Jul 08

Windows 11 Insider Experimental (26H1) Preview Build 28120.2387

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Hi all, last Monday Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 28120.2387 to the Experimental (26H1) Channel.

Taskbar options are coming to this channel too now, nice to play with & allowing users to customize their desktop even more.

  • One of my devices in this channel did not get the build offered & required re-selecting the channel under Windows Insider Program in settings, no option was selected (both Experimental and Beta were not selected), possibly due to the transition of the channel names

Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out

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

[Taskbar]

  • Alternate Taskbar Position
    • You can now change the position of taskbar on your screen. In Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behaviors, you can select the side of the screen you want your taskbar on: bottom, top, left, or right. In these other positions, tooltips, flyouts, and animations will still come from the taskbar, and most customization settings like small taskbar and never combine taskbar icons will work with all locations.
    • Support for touch gestures, Search box, and Ask Copilot in alternate locations is in progress. Auto-hidden taskbar and touch optimized taskbar are not yet supported.
Screenshot of the taskbar in the left-aligned position.
  • Smaller Taskbar
    • We’re introducing a smaller taskbar for users who want to maximize screen space, especially on smaller devices. While the default taskbar remains unchanged, this setting provides a more compact experience with smaller icons and a reduced taskbar height, giving you more room for your apps. Core elements like Start, Search, and the system tray scale appropriately to stay aligned and consistent.
    • To change your taskbar size, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Show smaller taskbar buttons. When set to Always, both the icons and the taskbar height become smaller.
Side-by-side comparison of the standard and smaller taskbar heights on the same device and resolution, showing the additional screen space gained.
  • We’re also working on improving taskbar settings to make resizing easier; these enhancements are currently in progress.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Taskbar.

See the in-depth blog for more information about Taskbar improvements.

[EDU]

  • Free upgrade path to Windows 11 Pro Education for K-12.
  • Windows Insiders in K-12 education environments can now experience a seamless upgrade path from Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro Education edition, at no additional cost. This enables educational organizations to procure Windows 11 Home devices, upgrade them to Windows 11 Pro Education, and bring devices under school management.
  • To get started:
    • Sign in to the device using a local account.
    • Launch an elevated Command Prompt and initiate the upgrade by running Clipupgrade.exe.
    • Sign in with your K-12 organization account to validate eligibility.
    • The device prepares the upgrade and completes after a restart.
  • This upgrade is one-way only. Reverting to Windows Home is not supported without a clean OS reinstall.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Windows Installation.

[File Explorer]

  • Fixed an issue where the OneDrive shortcut in File Explorer stops working when File Explorer is run in administrative mode.

[Other]

  • If you were having issues with Outlook not responding to the close button last week, that should be addressed now.

source: Flight Hub

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Jul 08

Windows 11 Insider Experimental Preview Build 26300.8772

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Hi all, last Monday Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 26300.8772 to the Experimental Channel, a few days later than the usual Friday release, the 4th of July celebrations might have had something to do with that.

Cloud rebuild is here, an interesting new option hoping this option will be available from media boot too (recovering a device with new of empty storage)

Upgrades went fast and smooth on all my devices in this channel, Happy Flighting!

Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out

[Recovery]

  • We’re introducing Cloud rebuild, a new recovery option that restores a Windows 11 PC to a clean, known-good state by performing a full OS reinstall, even when Windows won’t boot. Unlike Reset this PC, Cloud rebuild downloads both the target Windows image and the device’s drivers from Windows Update, so the device comes back fully functional without USB media, without a custom image, and without depending on the health of the currently installed OS.
  • In this preview, you can try Cloud rebuild today:
    1. Start it directly from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) by selecting Troubleshoot > Recovery and uninstall > Cloud rebuild.
    2. Connect over wired Ethernet or a Wi-Fi network from within WinRE.
    3. Review the target Windows build, edition, and language, then confirm the data-loss warning before the rebuild begins.
The new Cloud rebuild option in Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), enabling a full Windows reinstall using files downloaded from Windows Update.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Recovery > Cloud rebuild.

To learn more, see https://aka.ms/CloudRebuild.

[Backup and restore on by default for commercial]

  • Starting in Windows 11, version 26H2, the backup policy of Windows settings backup and restore will be enabled by default on eligible Microsoft Entra joined or Microsoft Entra hybrid joined devices. Windows settings backup is no longer something admins must configure first. It becomes a resilience baseline that automatically captures user settings and the Microsoft Store app list. So, when a device is reimaged or reset, users can return to a familiar setup without relying on prior configuration, improving recovery consistency, and reducing time to productivity.
  • Admins remain in full control: existing policies still apply, explicit configurations override the default, and restore remains opt-in and admin-managed. By making settings backup the default, this change establishes a more resilient, recoverable device experience, minimizing disruption and reducing setup friction.

[Account Control]

  • The Windows 11 Account Control flyout has a refreshed, modern design and a clear subscription badge to make the user’s account status instantly visible. This helps users easily identify their plan, discover benefits, and explore upgrades.
 UI showing the refreshed Account Control flyout with subscription badges, account benefits, and storage details.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Settings > Start Menu.

[Search]

  • Correction (7/7/26) – The increased height of the search box by 4 pixels was inadvertently noted as in this release – it will be included in a future Insider build.

[Settings]

  • The Bluetooth quick settings page is now navigable using gamepad input.

[Taskbar]

  • Fixed issue where the search icon might be invisible when using the taskbar in a vertical position.

[Run]

  • Improved how keyboard focus is announced for screen readers when using the new Run design.

[Fonts]

  • Improved Mongolian Baiti shaping and rendering behavior to ensure accurate and consistent text output, increasing text fidelity for Mongolian script.

[Other]

  • If you were having issues with Outlook not responding to the close button last week, that should be addressed now.
  • Improved resource usage over time of title bar tooltips.

source: Flight Hub

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Jun 28

Windows 11 Insider Experimental (Future Platforms) Preview Build 29617.1000

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Hi all, last Friday Microsoft released Windows 11 Insider Build 29617.1000 to the Experimental (Future Platforms) channel.

Nice ne features and changes in this flight, Happy Upgrades!

Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out

[Windows Update]

  • As announced in the Windows Update announce blog, we are now bringing a new unified update experience to reduce the number of reboots you see per month. We are starting by coordinating driver, .NET, and firmware updates to align with the monthly quality update, reducing the update experience to a single monthly restart. See the blog for more information.

[Windows Magnifier]

  • Magnifier now gives you more control over how you zoom. You can type an exact zoom percentage directly in the magnifier toolbar to land on precisely the level you need.
  • We’ve also added preset step increments (5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 100%, 150%, 200%, and 400%) to the Settings dropdown, so you can jump to common levels in a single click. Whether you need a subtle boost or a dramatic close-up, Magnifier adapts to how you want to zoom.
Enter an exact percentage or jump to preset steps —5% up to 400%.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Magnifier.

[Accessibility]

  • We’re introducing screen tint, a new accessibility setting that applies a color overlay across your entire display, softening its intensity so it’s easier on your eyes throughout the day. If bright, saturated screens leave you with tired or sensitive eyes by the end of a long session, screen tint can help.
Screenshot showing UI for screen tint in Accessibility, with color presets and a strength slider.
  • To get started, open Settings > Accessibility (or press WIN + U) and look for screen tint under the Vision section. From there, you can:
    • Pick from six preset colors or choose a custom color of your own.
    • Adjust the tint strength slider from a subtle wash to full intensity.
  • Night light warms your display to reduce blue light that can interfere with sleep. Screen tint reduces overall screen intensity to ease eye fatigue and light sensitivity during the day. They tackle different problems and you can use both at the same time, one working on warmth and the other on intensity.
  • Note that turning on screen tint will disable color filters, and vice versa. If you currently rely on color filters, you might need to keep screen tint turned off.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

[Voice Access]

  • Voice Access now supports Portuguese (Portugal), Portuguese (Brazil), and Korean (South Korea).

[Audio]

  • Continuing our work on improving Sound Settings, we’ve made a few more updates in this build:
    • We’ve adjusted the description text for the Allow option in properties for audio devices to include the current state of the device, to improve the clarity of the text and the purpose of the button actions.
    • “Listen to this device” is now available in properties for audio devices, so you don’t need to enter Control Panel for this functionality.

[Multiple Desktops]

  • Improved explorer reliability when switching between multiple desktops.

[Storage]

  • We’ve updated the dialog when creating a Dev Drive to now support specifying the size in GB instead of only MB. This has also been added when changing the size of volumes under Settings > System > Storage.

[Personalization]

  • This update improves color selection accuracy when adjusting your accent color to match your wallpaper when automatic accent color selection is enabled in Personalization settings.
  • This update improves wallpaper persistence reliability across restarts and upgrades, including better support for large-resolution wallpapers and other scenarios to prevent solid color wallpaper fallback.

[Display and Graphics]

  • Improves the reliability and persistence of applying color profiles.

source: Flight Hub

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Jun 28

Windows 11 Insider Experimental (26H1) Preview Build 28120.2374

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Hi all, last Friday Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 28120.2374 to the Experimental (26H1) Channel

A few tweaks in this build, flights went smooth on all my 26H1 devices, Happy Flighting

Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out

  • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes

[Mobile Device Settings]

  • You can add and manage your mobile devices in Settings under Bluetooth & Devices > Mobile Devices. On this page, you can manage features such as using your device as a connected camera or accessing your device’s files in File Explorer.

[Remote Recovery Management]

  • Added a recovery remote management plug-in to extend WinRE management capabilities for MDM providers.

[Input]

  • The emoji panel (Windows key + period (.)) now uses GIPHY as the GIF provider, delivering a smoother GIF browsing and sharing experience following the deprecation of the Tenor API.

source: Flight Hub

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Jun 28

Windows 11 Insider Experimental Preview Build 26300.8758

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Hi all, last Friday Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 26300.8758 to the Experimental Channel

Smooth flights on all my devices, don’t forget to feedback any encountered issues or suggestions using the Feedback Hub. Happy Upgrades!

Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out

[Taskbar]

  • Taskbar customization just got easier. As we continue to make improvements to the Taskbar experience mentioned last month, we’ve introduced a dedicated Taskbar Size setting, making it simpler to find, understand, and personalize your ideal taskbar experience.
UI showing the new Taskbar Size setting in Settings.
  • We’ve also made refinements to the transitions between taskbar sizes for a smoother overall experience.

[File Explorer]

  • We’ve improved the reliability of thumbnail previews for cloud files in the Details pane. The pane has also been reorganized so file properties are easier to find and review at a glance.
  • Fixed an issue where the OneDrive shortcut in File Explorer stops working when File Explorer is run in administrative mode.
  • Fixed an issue where the confirmation dialog might display an internal Recycle Bin file name instead of the original file name when permanently deleting a file.

[Sounds]

  • Improved system sounds when using Windows in dark mode.

source: Flight Hub

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Jun 21

Windows 11 Insider Experimental (Future Platforms) Preview Build 29613.1000

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Hi all, last Friday Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 29613.1000 to the Experimental (Future Platforms) Channel.

A few nice tweaks to the sound device settings, this comes in handy when multiple audio devices are connected.

Enjoy updating!

Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out

[Audio]

  • Following up on our previous improvements, we’re making some more adjustments to Settings > System > Sounds based on your feedback. Namely, we’ve updated the “All sound devices” page so:
    • You now have the ability to change default devices from this page.
    • Each of the devices displayed on this page now has a little volume meter next to it to show if there is audio actively playing.
    • We’ve adjusted the page design slightly so now you can filter whether you’re viewing input or output devices.
    • We’ve added toggles so you can choose if you want to hide or show disabled, disconnected, and unplugged devices on this page.
  • We’ve also updated the input and output audio properties page for devices in Settings to now include jack information for those that need it.

source: Flight Hub

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Jun 21

Windows 11 Insider Experimental (26H1) Preview Build 28120.2315

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Hi all, last Friday Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 28120.2315 to the Experimental (26H1) Channel

A quick update with a few tweaks, all smooth updates here.

Happy Upgrades!

Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out

  • This update includes a small number of minor bug fixes and improvements.

[Accessibility]

  • This update improves caption style responsiveness by redrawing captions immediately for caption style changes. If no current caption is visible, a sample caption string is displayed.

[Audio]

  • This update improves the reliability of the inbox HD Audio driver.

source: Flight Hub

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Jun 21

Windows 11 Insider Experimental Preview Build 26300.8697

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Hi all, last Friday Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 26300.8697 to the Experimental Channel.

From this build onwards, we’re seeing 26H2 as the version. This aligns with the release that’s planned later this year for all Windows 11 devices, which will be delivered as an enablement package.

An enablement package is a lightweight update that simply activates features already present in the OS. Unlike a full build upgrade, which performs a complete OS replacement and takes longer, an enablement package installs quickly, requires minimal downtime, and carries less risk because it builds on the existing system.

Happy Upgrades!

Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out

[General]

  • With today’s build, Windows Insiders in the Experimental channel will see the versioning updated under Settings > System > About (and winver) to version 26H2. For more information, see the Windows Insiders blog.

[File Explorer]

  • We’ve improved the visual consistency and reliability of the Copy dialog in Dark mode, including its launch experience and the expanded progress view.

[Start menu]

  • Improved reliability of Start menu reflecting newly installed or removed apps without requiring sign-out or restart.

[Taskbar]

  • Fixed an issue for Insiders using the new smaller taskbar option, where the system tray might get cut off or pushed off screen.

[Settings]

  • Improved reliability of Settings > Apps > Startup.

[Virtualization]

  • This update addresses an issue that could result in bugchecks citing HYPERVISOR_ERROR (0x20001) and KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED (0x1E) errors after installing the latest flights on some devices during system restarts, virtual machine operations, or while running some gaming applications.

source: Flight Hub

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Jun 16

Windows 11 Insider Experimental (Future Platforms) Preview Build 29610.1000

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Hi all, last Friday Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 29610.1000 to the Experimental (Future Platforms) channel.

Glad to see the defender issue resolved, it triggered compliance notifications

All Upgrades went fine here, smooth flights, enjoy upgrading!

Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out

[General Reliability]

If you were experiencing a repeated bugcheck (green screen) with the error KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE after the previous flight, that should be resolved now.

[Storage]

Improved the performance when navigating to see storage on large volumes via Settings > System > Storage > Advanced Storage Settings > Disks & Volumes.

[Windows Security]

If you were seeing an erroneous notification saying Windows Defender wasn’t enabled when it actually was after the latest flights, that should be resolved now.

[Other]

Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to unexpectedly see two energy saver entries in Quick Settings recently.

source: Flight Hub

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Jun 16

Windows 11 Insider Experimental (26H1) Preview Build 28120.2302

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Hi all, last Friday Microsoft released Windows 11 Insider Build 28120.2302 to the Experimental (26H1) channel.

A few tweaks on this update, install went smoothly on my devices in this channel, Happy Upgrades!

I’ve been testing the screen tint accessibility feature, it’s very useful !

Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out

  • This update includes a small number of minor bug fixes and improvements.

[General Performance]

  • This update accelerates app launch and core shell experiences such as Start menu, Search, and Action Center.

[Accessibility]

New accessibility setting: Screen tint

  • We’re introducing screen tint, a new accessibility setting that applies a color overlay across your entire display, softening its intensity so it’s easier on your eyes throughout the day. If bright, saturated screens leave you with tired or sensitive eyes by the end of a long session, screen tint can help. 
Screenshot showing UI for screen tint in Accessibility, with color presets and a strength slider.
  • To get started, open Settings > Accessibility (or press Win + U) and look for screen tint under the Vision section. From there you can:
    • Pick from six preset colors or choose a custom color of your own.
    • Adjust the tint strength slider from a subtle wash to full intensity.
  • Night light warms your display to reduce blue light that can interfere with sleep. Screen tint reduces overall screen intensity to ease eye fatigue and light sensitivity during the day. They tackle different problems and you can use both at the same time, one working on warmth and the other on intensity.
  • Note that turning on screen tint will disable color filters, and vice versa. If you currently rely on color filters, you may need to keep screen tint turned off.

Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Accessibility > Narrator.

[Other]

  • Task Scheduler will now persist column width adjustments in task list view across sessions.

source: Flight Hub

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