Windows 11 Insider Beta Channel

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2338 and 22631.2338 (Beta Channel)

• Build 22631.2338 = New features rolling out.
  
• Build 22621.2338 = New features off by default.
  

New Widget: Focus Session
We are beginning to roll out a new Focus Session widget as part of a Clock app update (version 11.2306.22.0 and higher) via the Microsoft Store to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. 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 Beta 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 Apps > Clock App.

Changes and Improvements in Build 22631.2338

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• Beginning to roll out with this 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.
  

Fixes in Build 22631.2338

[General]

• Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to see untranslated text in some areas across the system, including in File Explorer and Settings. If you're continuing to see issues with translations, please file feedback.

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• Fixed an issue where dragging app icons in the taskbar may sometimes lead to an explorer.exe crash.
• Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to see labels in their taskbar unexpectedly.
• Fixed an issue causing Task Manager to not launch for some Insiders.

[File Explorer]

• Fixed an issue for dark mode users, where you would see a white flash when opening File Explorer.
• Fixed an issue where after changing between dark and light mode, the icons in the command bar and context menu might become very difficult to see.
• We made some more improvements to help with the performance of loading Home. Also fixed a memory leak related to Home that would grow each time Home was refreshed or accessed.

[Settings]

• Fixed an issue where Settings wasn't launching in safe mode for some Insiders.

[Task Manager]

• Fixed an issue where the dialog when collecting a process memory dump erroneously said it was collecting a kernel memory dump.

[Dynamic Lighting]

• Fixed an issue where you may not see the notification on first update to a build with dynamic lighting, letting you know that dynamic lighting is enabled.

Fixes for BOTH Build 22621.2338 & Build 22631.2338

• The Camera app, Cortana, Photos app, and People app can be uninstalled.
• New! This update completes the work to comply with the GB18030-2022 requirements. It removes and remaps characters for Microsoft Wubi input and Microsoft Pinyin U-mode input. You can no longer enter character codepoints that are not supported. All the required codepoints are up to date.
  
• This update addresses an issue that affects sleep mode. After you resume from sleep, a blank window appears that has the title "Windows Input Experience."
• This update affects the Key Distribution Center (KDC) and user security identifiers (SID). KDC now reads the user SID from the Subject Alternative Name (SAN) of a certificate. Because of this, mobile device management (MDM) providers can use offline templates to fill in the user SID. To learn more, see KB5014754.
  
• This update addresses an issue that affects IMEPad. It stops working. This occurs when you enter end-user-defined characters (EUDC).
• This update addresses an issue that affects authentication. Using a smart card to join or rejoin a computer to an Active Directory domain might fail. This occurs after you install Windows updates dated October 2022 or later. For more details, see KB5020276.
  
• This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Excel. It stops responding when you try to share a file as a PDF in Microsoft Outlook.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Remote Apps. The display of some elements is not aligned correctly.
• This update supports daylight saving time (DST) changes in Greenland.
• This update addresses an issue that affects account lockout event 4625. The format of the event is wrong in the ForwardedEvents log. This occurs when an account name is in the user principal name (UPN) format.
• This update addresses an issue that affects XPath queries on FileHash and other binary fields. It stops them from matching values in event records.
• This update changes the spelling of Ukraine's capital from Kiev to Kyiv.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). AppID Tagging policies might greatly increase how long it takes your device to start up.
• This update addresses an issue that affects events that have a TAB character. The events do not render, or you cannot forward them.
• This update addresses an issue that might make Windows stop responding. This might occur if you use Microsoft OneDrive files that are compressed by NTFS.
• This update addresses an issue that might cause a user-mode memory leak. It might occur when you call CopyFile() or MoveFile().
  
• This update addresses an issue that affects an Application Virtualization (App-V) environment. Copy operations within it stop working. This occurs after you install the April 2023 update.
• This update addresses an issue that affects some USB printers. Microsoft Defender stops them from printing.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft Print to PDF. It uses the metadata for the name you sign in with as the author of a printed PDF. It should use the display name instead.
• This update addresses an issue that is related to changes in the forwarding of events.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC). It has a handle leak. Because of this, the system runs out of memory.
• This update removes a blank menu item from the Sticky Keys menu. This issue occurs after you install KB5029351.
• This update addresses an issue that affects application compatibility. It is related to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2419 (Beta Channel)

81ce-6f6dad2cd384]an enablement package[/URL] to ALL Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel – we no longer will have a build number split and everyone in the Beta Channel will now be on the same build. Instead, we will be enabling new features via Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR) technology to Insiders in the Beta Channel on Build 22635, the revision number incremented with each weekly update (the .2419 is the revision number for example with today's flight and this is what will increment with future flights). It should not be assumed that this build number will be used beyond the Beta Channel.

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

Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes gradually rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. Please note that for today's flight to the Beta Channel, there are no new features or improvements rolling out specifically for Insiders who have turned on the toggle.

One more thing...

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. Thank you for being Windows Insiders! All Insiders will receive the below 9-year anniversary badge in Feedback Hub!

New features gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Beta Channel

Windows Ink Improvements
In Build 22631.2271, the new Windows Ink experience allowing users to ink directly onto edit fields was disabled in the Beta Channel to allow for additional bug fixes. Today, we are re-enabling this feature with an update that includes a number of fixes and we are excited for you to try it out. As before, the experience supports English (U.S.) only and can be managed via Settings > Bluetooth and devices > Pen & Windows Ink under "Shell Handwriting".

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

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

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

[Copilot in Windows**]

• Copilot in Windows now shows the new icon on the taskbar.

Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

• Fixed an issue where explorer.exe was crashing for Insiders in the previous flight when you tried to open File Explorer by using Open File Location in an app.
• This update addresses an issue that causes delays when you sign in. This occurs when a tablet pen is connected to your device.
• This update addresses an issue that affects iCloud Calendar and Contacts. Outlooks fails to properly sync them when you use the iCloud for Windows app. To resume syncing, follow the steps in this Apple Support article.
  

Microsoft Store Update
Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels running version 22309.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out:

Visual refresh of Windows license pages: We've improved the look and feel of Windows license pages in the Microsoft Store to be consistent with Windows 11. The pages provide comparison tables between Windows editions to help make it easier to choose what license is best for you.

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

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2483 (Beta Channel)

REMINDER: All Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will now be on the same build (Build 22635.xxxx) via an enablement package. For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.

Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel. Please note that for today's flight to the Beta Channel, there are no new features or improvements rolling out specifically for Insiders who have turned on the toggle.

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

[Emoji]

• We are temporarily disabling the update of our color font format to COLRv1 (first introduced in Build 22631.2265) that displayed richer emoji with a 3D like appearance to fix some bugs. We plan to re-enable this in a future Beta Channel flight.
  

[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 for everyone in the Beta Channel

• Fixed an issue which was causing search to crash on launch for some Insiders in the previous flight.

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2486 (Beta Channel)

Changes in Beta Channel builds will now be released in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel. Please note that for today's flight to the Beta Channel, there are no new features or improvements rolling out specifically for Insiders who have turned on the toggle.

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

[Start menu]

• Under All apps in the Start menu, Windows 11 system components will now show a "system" label.
• 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.

[Casting]

• The improved screen casting experience introduced with Build 22631.2129 has been temporarily disabled to fix some bugs. We plan to re-enable this in a future Beta Channel flight.
  

Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

• Fixed an issue causing Start menu to crash on launch if the display language was set to Czech or Slovak.
• Fixed an issue where the search icon in the taskbar wasn't appearing correctly for people using search icon and label.

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2552 (Beta Channel)

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

[Settings]

• System Components currently listed in Settings > Apps > Installed Apps page, have moved to its own page under Settings > System > System Components.
  
• Xbox Game Bar is now Game Bar under Settings > Gaming.

Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

• New! This update adds new customization options for Dynamic Lighting OEMs. You can now customize OS images for new PCs. This includes setting up Dynamic Lighting defaults.
  
• This update supports the currency change in Croatia from the Kuna to the Euro.
• This update addresses an issue that affects cellular settings. The name of the mobile operator is wrong.
• This update addresses an issue that occurs after you run a Push-button reset. You cannot set up Windows Hello facial recognition. This affects devices that have Windows Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) turned on.
  
• This update addresses an issue that affects fontdrvhost.exe. It stops responding when you use Compact Font Format version 2 (CFF2) fonts.
  
• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Mixed Reality. Microsoft Store stops responding when you try to access it using Windows Mixed Reality headsets.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Widgets notification badge. It is in the wrong position on the taskbar.
• This update addresses an issue that affects PowerShell versions greater than 7.3.1. It might block scripts and not let them run in Constrained Language Mode. This occurs when you turn on a WDAC policy.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Automatically Hide the Taskbar setting. You cannot set it using the SHAppBarMessage()
  
• This update changes the English name of the former Republic of Turkey. The new, official name is the Republic of Türkiye.
• This update addresses an issue that affects devices on which you have defined Windows Information Protection (WIP) policies and set up a proxy. A stop error occurs. This happens on devices that use Microsoft Defender Application Guard. In the past, WIP was known as enterprise data protection (EDP).
• This update addresses a memory leak in ctfmon.exe.
  
• This update addresses an issue that occurs when you use Universal Print to add a printer using its location. When you browse the tree view structure, the tree nodes do not work as you expect.
• This update supports daylight saving time (DST) changes in To learn more, see Interim guidance for Syria DST changes 2022.
  
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Device Management (DM) client. The sync session takes longer than you expect for the enrollment status page (ESP).
• This update addresses an issue that affects touchscreens. They do not work properly when you use more than one display.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Windows Firewall Profile. When you are on a domain authenticated network, it detects a public domain. This is wrong.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Outlook. It stops responding. This occurs when you print to an Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) printer that has a slow response time.
• This update addresses a memory leak in TextInputHost.exe.
  
• This update addresses an issue that affects robocopy. The /efsraw switch stops it from copying data properly.
  
• This update addresses an error that occurs when you print using v4 print drivers.
• This update improves the performance of the search box experience.
• This update addresses a Firewall configuration service provider (CSP) issue. It stops a device from syncing.
• This update makes Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
• This update addresses an issue that blocks external connections. This occurs when you set up a Kubernetes load balanced service and turn on session affinity.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Dynamic Lighting. The default provider is not applied as expected. This occurs when you set it up using Unattend files.
• This update addresses an issue that affects File Explorer. It stops responding. This occurs when you use Microsoft OneDrive.
• This update addresses an issue which could cause explorer.exe to crash when snapping or moving windows which were part of snap groups.
• This update addresses an issue which causes File Explorer to go unresponsive when using the option to browse for an app from the Open With dialog. The hang occurred if you tried to use the search box in the window while an IME was active.

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2700 (Beta Channel)

REMINDER: All Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will now be on the same build (Build 22635.xxxx) via an enablement package. For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.

Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel. Please note that for today's flight to the Beta Channel, there are no new features or improvements rolling out specifically for Insiders who have turned on the toggle.

Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

• Fixed an underlying issue which was causing the setting to turn off using drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop to not work at all recently.

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2771 (Beta Channel)

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

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

[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.

[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.
• 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.

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

[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.
• Fixed an issue in Microsoft Excel where Narrator was not consistently reading any item in the auto-complete list that comes when writing a formula.
• 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 below "voice speed" slider was not following the color contrast guidelines.

[Settings]

• Fixed an issue where Home was unexpectedly showing some users that there was NaN% storage left.

[Other]

• Fixed an issue which was causing the share window to crash for some Insiders recently.

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

[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. This change does not change the ALT + TAB experience in Windows 11. Copilot only shows in ALT + TAB if Copilot is invoked from the taskbar.

Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

• We fixed the issue that was causing Snipping Tool to crash when taking a capture on Arm devices.
• This update addresses an issue that stops File Explorer from opening.
• 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.

Snipping Tool Update
We are rolling out Snipping Tool (version 11.2310.49.0) to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel improving HDR display support. Screenshots and screen recording on displays with HDR enabled should be able to better display colors.

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

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2776 (Beta Channel)

REMINDER: All Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will now be on the same build (Build 22635.xxxx) via an enablement package. For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.

Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

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

[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.

[Task Manager]

• We improved process grouping in the processes page for Task Manager.

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

[Desktops]

• Fixed an issue that made the desktop tooltips in Task view hard to read in contrast themes.
• Fixed an issue where when dragging and dropping windows in Task View to different desktops, it might unexpectedly place the window in the background of other windows.

[Live captions]

• Fixed an issue that was causing live captions to sometimes show the same line of text twice.

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

[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.

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2841 (Beta Channel)

(Turn on the toggle in Settings > Windows Update to get the latest updates as they are available to get new features rolled out to you.)

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

[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.
  

[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.

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

[Task Manager]

• Did some work to help improve the performance when expanding the navigation pane in Task Manager.
• Fixed an issue which was causing a Task Manager crash when changing Always on Top mode.
• Fixed an issue where the dropdowns in settings would float up the screen if you scrolled.

New features gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Beta Channel

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 today, 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 gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Beta Channel

[Settings]

• Optional features previously listed under Settings > Apps has moved to its own page under Settings > System.

Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

• New! You can use Copilot in Windows with ALT + Tab. When you press ALT +Tab, the thumbnail preview for Copilot in Windows appears among other thumbnail previews of open windows. You can switch between them using the Tab keystroke.
  
• New! You can use Copilot in Windows across multiple displays. Press the Copilot in Windows taskbar button on the taskbar of the display where you want Copilot in Windows to appear. To show Copilot in Windows on the last display that it was on, press WIN + C. If you use a keyboard, press WIN + T to put the keyboard focus on the taskbar. Then go to the Copilot in Windows button to open it on any display.
  
• New! In the coming weeks, you might see Windows Spotlight set as the default background. This might occur when your background is set to an inbox Windows image.
  
• This update addresses an issue that might affect the cursor when you write in Japanese. The cursor might move to an unexpected place.
• This update addresses an issue that affects File Explorer. The options in the left pane show the wrong state.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Remote Desktop web authentication. This issue might stop you from connecting to sovereign cloud endpoints.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Settings. It stops responding after you turn off Device Encryption.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the cursor. Its movement lags in some screen capture scenarios.
• This update addresses an issue that affects File Explorer windows. When you do not expect them, they appear in the foreground.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Sandbox. If the locale of your machine is not US English, File Explorer stops responding.
• This update addresses an issue that affects File Explorer. When you press Shift + F10, the shortcut (context) menu does not open.
• This update affects the shortcut (context) menu. Its performance is now better when you open it on the desktop and in File Explorer.
• This update addresses an issue that affects .RAR files. They display as if they are empty in File Explorer.
• This update addresses an issue that causes IE mode to stop responding. This occurs when you have multiple IE mode tabs open.
• This update addresses an issue that affects IE mode. A webpage stops working as expected when there is an open modal dialog.
• This update addresses an issue that causes IE mode to stop responding. This occurs if you press the left arrow key when an empty text box has the focus and caret (cursor) browsing is on.
• This update addresses an issue that affects 32-bit GDI based applications. They stop responding. This occurs when they run on 64-bit Windows OSs that use more than 2 GB of memory.
• This update addresses an issue that affects apps that you download from Microsoft Store. They stop responding and will not update.
• This update addresses an issue that affects hardware that uses the PresentAt feature. Power use grows when you play a video in full screen.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Copilot in Windows icon on the taskbar. It does not show as active when Copilot in Windows is open.
• This update improves how fast Copilot in Windows opens from the taskbar.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Trusted Sites Zone logon policy. You cannot manage it using mobile device management (MDM).
• This update affects Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE). It enables Conditional Access (CA) scenarios.
• This update affects the Netherlands time zone. It adds the recent man-made landmass outside of Rotterdam to the shape files.
• This update addresses a leak in volatile notifications. This might stop you from signing in to your machine.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) decoder. It does not work well on some websites that set the wrong input sampling rate.
• This update addresses an issue that affects remote direct memory access (RDMA) performance counters. They did not return networking data on VMs in the right way.
• This update addresses an issue that stops you from reconnecting to an existing Remote Desktop session. Instead, you get a new one.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows LAPS. Its PasswordExpirationProtectionEnabled policy fails to turn on the setting.
• This update addresses app cursor issues. The cursor changes from a hand to a cursor when it should not, or the cursor disappears. These issues occur when apps use the WebView2Standalone XAML control.
• This update addresses an issue that might affect Microsoft OneNote. When you use a pen right-click to open it, that might fail.
• This update affects Dynamic Lighting. It reduces the amount of power it uses on your device.
• This update addresses an issue that affects certain PCs. It stops them from downloading speech recognition packages.

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2850 (Beta Channel)

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

[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.

Microsoft Store Update
Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel (also Canary and Dev too) running version 22311.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out:

Install as you browse: Introducing another quick way to get your favorite products: you can now install directly while browsing. Simply browse through the Store's Home, Apps, or Games pages and hover over a product and click the install button. There are now fewer clicks to dive into new apps.

Improving discoverability of instant games: A few months ago, the Microsoft Store introduced games that you can play without downloading. We're making it easier to discover these games by having a dedicated page you can browse.

Performance while browsing: We've made performance improvements in the Microsoft Store that will make it smoother for you to browse and scroll through various pages.

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

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2915 (Beta Channel)

This will be the last Beta Channel flight until January 2024.

REMINDER: All Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will now be on the same build (Build 22635.xxxx) via an enablement package. For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, the rollouts will increase to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.

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

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 above screenshot.

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.

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. We are introducing 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 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 Beta Channel build.) Also check out this month's Windows Insider webcast on-demand here featuring the Windows 365 team!

Dedicated mode for Windows 365 Boot: We are now launching a new mode for Windows 365 Boot – dedicated 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 dedicated 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. The feature will begin to get enabled for Windows 365 customers via a private preview in early 2024.

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. The feature will begin to get enabled for Windows 365 customers via a private preview in early 2024.

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.) Also check out this month's Windows Insider webcast on-demand here featuring the Windows 365 team!

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).

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

[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 Beta Channel as noted above). We recommend WSR users try and start using voice access today.
  

[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.

[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 gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

[Task Manager]

• When creating a dump file for a process, the dump file location should be selectable now, so you can copy it out.

[Desktops]

• Made some improvements to help address an issue where the background could be seen jumping when switching between desktops.

Notepad Update
We are rolling out an update for Notepad (version 11.2311.33.0) to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel that introduces the following improvements:

Edit with Notepad: Easily access Notepad for file modifications directly from File Explorer. Just right-click on any file or multiple files in File Explorer to find the [Edit with Notepad] option in the context menu, a quick and streamlined way to open and edit files in Notepad.

Character Count: Keep track of your document's length with the new character count display in the status bar.  When text is selected, the status bar shows the character count for both the selected text and the entire document. If no text is selected, the character count for the entire document is displayed, ensuring you always have a clear view of your document's length.

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

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2921 (Beta Channel)

REMINDER: All Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel will now be on the same build (Build 22635.xxxx) via an enablement package. For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you, you can turn ON the toggle (shown in the image below) to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.

Going forward, we will document changes in Beta Channel builds in two buckets: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned on the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes available to everyone in the Beta Channel.

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

[General]

• This update includes a handful of fixes to improve overall reliability.

[Input]

• Fixed a high hitting tabtip.exe crash which was impacting the ability for some Windows Insiders to input text.

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3061 (Beta Channel)

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

[Windows Share]

• For Microsoft Edge and other browsers that invoke the Windows share window, the Windows share window now supports the ability to share URLs directly to WhatsApp, Gmail, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn. In Microsoft Edge, you can invoke the Windows share window by clicking the share icon at the top right in the toolbar and choosing the Windows share options.

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

[General]

• This update includes a handful of fixes to improve overall reliability.

New features for everyone in the Beta Channel

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 Beta 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.

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

[Settings]

• We're beginning to update references to Azure Active Directory (AAD) to Microsoft Entra ID in Settings.

Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

• This update addresses an issue that affects the spellchecker.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the ActiveX scroll bar. It does not work in IE mode.

Microsoft Store Update
Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel running version 22312.xxxx.x of the Microsoft Store and higher will see the following improvement rolling out:

Launch Instant Arcade games while browsing: In recent months, we announced Instant Arcade where you can play some games without the need to download them. Now, you'll be able to launch these games directly while browsing or in search results. Simply hover over the instant arcade game and click the Play Now button.

Notifications for app installations: When you initiate a download from the Microsoft Store, we'll send you a notification when your app is installed and ready to use. This can be toggled off in the store's settings page.

Performance improvements when installing from search or browsing: We made things a little faster when you install products from the search results page or while browsing. Animations are smoother and more seamless.

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

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3066 (Beta Channel)

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

[Input]

• Fixed a tabtip.exe crash which could impact the ability to input text.

[Task Manager]

• Fixed an issue where dragging the Task Manager window wouldn't work if your mouse was on the search box.

[Narrator]

• Fixed a crash when you tried to add natural voices for Narrator in Settings.

[Voice Access]

• Fixed an issue which was causing voice access to crash when setting up new languages.

New features for everyone in the Beta Channel

USB 80Gbps
We are excited to announce support for the latest generation USB standard, USB 80Gbps, in this build of Windows. USB 80Gbps support will initially launch on select devices based on the Intel Core 14th Gen HX-series mobile processors, such as the new Razer Blade 18.

This is the first major version update of the USB4®standard and increases performance to 80Gbps from 40Gbps. It enables the next generation of high-performance displays, storage, and connectivity. It is fully backwards compatible with peripherals built for older generations of USB and Thunderbolt™ and works alongside all other USB Type-C features.

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

[Corrine]

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3130 (Beta Channel)

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

[Snap Layouts]

• We will show 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.
  

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

[Start menu]

• Fixed an issue from the previous flight causing the Recommended section in Start menu to be blank for some Insiders.

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

[General]

• Starting with today's Beta Channel flight, Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have turned on the toggle to unenroll their device under Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program and "Stop getting preview builds" with begin receiving an in-place upgrade that removes their device from flighting. This in-place upgrade will install Windows 11, version 23H2 with the most recent servicing updates available to retail customers. Please note that unenrolling a device from flighting in the Beta Channel will result in a loss of some features that are not yet available for retail customers. However, your personal data will still be there. Going forward, choosing to unenroll a device through this process will provide an in-place upgrade to opt-out of flighting in the Beta Channel. Note you will need to update to Build 22635.3130 (and higher) in the Beta Channel first for this experience to light up.

[Widgets]

• The new settings experience for Widgets that began rolling out in early December to the Beta Channel that also introduced the ability to further customize the widgets board experience is beginning to rollout again after being disabled briefly.

Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

• The update addresses a known issue that affects the color font format for COLRv1. It now renders properly. Windows uses this format to display emoji with a 3D-like appearance.
• This update affects Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Secure Boot systems. It adds a renewed signing certificate to the Secure Boot DB variable. You can now opt for this change.
• This update addresses an issue that affects RemoteApp windows. In certain cases, they persist on client devices after you close them.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA3) in the Group Policy editor. HTML preview rendering fails.
• This update addresses an issue that affects a Bluetooth phone call. It stops the audio from routing through the PC when you answer the call on your PC.
• This update addresses an issue to make video calls more reliable.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Access Point Name (APN) profiles. It stops you from automatically configuring APN profiles for cellular enabled devices. This occurs when you run the "netsh mbn show readyinfo *" command.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio earbuds. They lose sound when you stream music.
• This update includes quarterly changes to the Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file, DriverSiPolicy.p7b. It adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
  
• This update addresses an issue that affects the LocalUsersAndGroups CSP. It stops processing group memberships if it cannot find a group.
• This update addresses an issue that affects certain types of 7-Zip files. They appear as empty in File Explorer.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). A caching issue occurs. The issue causes CurrentTimeZone to change to the wrong value.
  
• This update addresses an issue that stops WMI from working. This occurs in certain scenarios with mobile device management (MDM) providers, such as Microsoft Intune.
• This update addresses an issue that causes your device to stop responding. This is intermittent and occurs after you install a print support app.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Active Directory. Bind requests to IPv6 addresses fail. This occurs when the requestor is not joined to a domain.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) Post Authentication Actions (PAA). The actions occur at restart instead of at the end of the grace period.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Group Policy Folder Redirection in a multi-forest deployment. The issue stops you from choosing a group account from the target domain. Because of this, you cannot apply advanced folder redirection settings to that domain. This issue occurs when the target domain has a one-way trust with the domain of the admin user. This issue affects all Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE), Hardened Forests (HF) or Privileged Access Management (PAM) deployments.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the OpenType font driver. On a certain architecture, the issue might affect how text renders for third-party applications.
• This update addresses an issue that stops search from working on the Start menu for some users. The issue occurs because of a deadlock.
• This update addresses an issue that occurs when you change the keyboard language. The change fails to apply to RemoteApps in some scenarios.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the File Explorer Gallery. It stops you from closing a tooltip.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the display of a smart card icon. The icon does not appear when you sign in. This occurs when there are multiple certificates on the smart card.
• This update addresses an issue that causes your device to shut down after 60 seconds. This occurs when you use a smart card to authenticate on a remote system.
• This update addresses a known issue that affects BitLocker data-only encryption. A mobile device management (MDM) service, such as Microsoft Intune, might not get the right data. This occurs when you use the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP)
  
• This update addresses an issue that affects Trusted Platform Modules (TPM). On certain devices, they did not initialize correctly. Because of this, TPM-based scenarios stopped working.
• This update addresses an issue that affects a remote desktop client. It might connect to a wrong instance of a user's session. This occurs if a user has multiple sessions on the host.
• This update makes Windows more reliable during power transitions. This reduces the risk of a stop error.