Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

[Account Settings]

[Click to Do]

[Desktop Background]

• You can now set .webp images for your desktop background in Settings > Personalization > Desktop Background.

Fixes gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

[Taskbar and System Tray]

• Fixed an issue in the latest builds where, when the taskbar was set to autohide, it might invoke before interacting with the bottom of the screen, blocking the use of apps in that area.
• Fixed a recent issue which was causing the Start menu, notification center, and quick settings to not open on click sometimes, although using the keyboard shortcuts for each of these still worked.

[Start menu]

• Fixed a memory leak when opening the Start menu, which could lead to performance issues over time.
• Fixed an issue for Arabic and Hebrew users, where Start menu was opening on the wrong side of the screen when the taskbar icons weren’t centered.
• Fixed an issue where if you opened a folder of pinned apps in Start menu and tried to pan it with touch, it would dismiss Start menu.

[Bluetooth]

• Fixed an issue causing Bluetooth device battery level to not show for some Insiders after the latest builds, even though the devices supported it.

[Xbox full screen experience for PC]

• This build fixes some unexpected app and game behavior when using FSE. We’re continuing to validate scenarios and as such keeping the known issue active for now. Thank you Insiders that have been sharing feedback!

[Login and Lock Screens]

• Fixed an issue which could cause the password icon to appear blank on the login screen.

[Settings]

• Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash when interacting with audio devices in the last two builds.
• Fixed an issue where the keyboard character repeat delay in Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Keyboard was backwards from how it was set in the backend.

[Other]

• Fixed a few issues with clipped text in msinfo32 when using a high display scaling.
• Fixed an issue impacting some Insiders where clicking on .appinstaller files to install MSIX packages was unexpectedly failing with an invalid argument error.
• Fixed an underlying issue which was causing Notepad to not display an underscore in text with certain fonts when your display was set to 125%.
• Fixed an underlying issue which could cause explorer.exe to hang when first logging into your PC, if certain apps were configured as startup apps. This could make the taskbar not appear.

Known issues

[Xbox full screen experience for PC]

• Some apps may behave unexpectedly when using FSE, particularly those that expect to be locked to a given size or launch additional windows.

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• We’re investigating an issue where for some Insiders apps aren’t showing in the system tray when they should be.

[Display & Graphics]

• [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing secondary monitors to not display correctly and show black screens after the latest updates for a small number of Insiders.

[Click to Do]

• We're working on the fix for an issue where the Microsoft 365 Copilot prompt box on selected images does not function if the Microsoft 365 Copilot app is not running.

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.

“With our latest XPS and Alienware devices, we’re not just meeting expectations — we’re shattering them. The thinnest XPS laptops ever. Ultra-powerful Alienware systems with unmatched display experiences. These aren’t just devices; they’re tools for gamers, creators and professionals who demand more. Paired with Windows 11, our devices don’t just keep up — they push you to new heights of competing and creating.” — Kevin Terwilliger, Head of Product, Commercial, Consumer & Gaming PCs, Dell Technologies.

“HP’s Work Relationship Index shows expectations rising faster than fulfillment, and professionals are feeling that strain every day. The EliteBook X G2 Series uses AI to adapt to how people work, with security by default and ultra-light mobility, helping leaders stay effective wherever work happens.” — Guayente Sanmartin, Senior Vice President and Division President, Commercial Systems & Displays Solutions (HP Inc.)

Next generation silicon for AI PCs

AMD

“The PC is being redefined by AI, and AMD is leading that transformation,” said Jack Huynh, senior vice president and general manager, AMD Computing and Graphics Group. “Across consumer, commercial and enthusiast systems, we’re delivering platforms that bring high-performance computing, leadership AI, immersive graphics and a growing software ecosystem that empowers developers and creators, so intelligence is built in, performance and efficiency scale seamlessly, and innovation extends to every form factor. Our full-stack approach is coming to life, enabling smarter, faster and more immersive experiences for users, today and tomorrow.”

Intel

“Powering more than 200 designs from global OEM partners, Intel Core Ultra Series 3 will be the most broadly adopted and globally available AI PC platform Intel has ever delivered,” said Jim Johnson, senior vice president and general manager, Client Computing Group, Intel. “With Series 3, we are laser focused on improving power efficiency, adding more CPU performance, a bigger GPU in a class of its own, and more AI compute and app compatibility. This enables our partner ecosystem to build smarter, more efficient devices, and end users to gain next-gen AI enabled experiences anywhere.”

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

“Snapdragon X2 Elite strengthens our leadership in the PC industry, providing legendary leaps in performance, AI processing and battery life to enable the experiences that consumers deserve,” said Kedar Kondap, senior vice president and general manager, compute and gaming, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “We continue to push the boundaries of technological innovation, introduce breakthrough products that set new industry standards and redefine what’s possible for PCs.”

Delivering more choice and value for every customer

New features gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

Bringing Copilot-powered image descriptions to Narrator

Uninstalling Microsoft Copilot App on managed devices

• Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Copilot are both installed
• The Microsoft Copilot app was not installed by the user
• The Microsoft Copilot app was not launched in the last 28 days

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

[For Developers]

• We’re excited to share an enhancement to the Cross Device Resume capability that we announced earlier. Until now, app developers could integrate with Resume using a solution based on the Link to Windows app. We’ve now introduced an additional integration path leveraging the Windows Notification System (WNS). This additional option expands the scope of users to whom you can offer Resume capability, while delivering the same seamless experience on Windows. We invite developers to explore onboarding with this new capability alongside the existing integration method. Together, these options help maximize continuity across devices. Use WNS Notifications to implement Cross Device Resume (XDR) - Windows apps | Microsoft Learn.

[Windows Spotlight]

• The Windows Spotlight icon is getting refreshed. The new icon flight was started in late December for a small set of Insiders.

Fixes gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

[Start menu]

• Fixed an issue where the edge of the warning dialog shown when shutting down your PC while other users were still signed in was truncated by the edge of the Start menu.

[File Explorer]

• Fixed an issue which was causing explorer.exe to crash for some Insiders when invoking the context menu on the desktop recently.

[Input]

• Fixed an issue which could lead to a black flash when using a pen to ink in Snipping Tool.

[Print]

• Fixed an issue which could lead to two print dialogs appearing when you opened print instead of just one.
• Fixed the color of the close button the print dialog to be consistent with other windows.
• Fixed an issue where the text on the Printers and Scanners page in Settings could become truncated and unreadable.

[Windows Update]

• Fixed an issue which could lead to the Windows Update settings page hanging when loading.

Known issues

[Xbox full screen experience for PC]

• Some apps may behave unexpectedly when using FSE, particularly those that expect to be locked to a given size or launch additional windows.

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• We’re working on the fix for 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. This issue may also potentially impact the notification center (which you can open with WIN + N) and quick settings (WIN + A).
• We’re investigating an issue where for some Insiders apps aren’t showing in the system tray when they should be.
• We’re working on the fix for an issue in the latest builds where, when the taskbar is set to autohide, it might invoke before interacting with the bottom of the screen, blocking the use of apps in that area.

[Settings]

• [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing Settings to crash when interacting with audio devices.

[Bluetooth]

• We’re working on the fix for an issue causing Bluetooth device battery level to not show for some Insiders.

[Click to Do]

• We're investigating an issue where the Microsoft 365 Copilot prompt box on selected images does not function if the Microsoft 365 Copilot app is not running.

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.

New features gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

Introducing Ask Copilot on the taskbar with Microsoft 365 Copilot

• One-click access to Copilot from your taskbar: This opt-in experience is the most integrated and natural way to engage with Copilot through voice or text in the way that works best for you. Commercial users will have all the power of their Work IQ as contextual information that they can reference in their Copilot chats and with Microsoft 365 AI Agents.
• Invoke agents: You’ll be able to invoke agents directly from Ask Copilot on the taskbar using the tools button or by typing “@.”
• Streamlined search experience: Lightning-fast results in a refreshed design makes finding apps, files and settings easier.

Introducing Agents on the taskbar

Agent Launchers on Windows

Personalize what Narrator announces 

Enhancing the Touch Keyboard Experience for Voice Typing

Discover Windows Widget

• Quick, actionable tips from the Windows Tips website—covering things like shortcuts, productivity tricks, and security reminders.
• Tips update automatically throughout the day to match common usage moments.

• To Widgets Board: Open the Widgets Board, select Add widgets, then choose Discover.
• To Lock Screen: Go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen, then add the Discover widget to your lock screen widgets.

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

[Settings Agent Language Expansion]

• Last September, we announced that Agent in Settings experience was expanded to include French in Dev and Beta Now, the languages supported by the Settings Agent continue to be expanded. The following locales and languages are supported with this release:

• English: en-gb, en-us
• French: fr-fr, fr-ca

• German: de-de
• Portuguese: pt-br, pt-pt
• Spanish: es-es, es-mx
• Korean: ko-kr
• Japanese: ja-jp
• Hindi: hi-in
• Italian: it-it
• Chinese (Simplified): zh-cn

• The Copilot prompt box in Click to Do now supports Microsoft 365 Copilot. Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot about what's on your screen. Quickly type a custom prompt directly into a text box, which is then sent to Microsoft 365 Copilot along with your selected screen content. This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area) or China. This feature previously rolled out last September to Dev and Beta channel outside of EEA.

• The AltGr layer is now enabled for the Arabic 101 keyboard layout.  The left Alt key continues to function as before, while the right Alt key acts as a modifier to access additional symbols. The first new symbol mapped to AltGr on the Arabic 101 layout is the Saudi Riyal currency symbol (AltGr + S). Users who switch languages with Alt + Shift can continue to use the left Alt + Shift or the general shortcut Windows logo key + Space. Arabic 102 and Arabic 102 AZERTY layouts are updated similarly.

• We’re introducing a more streamlined setup flow to make it even easier to get started with Voice Access. The redesigned flow helps download the right speech model for your language of choice; select your preferred input microphone & highlights what Voice Access can help you do on your PC.

• We’re temporarily stopping the rollout of the new animations when sliding between open apps on the taskbar to investigate some issues – appreciate your patience.

• For Windows Insiders signed in with a Microsoft account (consumer cloud), File Explorer will now begin showing people icons under the “Activity” column on File Explorer Home and in areas like Recommended, Favorites, and Recent. When you hover or click on a people icon, File Explorer will display the new Windows People Card (WPC), giving you lightweight context about who recently interacted with the file and providing quick actions like starting a chat or a call through your preferred communication apps.

Fixes gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

[Taskbar and System Tray]

• When your taskbar is set to uncombined, if you have an app open with many windows, they will no longer all move as a set to the overflow area when there is not enough space on the taskbar, and instead only the ones specifically within the set that don’t have space. With this change, the overflow area should no longer appear to display with lots of available space.
• Fixed an issue where the label in the taskbar might not be displayed correctly if you had an app with multiple windows open.

[File Explorer]

• Fixed an issue causing File Explorer recently to show a white flash when navigating between pages after the latest flights.
• Made some improvements to File Explorer search performance by eliminating duplicate file indexing operations, which should result in faster searches and reduced system resource usage during file operations.
• Enhanced search reliability with improved handling of system and secondary drive locations, to help ensure more accurate search results across all your storage devices.
• Fixed an issue which could prevent OneDrive files from opening in RemoteApp sessions (showing error 0x80070057).
• Improved Voice Access support in File Explorer's Gallery view, so you can now open photos by saying 'click [number]' instead of requiring 'double click,' streamlining voice-controlled navigation.

[Login and lock screens]

• Fixed a few more issues which could lead to the login screen becoming unresponsive and not rendering.

[Display and Graphics]

• Fixed an issue which could lead to Adaptive Brightness not working immediately after rebooting your PC.

[Windows Update]

• Fixed an issue resulting in an increase in Insiders seeing error 0x800F0922 when trying to install the latest updates recently.

[Other]

• Fixed an issue where text might not display correctly in Windows Recovery when using the Japanese display language.
• Fixed an issue where in some cases valid Windows license migration might fail when upgrading because the device couldn’t register with the Windows Activation server for its CLIP / online entitlement, requiring using the troubleshooter to fix.
• Fixed an issue where external virtual switches might lose their physical network adapter (NIC) bindings after a host restart. When this happened, the switches would revert to internal mode, resulting in loss of network connectivity for virtual machines and blocking normal server operations. ​​​​​​​
• Fixed an issue where the Share dialog might unexpectedly show an option to share to Shell Experience Host.
• Updated the “Change Account Type” dialog in Settings > Accounts > Other accounts to better align with other modern dialogs in Settings.
• If you were seeing a message saying “There’s a newer build available” in Windows Insider Program Settings, but there wasn’t actually, that should be resolved now.

Known issues

[Agents on the Taskbar]

• Researcher may appear unresponsive if you click on the taskbar icon or status card when task is in progress.  Switching to a different conversation then back to the researcher task within Microsoft 365 Copilot should fix the problem.

[Xbox full screen experience for PC]

• Some apps may behave unexpectedly when using FSE, particularly those that expect to be locked to a given size or launch additional windows.

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• We’re working on the fix for 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. This issue may also potentially impact the notification center (which you can open with WIN + N) and quick settings (WIN + A).
• We’re investigating an issue where for some Insiders apps aren’t showing in the system tray when they should be.
• [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue in the latest builds where, when the taskbar is set to autohide, it might invoke before interacting with the bottom of the screen, blocking the use of apps in that area.

[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.
• We’re working on the fix for an issue where opening the context menu is causing explorer.exe to crash for some Insiders after the previous flight.

[Bluetooth]

• We’re working on the fix for an issue causing Bluetooth device battery level to not show for some Insiders.

[Click to Do]

• [NEW] We're investigating an issue where the Microsoft 365 Copilot prompt box on selected images does not function if the Microsoft 365 Copilot app is not running.

Paint App update rolling out to Canary & Dev Channels

• With Paint version 11.2511.281.0, we’re introducing the collapse toolbar feature in Paint. To get started, open Paint and click the chevron icon at the bottom-right of the ribbon to enable Automatically hide toolbar. Once the toolbar collapses, use the Show toolbarbutton to bring it back and switch tools. To hide it again, click the Hide toolbar button or anywhere outside the toolbar. When you’re ready to return to the default view, click the chevron icon and select Always show toolbar.

Paint App GIF showing the collapsable toolbar. [caption id="attachment_178485" align="alignnone" width="2404"] Paint App GIF showing the collapsable toolbar.[/caption]

• FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint.

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

Special Events: Helping customers discover more

Themes: Make your PC your own

A more personal Store experience

Installation made easier

Helping you explore AI

Focusing on the fundamentals

• Quicker Navigation⁴: The Store app launches faster than before, thanks to performance improvements we made earlier this year. And moving between departments in the Store is now noticeably faster, thanks to new updates rolling out in December.

• Improved Error Handling: Our goal is to ensure you have an error-free experience – but when you do run into issues, we’ve clarified our messaging to help lead to a resolution.  For example, in the past mismatched region settings would block a purchase with an error message. Now, the Store automatically detects the issue and guides you to adjust your region settings, so you can complete your purchase without interruption.

• Uninstallation directly from the Library: This has been a top customer ask in Feedback Hub – now, simply head to the Library, click the three-dot menu for an installed app and click uninstall.

• Better update orchestration: Background updates are now better scheduled for smoother performance and minimal disruption while devices are in use.

• Improved search: Earlier this year, we rearchitected how search works so that it is now more intent-aware, leverages signals like app updates and ratings more diligently for ranking, and addresses language-specific nuances. While these improvements mark progress, we know search is never ‘done.’ We continue to refine and we actively investigate feedback coming through the Feedback Hub to guide the next wave of improvements.

Looking ahead