Hi all, last Friday Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 29585.1000 to the Experimental (Future Platforms) Channel
Upgrades went fine on my devices in this channel, one strange thing happened the next day when I resumed one of them a window popped up the Dev Home needed to be updated, even though it’s not installed on the device.
Happy Upgrades!
Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out*
This update includes platform changes in moving to a new active development build.
We’re updating the experience when you use voice typing with the touch keyboard to make it feel more streamlined and intuitive. The new design removes the previous full‑screen overlay and instead shows voice typing animations directly on the dictation key, helping you stay focused on what you’re doing without extra visual distractions.
Before the update:
After the update:
Feedback: Please share your feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Input and Language > Voice Typing (Windows key plus H).
[Administrator Protection]
Improved reliability of Japanese IME usage when Administrator Protection is enabled.
[Other]
Fixed an underlying issue impacting persistence of sign in state for certain apps after the latest Canary flights.
Hi all, last Friday Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 28020.2075 to the Experimental (26H1) Channel.
Quick few fixes for this build, easy upgrades on my devices in this channel
Enjoy Upgrading!
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.
[Input]
Improved the reliability of typing when using the ADLaM keyboard.
Improved performance of opening clipboard history.
[Fonts]
We’ve made some font improvements, including updating the Leelawadee UI font family for the Thai, Lao, Khmer, and Lontara scripts to help improve glyph sequencing, positioning, and rendering for these scripts.
Hi all, last Friday Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 26300.8376 to the Experimental Channel.
Upgrades went smooth on all my Experimental Channel devices,
Edu Upgrade from Home to Pro Education Edition is a nice supprise
The new Run dialog introduced in the previous build looks great. One piece of feedback I’ve submitted is that the history doesn’t resolve URLs unless they start with www. For example, to open https://entra.microsoft.com/, you now have to type the full https:// prefix. This worked in the old Run dialog, and I’d really like to see that behavior return in the new one. (FeedBack Hub: https://aka.ms/AA10w30b)
Happy Upgrades!
Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out
[Touchpad]
We’re adding new gesturing-related functionality to precision touchpads in Settings. The new features should be widely available across applications, with the exception that WinUI3-based UI requires new WinAppSDK versions for complete functionality – we’re in the process of bringing the necessary changes to versions 1.8 and 2.0.
Scroll / zoom speed: control the baseline speed for these gestures
Automatic scrolling: scrolling continues indefinitely without lifting your fingers. Activate by either bringing your fingers near the edge of the touchpad while scrolling, or holding them still and pressing harder (requires hardware support).
Accelerated scrolling: repeatedly scrolling increases their speed, allowing quick traversal of long documents.
Single-finger scrolling: perform a vertical scroll with a single finger starting from the left or right side of the touchpad.
Touchpad improvements bring new gesture capabilities including automatic scrolling, gesture speed controls, accelerated scrolling, and optional single-finger scrolling support.
[File Explorer]
We’ve made several updates to improve reliability, readability, and overall usability in File Explorer:
Address Bar improvements
The address bar now supports paths containing double backslashes and quotation marks (for example, C:\Users\user or “C:\Users\user”), improving compatibility with a wider range of inputs.
Improved reliability of the Address Bar suggestion dropdown so it now consistently closes after an item is selected.
More readable file size formatting
File sizes in the Details view now display using appropriate units (KB, MB, GB) instead of KB-only, making them easier to understand at a glance.
Refinements to the rename experience
Fixed an issue where text would be repeatedly selected while renaming items in folder views.
Fixed an issue where updated names (case-only changes) were not immediately reflected in folder views across local and cloud storage.
Improved keyboard navigation of File Explorer context menu in flyouts.
Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files, Folders, and Online Storage > File Explorer.
[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.
Instructions:
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
Please note: 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.
[Administrator Protection]
Improved reliability of Japanese IME usage when Administrator Protection is enabled.
[Other]
Fixed a WPN hang in the previous flight, which was leading to notification issues and certain apps hanging on launch.
Improved reliability of loading desktop app icon shortcuts.
Smooth updates on my Experimental channel devices, the new run dialog looks awesome (you need to turn it on in Settings > System > Advanced)
Happy Upgrades!
Changes and improvements gradually being rolled out
[Widgets is quiet by default]
We’re working to make Widgets feel less distracting and overwhelming by making the experience quiet by default.
To do this, we’re testing a new set of default settings designed to reduce unexpected alerts and visual interruptions. These changes include:
Disabling Open on hover by default
Turning off taskbar badging by default
Opening to widgets experience on first launch
Limiting taskbar alerts until you choose to open and engage with the Widgets experience
If you prefer more proactive updates, you can easily turn features like taskbar badging back on through Widgets settings.
Please share your feedback to let us know how these changes are working for you or if you encounter any issues with your quieter Widgets experience.
Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Widgets.
[File Explorer]
We’ve eliminated a grey flash on load and unexpected scrolling to the top on the Home page in certain cases.
We’ve cleaned up the Favorites section, so OneDrive files no longer appear duplicated in some cases.
We’ve sharpened file thumbnails in the Recommended section on the Home page so they’re crisper and easier to read.
[Run dialog update]
We’re rolling out a refreshed Run dialog experience designed to bring a more modern look and improved usability. This update introduces updated visuals and a cleaner interface, along with new controls that make it easier to manage the experience from within Settings. The refreshed Run dialog is currently available as an opt-in experience for Windows Insiders on the Experimental channel, where you can enable it by going to Settings > System > Advanced and turning on the new Run dialog option.
The Windows ShareSheet just got smarter for AAD users. You can now discover and install relevant apps right where you share – no need to jump to the Microsoft Store or interrupt your flow.
Previously available only to MSA users, this experience now extends to AAD accounts, bringing greater flexibility and convenience. You’re also in control, with a simple setting to turn promotional app recommendations on or off. The result is a faster, more seamless, and user-controlled sharing experience with helpful app suggestions exactly when you need them.
The screenshot shows the ShareSheet with a row of suggested apps at the bottom, each labeled “Install.” A new “Settings” option is visible in the top-right overflow menu, allowing users to manage this experience.
Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Share.
[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
[Storage]
In the latest Insider builds, 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.
[Feedback Hub update]
Thanks Windows Insiders who have been sharing feedback about the Feedback Hub – we’re now rolling out version 2.2604.301.0. This update contains a number of improvements based on what you’ve been telling us, including:
Generally improved reliability.
More tweaks to improve general design fit and finish, accessibility, and localization.
The Community feedback section for non-English now allows you to switch view to English if you’d prefer.
Collection titles and Official responses now will be automatically translated in top languages.
The file upload limit when submitting feedback is back up to 500 MB.
Improved upvote and comment count accuracy for feedback.
Please keep the feedback coming! If you want to share any thoughts, you can file them in the Feedback Hub under Apps > Feedback Hub.
[Other]
If you were seeing a large number of APISet events in Event Viewer after the latest Insider builds, that should no longer occur after today’s flight.
Task Scheduler will now persist column width adjustments in task list view across sessions.
Fixed accuracy of CPU speed display on the Performance page of Task Manager for VMs after resume from hibernate, so it doesn’t sometimes show unexpectedly high unrealistic numbers.
Known issues
[WIP settings]
Users who enable the Release Preview toggle may notice it does not allow Release Preview to be selected. If this is the case, exit out of WIP settings and come back.
[Feature flags]
Insiders who use Feature flags to enable the new WIP experience may see the feature state incorrectly marked as current, however changing state and applying changes will work as expected.
Hi all, last Friday Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 28020.1921 to the Experimental (26H1) Channel
All smooth upgrades on my 26H1 devices, new Insider build names are now available in settings
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.
[Windows Insider channel movement]
As announced in the Windows Insider Blog, we will begin moving users in the Canary 28000 Series Channel to the new Experimental (26H1) channel.
[Task Manager]
We’re making a few improvements to Task Manager:
We’re updating Task Manager to provide better insight into NPU usage for PCs that include an NPU. New optional NPU and NPU Engine columns are now available on the Processes, Users, and Details pages. The Details page also adds NPU Dedicated Memory and NPU Shared Memory optional columns to give you deeper visibility into how workloads are using NPU resources. Additionally, if there are neural engines that are part of a GPU, they will now appear on the Performance page, providing a more complete view of AI‑related system activity.
We’re also adding a new optional Isolation column to the Processes and Details pages, allowing you to see which apps are running in an AppContainer.
Fixed accuracy of CPU speed display on the Performance page of Task Manager for VMs after resume from hibernate, so it doesn’t sometimes show unexpectedly high unrealistic numbers.
Once these changes are available to you, you can add any of the new columns by right‑clicking a column header in Task Manager and selecting them from the menu.
Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Task Manager.
[Feedback Hub update]
Thanks Windows Insiders who have been sharing feedback about the Feedback Hub – we’re now rolling out version 2.2604.301.0. This update contains a number of improvements based on what you’ve been telling us, including:
Generally improved reliability.
More tweaks to improve general design fit and finish, accessibility, and localization.
The Community feedback section for non-English now allows you to switch view to English if you’d prefer.
Collection titles and Official responses now will be automatically translated in top languages.
The file upload limit when submitting feedback is back up to 500 MB.
Improved upvote and comment count accuracy for feedback.
Please keep the feedback coming! If you want to share any thoughts, you can file them in the Feedback Hub under Apps > Feedback Hub.
Hi all, last Friday Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 29580.1000 to the ExperimentalChannel (Future Platforms)
The Wifi Issue on My Surface 13inch still occurs, the Wlan AutoConfig service crashes cusing Wifi to stop working until the service is started again. (Feedback Hub: https://aka.ms/AAutxba)
Great updates to the Feedback Hub!
Upgardes went smoothy, Happy Upgrades!
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.
[Feedback Hub update]
Thanks Windows Insiders who have been sharing feedback about the Feedback Hub – we’re now rolling out version 2.2604.301.0. This update contains a number of improvements based on what you’ve been telling us, including:
Generally improved reliability.
More tweaks to improve general design fit and finish, accessibility, and localization.
The Community feedback section for non-English now allows you to switch view to English if you’d prefer.
Collection titles and Official responses now will be automatically translated in top languages.
The file upload limit when submitting feedback is back up to 500 MB.
Improved upvote and comment count accuracy for feedback.
Please keep the feedback coming! If you want to share any thoughts, you can file them in the Feedback Hub under Apps > Feedback Hub.
Windows issues don’t always require a full reset or reimage. In Windows 11, Microsoft quietly added a built‑in recovery option that allows you to repair the operating system by reinstalling the same build through Windows Update. It’s fast, supported, and designed to fix stubborn problems while keeping apps, data, and settings intact.
For IT admins and power users, this feature is a valuable middle ground between basic troubleshooting and a full OS reinstall — and it’s often overlooked.
A lesser-known built-in Windows 11 repair option
Most admins know the classic in‑place upgrade using an ISO or setup.exe. What’s less known is that Windows 11 can repair itself by reinstalling the same build via Windows Update — no ISO, no data loss, no reimaging.
This feature is built into Windows 11 and is extremely useful when:
Windows Update is broken
System files are damaged
You see persistent update errors
You want a clean OS refresh without touching apps or data
What is an in‑place upgrade to the same build?
It’s exactly what it sounds like:
Windows reinstalls the same Windows 11 version and build
Uses Windows Update as the source
Keeps:
User data
Installed apps
Drivers
Most settings
Think of it as a full OS repair, not a feature upgrade.
When should you use this?
This is a great option if:
sfc /scannow and DISM /RestoreHealth didn’t fix the issue
Windows Update fails with errors like:
0x80073701
0x800f081f
0x800736b3
Feature updates refuse to install
The device is unstable but still bootable
It’s also a solid last step before reimaging.
How to trigger it
Via Settings
Open Settings
Go to Windows Update
Under Fix problems using Windows Update
Click Reinstall now
Location of the Reinstall now button
Repair notification with option to reboot automatically
Windows Update Downloading (repair version)
Windows will:
Download the current OS build
Reinstall Windows over itself
Reboot a few times
All without asking for an ISO.
What happens under the hood (high level)
Windows Update downloads a full OS payload
Setup runs in repair mode
System files are replaced
Component store (WinSxS) is rebuilt
Update stack is refreshed
From an admin perspective, this behaves very similarly to:
setup.exe /auto upgrade
But fully Microsoft-supported and user-friendly.
What it does NOT do
Important to set expectations:
❌ Does not upgrade to a newer feature version
❌ Does not remove third‑party software
❌ Does not reset all settings
❌ Does not fix hardware or firmware issues
It’s a repair, not a reset.
Why this matters for IT admins
For enterprise and MSP scenarios:
No ISO management
No task sequences
No user data backup required
Can be guided remotely
Works well on Entra‑joined and Intune‑managed devices
This makes it ideal as a Tier‑2 / Tier‑3 remediation step.
Real‑world tip
If you’re troubleshooting update failures:
Try normal Windows Update
Run SFC + DISM
Use this in‑place repair via Windows Update
Reimage only if all else fails
In many cases, step 3 saves hours.
Final thoughts
This feature has been quietly improved in Windows 11 and is now stable, fast, and reliable.
If you’re still reaching for ISOs as your default repair method, it’s worth adding this option to your standard troubleshooting playbook.
Fast en smooth upgrades on my Experimental channel devices,
Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out
[Windows Insider Program channel movement]
As announced in the Windows Insider Blog, we will begin moving users in the Dev Channel to the new Experimental channel. This will be a phased roll out and Insiders who do not see the new experience on their device but want to, can enable the experience under Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program > Feature flags.
[Windows Update]
We’re introducing new capabilities to enhance security and improve user control over the Windows update experience. This includes:
Ability to skip updates immediately during the out of box experience (OOBE)
Extend update pauses as many times as you need
Always available options to shutdown and restart with updating
More insight on available updates to make more informed installation decisions
Improved detection of clicks at the leftmost edge of the taskbar to invoke start menu when the taskbar icons are set to left aligned.
[Other]
Removed unexpected error that was showing when opening Group Policy Editor in the last couple Insider flights.
We’re updated Times New Roman to improve support for combining diacritical marks across the Greek and Cyrillic Unicode ranges. If you notice any positioning issues with these diacritical marks, please let us know by filing feedback under Desktop Environment > Font Installation and Preview in the Feedback Hub – preferably with details about the specific Unicode character, and a screenshot highlighting the expected position.
Known issues
[Feature flags]
Insiders who use Feature flags to enable the new WIP experience may see the feature state incorrectly marked as current, however changing state and applying changes will work as expected.
Kudo’s to who worked on the touch keyboard update, love the new experience!
Smooth and fast updates across my Devices, Happy Updates!
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.
[Xbox Mode]
Xbox full screen experience is now Xbox mode
We’ve added an improved first run experience when entering Xbox mode
Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Gaming and Xbox > Gaming Full Screen Experience.
[Touch Keyboard Experience for Voice Typing]
We’re updating the experience when you use voice typing with the touch keyboard to make it feel more streamlined and intuitive. The new design removes the previous full‑screen overlay and instead shows voice typing animations directly on the dictation key, helping you stay focused on what you’re doing without extra visual distractions.
Before the update:
After the update:
FEEDBACK: Please share your feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Input and Language > Voice Typing (Windows key plus H).
[Storage]
Improved the performance when navigating to see storage on large volumes via Settings > System > Storage > Advanced Storage Settings > Disks & Volumes.
Updated Settings > System > Storage, so rather than seeing a UAC prompt immediately when you go to the page, you’ll only see it when going to view temporary files.
[Network]
Fixed issue causing Settings > Network & Internet > Data Usage to show large unrealistic values in recent Insider builds.
[Other]
Improved performance of launching startup apps after boot (apps which display under Settings > Apps > Startup).
I love the new names and upcoming controles and clarification on the different channels
Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out*
[Sound settings]
We’ve been making some improvements to Settings > System > Sound in the latest Canary builds. This includes:
We’ve updated the design of the volume slider, so now if there is audio actively playing it will be displayed on the side.
If your audio device supports hardware acceleration, an option to allow hardware acceleration has now been added to the Advanced section in Properties that device.
Configuring exclusive mode for an audio device is now available in the Advanced section of the Properties for that device, so you don’t have to navigate to Control Panel to do it.
Configuring adaptive communication sound levels (reducing volume of other sounds when communications activity is detected) is now available directly in Settings, so you don’t have to navigate to Control Panel to do it.
The option to set an audio device as default sound device for communication will now always display in Properties, just greyed out if the device is already the default (rather than the control hiding in this case).
[Point-in-time restore for Windows]
Point-in-time restore for Windows empowers you to quickly roll your device back to a previous state — helping minimize downtime and simplify troubleshooting when disruptions strike. Whether you’re dealing with a widespread outage or a one-off issue, point-in-time restore helps recover your system (including apps, settings, and user files) to get you back to productivity faster. For more details, check out our documentation.
Point-in-time restore shown in the Troubleshoot menu for Windows RE
Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Recovery and Uninstall > Point-in-time restore.
[Task Manager]
We’re making a few improvements to Task Manager:
We’re updating Task Manager to provide better insight into NPU usage for PCs that include an NPU. New optional NPU and NPU Engine columns are now available on the Processes, Users, and Details pages. The Details page also adds NPU Dedicated Memory and NPU Shared Memory optional columns to give you deeper visibility into how workloads are using NPU resources. Additionally, if there are neural engines that are part of a GPU, they will now appear on the Performance page, providing a more complete view of AI‑related system activity.
We’re also adding a new optional Isolation column to the Processes and Details pages, allowing you to see which apps are running in an AppContainer.
Once these changes are available to you, you can add any of the new columns by right‑clicking a column header in Task Manager and selecting them from the menu.
Feedback: Share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Task Manager.
[Other]
Fixed an underlying issue causing some rendering issues in certain apps with recent Canary flights.
