Windows 11 Insider Beta Channel

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5015 (Beta Channel)

Note: This build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2[/URL]. For those who opted to upgrade to receiving updates based on version 24H2, see the latest DEV Channel post.

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

[Input]
  • We are trying out a new experience to improve the discoverability of the emoji and more panel in Windows 11 with the introduction of a new system tray icon on the taskbar. With this new system tray icon, you can easily express yourself by using emojis, GIFs, Kaomoji etc. across all apps and surfaces in Windows in addition to using the WIN + . keyboard shortcut which is also now shown on the emoji and more panel. This new system tray icon for the emoji and more panel shows can be changed by right-clicking on the icon to go to taskbar settings page.

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

[File Explorer]
  • Building on our commitment to improve File Explorer accessibility, this release adds more text scaling support in various warning and error message dialogs for text scaling (via Settings > Accessibility > Text size).
  • Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders in the previous flight.
[Windowing]
  • Fixed an issue where the Snap Bar at the top of the screen was unexpectedly showing corners on the side closest to the screen.
[Settings]
  • Fixed an issue where the storage count in Settings > System > About wasn’t correct in some cases.
[Other]
  • Fixed an issue for Insiders using the ability to resume OneDrive files, which could result in your mouse frequently showing a spinning icon.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5025 (Beta Channel)

This Beta Build is for 23H2 Beta Insiders.

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

Recommended files in File Explorer

Recommended files in File Explorer Home are now available to all Windows Insiders who are signed in with their personal Microsoft account (and local accounts). These files will provide you quick access to relevant files based on your activity in the Recommended section which is displayed as a carousel with thumbnail previews. This includes content such as files you frequently use, have recently downloaded, or added to your File Explorer Gallery. Users with a work/school account (Entra ID) will have additional types of recommendations available with this update. This change is not yet rolling out in the EEA (European Economic Area). Quick access folders will continue to be available in the navigation pane for easy access to pinned folders.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer.

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

[Start menu]
  • We are trying out a new change where we will recommend a snap group in the Recommended section of the Start menu based on two apps that are most likely to be snapped together. Let us know what you think if you see this!
[Search on the Taskbar]
  • Improved support for web search providers in Windows Search for the EEA, including with increased discoverability.

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

[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may have also impacted the other title bar buttons.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3380 (Dev and Beta Channels)

Releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3380 (KB5053660) to the Dev and Beta Channels.

As a reminder – we're also offering the same Dev Channel updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. These updates will be optional at first, so if you are in the Beta Channel today, you can upgrade when you are ready to do so. We plan to make these updates recommended later this year, which means you will eventually get upgraded to 24H2-based updates automatically in the Beta Channel.

If you are an Insider in the Dev Channel, the window is open to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel if you would like. This window will only be open for as long as we're releasing the same 24H2-based updates (same build numbers) across both the Dev and Beta Channels. When the Dev Channel jumps ahead (higher build numbers), the window to switch will close. Please note that switching from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel may result in the loss of some features temporarily.

IMPORTANT: This window is closing soon, so we highly encourage you to evaluate which channel you would like to be in during this time in which the window to switch is still open.

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

Recommended files in File Explorer
Recommended files in File Explorer Home are now available to all Windows Insiders who are signed in with their personal Microsoft account (and local accounts). These files will provide you quick access to relevant files based on your activity in the Recommended section which is displayed as a carousel with thumbnail previews. This includes content such as files you frequently use, have recently downloaded, or added to your File Explorer Gallery. Users with a work/school account (Entra ID) will have additional types of recommendations available with this update. This change is not yet rolling out in the EEA (European Economic Area). Quick access folders will continue to be available in the navigation pane for easy access to pinned folders.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer.

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

[Live captions]
  • On AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs, we're beginning to roll out the ability to do real-time translation to Chinese (Simplified). Supported languages include Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech Danish, German, Greek English Spanish, English, Estonian, Finnish, France, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovene, and Swedish.
[Start menu]

  • We are trying out a new change where we will recommend a snap group in the Recommended section of the Start menu based on two apps that are most likely to be snapped together. Let us know what you think if you see this!
[Search on the Taskbar]

  • Improved support for web search providers in Windows Search for the EEA, including with increased discoverability.
[Notifications]
  • To ensure you never lose access to your Microsoft account, we are introducing a new toast notification that will prompt you to add a secondary email or recovery phone number to your account. This will only appear if you're signed in to your PC with your Microsoft account and this information is missing from your profile. Adding these account proofs will help you recover your Microsoft account if you ever forget your password or get locked out for any reason.
[Widgets]
  • In this flight, we're introducing the ability for web developers to easily utilize their existing web content to build dynamic and interactive widgets that can be added to the widgets surfaces in Windows 11. For more information, click here.
[Input]
  • We are trying out a new experience to improve the discoverability of the emoji and more panel in Windows 11 with the introduction of a new system tray icon on the taskbar. With this new system tray icon, you can easily express yourself by using emojis, GIFs, Kaomoji etc. across all apps and surfaces in Windows in addition to using the WIN + . keyboard shortcut which is also now shown on the emoji and more panel. This new system tray icon for the emoji and more panel shows can be changed by right-clicking on the icon to go to taskbar settings page.
[Settings]
  • We are rolling out "top cards" under Settings > System > About. These top cards provide an easy way to view your PC's key specifications—processor, RAM, storage, and GPU—helping you understand your PC's capabilities at a glance. This is designed to simplify decision-making by highlighting potential areas for hardware improvements while giving you a clear snapshot of your PC. Top Cards won't appear yet on managed commercial PCs. Note this change appears only on specific PC form-factors such as desktops.
Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on

[File Explorer]
  • As part of our ongoing commitment to improving File Explorer accessibility, this release includes increased support for the text scaling (via Settings > Text size) across File Open/Save dialogs and Wizard dialogs.
[Windowing]
  • Fixed an issue where the Snap Bar at the top of the screen was unexpectedly showing corners on the side closest to the screen.
[Input]
  • Fixed a high hitting ctfmon.exe crash, which could impact the ability to type.
[Settings]
  • Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to Settings crashing when adding a color profile in Settings > System > Display.
  • Fixed an issue where Settings might crash after using Settings to sign into an MSA.
  • Fixed an issue for Japanese users, where the name displayed at the top of Settings > Accounts showed First Name Last Name instead of Last Name First Name.
[Other]
  • Fixed an issue which could lead to a bugcheck with PDC_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT when resuming from sleep.
  • Fixed an issue with windows.storage.dll in the last few flights, where trying to open files from an app could lead to the app crashing.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5090 (Beta Channel)

This build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2.

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

[General]
  • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.
[Voice access]
  • We are introducing Chinese support for voice access. You can now use Voice access to navigate, dictate, and interact with Windows using voice commands in Simplified Chinese (zh-cn) and Traditional Chinese (zh-tw).

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

[Start menu]

The following are fixes for Windows Insiders with the new grid and category views on the All” page in the Start menu:

  • We fixed the issue causing Windows Tools related apps to be broken out into folders instead of being in one single app.
[Windows Update]
  • Fixed an issue which could result in a quality update unexpectedly being missing from Settings > Windows Update > Update History, although it was installed.
[Login and Lock]
  • Fixed an issue which could cause the login screen to crash if you clicked the sign in options link.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3576 (Dev and Beta Channels)

As a reminder – we’re also offering the same Dev Channel updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. These updates will be optional at first, so if you are in the Beta Channel today, you can upgrade when you are ready to do so. We plan to make these updates recommended later this year, which means you will eventually get upgraded to 24H2-based updates automatically in the Beta Channel.

If you are an Insider in the Dev Channel, the window is open to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel if you would like. This window will only be open for as long as we’re releasing the same 24H2-based updates (same build numbers) across both the Dev and Beta Channels. When the Dev Channel jumps ahead (higher build numbers), the window to switch will close. Please note that switching from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel may result in the loss of some features temporarily.

IMPORTANT: This window is closing soon, so we highly encourage you to evaluate which channel you would like to be in during this time in which the window to switch is still open.

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

Voice access commanding made more intuitive and user-friendly
On Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, we’re introducing the ability for you to speak more flexibly while giving existing commands in voice access.

Traditionally, voice commands in voice access would require you to follow a fixed syntax, making interactions rigid and sometimes frustrating. For example, if you said “Can you Open Edge application” instead of “Open Edge” which is the actual command, it wouldn’t work. With this improvement to voice access, you can now say “Can you open Edge application”, or “Switch to Microsoft Edge”, or “Please open the Edge browser”. Voice access understands your intent and executes the right action for the voice command you speak. This means that you no longer need to pause and remember the exact phrasing of a command, just say what feels most intuitive.

Just in case something doesn’t get picked up correctly, voice access will also show you real-time command suggestions based on your last utterance to help you recollect the right commands.

We’re making voice access more flexible, intelligent, and easy to use on your Copilot+ PC. Let us know what you think!

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Voice access.

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

[Voice access]
  • We are introducing Chinese support for voice access. You can now use Voice access to navigate, dictate, and interact with Windows using voice commands in Simplified Chinese (zh-cn) and Traditional Chinese (zh-tw).

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

[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue causing the see more “…” menu in the command bar to open in the wrong direction for some resolutions.

[Login and Lock screen]
  • Fixed an issue which could cause the login screen to crash if you clicked the sign in options link.
[Recall (Preview)]

The following fixes are rolling out for Recall on Copilot+ PCs:

  • We fixed the issue where if you were trying out Recall on a PC managed by an IT administrator in your organization (signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID), you would see your Recall snapshots get deleted after installing Build 26120.3380 and after each reboot on that build.
[Settings]
  • Fixed an issue causing an unexpected amount of extra space at the top of Settings > System > Sound, and a couple other pages.
[Printing]
  • Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to unexpectedly see a message saying a Send to OneNote driver for printing wasn’t working.
  • Fixed an issue where non-admin users couldn’t uninstall printers that they’d added.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5097 (Beta Channel)

Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2.

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

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

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

[File Explorer]
  • Continuing our work to improve File Explorer accessibility, this release expands support for text scaling across different warning and error message dialogs, via ‘Settings > Accessibility > Text size. If you see areas in File Explorer which are still not responding after the improvements in the latest updates, please file feedback Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer.
  • Fixed an issue where if the search indexer was hung, it could lead to File Explorer also hanging.
  • Fixed an issue where the date for files and folders in Home may be unexpectedly blank.
  • Fixed an issue which was impacting File Explorer launch reliability.
[Taskbar]
  • Fixed an issue where when using Hebrew or Arabic as your display language, if you pressed WIN + T then arrow keys, focus through the taskbar icons would move in the opposite direction.
[Input]
  • Fixed an issue where voice typing wouldn’t start from the touch keyboard when using the Chinese (Simplified) narrow layout.
[Login and Lock]
  • Updated the web sign-in icon slightly to better align with the other icons when selecting a sign in option on the login screen.
[Windows Sandbox]
  • Fixed an issue which was causing Windows Sandbox to fail to launch in recent Beta builds for some Insiders, with error 0x80072746.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3585 (Beta Channel)

This update is for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2.

Improved Windows Search for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs

Local Semantic Search
We are making finding your documents, photos, and settings across Windows 11 easier on AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs by introducing semantic indexing along with traditional indexing. Whether it’s searching in File Explorer, in the Windows search box on your taskbar, or in Settings – just type what’s on your mind to find it on your Copilot+ PC. You no longer need to remember file names, exact words in file content, or settings names. For example, you can use your own words to find images by typing “bridge at sunset”, documents by describing what they are about like “Europe trip budget”, or settings like “change my theme”. Thanks to the power of the 40+ TOPS NPU onboard Copilot+ PCs, these search improvements work even when you’re not connected to the internet.

You can go to Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows to adjust which locations are indexed on your PC or turn on “Enhanced” to index your entire PC.

Searching for settings like “change my theme” will work within the Settings app for now. In a future flight, you will be able to do this within the Windows search box on the taskbar.

These experiences are supported in select languages (Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish) and document formats. Supported file formats include .txt, .pdf, .docx, .doc, .rtf, .pptx, .ppt, .xls, .xlsx for documents and .jpg/.jpeg, .png, .gif, .bmp, .ico for images. See here for more details.

You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot + PCs here.

Find photos saved in the cloud with improved Windows Search
We are also announcing support for also finding photos saved in the cloud with improved Windows Search for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs. Just use your own words to find photos stored and saved in the cloud by describing what they are about like “European castles” or “summer picnics” in the search box at the top right corner of File Explorer or also in the Windows search box. In addition to photos stored locally on your Copilot+ PC, photos from the cloud will now show up in the search results together. In addition to searching for photos, exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will show in the search results.

You can try this experience out today with your personal OneDrive when signed in with your Microsoft account and connected to the internet. If you are signed into OneDrive with a work or school account (Entra ID), you will only see matches for keywords you are searching for within the text of your cloud files in the search results – not photos. Third-party cloud providers will be able to support this experience with their services as well with documentation coming soon.

We’re excited to introduce a new way to find your cloud content in Windows and will continue improving search results and capabilities over time.

These improved Windows Search experiences continue to gradually roll out to Windows Insiders on Copilot+ PCs, including finding photos saved in the cloud, so you may not see these experiences right away.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You may need to reboot 1-2 times to trigger getting these improved Windows Search experiences.

You can learn more about semantic search on Copilot + PCs here.

FEEDBACK for File Explorer Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer Search.

FEEDBACK for Windows Taskbar Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Search.

FEEDBACK for Settings Search: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Settings > Search Settings.

Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on[/HEADING]

[File Explorer]
  • Did some more work to improve the performance of extracting zipped files in File Explorer, particularly in the case where you’re unzipping a large number of small files.
[Login and Lock]
  • Updated the web sign-in icon slightly to better align with the other icons when selecting a sign in option on the login screen.
[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also have impacted the other title bar buttons.
[Settings]
  • Fixed an issue causing the navigation pane entries to not be aligned correctly in the previous flight.

Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

[General]
  • Fixed the issue causing a 0x80070005 error attempting to reinstall this build using the option to “Fix problems using Windows Update” under Settings > System > Recovery.
  • Fixed the issue causing the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update to not render correctly and is automatically turned off by itself.
 

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