Windows 11 Insider DEV Channel

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23555 (Dev Channel)

Fixes

[Copilot]
  • Fixed an issue that was causing explorer.exe to crash when trying to open Copilot from the taskbar.
[Narrator]
  • Fixed an issue that was preventing you from previewing Narrator natural voices in Settings.
  • Fixed an issue that prevented Narrator from reading the time stamp on Start’s recommended items correctly.
[Task Manager]
  • Fixed an issue which was causing a Task Manager crash when changing Always on Top mode.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23560 (Dev Channel)

There will not be a SDK for this build.

Changes and Improvements
[Copilot in Windows*]
  • We’re beginning to roll out the ability to use Copilot in Windows with ALT + TAB. Using the ALT + TAB hotkey now displays the thumbnail preview for Copilot in Windows among the other thumbnail previews of open windows, which you can switch between by pressing Tab.

Fixes
[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue which could make the File Explorer dropdowns and context menu unexpectedly have a transparent background sometimes.
  • Fixed an issue where the search box wasn’t showing the correct folder name when you were in Gallery.
[Taskbar]
  • Fixed an explorer.exe crash impacting taskbar reliability.
[Narrator]
  • Fixed an issue where languages other than U.S. English couldn’t preview Narrator natural voices in Settings.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator wasn’t reading out the time stamps on recommended items in Start correctly.
[Task Manager]
  • Did some work to help improve performance when expanding the navigation pane in Task Manager.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23565 (Dev Channel)

To celebrate the 9-year anniversary of the Windows Insider Program this month, we are releasing two new special desktop backgrounds for you to download and use with Insider Preview builds. Download the light theme version here and download the dark theme version here.

Changes and Improvements

[Copilot in Windows*]
  • Copilot in Windows now shows the new icon on the taskbar.
[Windows Spotlight]
  • We are trying out Windows Spotlight on desktop on by default as the default background for upgrades where Insiders are using one of the inbox default desktop backgrounds. We are trying this experience out with a limited number of Insiders at first.
Fixes

[File Explorer]
  • Fixed a few issues impacting File Explorer reliability.
  • Fixed an underlying issue which could cause File Explorer windows to hang for OneDrive users.
  • If there are a lot of images to load in Gallery, it will now show a loading state rather than implying Gallery is empty while it loads.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23570 (Dev Channel)

Changes and Improvements

[Copilot in Windows*]
  • Copilot in Windows can now be used across multiple monitors. Simply press the Copilot button on the taskbar on whichever monitor you want Copilot to show on or use the WIN + C shortcut to show Copilot on the last monitor that it was visible on. If you are using a keyboard, you can use the WIN + T keyboard shortcut to put the keyboard focus on the taskbar and navigate to the Copilot taskbar button to show Copilot on any monitor.
[Start menu]
  • The Xbox Game Bar will now show as just Game Bar under the Start menu and also under Settings > System > Apps > Installed apps. This change will come through a Game Bar update via the Microsoft Store.

Fixes

[File Explorer]
  • Fixed a few issues which could lead to hangs when launching File Explorer.
[Start menu]
  • Fixed an issue where apps sometimes weren’t sorted into the correct location in the Start menu all apps list when using the Japanese display language.
[Search on the Taskbar]
  • Fixed an underlying search crash in the last few builds.
[Settings]
  • Fixed an issue where Home was unexpectedly showing some users that there was NaN% storage left.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23575 (Dev Channel)

Changes and Improvements

[Start menu]
  • We’re trying out grouping recently added apps on your PC into a folder under the Recommended section of Start with some Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.

Fixes

[General]
  • Fixed an issue which was causing certain games to fail to launch with a 0x1 error in the last 2 Dev Channel flights.
[Copilot in Windows*]
  • Fixed an issue causing some Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel using the Home edition of Windows 11 Insider Preview builds to find Copilot in Windows has disappeared from the taskbar.
[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue where hovering over the first picture in Gallery would make a tooltip appear that would never dismiss.
  • Fixed an issue where closing File Explorer could cause an explorer.exe crash sometimes.
  • Did some work to improve the performance of opening the context menu.
  • Fixed an issue where the second time you opened dropdown menus in File Explorer, you wouldn’t be able to scroll it with touch.
[Settings]
  • Fixed an issue where Settings Home might show a prompt to sign into your Microsoft account, and fail to sign in if you tried to use it, even though Settings itself showed you were already signed in.
[Task Manager]
  • Fixed an issue where the dropdowns in settings would float up the screen if you scrolled.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23580 (Dev Channel)

Changes and Improvements

[Copilot in Windows*]
  • Starting with Build 23580 in the Dev Channel, users with local accounts will be able to access Copilot in Windows for a limited number of queries before needing to sign in.
[Windows Share]
  • We have significantly improved nearby share transfer speed for users on same network. Before these changes, users had to be on the same private network but now users just have to be on the same network, which could be public or private. You can quickly turn on nearby share via Quick Settings and simply right-click on a local file in File Explorer, choose “Share”, and choose to share to a device listed under Nearby Share in the Windows share window.
Fixes

[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue where using mouse back and forward buttons didn’t react when hovering over the Recommended Files section of Home.
  • Fixed an issue where Gallery would stop displaying correctly if you applied Group By to all folders.
[Desktops]
  • Fixed an issue that made the desktop tooltips in Task view hard to read in contrast themes.
  • Fixed an issue that was causing taskbar icons to disappear after switching desktops.
[Search on the Taskbar]
  • Fixed an issue where if your taskbar was close to being full of icons and you used the search box, clicking the search box would open search and then it would immediately close.
[Windows Spotlight]
  • Fixed an issue which was resulting in Windows Spotlight wallpapers not showing correctly in the desktop thumbnail in Task View.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23585 (Dev Channel)

Changes and Improvements

[General]
  • The Camera app, Cortana, Photos app, and People app, and Remote Desktop (MSTSC) client can be uninstalled.

Fixes

[General]
  • Fixed a few issues leading to explorer.exe crashes.
[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue causing the context menu to draw off screen when invoked using touch or pen on the side of your desktop.
[Taskbar]
  • Fixed the issue causing the purple Chat button to show up again on the taskbar after updating to Build 23580.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23590 (Dev Channel)

ISOs for this build can be downloaded here.

What's new in Build 23590

Natural Voices Previews in Narrator
We are introducing previews for natural voices of 10 new locales launched in September 2023. As a reminder, those natural voices include Chinese, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Mexico), Japanese, English (UK), French, Portuguese, English (India),German and Korean.

These previews will allow the users to listen to the natural voices before downloading the voice model. Natural Narrator voices use modern, on-device text to speech and once downloaded are supported without an internet connection. Please note to listen to the previews, an internet connection is required.

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

  • Open Narrator Settings by pressing the WIN + CTRL + N hotkey.
  • Under Narrator's voice, select the Add button next to Add natural voices.
  • Select the voice you want to install. You can install all voices, but you must install them separately.
  • The preview will play automatically once you navigate through the list.
  • If you like the preview, click on "Download and Install". The new voice will be downloaded and ready for use in a few minutes, depending on your internet download speed.
  • 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.

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

Enhanced image consumption experience in Narrator
We are improving the image consumption experience with Narrator. There are two major changes:

  • We have introduced a new keyboard command for navigating between the images/graphics on a screen/page. Now, you can use the keys "G" or "Shift + G" to navigate forward or backwards between images in Scan mode (Narrator key + spacebar).
  • Recognition of text in images, including handwriting, is improved along with improvements to overall image descriptions. You can try the enhanced experience by navigating to the image and pressing Narrator key + CTRL + D key combination when the focus is on an image. This feature requires an active internet connection, and the setting to get Image Descriptions must be enabled in Narrator Settings.

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

Changes and Improvements

[General]
  • Steps Recorder will not receive further updates and is planned for removal in a future Windows release. Starting in this build, Steps Recorder (PSR.exe) will display a new banner notification to guide users towards alternative options. We encourage our users to explore other options in Windows 11 such as Snipping tool, Xbox Game bar or Microsoft Clipchamp. For more, see this article.
[Windows Share]
  • The Windows share window will now only show apps under "Share using" that are tied to the account you are signed into Windows with – either Microsoft account (MSA) or Microsoft Entra ID (previously Azure Active Directory). If you are signed in with an MSA, you will see Microsoft Teams (free) instead of Microsoft Teams (work or school) and not both for example.
  • If you're signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID, your Microsoft Teams (work or school) contacts will appear in the Windows share window to quickly share to.
[Nearby Sharing]
  • If you turn on nearby sharing via quick settings or directly in Settings and you have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off, it will turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on so nearby sharing will work as expected. If you turn off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, it will also turn off nearby sharing
[Narrator]
  • In Microsoft Word, Narrator will now announce the presence of a draft comment, a resolved comment, a bookmark, or the availability of accessibility suggestions when reading text in the document.

Fixes

[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue causing File Explorer to crash on launch for some Insiders in the last few builds if you were using a non-default regional sorting option.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing opening the context menu on the desktop to crash explorer.exe in the last couple flights for some Insiders.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing explorer.exe to crash sometimes when entering paths into the address bar.
[Narrator]
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator was not correctly announcing the selected item in combo boxes when users try to change the combo box value using key combination Control + up or down arrow.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator was announcing old dialog names even after users navigate to new dialog on few web pages.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator was not reading Role of a control in tables on the web while using table navigation commands CTRL + ALT + Arrow keys.
  • Addressed an issue where Narrator was not announcing the selected state of menu items in few applications such as device manager.
  • Fixed an issue where Narrator was announcing both the unselected value and the newly selected value in elements such as date fields or any elements that are formatted as tables.
[Magnifier]
  • Fixed an issue in Magnifier settings page where the text blow "voice speed" slider was not following the color contrast guidelines.
[Settings]
  • Fixed an issue where the Experimental Features section of Narrator Settings didn't have text.
[Windows Share]
  • Fixed an issue which was causing the share window to crash in the last couple builds.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23595 (Dev Channel)

Changes and Improvements

[Copilot in Windows*]
  • We are making a change where the Copilot icon is shown on the right side of the system tray on the taskbar to make the entry point to Copilot more clear and easily accessible by being closer to where the Copilot pane opens. As part of this change, we have defaulted the “show the desktop” behavior for the far-right corner of the taskbar to off and this can be re-enabled in the taskbar behaviors section under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar (you can simply right-click on the taskbar to get to this).
  • We are beginning to re-rollout the change previously documented with Build 23570 that introduces support for Copilot in Windows to be used across multiple monitors. Simply press the Copilot button on the taskbar on whichever monitor you want Copilot to show on or use the WIN + C shortcut to show Copilot on the last monitor that it was visible on. If you are using a keyboard, you can use the WIN + T keyboard shortcut to put the keyboard focus on the taskbar and navigate to the Copilot taskbar button to show Copilot on any monitor.
[Windows Share]
  • If you’re signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID, in addition to being able to share to your Microsoft Teams (work or school) contacts, you can also now share directly to specific Microsoft Teams Channels and groups chats as well directly within the Windows share window.
[Windows Ink]
  • We are expanding the ability to use digital handwriting (inking) in some edit boxes for Windows Ink to the following languages and locales: Chinese Simplified (People’s Republic of China), English (Australia), English (Canada), English (India), English (United Kingdom), French (Canada), French (France), German (Germany), Italian (Italy), Japanese (Japan), Korean (Korea)Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Mexico), and Spanish (Spain). This also includes more accurate recognition technology, gestures to delete, select, join, and split words and also gesture to insert a new line.
[Nearby Sharing]
  • We’re beginning to roll out a change where you will be able to able to discover and share files with their Android devices in discoverable mode through Bluetooth under Nearby Share in the Windows share window.
[Task Manager]
  • We improved process grouping in the processes page for Task Manager.
[Settings]
  • This update starts the roll out of account-related notifications for Microsoft accounts on the Settings homepage. A Microsoft account connects Windows to your Microsoft apps. The account backs up all your data and helps you manage your subscriptions. You can also add extra security steps to keep you from being locked out of your account. This feature displays notifications across the Start menu and Settings. You can manage Settings notifications in Settings > Privacy & security > General.
  • Xbox Game Bar is now Game Bar under Settings > Gaming.
  • We’re beginning to update references to Azure Active Directory (AAD) to Microsoft Entra ID in Settings.

Fixes

[Desktops]
  • Fixed an issue that was causing custom wallpapers to shift when switching desktops.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23601 (Dev Channel)

What’s new in Build 23601

New features and improvements for Windows 365 Boot

The following improvements are beginning to roll out for Windows 365 Boot. (Local PC and Cloud PC should be on the same build.)

Personal mode for Windows 365 Boot: We are now launching a new mode for Windows 365 Boot – personal mode. You can now boot to your Windows 365 Cloud PC from your designated company-owned device. You will be able to seamlessly login to your Windows 365 Cloud PC from Windows 11 login screen using password-less authentication methods like Windows Hello for Business. The new personal mode also comes with fast account switcher experience to effortlessly switch profiles to login in, personalized experience with your username and password, display picture on lock and login screen, remember your username, etc.

Customized company logo and name for Windows 365 Boot: In shared mode, organizations can now customize the login page to include their company branding from Intune.

Fail fast mechanism for Windows 365 Boot: You no longer need to wait for the sign in process to the Cloud PC to complete only to find out Windows 365 Boot failed due to network issues or incomplete setup. The smart logic proactively informs users to resolve network issues or complete app setup so users can experience a smooth login to their Cloud PC.

Manage local PC settings through Windows 365 Boot: With this feature, it is now easier for you to access and manage sound, display, and other device specific settings of their local PC directly from your Cloud PC in under Windows 365 Boot.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Windows 365.

New features and improvements for Windows 365 Switch

The following improvements are beginning to roll out for Windows 365 Switch. (Local PC and Cloud PC should be on the same build.)

Improved disconnect experience for Windows 365 Switch: You can now disconnect from their Cloud PC directly from their local PC. This can be done by going to Local PC > Task view > Right click on the Cloud PC button > Disconnect. We have also added tooltips on disconnect and sign-out options in the Cloud PC Start menu so that you can differentiate between these functionalities.

Desktop indicators to differentiate between Cloud PC and local PC for Windows 365 Switch: You will now see the term “Cloud PC” and “Local PC” on the desktop indicator when you switch between your respective PCs.

Gracefully handling increased connection time for Windows 365 Switch to Frontline Cloud PC: You will now see updates regarding the Cloud PC connection status and the connection timeout indicator while waiting on the connection screen. In case there is an error, you will now be able to copy the correlation ID using the new copy button in the error screen for quicker resolution.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Desktop Environment > Switch to Cloud PC (From Task view).

Improving discoverability of screen casting in Windows 11
Casting from your Windows PC allows you to wirelessly extend your display to another nearby PC, TV or other external displays. After trying some improvements to this experience out with Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel with Build 23516, we’re making some additional refinement to those improvements that focus on educating users about the Cast feature and improving its discoverability 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 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.
FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Display and Graphics > Wireless Display and Casting.

New widgets board settings
We’ve updated the widget settings experience, providing more ways for users to customize their widgets board experience. One of the new settings enables you to just show widgets on your widgets board and another makes it easier for you to discover how to personalize your feed content.

The new settings experience also allows you to select the account you want to use for your Microsoft Start powered widgets and feeds. This means you are no longer limited to using the account you used to sign into Windows to drive those experiences, just like your other app powered widgets. You can easily manage the account used by Microsoft Start by navigating to ‘Microsoft Start’ settings under the ‘Personalize your content’ section in your widgets board settings. This change allows you to further personalize the experience to your preferences. The new settings experience is not limited by region.

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

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

Changes and Improvements

[General]
  • Starting early next week, Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel on Build 23601 will be prompted to reboot to install Windows Configuration Update (KB1234567). Windows Configuration Updates are what we use to new features via Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR) technology. Windows Configuration Update (KB1234567) does not enable any new features as we’re testing the delivery of these updates via our servicing pipeline, and the reboot prompt to install them. After rebooting to install this update, it will be listed under “Other Updates” under Settings > Windows Update > Update History.
[Copilot in Windows*]
  • We are trying out the ability to “undock” Copilot in Windows with Windows Insiders. Just click the new icon to unpin the Copilot panel at the top right in the header. While undocked, Copilot can appear above or below other apps in Windows while maintaining its fixed position on the desktop. This allows users to access Copilot while minimizing disruption to other user activities. Additionally, can resize the Copilot window for a more comfortable experience. Simply click-and-drag the edge of the Copilot window to adjust the width to your needs.
  • We are trying out a change where when swiping from the right edge of the desktop on a touch display will open Copilot instead of notifications.
[Windows Share]
  • The Windows share window now supports sharing with WhatsApp under the “Share using” section. If you don’t have WhatsApp installed, you can choose to install it from Windows share window directly. Over time, we plan to try this experience out with other apps as well.
[Nearby Sharing]
  • We are introducing 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. This change originally began rolling out with Build 23545, but we are re-rolling it out with improvements to the experience. Let us know what you think.
[Narrator]
  • Narrator users can now use voice access to open applications, dictate text and interact with elements on the screen using their voice. Narrator users can use voice access to give Narrator commands using their voice . For e.g., “speak faster”, “read next line”, etc. To get started, search for “voice access” in Windows search and set it up.

Fixes

[Copilot in Windows*]
  • Fixed an issue that was causing full screen apps to minimize on secondary monitors when launching Copilot.
[Start menu]
  • Fixed an issue causing the Recommended section to appear blank for some Insiders.
[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue impacting explorer.exe reliability.
[Taskbar]
  • Fixed an issue where uncombined taskbar icons were cutting off the title instead of adjusting with the title length.
[Task Manager][/B]
  • When creating a dump file for a process, the dump file location should be selectable now, so you can copy it out.
[Settings]
  • Fixed an issue where if you go to System > Nearby Sharing it was crashing Settings.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23606 (Dev Channel)

ISOs for this build can be downloaded here. This will be the last Dev Channel flight until January 2024.

Changes and Improvements

[General]
  • Windows 11 is transitioning from Windows Speech Recognition (WSR) to voice access. WSR is being deprecated. A dialog will pop up when WSR is opened directing you to try voice access and we have also added a banner under Settings > Accessibility > Speech as well. Voice access, our new assistive technology in Windows 11, uses on-device speech recognition, enabling control of your PC and authoring text without an internet connection. It will support multiple languages and custom commands in a future update (these features are now available for Windows Insiders to try in the Dev and Beta Channels). We recommend WSR users try and start using voice access today.

Fixes

[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an underlying issue causing the details pane in File Explorer to unexpectedly take keyboard focus sometimes.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer to crash when accessing or scrolling Gallery.
[Input]
  • Fixed a high hitting tabtip.exe crash when trying to use pen input in the previous flight.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23612 (Dev Channel)

What’s new in Build 23612

Richer weather experience on the lock screen
We are introducing a richer weather experience to your lock screen. This includes dynamic, interactive weather updates. So, as you hover over the weather experience on your lock screen, you will see more information. When you tap or click on the weather card and sign in, Microsoft Edge opens with the full forecast in MSN Weather. If you already use Weather under Settings > Personalization > Lock screen > Lock screen status, there is nothing for you to do. Also, this new experience will be on by default. Should you not want to see this experience, you can change your lock screen status to “None.” This rich weather experience is available when you lock your screen no matter which personalization option you select (Windows spotlight, Picture, or Slideshow).

[We are beginning to roll this out starting with EN-US only, 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 > Lock screen.

Extended languages, multi-display support, and custom commands for voice access

Extended language support: We have extended voice access to support other languages such as French (France), French (Canada), German, Spanish (Spain) and Spanish (Mexico).

When voice access is turned on for the first time, you will be prompted to download a speech model to enable on-device recognition of voice data. In case voice access does not find a speech model matching your display language, you can still choose to proceed ahead to use voice access in English (United States).

You can always switch to a different language by navigating to Settings > Language on the voice access bar.

Multi-display support: You can now use all voice access features on multiple displays, including number and grid overlays which were previously unavailable on any display other than the primary one.

The grid overlay feature has been further developed to allow you to not only interact with the screen you are currently using, but also quickly switch to another display. You can also use the drag and drop feature to move files, apps, and documents from one display to another.

After invoking the grid overlay, use to quickly shift to focus to another display. You can use either the alphabet or NATO phonetic in your command; for example, “B” or “Bravo” would both be valid as shown in the screenshot in the linked post.

You can also use the accelerated command “mouse grid ..” to quickly move your mouse to a specific point on a specific display. In this case we used “mousegrid A 114” as shown in the above screenshot.

Voice shortcuts: We are introducing voice shortcuts or custom commands to enable you to create your very own command. This is currently available if you use voice access in English.

Creating commands that map to single action, such as opening a URL, or a series of actions performed in sequence, is easy. To get started, say “what can I say” and click on the “Voice shortcuts” tab on the left panel, or use the command “show voice shortcuts” to directly launch the voice shortcuts page. Then, click on the Create Command button to begin the process.

Create a command by using either voice or any other input modality. Give it a name, select one or multiple actions, fill in the necessary information and then click “Create”. Your command is now ready to be used.

You can view all the voice shortcuts you have created either from the command help page or by using the command “show voice shortcuts”.

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

Fixes

[Start menu]
  • Fixed an issue which was causing the text input indicator to appear floating when you opened Start menu.
[File Explorer]
  • Made a change to help fix an issue which could cause the spacing between your desktop icons to become extremely wide.
  • Fixed an issue which could cause explorer.exe to crash when opening the context menu in file explorer if multiple files were selected.
[Widgets]
  • We fixed the issue causing a loading delay when the Microsoft Start feed is reenabled.
  • We fixed the issue causing the Widgets Board to not automatically close and reopen when enabling or disabling feeds.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23619 (Dev Channel)

What’s new in Build 23619

Instantly access new photos and screenshots from your mobile device
We are also beginning to gradually roll out a new feature for Windows that introduces the ability to effortlessly access and edit your most recent photos and screenshots from your Android mobile device in Snipping Tool on your PC. With this feature, you’ll receive instant notifications on your PC whenever a new photo or screenshot is captured on your Android device.

To enable this experience, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices (this settings page was updated with Build 26016 in the Canary Channel and Build 23606 in the Dev Channel) and choose “Manage devices” and allow your PC to access your Android phone. Your PC will get a Cross Device Experience Host update in the Microsoft Store that is required for this experience to work.

This new experience replaces the remote capture with Phone Link experience that was announced back in September.

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

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

Changes and Improvements

[Start menu]
  • For people logged into Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise editions with a Microsoft Entra ID account, we are trying out the ability to view and join upcoming Microsoft Teams meetings directly from the Start menu. The next online Teams meeting will show up as a Recommended item 5 minutes before it begins, clicking the meeting recommendation will open the join meeting flow in Teams.

Fixes

[File Explorer]
  • Did some more work to help improve the launch performance of File Explorer.
[Task Manager]
  • Fixed an issue where dragging the Task Manager window wouldn’t work if your mouse was on the search box.
[Other]
  • Fixed a crash when you tried to add natural voices for Narrator in Settings.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23620 (Dev Channel)

Fixes

[Start menu]
  • Fixed an issue that was causing labels like System in the Start menu’s all apps list to be cut off if text scaling is above 100%.
[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue impacting explorer.exe reliability.
[Widgets]
  • Fixed the issue where announcements from the Microsoft Start feed are still shown on the taskbar after the feed is hidden.
  • Fixed the issue where spacing and fonts used in some settings pages were incorrect.
[Task Manager]
  • Fixed an issue impacting Task Manager reliability on the last few builds.
[Accessibility]
  • Fixed an issue which was causing voice access to crash when setting up new languages.
  • Fixed multiple crashes impacting narrator, including one when trying to add new natural voices.
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26052 (Canary and Dev Channels)

Insiders in the Canary Channel will receive Build 26052.1000 while Insiders in the Dev Channel will receive Build 26052.1100 (KB5035384) as we test delivery of a full build and a servicing update at the same time. There is no difference between the two of these as Build 26052.1100 does not include any additional code. (Arm64 devices in the Dev Channel will not receive Build 26052.1100.)

Flighting updates for Windows Insiders in the Canary & Dev Channels

Starting today, Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel are being moved from receiving 23000 series builds to receiving 26000 series builds.

Insiders in the Dev Channel will gain a set of new features such as energy saver, scrollable quick settings, QR codes for Wi-Fi sharing, support for creating 7-zip and TAR archives in addition to ZIP in File Explorer, Windows protected print mode, voice clarity, along with recent Server Message Block (SMB) protocol changes and improvements to Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS), and improvements across Settings and improvements for Bluetooth and Graphics as well. Note that apps such as Tips and WordPad will be removed after upgrading to this build.

The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the times in which the Canary and Dev Channels are on the same builds (e.g. Build 26052), the window is open for Insiders in the Canary Channel to switch to the Dev Channel. At some point in the future, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed.

If you are a gamer, please take note that some popular games may not work correctly or crash when launched on these builds. Over time, we expect this experience to improve as bugs get fixed.

NOTE: As part of this move, rollouts for some features in the Dev Channel may get reset which means in a small number of cases features might disappear. As we ramp up feature rollouts, these features should return over time. Some features may begin rolling out to the Canary Channel first before the Dev Channel even if the two channels have the same build.

What's new in Build 26052

Sudo for Windows
Sudo for Windows provides a new, yet familiar way to way to elevate processes directly from the command-line.

The sudo command can be configured to run in three different modes:
  • In a new window: A new window will open in which the elevated command will run.
  • With input disabled: The elevated command will run inline with its stdin closed in the window from which you've triggered elevation. You will not be able to interact with the elevated process.
  • Inline: The elevated command will run inline in the window from which you've triggered elevation. This mode is most similar to the sudo experience on other platforms.
It is recommended that you review the security considerations for each mode here before enabling the sudo command on your machine.

Here is how you can enable the sudo command: Just navigate to Settings > System > For developers and toggle on the sudo command. Configure how the sudo command behaves by selected one of the modes in the drop-down menu (In a new window, with input disabled, inline).

NOTE: The setting for enabling Sudo may incorrectly be showing on Windows Server Insider Preview builds – this feature will not be available on Windows Server and the setting will be disabled in a future Server Insider Preview build.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Developer platform > command line.

Enhancements in Hearing Aid Support
As announced in October 2023, Windows took a step forward in accessibility, allowing direct pairing, audio streaming, and smooth call handling for customers with Bluetooth® Low Energy Audio (LE Audio) supported hearing aids on LE Audio-compatible PCs. Now, we are thrilled to introduce a set of features that will take this support to the next level: We're introducing new capabilities to control audio presets, ambient sounds, and experience enhancements to the Settings > Bluetooth & devices page.

Customers can now adjust the audio presets that they or their audiologist configured in their hearing aids, right from the Settings or Quick Settings UI in Windows. These controls allow customers to quickly adjust the behavior of their hearing aids to their preference for the environment they're in. Preset options and availability will vary based on the model and configuration of hearing aids.

We're also introducing capabilities for customers to adjust the volume of ambient sound captured by their hearing aids. These controls adjust the balance between streamed audio and sound picked up from the surrounding environment, helping customers choose what they want to focus on. Ambient sound control availability will vary based on the model of hearing aids.

These features require both your Windows device and hearing aid to support Bluetooth LE Audio. Note that not all Windows 11 PCs or hearing aids, even ones that support Bluetooth LE, have support for LE Audio. To learn more about LE Audio compatibility on Windows, please visit this link: Check if your Windows 11 PC supports Bluetooth Low Energy Audio. To learn more about LE Audio compatibility with hearing aids, consult your manufacturer or audiologist.

We've also enhanced the Bluetooth & devices settings page to provide additional functionality. Customers will now be able to:

  • Monitor essential Bluetooth device details when available, such as battery life and connection status, through an expandable menu for each connected device.
  • For audio devices, effortlessly access the System > Sound > Properties page to control audio settings for that device.
These new enhancements are available for hearing aids and all other devices on this page. To try out this feature, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers > Bluetooth – Audio quality, glitches, choppiness, and stuttering.

Audio mic test utility to test audio in different processing modes
Windows now offers a convenient way to test the difference between Default and Communication mode audio. This new utility can be found under the microphone properties via Settings > System > Sound. You can select the mode and record/listen to audio in both modes, allowing you to easily compare audio processing modes for applications built for the Windows ecosystem. Some audio drivers come with special audio effects for communications, and the toggle lets users hear how audio captured in your microphone sounds when recorded by a communications application versus a non-communications application. It's important to note that the utility is for testing purposes only and will not affect the actual mode of the audio. You can use this to try out the Voice Clarity feature in the last flight!

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

Changes and Improvements

[General]
  • Starting with Build 26-xx today, Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels will see the versioning updated under Settings > System > About (and winver) to version 24H2. This denotes that Windows 11, version 24H2 will be this year's annual feature update. As mentioned here, Windows 11 will have an annual feature update cadence that releases in the second half of the calendar year.
  • Plugging in to use a Windows Mixed Reality headset will not work starting with his build. Windows Mixed Reality is no longer available to users as Windows Mixed Reality has been announced as deprecated. This includes the Mixed Reality Portal app, and Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR and Steam VR Beta. Existing Windows Mixed Reality devices will continue to work with Steam through November 2026, if users remain on their current released version of Windows 11 (version 23H2) and do not upgrade to this year's annual feature update for Windows 11 (version 24H2). This deprecation does not impact HoloLens.
  • Microsoft Defender Application Guard (MDAG) is no longer available as a feature on demand starting with this build. Microsoft Defender Application Guard for Office and Edge has been announced as deprecated.
[Copilot in Windows*]
  • We are trying out a new experience for Copilot in Windows that helps showcase the ways that Copilot can accelerate and enhance your work. This experience will show when you copy text – since Copilot supports helpful actions that you can take with text content. In this scenario, the Copilot icon will change appearance and animate to indicate that Copilot can help (there are several different treatments so you may notice a different visual effect). When you hover your mouse over the Copilot icon, it will provide a menu of actions that you can take, such as summarizing or explaining the copied text. If you select an action on the menu, it will launch Copilot with the action ready-to-go. We will also support the ability to launch Copilot if you start dragging an image – just drag the image file onto the Copilot icon in the taskbar, and Copilot will open. You can then drop the image into the text box in Copilot and type an action that you would like to take on the image content.
  • After [URL'https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/01/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23615-dev-channel']temporarily disabling[/URL] this experience to fix an issue, we are trying out opening Copilot automatically when Windows starts on widescreen devices again with some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels. This can be managed via Settings > Personalization > Copilot. Note that this is rolling out so not all Insiders in the Dev Channel will see this right away. We're trying this experience out on devices that have minimum diagonal screen size of 27" and pixel width of 1920 pixels and limited to primary display screens in multi-monitor scenarios. As a reminder, we regularly try out different experiences with Windows Insiders that may not ever ship, and others could show up in future Windows releases when they're ready.
[Taskbar & System Tray]
  • We have updated the energy saver icon for desktop PCs (PCs without batteries). This icon is shown on the system tray when energy saver is enabled, under quick settings, and under Settings > System power & battery.
[Bluetooth]
  • Today, when discovering available Bluetooth devices to connect to, Windows filters out device classes that are uncommon. Customers who wish to override this filter and see all nearby devices available to pair can do so by choosing "Advanced" for the "Bluetooth devices discovery" setting. Starting with this build, we are removing that option and introducing some changes to the add device workflow to streamline this experience. Now, discovery will always scan for all devices, but only show common device types by default. Whenever an "uncommon" device is found during the discovery process, an option to "Show all devices" will be displayed to the customer.
[Graphics]
  • Windows Insiders who use the Color Management Control Panel to make changes to their color profiles can now use the all-new Color management settings page located under Settings > System > Display > Color management. This new settings page will allow users to add or remove color profiles, as well as set default color profiles for the connected displays. In addition, auto color management can now be found on the new Color management settings page.
[Registry Editor]
  • The Registry Editor now supports limiting a search to the currently selected key and its descendants.
[Developer APIs]
  • Starting with this build, we are introducing the Power Grid Forecast API. This API empowers app developers to optimize app behavior, minimizing environmental impact by shifting background tasks to times when more renewable energy is available in the local electrical grid. The result is lower carbon emissions for app users. Please note that forecast quality varies by region and is not available globally. While the API is available in this build, we are still working on public documentation, sample code, and we have a couple of bug fixes checked in. All of this should make its way to Insiders in the coming weeks.
  • We are adding an energy saver notification callback setting GUID to represent the new energy saver experience introduced in Build 26002. Apps can subscribe to the energy saver status by passing the appropriate GUID to the PowerSettingRegisterNotification API and can implement different behaviors to optimize energy or performance depending on the current energy saver status. More details can be found in here.
  • We are making a minor extension of the existing Effective Power Mode API to interpret the new energy saver levels when determining the returned effective power mode. Documentation will be updated shortly.
[Security]
Settings]
[Other]
  • We've adjusted the text in the notification when a PC detects a slow charger.
  • You can now use the Camera app to join a Wi-Fi network. Just scan a QR code with Wi-Fi details and a link will be provided that will open Settings to quickly get the new Wi-Fi profile added and connected. As a reminder, starting with Build 25977 in the Canary Channel you can create your own QR code for Wi-Fi and share it with others. This also works for mobile hotspots too.
Fixes for known issues
  • We fixed the issue where in some multi-monitor configurations, a display would appear as frozen in Build 26040.
  • Fixed a DWM issue in Build 26040 causing some rendering issues.
  • Fixed an issue causing Build 26040 flight to fail to install for some Insiders with error code 0x80188306.
  • Fixed an issue causing the print queue to not open in recent Canary Channel flights.
  • Did some more work to help improve the launch performance of File Explorer.
  • Fixed multiple crashes impacting system tray and its flyouts.
  • The volume slider in quick settings will now make a sound when adjusted again.
  • When using the save dialog, if you try to save a file to Gallery in File Explorer, it will now save to your Pictures library rather than showing an error.
 
Via X/Twitter:

We added a very important known issue for Dev Drive users on Build 26052: Insiders who have Dev Drives and might need to rollback will need to back up their Dev Drives BEFORE rolling back as rolling back will cause Dev Drives to break and data on them to be lost. ^BLB
Click to expand...
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26058 (Canary and Dev Channels)

ISOs for this build can be downloaded here.

Insiders in the Canary Channel will receive Build 26058.1000 while Insiders in the Dev Channel will receive Build 26058.1100 (KB5036078) delivery of a full build and a servicing update at the same time are tested. There is no difference between the two of these as Build 26058.1100 does not include any additional code.

Please read the known issues in the blog post. This build still has the issue impacting Dev Drive users. In addition, a few issues have also been added based on feedback from last week’s flight and an issue with using the ISOs being released today to do an upgrade.

The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the times in which the Canary and Dev Channels are on the same builds (e.g. Build 26058), the window is open for Insiders in the Canary Channel to switch to the Dev Channel. At some point in the future, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed.

NOTE: Some features may begin rolling out to the Canary Channel first before the Dev Channel even if the two channels have the same build.

What’s new in Build 26058

Pointer Indicator: New accessibility setting for low vision Windows users
Low vision users on Windows can now easily locate and use their cursor. This will allow these users to be more productive and efficient when using a Windows device.

To enable this experience, go to Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch and enable the Pointer indicator setting. You can also search for the setting by name. When the setting is enabled, you can toggle it on/off with the keyboard shortcut, Win + Ctrl + X.

To enable this experience, go to Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch and enable the Pointer indicator setting. You can also search for the setting by name. When the setting is enabled, you can toggle it on/off with the keyboard shortcut, Win + Ctrl + X.

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

Widgets board improvements
We’re continuing to evolve the widgets board experience and you can now have more space for your favorite widgets and stay on top of current events with a feed that helps you discover the world around you. With the introduction of the new navigation bar on the left, you can switch between a dedicated widgets dashboard and other integrated dashboards like Discover. Give it a try and let us know what you think using the feedback button at the top of the board.

[We are beginning to roll this out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels today, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders just yet.]

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

New notification badging for Widgets
We’re beginning to roll out a new badging experience for Widgets. Widgets badges will notify you when you miss an important notification on your taskbar. Below is an example of a notification badge for Widgets that shows that there are three missed notifications.

When you open the Widgets board you can see details for the notifications you missed in the top left corner of the board.

[We are beginning to roll this out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels today, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders just yet.]

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

Richer weather experience on the lock screen
If you are in the Canary Channel, you should start to see the richer weather experience on your lock screen. This includes dynamic, interactive weather updates. So, as you hover over the weather experience on your lock screen, you will see more information. When you tap or click on the weather card and sign in, Microsoft Edge opens with the full forecast in MSN Weather. If you already use Weather under Settings > Personalization > Lock screen > Lock screen status, there is nothing for you to do. Also, this new experience will be on by default. Should you not want to see this experience, you can change your lock screen status to “None.” This rich weather experience is available when you lock your screen no matter which personalization option you select (Windows spotlight, Picture, or Slideshow).

[We are currently rolling this out starting with EN-US only, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders in the Canary or 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 Desktop Environment > Lock screen.

Changes and Improvements
[General]
  • WIN + CTRL + S will now open voice access instead of Windows Speech Recognition (WSR). Windows 11 is transitioning from WSR to voice access. WSR is being deprecated.
[File Explorer]
  • To make it easier to use the File Explorer context menu, labels have been added to previously unlabeled actions such as cut, copy, paste, rename, share, and delete.
[Command Prompt]
  • If you run [URLhttps://learn.microsoft.com/windows/package-manager/winget]winget[/URL], or any other package manager configured to do so, Command Prompt (CMD) will now look for changes to the PATH and update your current session. To enable a package manager to have this logic in CMD, simply add the package manager .exe name to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Command Processor\KnownPackageManagers.
Fixes for known issues
  • Fixed an issue causing an increase in Insiders to experience black screens after Build 26040 (particularly when waking a device from sleep). Please file feedback if you continue experiencing issues after installing this build.
  • Fixed an issue where all the added features under Settings > System > Optional Features were showing 0 bytes in the previous flight.
  • Fixed an issue where focus sessions continued to show as running in the notification center after they had ended.
  • Fixed an issue causing Windows Sandbox to unexpectedly show Windows Sandbox could not be initialized. (0x800736b3) for some Insiders in the previous flight.
  • Fixed an issue where the last checked time showing for Windows Update in Settings was wrong.
 
[UPDATE 2/22] We are starting to roll out two servicing updates to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Both these updates do not include anything new and are designed to test our servicing pipeline for Windows 11, version 24H2. Most Insiders in the Dev Channel will receive Cumulative Update Build 26058.1300 (KB5036082). However, Insiders that have Virtualization Based Security (VBS) turned on will receive Build 26058.1400 (KB5036080) and may not experience a restart upon installing the update. Arm64 devices, even with VBS turned on, will only receive Build 26058.1300 (KB5036082).
 
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26080 (Canary and Dev Channels)

ISOs for this build can be downloaded here.

Insiders in the Canary Channel will receive Build 26080.1000 while Insiders in the Dev Channel will receive Build 26080.1100 (KB5037133) as we test delivery of a full build and a servicing update at the same time. There is no difference between the two of these as Build 26068.1100 does not include any additional code.

Two important notes:
If you're experiencing an issue with Settings crashing or not loading the Windows Update settings page to download and install Build 26080 – you may have to reboot to correct the issue.
Insiders on Build 26080 and higher who have Dev Drives should no longer see their Dev Drives breaking when rolling back as long as you roll back to Build 26063 and higher. (Insiders in the Dev Channel will need to wait for another new build to get released to ensure rollback happens to build that has this issue fixed.)
The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the times in which the Canary and Dev Channels are on the same builds (e.g. Build 26080), the window is open for Insiders in the Canary Channel to switch to the Dev Channel. At some point in the future, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed.

NOTE: Some features may begin rolling out to the Canary Channel first before the Dev Channel even if the two channels have the same build.

What's new in Build 26080

Updates to Microsoft Teams in Windows 11
Starting with Windows 11, version 24H2, Teams users will get access to a preview experience of the new, unified Microsoft Teams experience on Windows. In this preview, Microsoft Teams will be available as a single application, enabling users to seamlessly switch between multiple cloud environments, tenants, and account types across personal and work. This new, unified application will soon be rolled out to commercial customers as well, through the normal update process. To add or access additional accounts, select your profile picture at the upper right corner of Teams when you sign into Teams.

We received consistent feedback from personal and work users: you prefer a single Teams app that allows you to easily access and switch between personal and work accounts. This update lets you use one app for all kinds of Teams accounts.

You can join any Teams meeting with ease. In upcoming builds, when you are joining a meeting, you can select the account you want to use. You will also be able to join a meeting without signing in.

Notifications have been improved, showing which Teams account they belong to. In addition, personal notifications have more details, giving clear and easy actions from the notification banner.

You can now launch personal and work accounts simultaneously with separate icons on the taskbar. We listened to users about their communication needs in various aspects of their lives and how they want to use Teams. The feedback was clear that a multi-window experience is preferred.

Other things to know:

This unified preview app experience is labeled "Microsoft Teams (work or school)". The app name will be automatically updated to "Microsoft Teams" in future releases.
This is a preview release, and you will notice some changes from your current experience using Microsoft Teams (free) and Microsoft Teams (work or school). These changes and more updates will continue until we reach general availability. Notably in this release, Teams will launch into a separate icon for single accounts.
We will remove the standalone consumer app, "Microsoft Teams (free)", in future releases.
If you lose access to either Teams applications through use of the Windows Insiders Program, you can access your preferred Teams application from this download page.
For Enterprise Admins, the ability to sign in with Microsoft accounts will be part of a normal monthly update, there is no new app to install if you have new Teams. The functionality is targeted for preview in April and general availability in May. The ability for users to sign in with Microsoft accounts will follow all sign in restriction polices as it has for all versions of Teams. Admins can learn more in Message Center (MC719659).
Improvements to Copilot in Windows* now rolling out to more Windows Insiders
We have been trying out a new runtime for Copilot in Windows* that allows you to manage more settings via Copilot, including accessibility-focused settings, and use Power Automate Desktop through Copilot! We are now rolling out these Copilot in Windows improvements to more Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel (which first began rolling out on 2/20) and beginning to roll these improvements out to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.

More built-in capabilities via Copilot in Windows

Try asking Copilot to turn on Narrator or Live Captions, turn on battery saver, show you available networks, even empty your recycle bin or clean up your storage. Here's the full list of things you can ask Copilot to do!

New with this update:
Ask for available wireless networks.
Ask for system or device information.
Ask for battery information.
Ask to clean storage.
Ask to empty recycle bin.
Ask to toggle battery saver.
Ask to show startup apps.
Ask for your IP address.
Ask for system, device, or storage information.
Try accessibility features:
Ask to turn on narrator.
Ask to open voice access.
Ask to turn on magnifier.
Ask to change text size.
Ask to start live captions.
Ask to turn on high-contrast.
Ask to start voice typing.
Already live, now on the new runtime:
Ask to toggle dark/light theme.
Ask to toggle Bluetooth.
Ask to toggle do not disturb.
Ask to add a device.
Ask to take a screenshot.
Ask to cast your screen to another monitor.
Ask to change your background image.
Ask to set volume, change volume, or mute/unmute volume.
Ask to launch an application.
State that certain parts of your PC aren't working: Audio, Windows Update, Camera, Bluetooth, Printer, Network, others.
Ask to snap a window.
Ask to start a focus session.

Introducing Power Automate via Copilot in Windows

Power Automate is a low-code automation solution that is part of the Power Platform. We're excited to introduce the Power Automate plugin in Copilot in Windows. This first release of the plugin offers automation features for Excel, PDF manipulation and file management.

To use the plugin, download or update Power Automate Desktop to the latest version from the Microsoft Store. Currently plugins are only accessible if you are signed in to Copilot in Windows with a Microsoft account.

After you have Power Automate installed and you activate the plugin in the plugins section in Copilot in Windows, you can ask for tasks such as:
Write an email to my team wishing everyone a happy weekend.
List the top 5 highest mountains in the world in an Excel file.
Rename all PDF files in a folder to add the word final at the end.
Move all word documents to another folder.
I need to split a PDF by the first page. Can you help?

Do you want to share your feedback on the Power Automate plugin or do you have other automation scenarios that you would like us to support? Feel free to contact us: powerautomate-ai@microsoft.com.

[The rollout continues for these Copilot in Windows improvements to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels today, so the experience isn't available to all Insiders just yet.]

FEEDBACK: Because of an issue with our feedback pipeline, please do not use the in-line feedback form that opens from thumbs up/down for these actions right now, and instead file feedback about using these in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Copilot in Windows.

Changes and Improvements

[Copilot in Windows*]
We are beginning to roll-out an updated Copilot in Windows experience that adds the ability to switch between the existing "docked" behavior that attaches Copilot to the side of your desktop, and a new mode where it acts like a normal application window which you can resize and move around your screen. As part of this change, we're also introducing some under-the-hood improvements as well. This experience is beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel As always, please report any issues you experience to us via Feedback Hub.
[Taskbar & System Tray]
You can turn on live captions more quickly by using the new quick setting. Just open quick settings from the system tray, scroll down, then select the live captions quick setting.
Updated the design of the progress bar under app icons to help make it easier to see. This will appear on the taskbar as well as the Start menu.
[File Explorer]
When extracting files, if there is a file name conflict you can now choose to apply your selected action (skip, replace) for all conflicts.
[Windows Update]
Removed the What's New link in Windows Update history for Windows Insiders – it will only show now for retail (released) versions of Windows. To check what's new in Insider builds, please follow this blog.
Fixes for known issues

[General]
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR DEV DRIVE USERS: Insiders on Build 26068 and higher who have Dev Drives should no longer see their Dev Drives breaking when rolling back as long as you roll back to Build 26063 and higher. Rolling back to earlier builds may still result in issues with Dev Drives.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Fixed an issue causing Windows Update in Settings to not load or crash in Build 26063. If you are still on Build 26063 and encounter this, rebooting may resolve the issue. If it doesn't, the update should still eventually download on its own – appreciate your patience.
Fixed an issue for Narrator not working when setting up a device or in Advanced Startup.
[Copilot in Windows]
Fixed an issue where if you turned the Copilot icon off and back on in Settings never showed it on your taskbar again.
[Taskbar & System Tray]
Fixed a memory leak related to showing the tooltip for the date and time in the taskbar when you had enabled additional clocks.
[File Explorer]
Fixed an underlying issue believed to be the cause of some Insiders finding File Explorer had started freezing and using unexpectedly high CPU in the last couple builds. Please file feedback in the Feedback Hub if you continue experiencing this after upgrading.
Fixed an issue where your preference for "Show extracted files when complete" when extracting files in File Explorer wasn't persisting across upgrades.
Fixed a timing issue where when you start a search from Home in File Explorer, it might unexpectedly show no results the first time you tried.
Fixed an issue causing the Details view in File Explorer to be unexpectedly cramped in recent builds when using compact mode.
Made a change to help address an issue where after a DWM crash, when you opened File Explorer it could just show a blank area on top instead of rendering the area correctly.
Fixed an issue where the 7zip and ZIP compression options weren't displaying correctly for Insiders with the English (United Kingdom) display language.
[Task Manager]
Fixed an issue which could lead to your GPU showing as -1 in Task Manager.
Fixed an issue where Task Manager may unexpectedly show no GPU % used (when that was not the case).
Fixed an issue impacting Task Manager reliability.
[Audio]
Fixed an issue causing HDMI connected devices to not have audio in the last few builds.
[Input]
Fixed an issue causing the input switcher (WIN + Space) design to revert to an older style and draw in the wrong location.
Fixed an issue where DWM could hang when writing with pen in Snipping Tool.
Fixed a high hitting ctfmon.exe crash, which could impact the ability to input text.
Fixed an issue where magnifier wasn't following the mouse cursor when centered on screen in recent builds.
Fixed an issue where mouse cursor shadows (if enabled) were not rendered correctly with large cursors.
Fixed an issue where the mouse cursor was unexpectedly leaving a trail of mice on the screen.
Fixed an issue which could lead to some mice and keyboards not working in safe mode.
Fixed an issue where when waking your PC from sleep in Build 26063 the touchpad might be banged out in Device Manager, resulting in the mouse cursor not showing when you tried to use it.
[Settings]
Fixed an issue where a Display Connection section was incorrectly showing up under Settings > System > Display > Graphics that when clicked, would crash Settings.
Fixed an issue where a brightness slider might not show in Settings > System > Display in recent builds even though a brightness slider was available for you to use in Quick Settings.
[Other]
Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to Snipping Tool hanging.
Fixed an underlying dxgi.dll issue which led to some app and game crashes in Build 26058+.
Fixed an underlying issue with winmmbase.dll which could lead to app crashes in Build 26058+.
Fixed an issue related to tcpip.sys which was causing some Insiders to see bugchecks with UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP in the last few builds.
Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to see bugchecks with SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION in the last few builds.
Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to see bugchecks with DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION in the last few builds.
Fixed an issue where if you attempted to use the Windows Update troubleshooter, it would show error 0x803C010A.
 
Paint update begins rolling out to Windows Insiders

Beginning to roll out updates to Paint to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.

Paint (version 11.2402.32.0)
With this update to Paint, we are improving the brush size selection experience with a new size slider for pencil, brushes, and eraser tools. With the new size slider, you can choose from a wider range of size options and preview the selected size on the canvas as you drag the slider.

To get started, click on any of the pencil, brushes, or eraser tools, and a size slider will appear on the left side of the canvas. Click and drag along the slider to view different sizes and select the desired size to start drawing!

[We are beginning to roll out the new size slider mentioned above, so it 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.]

We are also improving layers by adding a new background option to the Layers panel. With this option, you can set the Background color for the canvas. Open the Layers panel and click the "Background" tile at the bottom or use Ctrl + Shift + B to try this out yourself. This will open the color picker dialog where you can set any color as the background. You can also use the "Hide background" option to make the background completely transparent or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + H to quickly show/hide the background.

We are also adding a new way to copy with "Copy visible layers". This enables you to copy all visible content across layers. To use this option, select an area using the selection tool and invoke the context menu or use the Ctrl + Shift + C keyboard shortcut. "Copy" (Ctrl + C) will copy the visible content from the current layer only.

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

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