Store settings page to toggle video autoplay on or off. [caption id="attachment_177367" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The new product page for apps like Spotify on the Microsoft Store in light theme mode.[/caption] The new product page experience will be rolling out starting with version 22409 or higher of the Microsoft Store, and it will be available in both light and dark modes. It will also start rolling out to non-Insiders soon. For developers, we invite all of you to update your Microsoft Store app listing with immersive trailers or hero images. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store. Please try out these changes and let us know what you think. Our team is always listening for feedback! Thanks, Microsoft Store Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/14/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-5070-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/ Mon, 14 Oct 2024 21:26:04 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177362 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5070 (KB5045594) to BOTH the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2.

        The Beta Channel and

        The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.5070 to Beta and Release Preview Channels appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5070 (KB5045594) to BOTH the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. The Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel will receive the same Windows 10 builds; however, the Beta Channel is where we will try new features out with Insiders that we’re working on that are not yet ready for all Windows 10 customers.

        For Windows Insiders on Windows 10 in the Beta Channel, we’re beginning to roll out the following improvements

        [Settings]

        • Under Settings > System > About, you will now find a refreshed experience with new top cards that highlight key hardware specifications of your device. These cards are designed to keep you informed about the most important details of your device’s hardware that matter to you. We’ve also added FAQs directly within this settings page to help you better understand your device. These FAQs will explain your current hardware specifications and how they impact the performance of your device, making it easier to get the most out of your system.
        Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 10 who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Updated & Security > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.

        This update includes the following features and improvements for Windows Insiders in BOTH the Beta and Release Preview Channels

        Items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented:
        • [Start menu] New! This update starts the roll out of the new account manager on the Start menu. The new design makes it easy to view your account and access account settings. To change to a different user, select the ellipses (...) next to Sign out. The Lock command is now on the power menu. Note: This change might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.
        • [vmswitch] Fixed: A vmswitch triggers a stop error. This occurs when you use Load Balancing and Failover (LBFO) teaming with two virtual switches on a virtual machine (VM). In this case, one virtual switch uses single root Input/Output virtualization (SR-IOV).
        • [Upgrade to Windows 11] Fixed: A race condition causes stop error 0x3B. This might occur when you upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11.
        • [Product activation phone numbers] Fixed: This adds new phone numbers for several regions.
        • [Multi-Function Printer (MFP)]
          • Fixed: When you use a USB cable to connect to it, it prints specific network command text when you do want it to.
          • Fixed: A scanner driver fails to install when you use a USB cable to connect to an MFP.
        • [Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)] Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • [WebView2 apps] Fixed: They do not detect input from Xbox 360 and Bluetooth controllers.
        Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4367-beta-channel/ Fri, 11 Oct 2024 17:03:43 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177357 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4367 (KB5044373) to the Beta Channel.

        Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4367 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4367 (KB5044373) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update)* and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        [Windows Share]

        • We are adding the ability to share directly to apps that support sharing in Windows when right-clicking on local files in File Explorer or the desktop.
        [caption id="attachment_177359" align="alignnone" width="463"] Share with apps directly through the context menu in File Explorer or on the desktop.[/caption]

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Start menu]

        • Fixed an issue that was leading to some Insiders potentially seeing unexpected amount of spacing between items in the Start menu all apps list.

        [Live captions]

        • Fixed an issue causing live captions to crash on launch for some Insiders in the last 2 builds.

        [Taskbar]

        • Fixed an issue where if you had multiple windows open for an app on your taskbar, pressing WIN + multiple times wasn’t cycling between the windows, for example, pressing WIN + 1.
        • Fixed an issue for uncombined taskbar users, where app icons were unexpectedly showing instead of the window’s icon next to the window name.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-2122-dev-channel/ Fri, 11 Oct 2024 17:03:37 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177353 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2122 (KB5044374) to the Dev Channel.

        Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2122 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2122 (KB5044374) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update)* and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • We’ve updated the previews that show when you mouse-over/hover over apps on the taskbar. We have also improved the animations for when these previews show on the taskbar based on Insider feedback.
        [caption id="attachment_177179" align="alignnone" width="592"] Updated taskbar previews shown for two open File Explorer windows.[/caption]

        [Task Manager]

        • We’ve updated the design of the Disconnect and Logoff dialogs in Task Manager to now support dark mode and text scaling.
        • In the Performance section we now label listed disks with their type.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Windowing]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could cause the screen to go black for a few seconds for some people when using ALT + Tab.

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [General]

        • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to see error 0x800f0825 when trying to install the latest Dev Channel builds.

        [Other]

        This update includes fixes for the following issues:
        • [Remote Desktop Gateway Service] Fixed: The service stops responding. This occurs when a service uses remote procedure calls (RPC) over HTTP. Because of this, the clients that are using the service disconnect.

        Known issues

        [Start menu]

        • If you click or tap on a letter on Start menu's All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, please try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

        [Live captions]

        • [NEW] After installing this build, live captions may crash if you try to use it.

        Snipping Tool Update

        We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2409.22.0 and newer) to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels that introduces a new “Copy as table” feature. [caption id="attachment_177355" align="alignnone" width="637"] Snipping Tool showing copy as table option with text pasted into Microsoft Excel.[/caption] Customers can do even more with Snipping Tool! Alongside existing text features, like copying text from an image and redacting sensitive information, we’re adding a new option for “Copy as table”. Customers can use “Copy as table” to easily copy structured table data into an email, document, or spreadsheet. To get started, capture a screenshot with table data, select “Text actions,” and select “Copy as table.” You can paste the structured table data from there! Please note: the current implementation of the feature works best when your screenshot only includes one table. FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
        • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/10/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-2152-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 10 Oct 2024 21:38:26 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177351 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.2152 (KB5044384) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100).

        Below i

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.2152 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Build 26100.2152 (KB5044384) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

        Gradual rollout

        The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
        • [Start menu] New! You can directly access content on your mobile device from the Start menu on your PC. Using this feature, you can view your device’s battery status and connectivity, access your voice messages, calls, and photos, and pick up where you left off with the latest activities on your device. Only Android users who are already connected using Phone Link can get this feature. iOS support will be coming later. To manage this feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Start. [UPDATE 10/14] This feature will roll out to Insiders in Release Preview on Windows 11, version 24H2 at a later date and is not rolling out yet with this update.
        • [Notifications] New! You can now stop the suggestions to turn off notifications from certain apps. Select the ellipses (…) in the notification and turn it off. You can also go to Settings > System > Notifications and turn it off from there. Look for “Notification Suggestions” in the senders list. An entry will only appear in the list after you receive a notification.
        • [Windows Sandbox Client Preview] New! This update adds the Windows Sandbox Client Preview. This preview includes runtime clipboard redirection, audio and video input control, and sharing folders with the host at runtime. To access these, select the ellipses (…) at the upper right on the app. This preview also includes a version of command-line support. (The commands might change over time). To learn more, use the exe –help command. You can find new updates for this app in the Microsoft Store.
        • [Virtual hard disk (VHD/VHDx)] New! This update adds a detach virtual hard disk button to Settings. In the properties for your VHD or VHDx, go to Settings > System > Storage > Disks & Volumes.
        • [Wi-Fi password dialog] New! The dialog now has the Windows 11 visual design. Go to Settings > Network & internet.
        The following features began rolling out gradually with Build 26100.2161 on Oct. 24th, 2024:
        • ​​​​​​​[Start menu] New! “All apps” has the new name, “All.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
        • [Networking] New! If you use the netsh wlan show networks command, it can now read SSIDs that are encoded using UTF-8. This means that Wi-Fi SSIDs that have Unicode characters (like emoji) will display properly in netsh output. This might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.​​​​​
        • [Narrator]
          • New! This update adds a new Narrator shortcut. Press the Narrator key + Ctrl + X to copy what Narrator last spoke to the clipboard. This shortcut is useful when you want to quickly copy some content, like codes or numbers for use.
          • New! It will now auto read the contents of an email message in the new Outlook. This is like the behavior in Outlook classic.

        Normal rollout

        This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
        • [Copilot key settings] New! You can configure the Copilot key on the keyboard. On new devices, the key opens the Copilot app. If you sign in to your account using a Microsoft Entra ID, the key opens the M365 app. You can make the key open a different app or open Search. To do this, go to Settings > Personalization > Text input. To make the key open a different app, the app must be in a signed MSIX package. This ensures that the app meets security and privacy standards to keep you safe. If your PC’s keyboard does not have a Copilot key, changing this setting will do nothing.
        • [User interface (UI)] Fixed: You cannot view some parts of the UI when you run certain apps.
        • [HTML Applications (HTA)] Fixed: HTA optional components (OC) are now in ARM64 Windows PE.
        • [Live kernel debug files (dumps)] Fixed: win32kbase.sys creates live kernel debug files when it should not.
        • [Winlogon] Fixed: A stop error occurs during shutdown.
        • [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] Fixed: This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
        • [Web sign-in] Fixed: You cannot sign in to your account from the web because the screen stops responding.
        • [sfc /scannow command] Fixed: You get errors every time you run the command.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/10/releasing-windows-11-build-22631-4387-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 10 Oct 2024 21:32:56 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177349 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.4387 (KB5044380) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.4387 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Build 22631.4387 (KB5044380) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 23H2 (Build 22631).   Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

        Gradual rollout

        The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
        • [Start menu]
          • New! You can directly access content on your mobile device from the Start menu on your PC. Using this feature, you can view your device’s battery status and connectivity, access your voice messages, calls, and photos, and pick up where you left off with the latest activities on your device. Only Android users who are already connected using Phone Link can get this feature. iOS support will be coming later. To manage this feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Start. [UPDATE 10/14] This feature will roll out to Insiders in Release Preview on Windows 11, version 23H2 at a later date and is not rolling out yet with this update.
          • New! “All apps” has the new name, “All.”
        • [Gamepad keyboard] New! This update starts the roll out of a new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard. With it, you can use your Xbox controller to move around the screen and type. Button accelerators are also available; these include the X button for backspace and the Y button for the spacebar. For better movement patterns, the keyboard keys are aligned vertically.
        • [Notifications] New! You can now stop the suggestions to turn off notifications from certain apps. Select the ellipses (…) in the notification and turn it off. You can also go to Settings > System > Notifications and turn it off from there. Look for “Notification Suggestions” in the senders list. An entry will only appear in the list after you receive a notification.
        • [Settings] New! Tailored Experiences is now Personalized offers in the out of box experience (OOBE). You can find it on the Recommendations and offers page. Go to Settings > Privacy & security. Here, you can turn off the setting that sends data about your device to enhance Windows. [UPDATE 10/14] This feature will roll out to Insiders in Release Preview on Windows 11, version 23H2 at a later date and is not rolling out yet with this update.

        Normal rollout

        This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
        • [Copilot key settings] New! You can configure the Copilot key on the keyboard. On new devices, the key opens the Copilot app. If you sign in to your account using a Microsoft Entra ID, the key opens the M365 app. You can make the key open a different app or open Search. To do this, go to Settings > Personalization > Text input. To make the key open a different app, the app must be in a signed MSIX package. This ensures that the app meets security and privacy standards to keep you safe. If your PC’s keyboard does not have a Copilot key, changing this setting will do nothing.
        • [Battery use] Fixed: A device uses too much battery power while the device is in Modern Standby.
        • [Microsoft Teams] Fixed: The issue stops you from joining Teams meetings when you select an Outlook meeting reminder.
        • [vmswitch] Fixed: A vmswitch triggers a stop error. This occurs when you use Load Balancing and Failover (LBFO) teaming with two virtual switches on a virtual machine (VM). In this case, one virtual switch uses single root Input/Output virtualization (SR-IOV).
        • [Collector sets] Fixed: They do not close properly when an exception occurs during startup or while the set is active. Because of this, the command to stop a collector set stops responding.
        • [Product activation phone numbers] Fixed: This update adds new phone numbers for several regions.
        • [Multi-Function Printer (MFP)] Fixed: When you use a USB cable to connect to it, it prints specific network command text when you do want it to.
        • [Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)] Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • [Windows Hello for Business] Fixed: PIN reset does not work when you select the “I forgot my PIN’ link on the credentials screen.
        • [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] Fixed: This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
        • [WebView2 apps] Fixed: They do not detect input from Xbox 360 and Bluetooth controllers.
        • [Bluetooth] Fixed: An app stops responding because of a memory leak in a device.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27723-canary-channel/ Wed, 09 Oct 2024 17:05:10 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177344 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27723 to the Canary Channel.

        We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        Changes a

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27723 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27723 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        Changes and Improvements

        [General]

        • [REMINDER] Insider Preview Build Expiration: The expiration date for Insider Preview builds flighted to the Canary Channel has been updated to 9/15/2025 starting with Build 27695. Please make sure you are updated to the latest build in the Canary Channel.

        [Search on the Taskbar]

        • We are beginning to roll out the ability to share local files directly from within the search results shown in the search box on the taskbar.
        [caption id="attachment_177099" align="alignnone" width="430"] New option to share a local file highlighted in a red box in the search results from the search box on the taskbar.[/caption]

        [Voice Access]

        • We are making improvements for the spelling and corrections experience in voice access. You can now use the experience for the entire voice access session. The spelling experience will now enable you to dictate the characters at a faster speed and offer more editing flexibility inside the experience with dictation commands, namely selection, deletion and text navigation commands.

        [Fonts]

        • There is a new simplified Chinese font (Simsun-ExtG) with 9,753 ideographs supporting Unicode Extensions G, H and I. Included is the highly requested character for Biangbiang noodles. This character U+30EDD is said to be the most complicated Chinese character, as you can see in the image below. We are aware that some applications may not be able to display these new extension characters yet.
          • Unicode range G 30000-3134A (4,939 chars)
          • Unicode range H 31350-323AF (4,192 chars)
          • Unicode range I 2EBF0-2EE5D (622 chars)
        [caption id="attachment_177339" align="alignnone" width="97"] Biangbiang character Unicode 30EDD.[/caption]

        [Settings]

        • The detach virtual hard disk (VHD/VHDx) button we added under Settings > System > Storage > Disks & Volumes introduced with Build 27686 has temporarily been disabled starting with Build 27718. We’re working to re-enable this change in a future flight soon.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
        • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that some games, including Microsoft Solitaire & Casual Games, are crashing on launch after installing 27718.
        • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that some Insiders are still experiencing rollbacks (with error code 0xc190010) when attempting to install the latest Canary builds.
        • [ADDED 10/10] Some Insiders with PCs that have older NVIDIA GPUs (like the GTX 970, Quadro K620, etc.) are experiencing some issues where their displays appear stuck at a black screen and unresponsive or seeing their GPUs showing errors in Device Manager and not working correctly. We are aware of the issue and working on a fix. If you are impacted by this issue and unable to use your PC, you can boot into Windows Recovery (WinRE), roll back to the previous build, and pause updates in Windows Update to wait for a new build with the fix for this issue.

        [Input]

        • We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue causing the Emoji Panel and Clipboard History to not open in certain surfaces anymore, including in Registry Editor.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-1930-dev-channel/ Fri, 04 Oct 2024 17:04:32 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177337 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1930 (KB5044388) to the Dev Channel.

        Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1930 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1930 (KB5044388) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update)* and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        [Fonts]

        • There is a new simplified Chinese font (Simsun-ExtG) with 9,753 ideographs supporting Unicode Extensions G, H and I. Included is the highly requested character for Biangbiang noodles. This character U+30EDD is said to be the most complicated Chinese character, as you can see in the image below. We are aware that some applications may not be able to display these new extension characters yet.
          • Unicode range G 30000-3134A (4,939 chars)
          • Unicode range H 31350-323AF (4,192 chars)
          • Unicode range I 2EBF0-2EE5D (622 chars)
        [caption id="attachment_177339" align="alignnone" width="97"] Biangbiang character Unicode 30EDD.[/caption]

        [Windows Sandbox]

        • The new Windows Sandbox Client Preview that began rolling out with Build 26120.1843 should now be available to all Insiders in the Dev Channel.
        [caption id="attachment_177309" align="alignnone" width="675"] Windows Sandbox Client Preview with new dropdown showing clipboard redirection, audio/video input control, and the ability to share folders with the host.[/caption]

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue for some Insiders with dual boot devices, where the boot menu (where you select which OS to boot into) wasn’t displaying correctly (the color was wrong, and it might only display in half the available space).

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Dev Channel

        [Settings]

        • We are adding the ability to configure the Copilot key. You can choose to have the Copilot key launch an app that is MSIX packaged and signed, thus indicating the app meets security and privacy requirements to keep customers safe. The key will continue to launch Copilot on devices that have the Copilot app installed until a customer selects a different experience. This setting can be found via Settings > Personalization > Text input. If the keyboard connected to your PC does not have a Copilot key, adjusting this setting will not do anything. We are planning further refinements to this experience in a future flight.
        [caption id="attachment_177304" align="alignnone" width="590"] New setting for configuring the Copilot key highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        Known issues

        [General]

        • This build may fail to install with error 0x800f0983. If you see this error, please try to install it again, as it should work on retry. If it stays on 0%, please be patient - it should proceed.

        [Start menu]

        • If you click or tap on a letter on Start menu's All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, please try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

        New Clock widgets: Countdown and Timer

        We are rolling out a Clock app update to Windows Insiders across all Insider Channels that includes two new clock widgets: countdown and timer. Make sure you have the latest version of the Clock app update from the Microsoft Store (version 11.2408.9.0 and higher). After you open the widgets board, you can open the widgets picker by clicking the “+” button in the top right corner where you would be able to add these widgets to your board. [caption id="attachment_177332" align="alignnone" width="525"] New countdown and timer widgets from the Clock app showing on the widgets board.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Clock App.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
        • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4300-beta-channel/ Fri, 04 Oct 2024 17:04:28 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177341 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4300 (KB5044386) to the Beta Channel.

        Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4300 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4300 (KB5044386) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update)* and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Start menu]

        • "All apps" is now just "All" on the Start menu. This change began rolling out with Build 22635.4291 earlier this week.

        [Fonts]

        • There is a new simplified Chinese font (Simsun-ExtG) with 9,753 ideographs supporting Unicode Extensions G, H and I. Included is the highly requested character for Biangbiang noodles. This character U+30EDD is said to be the most complicated Chinese character, as you can see in the image below. We are aware that some applications may not be able to display these new extension characters yet.
          • Unicode range G 30000-3134A (4,939 chars)
          • Unicode range H 31350-323AF (4,192 chars)
          • Unicode range I 2EBF0-2EE5D (622 chars)
        [caption id="attachment_177339" align="alignnone" width="97"] Biangbiang character Unicode 30EDD.[/caption]

        [Security]

        • Windows Search runs IFilters in the Less Privileged App Containers (LPAC). LPAC are like app containers, but they deny even more permissions by default. The intent is that a process running in a LPAC has access only to the resources needed by it. This model helps to minimize the potential damage that can be caused by a compromised process by limiting its access to sensitive system components and data.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • Fixed a high hitting explorer.exe crash impacting Insiders while using your PC in the last few Beta Builds.

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue which was causing the items in the navigation pane to become very spread out (with unexpected padding between each item) for some people.

        Known issues

        [Start menu]

        • After installing this build, you may find there is an unexpected amount of spacing between items in the Start menu all apps list.

        [Live captions]

        • After installing this build, live captions will crash if you try to use it.

        New Clock widgets: Countdown and Timer

        We are rolling out a Clock app update to Windows Insiders across all Insider Channels that includes two new clock widgets: countdown and timer. Make sure you have the latest version of the Clock app update from the Microsoft Store (version 11.2408.9.0 and higher). After you open the widgets board, you can open the widgets picker by clicking the “+” button in the top right corner where you would be able to add these widgets to your board. [caption id="attachment_177332" align="alignnone" width="525"] New countdown and timer widgets from the Clock app showing on the widgets board.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Clock App.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27718-canary-channel/ Wed, 02 Oct 2024 17:04:39 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177328 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27718 to the Canary Channel. We are releasing ISOs for this build – they can be downloaded here.

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27718 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27718 to the Canary Channel. We are releasing ISOs for this build – they can be downloaded here. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        Changes and Improvements

        [General]

        • [REMINDER] Insider Preview Build Expiration: The expiration date for Insider Preview builds flighted to the Canary Channel has been updated to 9/15/2025 starting with Build 27695. Please make sure you are updated to the latest build in the Canary Channel.

        [Lock screen]

        • We have updated the Lock screen so that the media controls will now show at the lower bottom center of the Lock screen now when media is being played.
        [caption id="attachment_177265" align="alignnone" width="666"] Updated position of media controls shown on the Lock screen when media is being played highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        [Start menu]

        • You can drag apps from the Pinned section of the menu and pin them to the taskbar.
        • [ADDED] Based on feedback, we’ve made some updates to the new account manager on the Start menu making the sign out option directly visible, and adding a list of signed in users under “…” so it’s faster to switch accounts.
        [caption id="attachment_177282" align="alignnone" width="401"] New account manager on the Start menu with sign out option directly visible highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • Updated the taskbar to now support first letter navigation, so when keyboard focus is set to the taskbar (WIN + T), you can press a letter, and it will jump to the open or pinned app whose name starts with that letter. Pressing the letter multiple times will jump to the subsequent app which starts with that letter, if there are multiple apps for that letter. For those using uncombined taskbar, rather than app name, the first letter navigation will use window name. Along with this, pressing Home and End will now move keyboard focus to the first and last (respectively) items in the taskbar.

        [Notifications]

        • If desired, there’s now an option to turn off the suggestions to disable notifications from certain apps. You can now press the “…” within the notification to disable the notification, as you can with other notifications, or you can go to the list of notification senders in Settings > System > Notifications and turn it off from there (called “Notification Suggestions” in the list). Note – this entry will only appear in the senders list after you have received one.

        [Windows Share]

        • We’re rolling out some minor UI changes to simplify the Windows share window which removes the search box.

        [Narrator]

        • We have made several changes to improve the performance of Narrator scan mode. This is expected to make scan mode responses much quicker, especially while using Microsoft Edge, and reading through large documents. To try out scan mode, turn on Narrator first (Win key + Ctrl + Enter), and then turn scan mode ON by pressing Caps Lock + Spacebar during a Narrator session.

        [Energy Saver]

        • For laptops on battery, a notification will pop up asking you to plug in your laptop if the battery level reaches 20% while Energy Saver is set to “Always On”.

        [Windows Update]

        • We’ve made some small design improvements to the dialog that opens if there’s something that needs your attention before proceeding with a Windows update, for example if more space is needed or there’s a compatibility issue. This includes updating the icon sizes and spacing.

        [Input]

        • We have updated Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touch to have a new section for touch screen edge gestures, where you can choose if you would like to disable the left or right screen edge touch gesture. Note, this feature is rolling out so not all Insiders in the Canary Channel will see it right away.

        [Administrator protection]

        • Administrator protection is an upcoming platform security feature in Windows 11, which aims to protect free floating admin rights for administrator users allowing them to still perform all admin functions with just-in-time admin privileges. This feature is off by default and needs to be enabled via group policy. We plan to share more details about this feature at Microsoft Ignite.

        Fixes

        [General]

        • Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to experience a hang at the boot screen and their PC to roll back with error 0xC1900101 when trying to upgrade to the previous flight.
        • Fixed an issue in the last 2 Canary builds which was causing sporadic explorer.exe crashes when moving windows around.
        • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders on the last 2 Canary builds to see a bugcheck with error message “SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION”.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an issue causing the emoji panel to close when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.
        • Updated the logic for the setting “Press the lower right corner of the touchpad to right-click” Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touchpad so it shouldn’t show in cases where the touchpad doesn’t support the functionality.

        [Widgets]

        • Fixed an issue which could result in the Widgets icon unexpectedly displaying in the taskbar twice sometimes.

        [Other]

        • Fixed a high hitting wmiprvse.exe crash in the last 2 Canary flights.
        • Fixed an issue which was causing certain apps (like Media Player) to crash when playing audio for some Insiders in the last 2 Canary flights.
        • Fixed an issue for some Insiders with dual boot devices, where the boot menu (where you select which OS to boot into) wasn’t displaying correctly (the color was wrong, and it might only display in half the available space).

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.

        [Movies & TV]

        • [NEW] Insiders may not be able to play purchased content in the Movies & TV app on the recent Canary Channel builds. This issue will soon be fixed in a future flight.

        [Input]

        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue causing the Emoji Panel and Clipboard History to not open in certain surfaces anymore, including in Registry Editor.

        Microsoft Store Update

        Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels running version 22409.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out:
        • App Categories: The apps page on the Microsoft Store will now show a new categories experience just under the featured section. Clicking on any of the options will lead you to a page where you can browse a variety of apps for that category. We hope you find this new experience helpful as you browse the store to find your next favorite app. Let us know what you think!
        [caption id="attachment_177330" align="alignnone" width="821"] New app categories shown on the apps page in the Microsoft Store under the featured section.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

        New Clock widgets: Countdown and Timer

        We are rolling out a Clock app update to Windows Insiders across all Insider Channels that includes two new clock widgets: countdown and timer. Make sure you have the latest version of the Clock app update from the Microsoft Store (version 11.2408.9.0 and higher). After you open the widgets board, you can open the widgets picker by clicking the “+” button in the top right corner where you would be able to add these widgets to your board. [caption id="attachment_177332" align="alignnone" width="560"] New countdown and timer widgets from the Clock app showing on the widgets board.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Clock App.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/09/30/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-1912-dev-channel/ Mon, 30 Sep 2024 21:05:51 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177325 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1912 (KB5043168) to the Dev Channel.

        Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, impro

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1912 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1912 (KB5043168) to the Dev Channel. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update)* and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        [Mobile Hotspot]

        • The Windows Mobile Hotspot has been enhanced to support 6 GHz connections. The new band requires chips that support the feature and updated drivers; not all chips that support 6 GHz Wi-Fi in general will support the 6 GHz mobile hotspot. The change will be visible under Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot when you edit the mobile hotspot properties. For compatibility with existing devices, the mobile hotspot will only use 6 GHz when explicitly enabled.
        [caption id="attachment_177327" align="alignnone" width="359"] 6 GHz showing under mobile hotspot properties in Settings on PCs that have the right hardware and drivers.[/caption]

        [Other]

        This update includes fixes for the following issues:
        • [Open Source Software] This update adds attributions to txt files for Rust OSS components.
        • [Task Manager]
          • Its Settings page might have a white background when it should not.
          • It stops responding when you switch from a high contrast theme to a normal theme.
        • [Input Method Editor (IME)] When a combo box has input focus, a memory leak might occur when you close that window.
        • [WebView2 apps] They do not detect input from Xbox 360 and Bluetooth controllers.

        Known issues

        [Start menu]

        • If you click or tap on a letter on Start menu's All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, please try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
        • Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/09/30/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4291-beta-channel/ Mon, 30 Sep 2024 21:05:48 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177323 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4291 (KB5043166) to the Beta Channel.

        Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4291 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4291 (KB5043166) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update)* and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Task Manager]

        • We’ve updated the design of the Disconnect and Logoff dialogs in Task Manager to now support dark mode and text scaling.
        • In the Performance section we now label listed disks with their type.

        [Settings]

        • Tailored Experiences is becoming Personalized offers in OOBE. The new setting can be found on the Recommendations and offers page under Settings > Privacy & security. Personalized offers will let users opt-out of allowing Windows to use info about their devices and how they use them to enhance Windows.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • Fixed a few issues which could cause explorer.exe crashes, including one causing sporadic explorer.exe crashes when using ALT + Tab in recent builds.

        [Start menu]

        • Fixed an issue where if you clicked or tapped on a letter on Start menu's All apps list, the All apps list may break and not display correctly.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Settings]

        • [ADDED] We have temporarily disabled the ability to configure the Copilot key that began rolling out with Build 22635.4225 to address some issues and refine the experience. We plan to bring it back soon.

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Other]

        This update includes fixes for the following issues:
        • [Microsoft Defender for Endpoint] Work Folders files fail to sync when Defender for Endpoint is on.
        • [Outlook and other encrypted email apps] This issue prompts for your PIN each time you open an encrypted email.
        • [Microsoft Edge] It sometimes stops responding when you use IE mode.
        • [Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)] There is inconsistent data between TCP_INFO_v1 and GetPerTcpConnectionEstats. File synchronization services use TCP connection performance analysis tools. This issue affects how accurate those tools are.
        • [Country and Operator Settings Asset] This update brings COSA profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • [Task Manager] It stops responding when you switch from a high contrast theme to a normal theme.

        Known issues

        [Start menu]

        • [NEW] After installing this build, you may find there is an unexpected amount of spacing between items in the Start menu all apps list.

        [Live captions]

        • [NEW] After installing this build, live captions will crash if you try to use it.

        Snipping Tool Update

        We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2408.15.0 and newer) to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels that introduces the ability to change the folder that original screenshots and screen recordings are automatically saved to. Just go to app settings in Snipping Tool to select a new default folder to try it out! [caption id="attachment_177311" align="alignnone" width="648"] Setting in Snipping Tool to change the folder that screenshots and screen recordings are automatically saved.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/09/23/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-4247-and-22631-4247-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Mon, 23 Sep 2024 17:46:52 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177318 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Builds 22621.4247 and 22631.4247 (KB5043145) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2 (Build

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22621.4247 and 22631.4247 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Builds 22621.4247 and 22631.4247 (KB5043145) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2 (Build 22621) and version 23H2 (Build 22631).   Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

        Gradual rollout

        These might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
        • [Start menu] New! The "Sign out" option is now on the account manager when you open the Start menu. To change to a different user, select the ellipses (...). A list of other users appears to make it easier to switch.
        • [Taskbar] New! You can now share local files directly from the search results that appear in the Search box on the taskbar.
        • [Settings] New! The Delivery Optimization Settings page now matches the Windows 11 design. See Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization.
        • [Windows Share] New! This update removes the search box from the Windows Share window.
        • [Lock screen] New! Media controls now show in the lower part of the lock screen at its center when media is playing.

        Normal rollout

        This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
        • [IE mode] Microsoft Edge sometimes stops responding when you use IE mode.
        • [Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)] There is inconsistent data between TCP_INFO_v1 and GetPerTcpConnectionEstats. File synchronization services use TCP connection performance analysis tools. This issue affects how accurate those tools are.
        • [Country and Operator Settings Asset] This update brings COSA profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • [Outlook and other encrypted email apps] This issue prompts for your PIN each time you open an encrypted email.
        • Microsoft Defender for Endpoint] Work Folders files fail to sync when Defender for Endpoint is on.
        • [Microsoft Edge] It sometimes stops responding when you use IE mode.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/09/23/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-1876-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Mon, 23 Sep 2024 17:42:42 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177312 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.1876 (KB5043178) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100).

        Below i

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.1876 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Build 26100.1876 (KB5043178) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

        Gradual rollout

        These might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
        • [Start menu] New! The "Sign out" option is now on the account manager when you open the Start menu. To change to a different user, select the ellipses (...). A list of other users appears to make it easier to switch.
        • Taskbar] New! You can now share local files directly from the search results that appear in the Search box on the taskbar.
        • [Settings]
          • New! The Delivery Optimization Settings page now matches the Windows 11 design. See Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization.
          • New! There is a new energy recommendation to turn off high dynamic range (HDR). This helps to conserve energy on devices that have HDR displays. Go to Settings > Power & battery > Energy recommendations.
          • [ADDED 9/24] New! This update adds the option to turn off enhanced mouse pointer precision to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Mouse. There is also a new option to change the direction in which the mouse scrolls. 
          • [ADDED 9/24] New! You can now set Power Mode for when your PC is plugged in and on battery. Go to Settings > System > Power & battery. 
        • [Lock screen] New! Media controls now show in the lower part of the lock screen at its center when media is playing.
        • [Battery life] New! When your device’s battery power is running low, a pop-up window will appear that asks you to plug in your device. This occurs when the battery level reaches 20% and while Energy Saver is set to “Always On”.

        Normal rollout

        This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
        • [Open Source Software] This update adds attributions to credits.txt files for Rust OSS components.
        • [Input Method Editor (IME)] When a combo box has input focus, a memory leak might occur when you close that window.
        • [WebView2 apps] They do not detect input from Xbox 360 and Bluetooth controllers.
        • [ADDED 9/24] [Screen readers] The NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) app and other screen readers fail to narrate all the screen content from some apps. This occurs when those apps run with administrator privileges.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/09/20/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-1843-dev-channel/ Fri, 20 Sep 2024 17:04:04 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177307 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1843 (KB5043185) to the Dev Channel. This update is delivered in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing techn

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1843 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1843 (KB5043185) to the Dev Channel. This update is delivered in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates. Changes in Dev Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update)* and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Dev Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        Shared Content in File Explorer Home 

        File Explorer will now provide you with quick access to files that have been shared with you. If you are signed into Windows with your Microsoft account, you will be able to view files that have been shared with your account, such as email, Teams chat, etc. If you are a commercial customer who is signed-in with your Microsoft Entra ID account, you will additionally be able to view files that they have shared with others. You can access this feature by launching File Explorer Home and clicking on the ‘Shared’ tab item. You will also be able to view a broader set of file types in their Recent, Favorites, and Shared sections on the homepage. For example, if you’ve recently opened/edited files in Designer, Loop, Power BI, Forms, etc. these files will now be available in your Recent list. [caption id="attachment_177176" align="alignnone" width="720"] File Explorer Home with new tabs for Recent, Favorites, and Shared.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer.

        Windows Sandbox Client Preview

        This build includes the new Windows Sandbox Client Preview that is now updated via the Microsoft Store. As part of this preview, we’re introducing runtime clipboard redirection, audio/video input control, and the ability to share folders with the host at runtime. You can access these via the new “…” icon at the upper right on the app.  Additionally, this preview includes a super early version of command line support (commands may change over time). You can use ‘wsb.exe –help’ command for more information. [caption id="attachment_177309" align="alignnone" width="628"] Windows Sandbox Client Preview with new dropdown showing clipboard redirection, audio/video input control, and the ability to share folders with the host.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security & Privacy > Windows Sandbox.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • For new PCs or new user accounts on managed commercial devices (PCs running Windows 11 Enterprise, Education, or Pro logged in with an Entra ID (or domain), the Microsoft 365 app will be pinned to the taskbar for quick access to Copilot for Microsoft 365. Existing commercial PCs that still have the previous Copilot in Windows experience will see that replaced with the Copilot app pinned to their taskbar.

        [Lock screen]

        • We have updated the Lock screen so that the media controls will now show at the lower bottom center of the Lock screen now when media is being played.
        [caption id="attachment_177265" align="alignnone" width="637"] Updated position of media controls shown on the Lock screen when media is being played highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        [Start menu]

        • When right-clicking on apps pinned to the Start menu, jump lists will be shown for apps that have them such as PowerPoint.
        [caption id="attachment_177125" align="alignnone" width="241"] Jump lists will now be shown when right-clicking on apps pinned to the Start menu such as PowerPoint that have jump lists.[/caption]
        • Based on feedback, we’ve made some updates to the new account manager on the Start menu making the sign out option directly visible, and adding a list of signed in users under “…” so it’s faster to switch accounts.
        [caption id="attachment_177282" align="alignnone" width="353"] New account manager on the Start menu with sign out option directly visible highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • We are trying out a more simplified system tray to highlight the date/time in a shortened form and to show the notifications bell icon based on DND status. Without the notification bell icon, you can get to your notifications by clicking the date and time to Notification Center. You can revert to the long form of the date/time and bell icon visuals by toggling the values in the Settings via Settings > Date and Time under “Show time and day in the system tray” and Settings > System > Notifications under “Notifications”. These settings are also accessible through the context menu shown by right clicking the system tray clock/bell icon button.
        [caption id="attachment_177177" align="alignnone" width="348"] Simplified system tray shown with shortened form data and time and no notification bell icon.[/caption]

        [Search on the Taskbar]

        • We are beginning to roll out the ability to share local files directly from within the search results shown in the search box on the taskbar.
        [caption id="attachment_177099" align="alignnone" width="413"] New option to share a local file highlighted in a red box in the search results from the search box on the taskbar.[/caption]

        [Input]

        • We have updated Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touch to have a new section for touch screen edge gestures, where you can choose if you would like to disable the left or right screen edge touch gesture.

        [Notifications]

        • If desired, there’s now an option to turn off the suggestions to disable notifications from certain apps. You can now press the “…” within the notification to disable the notification, as you can with other notifications, or you can go to the list of notification senders in Settings > System > Notifications and turn it off from there (called “Notification Suggestions” in the list). Note – this entry will only appear in the senders list after you have received one.

        [Settings]

        • In response to feedback, we have added a detach virtual hard disk (VHD/`VHDx) button to Settings making it much simpler to detach your VHD/VHDx as needed. This option is available under Settings > System > Storage > Disks & Volumes, in the properties for your VHD/VHDx.
        [caption id="attachment_177244" align="alignnone" width="580"] New detach VHD button under highlighted in a red box in properties of attached VHD in Settings.[/caption]
        • We’ve designed the settings page for Delivery Optimization under Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization to match the Windows 11 design principles.
        [caption id="attachment_177267" align="alignnone" width="572"] Delivery Optimization settings page with updated design.[/caption]
        • We’ve updated the dialog when viewing your Wi-Fi password under Settings > Network & internet to match the Windows 11 visuals.
        • [ADDED] We’re beginning to roll out a change that redirects links for the Fonts Control Panel page to the Fonts settings page at Settings > Personalization > Fonts. Insiders who see this change can still access the Fonts Control Panel UI by navigating to the system fonts folder in File Explorer and a link to the system fonts folder is also provided on the Font settings page.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue where when pressing WIN + E, a screen reader might unexpectedly say a pane had focus, or focus may not be set within File Explorer at all.
        • Fixed an issue which was causing CTRL + F to sometimes not start a search in File Explorer.
        • Fixed an issue where keyboard focus might get lost sometimes when doing Shift + Tab in File Explorer.
        • Fixed an issue causing screen readers to not announce when you were opening or navigating items in the breadcrumb flyouts of the open or save dialog.
        • Fixed an issue causing screen readers to not announce anything when opening or navigating items in the column header flyout in File Explorer.

        [Input]

        • Updated the logic for the setting "Press the lower right corner of the touchpad to right-click" Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touchpad so it shouldn’t show in cases where the touchpad doesn’t support the functionality.

        [Task Manager]

        • Fixed an issue where the background wasn’t displayed correctly in Task Manager settings.

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [General]

        • We can confirm that the Recall feature is no longer showing as an option under the ‘Turn Windows features on or off’ dialog in the Control Panel in Windows.
        • Fixed an underlying issue believed to be the cause of Insiders on the previous flight finding the Windows Modules Installer (tiworker.exe) unexpectedly using 100% of the CPU, causing freezes and other issues on PCs.
        • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to fail to install the latest updates, seeing error 0x800f0993.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an issue causing text suggestions for the hardware keyboard to not work properly (selecting one unexpectedly concatenates).

        [Widgets]

        • Fixed an issue which could result in the Widgets icon unexpectedly displaying in the taskbar twice sometimes.

        [Other]

        This update includes fixes for the following issues:
        • [FrameShutdownDelay] The browser ignores its value in the “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main” registry key.
        • [Unified Write Filter (UWF) and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)] An SCCM task to re-enable UWF fails because of a deadlock in UWF. This stops the device from restarting when you expect it.
        • [OpenSSH] This update adds a prompt that asks you to confirm when you turn on OpenSSH using the Server Manager UI.
        • [NetJoinLegacyAccountReuse] This update removes this registry key. For more information refer to KB5020276—Netjoin: Domain join hardening changes.
        • [Domain Name System (DNS)] This update hardens DNS server security to address CVE-2024-37968. If the configurations of your domains are not up to date, you might get the SERVFAIL error or time out.
        • [vmswitches] They fail to enumerate using Get-VMSwitch command.
        • [Windows Installer] When it repairs an application, the User Account Control (UAC) does not prompt for your credentials. After you install this update, the UAC will prompt for them. Because of this, you must update your automation scripts. Application owners must add the Shield icon. It indicates that the process requires full administrator access. To turn off the UAC prompt, set the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\DisableLUAInRepair registry value to 1. The changes in this update might affect automatic Windows Installer repairs; see Application Resiliency: Unlock the Hidden Features of Windows Installer.
        • [Group Policy Preferences Item Level Targeting (ILT) and Local Users and Groups] You cannot choose a group from the target domain for ILT. Also, you cannot choose an account from Local Users and Groups. The forest does not appear. This issue occurs when you deploy multiple forests, and the target domain has a one-way trust with the domain of the admin. This issue affects Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE), Hardened Forests (HF), or Privileged Access Management (PAM) deployments.
        • [Task Manager] Graphs on the Performance page in Task Manager do not show the correct colors when you use dark mode.
        • [Remote Desktop Services] It stops responding.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [NEW] This build may fail to install with error 0x800f0983. If you see this error, please try to install it again, as it should work on retry. If it stays on 0%, please be patient - it should proceed.
        • [NEW] Reset your PC > Cloud Download won’t work on this build, it will get stuck on Getting Things Ready. Please choose the non-cloud option if you need to reset while we work on a fix.

        [Start menu]

        • [NEW] If you click or tap on a letter on Start menu's All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, please try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

        Snipping Tool Update

        We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2408.13.0 and newer) to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels that introduces the ability to change the folder that original screenshots and screen recordings are automatically saved to. Just go to app settings in Snipping Tool to select a new default folder to try it out! [caption id="attachment_177311" align="alignnone" width="680"] Setting in Snipping Tool to change the folder that screenshots and screen recordings are automatically saved.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/09/20/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4225-beta-channel/ Fri, 20 Sep 2024 17:03:58 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177300 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4225 (KB5043186) to the Beta Channel.

        Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fi

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4225 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4225 (KB5043186) to the Beta Channel. Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available (via Settings > Windows Update)* and then new features, improvements, and fixes rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. For more information, see the Reminders section at the bottom of this blog post.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer] 

        • We are adding the ability to share content to an Android device from the context menu in File Explorer and on the desktop. To use this feature, the Phone Link must be installed and configured on your PC.
        [caption id="attachment_177302" align="alignnone" width="250"] Ability to share content to an Android device from the context menu in File Explorer highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Input]

        • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to see the emoji panel not working properly again in the previous flight (closing after selecting one emoji, and not able to switch categories).

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Settings]

        • We are adding the ability to configure the Copilot key. You can choose to have the Copilot key launch an app that is MSIX packaged and signed, thus indicating the app meets security and privacy requirements to keep customers safe. The key will continue to launch Copilot on devices that have the Copilot app installed until a customer selects a different experience. This setting can be found via Settings > Personalization > Text input. If the keyboard connected to your PC does not have a Copilot key, adjusting this setting will not do anything. UPDATE 9/26: We are planning further refinements to this experience in a future flight.
        [caption id="attachment_177304" align="alignnone" width="663"] New setting for configuring the Copilot key highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [General]

        • Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to experience a bugcheck when closing Notepad in the previous flight.

        [Other]

        This update includes fixes for the following issues:
        • [Windows Installer] When it repairs an application, the User Account Control (UAC) does not prompt for your credentials. After you install this update, the UAC will prompt for them. Because of this, you must update your automation scripts. Application owners must add the Shield icon. It indicates that the process requires full administrator access. To turn off the UAC prompt, set the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\DisableLUAInRepair registry value to 1. The changes in this update might affect automatic Windows Installer repairs; see Application Resiliency: Unlock the Hidden Features of Windows Installer.
        • [Group Policy Preferences Item Level Targeting (ILT) and Local Users and Groups] You cannot choose a group from the target domain for ILT. Also, you cannot choose an account from Local Users and Groups. The forest does not appear. This issue occurs when you deploy multiple forests, and the target domain has a one-way trust with the domain of the admin. This issue affects Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE), Hardened Forests (HF), or Privileged Access Management (PAM) deployments.
        • [Task Manager] It stops responding when you switch from a high contrast theme to a normal theme.

        Known issues

        [Start menu]

        • [NEW] If you click or tap on a letter on Start menu's All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, please try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx).
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/09/16/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-4955-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/ Mon, 16 Sep 2024 21:23:25 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177296 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4955 (KB5043131) to BOTH the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2.

        The Beta Channel and

        The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.4955 to Beta and Release Preview Channels appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4955 (KB5043131) to BOTH the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. The Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel will receive the same Windows 10 builds; however, the Beta Channel is where we will try new features out with Insiders that we’re working on that are not yet ready for all Windows 10 customers.

        For Windows Insiders on Windows 10 in the Beta Channel, we’re beginning to roll out the following improvements

        • [ADDED 9/18] [Start menu] New! We are trying out different positions for your profile picture and a new background color for the left navigation bar on the Start menu to enhance the visibility of the options. 
        Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 10 who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Updated & Security > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.

        This update includes the following features and improvements for Windows Insiders in BOTH the Beta and Release Preview Channels

        Items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented:
        • [Microsoft Entra single sign-on (SSO)] The SSO notice that the European Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires prompts too often. This occurs when you authenticate using a certificate. To learn more, see: Upcoming changes to Windows single sign-on.
        • [IE mode] Microsoft Edge sometimes stops responding when you use IE mode.
        • [Country and Operator Settings Asset] This update brings COSA profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • [Media playback] Playback of some media might stop when you use certain surround sound technology.
        • [File Explorer and taskbar] Windows server stops responding when you use apps like File Explorer and the taskbar.
        • [Windows Update opt-in notifications] They now appear when you sign in.
        • [Directory enumeration] This might fail if a directory has symbolic links that have long target names.
        Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/09/06/microsoft-photos-september-2024-update-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Fri, 06 Sep 2024 17:05:30 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177287 Hello Windows Insiders,

        Today we are beginning to roll out a Microsoft Photos app update to Windows Insiders on Windows 11 across all Insider Channels and then to Windows Insiders on Windows 10 in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. Not all Insid

        The post Microsoft Photos September 2024 update begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Access and view iCloud photos on Windows 10 We’re bringing the ability to sync and view iCloud photos to users on Windows 10. To access your iCloud photos, go to the iCloud Photos pivot in the Photos app, install the latest iCloud for Windows app from Microsoft Store, sign in with your Apple ID, and choose to sync your iCloud photos. Within minutes, you will see all your iCloud photo content starting to appear automatically in the Photos app. [caption id="attachment_177289" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Install iCloud for Windows and view iCloud photos directly into the Photos app.[/caption]

        Windows App SDK and WinUI3 on Windows 10

        Back in April, we updated the Photos app on Windows 11 to use the new Windows App SDK platform, leveraging the platform’s modern UI and other quality and performance optimizations. In our continued effort to create consistent, performant experiences across all app versions, we’re also bringing this platform upgrade to the Photos app on Windows 10. All current features and functionality in the Photos app will remain available in this new version.

        Gallery navigation update

        We’ve updated the navigation panel in the Gallery to improve usability and ease of finding your local and cloud content.
        • The Gallery option at the top lets you access all your photo content in one place, regardless of where they come from – your PC, iCloud, or OneDrive.
        • To view photos synced from your cloud providers, click on the OneDrive – Personal, OneDrive – Business, or iCloud Photos options.
        • In the This PC section at the bottom, you'll find all the folders and content from your computer that have been added to the Photos app. To include more photos and videos in this view, click on the Add Folder icon next to 'Gallery.'
        [caption id="attachment_177290" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Updated navigation panel in Photo Gallery.[/caption]

        Image search with Bing

        In the Viewer, you can search your images online with our new Visual Search with Bing feature. Simply click on the Visual Search with Bing icon located at the bottom of the image (also available through the right-click dropdown menu). This will open the search results in Bing including similar images, related products, and other related content. [caption id="attachment_177291" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Visual Search with Bing button at the bottom of the Viewer.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177292" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Search results shown in Bing via Microsoft Edge.[/caption]

        Other fixes and improvements

        • We added an option to run the Photos app in the background with minimal processes, to improve the app startup speed. If you do not want Photos running in the background, you can turn off the Performance option under Settings.
        • You can now quickly edit an image in File Explorer or on the desktop, by right-clicking on the image and selecting the Edit in Photos This will open the Photo Editor where you can crop, rotate, or mark up the image, as well as applying adjustments and AI-powered edits.
        To get these new features, update your app to version 2024.11080.30001.0 or higher. This update is currently rolling out, so it may not be available right away. As always, we love getting your feedback so please share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Apps > Photos. Thanks, Yvonne Hsieh, Principal PM Manager – Microsoft Photos]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/30/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27695-canary-channel/ Fri, 30 Aug 2024 17:04:20 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177269 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27695 to the Canary Channel.

        We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        What’s

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27695 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27695 to the Canary Channel. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        What’s new with Build 27695

        New position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars 

        We’re beginning to roll out a new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars. The taskbar entry-point will move to the left of the systems tray and will be wider so you can see richer content from Widgets on your taskbar. When you launch the Widgets board, it will fly out from the right side instead of the left side. [caption id="attachment_177272" align="alignnone" width="430"] The Widgets entry-point at its new position to the left of system tray on a left-aligned taskbar.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Widgets.

        Windows LAPS: Retrieve encrypted passwords during Active Directory recovery situations

        Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) has been improved with a new ability to recover encrypted passwords from Active Directory (AD) backup media even when there are zero AD domain controllers running. Windows LAPS encrypted passwords offer much better security over the traditional approach of storing clear-text passwords in Active Directory. Windows LAPS password encryption is based on Cryptography API: Next Generation Data Protection API (CNG DPAPI). Under normal operating conditions, the decryption keys are always retrieved from a running AD domain controller. When an unexpected disaster occurs, there may be no AD domain controllers running. You can now use the Get-LapsADPassword PowerShell cmdlet to retrieve and decrypt Windows LAPS encrypted passwords from Active Directory backup media (mounted using the AD snapshot browser, aka dsamain.exe) with zero network interaction with any AD domain controller. In fact, this operation is now possible even when running on a non-domain-joined, workgroup machine. If you still have access to your AD backup media, all Windows LAPS encrypted passwords will now be recoverable regardless of the situation. This new improvement is implemented in the existing Get-LapsADPassword PowerShell cmdlet. When the -Port and -RecoveryMode parameters are both specified, any retrieved passwords will be automatically decrypted in a purely local operation using the decryption keys found in the snapshot browser. Step 1: Mount the Active Directory backup media database: [caption id="attachment_177273" align="alignnone" width="565"] Command line view of mounting an Active Directory backup media database.[/caption] Step 2: Recover the Windows LAPS passwords from the mounted AD backup media database: [caption id="attachment_177274" align="alignnone" width="560"] PowerShell view of recovering Windows LAPS passwords from a mounted Active Directory backup media database.[/caption] Step 3: This step is informative only; the screenshot below demonstrates that the above operations were executed on a workgroup machine: [caption id="attachment_177275" align="alignnone" width="567"] View of all the operations for executing recovery of Windows LAPS passwords from a mounted Active Directory backup media database.[/caption] In summary this improvement resolves a key Windows LAPS concern of how to recover Windows LAPS passwords in a disaster scenario where no AD domain controllers are running. For more information see: Retrieving passwords during AD disaster recovery scenarios.

        Changes and Improvements

        [General]

        • Insider Preview Build Expiration: The expiration date for Insider Preview builds flighted to the Canary Channel has been updated to 9/15/2025 starting with Build 27691. Please make sure you are updated to the latest build in the Canary Channel.
        • Some Insiders in the Canary Channel will begin to see an estimated time for how long their PC will be offline to install Build 27695. This estimate will be shown on the Windows Update settings page and via the Start menu power button.
        [caption id="attachment_177276" align="alignnone" width="421"] Estimated time for how long a PC will be offline to install a build as shown on the Windows Update settings page.[/caption]

        [Notifications]

        • If desired, there’s now an option to turn off the suggestions to disable notifications from certain apps. You can now press the “…” within the notification to disable the notification, as you can with other notifications, or you can go to the list of notification senders in Settings > System > Notifications and turn it off from there (called “Notification Suggestions” in the list). Note – this entry will only appear in the senders list after you have received one.

        [Windows Share]

        • We are rolling out the ability to easily share content to an Android device from Windows share window. The feature requires you to pair your Android device to your Windows PC using the Link to Windows app on Android and Phone Link on your PC.
        [caption id="attachment_177181" align="alignnone" width="466"] Updated UI for sharing content to an Android device via the Windows share window showing an updated icon in the Nearby Share section.[/caption]

        [Widgets]

        • We are rolling out an update to the Widgets Board to improve security and the APIs for creating widgets and feeds for users in EEA regions. As part of this update, the Microsoft Start Experiences app will power the Microsoft Start widget and feed experiences. Also, as part of this update, some existing widgets will be removed and others will be modified, temporarily affecting their functionality. This update sets the foundation for new widgets and other features in development, set to roll out soon.

        [Settings]

        • [ADDED 9/3] We’ve updated the dialog when viewing your Wi-Fi password under Settings > Network & internet to match the Windows 11 visuals.

        Fixes

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue where when pressing WIN + E, a screen reader might unexpectedly say a pane had focus, or focus may not be set within File Explorer at all.
        • Fixed an issue which was causing CTRL + F to sometimes not start a search in File Explorer.
        • Fixed an issue where keyboard focus might get lost sometimes when doing Shift + Tab in File Explorer.
        • Fixed an issue causing screen readers to not announce when you were opening or navigating items in the breadcrumb flyouts of the open or save dialog.
        • Fixed an issue causing screen readers to not announce anything when opening or navigating items in the column header flyout in File Explorer.

        [Task Manager]

        • Fixed an issue where the colors in the Performance section weren’t displayed correctly in dark mode.

        [Windows Sandbox]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could cause Windows Sandbox to fail to launch with error 0x80070005 sometimes.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue where when installing Windows by booting from recent install media, it wouldn't make itself the default partition if another version of Windows was installed.
        • Fixed an issue underlying issue causing dfrgui.exe (Defrag and Optimize drives) to fail in the previous flight with a pop up saying SXSHARED_UCRT.dll was not found. This is also believed to be the cause of seeing an error saying “the specified module could not be found” errors in that flight when trying to use the backup options in Control Panel.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
        • [ADDED 9/5] We're investigating reports that starting with Build 27686, when upgrading to a newer Canary Channel build some Insiders experience a hang at the boot screen and their PC rolls back with error 0xC1900101.

        [Input]

        • We are working on the fix for an issue causing the emoji panel to close when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/30/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4145-beta-channel/ Fri, 30 Aug 2024 17:03:35 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177277 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4145 (KB5041881) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via <

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4145 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4145 (KB5041881) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="670"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • For new PCs or new user accounts on managed commercial devices (PCs running Windows 11 Enterprise, Education, or Pro logged in with an Entra ID (or domain), the Microsoft 365 app will be pinned to the taskbar for quick access to Copilot for Microsoft 365. Existing commercial PCs that still have the previous Copilot in Windows experience will see that replaced with the Copilot app pinned to their taskbar.

        [Start menu]

        • [ADDED 9/3] Based on feedback, we've made some updates to the new account manager on the Start menu making the sign out option directly visible, and adding a list of signed in users under "..." so it's faster to switch accounts.
        [caption id="attachment_177282" align="alignnone" width="397"] New account manager on the Start menu with sign out option directly visible highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        [Input]

        • We have updated Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Mouse to now include the option to turn off enhanced mouse pointer precision for those that would prefer to not use it and have added a new option for changing mouse scrolling direction.
        [caption id="attachment_177202" align="alignnone" width="641"] New toggles for enhanced mouse pointer precision changing mouse scrolling direction highlighted in red boxes.[/caption]
        • We have updated Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touch to have a new section for touch screen edge gestures, where you can choose if you would like to disable the left or right screen edge touch gesture.
        • [ADDED 9/3] We're beginning to roll out a new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 that supports the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type. This includes button accelerators (example: X button for backspace, Y button for spacebar) additionally the keyboard keys have been vertically aligned for better controller navigation patterns.
        [caption id="attachment_177283" align="alignnone" width="1024"] New Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 that supports the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type.[/caption]
        • [ADDED 9/6] We are beginning to roll out a change where we now hide the IME toolbar when apps are in full screen mode for those who have the IME toolbar enabled and type in Chinese or Japanese.

        [Desktop Spotlight] 

        We are trying out some adjustments to the Windows Spotlight experience on the desktop to include hotspots when users right-click on the Windows Spotlight icon. In addition, these changes will include two different UX treatments that Insiders will notice. There is no change to the interaction model where right click opens the experience in full screen and double clicking launches the Bing landing page. When in full screen, you will now see two hotspots which will be animated to aid discovery, and which will reveal additional information on hover. Clicking on a hotspot will close the full screen experience and launch the Bing landing page. [caption id="attachment_177280" align="alignnone" width="601"] With Treatment 1 you will see a reduced flyout and hotspots which reveal additional information on hover. Clicking on a hotspot will launch the Bing landing page.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177281" align="alignnone" width="602"] With Treatment 2 you will see a minimized Spotlight experience and hotspots which reveal additional information on hover. Clicking on a hotspot will launch the Bing landing page.[/caption]

        [Windows Share]

        • We’re adding the ability to share content to Notepad and Clipchamp directly from the Windows share window.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue causing File Explorer to crash when navigating to Home for some Insiders with the two flights. This also led File Explorer to crash on launch if it opened directly to Home.
        • Fixed an issue causing explorer.exe to crash when interacting with archive files in the last few flights.

        [Start menu]

        • Fixed an issue where the text might be unreadable in the section of the Start menu with Phone Link features shown on the side.

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Other]

        This update includes fixes for the following issues:
        • [File Explorer] The navigation pane does not update when you browse folders that are in a shell namespace extension.
        • [Hibernate stop error] Your laptop stops responding after you resume it from hibernate. This occurs if you have closed and opened the lid many times.
        • [Bind Filter Driver] Your system might stop responding when it accesses symbolic links.
        • [Bluetooth] External devices lose their connection when you deploy certain Bluetooth policies.
        • [Microsoft Entra single sign-on (SSO)] The SSO notice that the European Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires prompts too often. This occurs when you authenticate using a certificate. To learn more, see Upcoming changes to Windows single sign-on.
        • [Unified Write Filter (UWF) and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)] An SCCM task to re-enable UWF fails because of a deadlock in UWF. This stops the device from restarting when you expect it.
        • [Country and Operator Settings Asset] This update brings COSA profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • [Input Method Editor (IME)] When a combo box has input focus, a memory leak might occur when you close that window.
        • [BitLocker] You might not be able to decrypt a BitLocker data drive. This occurs when you move that drive from a newer version of Windows to an older version.

        Known issues

        [Start menu]

        • [NEW] If you click or tap on a letter on Start menu's All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, please try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/26/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4082-beta-channel/ Mon, 26 Aug 2024 21:03:37 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177263 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4082 (KB5041876) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via <

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4082 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4082 (KB5041876) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="670"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Notifications]

        • If desired, there’s now an option to turn off the suggestions to disable notifications from certain apps. You can now press the “…” within the notification to disable the notification, as you can with other notifications, or you can go to the list of notification senders in Settings > System > Notifications and turn it off from there (called “Notification Suggestions” in the list). Note – this entry will only appear in the senders list after you have received one.

        [Lock screen]

        • We have updated the Lock screen so that the media controls will now show at the lower bottom center of the Lock screen now when media is being played.
        [caption id="attachment_177265" align="alignnone" width="754"] Updated position of media controls shown on the Lock screen when media is being played highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        [Settings]

        • We’ve designed the settings page for Delivery Optimization under Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization to match the Windows 11 design principles.
        [caption id="attachment_177267" align="alignnone" width="682"] Delivery Optimization settings page with updated design.[/caption]

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • Fixed an issue causing explorer.exe to crash for some Insiders when closing apps from the taskbar in the latest flights.

        [Start menu]

        • Fixed an issue causing the Start menu to crash on launch in the last few flights for some Insiders.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue causing a memory leak after receiving certain notifications.

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Other]

        • [NetJoinLegacyAccountReuse] This update removes this registry key. For more information refer to KB5020276—Netjoin: Domain join hardening changes.

        Known issues

        [File Explorer]

        • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing explorer.exe to crash when interacting with archive files in the latest Beta flights.
        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer to crash when going to Home for some Insiders with the previous flight. If you are impacted by this and are having issues launching File Explorer because it’s set to Home, as a workaround one option is to use the Run dialog (WIN + R) to open specific folders.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/22/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-4842-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/ Thu, 22 Aug 2024 22:57:30 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177261 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4842 (KB5041582) to BOTH the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2.

        The Beta Channel and

        The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.4842 to Beta and Release Preview Channels appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4842 (KB5041582) to BOTH the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. The Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel will receive the same Windows 10 builds; however, the Beta Channel is where we will try new features out with Insiders that we’re working on that are not yet ready for all Windows 10 customers. You can read our announcement for opening the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 10 here.

        This update includes the following features and improvements for Windows Insiders in BOTH the Beta and Release Preview Channels

        Items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented:
        • [Input Method Editor (IME)] When a combo box has input focus, a memory leak might occur when you close that window.
        • [Country and Operator Settings Asset] This update brings COSA profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • [Bluetooth] An app stops responding because of a memory leak in a device.
        • [Bind Filter Driver] Your system might stop responding when it accesses symbolic links.
        • [Unified Write Filter (UWF) and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)] An SCCM task to re-enable UWF fails because of a deadlock in UWF. This stops the device from restarting when you expect it.
        Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/19/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-1586-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Mon, 19 Aug 2024 21:29:43 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177249 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.1586 (KB5041865) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100).

        Below i

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.1586 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Build 26100.1586 (KB5041865) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update.

        [ADDED 8/20] Gradual rollout

        These might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
        • [Taskbar]
          • [ADDED 8/27] New! When the taskbar has keyboard focus (WIN + T), you can press a letter, and you will go to the app whose name starts with that letter. When you press a letter more than once, you will go to the next app whose name starts with that letter. Pressing a letter more than once only works if there are multiple pinned or open apps whose name starts with that letter. If you are using an uncombined taskbar, when you press a letter, you go to the window whose name starts with that letter. Also, when you press Home and End, the keyboard focus changes to the first and last items in the taskbar.
          • The End task option no longer shows a not responding dialog before it stops a task. This option is only available when you turn on End task in Settings > System > For Developers.
        • [File Explorer]
          • New!  When you right-click a tab, you have the choice to duplicate it.
          • A memory leak occurs when you interact with archive folders.
          • File Explorer stops responding when you browse within it.
          • When you search from Home for the first time, you might not get any results.
          • The address bar dropdown menu might appear when you do not expect it.
          • When you use the Save dialog to save a file to Gallery, an error occurs. Because of this update, your file saves to the Pictures library instead.
          • The search box does not show the correct folder name when you are in Gallery.
          • A blank area shows at the top of File Explorer.
          • The back and forward mouse buttons do not work when you hover over the Recommended Files section of Home.
          • Images flash when you view them in the Gallery.
          • [ADDED 8/27/] When you press Windows logo key + E, a screen reader might say a pane has focus, or the focus might not be set at all.
          • [ADDED 8/27] When you press Ctrl + F, sometimes the search does not start.
          • [ADDED 8/27] Keyboard focus sometimes might get lost when you press Shift + Tab.
          • [ADDED 8/27] Screen readers do not announce when you open or browse items that are in a breadcrumb of the Open or Save dialog.
          • [ADDED 8/27] Screen readers do not announce when you open or browse items in the column header.
        • [ADDED 8/27] [Windows Share] New! You can now share content to your Android device from the Windows Share window. To do this, you must pair your Android device to your Windows PC. Use the Link to Windows app on your Android device and Phone Link on your PC.
        • [ADDED 8/27] [Narrator] This update makes scan mode respond quicker. This is especially helpful when you use Microsoft Edge and read large documents. To use scan mode, you must turn on Narrator first (Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter). Then, turn on scan mode by pressing Caps lock + Spacebar during a Narrator session.
        • [ADDED 8/27] [Voice access] You can now dictate the characters that you spell at a faster speed. You also have more editing options for the commands that select, delete, and move within text.
        • [ADDED 8/27] [Widgets Board] We are rolling out an update to the Widgets Board to improve security and the APIs for creating widgets and feeds for users in EEA regions. As part of this update, the Microsoft Start Experiences app will power the Microsoft Start widget and feed experiences. Also, as part of this update, some existing widgets will be removed and others will be modified, temporarily affecting their functionality. This update sets the foundation for new widgets and other features in development, set to roll out soon

        Normal rollout

        This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
        • [FrameShutdownDelay] The browser ignores its value in the “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main” registry key.
        • [Domain Name System (DNS)] A deadlock occurs in the domain controller (DC) when it starts up in the DNS client.
        • [OpenSSH] This update adds a prompt that asks you to confirm when you turn on OpenSSH using the Server Manager UI.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/19/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-4108-and-22631-4108-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Mon, 19 Aug 2024 21:25:28 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177251 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Builds 22621.4108 and 22631.4108 (KB5041587) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2 (Build

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 22621.4108 and 22631.4108 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Builds 22621.4108 and 22631.4108 (KB5041587) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2 (Build 22621) and version 23H2 (Build 22631).   Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

        Gradual rollout

        These might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
        • [Windows Share] New! You can now share content to your Android device from the Windows Share window. To do this, you must pair your Android device to your Windows PC. Use the Link to Windows app on your Android device and Phone Link on your PC.
        • [File Explorer] 
          • When you press Windows logo key + E, a screen reader might say a pane has focus, or the focus might not be set at all.
          • When you press Ctrl + F, sometimes the search does not start.
          • Keyboard focus sometimes might get lost when you press Shift + Tab.
          • Screen readers do not announce when you open or browse items that are in a breadcrumb of the Open or Save dialog.
          • Screen readers do not announce when you open or browse items in the column header.
        • [Narrator] This update makes scan mode respond quicker. This is especially helpful when you use Microsoft Edge and read large documents. To use scan mode, you must turn on Narrator first (Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter). Then, turn on scan mode by pressing Caps lock + Spacebar during a Narrator session.
        • [Voice access] You can now dictate the characters that you spell at a faster speed. You also have more editing options for the commands that select, delete, and move within text.
        • [ADDED 8/27] [Widgets Board] We are rolling out an update to the Widgets Board to improve security and the APIs for creating widgets and feeds for users in EEA regions. As part of this update, the Microsoft Start Experiences app will power the Microsoft Start widget and feed experiences. Also, as part of this update, some existing widgets will be removed and others will be modified, temporarily affecting their functionality. This update sets the foundation for new widgets and other features in development, set to roll out soon.

        Normal rollout

        This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.
        • [Input Method Editor (IME)] When a combo box has input focus, a memory leak might occur when you close that window.
        • [Country and Operator Settings Asset] This update brings COSA profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • [Bluetooth] External devices lose their connection when you deploy certain Bluetooth policies.
        • [Bind Filter Driver] Your system might stop responding when it accesses symbolic links.
        • [File Explorer] The navigation pane does not update when you browse folders that are in a shell namespace extension.
        • [Unified Write Filter (UWF) and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)] An SCCM task to re-enable UWF fails because of a deadlock in UWF. This stops the device from restarting when you expect it.
        • [Hibernate stop error] Your laptop stops responding after you resume it from hibernate. This occurs if you have closed and opened the lid many times.
        • [Microsoft Entra single sign-on (SSO)] The SSO notice that the European Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires prompts too often. This occurs when you authenticate using a certificate. To learn more, see Upcoming changes to Windows single sign-on.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4076-beta-channel/ Mon, 19 Aug 2024 21:03:47 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177253 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4076 (KB5041873) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via <

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4076 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4076 (KB5041873) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="670"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Windows Studio Effects]

        • The improvement introduced with Build 22635.3930 that introduces a Studio Effects icon in the system tray when using any application with a Studio Effects-enabled camera has temporarily been disabled with this build. We plan to re-enable this feature in a future flight.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue where keyboard focus might get lost on selection of an unselected tab item.

        [Voice Access]

        • Fixed an issue where Voice Access commands weren’t working for non-English supported languages.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an issue causing the emoji panel to close when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue in Registry Editor where when editing a DWORD or QWORD if you pasted in a HEX value into the text box and saved it, the value saved might not be the one you had entered (for example, pasting 0x1 would become 0x411).

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        • [NetAdapterCx module] A system stops responding when large amounts of data travel over Wi-Fi. This issue occurs on devices that have certain wireless network cards.
        • [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
        • [Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC)]
          • When you apply WDAC Application ID policies, some apps might fail.
          • A memory leak occurs that might exhaust system memory as time goes by. This issue occurs when you provision a device.
        • [Group Policy Preferences Item Level Targeting (ILT) and Local Users and Groups] You cannot choose a group from the target domain for ILT. Also, you cannot choose an account from Local Users and Groups. The forest does not appear. This issue occurs when you deploy multiple forests, and the target domain has a one-way trust with the domain of the admin. This issue affects Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE), Hardened Forests (HF), or Privileged Access Management (PAM) deployments.
        • [Autopilot] Using it to provision Surface Laptop SE devices fails.
        • [FrameShutdownDelay] The browser ignores its value in the “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main” registry key.
        • [Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCPIP)] The issue causes high CPU usage and loss of packets. It also affects TCP connection success rates.
        • [Cache manager] It might stop responding. This occurs when you use Hyperthreading on Windows Server 2022.
        • [Print Support App] When you use the app with a USB device, the app stops responding and does not print. This issue also limits the functions of the user interface.
        • [Universal Print clients] They fail to communicate with the Universal Print service. This affects printing functions. This issue occurs when you turn on Web Proxy Auto Discovery (WPAD).
        • [NetJoinLegacyAccountReuse] This update removes this registry key. For more information refer to KB5020276—Netjoin: Domain join hardening changes.
        • [Windows Backup] Backup sometimes fails. This occurs when a device has an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) system partition (ESP).
        • [PowerShell and VBScript] The issue stops you from using Windows Update Agent (WUA) APIs in your scripts.

        Known issues

        [Taskbar]

        • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing explorer.exe to crash for some Insiders when closing apps from the taskbar in the latest builds.

        [File Explorer]

        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing explorer.exe to crash when interacting with archive files starting with the previous flight.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-1542-dev-channel/ Mon, 19 Aug 2024 21:03:44 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177255 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1542 (KB5041872) to the Dev Channel. This update is delivered in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing techn

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1542 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1542 (KB5041872) to the Dev Channel. This update is delivered in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates. Please note we will not be publishing symbols for this build. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx). For Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="670"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Dev Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Dev Channel.

        New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        New position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars 

        We’re beginning to roll out a new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars. The taskbar entry-point will move to the left of the systems tray and will be wider so you can see richer content from Widgets on your taskbar. When you launch the Widgets board, it will fly out from the right side instead of the left side. [caption id="attachment_176973" align="alignnone" width="477"] The Widgets entry-point at its new position to the left of system tray on a left-aligned taskbar.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Widgets.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • Updated the taskbar to now support first letter navigation, so when keyboard focus is set to the taskbar (WIN + T), you can press a letter, and it will jump to the open or pinned app whose name starts with that letter. Pressing the letter multiple times will jump to the subsequent app which starts with that letter, if there are multiple apps for that letter. For those using uncombined taskbar, rather than app name, the first letter navigation will use window name. Along with this, pressing Home and End will now move keyboard focus to the first and last (respectively) items in the taskbar.

        [Widgets]

        • We are rolling out an update to the Widgets Board to improve security and the APIs for creating widgets and feeds for users in EEA regions. As part of this update, the Microsoft Start Experiences app will power the Microsoft Start widget and feed experiences. Also, as part of this update, some existing widgets will be removed and others will be modified, temporarily affecting their functionality. This update sets the foundation for new widgets and other features in development, set to roll out soon.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Input]

        • Fixed an issue causing text suggestions for the hardware keyboard to not work properly (selecting one unexpectedly concatenated).
        • Fixed an issue causing the emoji panel to close when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue in Registry Editor where when editing a DWORD or QWORD if you pasted in a HEX value into the text box and saved it, the value saved might not be the one you had entered (for example, pasting 0x1 would become 0x411).

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [General]

        • Fixed an issue where adding additional languages or optional features might fail with error 0x800f081f in the last few flights.

        [Other]

        • [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
        • [Group Policy Preferences Item Level Targeting (ILT) and Local Users and Groups] You cannot choose a group from the target domain for ILT. Also, you cannot choose an account from Local Users and Groups. The forest does not appear. This issue occurs when you deploy multiple forests, and the target domain has a one-way trust with the domain of the admin. This issue affects Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE), Hardened Forests (HF), or Privileged Access Management (PAM) deployments.
        • [NetJoinLegacyAccountReuse] This update removes this registry key. For more information refer to KB5020276—Netjoin: Domain join hardening changes.
        • [Share button] On USB controllers, the button might not work with Game Bar.
        • [GPU-Paravirtualized VM or Container] After you restart it, graphic allocation creation might fail. Because of this, the VM and Container are not as reliable as you expect.
        • [Domain Name System (DNS)] This update hardens DNS server security to address CVE-2024-37968. If the configurations of your domains are not up to date, you might get the SERVFAIL error or time out.
        • [PowerShell and VBScript] The issue stops you from using Windows Update Agent (WUA) APIs in your scripts.
        • [BitLocker] A firmware update might fail if you turn on BitLocker.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT] Windows Insiders joining the Dev Channel on PCs running Windows 11, version 24H2 Build 26100.xxxx will see "(repair version)" noted next to the latest Dev Channel build from Windows Update. This is nothing to worry about as all it means is that an in-place upgrade will happen to update your PC to the latest build in the Dev Channel.

        [Task Manager]

        • Navigating between different pages in Task Manager may crash Task Manager.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Updates released to the Dev Channel are based off Windows 11, version 24H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-27686-canary-channel/ Thu, 15 Aug 2024 17:04:53 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177240 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27686 to the Canary Channel. If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27686 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27686 to the Canary Channel. If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, please take note of a known issue below. We are also not planning to release SDKs for 27xxx series builds for the time being.

        What’s new with Build 27686

        Windows Sandbox Client Preview

        This build includes the new Windows Sandbox Client Preview that is now updated via the Microsoft Store. As part of this preview, we’re introducing runtime clipboard redirection, audio/video input control, and the ability to share folders with the host at runtime. You can access these via the new “…” icon at the upper right on the app.  Additionally, this preview includes a super early version of command line support (commands may change over time). You can use ‘wsb.exe --help’ command for more information. [caption id="attachment_177242" align="alignnone" width="710"] Windows Sandbox Client Preview with new dropdown showing clipboard redirection, audio/video input control, and the ability to share folders with the host.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security & Privacy > Windows Sandbox.

        Changes and Improvements

        [General]

        • Some features that were previously rolled out to Insiders in the Canary Channel may disappear as we flight newer 27xxx series builds. These features should begin rolling out again to Insiders over time.
        • We've made optimizations to improve battery life for PCs running Build 27686+ in the Canary Channel. Let us know what you think and if you are not seeing the battery life on your PC you are expecting, let us know via Feedback Hub. When filing feedback in Feedback Hub on any battery life issues you experience, be sure to use the “Start recording” button to capture additional logs.

        [Settings]

        • In response to feedback, we have added a detach virtual hard disk (VHD/VHDx) button to Settings making it much simpler to detach your VHD/VHDx as needed. This option is available under Settings > System > Storage > Disks & Volumes, in the properties for your VHD/VHDx.
        [caption id="attachment_177244" align="alignnone" width="650"] New detach VHD button under highlighted in a red box in properties of attached VHD in Settings.[/caption]
        • [ADDED 8/16] We’re beginning to roll out improvements to Settings > System > Power & battery including the ability to set your Power Mode for both when your PC is plugged in when it’s on battery along with a few other UI improvements to the page.
        [caption id="attachment_177216" align="alignnone" width="660"] Ability to set your Power Mode for both when your PC is plugged in when it’s on battery in Settings highlighted in red square.[/caption]
        • [ADDED 8/16] On PCs with HDR displays, we have added the option to allow HDR video streaming even when HDR is off under Settings > System > Display > HDR.
        [caption id="attachment_177248" align="alignnone" width="657"] New option to allow HDR video streaming even when HDR is off highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        [Networking]

        • To help us evaluate future improvements in network performance, your device may periodically run network tests in the background to collect diagnostic data. These tests will use a small amount of data (up to 10MB/day) and will only run on Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections that are not marked as metered. This will only occur on PCs in the Canary Channel running Build 27686 and higher.

        [Storage]

        • When formatting disks from the command line using the format command, we've increased the FAT32 size limit from 32GB to 2TB.

        Fixes

        [Dev Drive]

        • Fixed an issue where Dev Drive VHDs weren’t automatically re-mounting when the underlying volume was dismounted and brought back online.

        [Lock screen]

        • Did some work to help address an issue where the battery icon displayed on the lock screen might be out of sync with the actual battery level of your PC.

        [Windows Security]

        • Fixed an issue in the Windows Security app where if you browsed the networks under Firewall & Network protection, it showed a broken glyph (a rectangle) next to the network name rather than a network icon.

        [Settings]

        • Fixed an issue under Settings > System > Storage > Disks and Volumes, where there was no space between the Create and Attach VHD buttons.
        • Fixed an issue where the power mode option in Settings > System > Power & Battery was showing in cases where it couldn’t be changed, leading to a blank dropdown.
        • Fixed an issue where if you searched in Settings for Kiosk and clicked the result for setting up kiosk mode, it wouldn’t navigate to the correct page for doing that.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue in Registry Editor where when editing a DWORD or QWORD if you pasted in a HEX value into the text box and saved it, the value saved might not be the one you had entered (for example, pasting 0x1 would become 0x411).

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
        • [ADDED 8/16] We're investigating an issue where when trying to open dfrgui.exe (Defrag and Optimize drives) fails with a pop up saying SXSHARED_UCRT.dll was not found.

        [Input]

        • We are working on the fix for an issue causing the emoji panel to close when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.

        [UPDATED!] Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Some features may show up in the Dev and Beta Channels first before showing up in the Canary Channel.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4010-beta-channel/ Fri, 09 Aug 2024 17:03:55 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177236 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4010 (KB5041869) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via <

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4010 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4010 (KB5041869) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="670"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • The more simplified system tray with shortened date/time change that began rolling out with Build 22635.3930 is now beginning to roll out again to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel after temporarily disabling the experience to address some issues.
        [caption id="attachment_177177" align="alignnone" width="345"] Simplified system tray shown with shortened form data and time and no notification bell icon.[/caption]
        • For Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the experience where we show jump lists when you hover your mouse cursor over apps on the taskbar that have jump lists that began rolling out with Build 22635.4000, there is a setting to turn this off should you want to via Settings > Personalization > Taskbar under “Taskbar behaviors”.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar]

        • Fixed a recent issue where if you pressed the Shift key when you right clicked on an app icon on the taskbar, it was opening another instance of the app rather than opening the expected menu. As part of this fix, we also fixed an issue where if you pressed the Shift key when right-clicking on an app icon on the taskbar would sometimes crash explorer.exe.

        [Task Manager]

        • Fixed an issue where the dropdown at the top of the GPU section of Performance wasn’t showing in dark mode when dark mode was enabled.

        Known issues

        [Taskbar]

        • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing explorer.exe to crash for some Insiders when closing apps from the taskbar in the latest builds.

        [File Explorer]

        Insiders in the Beta Channel with the updated Recent, Favorites, and Shared sections on the File Explorer homepage may see the following known issues:
        • Keyboard focus may be lost on selection of an unselected tab item.

        [Input]

        • We are working on the fix for an issue causing the emoji panel to close when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.

        Paint Update

        We are rolling out an update for Paint (version 11.2406.36.0 and newer) to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels that introduces the following improvements:
        • Pen back button eraser support: In the new update, users can now seamlessly switch from their current tool to erase by pressing on the eraser button or flipping to the back of the stylus pen to erase.
        • Pen support lasso select in pen side button: In the latest update, users can click on the side button when they hover the stylus pen over the screen to use the free-form selection tool and select anything on the canvas quickly.
        FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-1350-dev-channel/ Fri, 09 Aug 2024 17:03:51 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177233 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1350 (KB5041871) to the Dev Channel. This update is delivered in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing techn

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1350 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1350 (KB5041871) to the Dev Channel. This update is delivered in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx). For Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="670"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Dev Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Dev Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • When installing an MSIX package either locally or via the web (ms-appinstaller://?source=), we are beginning to roll out a change where Microsoft SmartScreen is used to verify the source of the MSIX package and if it’s safe to install.

        [Windows Share]

        • We are rolling out the ability to easily share content to an Android device from Windows share window. The feature requires you to pair your Android device to your Windows PC using the Link to Windows app on Android and Phone Link on your PC.
        [caption id="attachment_177181" align="alignnone" width="609"] Updated UI for sharing content to an Android device via the Windows share window showing an updated icon in the Nearby Share section.[/caption]

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Task Manager]

        • Fixed the issue causing graphs on the Performance page in Task Manager to not show the correct colors when using dark mode again.

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [Windows Sandbox]

        • We fixed the issue causing Windows Sandbox to fail to launch with error 0x80370106.

        [Voice Access]

        • Fixed an issue where Voice Access commands weren’t working for non-English supported languages.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT] Windows Insiders joining the Dev Channel on PCs running Windows 11, version 24H2 Build 26100.xxxx will see "(repair version)" noted next to the latest Dev Channel build from Windows Update. This is nothing to worry about as all it means is that an in-place upgrade will happen to update your PC to the latest build in the Dev Channel.
        • Adding additional languages or optional features may fail with error 0x800f081f.

        [Task Manager]

        • Navigating between different pages in Task Manager may crash Task Manager.

        [Input]

        • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing text suggestions for the hardware keyboard to not work properly (selecting one unexpectedly concatenates).
        • [ADDED 6/13] We are working on the fix for an issue causing the emoji panel to close when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Updates released to the Dev Channel are based off Windows 11, version 24H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/07/microsoft-store-august-2024-update-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Wed, 07 Aug 2024 17:01:22 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177226 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out our August 2024 update for the Microsoft Store to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels. The update will be available for Windows 11 devices (version 22407.xxxx.x and higher).

        <

        The post Microsoft Store August 2024 update rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> An updated library experience

        In this update, we are introducing changes to the library page. First, we have improved the default filters to show all the products you own, not just products that are installed (you can still toggle this filter if you wish). Next, we’ve added a search bar that will help you find the name or the publisher of products you’re looking for. Combined with the first change, this new experience is powerful: you can easily find any app and game you’ve ever acquired with your Microsoft account. [caption id="attachment_177228" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A revamped library page experience in the Microsoft Store.[/caption]

        A new page for updates and downloads

        We are also moving the list of updates and downloads from the top section of the library to its own dedicated page. This new page displays your list of active downloads or pending updates, and it shows the list of recent installs or updates. Version notes will also be displayed for a pending update or active download. [caption id="attachment_177229" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A new page for updates and downloads in the Microsoft Store.[/caption] To all Microsoft Store developers, we invite you to update the “What’s new” section of your app or game submissions with up-to-date information. Those version notes will appear here for your customers to see.

        Limited time events

        We are experimenting with a new section on the Games page in some regions that will showcase select partners with in-app events. We have partnered with game publishers to highlight real events that will be occurring during the test period. [caption id="attachment_177230" align="alignnone" width="638"] Events from apps and games in the Microsoft Store.[/caption]

        The updated Microsoft Store badge is here!

        We’ve refreshed the design of the Microsoft Store badge with a more refined call-to-action to give users more confidence to acquire your app. [caption id="attachment_177231" align="alignnone" width="681"] The new Microsoft Store badges.[/caption] These changes are live on the badge creator page, as well as on any website that currently uses the Microsoft Store badge. For developers that have already been using these externally, you’ll automatically get the new badge. If you haven’t been using them, now’s a great time to get one for your app and increase reach. To learn more about the new badge, including creating one and best practices, head over to our Microsoft Learn page. [These features are beginning to roll out, so they may not be available to all Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing them out to everyone.] Please try out these changes and let us know what you think. Our team is always listening for feedback! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store. Thanks, Microsoft Store Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-1340-dev-channel/ Mon, 05 Aug 2024 21:03:56 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177221 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1340 (KB5040557) to the Dev Channel. This update is delivered in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing techn

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1340 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1340 (KB5040557) to the Dev Channel. This update is delivered in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx). For Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="645"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Dev Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Dev Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Input]

        • We are updating Settings > Bluetooth & Device > Mouse to now include the option to turn off enhanced mouse pointer precision for those that would prefer to not use it and have added a new option for changing mouse scrolling direction.
        [caption id="attachment_177202" align="alignnone" width="685"] New toggles for enhanced mouse pointer precision changing mouse scrolling direction highlighted in red boxes.[/caption]

        [Voice Access]

        • We are making improvements for the spelling and corrections experience in voice access. You can now use the experience for the entire voice access session. The spelling experience will now enable you to dictate the characters at a faster speed and offer more editing flexibility inside the experience with dictation commands, namely selection, deletion and text navigation commands.

        [Energy Saver]

        • For laptops on battery, a notification will pop up asking you to plug in your laptop if the battery level reaches 20% while Energy Saver is set to “Always On”.

        [Settings]

        • We are beginning to roll out a new energy recommendation for turning off HDR to conserve energy on PCs with HDR displays under Settings > Power & battery > Energy recommendations.
        [caption id="attachment_177169" align="alignnone" width="685"] New HDR energy recommendation highlighted in a red box in Settings.[/caption]

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Settings]

        • Fixed an issue where the items under “Let desktop apps access your location” section in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location might visibly flicker although there were no changes displayed.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT] Windows Insiders joining the Dev Channel on PCs running Windows 11, version 24H2 Build 26100.xxxx will see "(repair version)" noted next to the latest Dev Channel build from Windows Update. This is nothing to worry about as all it means is that an in-place upgrade will happen to update your PC to the latest build in the Dev Channel.
        • Adding additional languages or optional features may fail with error 0x800f081f.

        Windows Sandbox]

        • Windows Sandbox will fail to launch with error 0x80370106.

        [Task Manager]

        • Navigating between different pages in Task Manager may crash Task Manager.
        • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing graphs on the Performance page in Task Manager to not show the correct colors when using dark mode again.

        [Input]

        • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing text suggestions for the hardware keyboard to not work properly (selecting one unexpectedly concatenates).

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Updates released to the Dev Channel are based off Windows 11, version 24H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/08/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4005-beta-channel/ Fri, 02 Aug 2024 17:03:27 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177218 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4005 (KB5040555) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via <

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4005 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4005 (KB5040555) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="762"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • Fixed an issue which was causing sporadic explorer.exe for some Insiders while using your PC in the latest flights.

        Known issues

        [Taskbar]

        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing explorer.exe to crash for some Insiders when closing apps from the taskbar in the latest builds.

        [File Explorer]

        Insiders in the Beta Channel with the updated Recent, Favorites, and Shared sections on the File Explorer homepage may see the following known issues:
        • Keyboard focus may be lost on selection of an unselected tab item.

        [Input]

        • We are working on the fix for an issue causing the emoji panel to close when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/07/26/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-4000-beta-channel/ Fri, 26 Jul 2024 17:04:26 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177212 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4000 (KB5040546) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via <

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4000 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4000 (KB5040546) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="680"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • We're beginning to try out showing jump lists when you hover your mouse cursor over apps on the taskbar that have jump lists and are inactive. Should you see this experience, let us know what you think via Feedback Hub.
        • [ADDED 7/29] The setting to show seconds in the system tray clock has moved to Settings > Time & language > Time & date under "Show time and date in the system tray".

        [Voice Access]

        • We are making improvements for the spelling and corrections experience in voice access. You will now be able to use the experience for the entirety of voice access session. The spelling experience will now enable you to dictate the characters at a faster speed and offer more editing flexibility inside the experience with dictation commands, namely selection, deletion and text navigation commands.

        [Widgets]

        • We are rolling out an update to the Widgets Board to improve security and the APIs for creating widgets and feeds for users in EEA regions. As part of this update, the Microsoft Start Experiences app will power the Microsoft Start widget and feed experiences. Also, as part of this update, some existing widgets will be removed and others will be modified, temporarily affecting their functionality. This update sets the foundation for new widgets and other features in development, set to roll out soon.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • Fix and underlying issue causing the Notification Center to get stuck and not open sometimes for some Insiders with the latest builds. This is also believed to be the same underlying cause as some Insiders finding that the Add a Device dialog didn’t appear when trying to add Bluetooth devices in Settings.

        [Input]

        • [ADDED] We’re rolling out the fix for an issue impacting the ability to launch the touch keyboard, emoji panel, and IME candidate window reliably due to an underlying crash.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Beta Channel

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed some issues causing Narrator to not work as expected when navigating through the Recent, Favorites, and Shared tab items for Insiders with the recent updates to Home in File Explorer.
        • Fixed an issue causing the context menu in Home or Gallery to open in the wrong position when using Arabic or Hebrew display languages.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • We’re investigating a couple of issues causing an increase in explorer.exe crashes for some Insiders with the latest builds.

        [File Explorer]

        Insiders in the Beta Channel with the updated Recent, Favorites, and Shared sections on the File Explorer homepage may see the following known issues:
        • Files shared with you may not appear if there has been no interaction with that file.
        • Keyboard focus may be lost on selection of an unselected tab item.

        [Input]

        • We are working on the fix for an issue causing the emoji panel to close when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/07/26/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-1330-dev-channel/ Fri, 26 Jul 2024 17:04:20 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177210 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1330 (KB5040543) to the Dev Channel. This update is delivered in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing techn

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1330 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1330 (KB5040543) to the Dev Channel. This update is delivered in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx). For Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="680"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Dev Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Dev Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • [ADDED 7/29] The setting to show seconds in the system tray clock has moved to Settings > Time & language > Time & date under "Show time and date in the system tray".

        [File Explorer]

        • We’re rolling out the ability to duplicate a tab by right-clicking on a tab in File Explorer.
        [caption id="attachment_177024" align="alignnone" width="513"] Option to duplicate tab when right-clicking on a tab in File Explorer highlighted in a red square.[/caption]

        [Narrator]

        • We have made several changes to improve the performance of Narrator scan mode. This is expected to make scan mode responses much quicker, especially while using Microsoft Edge, and reading through large documents. To try out scan mode, turn on Narrator first (Win key + Ctrl + Enter), and then turn scan mode ON by pressing Caps Lock + Spacebar during a Narrator session.

        [Settings]

        • We're beginning to roll out improvements to Settings > System > Power & battery including the ability to set your Power Mode for both when your PC is plugged in when it’s on battery along with a few other UI improvements to the page.
        [caption id="attachment_177216" align="alignnone" width="583"] Ability to set your Power Mode for both when your PC is plugged in when it’s on battery in Settings highlighted in red square.[/caption]

        [For Developers]

        • Updated the logic for the “End Task” option in the taskbar so that it no longer shows a Not Responding dialog to give confirmation before ending the task.

        [Other]

        • Updated System Info (msinfo32) to now follow your text size preference under Settings > Accessibility > Text Size.

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [Settings]

        • Fixed an issue where the Windows Update page in Settings was not displaying correctly for Insiders using certain languages (no text showed). If you are impacted by this on Build 26120.1252, updating to this flight should still happen on its own, however you may need to wait a little bit.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT] Windows Insiders joining the Dev Channel on PCs running Windows 11, version 24H2 Build 26100.xxxx will see "(repair version)" noted next to the latest Dev Channel build from Windows Update. This is nothing to worry about as all it means is that an in-place upgrade will happen to update your PC to the latest build in the Dev Channel.
        • [NEW] The BitLocker Recovery screen issue documented here may also impact Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.
        • Adding additional languages or optional features may fail with error 0x800f081f.

        Windows Sandbox]

        • Windows Sandbox will fail to launch with error 0x80370106.

        [Task Manager]

        • Navigating between different pages in Task Manager may crash Task Manager.
        • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue causing graphs on the Performance page in Task Manager to not show the correct colors when using dark mode again.

        [Input]

        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing text suggestions for the hardware keyboard to not work properly (selecting one unexpectedly concatenates).

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Updates released to the Dev Channel are based off Windows 11, version 24H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/07/25/ability-to-access-your-android-phone-in-file-explorer-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Thu, 25 Jul 2024 21:03:11 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177206 Hello Windows Insiders,

        Today we are beginning to gradually roll out the ability to see your Android phone in File Explorer to Windows Insiders with Android phones across all Insider Channels.

        With this new experience, you will be able to wirelessl

        The post Ability to access your Android phone in File Explorer begins rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> File Explorer showing the new entry point for accessing your Android phone.[/caption] To use this feature, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:
        • Your Android phone has at least Android 11 or higher.
        • You are running the BETA version of Link to Windows app on your Android phone (version 1.24071 and higher).
        • You are registered for the Windows Insider Program, your PC is running Windows 11, and your PC is opted into any of the 4 Insider Channels.
        To enable this experience, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile Devices and choose “Manage devices” and allow your PC to access your Android phone. You’ll then be able to see a toggle to show your phone in File Explorer. If you do not see this toggle, that means the experience hasn't yet rolled out to you yet. [caption id="attachment_177209" align="alignnone" width="568"] Settings window for managing mobile devices that are allowed to connect to your PC.[/caption]

        Known issues

        • When you delete phone files on your PC, they are moved to a new Recycle Bin folder on your phone. Currently, these deleted files remain in the Recycle Bin for 5 days, even though the dialog indicates 30 days. An update is being made to ensure automatic deletion after 30 days.
        • Occasionally, deleted files in the new Recycle Bin folder on your phone may not appear in File Explorer on your PC. This issue will be resolved in a future update.
        • Sometimes, operations performed on phone files from your PC may not sync back to the phone. As a workaround, you can log out of your Windows account on your PC and log back in.
        FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers > Linked devices. Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/07/25/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-1297-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 25 Jul 2024 17:30:51 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177204 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.1297 (KB5040529) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100).

        Below

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.1297 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Build 26100.1297 (KB5040529) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100). Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

        Gradual rollout

        These might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
        • [Lock screen] New! Sports, traffic, and finance content will appear along with weather. To turn on this feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
        • [Start menu]
          • New! The new account manager is on the Start menu. When you use a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows, you will get a glance at your account benefits. This feature also makes it easy to manage your account settings.
          • New! You can now also pin apps from the Start menu to the taskbar by dragging and dropping items directly to taskbar from the pinned section in the Start menu.
        • [File Explorer]New! You can now use your mouse to drag files between breadcrumbs in the File Explorer address bar. A breadcrumb shows the path to your current file location in the address bar. For example, there are three breadcrumbs in the path This PC > Windows (C:) > Program Files.
        • [Emoji] New! This update adds support for Emoji 15.1. Windows supports Unicode symbol-like shapes for family groupings. But Windows will keep using people for them. Also, you can choose the right or left facing direction for some people emoji. The new emoji are:
          • Horizontal and vertical head shake
          • Phoenix
          • Lime
          • Brown mushroom
          • Broken chain
        • [Windows Share]
          • New! This update adds a feature that stops you from accidentally closing the Windows share window. Clicking outside of the window will no longer close it. To close it, select the close button at the upper-right corner.
          • New! You can directly share to specific Microsoft Teams channels and group chats in the Windows share window. To do so, you must sign in using a Microsoft Entra ID.
          • New! You can now create quick response (QR) codes for webpage URLs and cloud files from the Windows share window. Select the share button in the Microsoft Edge toolbar and choose “Windows share options.” Then, you can share the URLs and files across your devices.
          • New! You can now send email to yourself from the Windows share window. You will receive the email at the email address that is in your Microsoft account.
          • New! You can now copy files from the Windows Share window. Just click the new Copy
        • [Windows Backup] New! Windows will now back up many of your sound settings (this includes your sound scheme). This only occurs if you turn on Remember my preferences and select the checkboxes for Personalization and Other Windows settings. To find these, go to Settings > Accounts > Windows backup. Then, you can use the Windows Backup app to restore those settings on a new device.
        • [Settings] 
          • New! This update adds a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings home page. This home page shows on Home and Pro editions when you sign in to Windows using your Microsoft account. The card appears if you actively play games on your PC.
          • New! This update adds a page to Settings > Accounts called Linked devices. On it, you can manage your PCs and Xbox consoles. This page only shows on Home and Pro editions when you sign in to Windows using your Microsoft account (MSA).
          • New! This update puts the “Add now” button in Settings > Account. When you select it, you can add a recovery email address if you have not added one for your Microsoft account yet. The button only shows if you sign in to your Microsoft account.
          • New! This update includes updated visuals for the “Rename your PC” and “Change date and time” dialogs to match the Windows 11 visuals.
        • [Task Manager]
          • This update changes the units for DDR speed from MHz to MT/s.
          • This update addresses an issue that affects USB devices. Ejecting them using the Safely Remove Hardware option fails. This occurs when Task Manager is open.
          • This update affects process handles. Task Manager releases them more quickly when it stops a process.
          • This update makes Task Manager more reliable.
          • This update affects the sort order of processes in Task Manager. Performance is better when you change the order.
          • This update makes Task Manager more accessible by improving: Keyboard focus, Tab key navigation, Text scaling, The readout of item names by screen readers, High contrast heatmaps and more.
          • This update makes resizing the Task Manager window easier when you grab the top of its window.

        Normal rollout

        This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
        • [PC Manager] New! This update adds PC Manager to devices in China.
        • [Widgets]New! The Widgets icons on the taskbar are no longer pixelated or fuzzy. This update also gives you a larger set of animated icons.
        • [Azure Virtual Desktop] New! You can now use OneDrive as a RemoteApp in Azure Virtual Desktop.
        • [Virtual Filtering Platform (VFP)] New! In Windows nodes, VFP has more support for packet drop collection. This will make it easier to troubleshoot issues.
        • [Windows Server vNext] In the latest build, the cache size display behavior is not what you expect.
        • [Group Policy Preferences Item Level Targeting (ILT) and Local Users and Groups] You cannot choose a group from the target domain for ILT. Also, you cannot choose an account from Local Users and Groups. The forest does not appear. This issue occurs when you deploy multiple forests, and the target domain has a one-way trust with the domain of the admin. This issue affects Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE), Hardened Forests (HF), or Privileged Access Management (PAM) deployments.
        • [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
        • [Share button] On USB controllers, the button might not work with Game Bar.
        • [Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS)] It fails at times when you set Field Engineering logging to 5.
        • [NetAdapterCx module] Devices that use certain WLAN cards stop responding.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/07/24/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26257-canary-channel/ Wed, 24 Jul 2024 17:04:34 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177199 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26257 to the Canary Channel.

        Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to th

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26257 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26257 to the Canary Channel. Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to the Canary Channel.

        Changes and Improvements

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • [ADDED 7/29] The setting to show seconds in the system tray clock has moved to Settings > Time & language > Time & date under "Show time and date in the system tray".

        [File Explorer]

        • We’re rolling out the ability to duplicate a tab by right-clicking on a tab in File Explorer.
        [caption id="attachment_177024" align="alignnone" width="525"] Option to duplicate tab when right-clicking on a tab in File Explorer highlighted in a red square.[/caption]

        [Input]

        • [ADDED] We have updated Settings > Bluetooth & Device > Mouse to now include the option to turn off enhanced mouse pointer precision for those that would prefer to not use it and have added a new option for changing mouse scrolling direction.
        [caption id="attachment_177202" align="alignnone" width="706"] New options for enhanced mouse pointer precision changing mouse scrolling direction highlighted in red boxes.[/caption]

        [Networking]

        • If you use the netsh wlan show networks command, you should be able to read SSIDs that are UTF-8 encoded. This means that Wi-Fi SSIDs with Unicode characters (like emojis) should be properly displayed in netsh output. This change is beginning to roll out so not all Insiders in the Canary Channel will see it right away.

        [For Developers]

        • Updated the logic for the “End Task” option in the taskbar so that it no longer shows a Not Responding dialog to give confirmation before ending the task.

        [Other]

        • Updated System Info (msinfo32) to now follow your text size preference under Settings > Accessibility > Text Size.

        Fixes

        [General]

        • Fixed an underlying issue causing some Insiders to see bugchecks in recent builds citing KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE.

        [File Explorer]

        • Did some work to help address an issue where the address bar dropdown might appear unexpectedly while you were using File Explorer.

        [Settings]

        • Fixed an underlying issue leading to some of the pop-up windows in Settings unexpectedly appearing left aligned, for example, the window for selecting a custom color for Dynamic Lighting.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO here and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

        [Windows Sandbox]

        • [NEW] Windows Sandbox will fail to launch with error 0x80370106.

        [Input]

        • [NEW] We are working on the fix for an issue causing the emoji panel to close when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.
        • [ADDED 7/25] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing text suggestions for the hardware keyboard to not work properly (selecting one unexpectedly concatenates).

        [Task Manager]

        • [ADDED] We're investigating an issue causing graphs on the Performance page in Task Manager to not show the correct colors when using dark mode again.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows* is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/07/22/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3936-beta-channel/ Mon, 22 Jul 2024 21:03:25 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177196 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3936 (KB5040535) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via <

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3936 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3936 (KB5040535) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="671"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • We are trying out updated designs for the "Open with" dialog where the group headers are removed, among a few other changes.

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • We have temporarily disabled the more simplified system tray with shortened date/time change that began rolling out with Build 22635.3930 to address several issues. We will begin re-enabling this on a future flight. If you saw this change previously, it will likely disappear after updating to this build today.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Input]

        • Fixed an issue causing text suggestions for the hardware keyboard to not work properly in recent builds (selecting one unexpectedly concatenated).
        • Fixed a few high hitting ctfmon.exe crashes, which could impact the ability to input text.
        • Fixed an issue which could cause certain mice and keyboards to not work in safe mode.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [NEW] We’re investigating a couple of issues causing an increase in explorer.exe crashes for some Insiders with the latest builds.
        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing the Notification Center to get stuck and not open sometimes for some Insiders with the latest builds.

        [File Explorer]

        Insiders in the Beta Channel with the updated Recent, Favorites, and Shared sections on the File Explorer homepage may see the following known issues:
        • Files shared with you may not appear if there has been no interaction with that file.
        • Keyboard focus may be lost on selection of an unselected tab item.
        • Narrator may not work as expected when navigating through the Recent, Favorites, and Shared tab items.

        [Widgets]

        Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:
        • Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.

        [Input]

        • [NEW] We are working on the fix for an issue causing the emoji panel to close when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.

        Microsoft Store Update

        Windows Insiders across all Insider Channels running version 22406.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out: Store Search suggestions: When you’re searching for content in the Store Search box, a new flyout at the bottom of the search display suggests content you may be interested in. Check it out by navigating to the Search box! [caption id="attachment_177194" align="alignnone" width="610"] New flyout at the bottom of search results showing recommended content from the Store.[/caption] Browsing games per category: From the Gaming page, you can now navigate easily and quickly through different game categories such as strategy, role-playing, shooter, sport, puzzle, and simulation. We are trying this out in the US, UK and CA. [caption id="attachment_177195" align="alignnone" width="709"] Navigate more easily between game categories in the Store.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/07/17/microsoft-photos-introduces-even-more-ai-editing-capabilities-with-microsoft-designer/ Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:00:43 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177185 Hello Windows Insiders,

        Today, Microsoft Photos is introducing an even closer integration with Microsoft Designer, so you can stay in the flow, using AI to edit photos, all wit

        The post Microsoft Photos introduces even more AI editing capabilities with Microsoft Designer appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Microsoft Designer, so you can stay in the flow, using AI to edit photos, all within the Photos app. This update is available on Windows 11 and starting to roll out across all Insider Channels today.

        Microsoft Photos integrates AI editing with Designer

        The Photos app is offering a new way to edit and customize your images with Designer and the power of AI. We have improved the user experience - from loading a separate webpage to now offering a fully integrated Designer image editing experience that lets you easily edit photos like an expert - all without leaving the Photos app and with no design skills required. Clicking on the “Edit with Designer” button now opens your photo in Designer, directly in the Photos app, to help you refine and reimagine your photos without leaving your flow. [caption id="attachment_177187" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Designer, a new way to edit your images in the Photos app.[/caption] AI will intelligently detect the objects in your image, allowing you to personalize it with ease. Erase objects from your shot, create beautiful portrait photos with background blur, add creative flair with color pop, enhance the visual impact of your image with auto crop, or try out the new text and markup features to bring your creative ideas to life. You will also have access to the editing features you know and expect like filters, adjustments and more. [caption id="attachment_177188" align="alignnone" width="1024"] AI automatically detects the subject in your photo.[/caption] This feature is currently limited to users with Windows display language set to English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, or Portuguese (Brazil), and available in most countries. Sign in with a free personal Microsoft account to try Designer’s AI features and automatically save your edits so you can continue at a later time. To get the latest Photos experience, update your app to version number 2024.11070.12001.0 or higher. We appreciate your comments and suggestions, so please share your feedback with us! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Photos. Thanks, Yvonne Hsieh, Principal PM Manager – Windows Photos]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/07/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-1252-dev-channel/ Mon, 15 Jul 2024 21:03:40 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177182 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1252 (KB5038603) to the Dev Channel. This update is delivered in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1252 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1252 (KB5038603) to the Dev Channel. This update is delivered in a format that offers a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx). For Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="708"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Dev Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Dev Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • We are beginning to enable again the set of new features we started to enable on 6/28 but paused on 6/30. We’re starting the enablement of these at a small percentage at first so not all Insiders in the Dev Channel with this toggle turned on will see all these features right away. And some features may show up while others might not just yet.

        [Start menu]

        • You can now also pin apps from the Start menu to the taskbar by dragging and dropping items directly to taskbar from the pinned section in the Start menu.

        [File Explorer]

        • Drag-and-drop files with your mouse functionality between breadcrumbs is now available in the File Explorer Address Bar – thanks again Insiders that shared feedback about this!

        [Lock screen]

        • We’re beginning to roll out Weather and more to your lock screen starting with this build in the Dev Channel. Stay informed and efficient with dynamic updates that bring finance, traffic, and sports to your Lock screen, alongside weather. The card design has been improved with acrylic blur, card size, spacing, and font optimizations. To turn on this feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. To learn more, see Personalize your lock screen.
        [caption id="attachment_176976" align="alignnone" width="706"] Finance, traffic, and sports content along with weather on the Lock screen.[/caption]

        [Widgets]

        • [ADDED] We are also making some improvements to the Widgets button on the taskbar so that the icons on the taskbar are clearer and we are rolling out a larger set of animated icons too.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue which could make explorer.exe crash when navigating away from Home.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an issue where if you went through Windows Setup (OOBE), pinyin would be unexpectedly displayed twice in the list of available input methods.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an underlying issue believed to be the cause of Insiders seeing error 0x80370106 when trying to launch Windows Sandbox after the latest flights.
        • Fixed an issue which was causing the preferred audio volume (under Settings > System > Sound > Volume Mixer) for Microsoft Edge to not persist across restarting the app.

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [General]

        • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to see a bugcheck with error KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE in recent flights.
        • Fixed an issue believed to be the underlying cause of some Insiders noticing stutters in some animations recently (dropping frames), particularly with Task View.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an issue causing a cyclical input crash in the previous flight for a small number of Insiders, which impacted various input experiences.
        • Fixed an issue where the Input Method Editor (IME) candidate list may fail to show or showed in the wrong position.
        • Fixed an issue causing Insiders to see errors when attempting to use Voice Typing with certain languages such as Chinese.

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • Updated the app icon flashing in the taskbar to be a bit easier to see.

        [Settings]

        • Fixed an issue where Settings > System > Power & Battery unexpectedly had duplicate text when showing a warning about a slow charger.
        • Fixed an issue causing Insiders to see errors when attempting to use Voice Typing with certain languages such as Chinese.

        [Other]

        • This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • Fixed the underlying issue causing some Insiders to see a Pcasvc.dll error dialog pop-up with the message “Missing entry: PcaWallpaperAppDetect” after upgrading from Windows 11, version 22H2/23H2 to a 26xxx build.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT] Windows Insiders joining the Dev Channel on PCs running Windows 11, version 24H2 Build 26100.xxxx will see "(repair version)" noted next to the latest Dev Channel build from Windows Update. This is nothing to worry about as all it means is that an in-place upgrade will happen to update your PC to the latest build in the Dev Channel.
        • [NEW] There’s an issue in this build where the Windows Update page in Settings is not displaying correctly for Insiders using certain languages (no text shows). If you are impacted by this, the update when the next flight goes out should still happen on its own, however you may need to wait a little bit.
        • [NEW] Adding additional languages or optional features may fail with error 0x800f081f.

        [Task Manager]

        • Navigating between different pages in Task Manager may crash Task Manager.

        [Windows Sandbox]

        • [ADDED 7/16] Windows Sandbox will fail to launch with error 0x80370106.

        [ADDED 7/18] Paint Update

        We are rolling out an update for Paint (version 11.2406.34.0and newer) to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels that introduces the following improvements:
        • Pen back button eraser support: In the new update, users can now seamlessly switch from their current tool to erase by pressing on the eraser button or flipping to the back of the stylus pen to erase.
        • Pen support lasso select in pen side button: In the latest update, users can click on the side button when they hover the stylus pen over the screen to use the free-form selection tool and select anything on the canvas quickly.
        FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint.

        [ADDED 7/18] Microsoft Store Update

        Windows Insiders across all Insider Channels running version 22406.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out: Store Search suggestions: When you’re searching for content in the Store Search box, a new flyout at the bottom of the search display suggests content you may be interested in. Check it out by navigating to the Search box! [caption id="attachment_177194" align="alignnone" width="795"] New flyout at the bottom of search results showing recommended content from the Store.[/caption] Browsing games per category: From the Gaming page, you can now navigate easily and quickly through different game categories such as strategy, role-playing, shooter, sport, puzzle, and simulation. We are trying this out in the US, UK and CA. [caption id="attachment_177195" align="alignnone" width="815"] Navigate more easily between game categories in the Store.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Updates released to the Dev Channel are based off Windows 11, version 24H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/07/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3930-beta-channel/ Fri, 12 Jul 2024 17:03:26 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177174 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3930 (KB5040550) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3930 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3930 (KB5040550) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="683"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        Shared Content in File Explorer Home 

        File Explorer will now provide you with quick access to files that have been shared with you. If you are signed into Windows with your Microsoft account, you will be able to view files that have been shared with your account, such as email, Teams chat, etc. If you are a commercial customer who is signed-in with your Microsoft Entra ID account, you will additionally be able to view files that they have shared with others. You can access this feature by launching File Explorer Home and clicking on the ‘Shared’ tab item. You will also be able to view a broader set of file types in their Recent, Favorites, and Shared sections on the homepage. For example, if you’ve recently opened/edited files in Designer, Loop, Power BI, Forms, etc. these files will now be available in your Recent list. [caption id="attachment_177176" align="alignnone" width="736"] File Explorer Home with new tabs for Recent, Favorites, and Shared.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • We are trying out a more simplified system tray to highlight the date/time in a shortened form and to show the notifications bell icon based on DND status. Without the notification bell icon, you can get to your notifications by clicking the date and time to Notification Center. You can revert to the long form of the date/time and bell icon visuals by toggling the values in the Settings via Settings > Date and Time under “Show time and day in the system tray” and Settings > System > Notifications under “Notifications”. These settings are also accessible through the context menu shown by right clicking the system tray clock/bell icon button. [UPDATE 7/17] We have temporarily disabled the more simplified system tray with shortened date/time change to address several issues. We will begin re-enabling this in a future flight.
        [caption id="attachment_177177" align="alignnone" width="338"] Simplified system tray shown with shortened form data and time and no notification bell icon.[/caption]
        • We've updated the previews that show when you mouse-over/hover over apps on the taskbar. We have also improved the animations for when these previews show on the taskbar based on Insider feedback.
        [caption id="attachment_177179" align="alignnone" width="622"] Updated taskbar previews shown for two open File Explorer windows.[/caption]
        • Updated the taskbar to now support first letter navigation, so when keyboard focus is set to the taskbar (WIN + T), you can press a letter, and it will jump to the open or pinned app whose name starts with that letter. Pressing the letter multiple times will jump to the subsequent app which starts with that letter, if there are multiple apps for that letter. For those using uncombined taskbar, rather than app name, the first letter navigation will use window name. Along with this, pressing Home and End will now move keyboard focus to the first and last (respectively) items in the taskbar.

        [Windows Studio Effects]

        • Windows Studio Effects delivers AI-based camera and audio enhancements on devices equipped with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU). Today, you can access Studio Effects in Quick Settings from the system tray of the taskbar. To further streamline your experience, an icon will now appear in the system tray when using any application with a Studio Effects-enabled camera. Simply click on this icon to launch the Studio Effects page in Quick Settings. Additionally, hovering over the icon will display a tooltip indicating which application is utilizing the camera.
        [caption id="attachment_177180" align="alignnone" width="438"] New Studio Effects icon shown in system tray when using any application with a Studio Effects-enabled camera.[/caption]

        [Windows Share]

        • We are updating the UI in the Windows share window for sharing content to an Android device that began rolling out with Build 22635.3785. The option is also move to be under “Nearby Share” in the Windows share window. The feature requires you to pair your Android device to your Windows PC using the Link to Windows app on Android and Phone Link on your PC.
        [caption id="attachment_177181" align="alignnone" width="547"] Updated UI for sharing content to an Android device via the Windows share window showing an updated icon in the Nearby Share section.[/caption]

        [Narrator]

        • We have made several changes to improve the performance of Narrator scan mode. This is expected to make scan mode responses much quicker, especially while using Microsoft Edge, and reading through large documents. To try out scan mode, turn on Narrator first (Win key + Ctrl + Enter), and then turn scan mode ON by pressing Caps Lock + Spacebar during a Narrator session.

        [Other]

        • Updated System Info (msinfo32) to now follow your text size preference under Settings > Accessibility > Text Size.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Start menu]

        • Fixed an issue where the All apps list wasn’t being read out by screen readers in recent flights.
        • Fixed an issue causing some apps to not be sorted correctly in the All apps list when using certain display languages.

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • Fixed an issue where keyboard focus might get lost when using Shift + Tab to move through the taskbar.

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • We fixed the issue causing you not to be able to view or interact with the taskbar after you install KB5039302. This issue occurs on devices that run the Windows N edition. This edition is like other editions but lacks most media-related tools. The issue also occurs if you turn off “Media Features” from the Control Panel.

        Known issues

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the more simplified system tray with shortened date/time may see the following known issues:
        • [NEW] If the “Show notification icon” is greyed out under Settings > System > Notifications – just toggle “Notifications” off and back on again and it should no longer be greyed out.

        [File Explorer]

        Insiders in the Beta Channel with the updated Recent, Favorites, and Shared sections on the File Explorer homepage may see the following known issues:
        • [NEW] Files shared with you may not appear if there has been no interaction with that file.
        • [NEW] Keyboard focus may be lost on selection of an unselected tab item.
        • [NEW] Narrator may not work as expected when navigating through the Recent, Favorites, and Shared tab items.

        [Text input]

        • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing text suggestions for the hardware keyboard to not work properly with the previous flight (selecting one unexpectedly concatenates).

        [Widgets]

        Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:
        • Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/07/11/releasing-windows-11-builds-22621-3951-and-22631-3951-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 11 Jul 2024 17:42:01 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177172 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Builds 22621.3951 and 22631.3951 (KB5040527) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2 (Build

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Builds 22621.3951 and 22631.3951 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Builds 22621.3951 and 22631.3951 (KB5040527) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2 (Build 22621) and version 23H2 (Build 22631).   This update includes the following features and improvements (note that items with an asterisk (*) are gradually rolling out) and items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented:
        • [Notification for Windows Share in China] * New! For nearby sharing to work, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth must be on. If they are off when you turn on nearby sharing, Windows will ask you to allow them to be turned on. This feature might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.
        • [File Explorer] * New! When you right-click a tab, you have the choice to duplicate it. This feature might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.
        • [Start menu] * New! You can drag apps from the Pinned section of the menu and pin them to the taskbar. This feature might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.
        • [Taskbar]
          • [ADDED] New!  * When the taskbar has keyboard focus (WIN + T), you can press a letter, and you will go to the app whose name starts with that letter. When you press a letter more than once, you will go to the next app whose name starts with that letter. Pressing a letter more than once only works if there are multiple pinned or open apps whose name starts with that letter. If you are using an uncombined taskbar, when you press a letter, you go to the window whose name starts with that letter. Also, when you press Home and End, the keyboard focus changes to the first and last items in the taskbar.
          • New! * Updated the logic for the “End Task” option in the taskbar so that it no longer shows a Not Responding dialog to give confirmation before ending the task. This option is available for users who have enabled End Task under Settings > System > For Developers.
        • [File Explorer] * Improves File Explorer reliability, by addressing multiple crashes and hangs. Also, addressed multiple other issues listed as follows. Fixes for these issues might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually:
          • File Explorer leaks memory leak when interacting with archive folders.
          • The spacing between your desktop icons unexpectedly may become extremely wide.
          • Starting a search from Home in File Explorer may unexpectedly show no results the first time you attempt a search.
          • The address bar dropdown appears unexpectedly sometimes while you are using File Explorer, for example when renaming a file.
          • After a DWM crash, when you open File Explorer it may just show a blank area on top instead of rending the area correctly.
          • File Explorer doesn’t react when using the back and forward buttons on a mouse while hovering over the Recommended Files section of Home.
          • The search box doesn’t show the correct folder name when you are in Gallery.
          • Pictures in File Explorer Gallery might flash or flicker when scrolling.
          • When using the save dialog, if you try to save a file to Gallery in File Explorer shows an error.
        • [FrameShutdownDelay] The browser ignores its value in the “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main” registry key.
        • [Group Policy Preferences Item Level Targeting (ILT) and Local Users and Groups] You cannot choose a group from the target domain for ILT. Also, you cannot choose an account from Local Users and Groups. The forest does not appear. This issue occurs when you deploy multiple forests, and the target domain has a one-way trust with the domain of the admin. This issue affects Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE), Hardened Forests (HF), or Privileged Access Management (PAM) deployments.
        • [Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCPIP)] The issue causes high CPU usage and loss of packets. It also affects TCP connection success rates.
        • [NetAdapterCx module] A system stops responding when large amounts of data travel over Wi-Fi. This issue occurs on devices that have certain wireless network cards.
        • [Universal Print clients] They fail to communicate with the Universal Print service. This affects printing functions. This issue occurs when you turn on Web Proxy Auto Discovery (WPAD).
        • [Print Support App] When you use the app with a USB device, the app stops responding and does not print. This issue also limits the functions of the user interface.
        • [Autopilot] Using it to provision Surface Laptop SE devices fails.
        • [Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC)]
          • A memory leak occurs that might exhaust system memory as time goes by. This issue occurs when you provision a device.
          • WDAC fails to verify the policies of some apps.
        • [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
        • [Bluetooth] You cannot put calls on hold from Bluetooth peripherals.
        • [Windows Backup] Backup sometimes fails. This occurs when a device has an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) system partition (ESP).
        • [Cache manager] It might stop responding. This occurs when you use Hyperthreading on Windows Server 2022.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/07/11/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-4713-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/ Thu, 11 Jul 2024 17:30:27 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177170 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4713 (KB5040525) to BOTH the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2.

        The Beta Channel and

        The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.4713 to Beta and Release Preview Channels appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4713 (KB5040525) to BOTH the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. The Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel will receive the same Windows 10 builds; however, the Beta Channel is where we will try new features out with Insiders that we’re working on that are not yet ready for all Windows 10 customers. You can read our announcement for opening the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 10 here.

        For Windows Insiders on Windows 10 in the Beta Channel, we’re beginning to roll out the following improvements

        [Search on the Taskbar]

        • We are beginning to roll out a fix where you will see search box on your secondary monitors when the setting for search on the taskbar is set to “Search box”.
        Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 10 who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Updated & Security > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.

        This update includes the following features and improvements for Windows Insiders in BOTH the Beta and Release Preview Channels

        Items bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented:
        • [FrameShutdownDelay] The browser ignores its value in the “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main” registry key.
        • [Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA3)] In the Group Policy editor, HTML preview rendering fails.
        • [Group Policy Preferences Item Level Targeting (ILT) and Local Users and Groups] You cannot choose a group from the target domain for ILT. Also, you cannot choose an account from Local Users and Groups. The forest does not appear. This issue occurs when you deploy multiple forests, and the target domain has a one-way trust with the domain of the admin. This issue affects Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE), Hardened Forests (HF), or Privileged Access Management (PAM) deployments.
        • [Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)] The TCP send code often causes a system to stop responding during routine tasks, such as file transfers. This issue leads to an extended send loop.
        • [Print Support App] When you use the app with a USB device, the app stops responding and does not print. This issue also limits the functions of the user interface.
        • [Universal Print clients] They fail to communicate with the Universal Print service. This affects printing functions. This issue occurs when you turn on Web Proxy Auto Discovery (WPAD).
        • [Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC)]  
          • This update prevents a stop error that occurs when you apply more than 32 policies.
          • A memory leak occurs that might exhaust system memory as time goes by. This issue occurs when you provision a device.
          • WDAC fails to verify the policies of some apps.
        • [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
        • [Windows Backup] Backup sometimes fails. This occurs when a device has an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) system partition (ESP).
        • [DHCP Option 235 (known issue)] Some Windows devices use this option to find Microsoft Connected Cache (MCC) nodes in their network. But you might not be able to use these nodes when you find them. Instead, these devices download updates and apps from the public internet. Because of this, download traffic increases.
        Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/07/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26252-canary-channel/ Wed, 10 Jul 2024 17:04:10 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177165 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26252 to the Canary Channel.

        Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to th

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26252 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26252 to the Canary Channel. Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to the Canary Channel.

        Changes and Improvements

        [Lock screen]

        • We’re beginning to roll out Weather and more to your lock screen starting with this build in the Canary Channel. Stay informed and efficient with dynamic updates that bring finance, traffic, and sports to your Lock screen, alongside weather. The card design has been improved with acrylic blur, card size, spacing, and font optimizations. To turn on this feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. To learn more, see Personalize your lock screen.
        [caption id="attachment_176976" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Finance, traffic, and sports content along with weather on the Lock screen.[/caption]

        [Start menu]

        • You can now also pin apps from the Start menu to the taskbar by dragging and dropping items directly to taskbar from the pinned section in the Start menu.

        [Settings]

        • Evaluation copy expiry date information is now visible under Settings > System > About.
        [caption id="attachment_177167" align="alignnone" width="748"] Evaluation expiration date highlighted in a red box on the About settings page.[/caption]
        • We are beginning to roll out a new energy recommendation for turning off HDR to conserve energy on PCs with HDR displays under Settings > Power & battery > Energy recommendations.
        [caption id="attachment_177169" align="alignnone" width="776"] New HDR energy recommendation highlighted in a red box in Settings.[/caption]

        Fixes

        [Input]

        • Fixed an issue causing Insiders to see errors when attempting to use Voice Typing with certain languages such as Chinese.
        • Fixed an issue where if you went through Windows Setup (OOBE), pinyin would be unexpectedly displayed twice in the list of available input methods.

        [Task Manager]

        • Fixed an issue causing colors in the Performance section to not display correctly in dark mode.

        [Settings]

        • Fixed an issue causing the icons in Settings > Apps > Startup too be way too large for the available space for some users, causing them to be cut off.
        • Fixed an issue where Settings > System > Power & Battery unexpectedly had duplicate text when showing a warning about a slow charger.
        • Fixed an issue where the Windows Update page in Settings was not displayed correctly for some Insiders after the previous flight (no text shows). If you are impacted by this, the update to this build with the fix should still happen on its own, however you may need to wait a little bit.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO here and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows* is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/28/beginning-to-enable-a-set-of-new-features-to-windows-insiders-in-the-dev-channel-on-build-26120-961/ Fri, 28 Jun 2024 18:04:16 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177159 UPDATE 7/15: We are beginning to enable again the features in the below post to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel with Beginning to enable a set of new features for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel on Build 26120.961 appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.
        ]]> UPDATE 7/15: We are beginning to enable again the features in the below post to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel with Build 26120.1252. UPDATE 6/30: We have temporarily paused the enablement of these features to investigate a few issues reported by Windows Insiders. We plan to begin the enablement again shortly.

        ---

        Hello Windows Insiders, we are beginning to enable the following new features, changes and improvements, and fixes to the Dev Channel for Insiders on Build 26120.961 who have turned ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. We’re starting the enablement of these at a small percentage at first so not all Insiders in the Dev Channel with this toggle turned on will see all these features right away. And some features may show up while others might not just yet. We hope to further expand the enablement of these new features, changes and improvements, and fixes with the next new Dev Channel build. Insiders will need to reboot to see if they have received the enablement of these features. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="730"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption]

        New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        Narrator users can now use voice access to dictate text hands-free

        Narrator users can start using voice access in Windows 11 to dictate text with voice and hear what is dictated. In addition, you can also use voice access to give Narrator commands. For example, “Turn on Narrator,” “speak faster,” “read selection,” “read next line,” etc. To know the entire list of Narrator commands supported with voice access, click help icon (?) on the voice access bar, select “View all commands” and choose “Narrator commands.” What will work:
        • Start and set up voice access which includes downloading a speech model.
        • Read a list of voice access commands and Narrator commands from voice access help menu.
        • Changing voice access microphone state.
        • Dictating text with voice and hearing back what was dictated.
        Tips:
        • If you don’t use headphones for listening to the screen reader, the audio output from the screen reader may get picked up by voice access microphone, leading to unwanted behavior.
        FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

        Auto Restart for Voice Access & New Voice Access Command for Windows Search

        We are introducing auto restart for voice access in Windows 11. This feature ensures that voice access will automatically restart if it encounters any issues so that individuals with limited mobility can get back to using voice access as quickly as possible. Customers will no longer need to rely on alternative assistive technologies or assistance from others to reactivate voice access. Should voice access automatically restart due to a crash, we are making it easier to report those crashes once voice access restarts so the team can investigate and work on fixes. We are introducing a new command for searching directly with Windows search. Users can now say the command Search “Entity”; Search Windows for “Entity”; or Search for “Entity” to search for their desired application or file in Windows (“Entity” is replaced with whatever application or file you want to search.) FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Voice access.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Start menu]

        • This update starts the roll out of the new account manager on Start menu. When you sign in with a Microsoft account, the new design gives you a quick glanceable view of your account benefits and makes it easy to manage account settings.
        [caption id="attachment_177008" align="alignnone" width="416"] New account manager experience on the Start menu showing account settings and an action needed that needs to be taken to secure your Microsoft account.[/caption]

        [Windows Share]

        • We are beginning to roll out the ability to copy files from the Windows share window. Just click the new copy button.
        [caption id="attachment_177049" align="alignnone" width="572"] New copy button for copying files in the Windows share window highlighted in a red box.[/caption]
        • Users will be able to now generate QR codes for URLs and cloud file links through the Windows share window to seamlessly share webpages and files across their devices. To try this out in Microsoft Edge, just click the share button in the Edge toolbar and choose “Windows share options”.
        [caption id="attachment_176975" align="alignnone" width="576"] Option to generate a QR code to share a URL through the Windows share window.[/caption]
        • To prevent accidentally closing the Windows share window, clicking outside the Windows share window will no longer close it. To close the Windows share window, just press the close button at the top right corner.
        • If your Microsoft account uses a Gmail address, you can now send email to yourself from Windows share window and receive it in your Gmail account.
        [caption id="attachment_177009" align="alignnone" width="410"] Example Gmail option to email yourself in the Windows share window highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        [Emoji]

        • We’re adding support for Emoji 15.1 which introduces a small number of brand-new emoji such as head shaking horizontally and vertically, phoenix, lime, brown mushroom and broken chain. Other changes for Emoji 15.1 include Unicode’s decision to revert family combinations to symbol-like shapes. Windows has chosen to stay with our existing style that uses people in family combinations. We are also supporting the new directionality updates for person/man/woman walking, kneeling, with cane, running, manual wheelchair and motorized wheelchair. You can now select right facing or the original left facing orientation for these emoji.
        [caption id="attachment_177061" align="alignnone" width="624"] New Emoji 15.1 that includes head shaking horizontally and vertically, phoenix, lime, brown mushroom and broken chain.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177062" align="alignnone" width="624"] Example of new directionality updates for person/man/woman walking emoji with right facing or the original left facing orientation.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177063" align="alignnone" width="624"] Example of new directionality updates for person/man/woman in manual wheelchair and motorized wheelchair emoji with right facing or the original left facing orientation.[/caption]

        [Windows Backup]

        • If you have both Personalization and Other Windows settings toggled on under Settings > Accounts > Windows backup, many of your sound settings (including chosen sound scheme) will be backed up which can be restored via the Windows Backup app.

        [Settings]

        • To ensure you don’t lose access to your Microsoft account, we’re beginning to roll out a new banner with a “Add now” button under Settings > Account for adding a recovery email address if you haven’t added one for your Microsoft account yet. This will only show if you are signed in with a Microsoft account.
        • We are beginning to roll out updated visuals for the “Rename your PC” and “Change date and time” dialogs to match the Windows 11 visuals.
        [caption id="attachment_177056" align="alignnone" width="509"] Rename your PC dialog with refreshed design to match the Windows 11 visuals.[/caption]

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [Task Manager]

        • Updated the units (from MHz to MT/s) for DDR speed.
        • Fixed an issue where the Safely Remove Hardware option for ejecting USB devices wouldn’t work if Task Manager was open.
        • Did some work to ensure Task Manager releases process handles quickly when terminating processes.
        • Made some more improvements to help with Task Manager reliability.
        • We have improved the performance when changing the sort order.
        • Made multiple improvements to overall accessibility of Task Manager, including improving keyboard focus, tab navigation, text scaling, names of items read out by screen readers, and more.
        • We made it a little easier to resize Task Manager when trying to resize by grabbing the top of the window.

        [Graphics]

        • Fixed an issue where some monitors would get stuck at a 60Hz refresh rate and couldn’t be set higher even though the monitor supported it, because dynamic refresh rate was stuck.

        [Multiple desktops]

        • Fixed an issue where the option to set a different wallpaper on each desktop wasn’t working.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to some apps not starting on startup even though they were enabled as startup apps in Setting.
        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to the pop up asking for permission to use location not appearing, which could lead to app issues without location access.
        • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to see a bugcheck with error DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL in recent flights.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Updates released to the Dev Channel are based off Windows 11, version 24H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26244-canary-channel/ Fri, 28 Jun 2024 17:06:09 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177155 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26244 to the Canary Channel.

        Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to th

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26244 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26244 to the Canary Channel. Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to the Canary Channel.

        Changes and Improvements

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        [Windows Backup]

        • If you have both Personalization and Other Windows settings toggled on under Settings > Accounts > Windows backup, many of your sound settings (including chosen sound scheme) will be backed up which can be restored via the Windows Backup app.

        [Settings]

        • To ensure you don’t lose access to your Microsoft account, we’re beginning to roll out a new banner with a “Add now” button under Settings > Account for adding a recovery email address if you haven’t added one for your Microsoft account yet. This will only show if you are signed in with a Microsoft account.
        • We are introducing a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings homepage. The Game Pass recommendation card on Settings Homepage will be shown to you if you actively play games on your PC. As a reminder – the Settings homepage will be shown only on the Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 and if you’re signed into Windows with your Microsoft account.
        [caption id="attachment_177010" align="alignnone" width="643"] New Game Pass recommendation card highlighted in a red box on the Settings homepage.[/caption]
        • We're beginning to roll out a change that redirects links for the Fonts Control Panel page to the Fonts settings page at Settings > Personalization > Fonts. Insiders who see this change can still access the Fonts Control Panel UI by navigating to the system fonts folder in File Explorer and a link to the system fonts folder is also provided on the Font settings page.

        Fixes

        [Other]

        • Fixed the underlying issue causing some Insiders to see a Pcasvc.dll error dialog pop-up with the message “Missing entry: PcaWallpaperAppDetect” after upgrading from Windows 11, version 22H2/23H2 to a 26xxx build.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO here and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

        [Windows Update]

        • [NEW] We’re investigating reports that the Windows Update page in Settings is not displaying correctly for Insiders using certain languages after the previous flight (no text shows). If you are impacted by this, the update should still happen on its own, however you may need to wait a little bit.

        [Task Manager]

        • We’re working on the fix for an issue where the colors in the Performance section aren’t displaying correctly in dark mode.

        [Voice Typing]

        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing Insiders to see errors when attempting to use Voice Typing with certain languages such as Chinese.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows* is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3858-beta-channel/ Fri, 28 Jun 2024 17:03:47 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177157 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3858 (KB5039327) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3858 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3858 (KB5039327) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="730"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer] 

        • The preview thumbnail title in the taskbar, ALT + Tab and Task View for File Explorer windows will now indicate if that window includes multiple tabs.

        [Windows Share]

        • We're rolling out some minor UI changes to simplify the Windows share window which removes the search box.

        [For Developers]

        • Updated the logic for the “End Task” option in the taskbar so that it no longer shows a Not Responding dialog to give confirmation before ending the task.

        [Other]

        • Updated the Run dialog to now follow text scaling (Settings > Accessibility > Text size).

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Addressed several accessibility issues where File Explorer, Common File Dialog (CFD), and Browse/Shortcuts Dialogs did not respond appropriately to your text size / scaling preferences. Including, but not limited to, fixed an issue where file name was getting clipped in the CFD and the Browse/ Shortcuts dialog.
        • Addressed several accessibility issues in File Explorer impacting screen reader users, related to content being read out correctly, and also keyboard focus not going to the correct place. Some examples include, keyboard focus getting lost sometimes when using Shift + Tab, and Narrator stuttering during the search process
        • Fixed an issue causing some people to see a thin line between the tab and address bar in File Explorer.
        • Fixed an issue impacting File Explorer reliability for a small number of people.
        • Fixed an issue where the OneDrive icon in the address bar was blurry sometimes for some people.

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Voice Typing]

        • Fixed an issue believed to be the underlying cause of some Insiders seeing errors when attempting to use Voice Typing in certain languages such as Chinese with recent flights.

        [Taskbar]

        • Updated the app icon flashing in the taskbar to be a bit easier to see.

        [Other]

        • You can now use OneDrive as a RemoteApp in Azure Virtual Desktop.
        • This update improves the Virtual Filtering Platform (VFP) within Windows nodes. Now, VFP has more support for packet drop collection. This will make it easier to troubleshoot issues.
        • Fixed an issue where Group Policy would fail to detect when a network’s speed is slow. Instead, it assumed that a fast link was present.
        • Fixed an issue causing a deadlock which could stop you from signing in to Azure Virtual Desktop sessions.
        • Fixed an issue occurring when using Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) and Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA). When you used them with SMBdirect in your networks, the networks would fail, and you would lose the ability to manage clusters.
        • Fixed and issue where a firewall profile might drop from domain to public. This would occur when multiple interfaces existed, and you added or removed an interface.
        • Fixed an issue where GPUs did not enter the idle state that stops them from consuming power.
        • Fixed an issue where when using Snipping Tool to record videos on some PCs, the audio would have distortions.
        • This update adds the registry key HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM ForceDisableModeChangeAnimation (REG_DWORD). When you set its value to 1 (or a non-zero number), it turns off the display mode change animation. If the value is 0 or the key does not exist, the animation is set to on.
        • This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • Fixed an issue occurring in the Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) driver. This issue could lead to high system CPU usage. It also reduced throughput under a heavy load. This update boosts network packet processing in WFP. This helps to stop performance from degrading. This update also adds batch processing to reduce CPU load.
        • Fixed an issue where the Input Method Editor (IME) candidate list might fail to show or showed in the wrong position.

        Known issues

        [Start menu]

        • We are investigating an issue where the All apps list isn’t being read out by screen readers.
        • We’re working on the fix for an issue causing some apps to not be sorted correctly in the All apps list when using certain display languages.

        [Text input]

        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing text suggestions for the hardware keyboard to not work properly with the previous flight (selecting one unexpectedly concatenates).

        [Widgets]

        Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:
        • Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/21/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3790-beta-channel/ Fri, 21 Jun 2024 17:04:01 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177151 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3790 (KB5039307) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3790 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3790 (KB5039307) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="649"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Phone Link]

        • We are gradually rolling out a new feature, which allows you to use your mobile device directly from the Start menu on your Windows 11 PCs, to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. With this feature, you can stay connected and effortlessly access your mobile device's functionalities right from the Start menu. See this blog post for more details.
        [caption id="attachment_177149" align="alignnone" width="632"] Feature for managing your mobile device shown next to the Start menu.[/caption]

        [Copilot in Windows**]

        • The evolved Copilot experience on Windows where it is pinned to the taskbar and behaves like an app is now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11. We updated last week’s Beta Channel flight blog post with more details.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Addressed contrast issues of certain elements in File Explorer (left navigation pane, view pane/folder view, status bar buttons on the bottom right) in light, dark, and high contrast themes. E.g., adjustments to make it easier to see when a file or folder is selected.

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [General]

        • We fixed the issue where Settings was crashing when trying to look at wi-fi properties.

        [Settings]

        • Fixed an issue where when attempting to install an optional feature via Settings > System > Option features, it might crash Settings in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview build in the Beta Channel.

        Known issues

        [Start menu]

        • [NEW] We are investigating an issue where the All apps list isn’t being read out by screen readers.
        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing some apps to not be sorted correctly in the All apps list when using certain display languages.

        [Voice Typing]

        • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing some Insiders to see errors when attempting to use Voice Typing.

        [Widgets]

        Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:
        • Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/21/previewing-for-accessing-phone-link-features-from-the-start-menu-with-windows-insiders/ Fri, 21 Jun 2024 17:03:49 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177147 June 2025: This experience is also available to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel.

        UPDATE 8/2: We are beginning to gradually roll out this experience to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Updates made below t

        The post Previewing accessing Phone Link features from the Start menu with Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> June 2025: This experience is also available to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel. UPDATE 8/2: We are beginning to gradually roll out this experience to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Updates made below to the requirements section.

        ---

        Hello Windows Insiders, We are gradually rolling out a new feature, which allows you to use your mobile device directly from the Start menu on your Windows 11 PCs, to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels. With this feature, you can stay connected and effortlessly access your mobile device's functionalities right from the Start menu. Key features include:
        • Effortless Connectivity: View your phone's battery status and connectivity right from the Start menu on your Windows 11 PC.
        • Unified Communication: Access your phone messages, calls, and photos directly from Start, ensuring you never miss an important update or moment.
        • Continuity of Experience: Pick up where you left off with the latest activities from your phone, all seamlessly integrated into your Start menu experience.
        [caption id="attachment_177149" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Feature for managing your mobile device shown next to the Start menu.[/caption] This feature is gradually rolling out to the Windows Insider community and available only for Android users on Windows 11 who are already connected via Phone Link. iOS support will be coming at a later date. This experience can be managed via Settings > Personalization > Start (support link). Requirements:
        • Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3790 and higher in the Beta Channel.
        • [ADDED 8/2] Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1330 and higher in the Dev Channel.
        • [UPDATED 8/2] Phone Link version 1.24061.93.0 and higher.
        FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Start Menu. Give it a try and let us know your feedback and suggestions. You can also join the conversation on our Windows Insider community forums and social media channels. Thanks, Windows Insider Program & Phone Link Teams]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/20/viewer-and-import-enhancements-for-microsoft-photos-on-windows-11/ Thu, 20 Jun 2024 22:41:35 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177139 Hello Windows Insiders,

        As part of our ongoing effort to improve your experience with the Microsoft Photos app on Windows 11, we have some exciting updates to share. We listened to your feedback and made some changes to the Viewer and Media Import f

        The post Viewer and Import Enhancements for Microsoft Photos on Windows 11 appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Viewer & Import Enhancements In this update, the Photos Viewer has been upgraded with a variety of new enhancements that will make your photo viewing more enjoyable and convenient.
        • Easy Access to Key Photos Actions: Important actions such as "Start slideshow" and "Share" are now right on the main viewing screen instead of hidden inside the overflow menu.
        • Dedicated section for Microsoft apps: We have grouped all the Microsoft apps shortcuts together so you can quickly and easily navigate to the full photo gallery from the viewer, open in Clipchamp or open in OneDrive.
        [caption id="attachment_177144" align="alignnone" width="853"] Updated Photos Viewer showing improvements to the UI such as Slideshow and Share buttons exposed and grouping of Microsoft apps at the top.[/caption] Dynamic Zoom Slider: Rather than being limited to only pre-set image sizes, we’ve introduced a slider that lets you view your images anywhere from 10% to 800% of their original size. Effortlessly achieve your desired image size with our easy-to-use draggable slider, enabling precise adjustments for a better photo viewing experience. Photo Metadata Information: The size and dimensions of your photos are now visibly displayed at the screen's lower edge, fulfilling a feature many users have asked for. [caption id="attachment_177145" align="alignnone" width="821"] Dynamic zoom slider and photo metadata information shown at the bottom of the Photos Viewer.[/caption] Device Import Options: We've introduced a new feature that lets you choose and manage when to begin transferring photos and videos from local devices at your convenience. [caption id="attachment_177143" align="alignnone" width="777"] Import window with options for choosing and managing when to begin transferring photos and videos from local devices.[/caption] Viewer Performance: This release also comes with our new multi-process performance lifts that improve viewer load time by 2.1 times. To get the latest Photos experience, update your app to version 2024.11060.20004.0 or higher. This update is currently rolling out, so it may not be available right away. We appreciate your comments and suggestions, so please share your feedback with us! FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Photos. Thanks, Yvonne Hsieh, Principal PM Manager – Microsoft Photos]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/20/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-994-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 20 Jun 2024 17:26:26 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177137 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.994 (KB5039304) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100).  

        This update includes t

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.994 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Build 26100.994 (KB5039304) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100).   This update includes the following features and improvements:
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). It fails to verify the policies of some apps.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects WDAC. It reports a certain class of its policies as not active or not authorized.
        • This update addresses an issue that might cause DWM.exe to stop responding.
        • This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Unified Write Filter (UWF). Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) API calls to shut down or restart a system throws an access denied exception.
        • This update addresses an issue believed to be the underlying cause of some Insiders noticing stutters in some animations recently (dropping frames), particularly with Task View.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26241-canary-channel/ Wed, 19 Jun 2024 21:06:40 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177135 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26241 to the Canary Channel.

        Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to th

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26241 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26241 to the Canary Channel. Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to the Canary Channel.

        Changes and Improvements

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        [File Explorer]

        • Drag-and-drop files with your mouse functionality between breadcrumbs is now available in the File Explorer Address Bar – thanks again Insiders that shared feedback about this!

        Fixes

        [Taskbar]

        • Updated the app icon flashing in the taskbar to be a bit easier to see.

        [File Explorer]

        • As some Insiders have noticed, we’ve updated File Explorer so it’s a little easier to see when you have files or folders selected, by adding a thin border to the selected area.
        • Fixed an underlying issue causing File Explorer to crash when going to Home for some Insiders in the last few flights.

        [Notifications]

        • We’ve updated the underlying logic for when we suggest turning off notifications for certain apps, so that it requires a longer period of time without engaging with notifications from that app in order to trigger.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO here and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

        [Task Manager]

        • We’re investigating an issue where the colors in the Performance section aren’t displaying correctly in dark mode.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows* is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-961-dev-channel/ Fri, 14 Jun 2024 17:04:23 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177115 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.961 (KB5038575) to the Dev Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via 

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.961 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.961 (KB5038575) to the Dev Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx). For Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="611"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Dev Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Dev Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        Microsoft Store Update

        Windows Insiders in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels running version 22405.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out: Fast, safe checkout with Microsoft Wallet: Make quick and easy purchases in Store using Microsoft Wallet. Not only can you earn Microsoft Rewards points in the Store, but you can also easily redeem your points for a gift card during checkout to apply towards your purchase. Wallet is fast, safe, and easy to use! [caption id="attachment_177107" align="alignnone" width="583"] New Microsoft Wallet dialog when making purchases in the Microsoft Store.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

        Known issues

        [Live Captions]

        • [ADDED 6/14] We are investigating an issue where Live Captions may not work after installing this update.

        [Task Manager]

        • [ADDED 6/18] Navigating between different pages in Task Manager may crash Task Manager.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Updates released to the Dev Channel are based off Windows 11, version 24H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store (coming soon).
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3785-beta-channel/ Fri, 14 Jun 2024 17:03:44 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177118 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3785 (KB5039319) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3785 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3785 (KB5039319) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="612"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Copilot in Windows]

        • [ADDED 6/19] As part of this update, we’re also evolving the Copilot** experience on Windows as an app that will be pinned to the taskbar. This enables users to get the benefits of a traditional app experience, including the ability to resize, move, and snap the window – feedback we’ve heard from users throughout the preview of Copilot in Windows. This model also allows Microsoft to more agilely develop and optimize the experience based on user feedback. PLEASE NOTE: Managed commercial devices will not receive this new experience. This includes devices not running Windows 11 Home and are managed by an IT administrator.
        • [ADDED 6/19] As part of the Copilot experience’s evolution on Windows to become an app that is pinned to the taskbar, we are retiring the WIN + C keyboard shortcut.

        [Start menu]

        • When right-clicking on apps pinned to the Start menu, jump lists will be shown for apps that have them such as PowerPoint.
        [caption id="attachment_177125" align="alignnone" width="296"] Jump lists will now be shown when right-clicking on apps pinned to the Start menu such as PowerPoint that have jump lists.[/caption]
        • [ADDED] 6/17] You can now also pin apps from the Start menu to the taskbar or the desktop by dragging and dropping items directly to taskbar or desktop from the Start menu.

        [Desktop Spotlight]

        • We are trying out some new adjustments to the Windows Spotlight experience on the desktop to make it easier for Spotlight users to engage with this feature to change images, like or not like an image etc. There will be several changes that Insiders will notice highlighted in the images below.
        [caption id="attachment_177122" align="alignnone" width="730"] Treatment #1 – if a user right-clicks on the Windows Spotlight icon it will launch the Spotlight experience in full screen mode, while double-clicking will open the Bing landing page for the image on desktop.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177123" align="alignnone" width="730"] Treatment #2 – if a user right-clicks on the Windows Spotlight icon it will launch the Spotlight experience, while double-clicking will open Windows Spotlight experience in full screen mode. A single click on the Spotlight icon will open the Bing landing page for the image on desktop.[/caption]

        [Windows Share]

        • We are rolling out the ability to easily share content to an Android device from Windows share window. The feature requires you to pair your Android device to your Windows PC using the Link to Windows app on Android and Phone Link on your PC.
        [caption id="attachment_177124" align="alignnone" width="305"] New option to share content to My Phone highlighted in a red box in the Windows share window.[/caption]

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • Fixed an issue causing the taskbar to not appear for a small number of Insiders in the last couple flights.

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue causing screen readers to not announce when you were opening or navigating items in the breadcrumb flyouts of the open or save dialog.
        • Fixed an issue causing screen readers to not announce anything when opening or navigating items in the column header flyout in File Explorer.

        [Start menu]

        • Fixed the issue from the last flight where if you clicked your profile icon on the Start menu and chose “Change account settings”, it would not open account settings

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Other]

        • This update addresses an issue that might stop your system from resuming from hibernate. This occurs after you turn on BitLocker.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects lsass.exe. It leaks memory. This occurs during a Local Security Authority (Domain Policy) Remote Protocol (LSARPC) call.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects lsass.exe. It stops responding. This occurs after you install the April 2024 security updates on Windows servers.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • We are investigating an issue where Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work after installing this update.
        • We’re investigating an issue where Settings is crashing when trying to look at Wi-Fi properties.

        [Start menu]

        • The "Most used" section at the top of the Start menu All apps list is showing even though the setting for it under Settings > Personalization > Start and “Show most used apps” is toggled off.

        [Settings]

        • Attempting to install an optional feature via Settings > System > Option features may crash Settings. Should you need to install an optional feature, please do so before taking the update to Build 22635.3720.

        [Widgets]

        Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:
        • Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.

        Snipping Tool Update

        We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2405.31.0 and newer) to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels that introduces automatic save for screen recordings. This feature works the same as automatic save for screenshots. Your recordings will automatically be saved to Screen Recordings folder (inside your Videos folder). You can choose to turn this off in Snipping Tool settings. [caption id="attachment_177096" align="alignnone" width="582"] Snipping Tool showing new banner for screen recordings now automatically being saved to your Screen Recordings folder.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

        Microsoft Store Update

        Windows Insiders in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels running version 22405.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out: Fast, safe checkout with Microsoft Wallet: Make quick and easy purchases in Store using Microsoft Wallet. Not only can you earn Microsoft Rewards points in the Store, but you can also easily redeem your points for a gift card during checkout to apply towards your purchase. Wallet is fast, safe, and easy to use! [caption id="attachment_177107" align="alignnone" width="583"] New Microsoft Wallet dialog when making purchases in the Microsoft Store.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** in preview is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in select global markets. The initial markets for the Copilot in Windows preview include North America, United Kingdom and parts of Asia and South America. It is our intention to add additional markets over time.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/13/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-4593-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 18:17:12 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177110 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4593 (KB5039299) to BOTH the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2.

        Going forward, the B

        The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.4593 to Beta and Release Preview Channels appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4593 (KB5039299) to BOTH the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. Going forward, the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel will receive the same Windows 10 builds; however, the Beta Channel is where we will try new features out with Insiders that we’re working on that are not yet ready for all Windows 10 customers. You can read our announcement for opening the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 10 here. Today we are trying out this process.

        For Windows Insiders on Windows 10 in the Beta Channel, we’re beginning to roll out the following improvements:

        [Search on the Taskbar]

        • We're made some fixes to improve the overall stability of searching for apps in the search box on the taskbar.

        [Windows Backup]

        • You will be able to seamlessly backup and restore personalization preferences of Activity History and Printer Device Settings that are not hardware or accessory dependent such as "Let Windows manager my default printer" and "Store my activity history on this device". The goal is to ensure that the most used preferences of these settings are backed up, while avoiding those that are tied to specific hardware, to facilitate a seamless transition to a new PC.
        • We are making some important bug fixes to enhance the backup and restore functionality. As part of this work, the issue causing backup failures when desktop and lock screen backgrounds were backed up twice has been resolved.
        Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 10 who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Updated & Security > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.

        This update includes the following features and improvements for Windows Insiders in BOTH the Beta and Release Preview Channels:

        • [ADDED 6/19] * New! We are advancing the Copilot experience on Windows. It is now pinned to the taskbar and will behave like an app. This gives you the benefits of a typical app experience. For example, you can do things like resize, move, and snap the window. PLEASE NOTE: Managed commercial devices will not receive this new experience. This includes devices not running Windows 10 Home and are managed by an IT administrator.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects MSIX applications. When you install them from an HTTPS URI, they fail to open. This issue occurs when the download of the application is not complete. This damages the package.
        • This update affects mobile device management (MDM). When you enroll a device, the MDM client sends more details about the device. The MDM service uses those details to identify the device model and the company that made it.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the default Japanese Input Method Editor (IME). The candidate window stops responding when you do not expect it. Then, it goes back to a former composition state at random.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Direct Composition batched presentations. A brief flash of triangles or boxes show on the screen. This issue affects browsers, like Microsoft Edge, and other apps.
        • This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • This update addresses an issue that might stop your system from resuming from hibernate. This occurs after you turn on BitLocker.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). The issue copies unsigned WDAC policies to the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) disk partition. It is reserved for signed policies.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects an app’s jump list on the taskbar. Completing actions from that list might fail. A jump list is a menu that appears when you right-click an app on the taskbar or Start menu. It gives you quick access to recently or frequently used app items.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects a folder context menu. When you choose the command that removes items, the command adds items instead. This occurs when a third-party service implements a sync feature.
        Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/13/releasing-windows-11-builds-22621-3807-and-22631-3807-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 17:39:05 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177108 UPDATE 6/19: The Copilot changes documented below are now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Chann

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Builds 22621.3807 and 22631.3807 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> UPDATE 6/19: The Copilot changes documented below are now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2 and 23H2.  UPDATE 6/13: The Copilot changes documented below have not yet started to rollout to Windows Insiders in the Release Preview channel. We will update the blog post once the rollout has started.

        ---

        Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Builds 22621.3807 and 22631.3807 (KB5039302) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2 (Build 22621) and version 23H2 (Build 22631).   This update includes the following features and improvement (note that items with an asterisk (*) are gradually rolling out):
        • [UPDATED 6/19] * New! We are advancing the Copilot experience on Windows. It is now pinned to the taskbar and will behave like an app. This gives you the benefits of a typical app experience. For example, you can do things like resize, move, and snap the window. PLEASE NOTE: Managed commercial devices will not receive this new experience. This includes devices not running Windows 11 Home and are managed by an IT administrator.
        • * New! This update adds a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings home page. This home page shows on Home and Pro editions when you sign in to Windows using your Microsoft account. The card appears if you actively play games on your PC.
        • * New! The show desktop button is on the taskbar again by default. To change this, right-click the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings. At the lower part of the page, you will find Taskbar behaviors.
        • * New! This update affects File Explorer. You can now create 7-Zip and Tape Archive (TAR) files using the context menu. When you right-click a file, a Compress to item gives you ways to compress a file using tools like gzip, bzip2, and more. There is also a new compression wizard in Additional options. It will help you choose more formats and add details. You can use different types of compression to add many files to archives in other TAR formats. You can also change the compression level and choose the types of data to store in each archive.
        • * New! This update adds support for Emoji 15.1. Windows supports Unicode symbol-like shapes for family groupings. But Windows will keep using people for them. Also, you can choose the right or left facing direction for some people emoji. The new emoji are:
          • Horizontal and vertical head shake
          • Phoenix
          • Lime
          • Brown mushroom
          • Broken chain 48617543
        • * New! You can now copy files from the Windows Share window. Just click the new Copy
        • * New! This update affects OneDrive. You can now use it as a RemoteApp in Azure Virtual Desktop.
        • * This update changes the units for DDR speed from MHz to MT/s.
        • * This update addresses an issue that affects USB devices. Ejecting them using the Safely Remove Hardware option fails. This occurs when Task Manager is open.
        • * This update affects process handles. Task Manager releases them more quickly when it stops a process.
        • * This update makes Task Manager more reliable.
        • * This update affects the sort order of processes in Task Manager. Performance is better when you change the order.
        • * This update makes Task Manager more accessible by improving:
          • Keyboard focus
          • Tab key navigation
          • Text scaling
          • The readout of item names by screen readers
          • High contrast heatmaps and more.
        • * This update makes resizing the Task Manager window easier when you grab the top of its window.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Group Policy. It fails to detect when a network’s speed is slow. Instead, it assumes that a fast link is present.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) and Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA). When you use them with SMBdirect in your networks, the networks fail. You also lose the ability to manage clusters.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects GPUs. They do not enter the idle state that stops them from consuming power.
        • This update adds the registry key HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM ForceDisableModeChangeAnimation (REG_DWORD). When you set its value to 1 (or a non-zero number), it turns off the display mode change animation. If the value is 0 or the key does not exist, the animation is set to on.
        • This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Snipping Tool. When you use it to record videos on some PCs, the audio has distortions.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Azure Virtual Desktop sessions. A deadlock stops you from signing in to them.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the touch keyboard. You cannot use it to enter special characters. This occurs when you use the Japanese 106 keyboard.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26236-canary-channel/ Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:04:33 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177104 UPDATE 6/18: We have temporarily paused the rollout of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26236 in the Canary Channel. We will resume flights to the Canary Channel shortly.

        ---

        Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26236 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> UPDATE 6/18: We have temporarily paused the rollout of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26236 in the Canary Channel. We will resume flights to the Canary Channel shortly.

        ---

        Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26236 to the Canary Channel. Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to the Canary Channel.

        Changes and Improvements

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        [Start menu]

        • This update starts the roll out of the new account manager on Start menu. When you sign in with a Microsoft account, the new design gives you a quick glanceable view of your account benefits and makes it easy to manage account settings.
        [caption id="attachment_177008" align="alignnone" width="301"] New account manager experience on the Start menu showing account settings and an action needed that needs to be taken to secure your Microsoft account.[/caption]

        Fixes

        [Taskbar]

        • Fixed an issue causing the taskbar to not appear for a small number of Insiders in the last couple flights.

        [Audio]

        • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing the preferred audio volume (under Settings > System > Sound > Volume Mixer) for Microsoft Edge to not persist across restarting the app.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO here and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

        [Task Manager]

        • [New] We’re investigating an issue where the colors in the Performance section aren’t displaying correctly in dark mode.

        Microsoft Store Update

        Windows Insiders in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels running version 22405.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out: Fast, safe checkout with Microsoft Wallet: Make quick and easy purchases in Store using Microsoft Wallet. Not only can you earn Microsoft Rewards points in the Store, but you can also easily redeem your points for a gift card during checkout to apply towards your purchase. Wallet is fast, safe, and easy to use! [caption id="attachment_177107" align="alignnone" width="582"] New Microsoft Wallet dialog when making purchases in the Microsoft Store.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows* is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store (coming soon).
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-770-dev-channel/ Fri, 07 Jun 2024 17:05:24 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177100 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.770 (KB5039314) to the Dev Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via 

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.770 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.770 (KB5039314) to the Dev Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx). For Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="634"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Dev Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Dev Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        Snipping Tool Update

        We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2405.24.0 and newer) to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels that introduces automatic save for screen recordings. This feature works the same as automatic save for screenshots. Your recordings will automatically be saved to Screen Recordings folder (inside your Videos folder). You can choose to turn this off in Snipping Tool settings. [caption id="attachment_177096" align="alignnone" width="632"] Snipping Tool showing new banner for screen recordings now automatically being saved to your Screen Recordings folder.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Updates released to the Dev Channel are based off Windows 11, version 24H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store (coming soon).
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3720-beta-channel/ Fri, 07 Jun 2024 17:05:18 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177097 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3720 (KB5039312) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3720 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3720 (KB5039312) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="634"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        Narrator users can now use voice access to dictate text hands-free

        Narrator users can start using voice access in Windows 11 to dictate text with voice and hear what is dictated. In addition, you can also use voice access to give Narrator commands. For example, “Turn on Narrator,” “speak faster,” “read selection,” “read next line,” etc. To know the entire list of Narrator commands supported with voice access, click help icon (?) on the voice access bar, select “View all commands” and choose “Narrator commands.” What will work:
        • Start and set up voice access which includes downloading a speech model.
        • Read a list of voice access commands and Narrator commands from voice access help menu.
        • Changing voice access microphone state.
        • Dictating text with voice and hearing back what was dictated.
        Tips:
        • If you don’t use headphones for listening to the screen reader, the audio output from the screen reader may get picked up by voice access microphone, leading to unwanted behavior.
        FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

        Auto Restart for Voice Access & New Voice Access Command for Windows Search

        We are introducing auto restart for voice access in Windows 11. This feature ensures that voice access will automatically restart if it encounters any issues so that individuals with limited mobility can get back to using voice access as quickly as possible. Customers will no longer need to rely on alternative assistive technologies or assistance from others to reactivate voice access. Should voice access automatically restart due to a crash, we are making it easier to report those crashes once voice access restarts so the team can investigate and work on fixes. We are introducing a new command for searching directly with Windows search. Users can now say the command Search "Entity"; Search Windows for "Entity"; or Search for "Entity" to search for their desired application or file in Windows (“Entity” is replaced with whatever application or file you want to search.) FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Voice access.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Search on the Taskbar]

        • We are beginning to roll out the ability to share local files directly from within the search results shown in the search box on the taskbar.
        [caption id="attachment_177099" align="alignnone" width="502"] New option to share a local file highlighted in a red box in the search results from the search box on the taskbar.[/caption]

        [Windows Share]

        • If you are in China and turn on nearby sharing, you will receive a notification asking to allow turning on Wi-Fi and or Bluetooth should these settings be off as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are required to be enabled for nearby sharing to work.

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue where when pressing WIN + E, a screen reader might unexpectedly say a pane had focus, or focus may not be set within File Explorer at all.
        • Fixed an issue which was causing CTRL + F to sometimes not start a search in File Explorer.
        • Fixed an issue where keyboard focus might get lost sometimes when doing Shift + Tab in File Explorer.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • We are investigating an issue where Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work after installing this update.
        • We’re investigating an issue where Settings is crashing when trying to look at Wi-Fi properties.

        [Start menu]

        • [NEW] Clicking your profile icon on the Start menu and choosing “Change account settings” will not open account settings. Should you need to adjust your account settings, you can navigate directly to them via Settings > Accounts.

        [Settings]

        • [NEW] Attempting to install an optional feature via Settings > System > Option features may crash Settings. Should you need to install an optional feature, please do so before taking the update to Build 22635.3720.

        [Widgets]

        Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:
        • Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.

        Introducing Suggested Replies in Phone Link for Android

        We’re excited to announce the addition of a new feature to the Phone Link app for Android users: Suggested Replies. Powered by our cloud-based intelligent suggestion model, this feature is designed to make your messaging experience seamless and more efficient. [caption id="attachment_177083" align="alignnone" width="473"] Suggested Replies as shown in Phone Link when replying to a message.[/caption] With Suggested Replies, you’ll see 3 contextually relevant reply bubbles to choose from when you receive a message. The feature is turned on by default, so you can start using it right away. Simply select a suggested reply and it’ll be sent immediately. Suggested Replies are beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders across all channels with Phone Link version 1.24051.98 and higher. FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Phone Link.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** in preview is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in select global markets. The initial markets for the Copilot in Windows preview include North America, United Kingdom and parts of Asia and South America. It is our intention to add additional markets over time.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/06/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26231-canary-channel/ Thu, 06 Jun 2024 17:04:15 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177093 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26231 to the Canary Channel.

        Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to th

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26231 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26231 to the Canary Channel. Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to the Canary Channel.

        What’s new with Build 26231

        Narrator users can now use voice access to dictate text hands-free

        Narrator users can start using voice access in Windows 11 to dictate text with voice and hear what is dictated. In addition, you can also use voice access to give Narrator commands. For example, “Turn on Narrator,” “speak faster,” “read selection,” “read next line,” etc. To know the entire list of Narrator commands supported with voice access, click help icon (?) on the voice access bar, select “View all commands” and choose “Narrator commands.” What will work:
        • Start and set up voice access which includes downloading a speech model.
        • Read a list of voice access commands and Narrator commands from voice access help menu.
        • Changing voice access microphone state.
        • Dictating text with voice and hearing back what was dictated.
        Tips:
        • If you don’t use headphones for listening to the screen reader, the audio output from the screen reader may get picked up by voice access microphone, leading to unwanted behavior.
        [We are beginning to roll this out to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders just yet as we plan to monitor feedback before pushing it out to everyone.] FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

        Auto Restart for Voice Access & New Voice Access Command for Windows Search

        We are introducing auto restart for voice access in Windows 11. This feature ensures that voice access will automatically restart if it encounters any issues so that individuals with limited mobility can get back to using voice access as quickly as possible. Customers will no longer need to rely on alternative assistive technologies or assistance from others to reactivate voice access. Should voice access automatically restart due to a crash, we are making it easier to report those crashes once voice access restarts so the team can investigate and work on fixes. We are introducing a new command for searching directly with Windows search. Users can now say the command Search "Entity"; Search Windows for "Entity"; or Search for "Entity" to search for their desired application or file in Windows (“Entity” is replaced with whatever application or file you want to search.) [We are beginning to roll this out to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders just yet as we plan to monitor feedback before pushing it out to everyone.] FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Voice access.

        Changes and Improvements

        [Windows Share]

        • We are beginning to roll out the ability to copy files from the Windows share window. Just click the new copy button.
        [caption id="attachment_177049" align="alignnone" width="520"] New copy button for copying files in the Windows share window highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        [Settings]

        • The change that updates the visuals for the “Rename your PC” and “Change date and time” dialogs to match the Windows 11 visuals that began rolling out with Build 26217 should now be available to everyone in the Canary Channel.
        [caption id="attachment_177056" align="alignnone" width="446"] Rename your PC dialog with refreshed design to match the Windows 11 visuals.[/caption]

        Fixes

        [File Explorer]

        • As some Insiders have noticed, we’ve done some work to improve how the new icon labels in the context menu display for non-English languages.

        [Task Manager]

        • Updated the units (from MHz to MT/s) for DDR speed.
        • Fixed an issue where the Safely Remove Hardware option for ejecting USB devices wouldn’t work if Task Manager was open.
        • Did some work to ensure Task Manager releases process handles quickly when terminating processes.
        • Made some more improvements to help with Task Manager reliability.
        • We have improved the performance when changing the sort order.
        • Made multiple improvements to overall accessibility of Task Manager, including improving keyboard focus, tab navigation, text scaling, names of items read out by screen readers, and more.
        • We made it a little easier to resize Task Manager when trying to resize by grabbing the top of the window.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO here and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

        Snipping Tool Update

        We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2405.24.0 and newer) to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels that introduces automatic save for screen recordings. This feature works the same as automatic save for screenshots. Your recordings will automatically be saved to Screen Recordings folder (inside your Videos folder). You can choose to turn this off in Snipping Tool settings. [caption id="attachment_177096" align="alignnone" width="643"] Snipping Tool showing new banner for screen recordings now automatically being saved to your Screen Recordings folder.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows* is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store (coming soon).
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/06/04/opening-the-beta-channel-for-windows-insiders-on-windows-10/ Tue, 04 Jun 2024 17:36:44 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177087 Hello Windows Insiders,

        At the end of last year, we announced a change in approach for Windows 10 to make sure eve

        The post Opening the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 10 appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> announced a change in approach for Windows 10 to make sure everyone can get the maximum value from their current Windows PC. To bring new features and more improvements to Windows 10 as needed, we need a place to do active feature development with Windows Insiders. So today, we are opening the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders who are currently on Windows 10. This will allow us to try out new features for Windows 10, version 22H2, with Insiders before releasing them to all Windows 10 customers. If you are an Insider on Windows 10 today and want to try out new features for Windows 10 when we have them, we recommend that you join or switch to the Beta Channel. You can do this by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program, clicking on the current Insider Channel selection to expand and see the full list of Insider Channels, and choosing Beta Channel. [caption id="attachment_177090" align="alignnone" width="668"] Windows Insider Program settings page showing all 4 Insider Channels with the Beta Channel highlighted in a red square.[/caption] For Insiders on a Windows 10 PC that meet the minimum system requirements for Windows 11:
        • We will not automatically upgrade you to Windows 11 when you join the Beta Channel. The Windows 11 upgrade will be available as optional, where you can choose to upgrade when you are ready.
        • You will be able to switch to the Canary or Dev Channels but in doing so it will upgrade your PC to the latest Windows 11 build for those channels.
        • If you switch to the Canary or Dev Channels, you will have a small window to roll back to Windows 10 but once this window closes, the only way to go back to the Beta Channel and/or Windows 10 will be to do a clean install of Windows.
        For Insiders on a Windows 10 PC that DO NOT meet the minimum system requirements for Windows 11:
        • You will not see the options to switch to the Canary or Dev Channels as these channels are only for Windows 11 Insider Preview builds. [UPDATED 6/6] The Canary and Dev Channels will still be shown on the Windows Insider Program settings page but will be greyed out. We are working to implement this change soon. Should you choose either the Canary or Dev Channel today on a Windows 10 PC that does not meet the minimum system requires for Windows 11, you will not receive any new builds and we will eventually migrate you to the Beta Channel where you will receive updates again (or you can switch to the Beta Channel on your own).
        • The Windows 10 end of support date of October 14, 2025, is unchanged. Joining the Beta Channel on your Windows 10 PC does not change that. For more information on the Extended Security Update program for Windows 10, see this blog post here.
        Many features in the Beta Channel will be rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel. Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Updated & Security > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. Features and experiences included in the Windows 10 builds we flight to the Beta Channel might not ever get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in updates to Windows 10 for everyone when they’re ready. Please note that once you opt your Windows 10 PC into the Beta Channel today, you will not receive a new build just yet. We’ll have a new build for you in the coming weeks. For more information on the 4 Insider Preview Channels, click here. Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/31/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-751-dev-channel/ Fri, 31 May 2024 17:04:41 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177085 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.751 (KB5037874) to the Dev Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via 

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.751 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.751 (KB5037874) to the Dev Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx). For Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="669"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Dev Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Dev Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Dev Channel

        [Copilot in Windows**]

        • As part of this update, we’re also evolving the Copilot** experience on Windows as an app that will be pinned to the taskbar. This enables users to get the benefits of a traditional app experience, including the ability to resize, move, and snap the window – feedback we’ve heard from users throughout the preview of Copilot in Windows. This model also allows Microsoft to more agilely develop and optimize the experience based on user feedback.
        • As part of the Copilot experience's evolution on Windows to become an app that is pinned to the taskbar, we are retiring the WIN + C keyboard shortcut. For new devices that ship with a Copilot key, this key will open Copilot. For existing devices without that key, using the WIN + (number position for Copilot pinned to your taskbar) is a great way to open Copilot.

        [Settings]

        • We are beginning to roll out a new Linked devices page under Settings > Accounts that allows you to manage PCs and Xbox consoles that you are signed in to with your Microsoft account. This settings page will only show on the Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 and if you’re signed into Windows with your Microsoft account.
        [caption id="attachment_177067" align="alignnone" width="609"] New linked devices page under Accounts settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [Widgets]

        • Fixed the issue causing the WIN + W keyboard shortcut to not work correctly and open the Widgets board.

        [Other]

        • This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the installation of a Windows update. It fails to complete. This occurs when you have to restart your device more than once.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects a device that uses an enablement KB (EKB). It might stop you from installing a new Windows update.

        Introducing Suggested Replies in Phone Link for Android

        We’re excited to announce the addition of a new feature to the Phone Link app for Android users: Suggested Replies. Powered by our cloud-based intelligent suggestion model, this feature is designed to make your messaging experience seamless and more efficient. [caption id="attachment_177083" align="alignnone" width="535"] Suggested Replies as shown in Phone Link when replying to a message.[/caption] With Suggested Replies, you'll see 3 contextually relevant reply bubbles to choose from when you receive a message. The feature is turned on by default, so you can start using it right away. Simply select a suggested reply and it’ll be sent immediately. Suggested Replies are beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders across all channels with Phone Link version 1.24051.98 and higher. FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Phone Link.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Updates released to the Dev Channel are based off Windows 11, version 24H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store (coming soon).
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/30/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26227-canary-channel/ Thu, 30 May 2024 17:04:28 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177080 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26227 to the Canary Channel.

        Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to th

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26227 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26227 to the Canary Channel. Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to the Canary Channel.

        Changes and Improvements

        [Copilot in Windows*]

        • As part of this update, we’re also evolving the Copilot* experience on Windows as an app that will be pinned to the taskbar. This enables users to get the benefits of a traditional app experience, including the ability to resize, move, and snap the window – feedback we’ve heard from users throughout the preview of Copilot in Windows. This model also allows Microsoft to more agilely develop and optimize the experience based on user feedback.
        • As part of the Copilot experience's evolution on Windows to become an app that is pinned to the taskbar, we are retiring the WIN + C keyboard shortcut. For new devices that ship with a Copilot key, this key will open Copilot. For existing devices without that key, using the WIN + (number position for Copilot pinned to your taskbar) is a great way to open Copilot.

        [Emoji]

        • We’re adding support for Emoji 15.1 which introduces a small number of brand-new emoji such as head shaking horizontally and vertically, phoenix, lime, brown mushroom and broken chain. Other changes for Emoji 15.1 include Unicode’s decision to revert family combinations to symbol-like shapes. Windows has chosen to stay with our existing style that use people in family combinations. We are also supporting the new directionality updates for person/man/woman walking, kneeling, with cane, running, manual wheelchair and motorized wheelchair. You can now select right facing or the original left facing orientation for these emoji.
        [caption id="attachment_177061" align="alignnone" width="518"] New Emoji 15.1 that includes head shaking horizontally and vertically, phoenix, lime, brown mushroom and broken chain.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177062" align="alignnone" width="518"] Example of new directionality updates for person/man/woman walking emoji with right facing or the original left facing orientation.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177063" align="alignnone" width="518"] Example of new directionality updates for person/man/woman in manual wheelchair and motorized wheelchair emoji with right facing or the original left facing orientation.[/caption]

        [Settings]

        • We are beginning to roll out a new Linked devices page under Settings > Accounts that allows you to manage PCs and Xbox consoles that you are signed in to with your Microsoft account. This settings page will only show on the Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 and if you’re signed into Windows with your Microsoft account.
        [caption id="attachment_177067" align="alignnone" width="624"] New linked devices page under Accounts settings highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        Fixes for known issues

        [General]

        • Fixed an issue believed to be the underlying cause of some Insiders noticing stutters in some animations recently (dropping frames), particularly with Task View.
        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to some apps not starting on startup even though they were enabled as startup apps in Settings. It would show as Suspended in Task Manager, but not appear in the taskbar.
        • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to the pop up asking for permission to use location not appearing, which could lead to app issues without location access.

        [Windowing]

        • Fixed an issue related to showing tabs in Alt + Tab, which could lead to frequent explorer.exe crashes if you had a very large number of tabs.

        [Widgets]

        • Fixed the issue causing the WIN + W keyboard shortcut to not work correctly and open the Widgets board.

        [Other]

        • Fixed explorer.exe crashes impacting live captions and voice access.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO here and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

        Introducing Suggested Replies in Phone Link for Android

        We’re excited to announce the addition of a new feature to the Phone Link app for Android users: Suggested Replies. Powered by our cloud-based intelligent suggestion model, this feature is designed to make your messaging experience seamless and more efficient. [caption id="attachment_177083" align="alignnone" width="530"] Suggested Replies as shown in Phone Link when replying to a message.[/caption] With Suggested Replies, you'll see 3 contextually relevant reply bubbles to choose from when you receive a message. The feature is turned on by default, so you can start using it right away. Simply select a suggested reply and it’ll be sent immediately. Suggested Replies are beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders across all channels with Phone Link version 1.24051.98 and higher. FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Phone Link.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows* is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store (coming soon).
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/23/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3646-beta-channel/ Thu, 23 May 2024 21:03:50 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177074 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3646 (KB5037858) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3646 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3646 (KB5037858) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="631"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Other]

        • New! This update adds PC Manager to devices in China.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects File Explorer. It takes up to two minutes to start when you pin a folder that is on a network share to Quick Access. This occurs when you upgrade from Windows 11, version 21H2 to Windows 11, version 22H2.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects TWAIN drivers. They might stop responding when you use them in a virtual environment.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects File Explorer. It stops responding when you swipe from a screen edge. This issue occurs after you turn off edge swiping.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the display of a smart card icon. It does not appear when you sign in. This occurs when there are multiple certificates on the smart card.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects a folder context menu. When you choose the command that removes items, the command adds items instead. This occurs when a third-party service implements a sync feature.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects a server after you remove it from a domain. The Get-LocalGroupMember cmdlet returns an exception. This occurs if the local groups contain domain members.
        • This update affects the Antimalware Scan Interface (AMSI) AmsiUtil It helps to detect the bypass of the AMSI scan. This update also addresses some long-term issues that expose your device to threats.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects printers. They do not work as you expect when you use AppContainer or use them in a restricted environment.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the out-of-box experience (OOBE). It fails to complete. This occurs when you turn on the "Prevent the use of security questions for local accounts" policy.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the Host Networking Service (HNS). When the service restarts, load balancer policies are not brought back in the right way.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Enhanced Fast Reconnect. It fails. This occurs when you use it with third-party remote desktop protocol (RDP) providers.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio They do not show the option to connect or disconnect.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects an IPP-over-USB printer. After you delete it, it still appears as not available in Control Panel.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Unified Write Filter (UWF) Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) API calls. Calls to shut down or restart the system throw an access denied exception.
        • This update addresses an issue that distorts parts of the screen. This occurs when you use a Chromium-based browser to play a video.
        • This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the Share button on USB controllers. It might not work with Game Bar.
        • This update addresses an issue that displays a hidden window. Its title bar has no content and no client area. This occurs when you share your screen using certain apps.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects handwriting panels and touch keyboards. They do not appear when you use a pen.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects an app that supports encrypted email. The app asks you to enter your credentials each time you open an encrypted email. This occurs even after you have entered your PIN at least once.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • We are investigating an issue where Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work after installing this update.
        • [NEW] We’re investigating an issue where Settings is crashing when trying to look at Wi-Fi properties.

        [Widgets]

        Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:
        • Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.
        • Turning on/off Widgets in taskbar settings may refresh the taskbar.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** in preview is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in select global markets. The initial markets for the Copilot in Windows preview include North America, United Kingdom and parts of Asia and South America. It is our intention to add additional markets over time.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/22/releasing-windows-11-version-24h2-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Wed, 22 May 2024 17:46:56 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177070 UPDATE 6/15: We have resumed rollout of Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100.863) to the Release Preview Channel.

        UPDATE 6/7: We are temporarily pausing the rollout of Windows 11, version 24H2 to the Release P

        The post Releasing Windows 11, version 24H2 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> UPDATE 6/15: We have resumed rollout of Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100.863) to the Release Preview Channel. UPDATE 6/7: We are temporarily pausing the rollout of Windows 11, version 24H2 to the Release Preview Channel. We will resume the rollout in the coming weeks. UPDATE 5/29: We're aware that some Windows Insiders in Release Preview are not seeing Windows 11, version 24H2 offered yet. We've just begun the rollout and will gradually increase the rollout over time so not everyone will see it right away. If you are not seeing it yet and want to update to Windows 11, version 24H2 right away, you can do so by using the ISO which are available for download here. The ISO is Build 26100.560 but once you update using the ISO and join Release Preview, you'll get Build 26100.712.

        ---

        Hello Windows Insiders! Today, we are making this year’s annual feature update Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100.712) available in the Release Preview Channel for customers to preview ahead of general availability later this calendar year. Windows 11, version 24H2* includes a range of new features such as the HDR background support, energy saver, Sudo for Windows, Rust in the Windows kernel, support for Wi-Fi 7, voice clarity and more. It also includes many improvements across Windows. For example, we are introducing a scrollable view of the quick settings flyout from the taskbar, the ability to create 7-zip and TAR archives in File Explorer (in addition to ZIP), and improvements for connecting Bluetooth® Low Energy Audio devices. We will be sharing more details in the coming months on many of the new features and improvements included as part of Windows 11, version 24H2 leading up to general availability. Please note that the new AI features such as Recall announced earlier this week will not be available on your PC after installing this update today as they require a Copilot+ PC. For more information on those new AI features and Copilot+ PCs, see this blog post here. As part of this update, we’re also evolving the Copilot** experience on Windows as an app that will be pinned to the taskbar. This enables users to get the benefits of a traditional app experience, including the ability to resize, move, and snap the window – feedback we’ve heard from users throughout the preview of Copilot in Windows. This model also allows Microsoft to more agilely develop and optimize the experience based on user feedback. This change will be making is way to Insiders in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels shortly. [ADDED 5/30] As part of the Copilot experience's evolution on Windows to become an app that is pinned to the taskbar, we are retiring the WIN + C keyboard shortcut. For new devices that ship with a Copilot key, this key will open Copilot. For existing devices without that key, using the WIN + (number position for Copilot pinned to your taskbar) is a great way to open Copilot. [caption id="attachment_177072" align="alignnone" width="660"] Windows 11, version 24H2 shown as available as an optional update highlighted in a red box.[/caption] Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Channel can install Windows 11, version 24H2 via our “seeker” experience in Windows Update. This means if you are an Insider currently in the Release Preview Channel on a PC that meets the Windows 11 hardware requirements, you can go to Settings and Windows Update and choose to download and install Windows 11, version 24H2 if you want. Once you update your PC to Windows 11, version 24H2, you will continue to automatically receive new servicing updates through Windows Update (the typical monthly update process). For instructions on how to join the Windows Insider Program and join your PC to the Release Preview Channel, click here. PLEASE NOTE: Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels will not be able to switch to the Release Preview Channel as they are on builds already based on Windows 11, version 24H2 but are on higher build numbers. These Insiders don't need to switch.  Commercial*** customers enrolled in the Windows Insider Program for Business can begin validating Windows 11, version 24H2 on PCs in their organizations. For these customers, the Windows 11, version 24H2 feature update is available through Windows Update for Business (WUfB) and Windows Server Update Service (WSUS). Azure Marketplace will be coming soon. You can learn more about deploying pre-release feature updates using these deployment methods here. Should any issues arise, IT admins in organizations deploying Release Preview updates can request Microsoft Support. And finally – ISOs are now available for download for Windows 11, version 24H2 via the Windows Insider ISO download page.

        Known issue

        [UPDATE] The below known issue where an Pcasvc.dll error dialog pop-up with the message "Missing entry: PcaWallpaperAppDetect" was appearing has been fixed. [ADDED 6/3] After updating to Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100.712), you may see an Pcasvc.dll error dialog pop-up with the message "Missing entry: PcaWallpaperAppDetect". We are working on a fix, but you can follow these instructions to mitigate the issue:
        1. Type “Task Scheduler” in the search box on the taskbar to find and open Task Scheduler.
        2. On the left tree view of Task Scheduler, click on the “Task Scheduler Library” to expand the node.
        3. Keep expanding the nodes by clicking on the tree view in the following order: Microsoft -> Windows -> Application Experience.
        4. After clicking on the “Application Experience” node, find the task named “PcaWallpaperAppDetect” from the list view in the middle of Task Scheduler.
        5. Right-click on that task, click “Delete” in the pop-up menu. Then click “Yes” on the confirmation dialog box asking, “Do you want to delete this task?”.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team *Please note that Cortana, Tips, and WordPad are removed after upgrading to Windows 11, version 24H2. These apps are deprecated. **Copilot in Windows is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders across our global markets. Customers in the European Economic Area will be able to download the Copilot in Windows experience as an app from the Microsoft Store (coming soon). ***We consider a device a commercial device if it is not running the Windows 11 Home edition AND is being managed by an IT administrator (whether via Microsoft Endpoint Manager or other management solution) or has a volume license key or commercial ID or is joined to a domain.]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/20/releasing-windows-10-build-19045-4474-to-release-preview-channel/ Mon, 20 May 2024 20:45:21 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177068 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4472 (KB5037849) to the Release Preview Channel for those Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2.

        This update includes the following features and impro

        The post Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.4472 to Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4472 (KB5037849) to the Release Preview Channel for those Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. This update includes the following features and improvements:
        • This update addresses an issue that affects a Microsoft Entra ID account. Devices cannot authenticate a second one. This occurs after you install the Windows update, dated November 13, 2023
        • This update addresses an issue that affects a server after you remove it from a domain. The Get-LocalGroupMember cmdlet returns an exception. This occurs if the local groups contain domain members.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects a Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) app. It stops responding.
        • This update addresses an issue that displays a hidden window. Its title bar has no content and no client area. This occurs when you share your screen using certain apps.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects an IPP-over-USB printer. After you delete it, it still appears as not available in Control Panel.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects TWAIN drivers. They might stop responding when you use them in a virtual environment.
        • This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the Share button on USB controllers. It might not work with Game Bar.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Unified Write Filter (UWF) Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) API calls. Calls to shut down or restart the system throw an access denied exception.
        Thanks, The Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/17/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-670-dev-channel/ Fri, 17 May 2024 17:05:22 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177064 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.670 (KB5037869) to the Dev Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via 

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.670 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.670 (KB5037869) to the Dev Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx). For Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="640"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Dev Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Dev Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue where the Network Locations header was missing in the This PC section of File Explorer.
        • This update affects next secure record 3 (NSEC3) validation in a recursive resolver. Its limit is now 1,000 computations. One computation is equal to the validation of one label with one iteration. DNS Server Administrators can change the default number of computations. To do this, use the registry setting below.
          • Name: \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DNS\Parameters\ MaxComputationForNsec3Validation
          • Type: DWORD
          • Default: 1000
          • Max: 9600
          • Min: 1
        • This update addresses an issue that might affect domain controllers (DC). NTLM authentication traffic might increase.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the installation of a Windows update. It fails to complete. This occurs when you have to restart your device more than once.
        • This update addresses an issue that might affect Virtual Secure Mode (VSM) scenarios. They might fail. These scenarios include VPN, Windows Hello, Credential Guard, and Key Guard.

        Known issues

        [Widgets]

        • The WIN + W keyboard shortcut may not work correctly to open the Widgets board.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Updates released to the Dev Channel are based off Windows 11, version 24H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** in preview is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in select global markets. The initial markets for the Copilot in Windows preview include North America, United Kingdom and parts of Asia and South America. It is our intention to add additional markets over time.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/17/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3640-beta-channel/ Fri, 17 May 2024 17:05:18 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177057 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3640 (KB5037867) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3640 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3640 (KB5037867) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="640"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer] 

        • We’ve added support for creating 7-zip and TAR archives in addition to ZIP via the context menu in File Explorer. We have also added a new compression wizard that lets you choose even more formats and specify even more details. You can compress individual files with gzip/bzip2 (and more,) or add multiple files to archives in different tar formats with different types of compression. You can also change the compression level and what types of data are stored in each archive.
        [caption id="attachment_177060" align="alignnone" width="648"] New Compress to options for additional archive formats and new compression wizard in a red box under the File Explorer content menu.[/caption]

        [Emoji]

        • We’re adding support for Emoji 15.1 which introduces a small number of brand-new emoji such as head shaking horizontally and vertically, phoenix, lime, brown mushroom and broken chain. Other changes for Emoji 15.1 include Unicode’s decision to revert family combinations to symbol-like shapes. Windows has chosen to stay with our existing style that use people in family combinations. We are also supporting the new directionality updates for person/man/woman walking, kneeling, with cane, running, manual wheelchair and motorized wheelchair. You can now select right facing or the original left facing orientation for these emoji.
        [caption id="attachment_177061" align="alignnone" width="624"] New Emoji 15.1 that includes head shaking horizontally and vertically, phoenix, lime, brown mushroom and broken chain.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177062" align="alignnone" width="624"] Example of new directionality updates for person/man/woman walking emoji with right facing or the original left facing orientation.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_177063" align="alignnone" width="624"] Example of new directionality updates for person/man/woman in manual wheelchair and motorized wheelchair emoji with right facing or the original left facing orientation.[/caption]

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed a few accessibility issues in the Common File Dialog.

        [Input]

        • Fixed an underlying ctfmon.exe crash which could impact the ability to input text.

        [Windowing]

        • Fixed an issue related to showing tabs in Alt + Tab, which could lead to frequent explorer.exe crashes if you had a very large number of tabs.

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Start menu]

        • We fixed an issue believed to be the underlying cause for Start menu crashing on launch or the All apps list not displaying in the previous Beta Channel flight.

        [Other]

        • This update addresses an issue that might affect domain controllers (DC). NTLM authentication traffic might increase.
        • This update addresses an issue that might affect Virtual Secure Mode (VSM) scenarios. They might fail. These scenarios include VPN, Windows Hello, Credential Guard, and Key Guard.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • We are investigating an issue where Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work after installing this update.

        [Widgets]

        Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:
        • Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.
        • Turning on/off Widgets in taskbar settings may refresh the taskbar.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Some features in active development we preview with Windows Insiders may not be fully localized and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, please report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** in preview is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in select global markets. The initial markets for the Copilot in Windows preview include North America, United Kingdom and parts of Asia and South America. It is our intention to add additional markets over time.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/17/releasing-windows-11-builds-22621-3668-and-22631-3668-to-the-release-preview-channel/ Fri, 17 May 2024 15:02:57 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177052 Hello Windows Insiders, today we’re releasing Windows 11 Builds 22621.3668 and 22631.3668 (KB5037853) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2 (Build

        The post Releasing Windows 11 Builds 22621.3668 and 22631.3668 to the Release Preview Channel appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Builds 22621.3668 and 22631.3668 (KB5037853) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2 (Build 22621) and version 23H2 (Build 22631).   This update includes the following features and improvements:
        • New! This update adds PC Manager to devices in China.
        • New! This update adds a feature that stops you from accidentally closing the Windows share window. Clicking outside of the window will no longer close it. To close it, select the close button at the upper-right corner. Note this feature might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.
        • New! You can now use your mouse to drag files between breadcrumbs in the File Explorer address bar. A breadcrumb shows the path to your current file location in the address bar. For example, there are three breadcrumbs in the path This PC > Windows (C:) > Program Files. Note this feature might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.
        • New! You can directly share to specific Microsoft Teams channels and group chats in the Windows share window. To do so, you must sign in using a Microsoft Entra ID. Note this feature might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.
        • New! This update adds a page to Settings > Accounts called Linked devices. On it, you can manage your PCs and Xbox consoles. This page only shows on Home and Pro editions when you sign in to Windows using your Microsoft account (MSA).
        • New! This update starts the rollout of the new account manager on the Start menu. When you use a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows, you will get a glance of your account benefits. This feature also makes it easy to manage your account settings. Note this feature might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.
        • New! You can now create quick response (QR) codes for webpage URLs and cloud files from the Windows share window. Select the share button in the Microsoft Edge toolbar and choose “Windows share options.” Then, you can share the URLs and files across your devices. Note this feature might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.
        • New! Windows will now back up many of your sound settings (this includes your sound scheme). This only occurs if you turn on Remember my preferences and select the checkboxes for Personalization and Other Windows settings. To find these, go to Settings > Accounts > Windows backup. Then, you can use the Windows Backup app to restore those settings on a new device.
        • New! You can now send email to yourself from the Windows share window. You will receive the email at the email address that is in your Microsoft account. Note this feature might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.
        • New! This update starts the rollout of a the “Add now” button to Settings > Account. When you select it, you can add a recovery email address if you have not added one for your Microsoft account yet. The button only shows if you sign in to your Microsoft account. Note this feature might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually. 
        • New! Starting with this update, you can sign in to your Microsoft account in the Windows Backup app. This app saves backups to your account. Note this feature might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.
        • This update addresses a known issue that affects your account profile picture. When you try to change it, you might get an error message. The error code is 0x80070520.
        • This update affects the Antimalware Scan Interface (AMSI) AmsiUtil class. It helps to detect the bypass of the AMSI scan. This update also addresses some long-term issues that expose your device to threats.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects a server after you remove it from a domain. The Get-LocalGroupMember cmdlet returns an exception. This occurs if the local groups contain domain members.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects printers. They do not work as you expect when you use AppContainer or use them in a restricted environment.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects File Explorer. It stops responding when you swipe from a screen edge. This issue occurs after you turn off edge swiping.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects handwriting panels and touch keyboards. They do not appear when you use a pen.
        • This update addresses an issue that displays a hidden window. Its title bar has no content and no client area. This occurs when you share your screen using certain apps.
        • This update addresses an issue that distorts parts of the screen. This occurs when you use a Chromium-based browser to play a video.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects an IPP-over-USB printer. After you delete it, it still appears as not available in Control Panel.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects TWAIN drivers. They might stop responding when you use them in a virtual environment.
        • This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the Host Networking Service (HNS). When the service restarts, load balancer policies are not brought back in the right way.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the display of a smart card icon. It does not appear when you sign in. This occurs when there are multiple certificates on the smart card.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Enhanced Fast Reconnect. It fails. This occurs when you use it with third-party remote desktop protocol (RDP) providers.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects File Explorer. It takes up to two minutes to start when you pin a folder that is on a network share to Quick Access. This occurs when you upgrade from Windows 11, version 21H2 to Windows 11, version 22H2.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects an app that supports encrypted email. The app asks you to enter your credentials each time you open an encrypted email. This occurs even after you have entered your PIN at least once.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects a folder context menu. When you choose the command that removes items, the command adds items instead. This occurs when a third-party service implements a sync feature.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the out-of-box experience (OOBE). It fails to complete. This occurs when you turn on the "Prevent the use of security questions for local accounts" policy.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio headsets. They do not show the option to connect or disconnect.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the Share button on USB controllers. It might not work with Game Bar.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Unified Write Filter (UWF) Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) API calls. Calls to shut down or restart the system throw an access denied exception.
        Thanks, Windows Insider Program Team]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26217-canary-channel/ Wed, 15 May 2024 17:04:54 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177050 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26217 to the Canary Channel.

        Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to th

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26217 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26217 to the Canary Channel. Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to the Canary Channel.

        Changes and Improvements

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        [Settings]

        • [ADDED 5/16] We are beginning to roll out updated visuals for the "Rename your PC" and "Change date and time" dialogs to match the Windows 11 visuals.
        [caption id="attachment_177056" align="alignnone" width="423"] Rename your PC dialog with refreshed design to match the Windows 11 visuals.[/caption]

        Fixes for known issues

        [Settings]

        • Fixed an issue where after using the Disable button for a camera under Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Cameras, the Enable button wouldn’t work.
        • Fixed an issue where the text showing the color filters keyboard shortcut was missing from Settings > Accessibility > Color filters.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO here and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

        [Widgets]

        • The WIN + W keyboard shortcut may not work correctly to open the Widgets board.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows* in preview is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in select global markets. The initial markets for the Copilot in Windows preview include North America, United Kingdom and parts of Asia and South America. It is our intention to add additional markets over time.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3575-beta-channel/ Fri, 10 May 2024 17:04:14 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177043 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3575 (KB5037862) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3575 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3575 (KB5037862) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will updates based on Windows 11, version 23H2 via an enablement package (Build 22635.xxxx). For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="640"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [Windows Share]

        • We are rolling out the ability to copy files from the Windows share window. Just click the new copy button.
        [caption id="attachment_177049" align="alignnone" width="459"] New copy button for copying files in the Windows share window highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • We believe we have fixed the issue causing the sign-in dialog to persistently show in Microsoft Family Safety when trying to sign-in for customers in Europe.

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • We are beginning to roll out a fix where you will see search box if the taskbar auto-hides when the setting for search on the taskbar is set to “Search box”.

        [File Explorer]

        • Made a fix to help address an issue where the address bar dropdown would appear unexpectedly on its own, because focus moved unexpectedly to the address bar.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • We are investigating an issue where Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work after installing this update.

        [Widgets]

        Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:
        • Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.
        • Turning on/off Widgets in taskbar settings may refresh the taskbar.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** in preview is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in select global markets. The initial markets for the Copilot in Windows preview include North America, United Kingdom and parts of Asia and South America. It is our intention to add additional markets over time.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-470-dev-channel/ Fri, 10 May 2024 17:03:49 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177045 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.470 (KB5037864) to the Dev Channel.

        REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via 

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.470 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.470 (KB5037864) to the Dev Channel. REMINDER: Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx). For Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="640"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Dev Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Dev Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        [Settings]

        • We are introducing a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings homepage. The Game Pass recommendation card on Settings Homepage will be shown to you if you actively play games on your PC. As a reminder – the Settings homepage will be shown only on the Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 and if you’re signed into Windows with your Microsoft account.
        [caption id="attachment_177010" align="alignnone" width="608"] New Game Pass recommendation card highlighted in a red box on the Settings homepage.[/caption]

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [General]

        • We believe we fixed the issue causing some Insiders to experience an install error 0x8007371B trying to install Build 26120.461 in the Dev Channel. If you continue to hit issues – please file feedback in Feedback Hub.

        [Other]

        • This update affects Windows Hello for Business. IT admins can now use mobile device management (MDM) to turn off the prompt that appears when users sign in to an Entra-joined machine. To do this, they can turn on the “DisablePostLogonProvisioning” policy setting. After a user signs in, provisioning is off for Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.
        • This update improves the Remote Desktop Session Host. You can now set up its “clipboard redirection” policy to work in a single direction from the local computer to the remote computer. You can also reverse that order.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects a network resource. You cannot access it from a Remote Desktop session. This occurs when you turn on the Remote Credential Guard feature and the client is Windows 11, version 22H2 or higher.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). It prevents a stop error that occurs when you apply more than 32 policies.
        • This update addresses a deadlock issue in CloudAP. It occurs when different users sign in and sign out at the same time on virtual machines.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the Group Policy service. It fails after you use LGPO.exe to apply an audit policy to the system.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the Settings app. It stops responding when you use it to remove Bluetooth devices.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Notepad. It fails to print to certain Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) printers when you use a print support app.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects dsamain.exe. When the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC) runs evaluations, it stops responding.
        • This update addresses an issue that stops some apps and features from being available. This occurs after you upgrade to Windows 11.
        • This update affects MSIX applications. It helps their UI to localize correctly for all languages when you upgrade your OS.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ) PowerShell module. It does not load.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the existing AppLocker rule collection enforcement mode. It is not overwritten when rules merge with a collection that has no rules. This occurs when the enforcement mode is set to “Not Configured.”
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Transport Layer Security (TLS), version 1.3. It causes Azure App Services to fail. This occurs when the web server attempts to connect to a third-party Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server.
        • This update affects the touch keyboard. It makes the Japanese 106 keyboard layout appear as expected when you sign in.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the touch keyboard and the candidate window for the Japanese and Chinese Input Method Editors (IME). They do not show after you come out of Modern Standby. To learn more, see Microsoft Japanese IME and What is Modern Standby.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects certain Neural Processing Units (NPU). They do not show in Task Manager.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects some wireless earbuds. Bluetooth connections are not stable. This occurs on devices that have firmware from April 2023 and later.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects USB audio. It fails on some processors. This occurs after you pause, play, or resume from sleep.
        • This update supports DST changes in To learn more, see Interim guidance for Kazakhstan time zone changes 2024.
        • This update supports DST changes in To learn more, see Interim guidance for Samoa DST changes 2021.
        • This update supports daylight saving time (DST) changes in Greenland. To learn more, see Greenland 2023 time zone update now available.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Secure Launch. It does not run on some processors.
        • This update addresses a reliability issue. It affects a Virtual Remote App product when you use a custom shell to open it.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects Containers that you create or deploy. Their status does not progress past “ContainerCreating.”
        • This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for some mobile operators.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the COM+ component. Some applications that depend on it stop responding.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects the time service. You can configure it using mobile device management (MDM) or a Group Policy Object (GPO). But the Windows Settings app does not match what you have configured.
        • This update addresses an issue that occurs when you use LoadImage() to load a top-down bitmap. If the bitmap has a negative height, the image does not load, and the function returns NULL.
        • This update implements phase three of Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) hardening. See KB5004442. After you install this update, you cannot turn off the changes using the registry key.
        • This update addresses an issue that affects certain Neural Processing Units (NPU). They do not show in Task Manager.

        Known issues

        [Widgets]

        • [ADDED 5/13] The WIN + W keyboard shortcut may not work correctly and open the Widgets board on Build 26120.470.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Updates released to the Dev Channel are based off Windows 11, version 24H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** in preview is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in select global markets. The initial markets for the Copilot in Windows preview include North America, United Kingdom and parts of Asia and South America. It is our intention to add additional markets over time.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/09/snipping-tool-and-paint-updates-begin-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/ Thu, 09 May 2024 17:01:05 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177035 UPDATED 5/22: The below Snipping Tool and Paint updates are beginning to rollout to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels.

        ---

        UPDATED 5/16: We've begun rolling out visual search in Snipping

        The post Snipping Tool and Paint updates begin rolling out to Windows Insiders appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> UPDATED 5/22: The below Snipping Tool and Paint updates are beginning to rollout to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels.

        ---

        UPDATED 5/16: We've begun rolling out visual search in Snipping Tool. See updated text below.

        ---

        Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out updates to Snipping Tool and Paint to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.

        Snipping Tool (version 11.2404.37.0 version 11.2404.39.0 version 11.2404.40.0)

        In this update, we’re introducing a few new features including support for emoji and QR code scanning, as well as other improvements. Emoji are a fun new way to markup your screenshots. To get started, open the Shapes toolbar and find the new Emoji option. Select an emoji and see it drop into the middle of the canvas. You can move or resize it before clicking away and finalizing any changes. [caption id="attachment_177037" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Snipping Tool emoji panel showing cursor hovering over the star emoji option.[/caption] We are also adding the ability to detect QR codes in screenshots so that you can easily follow the link on your PC. You will automatically see QR code detection appear when you enter Text Actions from Snipping Tool’s markup canvas. [caption id="attachment_177038" align="alignnone" width="1024"] QR code link detected in Snipping Tool.[/caption] Finally, we have made some improvements to shapes based on your feedback and have added the ability to change opacity of shape fill and outline colors. We have also reintroduced the ruler tool in the “See more” dropdown (you can toggle ruler with Ctrl + R keyboard shortcut key as well). [caption id="attachment_177039" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Snipping Tool shape outline color dropdown menu opened to opacity slider at 35%.[/caption] [ADDED 5/16] We're adding visual search into Snipping Tool (with version 11.2404.39.0). With visual search, you can quickly find similar images and objects in your screenshot with Bing. You can try this by right-clicking on a screenshot and selecting “Visual Search with Bing”. This action is also available in the “See more” menu in the toolbar. [caption id="attachment_177054" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Visual Search with Bing option appearing in right-click context menu in Snipping Tool.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

        Paint (version 11.2404.42.0)

        Thank you for sharing your creations and for all of your feedback on Paint Cocreator since we introduced it last fall. With this update, Cocreator is becoming Image Creator. Aside from the new name, the feature works the same as before—Image Creator helps you create amazing artwork in Paint by describing in a few words what you’d like to create. [caption id="attachment_177040" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Paint app open showing Image Creator panel.[/caption] FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint. [These features in Snipping Tool and Paint are beginning to rollout in these updates, so it may not be available to all Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing them out to everyone.] As always, we love getting feedback from the community and we will be looking out for your thoughts and suggestions on this update! Thanks, Dave Grochocki, Principal Product Manager Lead – Windows Inbox Apps]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26212-canary-channel/ Wed, 08 May 2024 17:04:54 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177032 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26212 to the Canary Channel.

        Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to th

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26212 (Canary Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26212 to the Canary Channel. Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to the Canary Channel.

        Changes and Improvements

        [Windows Share]

        • Users will be able to now generate QR codes for URLs and cloud file links through the Windows share window to seamlessly share webpages and files across their devices. To try this out in Microsoft Edge, just click the share button in the Edge toolbar and choose “Windows share options”.
        [caption id="attachment_176975" align="alignnone" width="603"] Option to generate a QR code to share a URL through the Windows share window.[/caption]
        • To prevent accidentally closing the Windows share window, clicking outside the Windows share window will no longer close it. To close the Windows share window, just press the close button at the top right corner.
        • If your Microsoft account uses a Gmail address, you can now send email to yourself from Windows share window and receive it in your Gmail account.
        [caption id="attachment_177009" align="alignnone" width="385"] Example Gmail option to email yourself in the Windows share window highlighted in a red box.[/caption]

        [Copilot in Windows*]

        • Over the last few months, we’ve been trying out different experiences for Copilot in Windows (Preview) with Windows Insiders across the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels. Some of these experiences include the ability for Copilot in Windows to act like a normal application window and the taskbar icon animating to indicate that Copilot can help when you copy text or images. We have decided to pause the rollouts of these experiences to further refine them based on user feedback. Copilot in Windows will continue to work as expected while we continue to evolve new ideas with Windows Insiders.

        Fixes for known issues

        [General]

        • We fixed the issue causing advanced startup options to not work. This also fixes the progress wheel from not showing when booting.
        • We believe we fixed the issue causing Features on Demand (FODs) to not install.

        [Copilot in Windows*]

        • We are rolling out a fix for the issue causing Copilot to auto-launch unexpectedly for Windows Insiders in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels after restarting their PCs. This issue was unrelated to the auto-launching experience we tried out with Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels in early Februarywhich we stopped rolling out in March.

        [Taskbar & System Tray]

        • Fixed an issue that caused the taskbar to be partially off the screen on secondary monitors.
        • Fixed an issue that caused Narrator to be silent while rearranging your apps on taskbar.

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer to sporadically crash when using path suggestions in the address bar.
        • Fixed an issue which could cause File Explorer to crash sometimes when going from the search box to the body of File Explorer.

        [Windowing]

        • Fixed a couple DWM crashes, which could cause the screen to appear to flash.

        [Other]

        • Fixed an issue that was causing some people to repeatedly see a message saying live captions were being missed.
        • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing Visual Studio to fail to debug x64 .NET framework console applications (the app would crash in ntdll.dll upon load).

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO here and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

        [Widgets]

        • [ADDED 5/12] The WIN + W keyboard shortcut may not work correctly and open the Widgets board on Build 26212.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel

        • The builds we release to the Canary Channel should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows and features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Canary Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • To get off the Canary Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder - Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
        • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows* in preview is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in select global markets. The initial markets for the Copilot in Windows preview include North America, United Kingdom and parts of Asia and South America. It is our intention to add additional markets over time.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-461-dev-channel/ Fri, 03 May 2024 17:03:45 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177026 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.461 (KB5037009) to the Dev Channel.

        Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via 

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.461 (Dev Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.461 (KB5037009) to the Dev Channel. Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will now receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx). For Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="675"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Dev Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Dev Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

        [General]

        • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Dev Channel

        [Copilot in Windows**]

        • Over the last few months, we’ve been trying out different experiences for Copilot in Windows (Preview) with Windows Insiders across the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels. Some of these experiences include the ability for Copilot in Windows to act like a normal application window and the taskbar icon animating to indicate that Copilot can help when you copy text or images. We have decided to pause the rollouts of these experiences to further refine them based on user feedback. Copilot in Windows will continue to work as expected while we continue to evolve new ideas with Windows Insiders.

        Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

        [Copilot in Windows**]

        • We are rolling out a fix for the issue causing Copilot to auto-launch unexpectedly for Windows Insiders in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels after restarting their PCs. This issue was unrelated to the auto-launching experience we tried out with Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels in early February which we stopped rolling out in March.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • [ADDED 5/6] We are investigating reports that some Insiders are experiencing an install error 0x8007371B trying to install Build 26120.461.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

        • Updates released to the Dev Channel are based off Windows 11, version 24H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** in preview is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in select global markets. The initial markets for the Copilot in Windows preview include North America, United Kingdom and parts of Asia and South America. It is our intention to add additional markets over time.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]> https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/05/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3570-beta-channel/ Fri, 03 May 2024 17:03:15 +0000 https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/?p=177022 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3570 (KB5037008) to the Beta Channel.

        REMINDER: All Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will now be on the same build (Build 22635.xxxx) via 

        The post Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3570 (Beta Channel) appeared first on Windows Insider Blog.

        ]]> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3570 (KB5037008) to the Beta Channel. REMINDER: All Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will now be on the same build (Build 22635.xxxx) via an enablement package. For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready. [caption id="attachment_176587" align="alignnone" width="675"] Turn on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.[/caption] Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer] 

        • We’re rolling out the ability to duplicate a tab by right-clicking on a tab in File Explorer.
        [caption id="attachment_177024" align="alignnone" width="554"] Option to duplicate tab when right-clicking on a tab in File Explorer highlighted in a red square.[/caption]

        Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

        [File Explorer]

        • Fixed a memory leak when interacting with archive folders in File Explorer.
        • Fixed a few issues impacting File Explorer reliability.
        • Made a change to help fix an issue which could cause the spacing between your desktop icons to become extremely wide.
        • Fixed a timing issue where if you start a search from Home in File Explorer, it may unexpectedly show no results the first time you tried.
        • Did some work to help address an issue where the address bar dropdown might appear unexpectedly while you were using File Explorer.

        [Task Manager]

        • Updated the units (from MHz to MT/s) for DDR speed.
        • Fixed an issue where the Safely Remove Hardware option for ejecting USB devices wouldn’t work if Task Manager was open.
        • Did some work to ensure Task Manager releases process handles quickly when terminating processes.
        • Made some more improvements to help with Task Manager reliability.
        • We have improved the performance when changing the sort order.
        • Made multiple improvements to overall accessibility of Task Manager, including improving keyboard focus, tab navigation, text scaling, names of items read out by screen readers, and more.
        • We made it a little easier to resize Task Manager when trying to resize by grabbing the top of the window.

        Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Copilot in Windows**]

        • Over the last few months, we’ve been trying out different experiences for Copilot in Windows (Preview) with Windows Insiders across the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels. Some of these experiences include the ability for Copilot in Windows to act like a normal application window and the taskbar icon animating to indicate that Copilot can help when you copy text or images. We have decided to pause the rollouts of these experiences to further refine them based on user feedback. Copilot in Windows will continue to work as expected while we continue to evolve new ideas with Windows Insiders.

        Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

        [Start menu]

        • We fixed the issue causing a component related to upgrading and restoring data from Windows Backup called “Global.WindowsMigration” to incorrectly show under the Start menu > All apps.

        [Copilot in Windows**]

        • We are rolling out a fix for the issue causing Copilot to auto-launch unexpectedly for Windows Insiders in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels after restarting their PCs. This issue was unrelated to the auto-launching experience we tried out with Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels in early February which we stopped rolling out in March.

        Known issues

        [General]

        • We are investigating an issue where Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work after installing this update.

        [Widgets]

        Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:
        • Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
        • The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.
        • Turning on/off Widgets in taskbar settings may refresh the taskbar.

        Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

        • Updates released to the Beta Channel are based off Windows 11, version 23H2.
        • Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
        • Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel.
        • Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you*, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
        • Because the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths from our engineers, there may be cases where features and experiences show up in the Beta Channel first.
        • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
        • Copilot in Windows** in preview is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in select global markets. The initial markets for the Copilot in Windows preview include North America, United Kingdom and parts of Asia and South America. It is our intention to add additional markets over time.
        Thanks, Amanda & Brandon]]>