Windows 11 Insider DEV Channel

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23440

ISOs for this build can be downloaded here.

Changes and Improvements

[Start menu]

  • We are trying out a recommendation in the Start menu to quickly access the release notes for Windows Insider Preview builds. Insiders can click the recommendation in Start where it will open this blog post for Build 23440 to learn about all the changes and improvements included in the build. Let us know what you think of this experience. As a reminder, the settings for what is recommended on Start can be adjusted via Settings > Personalization > Start.
[Taskbar & System Tray]
  • You can now hide the time and date in the system tray. You can turn this on by right-clicking on the system tray clock and choosing “Adjust date and time”.
  • When right-clicking on the network icon in the system tray, we’ve added the option to diagnose network problems.
[Search on the Taskbar]
  • We are exploring a new hover behavior for the search box and search highlight gleam. The proposed interaction model aims to create a more engaging search experience by invoking the search flyout when you hover over the search box gleam. This behavior can be adjusted by right-clicking on the taskbar, choosing “Taskbar settings” and adjusting your preferred search box experience.
[Windows Spotlight]
  • We have updated the icon that shows on the desktop for Windows Spotlight. You can turn Windows Spotlight by right-clicking on your desktop, choosing “Personalize”, and then choosing the Windows Spotlight theme.

Fixes

[Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Fixed a few explorer.exe crashes that were impacting taskbar reliability.
[Widgets]
  • Updated the Widgets invocation logic, so that if you brush your mouse quickly across the Widgets icon in the taskbar while travelling somewhere else, it should be less likely to accidentally open Widgets. As a reminder, if you’d prefer that Widgets doesn’t launch on hover, there is an option for that in the Widgets settings.
[File Explorer]
We fixed the following issues for Insiders previewing the Windows App SDK version of File Explorer
  • Fixed an issue where the context menu was opening far away from where your mouse had right-clicked sometimes.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing some of the icons in File Explorer and the context menu to be blurry after DPI changes.
  • Fixed an issue where the New button in the command bar might not show anything in the dropdown.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders with Gallery in File Explorer:
  • CTRL + Mouse wheel scrolling should now resize the thumbnails.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders with recommended files in File Explorer:
  • Made some improvements to how Narrator reads out the recommended files.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders with access keys in File Explorer:
  • Shift + Right click on a file or folder should open “Show more options” again now.
  • Adjusted how Narrator was reading out the access keys after pressing the menu key, to make it clearer.
[Search]
  • Fixed an issue where the cursor wasn’t displaying correctly in the search box when using an Arabic display language.
[Input]
  • Fixed an issue where the touch keyboard didn’t correctly recognize a hardware keyboard was available in some cases.
[Windowing]
  • Fixed a shellexperiencehost.exe crash when disconnecting from another monitor using WIN + P.
[Notifications]
  • Fixed an issue where 2FA codes weren’t being recognized if they were in parentheses.
[Live captions]
  • Fixed an issue that was causing live captions to crash on first launch due to an issue impacting registry data retrieval.
  • Adding enhanced language recognition support in Language & region settings will now install the right files on ARM64 devices. You will no longer need to restart live captions after switching between caption languages installed from Language & region settings. However, you will need to uninstall any “speech pack” entries in Settings > Apps > Installed apps which were installed before the Language & region settings fix and re-install from Language & region settings.
  • Fixed an issue in Language & region settings that caused language feature installation progress to be hidden.
  • Fixed an issue causing live captions’ Add a language menu icon and label to overlap.
[Task Manager]
  • Double clicking Task Manager’s title bar to maximize the window should work again now.
  • Fixed a Task Manager crash which was impacting Insiders in the last couple flights.
[Accessibility]
  • Fixed an issue that was leaving voice access’s window empty after opening.
  • Fixed an issue where voice access was crashing when using the command to go to the start of a document.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator’s CTRL + Narrator + Home and Ctrl + Narrator + End commands to move to the beginning and end of text weren’t working correctly in Edge.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23451

What's new in Build 23451

Modernized Details Pane in File Explorer

We are introducing a modernized details pane in File Explorer (ALT + Shift + P) designed to help you easily access related content, stay up to date with file activity, and collaborate without even opening a file.

When a user selects a file in File Explorer and enables the pane, a modern pane will display contextual information about the file including file thumbnail, share status and button, file activity, related files and e-mails, and other information. To enable the pane, choose 'Details pane' in View menu and then toggle the pane with an easy-access button located on right side of the command bar. The View menu/toggle button in the command bar can similarly be used for accessing the preview pane. This modernized pane will replace the legacy details pane in File Explorer.

[We are beginning to roll this out, so the experience isn't available to all Insiders in the Dev Channel just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing it out to everyone.]

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

Improving Windows Spotlight

Starting with this build, we are trying out two different treatments for how Windows Spotlight looks. Both treatments will continue to share existing core Windows Spotlight features such as hovering over the icon on the desktop, right-clicking on the icon on the desktop, and double-clicking on the icon on the desktop. One treatment will include a richer UI, full screen, and minimized experience. Both treatments will include 4K portrait images and the ability to learn more about each desktop image. Insiders in the Dev Channel will see different treatments across their PCs so not everyone will see the same thing and the treatments will be shown in English only.

To enable Windows Spotlight on your PC today, right-click on your desktop and choose "Personalize" and then choose the new Spotlight theme. Alternatively, you can directly enable Windows Spotlight by going to Settings > Personalization > Background and choosing the option under the "Personalize your background" dropdown.

[We are beginning to roll this out, so the experience isn't available to all Insiders in the Dev Channel just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing it out to everyone.]

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

Narrator enhances interaction with Excel

Narrator now provides a more succinct and efficient reading experience while working in Microsoft Excel. Announcements are prioritized based on the information you need to skim a workbook and are customizable using convenient keyboard shortcuts. Review the Enhanced Narrator support in Excel documentation for further information.

To enable the enhanced announcements, you need to be on the latest Windows Insider and Office Insiders builds and start Narrator using the keyboard shortcut Control + Windows + Enter. The updated experience will be available through the Microsoft Store, so it may take a few minutes to be available on your PC. We look forward to you trying out our new changes and would love to hear your feedback and suggestions.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

New Widget: Facebook

Facebook is rolling out a preview version of their widget. To give it a try, download the Facebook app from the Microsoft Store or update to the latest version of the app. Then open the widgets board and navigate to the widgets picker by clicking the "+" button at the top-right of the board to pin your widget.

As you give this and other new widgets a try, please let us know what you think through the Widgets feedback link in the widgets picker. You should expect to see additional new widgets as more developers create and release widgets for their apps.

Changes and Improvements

[Start menu]

  • We're beginning to expand the roll out of notification badging for Microsoft accounts on the Start menu. A Microsoft account is what connects Windows to your Microsoft apps, backs up all of your data, helps you manage subscriptions, and where you can add extra security steps so you're never locked out of your account. With this feature, we're giving customers quick access to important account-related notifications. These notifications can be managed by going to Settings > Personalization > Start.
  • We continue to work on adding more valuable content to the Recommended section in the Start menu by re-introducing websites after trying this out with Insiders last fall. One improvement we've made is to recommend more useful and personal websites based on your browsing history instead of generally popular websites. Insiders can right-click on a website and choose to remove a website individually at any given time. Only some Insiders will see this experience and, if you do, please share your feedback. This feature will apply to users who have opted into sharing browsing data with Microsoft and have visited enough websites in Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome (with Continuous Import enabled). As a reminder, the settings for what is recommended on Start can be adjusted via Settings > Personalization > Start. Commercial customers can manage this experience via policy.
[File Explorer]
  • For Windows Insiders who have Gallery in File Explorer (which began rolling out with Build 23435), we have updated the icon for Gallery.
[Widgets]
  • We are beginning to roll out a new widget picker experience with an image that gives a visual preview of the widget before pinning, a deep linking ability that allows users to jump directly to the picker from the provider app/service as well as a link to the widgets Store collection page where users can discover more apps with widgets.
  • We are beginning to roll out animated icons for Widgets on the taskbar. The animation triggers when you hover or click on the Widgets taskbar entry-point or when a new widget announcement is displayed on your taskbar. Currently, only a few weather and finance icons are supported.
[Live captions]
  • Languages support has been expanded to include Danish, English (Ireland), French (Canada), Korean, Portuguese (Portugal).

Fixes

[Taskbar & System Tray]


  • Fixed an explorer.exe crash impacting taskbar reliability.
  • Fixed an issue that was causing Quick Settings and its project options to sometimes not respond when using ALT + F4 to close them.
[Start menu]
  • Fixed an issue that was causing the Recommended section in Start to be blank the first time it was opened.
[File Explorer]
We fixed the following issues for Insiders previewing the Windows App SDK version of File Explorer

  • We fixed an underlying issue believed to be the cause of explorer.exe crashing when opening the context menu in the previous flight for some Insiders.
  • If you use an Arabic or Hebrew display language, the tabs should be displaying correctly now.

We fixed the following issues for Insiders with Gallery in File Explorer:

  • Fixed an issue where the scrollbar for Gallery was displaying on the wrong side for Insiders with an Arabic or Hebrew display language.
  • If you have the Item Check Boxes setting enabled, the Gallery will now show check boxes on images.
[Search]
  • Did some work to fix an underlying issue which could cause Search to get stuck and not open. When this happened, you might also see a delay opening the Start menu.
[Input]
  • Fixed an issue where the Pinyin IME's insert text button wasn't displaying correctly in some cases.
  • Fixed an underlying crash impacting the ability to launch the touch keyboard / PIN entry on the login screen.
[Notifications]
  • Fixed another 2FA code pattern which wasn't being recognized. If you see any others, please file feedback!
[Live captions]
  • Fixed an issue where caption characters shown in the second line of the default height window were getting clipped on top.
  • Features have been added to the enhanced speech recognition language files to improve performance and provide out-of-language filtering meant to limit the incorrect captions for speech not in the caption language.
[Accessibility]
  • Fixed an issue where using the down key while navigating by landmark with Narrator in Edge wasn't jumping to the first line of the landmark correctly.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23466

This build includes a set of these new features that were announced and shown at Build this week.

What’s new in Build 23466

Dev Drive

Dev Drive is a new form of storage volume available to improve performance for key developer workloads. Dev Drive is built upon Resilient File System (ReFS) technology and includes file system optimizations and features that enable developers to better manage their performance and security profile. It has been designed to meet a developer’s needs to host project source code, working folders, and package caches. It is not designed for general consumer workloads such as document libraries, installing packaged applications or non-developer tools.

To setup a Dev Drive, you can create one in free space on an existing drive or create a VHD/VHDX. This is done via Settings app under System > Storage > Advanced Storage Settings > Disks & Volumes, or via the command-line. A Dev Drive must be at least 50GB or higher in size and we recommend having 8GB or higher RAM on your device.

Performance mode, a new capability of Microsoft Defender Antivirus, is designed for Dev Drive to minimize impact on developer workloads.

More details on Dev Drive, see this documentation on MS Learn.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Developer Platform > Dev Drive.

Backup and Restore improvements

Building on the app restore feature we announced last year, we are introducing additional backup and restore capabilities in this build to make moving to a new PC easier than ever and to help app developers retain users across this new PC transition. The goal of these changes is to land users on a desktop that feels familiar to them and get them back to productivity within minutes on their new PC.

  • Windows Backup app – we’re introducing this new app to quickly get your current PC backed up and ready to move to a new PC.
  • App pins – your Store apps from your prior PC will be pinned where you left them, both on taskbar and in the Start menu.
  • Settings – Settings from your previous device will restore to your new PC to help you get back into the flow as quickly as possible.

Once you’re backed up either via the new Windows Backup app or by visiting Accounts/Windows Backup in settings, you can try out the new restore during the out-of-box- experience (OOBE) when setting up a new PC or by resetting an existing PC with this build.

NOTE: An easy way for Insiders to try this experience out is by running the Windows Backup app on a PC running this build and then setting up a new VM using the ISO for this build provided here (or clean installation of this build on another PC) and going through OOBE for the new restore experience.

For developers, review the developer best practices to learn more about how to provide the best restore experience for your app. Note that in this build, not all settings and app types are supported, including desktop apps in the Store and Android apps. Backing up a Work or School account is also not supported.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23471

What’s new in Build 23471

Add Phone Photos in File Explorer Gallery

Accessing your phone’s camera roll from your PC is an important everyday task that is now easier with File Explorer Gallery. There is a new button in the Command Bar titled “Add Phone Photos” that will help with setting up your PC to be ready to show these photos in Gallery. Clicking this button today will open a URL with a QR code that you can scan with your phone to get started.

NOTE: Users may need to opt into OneDrive’s Insider Program to get a version of the OneDrive sync client that handles the protocol invoked when clicking this button. To join the OneDrive Insider Program, open OneDrive settings by bringing up the OneDrive flyout from the system tray; from there, navigate to the About page and turn on the toggle for the OneDrive Insider Program.

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

Narrator natural voices in Spanish (Spain and Mexico)

We are introducing new natural voices in Spanish (Spain and Mexico) that allow Narrator users to comfortably browse the web, read, and write mail, and do more. Natural Narrator voices use modern, on-device text to speech and once downloaded are supported without an internet connection.

To use one of the natural voices, add it to your PC by following these steps:

  1. Open Narrator Settings by pressing the WIN + Ctrl + N hotkey.
  2. Under Narrator’s voice, select the Add button next to Add natural voices.
  3. Select the voice you want to install. You can install all voices, but you must install them separately.
  • The new Spanish (Spain) voices are Microsoft Alvaro and Microsoft Elvira.
  • The new Spanish (Mexico) voices are Microsoft Jorge and Microsoft Dalia.
  1. To start the download of the selected voice, select Install. The new voice will download and be ready for use in a few minutes, depending on your internet download speed.
  2. When the new voice has downloaded, in Narrator settings select your preferred voice from the drop-down menu in Narrator’s voice > Choose a voice.

Note: If your display language is not set to Spanish , then in step 3 you will first need to select “Choose a different language” and then select the appropriate language followed by the specific voice.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

Changes and Improvements

[Lock screen]

  • We have updated the network flyout on the Lock screen to align with Windows 11 design principles.
[File Explorer]
  • We are beginning to roll out the ability to tear out and merge tabs in File Explorer. This feature is beginning to roll out, so not all Insiders in the Dev Channel will see it right away.
  • Gallery in File Explorer, which began rolling out with Build 23435, is now available for all Insiders in the Dev Channel.
[Settings]
  • It is easier to control whether to use cellular when Wi-Fi is available but poor, using a new toggle which has been added to Settings > Network & Internet > Cellular.

Fixes
[File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where pressing Shift + F10 wasn’t opening the context menu in File Explorer.
  • Fixed an issue where access keys appeared inconsistently if no button was pressed.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders previewing the Windows App SDK version of File Explorer
  • Fixed an issue that was causing explorer.exe to crash when opening the context menu for some Insiders. This same issue is believed to be the cause of some Insiders seeing an older design instead of the updated one.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders with Gallery in File Explorer:
  • Fixed an explorer.exe crash in the last flight related to loading/interacting with the scrollbar in Gallery.
  • Fixed an issue where Gallery may require clicking twice on the node in the navigation pane for initial load.
  • Fixed an issue where minimizing and reopening File Explorer would lose your scroll position in Gallery.
  • Hovering your mouse over pictures in Gallery should now show a tooltip with information about the picture.
  • Live updates (including filtering) are now enabled and no longer require using the Refresh button manually.
  • Fixed an issue where some file types (e.g., .heic) were not rendered correctly or performantly.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders with the modernized details pane in File Explorer:
  • Made the background for thumbnails a little lighter in light mode so it doesn’t stand out as much.
  • If you have Narrator running when you open the details pane, it should now announce the file name.
  • If the setting to show file name extensions has been enabled, that will now be reflected in the details pane too.
[Taskbar]
  • Fixed an issue that was causing the taskbar to get cut off when switching to and from the tablet-optimized taskbar.
[Search on the Taskbar]
  • We have fixed the issue causing Insiders to see an empty tooltip displayed momentarily in certain cases including while the gleam is hovered if the new hover behavior for the search box and search highlight gleam is enabled.
[Other]
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator with Braille support wasn’t reading numbered lists correctly in Microsoft 365 apps.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23475

What's new in Build 23475

Modernized File Explorer Home and Address Bar

Now that File Explorer is powered by Windows App SDK, we are introducing a modernized File Explorer Home powered by WinUI. Recommended files for users signed into Windows with an Azure Active Directory (AAD) account will be displayed as a carousel and support file thumbnails which is coming soon. Quick Access folders (available by default for users signed into Windows with a Microsoft account), Favorites, and Recent also bring in an updated experience with WinUI.

We are also introducing a modernized address bar and search box to File Explorer. The new address bar intelligently recognizes local vs. cloud folders with built-in status. For OneDrive users, you'll notice the address bar now contains your OneDrive sync status and quota flyout.

[We are beginning to roll this out, so the experience isn't available to all Insiders in the Dev Channel just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing it out to everyone.]

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

Dynamic Lighting

Dynamic Lighting provides Windows users and developers with native control of Lighting Devices implementing the open HID LampArray standard. By adopting an open standard, and by working with our OEM and ODM partners, Microsoft seeks to improve the RGB device and software ecosystem for users by increasing interoperability of devices and apps. Included are APIs for Windows apps to control devices from the background and foreground, as well as a page in Windows Settings for users to customize how their devices behave.

Several device manufacturers including Acer, ASUS, HP, HyperX, Logitech, Razer, and Twinkly have partnered with Microsoft on Dynamic Lighting.

As of the publication of this post, a list of current, in-market compatible devices is below. Review the Dynamic Lighting Hardware MS Learn page for a more current list of compatible in-market devices. The latest firmware should be used with these devices. We are aware of several issues with wireless device connections so please use a wired connection with a compatible device to a PC, if possible, for the time being. And check out the known issues below in this post for other issues that may impact this experience.

Note: Many of the devices listed below have not yet been verified for compatibility by Microsoft. In case of issues, contact the device manufacturer.

Keyboards:
  • Coming soon: ASUS ROG Scope II Wireless 96 Gaming Keyboard
  • Razer BlackWidow V3
  • Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro
  • Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini
  • Razer BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless
  • Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro
  • Razer DeathStalker V2
  • Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro
  • Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro TKL
  • Razer Huntsman Mini
  • Razer Huntsman Mini Analog
  • Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition
  • Razer Huntsman V2
  • Razer Huntsman V2 Analog
  • Razer Huntsman V2 Tenkeyless
  • Razer Ornata V2
  • Razer Ornata V3
  • Razer Ornata V3 TKL
  • Razer Turret Keyboard Xbox One Edition

Mice:
  • Coming soon: ASUS ROG Harpe Ace AimLab Edition Gaming Mouse
  • Microsoft Pro IntelliMouse
  • Razer Turret Mouse Xbox One
  • Razer DeathAdder V2
  • Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro
  • Razer Naga Left-Handed
  • Razer Naga Pro

To control and configure a HID LampArray device at both the per-device and all-device level, navigate to the new Dynamic Lighting page in Settings > Personalization > Dynamic Lighting.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers > Lighting.

Changes and Improvements
[General]

  • The feature where we now detect if the user is interacting with toasts or not and provide a suggestion to turn the toast banners off for such apps that began rolling out with Build 23466 is now available to all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.
[Emoji]
  • The Unicode Emoji 15 is beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Users will now be able to see, search for and insert new emoji from the emoji panel. Here are a few of our Emoji 15 designs which include more hearts, animals and one new smiley face.
Fixes
[Taskbar & System Tray][/B]
  • Fixed an issue where the taskbar may not have shown the correct apps when using multiple desktops.
[Search on the Taskbar]
  • Fixed the issue where Narrator customers were unable to navigate down the left side panel of the search flyout.
[Start menu]
  • Fixed an issue where when using a Japanese display language, sometimes apps with names written in kanji would all show at the bottom of the all apps list, rather than displayed alongside hiragana and katakana app names.
[Notifications]
  • Fixed an issue where certain notifications were leading to an explorer.exe crash.
[Input]
  • We're rolling out the fix for an issue where Korean touch keyboard sometimes finalizes characters unexpectedly in the search flyout on the taskbar.
[Backup and Restore]
  • Backups of a PC that was set up using a restore will now show up in subsequent restores.
  • Restore of solid color desktop backgrounds are now supported.
[Other]
  • Fixed issues that were causing voice access commands for moving settings sliders and selecting things on the taskbar to fail.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23481

What's new in Build 23481

Improvements for Windows Ink

Windows Ink is being modernized to allow users to enable inking directly onto edit fields. In addition, we are improving the accuracy from the recognition technology and a scratch out gesture for when users need to make edits. The goal with Windows Ink is to let users use their pen and handwrite anywhere they can type on their Windows device.

Currently, these new Windows Ink improvements support English (U.S.) only but stay tuned for broader language support. This new experience can be managed via Settings > Bluetooth and devices > Pen and Windows Ink under "Shell Handwriting". And please check out some of the known issues for Windows Ink below.

[We are beginning to roll this out, so the experience isn't available to all Insiders in the Dev Channel just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing it out to everyone.]

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Input and Language > Pen input.

Folder Options changes in File Explorer

We are removing a handful of old settings under Folder Options in File Explorer as part of an effort to clean up the number of settings for File Explorer. Many of these are legacy settings that have been around for ages and are not being regularly used by people on Windows 11.

The following settings will no longer appear under Folder Options in File Explorer:

  • Hide Folder Merge conflict.
  • Always show icons, never thumbnails.
  • Display file icon on thumbnails.
  • Display file type information on Folder tips.
  • Hide protected OS files.
  • Show drive letters.
  • Show popup description for Folder and Desktop items.
  • Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color.
  • Use sharing wizard.
(Note: These settings can still be accessed via registry keys.)

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

New Widget: Focus Session

We are beginning to roll out a new Focus Session widget as part of a Clock app update (version 11.2305.6.0 and higher) via the Microsoft Store to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels. With this new widget, you will be able to quickly start and stop focus sessions on your device.

[We are beginning to roll this out, so the experience isn't available to all Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing it out to everyone.]

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

Changes and Improvements

[Taskbar & System Tray]

  • Never combined mode, which enables you to see each window of your applications on the taskbar individually, and which began rolling out with Build 23466, is now available to all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.
  • Starting with his build, Chat is now Microsoft Teams – Free. Microsoft Teams – Free is pinned by default to the taskbar and can be unpinned like other apps on the taskbar. Stay tuned for more enhancements as we continue to enhance Microsoft Teams – Free with more features and improvements.
[File Explorer]
  • The ability to tear out and merge tabs in File Explorer, which began rolling out with Build 23471, is now available to all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.
[Voice access]
  • The new text authoring experiences in voice access that began rolling out with Build 23466 is now available to all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.

Fixes

[Dev Drive]

  • Fixed an issue where filters beyond AV might be attached to your Dev Drive on reboot.
  • Fixed an issue which could cause a bugcheck when using Dev Drive.
[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue where the icons in the File Explorer context menu could be blurry.
  • Fixed an issue where sync status icons for files backing up to a storage provider were not reliably displayed.
  • Fixed an issue for authentication errors on File Explorer Home where the 'Please Sign-in' button appeared but clicking on it did not pop-up the authentication dialog.
  • Updated "Show files from Office.com" text in folder options to "Include account-based insights, recent, favorite, and recommended files".
  • Using CTRL + V to paste an image in Gallery will now paste the image into your default pictures folder (the default folder can be configured under Collection > Manage Collection in Gallery).
  • If you hover your mouse over the details button in File Explorer, the tooltip should no longer block the close button for the window.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders with the modernized address bar in File Explorer:
  • Fixed the direction of the search icon within the tab when doing a search in File Explorer.
  • Fixed an issue where tabbing or Shift + tabbing from the command bar wouldn't land focus inside the current folder.
  • Fixed an issue where if you set focus into the address bar (to edit the path), you wouldn't be able to use tab to move focus out of it.
  • If the current path is longer than the available space in the address bar, a bit of room now has been added so you can still click and go into edit mode.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders who have the modernized File Explorer Home:
  • Fixed an issue where hovering over folders in the Quick Access section of Home was causing the name to disappear and the icon to slide to the side if you had checkboxes enabled.
  • Dragging and dropping into the Favorites or Quick Access sections should work again now.
[Search on the Taskbar]
  • Fixed an issue where navigating the search flyout on the taskbar with the keyboard arrow keys did not work as expected.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23486

What’s new in Build 23486

Passwordless Improvements

Microsoft believes that the future is passwordless. Passkeys will allow you to replace passwords when you sign into a web site or application that supports them. Passkeys represent a future where bad actors will have a much harder time stealing and using your credentials when signing into a web site or application. Passkeys are phish-resistant, recoverable, and faster for users.

Enroll and use passkey to sign into apps and websites: We are improving the passkey experience for Windows users. They can now go to any app or website that supports passkeys to create and sign in using passkeys with the Windows Hello native experience. Once a passkey is created, users can use Windows Hello (face, fingerprint, PIN) to sign in. In addition, users can use their phone to complete the application logon process.

Create and Sign in using passkeys saved on your Windows device:
  • Go to a website that has enabled passkeys on Windows (Example: bestbuy.com, ebay.com, google.com).
  • Create a passkey from your account settings.
  • Sign out of your account and sign-in using your passkey.
Sign in using passkeys saved on your phone:
  • Go to a website that has enabled passkeys from your mobile device (Example: bestbuy.com, ebay.com, google.com).
  • Create a passkey from your account settings.
  • Go to the website on Windows and sign in using your passkey saved on your mobile device.
Manage passkeys saved to your Windows device: We are giving users a fundamental control over how they can manage the passkeys saved to their Windows device. They can now view and delete passkeys saved for their favorite apps/websites from Windows settings.
  • Navigate to Settings > Accounts > Passkeys.
  • You are presented with a list of all passkeys saved to your Windows device.
  • You can now search and delete any passkey from the device.
Special Instructions:
  • On Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, if you see the browser’s passkey UI, choose “Windows Hello or external security key” to get the Windows native experience. Try Google Chrome Canary for the latest experience there. As Microsoft Edge is Chromium-based, experiences in Chrome Canary will roll up into Microsoft Edge as well over time.
FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security and Privacy > Passkey.

Changes and Improvements

[File Explorer]

  • Thank you to all the Windows Insiders who gave us feedback on the Folder Options changes in File Explorer that removed a handful of old settings in Build 23481. We’ve rolled back this change. As is normal for the Dev Channel, we will often try things out and get feedback and adjust based on the feedback we receive.
[Dynamic Lighting]
  • New Effects are now available for Dynamic Lighting via Settings > Personalization > Dynamic Lighting. Check out Wave, Wheel, and Gradient.
[Emoji]
[Settings]
  • We are improving the user experience when changing time zones, including cases of low confidence in location data. It displays a non-dismissible notification for accepting or rejecting the change and prompts the user for confirmation before adjusting the time zone.
  • We are also improving the user experience while changing the time zone via Settings > Time & language > Date & time. If location settings are disabled, a warning is now shown to the user, urging them to enable location settings to ensure accurate time zone adjustments. This warning provides helpful information to the user, helping them understand why their time zone may not be correct and guiding them towards resolving the issue.
Fixes

[Dynamic Lighting]

  • We fixed the issue where on first boot after installing recent builds and connecting a device, the “Use Dynamic Lighting on my devices” toggle is off in Settings and device LEDs may not turn on automatically.
[Input]
  • We’re rolling a fix for an issue where a blank window whose title is “Windows Input Experience” appears after resuming the device from the sleep.
[Network]
  • Fixed an issue where the login screen was crashing in the last couple flights when trying to connect to certain types of networks.
[Task Manager]
  • Fixed an issue causing Task Manager crashes for some people.
  • Fixed an issue where focus wasn’t getting set correctly to search if the Task Manager window was small enough that search was collapsed to an icon.
  • Fixed alignment of Task Manager icon and name in the title bar.
  • Right clicking the empty space in the Details page (aka so no process is actually selected) will no longer show the option to create live kernel memory dumps.
  • Fixed an issue where the live kernel memory dumps weren’t being cleaned up by Storage Sense.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23493

What’s new in Build 23493

Windows Copilot Preview

Back in May at the Build conference, we introduced Windows Copilot for Windows 11. In today’s flight we are offering an early look of Windows Copilot to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel via a controlled feature rollout. This first preview focuses on our integrated UI experience, with additional functionality coming down the road in future previews. To use Copilot in this flight you must have Windows Build 23493 or higher in the Dev Channel, and Microsoft Edge version 115.0.1901.150 or higher.

To get started, just click on the new button on the taskbar (or WIN + C) to launch Windows Copilot. Windows Copilot will use the same Microsoft account (MSA) or Azure Active Directory (AAD) account used to sign-in to Windows.

Windows Copilot will appear as a side bar docked to the right where it won’t overlap with your desktop content and will run unobstructed alongside your open app windows, allowing you to interact with Windows Copilot anytime you need.

In this first preview, you can ask Windows Copilot a range of questions or to take actions such as:

  • “Change to dark mode.”
  • “Turn on do not disturb.”
  • “Take a screenshot”
  • “Summarize this website” (Active tab in Microsoft Edge)
  • “Write a story about a dog who lives on the moon.”
  • “Make me a picture of a serene koi fishpond with lily pads.”

Just click the “…” icon at the top right of the side bar in Windows Copilot to submit feedback on any issues you run into. We’ll have more to come including expanding the preview to more Windows Insiders in other channels over time and adding policies to allow IT admins to manage this experience in their organizations.

Windows Copilot with Bing Chat generates responses that are contextual and improves your experience in Windows. You may see inline recommendations we think are relevant through ads in Bing. We’ll continue to learn and listen to customer feedback. Understand what Bing does with your data by visiting Microsoft Privacy Statement. Read more about our responsible AI journey, the ethical principles that guide us, and the tooling and capabilities we’ve created to assure that we develop AI technology responsibly at Microsoft’s commitment to responsible AI.

Please note that not everything shown at Build for Windows Copilot is included in this first, early preview. For example, Windows Copilot has a basic set of Windows settings plugins but no third-party plugin support yet. Over time, features will be added as we refine the Windows Copilot experience with Windows Insiders.

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

Introducing the new Settings homepage

We’re introducing a new homepage in Settings that offers you a dynamic and personalized experience. It provides an overview of your device, quick access to key settings, and helps manage your Microsoft account.

We created interactive cards that represent various device and account related settings, grouped by commonly accessed functions. Each card is optimized to offer the most relevant information and controls at your fingertips. In this release, you’ll see up to seven cards, with more coming soon.

Here’s an overview of each card:

  1. Recommended settings: This card adapts to your specific usage patterns, providing timely and relevant settings options. It’s designed to streamline your settings management and save you time.
  2. Cloud storage: Gives you an overview of your cloud storage use and lets you know when you’re nearing capacity.
  3. Account recovery: Helps keep your Microsoft account more secure by helping you add additional recovery info so you never get locked out of your account, even if you forget your password.
  4. Personalization: Brings customization to the forefront by offering one-click access to update your background theme or change your color mode.
  5. Microsoft 365: Provides a quick glimpse of your subscription status and benefits, along with the ability to take some key actions right in Settings instead of going to the web.
  6. Xbox: Similar to the Microsoft 365 card, you’ll be able to view your subscription status and manage the subscription from the Settings app.
  7. Bluetooth Devices: To simplify your Bluetooth device management experience, we’ve brought this to the forefront so you can quickly access and connect to your favorite Bluetooth-enabled devices.
You can take swift actions directly from this page with just a click, making device and account management seamless and efficient. What sets the homepage apart even further is that it’s more than just a landing page—it evolves and learns with you. As you use your device, it’ll adjust to provide the most relevant and useful information based on your usage and preferences.

NOTE: This experience will only be available on Windows 11 Home and Pro editions and not on devices managed by organizations.

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


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

Restore for more apps


Adding to the capabilities of the backup and restore improvements we announced in May, this build extends support to even more types of apps. Users will now see pins for their desktop app restored on the taskbar and Start Menu, including desktop apps that were not installed from the Microsoft Store.

Desktop apps that are available in the Microsoft Store can be restored by clicking on the app pin to get started. For apps that aren’t available in the Microsoft Store, you’ll be directed to the web to download the installer.

To try out this experience, both the backup and restore devices need to be updated to this build. Once you’re backed up either via the new Windows Backup app or by visiting Accounts/Windows Backup in settings, you can try out the new restore during the out-of-box-experience (OOBE) when setting up a new PC or by resetting an existing PC (Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC) with this build.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Install and Update > Backup and Restore.

Native support for reading additional archive file formats


As announced at the Build conference back in May, this build adds native support for reading additional archive file formats using the libarchive open-source project such as

  • .tar
  • .tar.gz
  • .tar.bz2
  • .tar.zst
  • .tar.xz
  • .tgz
  • .tbz2
  • .tzst
  • .txz
  • .rar
  • .7z
  • And more!

Please note we are aware of some performance issues with some archive file formats – see the known issues below.

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

New volume mixer experience in Quick Settings


We’re introducing a new enhanced volume mixer into Quick Settings! The updated audio quick settings experience brings a modern volume mixer that allows for quick customization of audio on a per-app basis, with additional control to swap devices on the fly. We’ve also added a new keyboard shortcut (WIN + CTRL + V) to bring you directly to the volume mixer for faster control of the experience. With this change, you can now tailor your audio experience better with more control and fewer clicks to better manage your favorite apps.

In addition, we’ve made it easier for users to enable their Windows Sonic experience with a quick access list of installed spatial sound technology. You can visit the Microsoft Store to find additional spatial sound technology to choose from such as Dolby and DTS.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Quick Settings.

Narrator natural voices in Japanese and English (Great British)


We are introducing new natural voices in Japanese and English (Great British) that allow Narrator users to comfortably browse the web, read, and write mail, and do more. Natural Narrator voices use modern, on-device text to speech and once downloaded are supported without an internet connection.

To use one of the natural voices, add it to your PC by following these steps:

  1. Open Narrator Settings by pressing the WIN + Ctrl + N hotkey.
  2. Under Narrator’s voice, select the Add button next to Add natural voices.
  3. Choose the language for which you want to install Natural Voices. List of available voices will be displayed.
  4. Select the voice you want to install. You can install all voices, but you must install them separately.
    • The new Japanese voices are Microsoft Nanami (Female) and Microsoft Keita (Male)
    • The new English (Great British) voices are Microsoft Sonia (Female) and Microsoft Ryan (Male)
  5. To start the download of the selected voice, select Install. The new voice will download and be ready for use in a few minutes, depending on your Internet download speed.
  6. When the new voice has downloaded, in Narrator settings select your preferred voice from the drop-down menu in Narrator’s voice > Choose a voice.

Note: If your display language is not set to Japanese and English (Great British), then in step 3 you will first need to select “Choose a different language” and select the appropriate language followed by the specific voice.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

Changes and Improvements

[General]

  • New functionality for mitigating unrequested modifications for app defaults as mentioned in this blog post are included in this build.
[Taskbar & System Tray]
  • The updated API for pinning as mentioned here in this blog post are now included in this build for preview.
[Snap Layouts]
  • We are trying out suggestions in Snap Layouts that help you instantly snap multiple app windows together. When hovering over the Minimize or Maximize button on an app (or WIN + Z) to launch the layout box, you will see app icons displayed in various layout options to help recommend the best layout option that works best. This experience is beginning to roll out so not all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will see it right away.
[File Explorer]
  • We’ve done some work to improve the performance of archive functionality during compression on Windows.
Fixes

[General]

  • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing explorer.exe crashes when doing a variety of things in the last 2 builds, including when uninstalling apps.
[Dev Drive]
[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue where the count shown for selected files in the details pane may have been extremely large.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders with the modernized details pane in File Explorer:
  • Fixed an issue where the details pane was flashing white in dark mode when navigating or resizing the File Explorer window.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders with the modernized address bar in File Explorer:
  • Fixed an issue where the delete key was sometimes not working in File Explorer (including when doing Shift + Delete).
We fixed the following issues for Insiders who have the modernized File Explorer Home:
  • File Type icons were displayed in place of file thumbnails for ‘Recommended’ section (applicable to Enterprise users).
  • Insiders signed in with an AAD account and try to navigate the Recommended section on File Explorer Home with the tab key on the keyboard may have experienced an explorer.exe crash.
  • When navigating from another group to the Recommended section using a keyboard, focus did not appear on the group header or files appropriately.
[Taskbar & System Tray]
  • Fixed multiple explorer.exe crashes that were impacting taskbar reliability.
  • Fixed an issue when using uncombined taskbar that was causing focus to get lost when moving from the taskbar previews back to the taskbar icons.
[Search on the Taskbar]
  • Fixed an issue impacting search reliability for some Insiders in the last 2 flights.
[Task Manager]
  • Fixed an issue where it wasn’t possible to move the Task Manager window with touch or pen.
[Dynamic Lighting]
  • Fixed an issue where device icons were missing from the device cards in Settings.
[Windows Ink]
  • Fixed an issue where users were unable use handwriting to erase text in Microsoft Edge.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23506

What's new in Build 23506

Passwordless experience with Windows Hello for Business

With Windows Hello for Business (WHFB), Windows provides organizations with a strong, phish-resistant credential, helping customers move to a passwordless future. Enterprise customers can now set the EnablePasswordlessExperience policy that promotes a user experience on AAD joined machines for core authentication scenarios without requiring a password. This new experience hides passwords from certain Windows authentication scenarios and leverages passwordless recovery mechanisms, such as WHFB PIN reset, if necessary.

Once the policy is set, it removes passwords from the user experience, both for device logon as well as in-session auth scenarios like password managers in a web browser, "Run as" admin or as a different user scenarios, and User Account Control (UAC). Users will navigate through their core authentication scenarios using WHFB in place of passwords. If the user fails to sign in, recovery mechanisms such as PIN reset or web sign-in can be used to help the user recover their credentials without IT helpdesk engagement.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security and Privacy > Windows Hello PIN.

Unsafe password copy and paste warnings

Starting in Windows 11, version 22H2, Enhanced Phishing Protection in Microsoft Defender SmartScreen helps protect Microsoft school or work passwords against phishing and unsafe usage on sites and apps. We are trying out a change starting with this build where users who have enabled warning options for Windows Security under App & browser control > Reputation-based protection > Phishing protection will see a UI warning on unsafe password copy and paste, just as they currently see when they type in their password.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security and Privacy > Microsoft Defender SmartScreen.

Local File Sharing Improvements

We have made some improvements to the built-in Windows share window and nearby sharing for sharing local files from your PC.

Those improvements include:
  • We have redesigned the Windows share window to better match the Windows 11 design principles.
  • Everyone will now be able to email their files through Outlook directly within the Windows share window. Just click on the Outlook icon under the "Share using" section of the Windows share window.
  • The Windows share window now has a search box so you can now search for contacts across Outlook to share a file and the Windows share window will now display 8-10 suggested contacts to quickly share to – including emailing yourself a file.
  • Instead of a dropdown, you will see a button to turn on nearby sharing.
  • For nearby sharing, you will find your own PCs at the top of discovered devices under "Nearby Share".
  • Files will share faster from one PC to another using Wi-Fi Direct.
  • And we've added "Share" to the context menu in File Explorer in addition to having the share icon at the top of the context menu.

As a reminder, these experiences will work for sharing local files from the desktop, File Explorer, Photos, Snipping Tool, Xbox, and other apps that use the built-in Windows share window.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Share for the Windows share window and under Desktop Environment > Nearby Sharing for nearby sharing.

The New Outlook for Windows is now an inbox app

Starting with this build, the new Outlook for Windows Preview is now an inbox app. With the new Outlook for Windows, you can connect work and personal emails, calendars, and contacts in one secure place. Learn about the new Outlook for Windows here and the most recent set of updates for Insiders here. You can click here to learn more about the future of Mail and Calendar in Windows.

Post-OOBE Experiences
We are trying out several new experiences for after completing OOBE ("out of box experience") starting with this build. You may see one of these three experiences launched automatically on your device after completing OOBE.

  • If you choose 'Development Intent' within the 'Let's Customize Your Experience' page during OOBE, Dev Home will be automatically launched on your device after logging in and reaching the desktop for the first time after OOBE setup.
  • If you choose 'Development Intent' within the 'Let's Customize Your Experience' page during OOBE, the Get Started app will be automatically launched on your device after logging in and reaching the desktop for the first time after OOBE setup. The Get Started app will show you a personalized flow that will help you learn more about Dev Home and give you the opportunity to open Dev Home.
  • If you choose to 'Restore' your device during OOBE, the Get Started app will be automatically launched on your device after you log into your device for the second time after completing OOBE. The Get Started app will show you a personalized flow that will help you learn about key apps and settings, tell you that Windows has restored on your device and show you how to access your restored apps on Start menu or taskbar.

These experiences will help you learn about new features in Windows 11 and help you complete your device setup. These experiences will only be available to a small subset of Insiders in the Dev Channel at first and you may see different variations of these experiences.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Install and Update > Initial out of box setup.

Changes and Improvements

[Windows Copilot]

  • The Windows Copilot Preview, which began rolling out with Build 23493, is now available to all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Insiders may need to reboot to have it show up.
[Emoji]
  • With the update of our color font format to COLRv1, Windows is now able to display richer emoji with a 3D like appearance with support coming soon to some apps and browsers. These emoji use gradients to bring the design style that our customers have been asking for. The new emoji will bring more expression to your communications.
[Voice Access]
  • Voice access is now available via the accessibility flyout on the Lock screen.
[Backup and Restore]
  • In addition to the new Windows Backup app, now you can configure your backup preferences in second-chance out of box experience (SCOOBE), so your apps, settings, creds, and files are backed up in the cloud just the way you want them. You'll have peace of mind knowing the data you care about is protected and ready for you to restore from any PC.
[Settings]
  • We have temporarily disabled the new Settings homepage that began rolling out with Build 23493 due to a bug that could cause some instability on Insider's PCs. We plan to re-enable and roll this back out once that bug is fixed in a future flight.
  • We've added 2 additional energy recommendations under Settings > System > Power & battery > Energy recommendations for turning on dark mode and adjusting refresh rate to conserve energy.

Fixes

[File Explorer]


  • Fixed an issue where explorer.exe might crash when dragging tabs.
  • Fixed an issue which could cause explorer.exe to crash when opening Gallery.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders who have the modernized File Explorer address bar that began rolling out with Build 23475:
  • Fixed an issue which was causing explorer.exe to crash when trying to access an FTP address.
  • Fixed an issue where selecting the dropdown arrows in the address bar was opening a blank menu in the last flight.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders who have the modernized File Explorer Home that began rolling out with Build 23475:
  • Fixed an issue where File Type icons are displayed in place of file thumbnails for 'Recommended' section (applicable to Enterprise users).
  • Fixed an issue where Insiders signed in with an AAD account who tried to navigate the Recommended section on File Explorer Home with the tab key on the keyboard may have experienced an explorer.exe crash.
  • Fixed an issue where if you navigated from another group to the Recommended section using a keyboard, focus will not appear on the group header or files appropriately.
  • Fixed an issue where opening Home was crashing for some Insiders.
We fixed the following issue with commands on recommended files in File Explorer that began rolling out with Build 23403:
  • Fixed an issue where if you clicked on the Share command, it would bring up the Windows share sheet instead of the OneDrive share experience.
  • Fixed an underlying issue believed to be the cause of certain apps hanging when trying to use the open file dialog.
[Notifications]
  • Fixed an issue where the copy button for quickly copying two-factor authentication (2FA) codes in notification toasts was not working as expected.
[Taskbar & System Tray]
  • Fixed an issue where the notification badge on the widgets icon in the taskbar could get out of place.
[Search on the Taskbar]
  • We fixed the issue causing text scaling to not work in the search flyout.
[Dynamic Lighting]
  • Fixed an underlying ctfmon.exe crash (which could impact the ability to type) related to the Dynamic Lighting work.
  • Fixed an issue where all-device settings changes were not propagating to per-device settings.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23511

What’s new in Build 23511

More improvements for Windows Spotlight

After trying out different treatments for how Windows Spotlight looks, we’re now rolling out a single Windows Spotlight experience for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel that includes previewing images at full screen, multiple opportunities to learn more about each image and a minimized experience. To open the Windows Spotlight experience, right-click on the Spotlight icon on the desktop. You can also double click on the icon to directly launch a Bing landing page for more info on each image.

To enable Windows Spotlight on your PC today, right-click on your desktop and choose “Personalize” and then choose the new Spotlight theme. Alternatively, you can directly enable Windows Spotlight by going to Settings > Personalization > Background and choosing the option under the “Personalize your background” dropdown.

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

Changes and Improvements

[General]

  • If a camera streaming issue is detected such as a camera failing to start or a closed camera shutter, a pop-up dialog will appear with the recommendation to launch the automated Get Help troubleshooter to resolve the issue.
[Windows Copilot]
  • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who login and are managed by AAD (soon to be Microsoft Entra ID) will notice that the Windows Copilot Preview is no longer available in this build. This is just a temporary issue. You may enable it temporarily via this policy located here in Group Policy Editor: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot. Please note that this policy name will change in an upcoming flight. The Windows Copilot Preview will be defaulted on in a future flight including support for Bing Chat for Enterprise.
[Start menu]
  • For people logged into an Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise editions with an AAD account (soon to be Microsoft Entra ID), we are providing a richer preview when hovering over files such as Word documents under Recommended on the Start menu. For this initial release, thumbnails will not be available for all files and a later update will enable the experience for more files and for MSA users. Additionally, when right-clicking on cloud file recommendations, there is now an option to quickly share these files.
  • Under All apps in the Start menu, Windows 11 system components will now show a “system” label. This change is beginning to roll out and so not all Insiders in the Dev Channel will see it right away.
[Taskbar & System Tray]
  • Notifications will now show as a bell in the system tray and when new notifications come through, the bell will colorize based on your system accent color. When there are no notifications and the clock is visible, the bell will be empty. Notification counts are no longer shown.
[File Explorer]
  • Made some changes which should noticeably help improve the performance of the “calculating” phase when sending a large number of files at once in File Explorer to the recycle bin.
[Snap Layouts]
  • We have fixed the bugs that were causing some crashes that resulted in us turning off suggestions in Snap Layouts and are beginning to roll this out again to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Suggestions in Snap Layoutsthat help you instantly snap multiple app windows together. When hovering over the Minimize or Maximize button on an app (or WIN + Z) to launch the layout box, you will see app icons displayed in various layout options to help recommend the best layout option that works best. This experience is beginning to roll out (again) so not all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will see it right away.
[Settings]
  • We have fixed the bug that could cause some instability which resulted in us disabling the new Settings homepage with Build 23506 last week. We have begun rolling the new Settings homepage out again to Insiders in the Dev Channel.
  • We are beginning to roll out a new option under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Phone Link to disable Phone Link all together in Windows 11. This setting will prevent Phone Link from communicating with your mobile devices.
Fixes

[File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where copying files out of large archives or using “Extract All” might have been slower than expected for “solid” .7Z or .rar archives.
  • Fixed an issue where when decompressing some of the newly supported archive format types, the folder names might become gibberish.
  • Fixed an underlying issue where in some cases the context menu background in File Explorer was appearing transparent.
[Notifications]

    • Fixed an issue that was preventing apps from opening when you selected inside a notification popup for that app.
    • Fixed an issue causing Insiders to unexpectedly see a notification suggesting you turn off notifications for an app named NotifyiconGeneratedAumid_*.
[Taskbar & System Tray]

    • Fixed multiple explorer.exe crashes that were impacting taskbar reliability.
    • Fixed an issue that was causing quick settings not to open when selecting the network, volume, and battery icons in the system tray.
[Task View & Desktops]

    • Adjusted the desktops switching animation to ease into the animation a little more.
[Search on the Taskbar]

    • Fixed an issue where search was not actually hiding when set to hide in taskbar settings.
[Windows Ink]

    • Fixed an issue where writing in the address box in Microsoft Edge might not work correctly. Make sure Microsoft Edge is up to date with the latest version.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23516

What's new in Build 23516

Improving the screen casting experience

Casting from your Windows PC allows you to wirelessly extend your display to another nearby PC, TV or other external displays. We are making some improvements that focus on educating people about the Cast feature, improving its discoverability, and simplifying the overall experience in Windows 11. Those improvements include:

  • When doing multitasking activities on your PC such as often switching between windows to complete a task or using Snap Assist to organize your screen space, we will provide the suggestion to Cast via a notification toast.
  • We will now provide inline setup of a PC from within the Cast flyout in Quick Settings, with step-by-step guidance for users to enable:
    • Installation of the optional Wireless Display feature.
    • Discoverability of the PC to other devices, via the "Projecting to this PC" Settings page.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Display and Graphics > Wireless Display and Casting.

HDR Background Support

You can now set JXR files to be your desktop background and if you have an HDR display, they will render in full HDR.

First – make sure your device has an HDR display or is connected to a HDR display that supports HDR. You can check this by going to Settings > System > Display and checking the HDR toggle.

Next, download an HDR .JXR file to your device. Then right-click on your desktop, choose "Personalize" and then "Background", and under "Personalize your background" – go and select the .JXR file you downloaded to your device.

The background should load on your display. If you have multiple displays attached to your device, the background will show as HDR or SDR depending on each display's capabilities. When using external displays attached to your device, we recommend running the HDR Calibration app for best picture quality. Please note that for this build, there may be some issues with the HDR version of the desktop background not correctly display on some laptops with HDR.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Background and Wallpaper.

Voice access is now available to use on more areas in Windows

We have added support for voice access to work right when you start your PC. You can use voice access to login to your PC and access other areas on the Lock screen. You can turn on voice access from the accessibility flyout on Lock screen or have it on automatically every time by checking the setting to "Start voice access before you sign in to your PC" via Settings > Accessibility > Speech.

Note: If you have never tried voice access, we recommend you search for voice access in search on the taskbar and complete the initial setup before trying it first time on the lock screen.

You can follow the instructions on the voice access bar to get your focus on the password field and use your voice to dictate your password or PIN. Alternatively, you can say "show keyboard" to bring up the touch keyboard with number labels on it. You can say the numbers on the keys to enter the letters associated with it. This will mask the actual password you are entering from being heard by anyone in your vicinity.

You can also use other commands such as "show numbers" or "click [element name]" to access other elements on lock screen or UAC prompt.

And voice access now works for apps running with Microsoft Defender Application Guard.

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

Narrator Natural Voices in French, Portuguese, English (India) ,German and Korea

We are introducing new natural voices in French, Portuguese, English (India) ,German and Korean that allow Narrator users to comfortably browse the web, read, and write mail, and do more. Natural Narrator voices use modern, on-device text to speech and once downloaded are supported without an internet connection.

To use one of the natural voices, add it to your PC by following these steps:
1. Open Narrator Settings by pressing the WIN + Ctrl + N hotkey.
2. Under Narrator's voice, select the Add button next to Add natural voices.
3. Select the voice you want to install. You can install all voices, but you must install them separately.
  • The new French voices are Microsoft Denise (Female) and Microsoft Henri (Male)
  • The new Portuguese voices are Microsoft Francisca (Female) and Microsoft Antonio (Male)
  • The new English (India) voices are Microsoft Neerja (Female) and Microsoft Prabhat (Male)
  • The new German voices are Microsoft Katja (Female) and Microsoft Conrad (Male)
  • The new Korean voices are Microsoft SunHi (Female) and Microsoft InJoon (Male)
4. To start the download of the selected voice, select Install. The new voice will download and be ready for use in a few minutes, depending on your internet download speed.
5. When the new voice has downloaded, in Narrator settings select your preferred voice from the drop-down menu in Narrator's voice > Choose a voice.

Note: If your display language is not set to any of the above languages, then in step 3 you will first need to select "Choose a different language" and then select the appropriate language followed by the specific voice.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

Presence Sensing Improvements

For PCs with presence sensors that support attention detection, we are introducing Adaptive Dimming. Now your device can intelligently dim your screen when you look away and undim when you look back. You will find these settings under Settings > Privacy & security > Presence sensing here if your device supports it.

Wake on Approach, Lock on Leave, Adaptive Dimming are all powered by Presence Sensing in Windows and now can be enabled via the OOBE ("out of box experience") setup process when choosing your privacy settings for your device. This will give more control of the presence sensing features and app access to presence information when setting up a new device with a compatible sensor.

As a reminder, app developers with devices with compatible presence sensors can target apps to request and read user presence information after requesting a human presence capability. Learn more about the API here.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers > Sensors.

Changes and Improvements

[Windows Copilot]

  • [REMINDER] As of Build 23511, Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who login and are managed by AAD (soon to be Microsoft Entra ID) will notice that the Windows Copilot Preview is no longer available in this build. This is just a temporary issue. You may enable it temporarily via this policy located here in Group Policy Editor: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot. Please note that this policy name will change in an upcoming flight. The Windows Copilot Preview will be defaulted on in a future flight including support for Bing Chat for Enterprise.
[Taskbar & System Tray]

As mentioned here with Build 23481, Microsoft Teams (free) is now pre-pinned to the taskbar in Windows 11. This change continues to roll out so not all Insiders will see it right away. Windows Insiders who click to launch Teams will discover a mini communications experience making it possible to chat, call, and meet with their people within just a click or two. Not only does its compact size make it easy to place the window anywhere on desktop, but you can passively keep tabs on their conversations with the ability to have it visible as they browse the web or connect with your communities. Phone Link integration is also coming soon to Microsoft Teams (free) as well.

As noted in our Beta Channel flight here, the settings for never combined mode for the taskbar were showing up under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors but do not enable the experience. We have temporarily removed the settings to fix the issue. The feature will be coming to a Beta Channel flight soon.

[File Explorer]
  • Added more fields to show in the Details pane, including image dimensions for pictures, number of pages for .docx, space used and free information for drives, and many others.
  • Fixes

[General]
  • After updating to Build 23511, some Insiders may have seen the Photos app pinned to the taskbar. This issue only occurred with that build and should no longer occur. We apologize for the issue.
  • [File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue where the icons displayed in the tabs in File Explorer could become out of sync with the current folder after navigating.
  • Fixed a memory leak in File Explorer with the latest updates which could cause explorer.exe crashes and other issues over prolonged usage.
  • Fixed an underlying issue causing desktop icons to all go blank in the last few flights.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer to show "Working on it" in an empty folder.
  • Fixed an issue where the text box for naming newly created files or folders on the desktop was showing in the wrong position (far away or way too close) relative to the thumbnail.
  • Fixed an issue where opening the context menu in the previous flight was crashing explorer.exe for some Insiders.
  • Fixed an issue where right clicking items in the navigation pane wouldn't open a context menu after you changed folders.
  • Fixed an issue where ALT + P and Shift + Alt + P keyboard shortcuts weren't working when focus was set to one of the images in Gallery.
  • Fixed an issue where Home and Gallery could get stuck in the wrong colors if they were open when changing between light and dark mode.
  • Fixed an issue where thumbnails in Gallery might not load after changing the view to a smaller icon size (for example, medium to small).
  • Fixed an issue where after refreshing Home, actions to pin and unpin favorite files might not work.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders with the modernized details pane in File Explorer:
  • Fixed an issue where the design of the details pane was displaying from left to right instead of right to left when using Hebrew or Arabic display languages.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders who have the modernized File Explorer address bar that began rolling out with Build 23475:
  • The ALT + D, CTRL + L, and F4 keyboard shortcuts should work now to set focus to the address bar.
  • Fixed an issue where typing drive letters, %localappdata%, and certain other things in the address bar wasn't causing suggested paths to appear in a dropdown.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders who have the modernized File Explorer Home that began rolling out with Build 23475:
  • Fixed an issue which could cause explorer.exe to crash when opening Home.
  • Fixed an issue where the tooltip would get stuck on the screen when you scrolled Home with touch.
  • Fixed an issue where collapsing and expanding the sections of Home didn't always work.
  • Made some small adjustments to the size of elements, including reducing the size of the text.
  • Fixed an issue where mouse wheel scrolling wasn't working if your mouse was hovered over the recommended section of Home.
  • [Taskbar & System Tray]
  • Fixed multiple explorer.exe crashes impacting taskbar reliability.
  • [Input]
  • Fixed an issue which was causing certain mouse actions (including resizing windows with mouse) to not work over remote desktop.
  • [Dynamic Lighting]
  • Fixed an issue where switching user accounts could turn off device LEDs.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23521

What’s new in Build 23521

Changes and Improvements

[Windows 365]

  • Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels can participate in the public preview of Windows 365 Switch. Windows 365 Switch provides the ability to easily move between a Windows 365 Cloud PC and the local desktop using the same familiar keyboard commands, as well as a mouse-click or a swipe gesture through Task View on the Windows 11 taskbar. Please read this blog post for all the details on how to participate.
[Windows Copilot]
  • Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who login and are managed by AAD (soon to be Microsoft Entra ID) will see Windows Copilot enabled for them again without the need to enable it via Group Policy Editor.
[Taskbar & System Tray]
  • To make it easier to enable never combined mode on the taskbar, we have updated the settings. You can turn never combined mode on by simply adjusting “Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels” to always. And we provide a separate setting for turning this on for other taskbars (multiple monitor scenarios for example).
[Dynamic Lighting]
  • You can now instantly sync your Windows accent color with the devices around you with the “Match my Windows accent color” toggle under “Effects” for Dynamic Lighting via Settings > Personalization > Dynamic Lighting. This improvement started rolling out in last week’s Dev Channel flight.
  • We have added the ability to choose a custom color to light up your devices with.
[Task Manager]
  • We’ve updated the Task Manager settings page to match the design principles of Windows 11. The design has a similar look and feel to the Settings in Windows 11 and provides a cleaner UI separating categories into different sections. Oh, and we updated some dialogs in Task Manager too.
[Windows Spotlight]
  • After doing an OS update, in certain cases such as using the default Windows 11 background or a solid color – Windows Spotlight may be enabled for you. If you decide you don’t want Windows Spotlight enabled, you can turn it off and in future OS updates it should not be enabled for you again unless you choose to re-enable the experience.
[Search on the Taskbar]
  • Windows Search now uses the Microsoft Bing Search app to return web content and search results. In the European Economic Area (EEA), you can enable installed Microsoft Store apps that implement a web search provider to return web content and search results in Windows Search through Settings.
[Settings]
  • The end task feature under System > For Developers no longer requires Developer Mode to be enabled first before it can be used.
[Other]
  • In the European Economic Area (EEA), Windows will now require consent to share data between Windows and other signed-in Microsoft services. You will see some Windows features start to check for consent now, with more being added in future builds. Without consent to share data between Windows and other signed-in Microsoft services, some functionality in Windows features may be unavailable, for example certain types of file recommendations under “Recommended” on the Start menu.

Fixes

[File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where you couldn’t drag a file out of an archived folder to extract it with one of the newly supported archive formats.
  • Fix an issue where when extracting one of the newly supported archive formats using the Extract All option in the context menu, it wasn’t working unless Windows Explorer was set as the default for that file type.
  • When trying to extract one of the new archive formats and the file is password encrypted, it will now show a message saying this isn’t currently supported.
  • Fixed a bug where Insiders may have experienced a File Explorer crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process.
We fixed the following issues for Insiders who have the modernized File Explorer address bar that began rolling out with Build 23475:
  • Fixed an issue which was causing the search box in File Explorer to not work well with IMEs.
  • Fixed an issue where pasting using the context menu in the address bar wasn’t working (or other context menu actions in the address bar).
We fixed the following issues for Insiders who have the modernized File Explorer Home that began rolling out with Build 23475:
  • Fixed an issue where when trying to scroll with touch on Home might result in everything getting selected.
  • Fixed a white flash in dark theme when switching between Home and Gallery.
[Taskbar & System Tray]
  • Fixed an issue that removed the USB icon and its options from the system tray.
  • Fixed an issue where the titles were missing from taskbar previews when turning on tablet-optimized taskbar while using uncombined taskbar.
  • Fixed an issue where uncombined taskbar’s app indicators weren’t shown correctly after it showed something was being downloaded.
  • Fixed an explorer.exe crash impacting system tray reliability.
  • Fixed an issue where the End Task feature wasn’t working if you tried it when there were multiple windows open of that app.
  • Fixed an issue where using End Task on certain apps would cause other unrelated apps to close.
[HDR Backgrounds]
  • Fixed an issue where your HDR wallpaper might appear washed out although HDR was enabled.
  • Fixed an issue where it wasn’t possible to select .JXL files for your wallpaper slideshow.
[Other]
  • If Get Help isn’t installed, when opening one of the troubleshooters in Settings, it will now prompt you to install it, rather than showing an error about not haven’t an app associated for the action.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23526 (Dev Channel)

Changes and Improvements

[General]

  • Insider Preview Build Expiration: The expiration date for Insider Preview builds flighted to the Dev Channel has been updated to 9/15/2024 starting with Build 23526. Please make sure you are updated to the latest build in the Dev Channel.
[Start menu]
  • For files that do not have rich thumbnail previews that can be provided, it will no longer show a blank preview area. This is part of the work for rich thumbnail previews (tooltips) for cloud files on Start that began rolling out with Build 23511.
[Cast]
  • Building off the Cast improvements introduced with Build 23516, we have updated the Cast flyout in Quick Settings with additional support for you in case you face any trouble discovering nearby displays, fixing connections, and more.
[Narrator]
We have made the following improvements for Narrator:
  • Changed default verbosity level from 2 to 3 which will now announce “Immediate Context Name and Type”. The Control context type like “list” or “toolbar” will allow users to better understand the focused control – same default as JAWS and NVDA.
  • Narrator users are unblocked for typing Traditional Chinese characters in Windows by addition of Traditional Chinese dictionary for detailed reading.
We have made the following improvements for Narrator with Braille:
  • When navigating to any attachment in Outlook with scan mode, narrator announces the & of the attachment, the same is now reflected on braille display.
  • Navigate to different headings in Scan Mode using down arrow, or ‘Space + 4’ key in Braille device, now navigating to heading is reflected in Braille.
  • When navigating a list with items , whenever Narrator announces index with the menu item name, Braille display also reflects the same index values as “1 of 4”.

Fixes

[Start menu]

  • Fixed an issue that was making the System label in Start’s all apps list the wrong color in high contrast themes.
[Taskbar & System Tray]
  • Fixed an issue where the taskbar wasn’t loading for some Insiders when logging into their PC after installing the previous build.
  • Disabled the setting for uncombining taskbar buttons on other screens by default when no secondary monitors are connected.
  • Fixed an issue where if the taskbar was set to uncombined it would still show animations even if they’d been turned off.
  • Fixed an issue where app icons on the taskbar would become empty (with no icon) in recent Insider builds after switching between desktops.
  • Fixed an issue where the hidden icons flyout might close unexpectedly when using keyboard navigation to move focus between icons.
  • Fixed an issue where using drag to rearrange icons in the overflow area wasn’t working well when the taskbar was set to uncombined.
  • Fixed an issue where the new bell icon might be very difficult to see in some cases because it was using a dark outline when your taskbar was dark.
  • Fixed an issue where if you had enabled the End Task option in the taskbar, the setting wouldn’t persist across upgrades.
  • Fixed an issue where after upgrading the Bluetooth icon in the system tray might not display in the system tray after upgrade even though your PC supported Bluetooth and the Bluetooth options were shown in Settings.
[Start menu]
  • Fixed an issue where if you attempt to uninstall certain apps, it would just open Settings and not navigate to the Installed Apps page.
[File Explorer]
  • Fixed a high hitting explorer.exe crashes when launching or interacting with File Explorer in the last couple flights.
  • Fixed an issue where using the Reset Folders button in Folder Options could cause explorer.exe to crash.
  • Fixed an issue where the chevrons in the File Explorer address bar were pointing in the wrong direction if your display language was set to Arabic or Hebrew.
  • Fixed an issue where saving files to OneDrive locations in File Explorer could take a very long time, making it seem like the app you were saving from had become unresponsive, in the latest Insider builds.
  • Fixed an issue where the context menu and dropdown menus in File Explorer weren’t working with touch.
  • Made another fix for the issue causing the context menu and dropdown menu backgrounds to be transparent.
  • Fixed an issue where the menu shown when doing a right click drag on one of the newly supported archive formats didn’t have an extract option like it does for zip files.
[Dev Drive]
  • Fixed an issue where Dev Drives might not auto-mount after upgrading to a new build, causing apps that tried to access them to not work.
  • Improved error messages if Dev Drives fail to format.
  • Fixed an issue related to the use of Dev Drives which could cause a bugcheck with an INVALID DATA TRAP on upgrade (and then the upgrade would roll back).
[HDR Backgrounds]
  • Fixed an issue which could cause sporadic explorer.exe crashes when using an HDR wallpaper.
[Narrator]
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator was not reading various list items in a combo box on various web pages when navigating with up and down arrow.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator was incorrectly announcing combo boxes as read-only even when users could actually select different values from the combo box list items.
  • Addressed the issue where Narrator was not announcing the checked and unchecked status of radio buttons but was announcing selected for every item.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator was announcing older information while navigating in date/time picker using arrow keys .
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator was incorrectly reading contents of previous cell and the current cell when navigating in a table using right and left arrow keys.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator is incorrectly reading older Window title even after navigating to inner control.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator is reading entire paragraph when up arrow is invoked in online word document.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator was incorrectly reading out last word of previous paragraph when a new paragraph started with a punctuation mark.
  • Fixed a bug where Narrator was not announcing the character being deleted when using backspace key in some text fields on the web.
  • Fixed an issue in narrator where while entering any number in CVV edit field, Narrator should only announce as “hidden”, instead of “CVV edit, hidden new line selected”.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator is not able to detect different headings on some web pages in scan mode while using “h” key to navigate.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator scan mode arrow navigation skipped first item in container.
  • Fixed an issue, where Narrator is skipping the first item after navigating via landmark using “d” key in scan mode.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator focus did not move past the first check box if there was a list of check boxes when using up and down arrow key in scan mode.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator was not activating combo box when navigating using up and down arrow and using enter/spacebar to activate it in scan mode.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator would collapse the combo boxes in scan mode when navigating with up and down arrows.
  • Fixed an issue where navigation commands are not executed as expected in a dialog box when you enter the dialog the second time.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator find was not working consistently on web pages when using Narrator key + Ctrl + F key combination.
[Input]
  • Fixed an issue where typing with the Japanese and Chinese IMEs may not have performed as expected in certain apps in the last few flights when you had selected the option to use the previous version of the IME. If you are continuing to experience issues with this build installed, please file feedback.
  • Fixed an issue where when inking into a text field, if you were writing in Chinese, certain characters were being perceived as taps and not working.
  • Fixed an issue where inking into a text field while magnifier was running was not working well as the ink was offset.
[Other]
  • Fixed an issue where removing a monitor while connected to a Cloud PC could result in a black screen with only a mouse visible in recent builds.
  • Made some fixes to improve how the Share dialog worked with screen readers, as well as addressing some other accessibility issues.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23531 (Dev Channel)

Changes and Improvements

[General]

  • [REMINDER] Insider Preview Build Expiration: The expiration date for Insider Preview builds flighted to the Dev Channel has been updated to 9/15/2024 starting with Build 23526. Please make sure you are updated to the latest build in the Dev Channel.
  • In the European Economic Area (EEA), Windows system components use the default browser to open links.
[Search on the Taskbar]
  • We’re re-introducing the search experience for invoking the search flyout when you hover over the search box gleam. This behavior can be adjusted by right-clicking on the taskbar, choosing “Taskbar settings” and adjusting your preferred search box experience.

Fixes

[General]

  • Fixed an issue which was causing explorer.exe to not work in safe mode.
[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue which could cause explorer.exe to crash when closing File Explorer.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer to crash when navigating to Gallery if you had a large number of images.
  • Fixed an issue where “Automatically type into the Search Box” wasn’t working when File Explorer was open to Home.
  • Fixed an issue where if you tried to copy and paste, a file out of a compressed folder and into a OneDrive folder might fail with an error code.
[HDR Backgrounds]
  • Fixed an issue which could cause HDR wallpapers to appear washed out when HDR was enabled.
[Task Manager]
  • Fixed an issue where it wasn’t possible to move the Task Manager window with touch or pen.
  • Fixed an issue where Task Manager was crashing when using the reset to default button in Settings.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing sporadic crashes when using Task Manager, including when ending tasks.
  • Fixed an issue where if you did a search and then cleared it, the view would still be filtered even though there was no search anymore.
  • Fixed an issue where the search icon would become overlapped with the Task Manager text in the title bar.
  • Did some work to help improve the performance when switching between different pages in Task Manager.
  • Updated the summary view for the Performance page (that you see when double clicking the graphs in the navigation pane) to make the window smaller.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23536 (Dev Channel)

Fixes

[Windows Copilot]

  • Fixed an issue that was causing the Windows Copilot icon in the taskbar to be flipped backwards for right-to-left languages.
[Taskbar]
  • Fixed an explorer.exe crash impacting taskbar appearing correctly after powering on your device.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing apps in the taskbar to appear cut off without a rounded corner on the end when you had a lot of app windows open, and the taskbar was set to not combine.
[Live captions]
  • Fixed an issue that was causing live captions to sometimes show the same line of text twice.
[Input]
  • Fixed a high hitting ctfmon.exe crash in recent flights, which may have impacted the ability to type for some Insiders.
[Settings]
  • Did some work to help improve the performance of opening Settings for Insiders with the new Home page.
[Task Manager]
  • Fixed an issue that could cause Task Manager to crash when using the end task option in the Details page recent builds.
 
New Updates for Snipping Tool and Notepad for Windows Insiders

Updates for Snipping Tool and Notepad to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels on Windows 11.

Snipping Tool (version 11.2307.44.0)
With this update to Snipping Tool, we are introducing the combined capture bar, making it easier to switch between capturing screenshots and screen recordings without having to open the app. Use the Print Screen or Win + Shift + S keyboard shortcuts to open the capture bar for snipping, where you will continue to find the familiar snipping modes or try the new Win + Shift + R keyboard shortcut to open the capture bar for recording.

We are also improving the screen recording experience based on your feedback by introducing support for optionally recording your PC audio and voice overs using a microphone. New app settings let you configure the default audio recording settings for new screen recordings, and if you have multiple recording devices, you can select your preferred recording device before you start recording.

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

]Notepad (version 11.2307.22.0)

With this update, Notepad will start automatically saving your session state allowing you to close Notepad without any interrupting dialogs and then pick up where you left off when you return. Notepad will automatically restore previously open tabs as well as unsaved content and edits across those open tabs. Saved session state does not impact any of your files, though, and it is still your choice whether to save or discard unsaved changes to files anytime you close a tab. You can turn this feature off in app settings if you would prefer to have a fresh start every time you open Notepad.

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

[PLEASE NOTE: We are beginning to roll these experiences out, so they may not be available to all Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing it out to everyone.]
 
Background Removal in Paint begins rolling out to Windows Insiders

Today we are beginning to roll out an update for the Paint app to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels (version 11.2306.30.0). With this update, we are introducing background removal! With background removal, you can now remove the background of any image automatically in just one click leaving a smooth cutout of the subject. Background removal can detect the subject from the entire canvas or from a selection using the selection tool.

To get started, paste or import content onto the canvas and click on the new remove background button in the toolbar to remove the background on your entire image. You can also use the rectangle select to specify an area that you want to remove the background on.

As always, we love getting feedback from the community and we will be looking out for your thoughts and suggestions on this update!

Please note that an earlier version of this update (version 11.2306.28.0) went live earlier today and includes a bug where a confidentality banner is shown. The newer update (version 11.2306.30.0) will correct the issue.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23541 (Dev Channel)

Changes and Improvements
[Start menu]

  • Rich thumbnail previews (tooltips) for cloud files under Recommended on the Start menu and the ability to right-click to share on these files which rolled out with Build 23511 may temporarily disappear for some Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.

Fixes
[Taskbar]

  • Fixed an issue where dragging app icons in the taskbar may sometimes lead to an explorer.exe crash.
[Search on the Taskbar]
  • Fixed an issue where sometimes the tooltip when mousing over the search box wouldn’t match the current search highlight.
[Dev Drive]
  • Fixed an issue where it wasn’t possible to paste a folder path to mount into the dialog when creating a new Dev Drive.

Microsoft Store Update
Windows Insiders in all channels running version 22308.1401.x.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out:

New Game Pass page: Explore and subscribe to PC Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate through our new dedicated page. With the new experience, you can learn about Game Pass benefits, such as exclusive games, deals, free perks, EA Play, and more. It’s also easier to discover, jump in, and play your next favorite game, including Day One games, new games on Game Pass, Bethesda games, and more.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23545 (Dev Channel)

ISOs for this build can be downloaded here.

Changes and Improvements

[Search on the Taskbar]

  • Instead of providing a hover experience that opens the search box on the taskbar, we are trying out some different experiences for when you click on the search highlight gleam in the search box instead. In some cases, clicking on the gleam will take you to a Bing.com page for the search highlight. A tooltip will always be shown for the search highlight gleam when hovering over the search box. As a reminder, we regularly try out different concepts and get feedback with Insiders in the Dev Channel.
[Windows Share]
  • We’re beginning to roll out the ability to quickly give your device a more friendly name to identify sharing to and from with nearby share under Settings > System > Nearby sharing.
  • We’re also rolling out the ability to see Microsoft Teams (work or school) contacts and to send files to them directly within the built-in Windows share window if you’re signed in with an Entra ID (AAD) account.

Fixes

[File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue which could cause explorer.exe to crash when closing File Explorer.
  • Fixed an issue where when switching between dark and light mode (or a contrast theme) File Explorer’s address bar, command bar, and context menu could get stuck in the wrong colors, making it difficult to see.
  • Fixed an issue where if you launched File Explorer in dark theme you could see a bright white flash as content loaded.
  • Fixed an issue where rapidly opening two File Explorer windows might make explorer.exe crash.
  • Made a few more fixes to help improve File Explorer launch performance, including fixing a leak which would impact performance over time.
  • Fixed an issue which could make explorer.exe crash when navigating away from Home.
  • Fixed an issue where trying to open Gallery after new images had been added might result in a crash.
  • Fixed an issue where the progress wheel in the tab would get stuck showing that File Explorer was loading a folder when the loading had actually already finished.
  • Fixed an issue where File Explorer sorting changes wouldn’t persist in folders after you navigated away and back.
  • Fixed an issue which could cause the icons in File Explorer tabs to be incorrect.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing icons on the desktop to turn into white generic icons until you refreshed the desktop.
[Taskbar]
  • Fixed a high hitting explorer.exe crash in the latest builds impacting taskbar reliability.
[Search on the Taskbar]
  • Fixed an issue that was causing search to not launch sometimes in the latest Dev Channel builds.
[Input]
  • We fixed the issue causing Unicode Emoji 15support which began rolling out with Build 23475 and the updated color font format with COLRv1 support that began rolling out with Build 23506 to no longer appear. These experiences should again be working with this build.
  • Did some work to help address an issue that could cause the Japanese and Chinese IME candidate windows to not appear after using connected standby, due to a crash.
  • Fixed a high hitting tabtip.exe crash that may have impacted the ability to type in the last couple flights.
[Settings]
  • Fixed an issue where Settings wasn’t launching in safe mode for some Insiders.
[Other]
  • Fixed an issue where trying to take window mode screenshots was taking screenshots of the entire screen instead of the app in focus for some Insiders.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23550 (Dev Channel)

What’s new in Build 23550

Voice Access in OOBE 

As part of the work mentioned in Build 23516 for making voice access available to use on more areas in Windows, voice access can be used for setting up your new Windows devices and navigate through OOBE (“out of box experience”). You can launch the accessibility flyout on the bottom right corner of their screens and click on voice access to enable it.

NOTE: You will need to make sure you set up an internet connection while setting up a new device to enable the language model download and set up voice access to use it.

You can navigate OOBE, insert passwords using the on-screen keyboard, type text using dictation and control your mouse and focus using number and grid overlays once voice access has been enabled.

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

Changes and Improvements

[Windows Subsystem for Linux]

  • The September 2023 update for the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is rolling out and includes networking improvements in the latest Insider Preview builds. See this blog post for more details.

Fixes

[General]

  • Fixed an underlying issue which was causing sporadic explorer.exe and Start menu crashes for Insiders in recent builds.
[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue which was causing thumbnails in Gallery to flash sometimes when scrolling.
 
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