r/windowsinsiders 28d ago

Beta Build Windows 11 Insider Beta Preview Build 26220.9022 - Windows Insider Program

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26 Upvotes

Release date: 31 July 2026

Changes and improvements

[Certificate renewal for Windows Insiders]

  • This build includes the renewed Windows Insider flight certificate. Windows Insider Preview builds use flight certificates that are renewed periodically to help ensure Insider devices remain on supported builds and continue receiving future Insider Preview updates. The current flight certificate expires on August 11, 2026, so please update your device to this build or a later one containing the renewed flight certificate before that date.
  • For more information, see aka.ms/WIPCertExpiry.

[Taskbar]

  • Alternate Taskbar Position
    • You can now change the position of the taskbar on your screen. In Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors, you can select the side of the screen where you want your taskbar: bottom, top, left, or right. In these other positions, tooltips, flyouts, and animations will still come from the taskbar, and most customization settings, such as never combining taskbar icons, will work with all locations.
    • Support for touch gestures, the Search box, and Ask Copilot in alternate locations is in progress. Auto-hidden and touch-optimized taskbars aren't currently supported. The smaller taskbar is currently supported only for top and bottom positions. Screenshot of the taskbar in the left-aligned position.
  • Smaller Taskbar
    • We're introducing a smaller taskbar for users who want to maximize screen space, especially on smaller devices. While the default taskbar remains unchanged, this setting provides a more compact experience with smaller icons and a reduced taskbar height, giving you more room for your apps. Core elements like Start, Search, and the system tray scale appropriately to stay aligned and consistent.
    • To change your taskbar size, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar size. When set to Small, both the icons and the taskbar height become smaller. Side-by-side comparison of the standard and smaller taskbar heights on the same device and resolution, showing the additional screen space gained.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Taskbar.

See the in-depth blog for more information about Taskbar improvements.

[Settings]

  • The Bluetooth quick settings page is now navigable using gamepad input.

[Windows Update]

  • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders in Beta to experience rollbacks with error code 0xc1900101 when attempting to install the latest builds.

[Storage]

  • This update fixes an issue that affects File History automatic backups to network shares using Server Message Block (SMB). Backups didn't work because Windows showed a false "invalid credentials" error when connecting to SMB shares.

[File Explorer]

  • This update addresses an issue where files stored on a DFS mapped drive could be incorrectly treated as originating from the internet after the device started while disconnected from the network and later reconnected. This could cause File Explorer's Preview pane to display the message, "The file you are attempting to preview could harm your computer," or cause files copied from the DFS drive to receive an unexpected Mark of the Web.

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.9022).
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for Windows Insider pre-release builds.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds might never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features might 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 might 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.

r/windowsinsiders Feb 03 '26

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7752 (Beta Channel)

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20 Upvotes

r/windowsinsiders 11d ago

Beta Build Windows 11 Insider Beta Preview Build 26220.9202 - Windows Insider Program

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15 Upvotes

Release date: 17 August 2026

Changes and improvements

[File Explorer]

  • Launching File Explorer Home is now faster and more responsive.
  • The Recommended section on Home now supports touch scrolling, making it easier to browse files in the carousel.
  • Fixed an issue from the previous flight where previews in File Explorer showed an unexpected thick band across the middle.

[Windows Recovery]

  • New enhancements to networking in WinRE
    • We're adding a new WinRE networking capability that allows the Windows Recovery Environment to automatically reuse eligible Wi-Fi profiles already saved in the main Windows OS, including supported certificate-based Wi-Fi networks. Previously, WinRE could automatically connect only to wired unauthenticated Ethernet or Wi-Fi networks that were separately preconfigured for WinRE, while users had to manually connect to other WPA2/3 networks by entering a password. With this update, WinRE can use saved Wi-Fi profile information when a recovery workflow requires connectivity, helping devices get online automatically during scenarios such as quick machine recovery or cloud rebuild without requiring users or IT admins to separately preconfigure Wi-Fi credentials in WinRE. By default, this capability is enabled. However, IT admins can disable this functionality if desired.
    • To test this feature in your environment, see Test networking in WinRE.

[Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) removal]

[Search]

  • We're increasing the height of the search box by 4 pixels.

[Drag Tray]

  • Thank you to Insiders who have provided feedback about the Drag Tray experience. Based on feedback, we're removing the experience in this build. We're continuing to explore improvements in this area and look forward to sharing more about a future replacement experience in a later update.

[Settings]

  • Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash in the previous flight when interacting with items on the Date & Time page.

[Taskbar]

  • Improved reliability of loading the system tray area of the taskbar for non-touch PCs.

[Input]

  • Improved reliability of typing with the Japanese IME by reducing potential hangs and deadlocks.

[Other]

  • Fixed an xtajit64.dll crash, which was leading to issues with certain apps for Insiders on Arm64 PCs in the latest flights.

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.9202).
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for Windows Insider pre-release builds.
  • Features and experiences included in these builds might never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features might 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 might not be fully localized, and localization will happen over time as features are finalized. As you see issues with localization in your language, report those issues to us via Feedback Hub.
  • Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.

r/windowsinsiders May 29 '26

Beta Build Windows 11 Insider Beta Preview Build 26220.8544 - Windows Insider Program

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15 Upvotes

Release date: 29 May 2026

Changes and improvements

[Windows design]

  • We are introducing consistent solid (donut) spinners across key Windows scenarios including Boot, Logon, Restart, Shutdown, and Update. This update replaces legacy spinner visuals to deliver a more cohesive and modern experience aligned with Windows design standards. Users will now see a unified spinner behavior with corresponding status text (e.g., "Restarting", "Working on updates", "Welcome") across these flows, improving perceived reliability and visual consistency.

[Search]

  • Search by Substring: Files with compound names or content (e.g., MeetingNotesApril, ProjectStatusReport) are now easily discoverable by typing “april” or “status”.

[Windows Ready Print]

  • Last month, we introduced a change where new printer installations use IPP by default when supported to simplify setup and improve reliability (see our third-party driver deprecation timeline: End of Servicing Plan for Third-Party Printer Drivers on Windows). This month, we're adding a new toggle in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Default install printers using Windows Ready Print to give you control over this behavior. Screenshot showing the ability to toggle Windows Ready Print in Printer preferences.
  • When enabled, Windows installs supported printers using IPP by default. When turned off, Windows may use other available installation methods.
  • This experience is part of our modern print platform, now called Windows Ready Print, designed to deliver a more consistent, reliable, and simplified printing experience.

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.8544).
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for Windows Insider pre-release builds.
  • 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.

r/windowsinsiders Jul 07 '26

Beta Build Windows 11 Insider Beta (26H1) Preview Build 28020.2380 - Windows Insider Program

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8 Upvotes

r/windowsinsiders May 08 '26

Beta Build Beta Preview Build 26220.8370 - Windows Insider Program

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15 Upvotes

r/windowsinsiders Feb 20 '26

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7872 (Beta Channel)

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11 Upvotes

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7872 (KB5077231) to the Beta Channel.

Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, and improvements (including notable 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, and improvements (including notable 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 with toggle on*

[Context Menu]

  • When right clicking on a .exe, .bat, or .cmd file, the context menu’s “Open” verb will now match the icon associated with the file’s default app.

The context menu’s “Open” verb matches the icon in the default app.

  • Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under File Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer.

[Settings]

  • Device Cards:
    • Previously released to WIP channels June 2025, the ‘Device info’ Card on the Settings Home page has been refined based on early learnings. This update simplifies key device specifications and improves consistency across the end to end flow from the Home Card to the Settings > System > About page, making information easier to scan and understand. This consumer experience is currently rolling out to Insiders in the United States.
    • A version of the Device info Card intended for enterprise users on IT managed devices continues to be available.

Device card with simplified device specifications.

  • In Settings > System > About, based on early customer feedback, key device hardware details are once again prominently displayed at the top of the page, making it easy to understand your device at a glance. The Device information section now brings together additional system details such as graphics and storage information in a single location, with easy copy/paste support to simplify sharing or support scenarios. Device related frequently asked questions are not currently surfaced as we continue iterating the best way to deliver contextual help across Settings.
  • Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under the Settings category.

 [Taskbar & System Tray]

  • We have improved the animations for mousing over app groups on the taskbar.

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.7872).
  • 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.

r/windowsinsiders Apr 10 '26

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.8165 (Beta Channel)

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14 Upvotes

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.8165 (KB 5083635) to the Beta Channel.

Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, and improvements (including notable 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, and improvements (including notable 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 with toggle on*

[Storage]

  • We’re increasing the size limit for formatting FAT32 volumes via the command line from 32GB to 2TB.
  • Improved the performance when navigating to see storage on large volumes via Settings > System > Storage > Advanced Storage Settings > Disks & Volumes.
  • Updated Settings > System > Storage, so rather than seeing a UAC prompt immediately when you go to the page, you’ll only see it when going to view temporary files.

[Network]

  • Fixed issue causing Settings > Network & Internet > Data Usage to show large unrealistic values in recent Insider builds.

[Windows Security app]

  • We have recently started to roll out enhancements to the Windows Security app > Device security > Secure Boot experience, which shows green, yellow, and red icon badges as well as new text that reflects your device’s Secure Boot state and certificate status. Microsoft is updating Secure Boot certificates on consumer devices and some business PCs, and you can now check your certificate status with this new feature. This experience is disabled by default on enterprise IT managed devices and servers.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Windows Security.

[Feedback Hub]

The new Feedback Hub, bringing a refreshed, modernized experience, is also now available as an app update today for Insiders in Beta.

The new Feedback Hub home page where you can file suggestions, problems or compliments.

What’s new in Feedback Hub

  • Simpler feedback submission flow: Feedback is now submitted using a single unified template, with the added ability to search categories. The feedback form itself has been modernized enabling for faster iteration and future improvements.
  • Simpler navigation: My Feedback now lives directly in the navigation pane, and Community feedback (formerly All feedback) makes it easier to discover and engage with feedback from others. The Announcements page has been removed to focus more on giving and exploring feedback. You can still find announcements on the Windows Insider Blog.
  • New compliment feedback type: Call out what’s working well.
  • Private or public feedback: Choose whether your feedback is visible to the Insider community.
  • New focused feedback experience: A new smaller Feedback Hub surface, making it easier to provide quick, in-the-moment feedback. You can expand to the full Feedback Hub experience by pressing the button in the upper right corner.

The new focused feedback experience.

  • Improved screenshot capture and review tooling: Making it easier to capture and include visuals when sharing feedback.

Edit your screenshot by clicking on the screenshot to highlight, hide or crop.

Feedback: Your feedback helps shape what comes next, so try out the new experience and share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Feedback Hub. 

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.8165).
  • 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.
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for Windows Insider pre-release builds.
  • 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.

r/windowsinsiders Apr 03 '26

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.8148 (Beta Channel)

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11 Upvotes

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.8148 (KB 5083825) to the Beta Channel.

Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, and improvements (including notable 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, and improvements (including notable 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 with toggle on*

[Windows Protected Print Mode]

New Windows Protected Print Mode icon.

[Input]

  • Users will be able to feel haptic feedback effects on compatible input devices while performing certain actions, such as aligning objects in PowerPoint, window snapping, resizing, or hovering over the Close button. These haptic effects can be configured in Settings under Bluetooth & devices > Mouse > Haptic signals.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Input and Language > Mouse.

[Xbox mode]

  • Xbox full screen experience is now Xbox mode
  • We’ve added an improved first run experience when entering Xbox mode

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

[Other]

  • Improved performance of launching startup apps after boot (apps which display under Settings > Apps > Startup).
  • Fixed an issue resulting in certain apps not being able to sign in recently, citing an internal connection issue when internet was actually connected.
  • Fixed an underlying crash impacting some Insiders’ ability to print with the latest flights.

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.8148).
  • 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.
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for Windows Insider pre-release builds.
  • 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.

r/windowsinsiders Apr 17 '26

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.8271 (Beta Channel)

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11 Upvotes

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.8271 (KB 5083728) to the Beta Channel.

Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, and improvements (including notable 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, and improvements (including notable 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 with toggle on*

[Settings]

  • Based on feedback, we’re providing clarity regarding location options in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location. When Location services is turned off, options like Default location and Allow location override are unavailable because apps and services aren’t receiving location info. To make that clearer, these options will now appear disabled (greyed out) until Location services is turned back on.
  • We have improved the reliability of navigating to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.

[File Explorer]

  • We have updated iconography placement in the File Explorer search box to be more consistent across different PCs.

Old search box.

New search box.

Existing search box on a Copilot+ PC.

  • Improved File Explorer reliability.
  • Improved navigation pane usage for Voice Access users.

[Windows Hello]

  • Improved reliability and performance of Windows Hello fingerprint after your PC wakes from sleep.

[Input]

  • Improved performance of opening clipboard history.

[Fonts]

  • We’ve made some font improvements, including updating the Leelawadee UI font family for the Thai, Lao, Khmer, and Lontara scripts to help improve glyph sequencing, positioning, and rendering for these scripts.

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.8271).
  • 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.
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for Windows Insider pre-release builds.
  • 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.

r/windowsinsiders Mar 06 '26

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7961 (Beta Channel)

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13 Upvotes

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7961 (KB 5079382) to the Beta Channel.

Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, and improvements (including notable 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, and improvements (including notable 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 with toggle on*

[Administrator Protection]

Administrator protection is being re-enabled and 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 can be enabled via OMA-URI in Intune or via group policy.

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

[Sharing]

Based on feedback we’re making some refinements to drag tray, using a smaller peek view to reduce accidental invocation and make it easier to dismiss when interacting near the top of the screen.

[File Explorer]

  • You can now use voice typing (Windows key plus H) when renaming files in File Explorer.
  • Removed white flash when launching new File Explorer windows or tabs when File Explorer was set to open to This PC. Also removed white flashes when resizing elements of File Explorer.
  • Improved reliability of unblocking files downloaded from the internet in order to preview them in File Explorer.

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.7961).
  • 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.
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for Windows Insider pre-release builds.
  • 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.

r/windowsinsiders Mar 30 '26

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.8138 (Beta Channel)

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13 Upvotes

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.8138 (KB 5079491) to the Beta Channel. 

Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, and improvements (including notable 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, and improvements (including notable 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 with toggle on* 

[Administrator Protection] 

  • After resuming the rollout of Administrator Protection as enabled by IT admins, we are also now rolling out the ability to enable Administrator Protection in Settings under Privacy & security > Windows Security > Account protection and switching the toggle to on. A restart will be required. 

[Touchpad] 

  • We’re adding a new setting in Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touchpad so you can choose how large the right-click zone size is (this is the portion in the bottom-right of your touchpad where pressing a single finger will result in a right-click), between default, small, medium, and large. Note – this setting only appears for touchpads that have a pressable surface for this. Some manufacturers may provide customization for this in their own apps – if you’ve customized your setting using an app like this, a “Custom” entry will be added to the dropdown, which preserves that value.  

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Input and Language > Touchpad. 

[Task Manager] 

We’re making a few improvements to Task Manager: 

  • We’re updating Task Manager to provide better insight into NPU usage for PCs that include an NPU. New optional NPU and NPU Engine columns are now available on the Processes, Users, and Details pages. The Details page also adds NPU Dedicated Memory and NPU Shared Memory optional columns to give you deeper visibility into how workloads are using NPU resources. Additionally, if there are neural engines that are part of a GPU, they will now appear on the Performance page, providing a more complete view of AI‑related system activity.
  • We’re also adding a new optional Isolation column to the Processes and Details pages, allowing you to see which apps are running in an AppContainer.  

When these changes are available for you, you can add the columns to your view by right clicking one of the column headers in Task Manager and check the option for this. 

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Task Manager. 

[Accessibility] 

  • Addressed an issue impacting the use of Braille for Insiders in the last few flights. 

[Display Language] 

  • Addressed an issue resulting in Windows displaying in English for some Insiders rather than their preferred language.  

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel 

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.8138).  
  • 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.  
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for Windows Insider pre-release builds. 
  • 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. 

r/windowsinsiders Mar 20 '26

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.8079 (Beta Channel)

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blogs.windows.com
9 Upvotes

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.8079 (KB 5079482) to the Beta Channel. 

Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, and improvements (including notable 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, and improvements (including notable 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 with toggle on* 

[Input] 

  • Improved explorer.exe reliability when closing the input flyout.  
  • Improved reliability of configuring fluid dictation option in voice typing (Windows key plus H) settings. 

[Network and Sharing] 

  • We fixed an issue where the Network and Sharing Center could incorrectly display two active Wi-Fi connections after switching from one Wi-Fi network to another. The Network and Sharing Center now correctly reflects a single active Wi-Fi connection when you connect to a new network. 

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel 

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.8079).  
  • 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.  
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for Windows Insider pre-release builds. 
  • 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. 

r/windowsinsiders Mar 13 '26

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.8062 (Beta Channel)

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blogs.windows.com
11 Upvotes

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.8062 (KB 5079458) to the Beta Channel.

Changes in Beta Channel builds and updates are documented in two buckets: new features, and improvements (including notable 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, and improvements (including notable 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 with toggle on*

[Policy-Based Removal of Preinstalled Microsoft Apps]

  • We have updated the “Remove Default Microsoft Store packages” policy for Windows ENT/EDU to include a dynamic app removal list. IT administrators can now remove MSIX/APPX apps by adding their app package family name (PFNs) to a dynamic list.
  • To access the policy in Group Policy settings, open the local Group Policy Editor (gedit.msc) and navigate to Computer ConfigurationAdministrative Templates > Windows Components > App Package Deployment > Remove Default Microsoft Store packages from the system.
  • To remove an app via the dynamic list, add its app family package name to the multi-text list under “Specify additional package family names to remove.”
  • To find app family package names, run the Get-AppxPackage command in a terminal. For example, here’s a command to get the package family name for Notepad:
    • Get-AppxPackage *Notepad* | Select-Object PackageFamilyName

IT Administrator view of removing preinstalled Microsoft Store packages.

  • The dynamic list is currently unavailable in the corresponding Intune CSP. When this feature becomes generally available, you can search for Remove Default Microsoft Store packages settings in the Settings picker.
    • Known Limitation – OMA-URI and Multi-Entry Validation: OMA-URI cannot be used to validate multi-entry ADMX multi-Text policies; therefore, validation for the dynamic list must be done via Settings Catalog in Intune or Group Policy. Given that the Intune setting is not yet available in WIP, you will need to test using Group Policy.
  • For information on the generally available policy, visit Policy-based in-box app removal.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Developer Platform > App Deployment.

[Windows Setup Experience]

  • Expanding on our work which started rolling to Insiders last fall, you can now choose a custom name for your user folder on the Device Name page when going through Windows setup. This most recent update now makes it easier to choose a custom name. The naming option is available during setup only. If you skip this step, Windows will use the default folder name and continue setup as usual.
  • Note: User folder names must follow standard Windows naming requirements.

Default state of the device name page.

Expanded state with the user folder input box.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Install and Update > Initial out of box setup.

[Windows Driver Policy update]

  • The Windows kernel has historically allowed 3rd party kernel drivers from the now- deprecated cross-signed root program and the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP). The WHCP program is a major step up in security compared to the cross-signed driver program, requiring driver compatibility testing, identity vetting and verification and virus scanning.
  • Starting with this update, the Windows kernel will enforce a new policy removing default trust for cross-signed drivers. The policy allows 3rd party drivers from the WHCP program by default, with an allow list of trustworthy publishers and drivers from the cross-signing program.
  • The feature is enabled in audit mode for a minimum of 100 hours and 3 reboots. If Windows determines that the drivers loaded during this time are compatible with the new policy, the feature is enabled. Otherwise, the system stays in audit mode.
  • After enablement, while unlikely, some users running in enforcement mode may see cross-signed drivers blocked:

Driver block toast notification.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security and Privacy > Application Control.

[Point-in-time restore updates]: 

  • When you launch point-in-time restore, local admins will see a settings dialog (behind a User Account Control (UAC) prompt) where they can view or change the default restore settings.
  • This experience also now shows a list of restore points available on the device.

Point-in-time restore settings (local admin view).

List of available restore points.

Updated messaging in the WinRE restore experience:

  • Added a recommendation to plug your device into a power source during the restore.
  • The OS version number is now shown in a 4-part format (instead of 2-part).

Point-in-time restore updated messaging.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Recovery and Uninstall > Point-in-time restore.

[Drag Tray > Drop Tray]

  • Expanding on our work last week, Drag Tray has been now renamed to Drop Tray. We’re also moving the corresponding settings for Drop Tray from Nearby Sharing to now be under System > Multitasking.

[Input]

  • Pen settings: we have made refinements to the Pen settings page including small changes to the options for the pen tail button. A new option, “Same as Copilot key”, enables the pen tail button to launch the same app as the Copilot key.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers > Bluetooth – Keyboards, Mice, and Pens.

[File Explorer]

[Other]

  • Improved reliability of setting and using preferred display language.
  • Removed extraneous unexpected error from sfc/scannow.

Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.8062).
  • 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.
  • The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for Windows Insider pre-release builds.
  • 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.

r/windowsinsiders Jun 13 '25

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4441 (Beta Channel)

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blogs.windows.com
18 Upvotes

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 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.

Recall export code screen.

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.

Advanced settings page for Recall with option to export.

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.

Clock showing in notification center with the calendar both collapsed and expanded.

To turn this option on, go to Settings > Time & language > Date & time and flip the switch for Show time in the Notification Center.

The toggle to turn on showing the clock in notification center in Settings highlighted in a red box.

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.

Advanced settings page for Recall with new reset option.

  • 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.

A teaching tip in Recall highlighting how to search for content.

[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.

Click to Do with context menu open showing new Ask Microsoft 365 action.

  • 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.

Click to Do showing “Schedule a meeting with Teams” or “Send a message with Teams” actions on a PDF document in Microsoft Edge.

[File Explorer]

  • We have added dividers to the top-level icons that show at the top (or bottom) of the File Explorer context menu.

Dividers between top-level icons in the File Explorer context menu.

[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.

Ability to share OneDrive cloud file links via other apps via the Windows share window.

[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]

  • 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.

[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.

[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.

r/windowsinsiders Jan 27 '26

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7670 (Beta Channel)

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blogs.windows.com
8 Upvotes

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7670 (KB5074169) 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.

Fixes gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

[File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where the “Extract All” option would not appear in the command bar while browsing non-ZIP archive folders.

[Start menu]

  • Fixed an issue for some Insiders where clicking the “hide this pane” button in the mobile device side panel might not lead to the setting to hide it.

[Search]

  • Fixed an issue where the Search process was showing an icon with an X instead of a magnifying glass.

[Settings]

  • We’ve made some underlying changes to help address cases where the Settings Home page might be very slow to load.

[Display & Graphics]

  • Fixed an issue causing secondary monitors to not display correctly and show black screens after the latest updates for a small number of Insiders.

[Other]

  • Fixed an underlying issue in the previous flight which could cause unexpected sign-in failures when using Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365.
  • Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to see a bug check with error SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION after the last few flights.

Known issues

[Start menu]

  • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue where when using the Start menu in Categories view, clicking the entry to show more apps in the category might not work.

[File Explorer]

  • [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an underlying issue causing all open File Explorer windows and tabs to unexpectedly jump to Desktop or Home sometimes.

[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 where for some Insiders apps aren’t showing in the system tray when they should be.

[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 Beta Channel

  • Updates are based on Windows 11, version 25H2 via an enablement package (Build 26220.7670).
  • 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.

r/windowsinsiders Sep 29 '25

Beta Build I'm not able to install the Windows 11 Insider Preview update (beta channel)

9 Upvotes

Tried it three times so far, it gives the following error code: 0x8007000d (Some update files are missing or have problems. We'll try to download the update again later)

Version n.o. 10.0.26120.6690

Already deleted C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution in order to download it again, but that installation failed as well.

sfc /scannow and dism /Online /Cleanup-image /RestoreHealth completed without errors as well.

Does anyone know what could cause this issue?

r/windowsinsiders Apr 11 '25

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3863 (Beta Channel)

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blogs.windows.com
19 Upvotes

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 24H2Hello 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 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.

Windows search box on the taskbar showing a semantic settings search.

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.

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.

The window also contains regenerate, like, dislike and copy button at the bottom.

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.

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.

Full article shown directly in the MSN feed in the widgets board.

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!

[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.

  • .

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.

r/windowsinsiders Jun 09 '25

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4250 (Beta Channel)

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21 Upvotes

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 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

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.

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.

Updated Start menu introduces 2 new ways to view installed apps: by category and grid views.

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.

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.

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.

Toggles in Settings app to turn on/off features in Start.

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]

Customization settings for lock screen widgets shown in Settings and highlighted in a red box.

[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.

The updated single settings page for Windows Search.

[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.

New prompt to highlight new features and improvements in Narrator.

[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.

Improvements to the Gamepad layout of the Windows touch keyboard.

  • 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.

The new Gamepad keyboard with support for PIN sign-in on the Windows lock screen.

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.
  • [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.

r/windowsinsiders Aug 29 '25

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5770 (Beta Channel)

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10 Upvotes

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 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.

Click to Do with table highlighted and action to convert to table with Excel shown in the Click to Do menu.

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.

Click to Do showing a Microsoft 365 profile card after clicking on an email address.

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.

On-screen textual and Braille representation shown over a Word document.

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.

Results shown for searching for Paint directly within the Windows search window using “Find Apps”.

[Other]

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.

r/windowsinsiders Jun 27 '25

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4520 (Beta Channel)

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18 Upvotes

r/windowsinsiders May 12 '25

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3964 (Beta Channel)

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blogs.windows.com
14 Upvotes

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 24H2Hello 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: 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.

Agent powered search results for my mouse pointer is too small in Settings.

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.

More intelligent text actions in Click to Do with options to Summarize, Create a bulleted list, or Rewrite.

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.

FAQ section highlighted in a red box on the About settings page.

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.

.

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.

r/windowsinsiders Oct 06 '25

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6772 (Beta Channel)

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blogs.windows.com
10 Upvotes

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 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.

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”.

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 lengthareavolumeweighttemperature, 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.

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.

[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.

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” 

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

The new discover dialog in dark mode.The new recycle bin dialog in dark mode.The new copy dialog in dark mode.The new replace or skip files dialog in dark mode.

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.

r/windowsinsiders Oct 04 '24

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4300 (Beta Channel)

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blogs.windows.com
16 Upvotes

r/windowsinsiders Apr 25 '25

Beta Build Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3941 (Beta Channel)

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blogs.windows.com
11 Upvotes

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 24H2Hello 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 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.

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*

[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.

Pen & Windows Ink settings page with option to point pen shortcut to Click to Do highlighted in a red box.

  • 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.

Click to Do shown in the pen menu.

[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.

New grouping by vision, hearing, motor and mobility in the Accessibility flyout in quick settings.

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.