Microsoft has released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27842 to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel. The update features a refined user interface for handling unexpected restarts, enhancements to the Windows Security application to provide additional information regarding Pluton TPM chips, and an expansion of mouse-related settings.
The shader debugging feature of the Visual Studio Graphics Analyzer is being discontinued, and the bypassnro.cmd script will also be eliminated to improve security and user experience. The updates address a bug that prevented the toggle for obtaining the latest updates from rendering correctly, an issue impacting the reliability of explorer.exe, and a concern related to Administrator Protection. The web sign-in icon has been refined to ensure consistency with other icons, and the Smart App Control icon is now accurately presented in the Windows Security app. Additional concerns involve complications with external graphics cards linked via Thunderbolt, JPG images failing to render, and the IP Helper Service not initiating in the most recent builds. The update is anticipated to be launched in the Beta, Dev, and Canary Channels.
KB5055629 resolves several problems related to the Start menu, such as the inability to use touch gestures for accessing the list of pinned apps, the absence of Sign out and More options when text size is increased, and various Taskbar-related issues. The update also resolves an issue impacting Xbox Elite Wireless Controllers with specific firmware versions, which has implications for Windows Hardware Quality Labs testing.
Microsoft has released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5562 to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. The build presents enhancements including enhanced reading fluency and pronunciation, text actions in Click to Do, and refined Windows Search experiences. The "Practice in Reading Coach" Click to Do action enables users to vocalize recognized text, offering constructive feedback and guidance for enhancement.
The "Read with Immersive Reader" click-to-do action improves the reading experience by presenting recognized text in a focused and distraction-free setting. This feature enables users to personalize text size, spacing, font, and background theme. Additionally, it can be utilized to separate words and emphasize nouns, verbs, and adjectives. The feature is being introduced to Windows Insiders using Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD- and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs expected to follow shortly. Furthermore, individuals participating in the Windows Insider program within the European Economic Area can now access photos stored in the cloud through the Windows search box located on the taskbar.
Windows Insiders located in the European Economic Area can now access photos stored in the cloud through the Windows search feature on the taskbar. Users have the ability to utilize their own terminology to locate images stored in the cloud, and precise matches for keywords within the text of cloud files will be displayed in the search results.
Microsoft has released Windows 11 Build 26100.3909, a minor update that resolves certain issues related to the update process, to Windows Insiders in the release preview channel.
The update introduces features including Recall (preview), Click to Do (preview), enhanced Windows Search, and streamlined searching for documents, photos, and settings throughout Windows 11. Recall optimizes efficiency by providing a secure method to search for items you have viewed or actions you have taken on your PC. Users have the option to save snapshots and enroll in Windows Hello for presence confirmation.
The standard rollout encompasses resolutions for challenges associated with the USBxHCI controller, Server Message Block (SMB), Xbox Elite Wireless Controllers, driver verifier complications, and Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist files. The update resolves concerns related to the integrated USB camera, Windows Hello sign-in functionality, Server Message Block, Xbox Elite Wireless Controllers, driver verifier problems, and Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
The AI-driven Narrator now produces enhanced image descriptions on Copilot+ PCs, offering more comprehensive details of images, charts, and graphs. This feature is presently accessible on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs expected to be available shortly. To activate Narrator, users may press "Ctrl + Windows key + Enter" on their PC or utilize the Windows search box to find "Narrator."
The beta channel is progressively implementing updates and enhancements, featuring the capability to access content like full articles, slideshows, and videos directly within your MSN feed on the widgets board. Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA) will experience enhancements in the updated lock screen widgets, which now offer customization options. In the future, an increased number of widgets will offer customization options.
Microsoft has released Windows 11 Build 26100.3902 to Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Channel for Windows 11 24H2. The release encompasses various features and enhancements.
The Recall (preview) feature enhances efficiency by enabling secure searches for applications, websites, images, or documents through content descriptions. Users have the option to save snapshots and enroll in Windows Hello for presence confirmation. Click to Do (preview) streamlines the process of taking immediate action on tasks on a Copilot+ PC, optimizing time efficiency by allowing for inline task completion and directing you to the most suitable application for the job. On Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, Click to Do features intelligent text actions, utilizing the capabilities of Phi Silica, the on-device Small Language Model (SLM) integrated directly into Windows. The Click to Do feature can be conveniently accessed by swiping from the rightmost edge of the display. The enhanced Windows Search functionality is now more accessible on Copilot+ PCs, utilizing both semantic indexing models and conventional lexical indexing techniques. Furthermore, finding photos that are stored in the cloud has become more straightforward on Copilot+ PCs, as users can utilize their own terminology in the search box located in the upper-right corner of File Explorer.
Microsoft has released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3671 to Windows Insiders in the development channel using Windows 11 24H2. The beta channel introduces enhancements including taskbar icon scaling, which facilitates a more efficient and streamlined file-sharing experience in Windows. The icons on the taskbar will automatically reduce in size when the taskbar reaches capacity, enabling users to maintain visibility and accessibility of more applications without having to navigate to a secondary menu. Users have the ability to adjust their taskbar icon scaling settings by right-clicking on an empty area of the taskbar and choosing "Taskbar settings." From there, they can expand the "Taskbar behaviors" section and select their preference for the "Show smaller taskbar buttons" option.
A new drag tray feature has been implemented, enabling users to seamlessly drag a local file using either mouse or touch from File Explorer or the desktop to one of the displayed applications, or select "More…" to access the Windows share window. The test remediation package for quick machine recovery (QMR) is now accessible for Windows Insiders to fully engage with the functionalities of QMR in practice. To confirm the installation, navigate to Settings > Windows Update > Update history.
A new drag tray feature has been implemented, enabling users to seamlessly drag a local file using either mouse or touch from File Explorer or the desktop to one of the displayed applications, or select "More…" to access the Windows share window. The test remediation package for quick machine recovery (QMR) is now accessible for Windows Insiders to fully engage with the functionalities of QMR in practice. To confirm the installation, navigate to Settings > Windows Update > Update history.
Changes and enhancements are being systematically implemented in the Beta Channel with the toggle activated. The Copilot feature on Windows can now be activated using the Win + C shortcut, allowing users to customize their Copilot key and enhance their Win + C experience at any moment. The press-to-talk feature enables users to engage with Copilot through voice commands, delivering immediate responses while allowing for seamless task continuation.
Microsoft has released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5516 to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. The update enhances local semantic search capabilities, facilitating the discovery of documents, photos, and settings throughout Windows 11.
Individuals have the ability to utilize their own terminology to locate files, images, and configurations, thereby removing the necessity to recall file names, specific terms within file content, or the names of settings. The 40+ TOPS NPU integrated into Copilot+ PCs guarantees that these search enhancements function effectively, even in offline scenarios. Users have the option to modify the indexed locations on their PC or enable the "Enhanced" feature to index the entire system. The experience is available in specific languages and document formats, including .txt, .pdf, .docx, .doc, .rtf, .pptx, .ppt, .xls, and .xlsx for documents, as well as .jpg/.jpeg, .png, .gif, .bmp, and .ico for images. The update enhances the capability to locate photos saved in the cloud, allowing users to search for images stored locally on their Copilot+ PC and view precise matches for keywords within the text of cloud files.
Microsoft has released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3653 to Windows Insiders using Windows 11 24H2. The beta channel includes enhancements such as quick machine recovery (QMR), speech recap in Narrator, and a more streamlined user interface for unexpected restarts. QMR effectively resolves common boot problems on Windows 11 devices by automatically identifying and implementing solutions directly from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), thereby minimizing system downtime and the need for manual intervention. IT administrators are advised to enable, customize, or test this feature, which is set to be enabled by default for home users. Windows Insiders are invited to begin testing today and share their feedback through the Feedback Hub to enhance the feature further.
A newly introduced feature is the speech recap in Narrator, aimed at assisting users in monitoring spoken content, following live transcription, and easily copying the last spoken phrase using straightforward keyboard shortcuts. The live transcription of Narrator speech serves as a valuable resource for Assistive Technology trainers, teachers of students with visual impairments who provide support in classroom settings, and individuals who are hard of hearing and wish to utilize Narrator effectively.
Microsoft has released Windows 11 KB5053656 (OS Build 26100.3624) Preview, which introduces enhancements in Windows Search, input methods, live captions, voice access, and widgets. The update enhances the process of locating documents, photos, and settings within Windows 11 on Copilot+ PCs, utilizing both semantic indexing models and conventional lexical indexing methods.
Users now have the ability to utilize their own terms in the search box located in the upper-right corner of File Explorer, and photos that are stored and saved in the cloud will now appear in the search results collectively. The gamepad keyboard layout is now accessible for the touch keyboard, and a new system tray icon has been introduced on the taskbar to enhance the discoverability of emojis and additional panels. The update also resolves concerns regarding the reliability of ctfmon.exe, and it may restart when transferring data from specific applications. Live captions and real-time translation are now accessible on Copilot+ PCs powered by AMD and Intel, with the addition of Chinese support for voice access. Lock screen widgets are now accessible on devices within the European Economic Area (EEA), and an icon will be displayed in the system tray when utilizing an application that is compatible with Windows Studio Effects.
