Ever wondered what Xbox Keystone was going to look like? A new patent gives us an idea.

Highlights for Windows 11, versions 22H2 and 23H2 (normal rollout):

• This update addresses an issue that affects Group Policy. It fails to detect when a network’s speed is slow. Instead, it assumes that a fast link is present.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) and Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA).

Highlights for Windows 11, versions 22H2 and 23H2 (gradual rollout):

• This update affects OneDrive. You can use it as a RemoteApp in Azure Virtual Desktop.
• This update changes the units for DDR speed from MHz to MT/s.
• This update adds a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings home page.
• This update puts the show desktop button on the taskbar again by default.

Today Microsoft is releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3790 (KB5039307) to Insiders in the Beta Channel. Details as follows:

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

[Phone Link]

• We are gradually rolling out a new feature, which allows you to use your mobile device directly from the Start menu on your Windows 11 PCs, to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. With this feature, you can stay connected and effortlessly access your mobile device’s functionalities right from the Start menu. See this blog post for more details.

!Feature for managing your mobile device shown next to the Start menu.

[Copilot in Windows]

• The evolved Copilot experience on Windows where it is pinned to the taskbar and behaves like an app is now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11. We updated last week’s Beta Channel flight blog post with more details.

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

[File Explorer]

• Addressed contrast issues of certain elements in File Explorer (left navigation pane, view pane/folder view, status bar buttons on the bottom right) in light, dark, and high contrast themes. E.g., adjustments to make it easier to see when a file or folder is selected.

Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

[General]

• We fixed the issue where Settings was crashing when trying to look at wi-fi properties.

[Settings]

• Fixed an issue where when attempting to install an optional feature via Settings \> System \> Option features, it might crash Settings in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview build in the Beta Channel.

Known issues

[Start menu]

• [NEW] We are investigating an issue where the All apps list isn’t being read out by screen readers.
• [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing some apps to not be sorted correctly in the All apps list when using certain display languages.

[Voice Typing]

• [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing some Insiders to see errors when attempting to use Voice Typing.

[Widgets]

Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:

• Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
• Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
• The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.

We are gradually rolling out a new feature, which allows you to use your mobile device directly from the Start menu on your Windows 11 PCs, to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. With this feature, you can stay connected and effortlessly access your mobile device’s functionalities right from the Start menu.

Key features include:

• Effortless Connectivity: View your phone’s battery status and connectivity right from the Start menu on your Windows 11 PC.
• Unified Communication: Access your phone messages, calls, and photos directly from Start, ensuring you never miss an important update or moment.
• Continuity of Experience: Pick up where you left off with the latest activities from your phone, all seamlessly integrated into your Start menu experience.

!Feature for managing your mobile device shown next to the Start menu.

This feature is gradually rolling out to the Windows Insider community and available only for Android users on Windows 11 who are already connected via Phone Link. iOS support will be coming at a later date. This experience can be managed via Settings \> Personalization \> Start (support link).

Requirements:

• Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3790 and higher in the Beta Channel. (Other Insider Channels coming at a later date.)
• Phone Link version 1.24052.124.0 and higher.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment \> Start Menu.

Give it a try and let us know your feedback and suggestions. You can also join the conversation on our Windows Insider community forums and social media channels.

As part of our ongoing effort to improve your experience with the Microsoft Photos app on Windows 11, we have some exciting updates to share. We listened to your feedback and made some changes to the Viewer and Media Import features that we think you will love. We’re beginning to roll this update out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels. Here are some of the highlights of what’s new and improved.

Viewer & Import Enhancements

In this update, the Photos Viewer has been upgraded with a variety of new enhancements that will make your photo viewing more enjoyable and convenient.

• Easy Access to Key Photos Actions: Important actions such as “Start slideshow” and “Share” are now right on the main viewing screen instead of hidden inside the overflow menu.
• Dedicated section for Microsoft apps: We have grouped all the Microsoft apps shortcuts together so you can quickly and easily navigate to the full photo gallery from the viewer, open in Clipchamp or open in OneDrive.

!Updated Photos Viewer showing improvements to the UI such as Slideshow and Share buttons exposed and grouping of Microsoft apps at the top.

Dynamic Zoom Slider: Rather than being limited to only pre-set image sizes, we’ve introduced a slider that lets you view your images anywhere from 10% to 800% of their original size. Effortlessly achieve your desired image size with our easy-to-use draggable slider, enabling precise adjustments for a better photo viewing experience.

Photo Metadata Information: The size and dimensions of your photos are now visibly displayed at the screen’s lower edge, fulfilling a feature many users have asked for.

!Dynamic zoom slider and photo metadata information shown at the bottom of the Photos Viewer.

Device Import Options: We’ve introduced a new feature that lets you choose and manage when to begin transferring photos and videos from local devices at your convenience.

!Import window with options for choosing and managing when to begin transferring photos and videos from local devices.

Viewer Performance: This release also comes with our new multi-process performance lifts that improve viewer load time by 2.1 times.

To get the latest Photos experience, update your app to version 2024.11060.20004.0 or higher. This update is currently rolling out, so it may not be available right away. We appreciate your comments and suggestions, so please share your feedback with us!

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

Today Microsoft is releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.994 (KB5039304) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel. Details as follows:

This update includes the following features and improvements:

• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). It fails to verify the policies of some apps.
• This update addresses an issue that affects WDAC. It reports a certain class of its policies as not active or not authorized.
• This update addresses an issue that might cause DWM.exe to stop responding.
• This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Unified Write Filter (UWF). Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) API calls to shut down or restart a system throws an access denied exception.
• This update addresses an issue believed to be the underlying cause of some Insiders noticing stutters in some animations recently (dropping frames), particularly with Task View.

Today Microsoft is releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26241 to Insiders in the Canary Channel. Details as follows:

Changes and Improvements

[General]

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

[File Explorer]

• Drag-and-drop files with your mouse functionality between breadcrumbs is now available in the File Explorer Address Bar – thanks again Insiders that shared feedback about this!

Fixes

[Taskbar]

• Updated the app icon flashing in the taskbar to be a bit easier to see.

[File Explorer]

• As some Insiders have noticed, we’ve updated File Explorer so it’s a little easier to see when you have files or folders selected, by adding a thin border to the selected area.
• Fixed an underlying issue causing File Explorer to crash when going to Home for some Insiders in the last few flights.

[Notifications]

• We’ve updated the underlying logic for when we suggest turning off notifications for certain apps, so that it requires a longer period of time without engaging with notifications from that app in order to trigger.

Known issues

[General]

• [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

[Task Manager]

• We’re investigating an issue where the colors in the Performance section aren’t displaying correctly in dark mode.

Today Microsoft is releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.961 (KB5038575) to Insiders in the Dev Channel. Details as follows:

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

[General]

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

Microsoft Store Update

Windows Insiders in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels running version 22405.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out:

Fast, safe checkout with Microsoft Wallet: Make quick and easy purchases in Store using Microsoft Wallet. Not only can you earn Microsoft Rewards points in the Store, but you can also easily redeem your points for a gift card during checkout to apply towards your purchase. Wallet is fast, safe, and easy to use!

!New Microsoft Wallet dialog when making purchases in the Microsoft Store.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

Today Microsoft is releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3785 (KB5039319) to Insiders in the Beta Channel. Details as follows:

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

[Start menu]

• When right-clicking on apps pinned to the Start menu, jump lists will be shown for apps that have them such as PowerPoint.

!Jump Lists on the Start Menu

[Desktop Spotlight]

• We are trying out some new adjustments to the Windows Spotlight experience on the desktop to make it easier for Spotlight users to engage with this feature to change images, like or not like an image etc. There will be several changes that Insiders will notice highlighted in the images below.

!Treatment #1 – if a user right-clicks on the Windows Spotlight icon it will launch the Spotlight experience in full screen mode, while double-clicking will open the Bing landing page for the image on desktop.

!Treatment #2 – if a user right-clicks on the Windows Spotlight icon it will launch the Spotlight experience, while double-clicking will open Windows Spotlight experience in full screen mode. A single click on the Spotlight icon will open the Bing landing page for the image on desktop.

[Windows Share]

• We are rolling out the ability to easily share content to an Android device from Windows share window. The feature requires you to pair your Android device to your Windows PC using the Link to Windows app on Android and Phone Link on your PC.

!New option to share content to My Phone highlighted in a red box in the Windows share window.

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

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• Fixed an issue causing the taskbar to not appear for a small number of Insiders in the last couple flights.

[File Explorer]

• Fixed an issue causing screen readers to not announce when you were opening or navigating items in the breadcrumb flyouts of the open or save dialog.
• Fixed an issue causing screen readers to not announce anything when opening or navigating items in the column header flyout in File Explorer.

[Start menu]

• Fixed the issue from the last flight where if you clicked your profile icon on the Start menu and chose “Change account settings”, it would not open account settings

Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

[Other]

• This update addresses an issue that might stop your system from resuming from hibernate. This occurs after you turn on BitLocker.
• This update addresses an issue that affects exe. It leaks memory. This occurs during a Local Security Authority (Domain Policy) Remote Protocol (LSARPC) call.
• This update addresses an issue that affects exe. It stops responding. This occurs after you install the April 2024 security updates on Windows servers.

Known issues

[General]

• We are investigating an issue where Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work after installing this update.
• We’re investigating an issue where Settings is crashing when trying to look at Wi-Fi properties.

[Start menu]

• The “Most used” section at the top of the Start menu All apps list is showing even though the setting for it under Settings \> Personalization \> Start and “Show most used apps” is toggled off.

[Settings]

• Attempting to install an optional feature via Settings \> System \> Option features may crash Settings. Should you need to install an optional feature, please do so before taking the update to Build 22635.3720.

[Widgets] Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:

• Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
• Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
• The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.

Snipping Tool Update

We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2405.31.0 and newer) to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels that introduces automatic save for screen recordings. This feature works the same as automatic save for screenshots. Your recordings will automatically be saved to Screen Recordings folder (inside your Videos folder). You can choose to turn this off in Snipping Tool settings.

!Snipping Tool showing new banner for screen recordings now automatically being saved to your Screen Recordings folder.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps \> Snipping Tool.

Microsoft Store Update

Windows Insiders in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels running version 22405.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out:

Fast, safe checkout with Microsoft Wallet: Make quick and easy purchases in Store using Microsoft Wallet. Not only can you earn Microsoft Rewards points in the Store, but you can also easily redeem your points for a gift card during checkout to apply towards your purchase. Wallet is fast, safe, and easy to use!

!New Microsoft Wallet dialog when making purchases in the Microsoft Store.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

Today Microsoft is releasing Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4593 (KB5039299) to Insiders in BOTH the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for Insiders who are on Windows 10, version 22H2. Details as follows:

Going forward, the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel will receive the same Windows 10 builds; however, the Beta Channel is where we will try new features out with Insiders that we’re working on that are not yet ready for all Windows 10 customers. You can read our announcement for opening the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 10 here. Today we are trying out this process.

For Windows Insiders on Windows 10 in the Beta Channel, we’re beginning to roll out the following improvements:

[Search on the Taskbar]

• We’re made some fixes to improve the overall stability of searching for apps in the search box on the taskbar.

[Windows Backup]

• You will be able to seamlessly backup and restore personalization preferences of Activity History and Printer Device Settings that are not hardware or accessory dependent such as “Let Windows manager my default printer” and “Store my activity history on this device”. The goal is to ensure that the most used preferences of these settings are backed up, while avoiding those that are tied to specific hardware, to facilitate a seamless transition to a new PC.
• We are making some important bug fixes to enhance the backup and restore functionality. As part of this work, the issue causing backup failures when desktop and lock screen backgrounds were backed up twice has been resolved.

Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 10 who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings \> Updated & Security \> Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.

This update includes the following features and improvements for Windows Insiders in BOTH the Beta and Release Preview Channels:

• This update addresses an issue that affects MSIX applications. When you install them from an HTTPS URI, they fail to open. This issue occurs when the download of the application is not complete. This damages the package.
• This update affects mobile device management (MDM). When you enroll a device, the MDM client sends more details about the device. The MDM service uses those details to identify the device model and the company that made it.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the default Japanese Input Method Editor (IME). The candidate window stops responding when you do not expect it. Then, it goes back to a former composition state at random.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Direct Composition batched presentations. A brief flash of triangles or boxes show on the screen. This issue affects browsers, like Microsoft Edge, and other apps.
• This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
• This update addresses an issue that might stop your system from resuming from hibernate. This occurs after you turn on BitLocker.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). The issue copies unsigned WDAC policies to the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) disk partition. It is reserved for signed policies.
• This update addresses an issue that affects an app’s jump list on the taskbar. Completing actions from that list might fail. A jump list is a menu that appears when you right-click an app on the taskbar or Start menu. It gives you quick access to recently or frequently used app items.
• This update addresses an issue that affects a folder context menu. When you choose the command that removes items, the command adds items instead. This occurs when a third-party service implements a sync feature.

Today Microsoft is releasing Windows 11 Builds 22621.3807 and 22631.3807 (KB5039302) to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel. Details as follows:

This update includes the following features and improvement (note that items with an asterisk (\*) are gradually rolling out):

• (\*) New! We are advancing the Copilot experience on Windows. It is now pinned to the taskbar and will behave like an app. This gives you the benefits of a typical app experience. For example, you can do things like resize, move, and snap the window.

• (\*) New! This update adds a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings home page. This home page shows on Home and Pro editions when you sign in to Windows using your Microsoft account. The card appears if you actively play games on your PC.

• (\*) New! The show desktop button is on the taskbar again by default. To change this, right-click the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings. At the lower part of the page, you will find Taskbar behaviors.

• (\*) New! This update affects File Explorer. You can now create 7-Zip and Tape Archive (TAR) files using the context menu. When you right-click a file, a Compress to item gives you ways to compress a file using tools like gzip, bzip2, and more. There is also a new compression wizard in Additional options. It will help you choose more formats and add details. You can use different types of compression to add many files to archives in other TAR formats. You can also change the compression level and choose the types of data to store in each archive.

• (\*) New! This update adds support for Emoji 15.1. Windows supports Unicode symbol-like shapes for family groupings. But Windows will keep using people for them. Also, you can choose the right or left facing direction for some people emoji. The new emoji are:

• • Horizontal and vertical head shake
• • Phoenix
• • Lime
• • Brown mushroom
• • Broken chain 48617543

• (\*) New! You can now copy files from the Windows Share window. Just click the new Copy

• (\*) New! This update affects OneDrive. You can now use it as a RemoteApp in Azure Virtual Desktop.

• (\*) This update changes the units for DDR speed from MHz to MT/s.

• (\*) This update addresses an issue that affects USB devices. Ejecting them using the Safely Remove Hardware option fails. This occurs when Task Manager is open.

• (\*) This update affects process handles. Task Manager releases them more quickly when it stops a process.

• (\*) This update makes Task Manager more reliable.

• (\*) This update affects the sort order of processes in Task Manager. Performance is better when you change the order.

• (\*) This update makes Task Manager more accessible by improving:

• • Keyboard focus
• • Tab key navigation
• • Text scaling
• • The readout of item names by screen readers
• • High contrast heatmaps and more.

• (\*) This update makes resizing the Task Manager window easier when you grab the top of its window.

• This update addresses an issue that affects Group Policy. It fails to detect when a network’s speed is slow. Instead, it assumes that a fast link is present.

• This update addresses an issue that affects Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) and Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA). When you use them with SMBdirect in your networks, the networks fail. You also lose the ability to manage clusters.

• This update addresses an issue that affects GPUs. They do not enter the idle state that stops them from consuming power.

• This update adds the registry key HKLM\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\DWM ForceDisableModeChangeAnimation (REG\_DWORD). When you set its value to 1 (or a non-zero number), it turns off the display mode change animation. If the value is 0 or the key does not exist, the animation is set to on.

• This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.

• This update addresses an issue that affects Snipping Tool. When you use it to record videos on some PCs, the audio has distortions.

• This update addresses an issue that affects Azure Virtual Desktop sessions. A deadlock stops you from signing in to them.

• This update addresses an issue that affects the touch keyboard. You cannot use it to enter special characters. This occurs when you use the Japanese 106 keyboard.

Today Microsoft is releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26236 to Insiders in the Canary Channel. Details as follows:

Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to the Canary Channel.

Changes and Improvements

[General]

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

[Start menu]

• This update starts the roll out of the new account manager on Start menu. When you sign in with a Microsoft account, the new design gives you a quick glanceable view of your account benefits and makes it easy to manage account settings.

!New account manager experience on the Start menu showing account settings and an action needed that needs to be taken to secure your Microsoft account.

Fixes

[Taskbar]

• Fixed an issue causing the taskbar to not appear for a small number of Insiders in the last couple flights.

[Audio]

• Fixed an underlying issue which was causing the preferred audio volume (under Settings \> System \> Sound \> Volume Mixer) for Microsoft Edge to not persist across restarting the app.

Known issues

[General]

• [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

[Task Manager]

• [New] We’re investigating an issue where the colors in the Performance section aren’t displaying correctly in dark mode.

Microsoft Store Update

Windows Insiders in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels running version 22405.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out:

Fast, safe checkout with Microsoft Wallet: Make quick and easy purchases in Store using Microsoft Wallet. Not only can you earn Microsoft Rewards points in the Store, but you can also easily redeem your points for a gift card during checkout to apply towards your purchase. Wallet is fast, safe, and easy to use!

!New Microsoft Wallet dialog when making purchases in the Microsoft Store.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.

Today Microsoft is releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3720 (KB5039312) to Insiders in the Beta Channel. Details as follows:

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

Narrator users can now use voice access to dictate text hands-free

Narrator users can start using voice access in Windows 11 to dictate text with voice and hear what is dictated. In addition, you can also use voice access to give Narrator commands. For example, “Turn on Narrator,” “speak faster,” “read selection,” “read next line,” etc.

To know the entire list of Narrator commands supported with voice access, click help icon (?) on the voice access bar, select “View all commands” and choose “Narrator commands.”

What will work:

• Start and set up voice access which includes downloading a speech model.
• Read a list of voice access commands and Narrator commands from voice access help menu.
• Changing voice access microphone state.
• Dictating text with voice and hearing back what was dictated.

Tips:

• If you don’t use headphones for listening to the screen reader, the audio output from the screen reader may get picked up by voice access microphone, leading to unwanted behavior.

FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility \> Narrator.

Auto Restart for Voice Access & New Voice Access Command for Windows Search

We are introducing auto restart for voice access in Windows 11. This feature ensures that voice access will automatically restart if it encounters any issues so that individuals with limited mobility can get back to using voice access as quickly as possible. Customers will no longer need to rely on alternative assistive technologies or assistance from others to reactivate voice access. Should voice access automatically restart due to a crash, we are making it easier to report those crashes once voice access restarts so the team can investigate and work on fixes.

We are introducing a new command for searching directly with Windows search. Users can now say the command Search “Entity”; Search Windows for “Entity”; or Search for “Entity” to search for their desired application or file in Windows (“Entity” is replaced with whatever application or file you want to search.)

FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility \> Voice access.

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

[Search on the Taskbar] We are beginning to roll out the ability to share local files directly from within the search results shown in the search box on the taskbar.

!New option to share a local file highlighted in a red box in the search results from the search box on the taskbar.

[Windows Share]

• If you are in China and turn on nearby sharing, you will receive a notification asking to allow turning on Wi-Fi and or Bluetooth should these settings be off as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are required to be enabled for nearby sharing to work.

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

[File Explorer]

• Fixed an issue where when pressing WIN + E, a screen reader might unexpectedly say a pane had focus, or focus may not be set within File Explorer at all.
• Fixed an issue which was causing CTRL + F to sometimes not start a search in File Explorer.
• Fixed an issue where keyboard focus might get lost sometimes when doing Shift + Tab in File Explorer.

Known issues

[General]

• We are investigating an issue where Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work after installing this update.
• We’re investigating an issue where Settings is crashing when trying to look at Wi-Fi properties.

[Start menu]

• [NEW] Clicking your profile icon on the Start menu and choosing “Change account settings” will not open account settings. Should you need to adjust your account settings, you can navigate directly to them via Settings \> Accounts.

[Settings]

• [NEW] Attempting to install an optional feature via Settings \> System \> Option features may crash Settings. Should you need to install an optional feature, please do so before taking the update to Build 22635.3720.

[Widgets] Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:

• Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
• Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
• The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.

Introducing Suggested Replies in Phone Link for Android

We’re excited to announce the addition of a new feature to the Phone Link app for Android users: Suggested Replies. Powered by our cloud-based intelligent suggestion model, this feature is designed to make your messaging experience seamless and more efficient.

!Suggested Replies as shown in Phone Link when replying to a message.

With Suggested Replies, you’ll see 3 contextually relevant reply bubbles to choose from when you receive a message. The feature is turned on by default, so you can start using it right away. Simply select a suggested reply and it’ll be sent immediately.

Suggested Replies are beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders across all channels with Phone Link version 1.24051.98 and higher.

FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps \> Phone Link.

Today Microsoft is releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.770 (KB5039314) to Insiders in the Dev Channel. Details as follows:

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

[General]

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

Snipping Tool Update

We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2405.24.0 and newer) to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels that introduces automatic save for screen recordings. This feature works the same as automatic save for screenshots. Your recordings will automatically be saved to Screen Recordings folder (inside your Videos folder). You can choose to turn this off in Snipping Tool settings.

!Snipping Tool showing new banner for screen recordings now automatically being saved to your Screen Recordings folder.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps \> Snipping Tool.

Today Microsoft is releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26231 to Insiders in the Canary Channel. Details as follows:

Developers, please note that for a short period of time, we will not be releasing an SDK for builds we flight to the Canary Channel.

What’s new with Build 26231

Narrator users can now use voice access to dictate text hands-free

Narrator users can start using voice access in Windows 11 to dictate text with voice and hear what is dictated. In addition, you can also use voice access to give Narrator commands. For example, “Turn on Narrator,” “speak faster,” “read selection,” “read next line,” etc.

To know the entire list of Narrator commands supported with voice access, click help icon (?) on the voice access bar, select “View all commands” and choose “Narrator commands.”

What will work:

• Start and set up voice access which includes downloading a speech model.
• Read a list of voice access commands and Narrator commands from voice access help menu.
• Changing voice access microphone state.
• Dictating text with voice and hearing back what was dictated.

Tips:

• If you don’t use headphones for listening to the screen reader, the audio output from the screen reader may get picked up by voice access microphone, leading to unwanted behavior.

[We are beginning to roll this out to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders just yet as we plan to monitor feedback before pushing it out to everyone.]

FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility \> Narrator.

Auto Restart for Voice Access & New Voice Access Command for Windows Search

We are introducing auto restart for voice access in Windows 11. This feature ensures that voice access will automatically restart if it encounters any issues so that individuals with limited mobility can get back to using voice access as quickly as possible. Customers will no longer need to rely on alternative assistive technologies or assistance from others to reactivate voice access. Should voice access automatically restart due to a crash, we are making it easier to report those crashes once voice access restarts so the team can investigate and work on fixes.

We are introducing a new command for searching directly with Windows search. Users can now say the command Search “Entity”; Search Windows for “Entity”; or Search for “Entity” to search for their desired application or file in Windows (“Entity” is replaced with whatever application or file you want to search.)

[We are beginning to roll this out to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders just yet as we plan to monitor feedback before pushing it out to everyone.]

FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility \> Voice access.

Changes and Improvements

[Windows Share]

• We are beginning to roll out the ability to copy files from the Windows share window. Just click the new copy button.

!New copy button for copying files in the Windows share window highlighted in a red box.

[Settings]

• The change that updates the visuals for the “Rename your PC” and “Change date and time” dialogs to match the Windows 11 visuals that began rolling out with Build 26217 should now be available to everyone in the Canary Channel.

!Rename your PC dialog with refreshed design to match the Windows 11 visuals.

Fixes

[File Explorer]

• As some Insiders have noticed, we’ve done some work to improve how the new icon labels in the context menu display for non-English languages.

[Task Manager]

• Updated the units (from MHz to MT/s) for DDR speed.
• Fixed an issue where the Safely Remove Hardware option for ejecting USB devices wouldn’t work if Task Manager was open.
• Did some work to ensure Task Manager releases process handles quickly when terminating processes.
• Made some more improvements to help with Task Manager reliability.
• We have improved the performance when changing the sort order.
• Made multiple improvements to overall accessibility of Task Manager, including improving keyboard focus, tab navigation, text scaling, names of items read out by screen readers, and more.
• We made it a little easier to resize Task Manager when trying to resize by grabbing the top of the window.

Known issues

[General]

• [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

Snipping Tool Update

We are rolling out an update for Snipping Tool (version 11.2405.24.0 and newer) to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels that introduces automatic save for screen recordings. This feature works the same as automatic save for screenshots. Your recordings will automatically be saved to Screen Recordings folder (inside your Videos folder). You can choose to turn this off in Snipping Tool settings.

!Snipping Tool showing new banner for screen recordings now automatically being saved to your Screen Recordings folder.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps \> Snipping Tool.

Hello Windows Insiders,

At the end of last year, we announced a change in approach for Windows 10 to make sure everyone can get the maximum value from their current Windows PC. To bring new features and more improvements to Windows 10 as needed, we need a place to do active feature development with Windows Insiders. So today, we are opening the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders who are currently on Windows 10. This will allow us to try out new features for Windows 10, version 22H2, with Insiders before releasing them to all Windows 10 customers.

If you are an Insider on Windows 10 today and want to try out new features for Windows 10 when we have them, we recommend that you join or switch to the Beta Channel. You can do this by going to Settings \> Update & Security \> Windows Insider Program, clicking on the current Insider Channel selection to expand and see the full list of Insider Channels, and choosing Beta Channel.

!Windows Insider Program settings page showing all 4 Insider Channels with the Beta Channel highlighted in a red square.

For Insiders on a Windows 10 PC that meet the minimum system requirements for Windows 11:

• We will not automatically upgrade you to Windows 11 when you join the Beta Channel. The Windows 11 upgrade will be available as optional, where you can choose to upgrade when you are ready.
• You will be able to switch to the Canary or Dev Channels but in doing so it will upgrade your PC to the latest Windows 11 build for those channels.
• If you switch to the Canary or Dev Channels, you will have a small window to roll back to Windows 10 but once this window closes, the only way to go back to the Beta Channel and/or Windows 10 will be to do a clean install of Windows.

For Insiders on a Windows 10 PC that DO NOT meet the minimum system requirements for Windows 11:

• You will not see the options to switch to the Canary or Dev Channels as these channels are only for Windows 11 Insider Preview builds.
• The Windows 10 end of support date of October 14, 2025, is unchanged. Joining the Beta Channel on your Windows 10 PC does not change that. For more information on the Extended Security Update program for Windows 10, see this blog post here.

Many features in the Beta Channel will be rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel. Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 10 who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to them can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings \> Windows Update.

Features and experiences included in the Windows 10 builds we flight to the Beta Channel might not ever get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in updates to Windows 10 for everyone when they’re ready.

Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings \> Updated & Security \> Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.

Please note that once you opt your Windows 10 PC into the Beta Channel today, you will not receive a new build just yet. We’ll have a new build for you in the coming weeks.

For more information on the 4 Insider Preview Channels, click here.

Today Microsoft is releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.751 (KB5037874) to Insiders in the Dev Channel. Details as follows:

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

[General]

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

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

[Copilot in Windows]

• As part of this update, we’re also evolving the Copilot experience on Windows as an app that will be pinned to the taskbar. This enables users to get the benefits of a traditional app experience, including the ability to resize, move, and snap the window – feedback we’ve heard from users throughout the preview of Copilot in Windows. This model also allows Microsoft to more agilely develop and optimize the experience based on user feedback.
• As part of the Copilot experience’s evolution on Windows to become an app that is pinned to the taskbar, we are retiring the WIN + C keyboard shortcut. For new devices that ship with a Copilot key, this key will open Copilot. For existing devices without that key, using the WIN + (number position for Copilot pinned to your taskbar) is a great way to open Copilot.

[Settings]

• We are beginning to roll out a new Linked devices page under Settings \> Accounts that allows you to manage PCs and Xbox consoles that you are signed in to with your Microsoft account. This settings page will only show on the Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 and if you’re signed into Windows with your Microsoft account.

!New linked devices page under Accounts settings highlighted in a red box.

Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

[Widgets]

• Fixed the issue causing the WIN + W keyboard shortcut to not work correctly and open the Widgets board.

[Other]

• This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the installation of a Windows update. It fails to complete. This occurs when you have to restart your device more than once.
• This update addresses an issue that affects a device that uses an enablement KB (EKB). It might stop you from installing a new Windows update.

Introducing Suggested Replies in Phone Link for Android

We’re excited to announce the addition of a new feature to the Phone Link app for Android users: Suggested Replies. Powered by our cloud-based intelligent suggestion model, this feature is designed to make your messaging experience seamless and more efficient.

!Suggested Replies as shown in Phone Link when replying to a message.

With Suggested Replies, you’ll see 3 contextually relevant reply bubbles to choose from when you receive a message. The feature is turned on by default, so you can start using it right away. Simply select a suggested reply and it’ll be sent immediately.

Suggested Replies are beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders across all channels with Phone Link version 1.24051.98 and higher.

FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps \> Phone Link.