All articles tagged with #insider preview
Microsoft is rolling out a new File Explorer feature in Windows 11 Insider builds that allows users to use the tilde (~) symbol to quickly access their user folder, similar to Unix systems. This update also improves search consistency, path handling, and folder preferences.
Microsoft’s Windows 11 Insider Experimental Preview Build 26300.8935 adds a faster delete path for large, fragmented files in File Explorer, addressing slow deletions on nearly full drives. The change, described as faster “in certain scenarios,” joins other speed improvements like a faster Home tab and better touch-scrolling, as part of ongoing File Explorer optimizations and a WinUI-based update to the Properties dialog; these updates are rolling out gradually to Insiders in the Experimental channel.
Microsoft is rolling out a redesigned Windows 11 Search to the Experimental Insider channel that trims the UI to show only suggested searches, with clear app or setting results and recent queries for quick recall. It removes promotional clutter, prioritizes relevant results (including local, web, and Microsoft Store items if enabled), and adds improved typo tolerance and cross-reference with cloud/connected files when more relevant. To try it, join the Windows 11 Insider program and enable the Refined Windows Search feature flag in Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program. If it passes muster, the update could roll out to all users in a few months.
Microsoft is testing Cloud Rebuild in a Windows 11 Insider Preview, a WinRE-based recovery option that can reinstall Windows by downloading the OS image and drivers from Windows Update, even when the PC won’t boot. It requires network access, will erase all data, and is currently aimed at administrators rather than home users as a destructive, cloud-driven alternative to the traditional USB install.
Microsoft’s Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26300.8553 introduces a redesigned Start menu with extensive customization: you can independently show/hide Pinned, Recent, and All sections, switch Recommended to Recent, enable a real-time Recent view, hide the user name and profile picture, and choose from three predefined Start menu sizes (including a smaller option); All apps can be viewed in Grid or List and you can disable sections to reduce whitespace. Freeform resizing remains unavailable. Microsoft is boosting responsiveness with the Low Latency Profile and is rebuilding core Windows components with native WinUI 3 to deliver a faster Start menu, though the full native Start menu isn’t done yet.
Microsoft is rolling out an Insider Preview (Build 26300.8493) that reinstates a resizable taskbar and configurable Start menu on Windows 11, letting users move the taskbar to the top or sides, enable smaller icons, and tailor Start menu content and size, while maintaining a list of recently installed apps; the company also teases a modern Run dialog and broader performance and UX improvements.
Windows 11 Insider Preview builds add a major touchpad upgrade: precision touchpads gain four new gestures and refined scrolling controls (automatic scrolling at edge and with pressure, accelerated scrolling, and single-finger scrolling), plus a revamped Settings page, File Explorer tweaks, and various bug fixes; full functionality may require updated Windows App SDKs.
Microsoft is extending its Xbox-mode console-style UI from handheld devices to Windows 11 PCs—including laptops, desktops, and tablets—via a Windows Insider Canary update (build 29570.1000). Users can enable it through the Xbox app, Game Bar settings, or Win+F11; the feature, previously tested on gaming handhelds, may roll out to mainline Windows soon as Microsoft faces competition from SteamOS-like desktop environments.
Microsoft's Windows 11 Insider Preview now lets you format FAT32 drives up to 2 TB with the stock tools, ending the old 32 GB GUI limit. The 32 GB cap was a 30-year-old UI decision rather than a FAT32 spec limit; larger volumes have been possible via other tools previously. FAT32 still imposes a 4 GB file-size limit and is not ideal for large HD or 4K video files.
Windows 11 Insider builds (Dev 26300.8170, Beta 26220.8165) bring faster loading for Storage settings and Disks & Volumes, tweak UAC prompts to appear only when accessing temporary files, and remove the built-in FAT32 formatting cap of 32GB (now up to 2TB via the command line). These changes address long-standing slowdowns on large drives, with a typical stable rollout timeline yet to be announced.
Microsoft's Windows 11 Insider builds 26100.7918 (24H2) and 26200.7918 (25H2) introduce a built-in network speed test accessible from the taskbar or Quick Settings, using a browser–powered Ookla test via Bing for Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, and mobile connections. The release also adds optional System Monitor integration, Emoji Update 16.0, native WebP desktop backgrounds, pan/tilt controls for compatible webcams, broader archive support, full‑screen widget settings, and performance tweaks for recovery, storage searches, and the Windows Update page, with a gradual rollout to users.
Microsoft is testing a Windows 11 feature that adds a taskbar button to launch a network speed test via Bing (backed by Ookla). The tool is available to Windows 11 Insiders in the Release Preview channel and shows download/upload speeds and latency after testing. While convenient, it currently redirects to Bing rather than running entirely in-system, and some users may prefer a fully integrated, in‑OS speed test like Ookla’s Speedtest before a broader release.
Microsoft's latest Windows 11 Canary build introduces features already tested in other Insider channels, narrowing the gap in updates as the platform shifts towards the Bromine release, which will focus on architectural improvements and is expected to ship in 2026.
Microsoft has released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6972 to the Dev Channel, introducing new features like mobile device management from Settings, a direct benefits link in the Start menu, updated Game Pass branding, and improvements to File Explorer and display performance. The update also includes fixes for various issues and outlines known problems, with some features being gradually rolled out and subject to change.
Microsoft releases Windows 11 build 27971 for Canary Insiders, introducing a long-overdue feature that allows users to open the Notification Center on secondary monitors, along with various fixes for File Explorer, lock screen, and input issues.