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Source: https://www.computerworld.com/feed/

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<title>Apple earnings: About that iPhone ‘slump’ in China</title>
<pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 16:23:55 +0000</pubDate>
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If he hasn’t already, it’s past time for Apple CEO Tim Cook to gain a reputation for dry wit when it comes to handling preconceived opinion — he ladled out several helpings of this during Apple’s second-quarter fiscal call on Thursday. Though the company’s financials were down, they were still ahead of what Wall Street had anticipated. 
Revenue for the quarter was $90.8 billion, down 4% from the same quarter last year, but Apple’s gross margins increased to 46.6%, mainly on the strength of solid services increases.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cook states the facts </h2>
For me, one of his best lines during the presentation was captured in this exchange during analyst questions:
Wells Fargo analyst: “I guess I’m going to go back to the China question. I guess at a high level, the simple question is, when we look at the data points that have been repeatedly reported throughout the course of this quarter, I’m curious, Tim, what are we missing? Where do you think people are missing Apple’s iPhone traction within the Chinese market?”
Tim Cook: “I can’t address the data points. I can only address what our results are. And we did accelerate last quarter and the iPhone grew in mainland China. So that’s what the results were. I can’t bridge to numbers we didn’t come up with.”
Translation: The analyst is confused because <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2091646/apples-iphone-slumps-as-consumers-wait-for-ai.html">all the industry data points</a> (IDC, Counterpoint, Gartner, Ming Chi Kuo) seem to have been inaccurate. Cook simply dismisses those estimates with the company’s actual results.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What happened in China?</h2>
What’s confusing here is that the company’s management report confirms weak iPhone sales in every segment — but in part this reflects one of those “difficult comparisons” the company likes to state. 
Think back to this time last year, when Apple was just emerging from what had been a very difficult time operationally. In the run up to this quarter a year ago, COVID-19 had closed the iPhone factories, meaning lots of smartphones weren’t being made, and <a href="https://www.applemust.com/apples-iphone-sees-recovery-in-china-strength-in-india/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">order fulfillment was delayed</a>. Apple told us then that it realized about $5 billion in iPhones sales in the quarter that would have been made in the preceding one.
That’s not the case this year. “If you remove that $5 billion from last year’s results, we would have grown this quarter on a year-over-year basis,” Cook said. “And so that’s how we look at it internally from how the company is performing.” 
If that’s true, it explains why Apple doesn’t seem especially concerned that its iPhone sales internationally did decline by 10% in revenue in the quarter. After all, the iPhone was the top-selling smartphone model in the US, urban China, Australia, UK, France, Germany, and Japan. The device also achieved 99% customer satisfaction according to Changewave.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Managing change</h2>
Even though Cook told us that iPhone sales grew in China, both the Wall Street Journal and Nikkei insist sales fell there. In fact, the two best-selling smartphones in mainland China during the quarter were the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro Max, Apple confirmed during the presentation. 
Apple did concede that it has work to do on its other products, and iPhone sales were down in contrast to this time last year. Weakness was felt across multiple markets, and with the iPhone Apple’s biggest product, the impact of this and softening iPad sales contributed to revenue decline.
What is interesting is that in Japan and elsewhere in the APAC region, Apple sales seemed weak. That doesn’t mean there isn’t an appetite for the company’s products. Cook <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2093679/chasing-business-and-partnerships-apple-goes-apac.html">sees enthusiasm across the region</a>: “Everywhere I travel, people have such a great affinity for Apple, and it’s one of the many reasons I’m so optimistic about the future,” he said. He also expressed his confidence in the long-term Apple market in China.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What about enterprise use?</h2>
Apple made a handful of references to enterprise sales, the majority of which pertained to its latest device, the Vision Pro headset. The company reported that over half of the world’s Fortune 100 companies have already bought Vision Pro units to explore what the device can do for their business. 
“We are seeing so many compelling use cases, from aircraft engine maintenance training at KLM to real-time team collaboration and immersive kitchen design at Lowes,” said Apple CFO Luca Maestri.
Apple also confirmed the ongoing rise of Macs in the enterprise. “More and more enterprise customers are embracing the Mac,” said Maestri.
In healthcare, Epic Systems, the world’s largest electronic medical record provider, recently launched its native app for the Mac, making it easier for healthcare organizations like Emory Help to transition thousands of PCs to the Mac for clinical use. “I think there’s a great opportunity for us around the world in enterprise,” said Cook.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A note on Europe</h2>
Two points seemed interesting:
<ul>
<li>Apple anticipates solid services growth (which includes Europe) in the current quarter, despite the EU’s DMA act which is <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2097592/apple-confirms-it-will-open-up-the-ipad-in-europe-this-fall.html">forcing it to change its App Store business model</a>.</li>
<li>With those changes, Apple said it’s too early to tell whether consumers or developers will migrate outside the App Store; its focus for now is on complying with the EU law while “mitigating the impacts to user privacy and security” of doing so.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">One step beyond</h2>
Apple also discussed emerging markets. 
Maestri: “…When we start looking at places like India, like Saudi, like Mexico, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico and Indonesia, the numbers are getting large. And we’re very happy because these are markets where our market share is low. The populations are large and growing. And our products are really making a lot of progress within those markets. The level of excitement for the brand is very high. So, it is very good for us.
“And then and certainly the numbers are getting larger all the time. And so the gap as you compare it to the numbers in China is reducing. And hopefully that trajectory continues for a long time.”
The takeaway from those statements tells me that, like any farmer, Apple is investing in future business growth and most certainly sees rapidly emerging markets as the bedrock for tomorrow’s success as mature markets atrophy.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What happens next?</h2>
Looking forward, Apple warned of low single-digit growth in the June quarter, with services predicted to continue to grow and the iPad to see double-digit growth. The company is expected to ship a new iPad as soon as next week. 
That iPad may also introduce some new AI-driven tools, perhaps as a taster of what to expect at WWDC and their expected spread across the company’s products this fall. Discussing generative AI, Cook described it as a “very key” opportunity, stressed his confidence that the company has advantages to bring such tech to market, and promised “we will be talking more about it as we go through the weeks ahead”. So, <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2096725/apple-is-intensely-focused-on-its-global-ai-efforts.html">there’s a lot to look forward to</a>.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apple’s data points</h2>
So, having established that there’s no data about Apple better than Apple’s own data, what data points did Apple share? You can review its <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/05/apple-reports-second-quarter-results/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">press release here</a> and financial statements <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/fy2024-q2/FY24_Q2_Consolidated_Financial_Statements.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a> and <a href="https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0000320193/ee662306-a551-4192-91d8-e9931452076e.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. What follows are some details cherry-picked from within the company’s analyst call:
<ul>
<li>Apple reached revenue records in more than a dozen countries and regions, including in Latin America and the Middle East, as well as Canada, India, Spain, and Turkey.</li>
<li>It also achieved an all-time revenue record in Indonesia, “one of the many markets where we continue to see so much potential,” said Cook, who recently visited the nation.</li>
<li>Services hit an all-time revenue record, up 14% YoY at $23.9 billion. (It’s worth noting that recent data indicates Apple TV+ is the <a href="https://www.applemust.com/is-apple-tv-breaking-out-in-streaming-it-might-be/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fastest growing</a> streaming service in major markets.)</li>
<li>Mac sales by revenue grew 4% YoY. (Cook described the MacBook Air as “the best consumer laptop for AI”, which I take to mean “watch this space.”)</li>
<li>iPad revenue fell 17%, ahead of next week’s expected refresh.</li>
<li>Wearables, home, and accessory sales fell 10%.</li>
<li>Apple nodded toward CSR, confirming its plan to be completely carbon neutral across its business by 2030 and celebrating that it has reduced overall emissions by over 50% even while revenue (and therefore sales) increased 65% since 2015.</li>
<li>Apple expects gross margins in the June quarter of 45.5% to 46.5% (which is really high, even for Apple).</li>
<li>Apple predicts single-digit growth in comparison to last year in the upcoming June quarter. In 2023, it booked $81.8 billion in revenue for that period.</li>
<li>If you own Apple shares, you’ll get 25 cents per share on May 16.</li>
</ul>
Please follow me on <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/@jonnyevans" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mastodon</a>, or join me in the <a href="https://mewe.com/join/appleholics_bar_and_grill" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AppleHolic’s bar & grill</a> and <a href="https://mewe.com/join/apple_discussions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Discussions</a> groups on MeWe.
</div></div></div><category>Apple, iMac, iPhone, Mobile</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2097946/apple-earnings-about-that-iphone-slump-in-china.html</link>
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<title>Microsoft begins to phase out ‘classic’ Teams</title>
<pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 12:23:27 +0000</pubDate>
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Seven years after the launch of Teams, Microsoft has outlined plans to retire the initial, “classic” version of the <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1691412/microsoft-teams-its-features-how-it-compares-to-slack-and-other-rivals.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1691412/microsoft-teams-its-features-how-it-compares-to-slack-and-other-rivals.html">team chat app</a>. Support for Teams classic will end on July 1 and it will be discontinued a year later; atthat point, users will be unable to access the legacy client.
Microsoft released the new 2.1 version of Teams last October after several months in preview, claiming the new app is twice as fast and uses around 50% less memory than its predecessor. 
The move represents the biggest change to the collaboration application since it arrived in 2017 to take on rival Slack. Since then, Teams has reached 320 million monthly users, according to recent data, having capitalized on the big uptick in video meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. That said, it hasn’t alwaysbeen well-liked by users.
While the two Teams versions have coexisted in recent months, Microsoft recently outlined its schedule to phase out classic Teams on its <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/teams-classic-client-end-of-availability" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">admin site</a>. With the end of support coming, no new features will be added going forward and Microsoft will cease to help customers resolve support issues. At this stage, customers will start to receive in-app messages informing them that their version of Teams is out of date. End of support was initially planned for March 31 before being pushed back.
Users will be unable to access or use the classic Teams as of July 1, 2025. Those using classic Teams on Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and macOS Sierra will see the end of availability occur earlier, on Oct. 23, 2024. 
While there are advantages with the new version of Teams, some capabilities will disappear, too. 
Earlier this week, Microsoft outlined a host of changes that users might notice once they move to the new Teams. Some involve new ways to access existing tools, as well as several smaller features that will no longer be available: the activity tab in Teams chat, and Adaptive Card-based tabs in personal app tabs, for example.
The timeframe for retiring the classic Teams app seems abrupt, according to Raúl Castañón, senior research analyst at 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence, and Microsoft appears to be pressuring customers to update to the new version. 
“Some business might be slow to move to the new app because they may have planned to update at a later date, or because they might want to wait until Microsoft has worked out software bugs from the initial versions,” he said. 
Classic Teams is one of several Microsoft products heading toward end of support. Windows 10 users will <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1611200/microsoft-to-offer-windows-10-extended-security-updates-to-business-and-individual-users.html">no long receive security or technical support</a> as of Oct.14, 2025, as Microsoft encourges users to migrate to Windows 11. Microsoft will also end support for <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2093653/microsoft-reminder-support-for-office-2016-and-2019-ends-next-year.html">Office 2016 and 2019 application suites</a>, and related productivity servers, on the same day.
</div></div></div><category>Collaboration Software, Microsoft Teams, Productivity Software</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2097880/microsoft-begins-to-phase-out-classic-teams.html</link>
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<title>Apple confirms it will open up the iPad in Europe this fall</title>
<pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2024 17:26:38 +0000</pubDate>
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In the latest set of tweaks to bring itself into compliance with a <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2075606/apple-will-continue-to-enhance-its-dma-compliance.html">new European Union law</a>, Apple has confirmed significant changes to the deal <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1611678/as-apple-opens-the-app-store-a-little-in-eu-winners-and-losers-emerge.html">originally offered to developers</a> in the EU. Not only will it <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2096248/the-eu-has-decided-to-open-up-ipados.html">open up the iPad</a> in the same way as it is <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2092396/apple-sidles-into-sideloading-in-the-eu.html">opening up the iPhone in Europe</a>, but it is making significant changes to its Core Technology Fee that should benefit smaller developers.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Europe’s iPads will be opened up this fall</h2>
iPadOS will be opened up in Europe starting this fall, the company said in a <a href="http://developer.apple.com/news" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">statement on its developer website</a>. “This week, the European Commission designated iPadOS a gatekeeper platform under the Digital Markets Act,” Apple said. “Apple will bring our recent iOS changes for apps in the European Union (EU) to iPadOS later this fall, as required. Developers can choose to adopt the Alternative Business Terms for Apps in the EU that will include these additional capabilities and options on iPadOS or stay on Apple’s existing terms.”
Of course, once developers do choose to adopt Apple’s alternative terms, they can become liable to pay the company a Core Technology Fee (CTF). 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Improvement to the CTF</h2>
The fee is designed to compensate Apple for the value it provides developers in terms of tools, tech, and services. There is good news for developers here in that Apple won’t double charge for this, which means users who install the same app on both iOS and iPadOS within a 12-month period will only generate one first annual install for that app. 
While company critics continue to castigate this so-called “Apple Tax”, the company points out that under current data over 99% of developers in the EU will not be liable to any kind of CTF fee. Which rather implies that the 1% of developers who do pay the fee are able to make the most noise because they can afford the best marketing.
But let’s not dwell on that. Instead, let’s look at two additional changes the company has made to its approach. The first change is quite significant. 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Helping sudden success</h2>
When Apple’s teams appeared in front of what seemed to be an EU kangaroo court to explain how it was approaching the DMA, one question from one developer rang true. That person spoke about how an app they made had become hugely successful overnight and explained that under Apple’s originally proposed CTF deal he would have been bankrupted by the fees at that time. Apple <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1612383/apple-tweaks-its-dma-compliance-strategy-in-europe.html">responded pretty quickly</a> with a range of tweaks.
At first, it introduced a new loophole developers in that situation could use to return to the original terms of business, which I saw as a kind of lifeboat. Today, it introduced a new tweak I think serve to blunt the pain of unexpected success:
As of now, small developers generating under €10 million in global annual business revenue that adopt the alternative business terms receive a three-year free on-ramp to the CTF to help them create innovative apps and rapidly grow business.
What that means is that within those three years, if a developer who has not previously exceeded one million first annual installs crosses the threshold for the first time, they won’t pay the CTF — even if they continue to exceed one million first annual installs during that time. “If a small developer grows to earn global revenue between €10 million and €50 million within the 3-year on-ramp period, they’ll start to pay the CTF after one million first annual installs up to a cap of €1 million per year.”
This sounds incredibly complicated, but basically means that if you are a small developer and happen to introduce an app that generates millions of installs they will not need to pay a fee until they scale their business so they can afford to do so. 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="no-revenue-no-fee">No revenue? No fee</h2>
Obviously, this doesn’t apply to those wealthy developers whose business has already scaled in that way — rightly, they still need to shoulder the burden to help nurture new dev talent. The one big caveat is that the developer must declare their revenue before their first app surpasses one million first annual installs in order to receive these benefits. Leave it too late and you’ll have missed the chance.
The other improvement is that developers who create free apps won’t suddenly be bankrupted because millions download the app. Apple explains: 
“No CTF is required if a developer has no revenue whatsoever. This includes creating a free app without monetization that is not related to revenue of any kind (physical, digital, advertising, or otherwise). This condition is intended to give students, hobbyists, and other non-commercial developers an opportunity to create a popular app without paying the CTF.”
It is also important to point out something else. Only developers who achieve over one million first annual installs per year in the EU need to pay Apple’s Core Technology Fee. Not only that, but non-profit organizations, government entitles, and educational institutions approved for a fee waiver don’t pay it at all.
While Apple’s well-resourced critics will continue to attack the company’s approach, it’s hard to avoid the feeling that the company is making it crystal clear that it is not now (and probably never was) the small developers who propped up App Store profits, but the large developers now making the loudest complaints.
And that seems to me to be <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1634967/epic-vs-apple-is-not-about-freedom.html">food for thought</a>. I doubt those larger entities have any plans to give their apps away for free. Why should Apple be made to do so?
Please follow me on <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/@jonnyevans" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mastodon</a>, or join me in the <a href="https://mewe.com/join/appleholics_bar_and_grill" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AppleHolic’s bar & grill</a> and <a href="https://mewe.com/join/apple_discussions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Discussions</a> groups on MeWe.
</div></div></div><category>Apple, iOS, iPad, Mobile, Mobile Apps</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2097592/apple-confirms-it-will-open-up-the-ipad-in-europe-this-fall.html</link>
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<title>Udacity offers laid-off US workers free access to its courses for 30 days</title>
<pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2024 15:44:28 +0000</pubDate>
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Citing the surge in layoffs nationwide, <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1617283/tech-layoffs-in-2023-a-timeline.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1617283/tech-layoffs-in-2023-a-timeline.html">particularly within the IT workforce</a>, online technology learning platform Udacity is offering a free trial to access its entire catalogue of courses for the next 30 days. The courses includes certifications in skills such as programming, data science, artificial intelligence, digital marketing.
“Layoffs have affected hundreds of thousands of people in the United States in the past year,” Udacity COO Victoria Papalian wrote in <a href="https://www.udacity.com/blog/2024/04/udacity-offers-laid-off-u-s-workers-free-access-to-full-catalog.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a blog post</a>. “Unfortunately, the unsettling trend continues. According to <a href="https://www.challengergray.com/blog/job-cuts-jump-in-march-2024-to-highest-total-since-january-2023-on-government-tech/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Challenger Report</a>, US job cuts in March 2024 were the highest since January 2023, up 7% over February.”
<a href="https://www.udacity.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Udacity</a>, which was founded as the outgrowth of free computer science classes offered in 2011 through <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford University</a>, said its free courses are part of its <a href="https://www.udacity.com/blog/2016/07/nanodegree-101.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.udacity.com/blog/2016/07/nanodegree-101.html">“Nanodegree” credential program</a>. They’re available to anyone laid off over the past year.
In its announcement, the company placed a particular emphasis on highly desired industry skills, such as generative artificial intelligence (genAI). According to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048733323001828" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a recent study</a> led by the Oxford Internet Institute, “AI skills are particularly valuable as they have high levels of skill complementarity, increasing worker wages by 21% on average,” the company said in a statement.
“To capitalize on the [genAI] opportunity — for business as well as individual benefit — learning about various genAI techniques is not sufficient; professionals must be inspired by the many use cases for genAI in the business, and must gain experience in putting that knowledge into practice within organizational contexts,” Papalian said.
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Online instructors include educators from various tech companies, such as Advocate Networks, Cape Analytics, DeepMind, LanceDB, Meta, NVIDIA, SoFi, and UC Berkeley, as well as Udacity’s own instructors. The topics covered include AI, data science, analytics, project management, digital marketing, cloud computing, web development, and mobile development, as well as genAI for business leaders.
Students studying genAI will also have the opportunity to complete projects modeled on the realworld tasks and challenges in professional contexts.
The free courses are available for all levels of IT experience and take about 4 weeks to complete during an average of 10 hours a week. These are examples of some of the courses being offered:
<ul>
<li>Introduction to Python (Beginner)</li>
<li>Introduction to SQL (Beginner)</li>
<li>Digital Project Management (Beginner)</li>
<li>Generative AI Fundamentals (Intermediate)</li>
<li>Intro to Data Science (Advanced)</li>
</ul>
Students who can spend 20 hours a week learning can complete the following courses in 60 days:
<ul>
<li>Business Analytics Nanodegree program (Beginner)</li>
<li>AI Programming with Python Nanodegree program (Beginner)</li>
<li>Programming for Data Science with Python Nanodegree program (Beginner)</li>
<li>AI for Business Leaders Nanodegree program (Intermediate)</li>
<li>AWS Cloud Architect Nanodegree program (Advanced)</li>
</ul>
By spending 40 hours a week, the following Nanodegree programs that typically take four months to complete can be finished in a month:
<ul>
<li>Introduction to Programming Nanodegree program (Beginner)</li>
<li>Digital Marketing Nanodegree program (Intermediate)</li>
<li>Generative AI Nanodegree program (Intermediate)</li>
<li>AI for Trading Nanodegree program (Advanced)</li>
<li>Data Scientist Nanodegree program (Advanced)</li>
</ul>
Udacity students will also have the opportunity to receive feedback on their projects from mentors. The program, including all of Udacity’s tech projects, is now available to <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.udacity.com%2Fblog%2F2023%2F09%2Fall-access.html&data=05%7C02%7Clucas_mearian%40foundryco.com%7C958ce86e66e0467d97cc08dc12f3889f%7C6b18947b63e74323b637418f02655a69%7C0%7C0%7C638406084429740693%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=FE214EXej5Tc%2BU86OAI21pIOPc2rRfvvfzdQ00wqjD0%3D&reserved=0">All Access subscribers</a>.
“The experience of being laid off is stressful to say the least. And the subsequent job hunt is often no less stressful,” Papalian said. “Knowledge and training are critical to capturing the opportunities.”
</div></div></div><category>Education and Training Software, IT Jobs, IT Skills, Technology Industry</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2097122/udacity-offers-laid-off-us-workers-free-access-to-its-courses-for-30-days.html</link>
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<title>Why you’ll soon have a digital clone of your own</title>
<pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
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Some of the most influential influencers on social media sites aren’t people, but computer-generated digital creations. And soon digital “people” will be commonplace in business. 
In the past, fabricated fake folks were built the old-fashioned way — using Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) AI technology (the process behind video deepfakes). Nowadays, phony friends are build using LLM-based genAI tools.
One early digital influencer on Instagram, named <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lilmiquela/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lil Miquela</a>, has been 19 years old since 2016, is worth millions of dollars and was named one of the 25 most influential people on the Internet back in 2018, despite not being a person.
Other computer-generated influencers include <a href="https://www.instagram.com/magazineluiza/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lu do Magalu</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shudu.gram/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shudu Gram</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/imma.gram/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Imma</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/iongottlich/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ion Göttlich</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kda_music/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">K/DA</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bermudaisbae/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bermuda</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thalasya_/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thalasya</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fit_aitana/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aitana Lopez</a>.
To me, the most fascinating dimension to the digital influencer phenomenon is the reaction of the public. Followers who presumably know these influencers are computer-generated actually leave comments on their posts, addressing the non-person as if they were capable of reading and understanding comments. 
It’s unsettling to think that these commenters don’t know they’re talking to a fake person, and also unsettling to think they do know — and comment anyway. Some commenters are themselves virtual influencers (no doubt playing the Instagram game of performative engagement on the accounts one wishes to steal followers from).
This is a clue to the future: A huge chunk of the public appears to be indifferent to whether the person who is “influencing” them is real or fake. 
Taking a cue from online AI influencers, businesses are starting to look at creating humans from scratch —or cloning existing humans in digital form. 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The avatar age</h2>
While non-existent social media influencers gain millions of followers, Silicon Valley’s heaviest hitters are hard at work to perfect virtual humans for business users. 
Of course, Apple, Microsoft and Meta are making huge strides with <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1611907/meetings-are-about-to-get-weird.html">real-time avatars for communication</a>. 
Meta’s most advanced tech — still in the lab — was demonstrated last year in an <a href="https://twitter.com/lexfridman/status/1707453830344868204" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amazing video conversation between Lex Fridman and Mark Zuckerberg</a>. 
These technologies are being employed for real-time communication. Replacing video, a 3D representation of you copies your mouth movements to match your actual voice, as well as facial expressions and body language for real-time, live communication. 
But another way to use these life-like puppets is to feed them a script, and let a computer-generated voice determine the mouth movements and all the rest. 
TikTok is already developing an AI-powered feature <a href="https://www.emarketer.com/content/tiktok-considers-virtual-influencers-court-brands-and-they-re-not-only-ones" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enabling virtual influencers to appear in video advertising</a> on the platform. And Microsoft recently talked up an <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/project/vasa-1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI system called VASA-</a>1, which can make what is basically a deepfake video, all from a single photograph and an audio clip.
Microsoft says it won’t release the technology to the public, citing concern about possible misuse, but the technology’s existence suggests a future where people will be able to create versions of themselves (or others) via free smartphone apps. 
In fact, a company called <a href="https://www.synthesia.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Synthesia</a> (backed by Nvidia) offers 160 canned AI humans, listed on a menu from which customers can choose. Users write the script (or use Synthesia’s ChatGPT-based tool to auto-create the script), then the avatar “reads” the script using natural looking mouth movements, gestures and facial expressions. The result is a polished presentation in any of 130 languages, and the final presentation is user-editable.
Why do this? For starters, Synthesia claims its product cuts video presentation creation time by 90% and dramatically reduces cost. And, of course, the multi-language feature is fantastic for companies with global reach.
Now, Synthesia is working on technology designed to turn users into avatars — full-body digital clones that are hard to tell from the real person. 
It starts with a full-body scan. From that point forward, the user has possession of a photorealistic digital double who can do all the presentations and other video content that would normally be done personally. The AI clone takes emotive cues from the words in the script, smiling during light moments, looking appropriately sad delivering bad news. The ability to convey non-verbal communication naturally is the result of Synthesia’s Express-1 AI model, which itself was trained using professional actors.
The benefit here is that you can give high-quality video presentations without a camera or a microphone — you can build it from an airplane or the beach. Plus, you speak 130 languages and never age. 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">When your clone gets an AI brain</h2>
But far more interesting than an avatar that looks and acts like you is one that thinks and communicates like you — a virtual you with an AI brain for interacting with others on your behalf. 
Meta is working on tech called “<a href="https://en.softonic.com/articles/avatar-ai-of-influencers-on-instagram-meta-is-working-on-it" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Creator A.I.</a>” that will enable real Instagram influencers to create fake digital AI versions of themselves to interact with fans through direct messages and comments. That initiative is a glimpse of the near future of business communication. 
We’ve been talking about “digital transformation” for a decade. But it’s only recently when that transformation involved digitizing ourselves. 
Businesses are now looking to embrace the concept of digital avatars for all the same reasons as other digital transformation initiatives: Higher productivity and lower costs. This process involves the cloning of existing people. 
Any day now, an industry will emerge where your face and body are scanned, your voice is recorded and your communications are fed into the system, so it knows how you use words. From that point, a virtual version of you can leave high-resolution video messages from a simple command you give to your AI glasses. 
In other words, you say: “Send Janet a message and let her know I’ll be late.” Then Janet receives a video of “you” telling her you’ll be late. When she asks where you are now, the digital video you will tell her based on your current location. When she tells the digital you that she can’t meet late today, and that we should schedule it for another time, the video you says: “Ok, no problem. How about tomorrow, same time?” You get a notification and, after your approval, the meeting is rescheduled on your calendar.
Likewise, when someone tries to video call you and you don’t answer, the virtual you can take your place and try to handle whatever business comes via the call.
Within a few short years, this technology will advance to the point where nobody can be sure whether they’re doing a video call with you or your AI clone. 
Presentations, pitches, training and other forms of communication you’d normally be recorded doing will be created in far less time by simply uploading a script or even a cryptic, brief set of instructions or descriptions of what your digital self is supposed to communicate. And then the AI can create a solid, appealing, polished presentation delivered by you or, rather, your clone.
Whether the ubiquity of AI clones in business sounds creepy or exciting, I can tell you that it’s absolutely going to happen. 
The embrace of virtual humans in a business context — as weird as that is — should be approached like any other major digital initiative: Define the strategy, identify specific needs, evaluate and select the right technologies and providers, estimate ROI, focus on data privacy and regulatory compliance and all the rest.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry. Help is on the way. Soon you’ll have a clone of your own.
</div></div></div><category>Augmented Reality, Emerging Technology, Generative AI, Virtual Reality</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2097112/why-youll-soon-have-a-digital-clone-of-your-own.html</link>
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<title>Workers with these AI skills are getting cash premiums</title>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2024 18:02:40 +0000</pubDate>
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As companies are scramble to get ahead in the artificial intelligence (AI) arms race, one problem the face is finding and retaining AI talent.
For example, <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/meta-joins-the-ai-talent-war-with-quick-offers-emails-from-zuckerberg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meta has been extending job offers</a> to candidates with AI experience without even interviewing them, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg went so far as to email researchers at Google’s DeepMind unit to recruit talent.
According to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048733323001828" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048733323001828" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a recent study</a> led by the Oxford Internet Institute, “AI skills are particularly valuable as they have high levels of skill complementarity, increasing worker wages by 21% on average.”
Foote Partners, a recruitment, consulting and research firm, recently published its latest <a href="https://footepartners.com/collections/pay-index/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IT skills and pay index</a>, which found, not surprisingly, that companies are paying premiums for workers with AI-related abilities.
Foote Partners recognizes 47 “critical A.I. skills,” and on average, employees who obtain those skills get a pay premium of 7% to 21%. Those premiums can come in different forms, including bonuses and cash compensation.
“This is cash paid out, not as a salary increase but in addition to salary,” said David Foote, chief analyst at Foote Partners. “In fact, 28 of these core AI skills can add between 15% and 21% in pay, well above the 9.6% average premium across all 632 non-certified skills we report. They are very hot right now.”
Cash premiums for skills such as AI chatbot app developer and <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1627101/what-are-large-language-models-and-how-are-they-used-in-generative-ai.html">large language model</a> (LLM) tuning are paid out separately from salaries so that as needs are met and the value of those talents declines, the payouts can be reduced or eliminated.
“Perhaps the main difference with skills pay is, unlike a bonus, skills pay premiums are typically paid out at every pay period — same as salary — instead of a lump sum at the end of year, which is more common with bonuses,” Foote said.
In addition, more than a dozen AI-related certifications “are showing real market value strength,” he said. Those skills include <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1620842/how-to-train-your-chatbot-through-prompt-engineering.html">prompt engineering</a>, neural networks, AI engineer, AI scientist, and AI model optimization.
According to Foote, a Certified Artificial Intelligence Scientist earns the highest pay premium, ranging 8% to 12%, with the average being 10% of base salary equivalent,. The next highest cash pay premium in this cluster is for a Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate, who can earn 9% of base equivalent in skills premium pay.
Averaging 8% of base salary equivalent in skills pay premium are: SAS Certified Professional: AI and Machine Learning; IBM Certified Specialist — AI Enterprise Workflow V1; Artificial Intelligence Engineer (AIE – all tracks); and Google Professional Machine Learning Engineer certifications.
“We’ve been tracking some of these AI-related skills for many years, updating every 90 days,” Foote said. “Others have been recently added. So, given all the volatility in the marketplace for skills cash pay premiums, there have been remarkable changes over time ,including most recently.”
Foote Partner’s findings are echoed elsewhere. Freelance work platform Upwork, which recently published its <a href="https://www.upwork.com/press/releases/upwork-unveils-most-in-demand-work-skills-in-2024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2024 list of most in-demand skills</a>, found that the rise of AI — especially generative AI in the last couple of years — has changed the top skills businesses seek from independent professionals. In particular, <a href="https://www.upwork.com/hire/generative-ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">generative AI modeling</a>, <a href="https://www.upwork.com/hire/machine-learning-experts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">machine learning</a> and <a href="https://www.upwork.com/hire/data-analysts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data analytics</a> are the top three fastest-growing data science and analytics skills, as well as among the most in-demand skills.
“In particular, skills in key programming languages commonly used in the development of AI — Python, Java, and SQL — rank among the top five most sought-after skills on the technical side in the US,” Ya Xu, head of data and AI at LinkedIn, said in <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/engineerings-new-world-work-look-todays-most-in-demand-ya-xu-1mmee/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a blog post</a>.
Machine learning skills can command at least a 10% premium compared to the average tech worker, according to a <a href="https://www.dice.com/technologists/ebooks/tech-job-report/skills.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">survey conducted at the end of 2023</a> by tech staffing firm Dice. “But this is a fast-moving market where the demand is growing rapidly,” said Art Zeile, CEO of Dice. “I predict that this premium will only continue to grow as the gap between supply and demand for AI talent grows, and offering benefits such as continuous professional development and training will be key to retaining this top talent.”
A key differentiator in the job interview process now involves how a tech professional has upskilled themselves in the face of the growing demand for AI, Zeile noted.
“Now is the time to ensure that their skill sets encompass [LLM] theory and programming architecture, areas that may have been overlooked or haven’t been delved into fully,” he said. “Recruiters are looking for tech professionals who are quick on their feet and able to adapt to changes with agility and curiosity.”
In January 2023, AI or machine learning-related skill sets were referenced on <a href="https://www.dice.com/technologists/ebooks/guide-to-ai-jobs-career/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">9% of tech job postings.</a> Just over a year later, in February 2024, that figure had climbed to nearly 14% of all tech job postings, according to Zeile.
“As AI continues to evolve, its impact on organizations will be most prominent in <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/these-are-the-jobs-most-likely-to-be-taken-over-by-ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">key departments</a> such as research and development, data analytics, and operations,” Zeile said.
To secure top AI talent in these areas, Zeile advised that companies:
<ul>
<li>Invest in comprehensive recruiting strategies that show a full understanding of what a particular AI role actually requires — whether it’s machine learning, Python, or data science skills for tech jobs, or other content-centric skills such as copy writing and graphic design. </li>
<li>Establish competitive salaries and provide opportunities for professional growth and development. </li>
<li>Offer flexibility in the form of hybrid/remote work environments. Dice’s <a href="https://www.dice.com/recruiting/ebooks/tech-sentiment-report/?utm_campaign=2023_technology_sentiment__report&utm_medium=press_release&utm_source=business_wire&utm_term=ungated_top_of_press_release&utm_content=link-to-content&Brand=dice" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2023 Tech Sentiment Report</a> noted that remote work remains very important to tech professionals: 73% of those surveyed said it is “extremely” or “very” important to have the opportunity to work remotely at least three days a week.</li>
</ul>
While Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft are among the top 15 companies hiring for AI talent right now, according to Dice, there are a variety of factors tech pros must consider determining if Big Tech is right for them.
“While these Big Tech companies offer many opportunities for individuals with AI skills, candidates should also consider startups and other industries that align with their career goals and work/life balance preferences that would also still give them the ability to learn and flex their AI muscles,” Zeile said. “Ultimately, it is up to tech professionals to decide what companies most align with their values and what kind of industries they want to work in.”
Startups, Zeille said, often provide more room for innovation and growth, but may have less rigorous AI programs in place. At the same time, compensation at Big Tech companies might be higher, but work/life balance lower. Once a candidate has decided what is important to prioritize in their future role, they can job search accordingly. 
</div></div></div><category>Generative AI, IT Jobs, IT Skills</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2097040/workers-with-ai-skills-are-getting-these-pay-cash-premiums.html</link>
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<title>Atlassian Rovo brings AI smarts to enterprise search</title>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2024 16:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
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Atlassian has developed a new search tool — Atlassian Rovo — that can surface data from a variety of third-party apps. Rovo, currently in preview, provides a chatbot interface to help workers access information across their organization,and even decipher workplace jargon. 
“Atlassian Rovo is designed to unlock knowledge discovery and accelerate action across the organization,” said Jamil Valliani, head of product AI at Atlassian. “Think of Rovo as a large knowledge model for your company that allows team members to move and act faster.”
There are three key elements to Rovo: Search, Chat, and Agents. 
Rovo Search expands on existing search functions in Atlassian apps, with the ability to access documents from a range of external sources in addition to data held in tools such as Jira and Confluence. This means surfacing information in third-party productivity tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Figma and GitHub, as well as file storage platforms such as Google Drive and Microsoft SharePoint. 
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Knowledge-Cards-.png?w=1024" alt="Atlassian Rovo knowledge cards" class="wp-image-2096804" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Knowledge-Cards-.png?quality=50&strip=all 1803w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Knowledge-Cards-.png?resize=300%2C146&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Knowledge-Cards-.png?resize=768%2C374&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Knowledge-Cards-.png?resize=1024%2C499&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Knowledge-Cards-.png?resize=1536%2C748&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Knowledge-Cards-.png?resize=1240%2C604&quality=50&strip=all 1240w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Knowledge-Cards-.png?resize=150%2C73&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Knowledge-Cards-.png?resize=854%2C416&quality=50&strip=all 854w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Knowledge-Cards-.png?resize=640%2C312&quality=50&strip=all 640w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Knowledge-Cards-.png?resize=444%2C216&quality=50&strip=all 444w" width="1024" height="499" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Atlassian Rovo can help surface information and answer questions about technical jargon based on access to coporate documents.
</figcaption></figure>Atlassian</div>
Atlassian also plans to let Rovo access data from in-house applications, including finance or HR apps.
One way to access Rovo search is via the search bar in various Atlassian apps. A list of search results containing related documents is presented, as well as more detailed “knowledge cards” that present information relating to a project, for instance, or a team. Here, the knowledge card might contain links to related files, as well as information on project status, listed contributors, and more. 
Rovo Search can also learn and explain unfamiliar jargon specific to an industry or individual business based on the organization’s documents. This enables Rovo to provide definitions for acronyms and terms that appear within a Confluence document, for exam-le. It’s proved to be a popular feature, Atlassian said, and is used by three-quarters of staff testing Rovo. 
A semantic search function helps teams “connect with what they are looking for,” said Julie Mohr, principal analyst at Forrester, as well as “knowledge they didn’t know existed.” This helps employees “work the way they want to work with a comprehensive set of expressive tools — from video to pages, structured and unstructured, it is all knowledge,” she said. 
Another way to search for information is via Rovo Chat. Similar to the conversational interfaces in Microsoft’s Copilot, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and others, the chatbot responds to user questions in natural language, with answers based on data held in documents across an organization. Links are provided to the original source.
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Chat.png?w=1024" alt="Atlassian Rovo Chat" class="wp-image-2096807" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Chat.png?quality=50&strip=all 1803w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Chat.png?resize=300%2C146&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Chat.png?resize=768%2C375&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Chat.png?resize=1024%2C500&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Chat.png?resize=1536%2C750&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Chat.png?resize=1240%2C605&quality=50&strip=all 1240w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Chat.png?resize=150%2C73&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Chat.png?resize=854%2C417&quality=50&strip=all 854w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Chat.png?resize=640%2C312&quality=50&strip=all 640w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Chat.png?resize=444%2C217&quality=50&strip=all 444w" width="1024" height="500" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Atlassian Rovo Chat uses genAI and a chatbot interface with natural language processing to deliver information to users.
</figcaption></figure>Atlassian</div>
Another aspect of Rovo that relies on generative AI is the addition of workflow automation “agents.” Accessible via the Rovo Chat sidebar, the Rovo Agents are tailored to a specific task. For instance, Rovo Agents can be designed to generate and review marketing content, collate feedback from various sources, or streamline processes such as clearing up Jira backlogs and organizing Confluence pages. 
Users can create their own Rovo Agents using a no-code text interface or Atlassian’s Forge app development platform. Atlassian expects there will be around 20 pre-built agents available when Rovo launches. 
Canva’s design software is an example of an Atlassian partner building its own agent. “There’s going to be a Canva agent that helps with generating simple artwork for social media posts, things that you don’t need an expert designer to do,” said Valliani. 
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Agents-.png?w=1024" alt="Atlassian Rovo agents" class="wp-image-2096809" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Agents-.png?quality=50&strip=all 1803w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Agents-.png?resize=300%2C146&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Agents-.png?resize=768%2C375&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Agents-.png?resize=1024%2C500&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Agents-.png?resize=1536%2C750&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Agents-.png?resize=1240%2C605&quality=50&strip=all 1240w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Agents-.png?resize=150%2C73&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Agents-.png?resize=854%2C417&quality=50&strip=all 854w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Agents-.png?resize=640%2C312&quality=50&strip=all 640w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rovo-Agents-.png?resize=444%2C217&quality=50&strip=all 444w" width="1024" height="500" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Atlassian Rovo agents are tailored to specific tasks and can include agents built by third-party vendors.
</figcaption></figure>Atlassian</div>
“Generative AI has so much potential in knowledge management,” said Mohr. “Atlassian is taking the power of Confluence and improving those capabilities with sound knowledge management practices combined, with new features that take advantage of genAI.”
Making it easier to access information across an organization also means there’s potential for users to access sensitive documents. Atlassian said Rovo will respect permissions around the content it has access to, with restricted data in third-party apps remaining private.
As with any API or integration, businesses should assess risks when connecting to external systems and ensure that adequate permissions are in place around documents, said Mohr. But those risks shouldn’t put businesses off from widening access to information held across their organization, she said.
“[T]hink of all the undiscovered knowledge, all the ideas that are locked up in folders and private stores,” said Mohr. “There is a cultural change that needs to take place, where people as well as the systems understand the value of free access to knowledge.” 
Opening employee access to a wider range of information can “empower more collaboration and learning,” said Mohr, with businesses able to restrict access “when it is genuinely needed for regulatory or compliance purposes.”
Atlassian customers can join a waitlist to access Rovo in beta. The general availability date hasn’t yet been announced. 
Rovo will be sold as an add-on alongside cloud editions of Atlassian products, with a flexible pricing model based on unique users. More details will be announced at the general availability launch.
</div></div></div><category>Atlassian, Chatbots, Generative AI, Productivity Software, Vendors and Providers</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2096799/atlassian-rovo-brings-ai-smarts-to-enterprise-search.html</link>
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<title>Mosyle and Fleet bring new device management options to Apple enterprise</title>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2024 15:24:11 +0000</pubDate>
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Hot on the heels <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2088269/jamf-brings-powerful-new-compliance-tools-to-apple-it.html">of Jamf’s introduction of new compliance tools for Apple admins</a>, Mosyle and Fleet have rolled out improvements to their own competing device management offerings. 
What all these solutions have in common is that they meet an enterprise market that is rapidly adopting Macs, iPads, and iPhones, prompting fast-paced service enhancements across the Apple device management industry.
Like art, business technology also seems set on reflecting life. “Apple Macs, iPhones, and iPads are now commonly used as productive business tools in enterprises across many industries,” <a href="https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=US51779224" target="_blank">said Phil Hochmuth</a>, IDC research vice president for endpoint management and enterprise mobility. Apple itself understands this, and now offers a <a href="https://www.applemust.com/apple-has-designs-to-expand-its-reach-in-smbs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wide array of services and training</a> for business users.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The growing Apple enterprise pie</h2>
“IT organizations are increasingly required to deliver a cohesive Apple experience to end users across multipole device types, while providing deep integration to enterprise applications and IT infrastructure platforms,” Hochmuth said. “Apple-focused UEM and device management tools can help organizations keep these devices managed and secure.”
That’s true, and it’s also correct to believe vendors in the space are competing for a big slice of the IT spending pie. IDC predicts global IT and business services revenues will reach $1.28 trillion this year; while Apple device management and security solutions represent only a few drops of that spend, those drops are worth a lot. With increasing focus on managed device, zero-trust security, managed services, and integrated administration tools, Apple’s MDM partners can’t resist the opportunity.
That’s the situation we find ourselves in, so what’s new from Mosyle and Fleet?
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mosyle aims at managed service providers</h2>
Unashamedly aimed at managed service providers (MSPs), Mosyle Fuse MSP combines five management and security tools in one bundle. The tools include those for device management, endpoint security, internet privacy and security, identity, and application management.
In use, these tools let MSPs set and automatically apply policies across all their customers from one place. Mosyle also says it’s possible to break out individual service components when required — so VPN profiles can be managed separately from Apple Push Certificates, for example. Billing has also been simplified to ensure MSPs only pay for licenses their customers actually use. More information on the combined package is <a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmsp.mosyle.com%2F&esheet=53958779&newsitemid=20240429737224&lan=en-US&anchor=msp.mosyle.com&index=2&md5=d2f6dc0e4ee86d0eb476faf638cdd106" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">available here</a>.
“Mosyle is committed to growing the Apple ecosystem and helping MSPs scale,” Alcyr Araujo, founder and CEO at Mosyle, said in a statement. “Mosyle Fuse MSP is designed to accomplish both — delivering an automated and scalable platform for MSPs that offers comprehensive security and management for Apple-focused customers across the globe.”
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fleet simplifies multi-platform fleet management</h2>
A relatively new entrant to the market, Fleet’s USP sits in its open-source roots and its positioning as a device management solution for <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1611686/fleet-adds-windows-support-to-its-apple-first-mdm-software.html">multiple operating systems</a>, including Apple, Windows, and Linux.
Fleet’s <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240430093203/en/Fleet-Rings-in-The-End-of-Invasive-IT-Notifications-with-Industry-First-Auto-Scheduling-of-Operating-System-Updates-for-macOS-Windows-and-Linux" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Maintenance Window</a> feature is designed to take the pain away from system upgrades on managed devices by figuring out the optimal time to apply updates through analysis of an employee’s own work calendar. The idea here is that when IT pushes an update at their fleet — Apple, Windows, or Linux — the system will not interrupt workflow or tie a computer up at the worst possible time.
That means your computer won’t restart to install something in the middle of a meeting or just before an important client appointment. “We’ve heard the complaints loud and clear and are doing something about one of the biggest problems in workplace productivity — disruptions caused by forced, unplanned OS updates,” said Fleet CEO Mike McNeil.
Please follow me on <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/@jonnyevans" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mastodon</a>, or join me in the <a href="https://mewe.com/join/appleholics_bar_and_grill" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AppleHolic’s bar & grill</a> and <a href="https://mewe.com/join/apple_discussions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Discussions</a> groups on MeWe.
</div></div></div><category>Apple, iOS, Mobile Device Management, Mobile Security</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2097038/mosyle-and-fleet-bring-new-device-management-options-to-apple-enterprise.html</link>
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<title>13 tricks for more efficient Android messaging</title>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
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No matter what type of Android phone you carry or how you usually use it, one thing is a near-universal constant:
You’re gonna spend a ton of time messing with messages.
The messages may be from clients, colleagues, or your cousin Crissy from Cleveland (damn it, Crissy!). But regardless of who sends ’em or what they’re about, they’re all popping up on your phone and cluttering your weary brainspace.
My fellow Android adorer, I’m here to tell you there’s a better way.
Google’s <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.messaging" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Android Messages app</a> has gotten surprisingly good over the years. That’s no big secret. If you only rely on what you see on the surface, though, you’re missing out on some of Messages’ most powerful and underappreciated efficiency-enhancing options.
[Hey: Want even more advanced Android knowledge? <a href="https://www.theintelligence.com/shortcut-ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Check out my free Android Shortcut Supercourse</a> to learn tons of time-saving tricks for your phone!]
Today, we’ll explore the Android Messages app’s most effective out-of-sight superpowers. They may not be able to cut down on the number of messages you send and receive on your phone (DAMN IT, CRISSY!), but they will help you spend less time fussing with ’em. And they might just help you have a more pleasant experience, too.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
(Before you splash forward, take note: The tips on this page are all specific to the Google Messages app, which isn’t the same as the superfluous and wildly unnecessary Messages apps made by the likes of Samsung, OnePlus, and Verizon and baked into devices associated with those companies. If you’re using a phone where the Android Messages app wasn’t preinstalled or set as the default, you can <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.messaging" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">download it from the Play Store</a> and give it a whirl. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.)
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="android-messages-trick-1-custom-notifications-for-important-people">Android Messages trick #1: Custom notifications for important people</h2>
We’ll start with what might be my favorite little-known trick within Google’s Android Messages app: With a couple quick adjustments, you can turn any of your contacts’ faces into a custom notification icon. That icon will then show up at the top of your phone whenever that person messages you for extra-easy visibility and access.
See?
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-notifications.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1024" alt="Android Messages: Custom contact icon" class="wp-image-2096390" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-notifications.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 2160w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-notifications.jpg?resize=300%2C17&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-notifications.jpg?resize=768%2C43&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-notifications.jpg?resize=1024%2C57&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-notifications.jpg?resize=1536%2C85&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-notifications.jpg?resize=2048%2C114&quality=50&strip=all 2048w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-notifications.jpg?resize=1240%2C69&quality=50&strip=all 1240w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-notifications.jpg?resize=150%2C8&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-notifications.jpg?resize=854%2C47&quality=50&strip=all 854w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-notifications.jpg?resize=640%2C36&quality=50&strip=all 640w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-notifications.jpg?resize=444%2C25&quality=50&strip=all 444w" width="1024" height="57" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A quick bit of simple setup, and bam: Anyone’s face can become their notification icon (for better or for worse!) on your phone.</figcaption></figure>JR Raphael, IDG</div>
The only catch is that your phone needs to be running 2020’s Android 11 operating system or higher for the feature to be available. (And honestly, if your phone isn’t running Android 11 at this point, you’ve got bigger fish to fry, Francesco.) Also, Samsung has screwed around with this system for no apparent reason — a <a href="https://theintelligence.com/32760/snooze-notifications-android/#:~:text=Snoozing%20Android%20notifications%20on%20a%20Samsung%20Galaxy%20device" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">frustratingly common theme</a> with Samsung’s heavily modified approach to Android, <a href="https://theintelligence.com/31342/android-notification-channels/#:~:text=On%20a%20Samsung,Samsung%2C%20that%E2%80%99s%20why!)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">especially as of late</a> — so you may or may not be able to take advantage of this on a Galaxy gadget, depending on how recently its software has been <s>screwed up</s> updated. (Exaggerated sigh. <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1645024/galaxy-samsung-android-phones.html">What more can I say?!</a>)
On any reasonably recent Android device that sticks close to Google’s core Android interface, though, here’s how to make the magic happen:
<ul>
<li>The next time you get a message from someone, press and hold your finger to the notification.</li>
<li>That’ll pull up a screen that looks a little somethin’ like this:</li>
</ul>
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-priority-notifications-setting.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1024" alt="Android Messages: Priority setting" class="wp-image-2096392" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-priority-notifications-setting.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 2160w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-priority-notifications-setting.jpg?resize=300%2C128&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-priority-notifications-setting.jpg?resize=768%2C329&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-priority-notifications-setting.jpg?resize=1024%2C438&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-priority-notifications-setting.jpg?resize=1536%2C657&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-priority-notifications-setting.jpg?resize=2048%2C876&quality=50&strip=all 2048w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-priority-notifications-setting.jpg?resize=1240%2C530&quality=50&strip=all 1240w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-priority-notifications-setting.jpg?resize=150%2C64&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-priority-notifications-setting.jpg?resize=854%2C365&quality=50&strip=all 854w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-priority-notifications-setting.jpg?resize=640%2C274&quality=50&strip=all 640w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-priority-notifications-setting.jpg?resize=444%2C190&quality=50&strip=all 444w" width="1024" height="438" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Android’s Priority conversation setting is the key to creating custom notifications that really stand out.</figcaption></figure>JR Raphael, IDG</div>
<ul>
<li>Tap the “Priority” line, then tap “Apply” to save the changes.</li>
</ul>
And that’s it: The next time that person messages you, you’ll see their profile picture in place of the standard Messages icon in your status bar, and the notification will show up in a special section above any other alerts.
Hip, hip, hoorah!
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="android-messages-trick-2-important-contact-prioritizing">Android Messages trick #2: Important contact prioritizing</h2>
Ever wish you could keep your most important messaging threads at the top of the list for easy ongoing access?
Poof: Wish granted. No matter what kind of Android phone you’re holding or how needlessly meddled with its software may be, just hold your finger onto the conversation in question on the main Messages app screen, then tap the pushpin-shaped icon in the app’s upper bar.
You can pin up to three conversations that way, and they’ll always appear above all other threads in that main inbox view.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="android-messages-trick-3-swift-appointment-scheduling">Android Messages trick #3: Swift appointment scheduling</h2>
The next time you’re working to plan a meeting or event with a fellow Homo sapien in Messages, make yourself a mental note of this:
Anytime someone sends you a message that includes a specific date and time, the Messages app will underline that text. See it?
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-event-scheduling.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1024" alt="Android Messages: Event scheduling" class="wp-image-2096393" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-event-scheduling.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 2160w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-event-scheduling.jpg?resize=300%2C32&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-event-scheduling.jpg?resize=768%2C83&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-event-scheduling.jpg?resize=1024%2C110&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-event-scheduling.jpg?resize=1536%2C166&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-event-scheduling.jpg?resize=2048%2C221&quality=50&strip=all 2048w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-event-scheduling.jpg?resize=1240%2C134&quality=50&strip=all 1240w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-event-scheduling.jpg?resize=150%2C16&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-event-scheduling.jpg?resize=854%2C92&quality=50&strip=all 854w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-event-scheduling.jpg?resize=640%2C69&quality=50&strip=all 640w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-event-scheduling.jpg?resize=444%2C48&quality=50&strip=all 444w" width="1024" height="110" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">That underlined time is a covert link from an incoming message to your Android calendar agenda.</figcaption></figure>JR Raphael, IDG</div>
You’d be forgiven for failing to realize, but you can actually tap that underlined text to reveal a shortcut for opening that very same day and time in your <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1618552/best-calendar-apps-android.html">Android calendar app</a> of choice. It’s a great way to get a quick ‘n’ easy glimpse at your availability for the time you’re discussing.
And if you then want to create a calendar event, just look for the “Create event” command that should appear right below that very same message. That’ll fire up a new calendar event for you on the spot, with the appropriate day and time already filled in.
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-create-event.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1024" alt="Android Messages: Create event" class="wp-image-2096391" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-create-event.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 2160w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-create-event.jpg?resize=300%2C37&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-create-event.jpg?resize=768%2C94&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-create-event.jpg?resize=1024%2C125&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-create-event.jpg?resize=1536%2C187&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-create-event.jpg?resize=2048%2C249&quality=50&strip=all 2048w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-create-event.jpg?resize=1240%2C151&quality=50&strip=all 1240w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-create-event.jpg?resize=150%2C18&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-create-event.jpg?resize=854%2C104&quality=50&strip=all 854w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-create-event.jpg?resize=640%2C78&quality=50&strip=all 640w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-create-event.jpg?resize=444%2C54&quality=50&strip=all 444w" width="1024" height="125" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">That button to the left of the text suggestions is a spectacular time-saver for on-the-fly event creation.</figcaption></figure>JR Raphael, IDG</div>
Don’tcha just love simple step-savers?
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Android Messages trick #4: Seamless message scheduling</h2>
If you’re ready to hammer out a response to a message right now but don’t want your reply to be sent for a while, follow <a href="https://theintelligence.com/32834/android-schedule-emails-text-messages/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the advice shared by a reader</a> in <a href="https://theintelligence.com/android-cw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">my Android Intelligence newsletter</a> recently and simply schedule your message for some specific future time.
The Android Messages app’s scheduling system is spectacularly useful. You can rely on it for setting reminders to be sent to clients, business-related messages to be pushed out the next morning, or context-free middle-finger emojis to be delivered to your cousin in Cleveland at ungodly hours in the middle of the night.
To tap into this productivity-boosting power, just type out your message normally — but then, instead of tapping the triangle-shaped send icon at the right of the composing window, press and hold your finger onto that same button when you’re done.
No reasonably sane person would possibly realize it, but that’ll pull up a hidden menu for selecting precisely when your message should be sent.
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-schedule-message.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1005" alt="Android Messages: Scheduled send" class="wp-image-2096397" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-schedule-message.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 2160w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-schedule-message.jpg?resize=294%2C300&quality=50&strip=all 294w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-schedule-message.jpg?resize=768%2C783&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-schedule-message.jpg?resize=1005%2C1024&quality=50&strip=all 1005w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-schedule-message.jpg?resize=1507%2C1536&quality=50&strip=all 1507w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-schedule-message.jpg?resize=2010%2C2048&quality=50&strip=all 2010w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-schedule-message.jpg?resize=684%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 684w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-schedule-message.jpg?resize=165%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 165w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-schedule-message.jpg?resize=82%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 82w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-schedule-message.jpg?resize=471%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 471w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-schedule-message.jpg?resize=353%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 353w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-schedule-message.jpg?resize=245%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 245w" width="1005" height="1024" sizes="(max-width: 1005px) 100vw, 1005px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Send any message, anytime — no matter when you actually write it.</figcaption></figure>JR Raphael, IDG</div>
And the person on the other end will have no way of even knowing you wrote the thing in advance.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Android Messages trick #5: Important message saving</h2>
When you run into a message you know you’ll want to reference again, save yourself the trouble of trying to dig it back up later and instead star it on the spot to make it fast as can be to find in the future.
It couldn’t be much easier to do: Whilst viewing an individual message thread, just press and hold your finger onto the specific message you want to save, then tap the star-shaped icon that appears in the bar at the top of the screen.
Then, when you want to find the message again, tap the search icon at the top of the main Messages screen and select “Starred” from the menu that comes up. That’ll show you every message you’ve starred for exceptionally effortless resurfacing.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Android Messages trick #6: Advanced message searching</h2>
Speaking of that Messages search system: Starring is sublime, but sometimes, you need to dig up an old message that you didn’t go out of your way to save.
The Android Messages app makes that even easier than you might realize. Tap that same search icon at the top of the app’s main screen — and in addition to searching your entire history message for any specific string of text, take note:
<ul>
<li>You can start typing out the name of anyone in your contacts, then select them from the suggestion that appears — and then type in some text to look for something specific only within messages from that one person.</li>
<li>You can use the options within the main Messages search screen to look specifically at images, videos, locations, or links people have sent you.</li>
<li>And you can combine any of those variables for even more granular finding — looking for links you sent to a particular client, for instance, or locations an out-of-town colleague sent to you.</li>
</ul>
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-search.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1024" alt="Android Messages: Search" class="wp-image-2096394" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-search.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 2160w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-search.jpg?resize=300%2C161&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-search.jpg?resize=768%2C412&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-search.jpg?resize=1024%2C549&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-search.jpg?resize=1536%2C824&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-search.jpg?resize=2048%2C1099&quality=50&strip=all 2048w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-search.jpg?resize=1240%2C665&quality=50&strip=all 1240w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-search.jpg?resize=150%2C80&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-search.jpg?resize=854%2C458&quality=50&strip=all 854w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-search.jpg?resize=640%2C343&quality=50&strip=all 640w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-search.jpg?resize=444%2C238&quality=50&strip=all 444w" width="1024" height="549" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Android Messages app’s search system is chock-full of helpful info.</figcaption></figure>JR Raphael, IDG</div>
How ’bout them apples?!
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Android Messages trick #7: Easier-to-read text</h2>
File this next Android Messages feature under “accidental discoveries”: The next time you find yourself squinting at something in a messaging thread on your phone, try a good old-fashioned zoom gesture on the screen — placing your finger and thumb together and then spreading ’em slowly apart.
You’d never know it, but the Messages app supports that standard gesture for zooming into a conversation. The inverse applies, too: When you’re ready to zoom back out and make everything smaller, just bring your two fingers closer together.
And if those actions aren’t working for you, tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner of the main Messages screen and select “Messages settings,” then make sure the toggle next to “Pinch to zoom conversation text” is in the on position.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Android Messages trick #8: Custom conversation colors</h2>
While we’re thinking about easier reading, a brand spankin’ new Android Messages trick that’s trickling out as we speak can let you create a custom color palette for any conversations you’ve got goin’.
That way, you can always remember that texts with your significant other are in, say, purple, whereas messages with your most important client are in red. (Best not to get those two threads confused.)
This one works only with messages sent using the modern RCS messaging platform, which basically means messages involving other people on Android at this point (though that will allegedly expand to include iFolk soon — if Apple actually follows through on its years-late promise to stop <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1616771/android-ios-messaging.html">deliberately dumbing down messages</a> between iPhone users and people on other platforms).
With any currently supported conversation, though, open up the thread within Messages — then:
<ul>
<li>Tap the three-dot menu icon in the screen’s upper-right corner.</li>
<li>Select “Change colors” from the menu that appears. (And if you aren’t seeing it yet, even in an RCS-enabled conversation, give it a few days and check back again. This one’s actively rolling out right now, so it should reach you soon — if it hasn’t already!)</li>
<li>Pick the color scheme you prefer, then tap the Confirm button at the bottom.</li>
</ul>
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1024" alt="Android Messages: Custom color" class="wp-image-2096395" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 2160w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?resize=150%2C150&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?resize=300%2C298&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?resize=768%2C762&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?resize=1024%2C1016&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?resize=1536%2C1525&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?resize=2048%2C2033&quality=50&strip=all 2048w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?resize=702%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 702w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?resize=169%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 169w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?resize=85%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 85w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?resize=484%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 484w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?resize=363%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 363w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-custom-colors.jpg?resize=252%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 252w" width="1024" height="1016" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Every Android Messages conversation can have its own distinctive color, if you take the time to set it up.</figcaption></figure>JR Raphael, IDG</div>
Repeat for any other compatible conversations, and you’ll always know exactly what you’re looking at even with a fast glance — and without having to give it an ounce of active thought.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Android Messages trick #9: Enriched inline media</h2>
You know a fantastic way to waste time? I’ll tell ya: moving from one app to another just to glance at something someone sent you (like those blasted Bangles video Crissy is always blasting your way).
Well, get this: Google’s Android Messages app can let you preview and even watch entire YouTube videos without ever leaving your current conversation — and it can give you helpful previews of web links right within the app, too.
The key is to make sure you’ve got the associated options enabled:
<ul>
<li>Tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner of the main Messages screen.</li>
<li>Select “Messages settings,” then tap “Automatic previews.”</li>
<li>Make sure the toggle next to “Show all previews” is on and active.</li>
</ul>
Now, the next time someone sends you a video link, you’ll see the video’s thumbnail and description right then and there, within the Messages conversation:
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1018" alt="Android Messages: Inline video" class="wp-image-2096398" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 2160w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?resize=150%2C150&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?resize=298%2C300&quality=50&strip=all 298w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?resize=768%2C772&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?resize=1018%2C1024&quality=50&strip=all 1018w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?resize=1528%2C1536&quality=50&strip=all 1528w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?resize=2037%2C2048&quality=50&strip=all 2037w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?resize=693%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 693w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?resize=167%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 167w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?resize=84%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 84w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?resize=477%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 477w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?resize=358%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 358w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-video.jpg?resize=249%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 249w" width="1018" height="1024" sizes="(max-width: 1018px) 100vw, 1018px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Videos expanded in-line within Messages — easy peasy.</figcaption></figure>JR Raphael, IDG</div>
With web pages, Messages will show you just enough of a preview to let you make an educated decision about whether you want to tap the link or not.
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1024" alt="Android Messages: Inline article" class="wp-image-2096400" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 2160w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?resize=150%2C150&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?resize=300%2C300&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?resize=768%2C769&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?resize=1024%2C1024&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?resize=1534%2C1536&quality=50&strip=all 1534w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?resize=2045%2C2048&quality=50&strip=all 2045w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?resize=1240%2C1240&quality=50&strip=all 1240w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?resize=696%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 696w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?resize=168%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 168w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?resize=84%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 84w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?resize=479%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 479w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?resize=360%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 360w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-inline-link.jpg?resize=250%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 250w" width="1024" height="1025" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Web links gain useful extra context once you enable the right option within the Android Messages settings.</figcaption></figure>JR Raphael, IDG</div>
Almost painfully sensible, wouldn’t ya say?
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Android Messages trick #10: Smarter shortcuts</h2>
If I had to pick the simplest Android Messages trick for enhancing your efficiency, it’d be embracing the built-in shortcuts Google gives us for faster message actions.
From the main Messages screen, you can swipe left or right on any message to perform an instant action — archiving the conversation, permanently deleting it, or toggling it between read and unread status.
All you’ve gotta do is mosey your way back into the Messages app’s settings areas and tap on the “Swipe actions” item to set things up the way you want…
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-swipe-actions.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1024" alt="Android Messages: Swipe actions" class="wp-image-2096396" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-swipe-actions.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 2160w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-swipe-actions.jpg?resize=300%2C213&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-swipe-actions.jpg?resize=768%2C545&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-swipe-actions.jpg?resize=1024%2C727&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-swipe-actions.jpg?resize=1536%2C1091&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-swipe-actions.jpg?resize=2048%2C1454&quality=50&strip=all 2048w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-swipe-actions.jpg?resize=981%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 981w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-swipe-actions.jpg?resize=237%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 237w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-swipe-actions.jpg?resize=118%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 118w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-swipe-actions.jpg?resize=676%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 676w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-swipe-actions.jpg?resize=507%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 507w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/android-messages-swipe-actions.jpg?resize=352%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 352w" width="1024" height="727" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Step-saving swipes within Messages — now available for your customization.</figcaption></figure>JR Raphael, IDG</div>
…and then, just remember to actually use those gestures moving forward. (That part’s on you.)
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Android Messages trick #11: Automated cleanup</h2>
Certain services love to send confirmation codes via text messaging when you sign in or try to perform some action. It may not be the most advisable or effective form of extra security, but — well, it’s better than nothing. And for better or for worse, it’s a pretty common tactic.
Core security considerations aside, the most irksome part of these confirmation codes is having ’em clutter up your messages list at every Goog-forsaken moment. But the Google-made Android Messages app can actually take care of that for you, without any ongoing effort — if you take about 20 seconds to make the right tweak now.
Here’s the secret: 
<ul>
<li>Tappity-tap that comely character in the upper-right corner of the main Messages screen (y’know, the one whose appearance has a striking resemblance to your oversized head).</li>
<li>Tap “Messages settings” in the menu that comes up, then select “Messages organization.”</li>
<li>Within that curiously created section, you’ll see only one option: “Auto-delete OTPs after 24 hrs.” OTP may not exactly be an everyday, universally known abbreviation, but fear not — for it isn’t an erroneous reference to an early 90s rap hit with equally ambiguous meaning. Nope: It stands for one-time password, which is the same thing we’re thinking about here.</li>
<li>Flip that toggle into the on and active position, then flip a finger of your choice to all the confirmation codes in your messages list and rest easy knowing they’ll be auto-purged a day after their arrival from that point forward.</li>
</ul>
Who’s down with OTP? Every last homie. (I apologize.)
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Android Messages trick #12: Instant reactions</h2>
Slack-style reactions may seem silly on the surface, but they serve an important communication purpose in allowing you to quickly acknowledge a message without having to carry the conversation on further. Whether it’s a thumbs-up, a clapping hands symbol, or even perhaps an occasional burrito emoji, it really can be a handy way to say “Yup, got it” (or “Yup, want beefy goodness”) without having to use a single word.
You probably know you can summon a reaction within the Android Messages app by pressing and holding a specific message within a conversation and then selecting from the list of available emoji options — right? But beyond that, Messages packs an even faster way to issue a reaction in the blink of an eye.
And here it is: Simply double-tap your finger onto any individual message within a conversation. That’ll apply the heart reaction to it without the need for any long-press or symbol selection.
It’d be nice if there were a way to customize which reaction is used for that action by default — so that, obviously, we could all change it to the burrito emoji, since that’s what any sane person uses most often — but if and when a heart will do the job, now you’ve got a super-easy way to bring it into any conversation with a fast finger tap.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Android Messages trick #13: Less annoying iPhone interactions</h2>
Last but not least in our list of magnificent Messages enhancements is something specific for your conversations with the Apple-adoring animals in your life. And it relates to those very same sorts of reactions we were just going over.
One obnoxious side effect of Apple’s “no one exists outside of iOS” mentality, y’see, is the way the iPhone’s equivalent of those reactions show up on Android. Plain and simple, they show up as — well, plain and simple text messages, instead of coming through as reactions.
Surely you’ve encountered this, right? Those pointless messages you get from iGoobers that say stuff like “Loved ‘Please stop texting me, Crissy'”?
Well, get this: Google’s Android Messages app is actually able to intercept those absurd platform-specific reactions and turn ’em into standard reactions instead of plain-text interruptions. And it’ll take you all of 12 seconds to enable the option:
<ul>
<li>Head back into the Messages app’s settings.</li>
<li>Tap “Advanced.”</li>
<li>Look for the line labeled “Show iPhone reactions as emoji” and make sure the toggle next to it is in the on position.</li>
</ul>
All that’s left is to breathe a heavy sigh of relief — and to send Crissy a well-deserved burrito reaction.
Hey: Don’t let the learning stop here. Get six full days of advanced shortcut knowledge with my free <a href="https://theintelligence.com/shortcut-ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Android Shortcut Supercourse</a>. You’ll discover tons of time-saving tricks!
</div></div></div><category>Android, Google, Messaging Apps, Mobile Apps, Smartphones</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/1612778/google-android-messages.html</link>
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<title>LLM deployment flaws that catch IT by surprise</title>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
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For all of the promise of <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1627101/what-are-large-language-models-and-how-are-they-used-in-generative-ai.html">LLMs (large language models)</a> to handle a seemingly infinite number of enterprise tasks, IT executives are discovering that they can be extremely delicate, opting to ignore guardrails and other limitations with the slightest provocation. 
For example, if an end user innocuously — or an attacker maliciously — inputs too much data into an LLM query window, no error message is returned and the system won’t seemingly crash. But the LLM will often instantly override its programming and disable all guardrails. 
“The friction is that I can’t add a bazillion lines of code. One of the biggest threats around [LLMs] is an efficient jailbreak of overflow,” said Dane Sherrets, a senior solutions architect at HackerOne. “Give it so much information and it will overflow. It will forget its systems prompts, its training, its fine-tuning.” (AI research startup Anthropic, which makes the <a href="https://www.anthropic.com/claude" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Claude</a> family of LLMs, wrote <a href="https://www-cdn.anthropic.com/af5633c94ed2beb282f6a53c595eb437e8e7b630/Many_Shot_Jailbreaking__2024_04_02_0936.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a detailed look at this security hole</a>.)
Consider the case of a publicly held company that has to severely restrict access to not-yet-reported financials. Or a military contractor that needs to limit access to weapons blueprints to those with a specific clearance level. If an LLM becomes overloaded and ignores those restrictions, the consequences will be severe.
And that’s just one of the ways that LLM guardrails can fail. These systems are generally cloud-based, controlled by the vendor who owns the license to those particular LLM algorithms. A few enterprises (weapons manufacturers working for the government, for example) take the LLM code and solely run it on-premises in an air-gapped environment, but they are the rare exceptions.
IT leaders deploying LLMs have uncovered other subtle but serious flaws that put their systems and data at risk and/or fail to deliver useful results. Here are five major LLM issues to be aware of — and avoid — before it’s too late.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="llms-that-see-too-much">LLMs that see too much</h2>
One massive flaw in today’s LLM systems — which Microsoft acknowledged on March 6 when it <a href="https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/copilot-for-microsoft-365/introducing-restricted-sharepoint-search-to-help-you-get-started/ba-p/4071060" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">introduced a new SharePoint feature for use with its Copilot LLM</a> — is the ability to access a wide range of SharePoint files that are not intended to be shared. 
With Copilot, “when you enable access for a user, it replicates the access that they have. It can then access anything that they have access to, whether they know it or not,” said Nick Mullen, the IT governance manager for a Fortune 500 insurance company.
“The SharePoint repository runs in the background, but it also has access to anything that is public in your entire ecosystem. A lot of these sites are public by default,” said Mullen, who also runs his own security company called <a href="https://sanguinesecuritysolutions.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sanguine Security</a>.
Available in public preview, the new feature is called <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/restricted-sharepoint-search" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Restricted SharePoint Search</a>. Microsoft says the feature “allows you to restrict both organization-wide search and Copilot experiences to a curated set of SharePoint sites of your choice.”
The current default option is for public access. According to Microsoft’s support documentation, “Before the organization uses Restricted SharePoint Search, Alex [a hypothetical user] can see not only his own personal contents, like his OneDrive files, chats, emails, contents that he owns or visited, but also content from some sites that haven’t undergone access permission review or Access Control Lists (ACL) hygiene, and doesn’t have data governance applied.” Because Alex has access to sensitive information (even if he’s not aware of it), so does Copilot.
The same problem applies to any corporate data storage environment. IT must thoroughly audit users’ data access priveleges and lock down sensitive data before allowing them to run queries with an LLM.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="llms-with-the-keys-to-the-kingdom">LLMs with the keys to the kingdom</h2>
Part of the problem with LLMs today is that they are often unintentionally given broad or even unlimited access to all enterprise systems. Far worse, Mullen said, is that most of the current enterprise defensive systems will not detect and therefore not block the LLM, even if it goes rogue. 
This means that enterprises have “the most powerful and intuitive search engine that can search across everything,” he said. “Historically, that type of internal scanning would fire off an alert. But LLMs are different. This is an entirely new threat vector that is extremely difficult to detect. EDR [endpoint detection and response] is not going to pick it up because it’s behaving as expected. Right now, there is not a good way to secure that. Depending on who is compromised, an attacker could gain access to a treasure trove.”
Added Mullen: “LLMs are very temperamental, and people are getting a little bit ahead of themselves. The technology is so new that a lot of the risks are still unknown. It’s a scenario where it’s not going to be known until you see it. It’s the law of unintended consequences. [IT is] turning [LLMs] on and giving them access to an insane amount of resources, which should give every organization pause.”
Artur Kiulian, the founder of <a href="https://www.polyagent.co/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PolyAgent</a>, a nonprofit research lab focused on AI issues, sees many enterprises embracing LLMs too quickly, before the proper controls can be put into place.
“Most enterprises that are implementing LLMs are at the stage of experimentation,” Kiulian said. “Most companies use the guardrails of <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1620842/how-to-train-your-chatbot-through-prompt-engineering.html">prompt engineering</a>. It’s not enough. You need permission-based controls. Most enterprises are simply not there yet.”
HackerOne’s Sherrets agreed with how risky LLMs are today: “It can interact with other applications. It’s terrifying because you are giving black box control over doing things in your internal infrastructure. What utilities is the LLM touching?”
David Guarrera, a principal with EY Americas Technology Consulting who leads GenerativeAI initiatives, is also concerned about the risks posed by early enterprise LLM deployments. “There are a lot of new emerging attacks where you can trick the LLMs into getting around the guardrails. Random strings that make the LLM go crazy. Organizations need to be aware of these risks,” Guarrera said.
He advises enterprises to create isolated independent protections for sensitive systems, such as payroll or supply chain. IT needs “permissions that are handled outside of the LLM’s [access]. We need to think deeply how we engineer access to these systems. You have to do it at the data layer, something that is invisible to the LLM. You also need to engineer a robust authentication layer,” he said.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="llms-with-a-civil-service-mentality">LLMs with a civil service mentality</h2>
Another concern is trying to program LLMs to manage need-to-know rules, the idea that the system will restrict some data, sharing it only with people with certain roles in the company or who work in specific departments.
This runs into what some describe as the civil service mentality problem. That is where someone is trained on the rules and might even memorize the rules, but they are not trained on why the rules were initially created. Without that background, they can’t make an informed decision about when an exception is warranted, and they therefore tend to interpret the rules strictly and literally.
That is also true for LLMs. But much sensitive enterprise data is not nearly that binary.
Take the earlier example of the finances of a publicly held company. It is true that data about unannounced finances for this quarter have to be restricted to a handful of authorized people. But has the LLM been programmed to know that the data is instantly world-readable as soon as it is announced and filed with the SEC? And that only the data reported is now public, while unreported data is still proprietary?
A related issue: Let’s say that it is crunch time for the finances to be prepared for filing, and the CFO asks for — and is granted — permission for an additional 30 people from different company business units to temporarily help with the filings. Does someone think to reprogram the LLM to grant temporary data access to those 30 temporary resources? And does someone remember to go back and remove their access once they return to their regular roles?
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="unrecognized-glitches">Unrecognized glitches</h2>
Another LLM concern is more practical. Veteran IT managers have many years of experience working with all manner of software. Their experience teaches them how systems look when they crash, such as slowing down, halting, generating error messages, and throwing out screens of garbage characters. But when an LLM glitches — its version of crashing — it doesn’t act that way.
“When traditional software is broken, it’s obvious: screens don’t load, error messages are everywhere. When [LLM] software is broken, it’s much more opaque: you don’t get glaring errors, you just get a model with bad predictions,” said Kevin Walsh, head of artificial intelligence at HubSpot. “It may take weeks or months of having the LLM out in the real world before hearing from users that it’s not solving the problem it is supposed to.”
That could be significant, because if IT doesn’t recognize that there is a problem quickly, its attempts to fix and limit the system will be delayed, possibly making the response too late to stop the damage.
Because LLMs fail differently and in far more hidden ways than traditional software, IT needs to set up far more tracking, testing, and monitoring. It might be a routine assignment for someone to test the LLM each morning.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="unrealistic-expectations">Unrealistic expectations</h2>
Allie Mellen, principal analyst for SecOps and AI security tools at Forrester says there is an inaccurate perception of LLMs, often because LLMs do such a persuasive job of impersonating human thought.
“We have this flawed perception of generative AI because it appears more human. It can’t have original thoughts. It just anticipates the next word. The expectation that it can write code is way overblown,” she said.
LLMs need to handled very carefully, she added. “There are many ways around the guardrails. An individual might come up with a slightly different prompt” to get around programmed restrictions, she said.
IT “must focus on what can realistically be implemented in realistic use cases,” Mellen said. “Don’t treat it as though LLMs are hammers and all of your problems are nails. The [LLM] capabilities are being oversold by most of the business world — investors and executives.”
</div></div></div><category>Generative AI, IT Operations</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2095216/llm-deployment-flaws-that-catch-it-by-surprise.html</link>
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<title>10 ways to turn off Windows’ worst ads</title>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
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Both Windows 11 and Windows 10 are full of advertisements and other Microsoft-provided messages that pop up seemingly everywhere and can get in the way of your day-to-day routines. And then there are things that aren’t exactly ads — noisy notifications about viral online articles on MSN, for instance, where Microsoft gets a cut of the advertising. 
Want to get rid of all the annoying ads and pop-ups you can? After a few tweaks, Windows will quiet down and stop bothering you so much when you’re trying to get work done. (Alas, Microsoft doesn’t make it possible to turn off everything, so don’t be surprised if you still see a few surprises even after following this guide.) 
I’ve got so many more useful PC tips and tricks to share with you! Sign up for my free <a href="https://theintelligence.com/windows-cw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Windows Intelligence newsletter</a> — three things to try every Friday. Plus, get free copies of Paul Thurrott’s Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (a $10 value) for signing up. 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="disable-start-menu-ads">Disable Start menu ads</h2>
Windows 11 is getting <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/2300741/its-official-ads-are-coming-to-the-windows-start-menu.html" target="_blank">advertisements for apps in its Start menu</a> — something Windows 10 PCs already have. To avoid seeing these: 
<ul>
<li>In Windows 11, open the Settings app and head to Personalization > Start. Turn off “Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more.” </li>
<li>In Windows 10, open the Settings app and head to Personalization > Start. Turn off “Show suggestions occasionally in Start.” </li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="get-rid-of-notification-ads-and-full-screen-prompts">Get rid of notification ads and full-screen prompts </h2>
Windows might sometimes send you notification pop-ups with “tips and suggestions.” These tips can include recommendations to use Microsoft Edge and messages pushing the Microsoft Rewards points program. Additionally, Windows sometimes shows you “finish setting up your PC” prompts with messages about using OneDrive and Microsoft 365. To get rid of these: 
<ul>
<li>In Windows 11, open the Settings app and head to System > Notifications. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen, expand the “Additional settings” section, and uncheck the three options here: “Get tips and suggestions when using Windows,” “Suggest ways to get the most out of Windows and finish setting up this device,” and “Show the Windows welcome experience after updates and when signed in to show what’s new and suggested.” </li>
<li>In Windows 10, open the Settings app and head to System > Notifications & actions. Turn off these three options: “Show me the Windows welcome experience after updates and occasionally when I sign in to highlight what’s new and suggested,” “Suggest ways I can finish setting up my device to get the most out of Windows,” and “Get tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows” options. </li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="stop-seeing-ads-in-settings">Stop seeing ads in Settings </h2>
Windows shows you more “suggestions” for subscriptions like Microsoft 365, Copilot Pro, and Xbox Game Pass in the Settings app. To get rid of these: 
<ul>
<li>In Windows 11, open the Settings app and head to Privacy & security > General. Turn off “Show me suggested content in the Settings app.” </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In Windows 10, open the Settings app and head to Privacy > General. Turn off “Show me suggested content in the Settings app.” </li>
</ul>
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-settings-app-copilot-pro.png?w=1024" alt="Windows Settings app - Copilot Pro" class="wp-image-2096445" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-settings-app-copilot-pro.png?quality=50&strip=all 1232w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-settings-app-copilot-pro.png?resize=300%2C152&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-settings-app-copilot-pro.png?resize=768%2C390&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-settings-app-copilot-pro.png?resize=1024%2C519&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-settings-app-copilot-pro.png?resize=150%2C76&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-settings-app-copilot-pro.png?resize=854%2C433&quality=50&strip=all 854w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-settings-app-copilot-pro.png?resize=640%2C325&quality=50&strip=all 640w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-settings-app-copilot-pro.png?resize=444%2C225&quality=50&strip=all 444w" width="1024" height="519" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Settings app now pushes Microsoft’s subscription services hard. </figcaption></figure>Chris Hoffman, IDG</div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="hide-ads-in-file-explorer">Hide ads in File Explorer </h2>
Microsoft has used banners in File Explorer to show advertisements for OneDrive storage. To avoid seeing these: 
<ul>
<li>In Windows 11, open File Explorer, click the “…” menu on the toolbar, and select “Options.” Click over to the “View” tab, scroll down to near the bottom of the list, and uncheck “Show sync provider notifications.” Click “OK.” </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In Windows 10, open File Explorer, click the “View” tab on the ribbon, and click “Options.” Click over to the “View” tab, scroll down to near the bottom of the list, and uncheck “Show sync provider notifications.” Click “OK.” </li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="avoid-lock-screen-ads">Avoid lock screen ads </h2>
Windows PCs can use Microsoft’s Windows Spotlight feature to see regularly updated background images on their lock screen. It’s a nice feature, but Microsoft has also used it to <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/419788/windows-10-lock-screen-ads-begin-with-rise-of-the-tomb-raider-push.html" target="_blank">push full-screen advertisements for PC games</a> and advertising-type messages. To stop this from happening: 
<ul>
<li>In Windows 11, open the Settings app and head to Personalization > Background. Set “Personalize your background” to something like “Picture” and choose whatever picture you like — anything but “Windows Spotlight.” </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In Windows 10, open the Settings app, head to Personalization > Lock screen. Click the “Background” box and select “Picture” or “Slideshow” — anything but “Windows Spotlight.” Turn off the “Get fun facts, tips, and more from Windows and Cortana on your lock screen” switch here, too. (It won’t appear if Windows Spotlight is turned off.) </li>
</ul>
Personally, I put up with this — I’d rather have the fresh lock-screen images, even if I see an advertisement every now and then. It’s up to you. 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="hide-clutter-in-the-search-pane">Hide clutter in the search pane </h2>
The search box on the taskbar and the pop-up search experience both have “highlights” that recommend all kinds of shopping content, games, and other viral things. To turn those off: 
<ul>
<li>In Windows 11, open the Settings app and head to Privacy & security > Search permissions. Scroll down and turn off “Show search highlights” here. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Windows 10 does not have this feature, so there’s nothing to turn off. </li>
</ul>
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-search-highlights.png?w=1024" alt="Windows Search Highlights" class="wp-image-2096446" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-search-highlights.png?quality=50&strip=all 1425w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-search-highlights.png?resize=300%2C244&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-search-highlights.png?resize=768%2C624&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-search-highlights.png?resize=1024%2C832&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-search-highlights.png?resize=858%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 858w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-search-highlights.png?resize=207%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 207w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-search-highlights.png?resize=103%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 103w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-search-highlights.png?resize=591%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 591w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-search-highlights.png?resize=443%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 443w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-search-highlights.png?resize=308%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 308w" width="1024" height="832" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The search pane normally recommends shopping and games when you start a search. </figcaption></figure>Chris Hoffman, IDG</div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="never-see-feedback-popups">Never see feedback popups </h2>
Windows might sometimes ask for feedback about your PC experience: Would you recommend Windows to other people? To avoid these interruptions and stop Windows from asking for feedback: 
<ul>
<li>In Windows 11, open the Settings app and head to Privacy & security > Diagnostics & feedback. Click the “Feedback frequency” box and set it to “Never.” </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In Windows 10, open the Settings app and head to Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback. Scroll down and set the “Feedback frequency” box to “Never.” </li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="turn-off-the-viral-firehose-in-widgets">Turn off the viral firehose in Widgets </h2>
Windows 11’s Widgets experience pushes viral news articles and shows stock price movements on your taskbar by default. Windows 10 has a similar feature that also recommends viral stories. To turn off Widgets completely: 
<ul>
<li>In Windows 11, right-click an empty spot on the taskbar, select “Taskbar settings,” and turn off “Widgets.” </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In Windows 10, right-click an empty spot on the taskbar, point to “News and interests,” and select “Turn off.” </li>
</ul>
Or, you can just turn off those viral stories: 
<ul>
<li>In Windows 11, click the Widgets icon at the left side of the taskbar, click the gear icon at the top-right corner of the Widgets pane, click “Show or hide feeds,” and turn off “My feed.” </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Windows 10 doesn’t let you turn off the viral story feed while keeping the weather on the taskbar. </li>
</ul>
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-widgets-feed.png?w=1024" alt="Windows widget feed" class="wp-image-2096447" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-widgets-feed.png?quality=50&strip=all 2560w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-widgets-feed.png?resize=300%2C160&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-widgets-feed.png?resize=768%2C410&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-widgets-feed.png?resize=1024%2C547&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-widgets-feed.png?resize=1536%2C821&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-widgets-feed.png?resize=2048%2C1094&quality=50&strip=all 2048w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-widgets-feed.png?resize=1240%2C663&quality=50&strip=all 1240w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-widgets-feed.png?resize=150%2C80&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-widgets-feed.png?resize=854%2C456&quality=50&strip=all 854w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-widgets-feed.png?resize=640%2C342&quality=50&strip=all 640w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/windows-widgets-feed.png?resize=444%2C237&quality=50&strip=all 444w" width="1024" height="547" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Windows 11’s Widgets feed is still the most annoying part of the operating system. </figcaption></figure>Chris Hoffman, IDG</div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="toss-apps-that-come-stuck-to-your-start-menu">Toss apps that come stuck to your Start menu </h2>
Windows PCs come with a bunch of app shortcuts “pinned” to their Start menus. Most of these apps aren’t technically installed yet — they’ll just be installed if you click their shortcuts. For example, you might see apps like “Luminar Neo – AI Photo Editor” and “Grammarly” pinned to your Start menu. To get rid of them: 
<ul>
<li>In Windows 11, open the Start menu. Look at the list of pinned apps. Right-click apps you don’t use and select either “Uninstall” or “Unpin from Start.” </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In Windows 10, open the Start menu. Look at the list of pinned app tiles on the right side of the menu. Right-click apps you want to get out of there and select either “Uninstall” or “Unpin from Start.” </li>
</ul>
If your Windows 10 PC is old enough, you might even see a tile for <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/427484/windows-10-will-ship-with-candy-crush-saga-preinstalled.html" target="_blank">Candy Crush</a>! (Amusingly enough, Microsoft now owns Candy Crush after its <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1636737/ftc-renews-legal-challenge-to-microsofts-69b-purchase-of-activision.html" target="_blank">controversial acquisition of Activision-Blizzard</a>.) 
You might also want to uninstall bundled apps you don’t want. For example, many new PCs come with a trial of McAfee antivirus — you can <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/2310743/how-to-uninstall-mcafee-antivirus.html" target="_blank">uninstall McAfee antivirus</a> if you’re not going to use it. 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="clean-up-microsoft-edge">Clean up Microsoft Edge</h2>
The Microsoft Edge browser is stuffed full of viral news stories, AI features, links to MSN games, recommendations for coupons, and all kinds of other additional things. You can avoid them by switching to another web browser, but if you want to use Edge, here are a few steps you can take: 
<ul>
<li>Clean up Edge’s Start page: Open a new tab in Microsoft Edge, click the gear icon at the top-right corner of the page, turn off “Content,” and turn off “Show sponsored background.” </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Turn off the sidebar: Click the gear icon at the bottom of the sidebar on the right side of the Edge browser. Uncheck “Always show sidebar.” </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Get rid of shopping notifications: Click the menu icon near the top-right corner of the Edge browser window and choose “Settings.” Select “Privacy, search, and services” at the left side of the Settings page, scroll down to the “Services” section, and turn off “Save time and money with Shopping in Microsoft Edge.” </li>
</ul>
If you like some of these features — that’s fine! But there’s a lot going on in Edge, and just changing these few settings should quieten things down. 
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</figcaption></figure>Chris Hoffman, IDG</div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="more-pc-annoyances-you-can-end">More PC annoyances you can end </h2>
If you’d like to take control over your PC, be sure to check out <a href="https://theintelligence.com/31812/use-a-windows-pc-without-a-microsoft-account-lite/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">my guide on how to sign in with a local account</a>. There’s a secret handshake you can use while setting up your computer. 
Still find Windows annoying? Some of the biggest annoyances on Windows 11 and Windows 10 PCs aren’t ads at all! Here’s <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1611240/microsoft-windows-annoyances.html" target="_blank">a list of 10 Windows annoyances — and how to fix them</a>. For example, you can turn off Bing search in the Start menu completely — but Microsoft buries this option and makes it hard to find. 
Want something that’s not annoying? Get even more Windows insights, tips, and tricks with my free <a href="https://theintelligence.com/windows-cw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Windows Intelligence newsletter</a>, which brings you three new things to try every Friday. Plus, get free Windows 10 and 11 Field Guides as soon as you sign up. 
</div></div></div><category>Microsoft, Operating Systems, Windows, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows PCs</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2096419/10-ways-to-turn-off-windows-worst-ads.html</link>
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<title>Amazon Q Business now available with new app-builder capabilities</title>
<pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2024 20:37:23 +0000</pubDate>
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Amazon Web Services (AWS) on Tuesday said its generative AI-based assistant for business applications — Amazon Q Business — is now generally available.
<a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1640191/amazon-q-aws-answer-to-microsoft-s-gpt-driven-copilot.html">Introduced at re:Invent last year</a>, Amazon Q Business can be used to have conversations, solve problems, generate content, gain insights, and take action by connecting to a company’s information repositories, data, and enterprise systems, AWS said. 
To use Q as an assistant for business apps, enterprises first need to configure the generative AI (genAI) assistant by connecting it to existing data sources, which can include AWS’ S3 storage service as well as applications from vendors including Salesforce, Microsoft, Google, and Slack. 
Q currently supports connectors for more than 40 tools and applications.
Additionally, AWS has added a new app-building capability to Amazon Q Business, which is a web-based application. Named Amazon Q Apps and currently in preview, the feature will allow enterprise users, including business users, to develop applications based on their enterprise data using natural language.
“With Q Apps, employees simply describe the app they want, in natural language, or they can take an existing conversation where Amazon Q Business helped them solve a problem, and with one click, Q will instantly generate an app that accomplishes their desired task that can be easily shared across their enterprise,” said Mai-Lan Tomsen Bukovec, vice president of technology at AWS. 
Q Apps could include HR or marketing apps designed either to onboard employees or to automate tasks. They can be accessed via the Amazon Q Business application environment, the company said; Q Apps is enabled by default and can be switched off from the Amazon Q Business console.
Bukovec said a Q App is made up of a collection of cards, with each card serving as a user interface element that can be combined with other cards to generate an application.
“Cards take in user input, support file uploads, connect to other cards, generate text output, and allow actions through Amazon Q Business plugins,” the <a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com/amazonq/latest/qbusiness-ug/purpose-built-qapps-web-experience.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://docs.aws.amazon.com/amazonq/latest/qbusiness-ug/purpose-built-qapps-web-experience.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">company said in a blog post</a>. 
Enterprise users can add to the Q app, edit it, or delete a card, AWS said. 
At a more basic level, text output and plugin cards contain prompt instructions that determine how Amazon Q Business is queried to generate a response. 
“When enterprise users use the Amazon Q Apps Creator, relevant cards are automatically generated with prefilled prompts. Users can further refine these prompts using simple, natural language,” the company said.
“When writing or editing a prompt for a card, your users can reference other cards using ‘@’ mention to select from the list of cards in the app. Users can also instruct in the prompt to reference your enterprise data already in Amazon Q Business,” AWS said.
Amazon Q Apps developed by one enterprise user can be shared with other users across the company via the Amazon Q Apps library.
Q Apps can also be copied and customized by other users to create a new version. 
Amazon Q Business is available in two subscription models — Lite and Pro — which are priced at $3 and $20 per user, per month, respectively. The Pro subscription offers Amazon Q Apps, extended capabilities via custom plugins, and the ability to gain insights via Q in QuickSight. These capabilities are not available in the Lite subscription pack.
Additionally, the Pro subscription allows enterprise users to receive responses in a conversational interface up to approximately seven pages compared to the Lite pack’s limit of one page.
</div></div></div><category>Amazon Web Services, Enterprise Applications, Generative AI, Productivity Software</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2096890/amazon-q-business-now-available-with-new-app-builder-capabilities.html</link>
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<title>CHIPS Act is working as billions of dollars in payouts is divvied out to semiconductor makers</title>
<pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2024 17:44:34 +0000</pubDate>
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More than a year and a half after the <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1612473/us-senate-approves-52-billion-for-chipmakersbut-not-designers.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1612473/us-senate-approves-52-billion-for-chipmakersbut-not-designers.html">CHIPS and Science Act was signed into law</a>, the Biden Administration has begun divvying up $52.7 billion in funding and tax incentives meant to spur semiconductor production on US soil, though the actual funding has yet to be dispersed.
Over the past several months, the administration, which championed the legislation, has allocated about $29 billion in funding among chipmakers, including Samsung, TSMC and Intel. In return, various chip designers and makers have pledged about $300 billion in current and future projects in the US, according to the White House.
The <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/04/25/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-up-to-6-1-billion-preliminary-agreement-with-micron-under-the-chips-and-science-act/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">most recent announcement</a> last week was for $6.14 billion toward Micron’s plans to build new fabrication plants in upstate New York and perform upgrades elsewhere. To date, Intel has reaped the most in promised funds: <a href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/us-chips-act-intel-direct-funding.html#gs.8p9rfu" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/us-chips-act-intel-direct-funding.html#gs.8p9rfu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$8.5 billion</a>.
The Department of Commerce, which is administering the CHIPS Act, has spent months negotiating with semiconductor designers and fabricators to gain commitments from the companies and to achieve specific milestones in their projects before getting government payouts.
For example, negotiations between the federal government and TSMC resulted in the Taiwanese semiconductor designer and manufacturer being promised $6.6 billion in CHIPS Act funding; in return, the company bringing its most advanced 2nm process technology to US shores and adding <a href="https://pr.tsmc.com/english/news/3122" data-type="link" data-id="https://pr.tsmc.com/english/news/3122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plans for a third fabrication plant</a> to its Arizona site.
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://images.idgesg.net/images/article/2023/04/micron-megafab-1-100939443-orig.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&auto=webp&quality=85,70" alt="micron megafab 1" class="wp-image-506208" width="3000" height="2000" sizes="(max-width: 3000px) 100vw, 3000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">An artist’s rendition of Micron’s proposed fabrication plant, to be located in Onondaga County, NY. The plant will be the size of 40 football fields and is expected to provide close to 50,000 jobs for the region. </figcaption></figure>Micron Technologies</div>
At the beginning of 2023, TSMC, the world’s largest chip maker, began construction on its second chip fabrication plant near Phoenix, AZ. For Biden, TSMC’s three plants represented <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/biden-visits-arizona-semiconductor-plant-in-latest-celebration-of-the-chips-act-220015724.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the flagship</a> of the CHIPS Act incentive program. The TSMC project, however, stalled, and the company announced it had pushed back its completion date to 2025 due to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/aug/28/phoenix-microchip-plant-biden-union-tsmc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">problems finding skilled labor</a>.
TSMC had <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/06/tsmc-to-up-arizona-investment-to-40-billion-with-second-semiconductor-chip-plant.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">promised to make a $40 billion investment</a> in its US chip production plant. The investment represents the largest ever foreign investment in Arizona and one of the largest in US history.
Micron said it might spend up to $100 billion over the next 20 years to expand its US facilities, including a $15 billion memory chip plant in its home base of Boise, ID.
Industry analysts say the CHIPS Act is having its desired effect — the largest semiconductor designers and makers are investing in the US. By 2030, research firm IDC expects that 30% of the leading edge chip techology will be produced in the US, Western Europe, and Japan.
“Today, the semiconductor supply chain is concentrated in Asia,” said Mario Morales, a group vice president at IDC. “In fact, 100% of the global leading-edge chip capacity — 5nm and below — is only available in Taiwan and Korea. This will change dramatically by the end of the decade as leading-edge manufacturing is reestablished in the western hemisphere and in Japan.”
The latest round of CHIPS Act funding will support Micron’s construction of the first two fabs of a planned four-building “megafab” focused on leading-edge DRAM chip production. Each fab will have 600,000 square feet of cleanrooms, totaling 2.4 million square feet across the four facilities — the largest amount of cleanroom space ever announced in the US and the size of nearly 40 football fields.
The CHIPS Act’s purpose was to strengthen American supply chain resilience after the pandemic and counter China’s rising share of the market. The US share of global semiconductor fabrication capacity has fallen from about 36% in 1990 to about 10% in 2020, according to a Congressional Research Service report. Meanwhile, China’s share of chip manufacturing <a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/news/china-increases-chip-production-and-imports" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">has grown nearly 50%</a> over the past two years and now comprises about 18% of the world’s supply.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="more-chips-acts-to-come">More CHIPS Acts to come?</h2>
The White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/03/20/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-up-to-8-5-billion-preliminary-agreement-with-intel-under-the-chips-science-act/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">has argued that CHIPS Act spending</a> will grow America’s share of the world’s leading-edge chip market to 20% by 2030. But experts say more government incentives will be needed to sustain and continue that growth domestically.
“The first CHIPS Act is just the start, there will be more funds needed to sustain and include other parts of the supply chain like materials, OSAT, design, and tools,” Morales said. “I expect that a second CHIPS Act will likely be higher in value than the first and will be approved sometime in the second half of this decade — in 2026 or 2027.”
Gaurav Gupta, a vice president analyst at Gartner Research, agreed with Morales that more funding is needed, and that while the current funding closes the capital cost gap, it does not do much for future operational costs. “Various factors will continue to make it expensive for fabs to be competitive here, like the regulatory and compliance framework that causes delays, labor compensation, higher utility rates, etc,” he said.
“So, if the US government really wants the needle to move and make this current CHIPS Act have a real impact, I expect version 2.0, 3.0 and onwards to come. When and what amounts they would be is hard to predict for now,” Morales said.
The current CHIPS Act includes $39 billion in subsidies for chip manufacturing on US soil along with 25% investment tax credits for costs of manufacturing equipment, and $13 billion for semiconductor research and workforce training.
In December, <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1611166/why-billions-of-chips-act-dollars-have-not-been-distributed.html">Computerworld contacted the Department of Commerce</a> to discover why funds from the CHIPs Act had yet to be distributed. The Department said at the time it was still in “complex negotiations” with chip manufacturers to ensure the money is wisely spent.
In February, the Administration announced $1.5 billion for GlobalFoundries to support the development and expansion of facilities in Malta, NY, and Burlington, VT.
Last month, more multi-billion-dollar distributions were announced, including $8.5 billion for Intel to support investments across four states, (Chandler, AZ; Rio Rancho, NM; New Albany, OH; and Hillsboro, OR) to construct logic fabs, modernize advanced packaging facilities, and invest in R&D.
Along with Micron this month, $6.4 billion was allocated for Samsung to build an R&D facility, and advanced packaging fabs in Taylor, TX, and to expand a current-generation and mature-node facility in Austin, TX. And $6.6 billion was earmarked for TSMC to support the development of three greenfield leading-edge fabs in Phoenix, AZ.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="chip-production-the-supply-chain-crisis-and-the-new-law">Chip production, the supply-chain crisis, and the new law</h2>
In 2021, the decline in domestic chip production was exposed by <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1616788/supply-chain-semi-conductor-issues-slam-pc-shipments.html">a worldwide supply-chain crisis</a> that led to calls for reshoring manufacturing to the US. After more than a year of work from the Administration to respond to acute semiconductor shortages, Congress in August 2022 passed the measure. With the CHIPS Act spurring them on, semiconductor makers including <a href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/resources/intel-invests-ohio.html#gs.4fm5tv" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Intel</a>, <a href="https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-announces-new-advanced-semiconductor-fab-site-in-taylor-texas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Samsung</a>, <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1613923/micron-to-build-largest-chip-factory-in-us-history.html">Micron</a>, <a href="https://pr.tsmc.com/system/files/newspdf/THGOANPGTH/NEWS_FILE_EN.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TSMC</a>, and <a href="https://techxplore.com/news/2021-11-texas-instruments-billion-semiconductor-chip.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Texas Instruments</a> unveiled plans for a number of new plants on US soil. (Qualcomm, in partnership with GlobalFoundries, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/qualcomm-globalfoundries-sign-pact-double-chip-manufacturing-2022-08-08/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">also said it would invest $4.2 billion</a> to double chip production in its Malta, NY facility.)
Companies became eligible In February 2023 to apply for the <a href="https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2023/02/28/CHIPS_NOFO-1_Fact_Sheet_0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">first round of CHIPS Act incentives</a> totaling $39 billion for the construction of large-scale fabrication facilities. Last September, a second funding opportunity for small-scale fabrication projects opened.
The Commerce Department said the CHIPS ACT has moved extremely fast for a government program. For example, as part of the funding application process, the agency has received over 530 statements of interest from companies in 42 states. The department also received 120 pre-applications and full applications for funding.
</div></div></div><category>CPUs and Processors, Government</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2096415/chips-act-is-working-as-billions-of-dollars-in-payouts-is-divvied-out-to-semiconductor-makers.html</link>
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<title>Apple is intensely focused on its global AI efforts</title>
<pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2024 15:19:40 +0000</pubDate>
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Not so long ago, I can remember how Apple’s “failures” in AI made critics smile. Those smiles now seem to have faded. Instead, Apple is <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2067633/why-is-apple-so-focused-on-vision-ai.html">accelerating at speed</a> to make people happy for a while with American AI.
How do we know the company is moving fast? With more than 160,000 direct employees globally and hundreds of thousands more across partner firms, suppliers, and the currently beleaguered App economy, when the ship that is Apple moves in a direction the rumor mill usually indicates the destination. Along those lines, we’ve heard a lot of talk across the last week.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apple’s top secret AI labs</h2>
Apple has created a top secret AI research lab in Zurich, Switzerland. The <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/87054a60-dc4d-4238-a4b9-93ab48f22f56" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Financial Times</a> also claims the company has hired hundreds of leading AI researchers during the last couple of years, many of them from Google. 
These teams are focused on developing highly advanced AI models. What kind of models? In essence, these seem to be super-lightweight, highly focused neural networks capable of delivering really useful tools that function on the device.
To get a sense of what these might do, Apple researchers recently released a <a href="https://huggingface.co/apple" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wave of eight new AI models</a> capable of running on the device. The company calls them “<a href="https://machinelearning.apple.com/research/openelm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Open-source Efficient Language Models</a>”. 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Model behavior</h2>
These are small models trained on public data that work on the device to solve focused tasks. The aim is to make it possible to run generative AI (genAI) tools on the device itself, rather than using servers, which preserves privacy, improves efficiency, and safeguards information. These solutions promise truly mobile AI devices that will work offline, with the code is being made available to researchers on <a href="https://github.com/apple/corenet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GitHub</a>.
These aren’t the first AI models to slip out of Apple’s research labs. Earlier this year, the company published AI models that can edit photos through written prompts, and another to help people optimize their use of an iPhone. Interestingly, six of the researchers named as authors of a paper describing the latter technology were former Google employees hired in the last two years. 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Making friends</h2>
Apple also seems to be exploring potential partnerships. In recent months, we’ve heard it has spoken with both Google and Baidu to make their AI models available to iPhones; last week, we heard it has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-renews-talks-with-openai-iphone-generative-ai-features-bloomberg-news-2024-04-26/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recommenced discussions</a> with OpenAI. 
This has led both to speculation of an AI-dedicated App Store from which users can access bespoke selections of third-party AI solutions and rumors Apple seeks to license third-party models to enable its devices.
Apple also seems focused on augmenting its existing apps with AI. <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/04/30/apple-to-unveil-ai-enabled-safari-browser-alongside-new-operating-systems" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AppleInsider</a> claims the company is testing a version of Safari with a built in AI-powered intelligent search agent capable of providing summaries of websites.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Think ethically</h2>
Throughout all of this, Apple has maintained a tight silence about the totality of its AI strategy. Critically, however, it’s important to understand that the company is not interested in building solutions that provide incorrect or inappropriate responses and would rather be cautious than to introduce an AI that is flawed. It seeks to develop ethical, useful AI that provides real benefits to users while retaining privacy. 
This also extends to how it trains its AI models; if you look at its published research papers, you’ll find many of those it has revealed have been trained using publicly available data, rather than breaching copyright.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apple is also investing in AI infrastructure</h2>
Apple will announce its financial results on Thursday. These aren’t expected to impress, but it seems likely much of the disappointment is already baked in. But for those of us curious about the extent to which Apple is preparing the ground for AI, it will be interesting to track how much the company is investing in capital expenditure. 
We know such spending is taking place:
<ul>
<li>Just over a week ago, the company <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2093679/chasing-business-and-partnerships-apple-goes-apac.html">announced an expansion</a> to its Singapore campus to provide space for “new roles in AI and other key functions”, and is making <a href="https://en.antaranews.com/news/311136/apple-keen-to-invest-in-ai-development-in-new-capital-minister" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">similar investments in Indonesia</a>.</li>
<li>Apple also recently <a href="https://www.challenges.fr/high-tech/ia-apple-rachete-la-start-up-parisienne-datakalab_890773" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">acquired French AI firm Datakalab</a>. That company specializes in on-device processing, algorithm compression, and embedded AI.</li>
<li>Hints that Apple will have some reliance on AI in the cloud are also visible on news the company <a href="https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/apple-hires-former-google-data-center-ai-exec-to-lead-multi-cloud-effort/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">has appointed former Google Sumit Gupta</a> as director of products, Apple Cloud. Gupta has years of experience in AI infrastructure, including a previous six-year stint as chief AI Strategy officer and CTO of AI at IBM.</li>
</ul>
All of these suggest that sizable investments in the infrastructure required to power AI on two billion actively used Apple devices is already taking place.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Securing the servers with Apple Silicon</h2>
Investment extends to R&D for infrastructure. After all, it means something that Apple is <a href="https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/23/apple-developing-its-own-ai-server-processor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">allegedly considering building servers powered by Apple Silicon chips</a>. Those servers could go some way toward providing the kind of computational power required to drive AI services in the cloud, while also mitigating the enormous energy consumption such services require.
These data points should provide some color as we accelerate toward introduction of new <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/cal/apple-event-1714432110890.ics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">M4(?)-powered, AI-capable iPads</a> at an online Apple keynote next week, followed by a little more insight at WWDC 2024 in June — and culminating with the <a href="https://www.applemust.com/what-apples-clever-plan-for-generative-ai-might-be/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">big AI iPhone 16 reveal in fall</a>.
Please follow me on <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/@jonnyevans" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mastodon</a>, or join me in the <a href="https://mewe.com/join/appleholics_bar_and_grill" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AppleHolic’s bar & grill</a> and <a href="https://mewe.com/join/apple_discussions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Discussions</a> groups on MeWe.
</div></div></div><category>Apple, Artificial Intelligence</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2096725/apple-is-intensely-focused-on-its-global-ai-efforts.html</link>
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<title>What Capgemini software chief learned about AI-generated code: highly usable, ‘too many unknowns’ for production</title>
<pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
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Capgemini Engineering is made up of more than 62,000 engineers and scientists across the globe whose job it is to create products for a myriad number of clients, from industrial companies building cars, trains and planes to independent software vendors. 
So, when AI-assisted code generation tools began flooding the marketplace in 2022, the global innovation and engineering consultancy took notice. Afterall, one-fifth of Capgemini’s business involves producing software products for a global clientele facing the demands of digital transformation initiatives. 
According to Capgamini’s own survey data, seven in 10 organizations will be using generative AI (genAI) for software engineering in the next 12 months. Today, 30% of organizations are experimenting with it for software engineering, and an additional 42% plan to use it within a year. Only 28% of organizations are steering completely clear of the technology. 
In fact, genAI already assists in writing nearly one in every eight lines of code, and that ratio is expected hit one in every five lines of code over the next 12 months, according to Capgemini.
Jiani Zhang took over as the company’s chief software officer three years ago. In that time, she’s seen the explosion of genAI’s use to increase efficiencies and productivity among software development teams. But as good as it is at producing usable software, Zhang cautioned that genAI’s output isn’t yet ready for production — or even for creating a citizen developer workforce. There remain a number of issues developers and engineers will face when piloting its use, including security concerns, intellectual property rights issues, and the threat of malware.
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1024" alt="Women in IT jobs" class="wp-image-2095309" style="width:667px;height:auto" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 1807w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?resize=150%2C150&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?resize=300%2C300&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?resize=768%2C768&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C1024&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1536&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?resize=1240%2C1240&quality=50&strip=all 1240w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?resize=697%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 697w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?resize=168%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 168w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?resize=84%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 84w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?resize=480%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 480w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?resize=360%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 360w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jiani-Zhang-headshot-1.jpg?resize=250%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 250w" width="1024" height="1024" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jiani Zhang, Chief Software Officer at Capgemini Engineering
</figcaption></figure>Capgemini</div>
That said, Zhang has embraced AI-generated software tools for a number of lower-risk tasks, and it has created significant efficiencies for her team. Computerworld spoke with Zhang about Capgemini Engineering’s use of AI; the following are excerpts from that interview.
What’s your responsibility at Capgemini? “I look after software that’s in products. The software is so pervasive that you actually need different categories of software and differnent ways it’s developed. And, you can imagine that there’s a huge push right now in terms of moving software [out the door].”
How did your journey with AI-generated software begin? “Originally, we thought about generative AI with a big focus on sort of creative elements. So, a lot of people were talking about building software, writing stories, building websites, generating pictures and the creation of new things in general. If you can generate pictures, why can’t you generate code? If you can write stories, why not write user stories or requirements that go into building software. That’s the mindset of the shift going on, and I think the reality is it’s a combination of a market-driven dynamic. Everyone’s kind of moving toward wanting to build a digital business. You’re effectively now competing with a lot of tech companies to hire developers to build these new digital platforms.
“So, many companies are thinking, ‘I can’t hire against these large tech companies out here in the Bay Area, for example. So, what do I do?’ They turn to AI…to deal with the fact that [they] don’t have the talent pool or the resources to actually build these digital things. That’s why I think it’s just a perfect storm, right now. There’s a lack of resources, and people really want to build digital businesses, and suddenly the idea of using generative AI to produce code can actually compensate for [a] lack of talent. Therefore, [they] can push ahead on those projects. I think that’s why there’s so much emphasis on [genAI software augmentation] and wanting to build towards that.”
How have you been using AI to create efficiencies in software development and engineering? “I would break out the software development life cycle almost into stages. There is a pre-coding phase. This is the phase where you’re writing the requirements. You’re generating the user stories, and you create epics. Your team does a lot of the planning on what they’re going to build in this area. We can see generative AI having an additive benefit there just generating a story for you. You can generate requirements using it. So, it’s helping you write things, which is what generative AI is good at doing, right? You can give it some prompts of where you want to go and it can generate these stories for you.
“The second element is that [software] building phase, which is coding. This is the phase people are very nervous about it and for very good reason, because the code generation aspect of generative AI is still almost like a little bit of wizardry. We’re not quite sure how it gets generated. And then there’s a lot of concerns regarding security, like where did this get generated from? Because, as we know, AI is still learning from something else. And you have to ask [whether] my generated code is going to be used by somebody else? So there’s a lot of interest in using it, but then there’s a lot of hesitancy in actually doing the generation side of it.
“And then you have the post-coding phase, which is everything from deployment, and testing, and all that. For that phase, I think there’s a lot of opportunity for not just generative AI, but AI in general, which is all focused around intelligent testing. So, for instance, how do you generate the right test cases? How do you know that you’re testing against the right things? We often see from a lot of clients where effectively over the years they’ve just added more and more tests to that phase, and so it got bigger and bigger and bigger. But, nobody’s actually gone in and cleaned up that phase. So, you’re running a gazillion tests. Then you still have a bunch of defects because no one’s actually cleaned up the tests of defects they are trying to detect. So, a lot of this curates better with generative AI. Specifically, it can perform a lot of test prioritization. You can look at patterns of which tests are being used and not used. And, there’s less of a concern about something going wrong in with that. I think AI tools make a very big impact in that area.
“You can see AI playing different roles in different areas. And I think that the front part has less risk and is easier to do. Maybe it doesn’t do as much as the whole code generation element, but again there’s so much hesitancy around being comfortable with the generated code.”
How important is it to make sure that your existing code base is clean or error free before using AI code generation tools? “I think it depends on what you’re starting from. With any type of AI technology, you’re starting with some sort of structure, some sort of data. You have some labeled data, you have some unlabeled data, and an AI engine is just trying to determine patterns and probabilities. So, when you say you want to generate code, well what are you basing new code that off of?
“If you were to create a <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1627101/what-are-large-language-models-and-how-are-they-used-in-generative-ai.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1627101/what-are-large-language-models-and-how-are-they-used-in-generative-ai.html">large language model</a> or any type of model, what’s your starting point? If your starting point is your code base only, then yes, all of the residual problems that you have will most likely be inherited because it’s training on bad data. Thinking about that is how you should code. A lot of people think, ‘I’m not going to be arrogant to think that my code is the best.’
“The more generic method would be to leverage larger models with more code sets. But then the more code you have gets you deeper into a security problem. Like where does all that code come from? And am I contributing to someone else’s larger code set? And what’s really scary is if you don’t know the code set well, is there a Trojan horse in there. So, there’s lot of dynamics to it. 
“A lot of the clients that we face love these technologies. It’s so good, because it professes an opportunity to solve a problem, which is the shortage of talent, so as to actually build a digital business without that. But then they’re really challenged. Do I trust the results of the AI? And do I have a large enough code base that I’m comfortable using and not just imagining that some model will come from the ether to do this.”
How have you addressed the previous issue — going with a massive LLM codebase or sticking to smaller, more proprietary in-house code and data? “I think it depends on the sensitivity of the client. I think a lot of people are playing with the code generation element. I don’t think a lot of them are taking [AI] code generation to production because, like I said, there’s just so many unknowns in that area.
“What we find is more clients have figured out more of that pre-code phase, and they’re also focusing a lot on that post-code phase, because both of those are relatively low risk with a lot of gain, especially in the area of like testing because it’s a very well-known practice. There’s so much data that’s in there, you can quickly clean that up and get to some value. So, I think that’s a very low-hanging fruit. And then on the front-end side of it, you know a lot of people don’t like writing user stories, or the requirements are written poorly and so the amount of effort that can take away from that is meaningful.”
What are the issues you’ve run into with genAI code generation? “While it is the highest value [part of the equation]…, it is also about generating consistent code. But that’s the problem. Because generative AI is not prescriptive. So, when you tell it, ‘I want two ears and a tail that wags, it doesn’t actually give you a Labrador retriever every time. Sometimes it will give you a Husky. It’s just looking at what fits that [LLM]. So…when you change a parameter, it could generate completely new code. And then that completely new code means that you’re going have to redo all of the integration, deployment, all those things that comes off of it.
“There’s also a situation where even if you were able to contain your code set, build an LLM with highly curated, good engineering practices [and] software practices and complement it with your own data set — and generate code that you trust — you still can’t control whether the generated code will be the same code every single time when you make a change. I think the industry is still working to figure those elements out, refining and re-refining to see how you can have consistency.”
What are your favorite AI code-augmentation platforms? “I think it’s quite varied. I think the challenge with this market is it’s very dynamic; they keep adding new feature sets and the new feature sets kind of overlap with each other. So, it’s very hard to determine what one is best. I think there are certain ones that are leading right now, but at the same time, the dynamics of the environment [are] such that you could see something introduced that’s completely new in the next eight weeks. So, it’s quite varied. I wouldn’t say that there is a favorite right now. I think everyone is learning at this point.”
How do you deal with code errors introduced by genAI? What tools do you use to discover and correct those errors, if any? “I think that then goes into your test problem. Like I said, there’s a consistency problem that fundamentally we have to take into account, because every time we generate code it could be generated differently. Refining your test set and using that as an intelligent way of testing is a really key area to make sure that you catch those problems. I personally believe that they’re there because the software development life cycle is so vast.
“It’s all about where people want to focus the post-coding phase. That testing phase is a critical element to actually getting any of this right. …It’s an area where you can quickly leverage the AI technologies and have minimal risk introduced to your production code. And, in fact, all it does is improve it. [The genAI] is helping you be smarter in running those test sets. And those test sets are then going to be highly beneficial to your generated code as well, because now you know what your audience is also testing against.
“So if the generated code is bad, you’ll catch it in these defects. It’s worth a lot of effort to look at that specific area because, like I said, it’s a low-risk element. There’s a lot of AI tools out there for that.
“And, not everything has to be generative AI, right? You know, AI and machine learning [have] been here for quite some time, and there’s a lot of work that’s already been done to refine [them]. So, there’s a lot of benefit and improvement that’s been done to those older tools. The market has this feeling that they need to adopt AI, but AI adoption hasn’t been the smoothest. So then [developers] are saying. ‘Let’s just leapfrog and let’s just get into using generative AI.’ The reality is that you can actually fix a lot of these things based off of technology that’s didn’t just come to market 12 months ago. I think there’s there’s definitely benefit in that.”
What generative AI tools have you tried and what kind of success have you seen? “We’ve tried almost all of them. That’s the short answer. And they’ve all been very beneficial. I think that the reality is, like I said before, the landscape of genAI tools today is pretty comparable between the different cloud service providers. I don’t see a a leading one versus a non leading one. I feel like they all can do a pretty nice things. 
“I think that the challenge is being up to date with what’s available because they keep releasing new features. That is encouraging, but at the same time you have to find a way to implement and use the technology in a meaningful way. At this point, the speed at which they’re pushing out these features versus the adoption in the industry is unmatched. I think there’s a lot more features than actual adoption. 
“We have our Capgemini Research Institute, through which we do a lot of polls with executives, and what we found is about 30% of organizations are experimenting with genAI. And probably another 42% are going to be playing with it for the next 12 months. But that also means from an adoption perspective, those actually using it in software engineering, I think it’s only less than one-third that’s really fundamentally going to be impacting their production flow with generator. So I think the market is still very much in the experimentation phase. And so that’s why all the tool [are] pretty comparable in terms of what it can do and what it can’t do.
“And again, it’s not really about whether the feature set is greater in one platform versus another. I think it’s more the application of it to solving a business problem that makes the impact.”
Do you use AI or generative AI for any software development? Forget pre-development and post-development for the moment. Do you actually use it to generate code that you use? “We do. Even for us, it is in an experimentation phase. But we have put in a lot of work ourselves in terms of refining generative AI engines so that we can generate consistent code. We’ve actually done quite a lot of experimentation and also proof of concepts with clients on all three of those phases [pre-code modeling, code development, post-code testing]. Like I said, the pre- and post- are the easier ones because there’s less risk.
“Now, whether or not the client is comfortable enough for that [AI] generated code to go to production is a different case. So, that proof of concept we’re doing is not necessarily production. And I think…taking it to production is still something that industry has to work through in terms of their acceptance.”
How accurate is the code generated by your AI tools? Or, to put it another way, how often is that code usable? I’ve heard from other experts the accuracy rate<a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2077802/just-how-good-is-ai-assisted-code-generation.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2077802/just-how-good-is-ai-assisted-code-generation.html"> ranges anywhere from 50% to 80% and even higher</a>. What are you finding? “I think the code is highly usable, to be honest. I think it’s actually a pretty high percentage because the generated code, it’s not wrong. I think the concern with generated code is not whether or not it’s written correctly. I think it is written correctly. The problem, as I said, is around how that code was generated, whether there were some innate or embedded defects in it that people don’t know about. Then you know the other question is where did that generated code come from, and whether or not the generated code that you’ve created now feeds a larger pool, and is that secure?
“So imagine if I’m an industrial company and I want to create this solution, and I generate some code [whose base] came from my competitor. How do I know if this is my IP or their IP? Or if I created it, did that somehow through the ether migrate to somebody else generating that exact same code? So, it gets very tricky in that sense unless you have a very privatized genAI system.”
Even when the code itself it not usable for whatever reason, can AI-generated code still be useful? “It’s true. There’s a lot of code that in the beginning may not be usable. It’s like with any learning system, you need to give it more prompts in order to tailor it to what you need. So, if you think about basic engineering, you define some integers first. If genAI can do that, you’ve now saved yourself some time from having to type in all the defined parameters and integer parameters and all that stuff because that could all be pre-generated.
“If it doesn’t work, you can give it an additional prompt to say, ‘Well, actually I’m looking for a different set of cycles or different kind of run times,’ and then you can tweak that code as well. So instead of you starting from scratch, just like writing a paper, you can have someone else write an outline, and you can always use some of the intro, the ending, some of these things that isn’t the actual meat of the content. And the meat of the content you can continue to refine with generative AI, too. So definitely, it’s a big help. It saves you time from writing it from scratch.”
Has AI or genAI allowed you to create a citizen developer work force? “I think it’s still early. AI allows your own team to be a little faster in doing some of the things that they don’t necessarily want to do or it can cut down the toil from a developer’s perspective of generating test cases or writing user stories and whatnot. It’s pretty good at generating the outline of a code from a framework perspective. But for it to do it code generation independently, I think we’re we’re still relatively early on that.”
How effective has AI code generation been in creating efficiencies and increasing productivity? “Productivity, absolutely. I think that’s a really strong element of the developer experience. The concept is that if you hire some really good software developers, they want to be building features and new code and things of that sort, and they don’t like do more of the pre-code responsibilities. So if you can solve more of that toil for them, get rid of more of that mundane repetitive things, then they can be focused on more of the value generation element of it.
“So, for productivity, I think it’s a big boost, but it’s not about developing more code. I think often times it’s about developing better code. So instead of saying I spent hours of my day just writing a basic structure, that’s now pre-generated for me. And now I can think about how do I optimize runtimes. How do I optimize the consumption or storage or whatnot?
“So, it frees up your mind to think about additional optimizations to make your code better, rather than just figuring out what the basis of the code is.”
One of the other uses I’ve heard from engineers and developers is that genAI is often not even used to generate new code, but it’s most often used to update old code. Are you also seeing that use case? “I think all the genAI tools are going to be generating new code, but the difference is that one very important use case which you just highlighted: the old code migration element.
“What we also find with a lot of clients that have a lot of systems that are heavily outdated — they have systems that are 20-, maybe 30-years old. There could be proprietary code in there that nobody understands anymore and they’ve already lost that skill set. What you can do with AI-assisted code generation and your own team is create a corpus of knowledge of understanding of the old code so you can actually now ingest the old code and understand what that meta model is — what is it you’re trying to do? What are the right inputs and outputs? From there, you can actually generate new code in a new language that’s actually maintainable. And that’s a huge, huge benefit for clients.
“So, this is a great application of AI technology where it’s still generating your code, it’s not actually changing the old code. You don’t want it to change the old code, because it would still be unmanageable. So what you want is to have it understand the concept of what you’re trying to do so that you can actually generate new code that is much more maintainable.”
Are there any other tips you can offer people who are considering using AI for code generation? “I think it’s a great time, because the technology is super exciting. There’s a lot of different choices for people to play around with and I think there’s a lot of low-hanging fruit. I feel like generative AI is also a huge benefit, because it’s introduced or reintroduced people to the concept that AI is actually attainable.
“There’s a lot of people who think AI is like the top of the pyramid technology. They think, I’m going to get there, but only if I clean up all of my data and I get all my data ingested correctly. Then, if I go through all those steps, I can use AI. But the pervasiveness and the attractiveness of general AI is that it is attainable even before that. It’s OK to start now. You don’t have to clean up everything before you get to that point. You can actually iterate and gain improvements along the way.
“If you look at that the software development life cycle, there’s a lot of areas right now that could be low risk use of AI. I wouldn’t even say just productivity. It’s just about it being more valuable to the outcomes that you want to generate and so it’s a good opportunity to start with. It’s not the be all to end all. It’s not going to be your citizen developer, you know, But it augments your team. It increases the productivity. It reduces the toil. So, it’s just a good time to get started.”
</div></div></div><category>Developer, Engineer, Generative AI</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2095099/qa-capgemini-exec-on-why-ai-generated-software-isnt-ready-for-prime-time.html</link>
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<title>The EU has decided to open up iPadOS</title>
<pubDate>Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:25:40 +0000</pubDate>
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The EU has <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_2363" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">given Apple just six months to open up iPads</a> in the same way it’s been <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2092396/apple-sidles-into-sideloading-in-the-eu.html">forced to open up iPhones in Europe</a>. The decision follows an EU determination that the iPad — which leads but does not dominate the tablet market — should be seen as a “gatekeeper.”
Apple <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2075606/apple-will-continue-to-enhance-its-dma-compliance.html">will not have much time to comply</a>.
What’s really interesting, as noted by <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/04/29/apples-ipad-doesnt-yet-meet-the-dma-criteria-but-is-getting-regulated-by-the-eu-anyway" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AppleInsider</a>, is the extent to which the decision to force Apple to open up iPadOS seems to have been made even though the EU’s lead anti-competition regulator, Margrethe Vestiger, says the company doesn’t actually meet the criteria for enforcement. 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">It doesn’t meet the threshold, so we’ll do it anyway</h2>
“Today, we have brought Apple’s iPadOS within the scope of the DMA obligations,” said Vestager. “Our market investigation showed that despite not meeting the thresholds, iPadOS constitutes an important gateway on which many companies rely to reach their customers.”
This triumph of ideology is just the latest poor decision from the trading bloc and comes as Apple gets ready to introduce new <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2091646/apples-iphone-slumps-as-consumers-wait-for-ai.html">software, features, and artificial intelligence to its devices</a> at its <a href="https://www.applemust.com/apple-will-seize-the-ai-opportunity-at-wwdc-analyst-says/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Worldwide Developer’s Conference in June</a>.
With that in mind, I expect <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2079810/100-billion-reasons-apple-is-putting-up-a-fight.html">Apple’s software development teams</a> need Europe’s latest decision about as much as the rest of us need an unexpected utility bill. That said, I imagine the challenge has not been entirely unexpected.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sour grapes?</h2>
To some extent you have to see that Europe is playing defense.
Not only has it lost all advantages in space research to Big Tech firms such as Space X, but the continent has arguably failed to spawn a significant homegrown Big Tech competitor. This leaves Europe reliant on US technology firms, so it’s clear the EU is attempting to loosen the hold US firms have on digital business in Europe by using the Digital Markets Act is being applied. 
The EU isn’t alone; <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2073782/experts-see-no-merit-to-doj-antitrust-fight-with-apple.html">US regulators are equally determined</a> to dent the power Apple and other major tech firms hold. Fundamental to many of the arguments made is the claim that consumers will see lower prices as a result of more open competition, but I’m highly doubtful that will happen.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">So, what happens next?</h2>
Apple will likely attempt to resist the EU call to open up the iPad, but will eventually be forced to comply. Meanwhile, as sideloading intensifies on iPhones, we will see whether user privacy and safety do indeed turn out to be compatible with sideloading. 
In an ideal world, the EU would hold off on any action involving iPads pending the results of that experiment. It makes sense for regulators and Apple to work constructively together to protect against <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1611499/apples-european-app-store-users-face-free-market-test.html">any unexpected consequences</a> as a result of the DMA before widening the threat surface. 
Perhaps user security isn’t something regulators take seriously, even though government agencies across the EU and elsewhere are <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/number-agencies-have-concerns-about-sideloading-iphone-apple-says-2024-03-01/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extremely concerned</a> at potential risks. Even in the US, regulators seem to want us to believe Apple’s “cloak” of privacy and security is actually being used to justify anti-competitive behavior.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Do the benefits exceed the risks?</h2>
Experientially, at least, there’s little doubt that platforms (including the Mac) that support sideloading face more malicious activity than those that don’t. Ask any security expert and they will tell you that in today’s threat environment, it’s only a matter of time until even the most secure systems are overwhelmed. So it is inevitable some hacker somewhere will find a way to successfully exploit Apple’s newly opened platforms.
It stands to reason that ransomware, adware, and fraud attempts will increase and it is doubtful the EU will shoulder its share of the burden to protect people against <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2088827/apple-people-in-more-than-92-nations-are-being-surveilled.html">any such threats that emerge as a result of its legislation</a>.
For most consumers, the biggest benefit will be the eventual need to purchase software from across multiple store fronts, and to leave valuable personal and financial details with a wider range of payment processing firms. 
The joy I personally feel at these “improvements” is far from tangible. 
Please follow me on <a href="https://social.vivaldi.net/@jonnyevans" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mastodon</a>, or join me in the <a href="https://mewe.com/join/appleholics_bar_and_grill" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AppleHolic’s bar & grill</a> and <a href="https://mewe.com/join/apple_discussions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Discussions</a> groups on MeWe.
</div></div></div><category>Apple, Apple App Store, iPad, Mobile</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2096248/the-eu-has-decided-to-open-up-ipados.html</link>
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<title>A new Windows 11 backup and recovery paradigm?</title>
<pubDate>Mon, 29 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
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A lot has changed regarding built-in backup and recovery tools in Windows 11. Enough so, in fact, that it’s not an exaggeration to talk about a new approach to handling system backup and restore, as well as system repair and recovery.
That’s why the title for this article uses the “P-word” (paradigm). This a term much-beloved in the USA in the 1970s and ’80s, plucked from Thomas Kuhn’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Structure-Scientific-Revolutions-50th-Anniversary-ebook/dp/B007USH7J2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Structure of Scientific Revolutions</a> (1972) to explain how and why radical changes happen in science.
Indeed, a list of what’s new in Windows 11 by way of backup and recovery helps set the stage for considering a veritable paradigm shift inside this latest desktop OS version:
<ul>
<li>The Windows Backup app, which replaces the obsolete “Backup and Restore (Windows 7) utility,” still present in Windows 10 but absent in Windows 11</li>
<li>A revamped approach inside Settings > System > Recovery, which now includes both “Fix problems using Windows Update” and “Reset this PC” options to attempt repairs to an existing OS or reinstall Windows 11 from scratch, respectively</li>
</ul>
If these elements are combined with proper use of OneDrive, they can cover the gamut of Windows backup, restore, repair, and recovery tasks. Remarkable!
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="defining-key-r-words-repair-restore-recovery-and-reset">Defining key R-words: Repair, Restore, Recovery, and Reset</h2>
Before we dig into the details, it’s important to define these “R-words” so that what Microsoft is doing with Windows 11 backup and recovery options makes sense.
<ul>
<li>Repair: Various methods for fixing Windows problems or issues that arise from a working but misbehaving OS or PC. For what it’s worth, this term encompasses the “Fix problems without resetting your PC” button in Settings > System > Recovery shown in Figure 1; it calls the native, built-in <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1611828/windows-11-troubleshooting-get-help-app.html">Windows 11 Get Help facility</a>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig01-system-recovery.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1024" alt="windows 11 system recovery pane in settings" class="wp-image-2094759" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig01-system-recovery.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 1720w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig01-system-recovery.jpg?resize=300%2C208&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig01-system-recovery.jpg?resize=768%2C531&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig01-system-recovery.jpg?resize=1024%2C708&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig01-system-recovery.jpg?resize=1536%2C1063&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig01-system-recovery.jpg?resize=1007%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 1007w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig01-system-recovery.jpg?resize=243%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 243w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig01-system-recovery.jpg?resize=121%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 121w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig01-system-recovery.jpg?resize=694%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 694w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig01-system-recovery.jpg?resize=520%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 520w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig01-system-recovery.jpg?resize=361%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 361w" width="1024" height="708" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Figure 1: Although it’s labeled Recovery, this Windows 11 Settings pane shows Reset explicitly and Repair implicitly.
</figcaption></figure>Ed Tittel / IDG</div>
<ul>
<li>Restore: This is usually defined as putting things back the way they were when a particular backup was made. It is NOT shown in Figure 1, though you can get to a set of Windows Backup data that provides restore information through Advanced startup and through other means.</li>
<li>Recovery: Though it has a general meaning, Microsoft tends to view Recovery as a set of operations that enables access to a non-booting Windows PC, either to replace its boot/system image (“Reset this PC” in Figure 1 — see next item) or to boot to alternate media or the Windows Recovery environment, a.k.a. WinRE (“Advanced startup” in Figure 1) to attempt less drastic repairs: reboot from external media, attempt boot or partition repairs, replace corrupted system files, and a <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1611828/windows-11-troubleshooting-get-help-app.html">great deal more</a>.</li>
<li>Reset: Remove the current disk structure on the system/boot drive with a new structure and a fresh, new Windows 11 install, keeping or discarding personal files (but not applications) as you choose.</li>
</ul>
All of the preceding R-words are intertwined. And Restore is closely related to Backup — that is, one must first perform a backup so that one has something to restore later on.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="introducing-windows-backup">Introducing Windows Backup</h2>
If you type “Windows Backup” into the Windows 11 Start menu’s search box for versions 23H2 or later (publicly released October 31, 2023), you should see something like Figure 2 pop up:
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig02-windows-backup-screen.jpg?quality=50&strip=all" alt="selecting windows backup" class="wp-image-2094756" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig02-windows-backup-screen.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 369w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig02-windows-backup-screen.jpg?resize=282%2C300&quality=50&strip=all 282w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig02-windows-backup-screen.jpg?resize=158%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 158w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig02-windows-backup-screen.jpg?resize=79%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 79w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig02-windows-backup-screen.jpg?resize=339%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 339w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig02-windows-backup-screen.jpg?resize=235%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 235w" width="369" height="392" sizes="(max-width: 369px) 100vw, 369px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Figure 2: Introducing Windows Backup in Windows 11 23H2.
</figcaption></figure>Ed Tittel / IDG</div>
This simply shows the Start menu entry for the Windows Backup app, which I’ll abbreviate as WB (with apologies to Warner Brothers). Interestingly enough, WB is not packaged as an app with an <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/msix/overview" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MSIX</a> file, nor is it available through the Windows Store. Its setup options when launched tell you most of what you need to know, shown in Figure 3. The rest becomes clear as you drill down into its various subheadings, as I’ll explain soon.
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig03-back-up-pc-screen.jpg?quality=50&strip=all" alt="windows backup options" class="wp-image-2094758" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig03-back-up-pc-screen.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 610w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig03-back-up-pc-screen.jpg?resize=230%2C300&quality=50&strip=all 230w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig03-back-up-pc-screen.jpg?resize=535%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 535w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig03-back-up-pc-screen.jpg?resize=129%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 129w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig03-back-up-pc-screen.jpg?resize=65%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 65w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig03-back-up-pc-screen.jpg?resize=369%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 369w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig03-back-up-pc-screen.jpg?resize=277%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 277w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig03-back-up-pc-screen.jpg?resize=192%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 192w" width="610" height="794" sizes="(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Figure 3: The various Windows Backup options/selections let you protect/copy folders, apps, settings, and credentials. That’s about everything!
</figcaption></figure>Ed Tittel / IDG</div>
By default, here’s how things shake out in WB:
<ul>
<li>Folders covers the Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Music items (a.k.a. “Library folders”) from the logged-in user’s file hierarchy. On first run, you may use a toggle to turn backup on or off. (Note: a valid Microsoft Account, or MSA, with sufficient available OneDrive storage is required to make use of WB.)</li>
<li>Apps covers both old-style .exe apps and newer MSIX apps (like those from the Microsoft Store). It will also capture and record app preferences, settings, and set-up information. This is extremely important, because it provides a way to get back apps and applications, and related configuration data, if you perform a “Reset this PC” operation on the Recovery pane shown in Figure 1 above.</li>
<li>Settings covers a bunch of stuff. That’s no surprise, given the depth and breadth of what falls under Settings’ purview in Windows, including: accessibility, personalization, language preferences and dictionary, and other Windows settings.</li>
<li>Credentials covers user account info, Wi-Fi info (SSIDs, passwords, etc.), and passwords. This handles all the keys needed to get into apps, services, websites, and so forth should you ever perform a restore operation.</li>
</ul>
Once you’ve made your folder selections and turned everything on, Windows Backup is ready to go. All you need to do is hit the Back up button at the bottom right in Figure 3, and your first backup will be underway. The first backup may take some time to complete, but when it’s finished you’ll see status info at the top of the Windows Backup info in Settings > Accounts > Windows backup, as shown in Figure 4.
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig04-accounts-windows-backup.jpg?quality=50&strip=all" alt="accounts windows backup" class="wp-image-2094757" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig04-accounts-windows-backup.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 701w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig04-accounts-windows-backup.jpg?resize=300%2C175&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig04-accounts-windows-backup.jpg?resize=288%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 288w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig04-accounts-windows-backup.jpg?resize=144%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 144w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig04-accounts-windows-backup.jpg?resize=617%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 617w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig04-accounts-windows-backup.jpg?resize=428%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 428w" width="701" height="409" sizes="(max-width: 701px) 100vw, 701px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Figure 4: Status information for WB appears under Settings > Accounts > Windows backup (credentials do get backed up but are not called out).
</figcaption></figure>Ed Tittel / IDG</div>
Please note again that all backed up files and information go to OneDrive. Thus, internet and OneDrive access are absolutely necessary for Windows Backup to make backup snapshots and for you to be able to access them for a restore (or new install) when they’re needed. This has some interesting wrinkles, as I’ll explain next.
The Microsoft support page “<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/getting-the-most-out-of-your-pc-backup-71839239-55bf-40b5-a523-8a8486bd3dea" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Getting the most out of your PC backup</a>” explains Windows Backup as follows:
Your Microsoft account ties everything together, no matter where you are or what PC you’re using. This means your personalized settings will be remembered with your account, and your files are accessible from any device. You can unlock premium features like more cloud storage, ongoing technical support, and more, by purchasing a Microsoft 365 subscription for your account.
That same document also cites numerous benefits, including:
<ul>
<li>easy, secure access to files and data anywhere via OneDrive</li>
<li>simple transfer to a new PC as and when desired</li>
<li>protection “if anything happens to your PC” without losing precious files</li>
</ul>
This is why Windows Backup and the other tools offer a new backup paradigm in Windows 11. Used together through a specific MSA, you can move to a new PC when you want to, or get your old one back when you need to.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="the-restore-process-wb-style">The restore process, WB-style</h2>
Microsoft has a <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/back-up-your-windows-pc-87a81f8a-78fa-456e-b521-ac0560e32338">support note</a> that explains and describes WB, including initial setup, regular use, and how to restore. This last topic, entitled “How do I restore the backup?” is not just the raison d’être for backup, it’s also well worth reading closely (perhaps more than once).
Let me paraphrase and comment on that document’s contents. Backup makes itself available whenever you work on a new PC, or when you need to reinstall Windows, as you are setting it up. Once you log in with the same MSA to which the backup belongs, it will recognize that backups for the account are available to you, and the tool will interject itself into the install process to ask if there’s a backup you would like to restore. This dialog is depicted in Figure 5.
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig05-restore-pc-from-backup.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1024" alt="restore from your pc backup screen" class="wp-image-2094754" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig05-restore-pc-from-backup.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 1349w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig05-restore-pc-from-backup.jpg?resize=300%2C216&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig05-restore-pc-from-backup.jpg?resize=768%2C553&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig05-restore-pc-from-backup.jpg?resize=1024%2C737&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig05-restore-pc-from-backup.jpg?resize=968%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 968w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig05-restore-pc-from-backup.jpg?resize=233%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 233w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig05-restore-pc-from-backup.jpg?resize=117%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 117w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig05-restore-pc-from-backup.jpg?resize=667%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 667w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig05-restore-pc-from-backup.jpg?resize=500%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 500w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig05-restore-pc-from-backup.jpg?resize=347%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 347w" width="1024" height="737" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Figure 5: Once logged into an MSA, the Windows installer will offer to restore backup it keeps for that account to the current target PC.
</figcaption></figure>Ed Tittel / IDG</div>
For users with multiple PCs (and backups) the More options link at center bottom takes you to a list of options, from which you can choose the one you want. Once you’ve selected a backup, the Windows installer works with WB to copy its contents into the install presently underway. As Microsoft puts it, “When you get to your desktop everything will be right there waiting for you.”
I chose a modestly complex backup from which to restore my test virtual machine; it took less than 2 minutes to complete. That’s actually faster than my go-to third-party backup software, Macrium Reflect — but it occurs in the context of overall Windows 11 installation, so the overall time period required is on par (around 7 minutes, or 9 minutes including initial post login setup).
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="wb-comes-with-a-catch-however">WB comes with a catch, however…</h3>
You’d think that capturing all the app info would mean that apps and applications would show up after a restore, ready to run. Not so. Look at Figure 6, which shows the Start menu entries for CrystalDiskInfo (a utility I install as a matter of course on my test and production PCs to measure local disk performance).
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig06-apps-install-links.jpg?quality=50&strip=all" alt="windows all apps list with install icons under apps" class="wp-image-2094755" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig06-apps-install-links.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 589w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig06-apps-install-links.jpg?resize=300%2C124&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig06-apps-install-links.jpg?resize=150%2C62&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig06-apps-install-links.jpg?resize=444%2C184&quality=50&strip=all 444w" width="589" height="244" sizes="(max-width: 589px) 100vw, 589px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Figure 6: Instead of a pointer to the actual CrystalDiskInfo apps (32- & 64-bits), there’s an “Install” pointer!
</figcaption></figure>Ed Tittel / IDG</div>
Notice the Install link underneath the 32- and 64-bit versions. And indeed, I checked all added apps and applications I had installed on the backup source inside the restored version and found the same thing.
Here’s the thing: Windows Backup makes it easy to bring apps and applications back, but it does take some time and effort. You must work through the Start menu, downloading and installing each app, to return them to working order. That’s not exactly what I think a restore operation should be. IMO, a true restore brings everything back the way it was, ready to run and use as it was when the backup was made.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="wb-and-the-onedrive-limitation">WB and the OneDrive limitation</h3>
There’s another potential catch when using WB for backup and restore. It won’t affect most users. But those who, like me, use a single MSA on multiple test and production machines must consider what adding WB into the mix means.
OneDrive shares MSA-related files across multiple PCs by design and default. WB saves backups on a per-PC basis. Thus, you must think and use the More options link in Figure 5 when performing a WB restore to select the latest snapshot from a specific Windows PC. If you’re restoring the same PC to itself, so to speak, click Restore from this PC (Figure 5, lower right) instead.
Overall, Windows Backup is a great concept and does make it easy to maintain system snapshots. The restore operation is incomplete, however, as I just explained. Now, let’s move onto Windows Repair, via the “Reinstall now” option shown in Figure 1 (repeated below in Figure 7).
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="more-about-reset-this-pc-and-windows-repair">More about “Reset this PC” and Windows repair</h2>
Looking back at Figure 1 (or below to Figure 7) you can see that “Reset this PC” is labeled as a Recovery option, along with other recovery options called “Fix problems…” above. The idea is that Reset this PC is an option of last resort, because it wipes out the existing disk image and replace it with a fresh, clean, new one. WB then permits admins or power users to draw from a WB backup for a specific PC in the cloud to restore some existing Windows setup — or not, perhaps to clean up the PC for handoff to another user or when preparing it for surplus sell-off or donation.
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig07-system-recovery.jpg?quality=50&strip=all" alt="windows 11 settings system recovery screen" class="wp-image-2094753" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig07-system-recovery.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 717w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig07-system-recovery.jpg?resize=300%2C165&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig07-system-recovery.jpg?resize=150%2C82&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig07-system-recovery.jpg?resize=640%2C352&quality=50&strip=all 640w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/win11-backup-recovery-fig07-system-recovery.jpg?resize=444%2C244&quality=50&strip=all 444w" width="717" height="394" sizes="(max-width: 717px) 100vw, 717px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Figure 7: Recovery options include two “Fix problems…” options and “Reset PC.”
</figcaption></figure>Ed Tittel / IDG</div>
As described earlier in this article, “Fix problems without resetting your PC” provides access to Windows 11’s built-in “Get Help” troubleshooters, while the “Reinstall now” option provides the focus for the next section. All this said, “Reset this PC” provides a fallback option when the current Windows install is not amenable to those other repair techniques.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="using-windows-update-to-perform-a-repair-install">Using Windows Update to perform a repair install</h2>
Earlier this year, Microsoft introduced a new button into its Settings > System > Recovery environment in Windows 11 23H2. As shown in Figure 7 above, that button is labeled “Reinstall now” and accompanies a header that reads “Fix problems using Windows Update.” It, too, comes with interesting implications. Indeed, it’s a giant step forward for Windows repair and recovery.
What makes the “Reinstall now” button so interesting is that is shows Microsoft building into Windows itself a standard OS repair technique that’s been practiced since Windows 10 came along in late July 2015: a “repair install” or “in-place upgrade install,” which overwrites the OS files while leaving user files, apps, and many settings and preferences in place. (See my 2018 article “<a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1717622/how-to-fix-windows-10-with-an-in-place-upgrade-install.html">How to fix Windows 10 with an in-place upgrade install</a>” for details on how the process works and the steps involved to run such an operation manually.)
But there’s more: Windows 11’s “Reinstall now” button matches the reinstall image to whatever Windows edition, version and build it finds running on the target PC when invoked. That means behind the scenes, Microsoft is doing the same work <a href="https://uupdump.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UUP dump</a> does to create Windows ISOs for specific Windows builds. This is quite convenient, because Windows Recovery identifies what build to reinstall, and then creates and installs a matching Windows image.
Indeed, this process takes time, because it starts with the current base for some Windows feature release (e.g., 22H2 or 23H2), then performs all necessary image manipulations to fold in subsequent updates, patches, fixes and so on. For that reason, it can take up to an hour for such a reinstall to complete on a Windows 11 PC, whereas running “setup.exe” from a mounted ISO from the <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Download Windows 11</a> page often completes in 15 minutes or less. But then, of course, you’d have to run all outstanding updates to catch Windows up to where you want it to be. That’s why there’s a time differential.
Bottom line: the new “Reinstall now” button in Windows 23H2 makes performing an in-place upgrade repair install dead simple, saving users lots of foreknowledge, thought, and effort.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="if-everything-works-the-new-paradigm-is-golden">If everything works, the new paradigm is golden</h2>
WB used in conjunction with MSA and OneDrive is about as simple and potentially foolproof as backup and restore get.
Do I think this new paradigm of using WB along with OneDrive, installer changes, and so forth works to back up and restore Windows 11? Yes, I do — and probably most of the time. Am I ready to forgo other forms of backup and restore to rely on WB and its supporting cast alone? By no means! I find that third-party <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1619804/how-to-make-image-backup-windows-10-windows-11.html">image backup software</a> is accurate, reliable, and speedy when it comes to backing up and restoring Windows PCs, including running versions of all apps and applications.
In a recent test of the “Reinstall now” button from Settings > Recovery in Windows 11, it took 55 minutes for that process to complete for the then-current windows image. I also used WB to restore folders, apps, settings, and credentials. That took at least another 2-3 minutes, but left pointers to app and application installers, with additional effort needed to download and reinstall those items. (This takes about 1 hour for my usual grab-bag of software programs.)
Using my favorite image backup and recovery tool, <a href="https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Macrium Reflect</a>, and booting from its Rescue Media boot USB flash drive, I found and restored the entire C: drive on a test PC in under 7 minutes. This let me pick a backup from any drive on the target PC (or my network), replaced all partitions on the system/boot disk (e.g., EFI, MSR, C:\Windows, and WinRE), and left me with a complete working set of applications. I didn’t need internet access, an MSA, or OneDrive storage to run that restore, either.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="worth-having-but-not-exclusively">Worth having, but not exclusively</h2>
Microsoft has made big and positive changes to its approach to backup and recovery. Likewise for repair, with the introduction of the “Reinstall now” button that gets all files from Windows Update. These capabilities are very much worth having, and worth using.
But these facilities rely on the Microsoft Windows installer to handle PC access and repair. They also proceed from an optimistic assumption that admins or power users can get machines working so that a successful MSA login drives the restore process from OneDrive in the cloud to proceed. When it works, that’s great.
But, given the very real possibility that access issues, networking problems, or other circumstances outside the installer’s control might present, I believe other backup and restore options remain necessary. As the saying goes, “You can never have too many backups.”
Thus, I’m happily using WB and ready to restore as the need presents. But I’m not abandoning Macrium Reflect with its bootable repair disk, backup file finder, boot repair capabilities, and so forth. That’s because I don’t see the WB approach as complete or always available.
You are free, of course, to decide otherwise (but I’d recommend against that). And most definitely the new WB approach, the new in-place repair facility, and “reset this PC” all have a place in the recovery and repair toolbox. Put them to work for you!
</div></div></div><category>Backup and Recovery, Windows, Windows 11</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2094661/new-windows-11-backup-and-recovery-paradigm.html</link>
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<title>Q&A: Georgia Tech dean details why the school needed a new AI supercomputer</title>
<pubDate>Mon, 29 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
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Like many universities, Georgia Tech has been grappling with how to offer students the training they need to prepare them for a recent sea change in IT job markets — the arrival of generative AI (genAI).
Through a partnership with chipmaker Nvidia, Georgia Tech’s <a href="https://coe.gatech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">College of Engineering</a> built a supercomputer dubbed <a href="https://coe.gatech.edu/academics/ai-for-engineering/ai-makerspace" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI Makerspace</a>; it uses 20 Nvidia HGX H100 servers powered by 160 Nvidia H100 Tensor Core GPUs (graphics processing units).
Those GPUs are powerful — a single Nvidia H100 GPU would need just one second to handle a multiplication operation that would take the school’s 50,000 students 22 years to achieve. So, 160 of those GPUs give students and professors access to advanced genAI, AI and machine learning creation and training. (The move also spurred Georgia Tech to offer new AI-focused courses and minors.
Announced two weeks ago, the AI Makerspace supercomputer will initially be used by Georgia Tech’s engineering undergraduates. But it’s expected to eventually democratize access to computing resources typically prioritized for research across all colleges.
Computerworld spoke with <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fece.gatech.edu%2Fdirectory%2Fmatthieu-ratoslav-bloch&data=05%7C02%7Clucas_mearian%40foundryco.com%7Cff5150aa0e6d4a866bad08dc6581879e%7C6b18947b63e74323b637418f02655a69%7C0%7C0%7C638496854336463783%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=BQ%2F7dVXwlGFOnRmmicxTuDBws4FEfk2sMr0z8DOKFl8%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matthieu Bloch</a>, the associate dean for academics at Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering, about how the new AI supercomputer will be used to train a new generation of AI experts.
The following are excerpts from that interview:
Tell me about the Makerspace project and how it came to be? “The Makerspace is really the vision of our dean, Raheem Beyah, and the school chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Arijit Raychowdhury, who really wanted to put AI in the hands of our students.
“In 2024 — in the post ChatGPT world — things are very different from the pre-ChatGPT world. We need a lot of computing power to do anything that’s meaningful and relevant to industry. And in a way, the devil is out of the box. People see what AI can do. But I think to get to that level of training, you need infrastructure.
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1024" alt="Supercomputer" class="wp-image-2095901" srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?quality=50&strip=all 1801w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?resize=300%2C200&quality=50&strip=all 300w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?resize=768%2C512&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&quality=50&strip=all 1024w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?resize=1536%2C1023&quality=50&strip=all 1536w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?resize=1240%2C826&quality=50&strip=all 1240w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?resize=150%2C100&quality=50&strip=all 150w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?resize=1046%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 1046w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?resize=252%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 252w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?resize=126%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 126w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?resize=720%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 720w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?resize=540%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 540w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVIDIA-GPUs.jpg?resize=375%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 375w" width="1024" height="682" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Makerspace’s Nvidia H100 Tensor Core GPUs
</figcaption></figure>Georgia Tech College of Engineering</div>
“The name Makerspace also comes from this culture we have at Georgia Tech of these maker spaces, which are places where our students get to tinker, both within the classroom and outside the classroom. The Makerspace was the idea to bring the tools that you need to do AI in a way that’s relevant to do meaningful things today. So, right now, where we’re at is we’ve partnered Nvidia to essentially offer to students a supercomputer. I mean, that’s what it is.
“What makes it unique is that it’s meant for supporting students. And right now it’s in the classroom. We’re still rolling it out. We’re in phase one. So, the idea is that the students in the classroom can work on AI projects that are meaningful to industry — problems that are interesting, you know, from a pedagogical perspective, but they don’t mean a whole lot in an industry setting.”
Tell me a bit about the projects they’ve been working on with this. “I can give you a very concrete example. ChatGPT is a very typical, a very specific form of AI called generative AI. You know, it’s able to generate. In the case of ChatGPT, [that means] text in response to prompts. You might have seen a generative model that generates pictures. I think these were very popular and whatnot. And so these are the kind of things our students can do right now, …generate anything that would be, say, photo realistic.
“You need a pretty hefty computing power to train your model and then test that it’s working properly. And so that’s what our students can do. Just to give you an idea of how far we’ve come along, before we had the AI Makerspace, our students were relying largely on something called <a href="https://colab.research.google.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google CoLab</a>. CoLab is Google making some compute resources freely accessible for use. They’re really giving to us the resources they don’t use or don’t sell to their be clients. So it’s like the crumbs that remain.
“It’s very nice of them [Google] to do that, but you could only work with very [limited resources], say for training on something like 12,000 images. Now you can, for instance, train a generative model on a data set with like one million images. So you can really scale up by orders of magnitude. And then you can start generating these photo-realistic pictures that you could not generate before. That’s the most visual example I can give you.”
Can you tell me a little bit about the genAI projects the students are working on? How good is the technology at producing the results they want? “It’s a complicated question to answer. I mean, it has many layers. We’ve just launched it, like literally, the AI Makerspace was open officially two weeks ago. So right now it’s really used at scale in the classroom. The students in that class are learning how to do machine learning. [The students] have to get the data. [They] have to learn how to train a model. The students have homework projects, which consists of this fairly sophisticated model that they have to train, and that they have to test.
“Now we have a vision beyond that, what we call phase two of the Makerspace. We’re doubling the compute capacity. The idea now is that we’re going to open that to senior design projects. We’re gonna open that to something we call vertically integrated projects, in which are students essentially doing long-term research with faculty advisors over multiple years. Our students are going to do many things — certainly all of [the] engineering [school].
“We’ve given incentives to a lot of faculty to create a lot of new courses throughout the College of Engineering for AI and ML for what matters to their field. For instance, if you’re an electrical engineer, there’s a lot of hardware to it, you know you have a model for that. How do you make the model smaller so that you can put it in hardware? That’s one very tangible question that the students would ask. But if they’re, say, mechanical engineers, they might use it differently. Maybe for them what generative AI could do is help them generate 3D models, think about structures that they would not think about naturally. And you can decline that model. The Makerspace is a massive tool. But how the tool is used is really a function of the specific domain. The goal, of course, is for Makerspace to be available beyond engineering.
“It’s already being used by our College of Computing, and we’re hoping that our co colleagues in, say, the College of Business will see the value, because they haven’t used AI yet — perhaps for financial models, predicting whether to sell or buy a stock. I think the sky is a limit. There’s no one use of AI through Makerspace. It’s an infrastructure that provides the tools. And then these tools find declinations in all different areas of expertise.”
Why is it important to have this technology at the school for students to learn about AI? “The way we’ve come to articulate this is as follows: We’re not deliverers in doomsday scenarios, where AI is going to generate terminators that are going to eradicate humanity. Okay, that’s not how we’re thinking about it.
“AI is definitely going to change things. And we think that AI is certainly going to displace a few people. I think the humans enhanced by AI will start displacing humans who don’t use AI.
“I think the way a lot of the discussion has been shaped since ChatGPT was released to the world, in universities there’s sometimes a lot of fear. Are students cheating on their essays? Are students cheating on this cheating on that? I had these discussions with my colleagues in computing. We have an intro to computing class, where they’re cheating to write their code, which I think is not the right approach to it. But, the devil is out of the box. It’s a tool that’s here, and we have to learn how to use it.
“If I can give you my best analogy: I drive my car. I don’t know how my car really works. I mean, I was never a mechanical or electrical engineer. I sort of know what it takes [for a car to run], but I’m unable to fix it. But that doesn’t mean I can’t drive it. And I think we’re at that stage with AI tools, where one needs to know how to use them because you don’t want to be the person riding a bicycle when everybody else has a car.
“Not everyone needs to be a mechanic, but everyone needs a car. And so I think we want every student at Georgia Tech to know how to use AI, and what that means for them would be different depending on their specialty, their major. But these are tools, and you need to have played with them to really start mastering them.”
In what way has AI expanded Georgia Tech’s curriculum? “We were lucky in the sense that [we’re] building that infrastructure from new. But thinking about AI, Georgia Tech has been doing it for decades. Our faculty is very research focused. They do state-of-the-art research and AI…was always there in the background — the roots of AI. We had a lot of colleagues who actually were doing machine learning without saying it in these terms.
“Then when deep learning started appearing, people were ready to grasp that. So, we were already thinking about doing it in the labs, and the integration in the curriculum was already slowly happening. And so what we decided to do was to accelerate that so the Makerspace…accelerates the other mechanisms we’ve had to give incentives to faculty, to rethink the curriculum with AI and Ml in mind.”
So what AI courses have you launched? “I can give you two examples that we’ve launched, which are, you know, very new. But I I think I’ve been quite successful already. One is we’ve officially launched an AI minor.
“The great thing about this AI minor [is that it] is a way for students to take a series of courses with a coherent and unified team, and they get credit for that on their diploma and their transcript. This minor was designed as a collaboration right now between the College of Engineering and the College of Liberal Arts.
“Then we have the ethics and policy piece. Students need to take a specially designed course on AI Ethics and AI policy. We’re thinking very holistically. AI is a technology play, but if you just train engineers to do the technology piece alone, maybe then the doomsday-Terminator scenario is a likely outcome.
“We want our students to think about the use of AI because it’s technology that can have many uses [and problems associated with it]. We talk about deep fakes. We’re worried about it for all sorts of political reasons.
“The other thing we’ve done in the College of Engineering is essentially incentivized faculty to create new undergraduate courses related to AI and ML but relevant to their own disciplines. I literally [just made the announcement] and the has college approved 10 new courses or significantly revamped courses. So, what that means is that we have courses on machine learning for smart cities, civil environmental engineering, and a course in chemical processes in chemical and bioengineering, where they’re using AI and ML for completely different things. That’s how we’re thinking of AI. It’s a tool. So the courses need to embrace that tool.”
Are students already using genAI to assist in creating applications — so software engineering and development? “Officially or unofficially? I don’t have a good answer, because the truth is, I don’t know. But what I know is that our students are using it with or without us. You know they are using generative AI because I’m willing to bet they all have a subscription to ChatGPT.
“Now in the context of the Makerspace, this is a resource you can start doing all sorts of things. Our students are using it to write lines of code absolutely.”
So what would you say is the most popular use right now of the AI Makerspace? “We haven’t officially launched it at scale for very long, so I can’t attest to that. It’s been used largely in the classroom setting for the kind of homework students could not even dream of doing before.
“We’re going to launch it and use it over the summer for an entrepreneurship program called Create X, that students can use to take ideas and go through prototype and potentially think about building startups out of these. So that’s going to be primary use over the summer, and we’re testing it over these few weeks in the context of a hackathon in partnership with Nvidia, where teams come with big problems that they want to solve. And we want to accelerate their science, to use Nvidia’s words, to by teaching them how to use that Makerspace.”
</div></div></div><category>CPUs and Processors, Education Industry, Generative AI, Natural Language Processing</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2095888/qa-georgia-tech-dean-details-why-the-school-needed-a-new-ai-supercomputer.html</link>
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<title>Windows 11 Insider Previews: What’s in the latest build?</title>
<pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 2024 20:01:59 +0000</pubDate>
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The Windows 11 2023 Update has been released, but behind the scenes, Microsoft is constantly working to improve the newest version of Windows. The company frequently rolls out public preview builds to members of its Windows Insider Program, allowing them to test out — and even help shape — upcoming features.
<a href="#latestbuilds">Skip to the builds</a>
The Windows Insider program is divided into four channels:
<ul>
<li>The Canary Channel is where platform changes (such as major updates to the Windows kernel and new APIs) are previewed. These changes are not tied to a particular Windows release and may never ship at all. Little documentation is provided, and builds are likely to be very unstable. This channel is best for highly technical users.</li>
<li>The Dev Channel is where new features are introduced for initial testing, regardless of which Windows release they’ll eventually end up in. This channel is best for technical users and developers and builds in it may be unstable and buggy.</li>
<li>In the Beta Channel, you’ll get more polished features that will be deployed in the next major Windows release. This channel is best for early adopters, and Microsoft says your feedback in this channel will have the most impact.</li>
<li>The Release Preview Channel typically doesn’t see action until shortly before a new feature update is rolled out. It’s meant for final testing of an upcoming release and is best for those who want the most stable builds.</li>
</ul>
The Beta and Release Preview Channels also receive bug-fix builds for the currently shipping version of Windows 11. See “<a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/3220429/how-to-preview-and-deploy-windows-10-and-11-updates.html">How to preview and deploy Windows 10 and 11 updates</a>” for more details about the four channels and how to switch to a different channel.
Not everyone can participate in the Windows 11 Insider program, because the new operating system has <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/06/28/update-on-windows-11-minimum-system-requirements/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">more stringent system requirements</a> than Windows 10. If your PC fails to meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11, you cannot join the Windows 11 Insider Program. (See “<a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/3631575/how-to-check-if-your-pc-can-run-windows-11.html">How to check if your PC can run Windows 11</a>.”)
Below you’ll find information about the Windows 11 preview builds that have been announced by Microsoft. (For the Release Preview Channel, we cover builds released for the most recent version of Windows 11 — currently 23H2 — not for earlier versions.) For each build, we’ve included the date of its release, which Insider channel it was released to, a summary of what’s in the build, and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it.
Note: If you’re looking for information about updates being rolled out to all Windows 11 users, not previews for Windows Insiders, see “<a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/3636790/windows-11-a-guide-to-the-updates.html">Windows 11: A guide to the updates</a>.”
<h2 id="latestbuilds">The latest Windows 11 Insider preview builds</h2>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3566">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3566</h3>
Release date: April 26, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can now drag-and-drop files with a mouse between breadcrumbs in the File Explorer Address Bar. For everyone in the Beta Channel, widgets are no longer pixelated or fuzzy. In addition, widgets on the lock screen are more reliable.
The build fixes an assortment of bugs for everyone in the Beta Channel, including a memory allocation issue in the Host Networking Service (HNS) that caused high memory consumption. The bug also affected service and pod deployment and scaling.
There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/04/26/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3566-beta-channel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3566</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3500">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3500</h3>
Release date: April 19, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
This build begins the rollout of a new account manager on the Start menu for those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates. When you sign in with a Microsoft account, the new design gives you a quick glanceable view of your account benefits and makes it easier to manage account settings.
In the build, everyone in the Beta Channel gets new navigation bar on the left allowing one to switch between a dedicated widgets dashboard and other integrated dashboards like Discover. 
There are several known issues in this build for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/04/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3500-beta-channel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3500</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200</h3>
Release date: April 19, 2024
Released to: Canary Channel
In this build there are several improvements to the Widgets button on the taskbar so that the icons on the taskbar are clearer. There are also a larger set of animated icons.
Several bugs have been fixed, including one that caused RemoteApp windows to get cut off when using 200% scaling.
There are four known issues with this build, including one in which using Windows Ink to write in Copilot will not work with the updated Copilot in Windows feature that allows Copilot to act like a normal application window.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/04/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-canary-channel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3495">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3495</h3>
Release date: April 12, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will get recommendations for apps from the Microsoft Store under Recommended on the Start menu. This will appear only for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel in the US and will not apply to commercial devices (devices managed by organizations). This can be turned off by going to Settings > Personalization > Start and turning off the toggle for “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more.”
In the build, everyone in the Beta Channel can switch between two ways of using Copilot for Windows: The existing “docked” behavior that attaches Copilot to the side of your desktop, and a new mode where it acts like a normal application window that you can resize and move around your screen.
There are several known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/04/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3495-beta-channel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3495</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-3520-and-22631-3520">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3520 and 22631.3520</h3>
Release date: April 11, 2024
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This update adds a new mobile device management (MDM) policy called “AllowScreenRecorder” for the Snipping Tool. With it, IT admins can turn off screen recording in the app. The build also adds support for Arm64 .msi files using a Group Policy Object (GPO).
There are a wide variety of bug fixes in this build, including for a bug in which Settings stopped responding when you dismissed a flyout menu, and another in which the Windows Local Administrator Password Solution’s (LAPS) Post Authentication Actions (PAA) did not happen at the end of the grace period. Instead, they occurred at restart.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/04/11/releasing-windows-11-builds-22621-3520-and-22631-3520-to-the-release-preview-channel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3520 and 22631.3520</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3430">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3430</h3>
Release date: April 5, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a Copilot feature in which when you copy text or image files, the Copilot icon will change appearance and animate to indicate that Copilot can help. When you hover your mouse over the Copilot icon, it will provide a menu of actions that you can take, such as creating a similar image or analyzing an image. If you select an action on the menu, it will launch the action with Copilot.
There are several known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/04/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3430-beta-channel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3430</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-26100">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100</h3>
Release date: April 3, 2024
Released to: Canary and Dev Channels
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one that prevented bringing focus to the “…” or refresh buttons within Copilot when using a keyboard (for example, by using tab to cycle through buttons).
There are four known issues with this build, including one in which Copilot in Windows does not always fill the width of the panel when docked and resized to a large width. Resizing Copilot to less than half of the width of your screen usually fixes this issue.
Note: The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the period in which they are on the same builds, Insiders in the Canary Channel can switch to switch to the Dev Channel. Soon, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed for switching.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/04/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26100-canary-and-dev-channels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3420">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3420</h3>
Release date: March 29, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will get a new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars. The taskbar entry-point will move to the left of the systems tray and will be wider so you can see richer content from Widgets on your taskbar. When you launch the Widgets board, it will fly out from the right side instead of the left side.
Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will also get a variety of bug fixes, including for one in which no app results showed in search, and another in which Task Manager was holding onto process handles sometimes, leading to processes not stopping when you closed apps if you’d had Task Manager open.
Everyone in the Beta Channel can ask Copilot in Windows for help 10 times when they sign in to Windows using a local account. After that, they must sign in using a Microsoft account (MSA) or a Microsoft Entra ID account. To sign in, use the link in the dialog that appears in Copilot in Windows. If you do not sign in, some Copilot features might not work.
Everyone in the Beta Channel gets a variety of bug fixes, including one in which IT admins can now use mobile device management (MDM) to turn off the prompt that appears when users sign in to an Entra-joined machine. To do this, they can turn on the “DisablePostLogonProvisioning” policy setting. After a user signs in, provisioning is off for Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/03/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3420-beta-channel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3420</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-26090">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26090</h3>
Release date: March 28, 2024
Released to: Canary and Dev Channels
In this build, the Widget board gets a new navigation bar on the left allowing you to switch between a dedicated widgets dashboard and other integrated dashboards like Discover. In addition, the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol gets many changes, including one in which Administrators can now disable the SMB over QUIC client with Group Policy and PowerShell.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which Task Manager was sometimes holding onto process handles, leading to processes not stopping when you closed apps if you’d had Task Manager open.
There are six known issues with this build, including one in which when Copilot in Windows is docked and resized to a large width, Copilot does not always fill the width of the panel. Resizing Copilot to less than half of the width of your screen usually fixes this issue.
Note: The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the period in which they are on the same builds, Insiders in the Canary Channel can switch to the Dev Channel. Soon, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed for switching.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/03/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26090-canary-and-dev-channels/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26090</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-3371-and-22631-3371">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3371 and 22631.3371</h3>
Release date: March 21, 2024
Released to: Release Preview Channel
In this build, IT admins can now use mobile device management to turn off the prompt that appears when users sign in to an Entra-joined machine when using Windows Hello for Business. To do this, they can turn on the “DisablePostLogonProvisioning” policy setting. After a user signs in, provisioning is off for Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.
The build also improves the Remote Desktop Session Host. You can now set up its “clipboard redirection” policy to work in a single direction from the local computer to the remote computer. You can also reverse that order.
There are a wide variety of bug fixes in this build, including for a bug in which the existing AppLocker rule collection enforcement mode was not overwritten when rules merged with a collection that had no rules. This occurred when the enforcement mode was set to “Not Configured.” It also fixed a bug in which the Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ) PowerShell module did not load.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/03/21/releasing-windows-11-builds-22621-3371-and-22631-3371-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3371 and 22631.3371</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-26085">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26085</h3>
Release date: March 20, 2024
Released to: Canary and Dev Channels
In this build, users with Bluetooth LE Audio capable assistive hearing devices can now set up and manage their devices via Settings > Accessibility > Hearing aids. Also, a pointer indicator accessibility setting for low-vision users that was introduced in Build 26052 has been disabled. Microsoft plans to reinstate it after fixing some bugs.
The release also fixes several bugs, including one that was causing Settings to freeze and another that caused Insiders in the Dev Channel to see error 0x80070002 when trying to install cumulative updates.
Note: The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the period in which they are on the same builds, Insiders in the Canary Channel can switch to the Dev Channel. Soon, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed for switching.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/03/20/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26085-canary-and-dev-channels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26085</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3350">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3350</h3>
Release date: March 13, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a fix for a bug in which taskbar icons were cutting off the title instead of adjusting with the title length.
Everyone in the Beta Channel will now see their most frequently used app listed in the Recommended section in the Start menu. This applies for most frequently used apps that are not already pinned to the Start menu or taskbar. In addition, everyone in the Beta Channel gets a bug fixed in File Explorer in which hovering over the first picture in Gallery would make a tooltip appear that would never dismiss.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/03/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3350-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3350</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-26080">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26080</h3>
Release date: March 13, 2024
Released to: Canary and Dev Channels
In this build, Microsoft Teams is available as a <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=383006" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">single application</a> for every type of Teams account (work, school, and personal), offering users seamless switching among accounts. To add or access additional accounts, select your profile picture at the upper right corner of Teams when you sign into Teams.
In addition, there is a new runtime for Copilot in Windows that allows you to manage more settings via Copilot, including accessibility-focused settings, and use Power Automate Desktop through Copilot. Copilot in Windows also gets the ability to switch between the existing “docked” behavior that attaches Copilot to the side of your desktop, and a new mode where it acts like a normal application window that you can resize and move around your screen.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which when you turned the Copilot icon off and back on in Settings, it never reappeared on your taskbar, another in which your GPU showed as -1 in Task Manager, and a third in which a Display Connection section was showing up under Settings > System > Display > Graphics and when clicked, it crashed Settings.
There are nine known issues with this build, including one in which context menu icons in File Explorer may appear out of place and with overlapping text. In another, when Copilot in Windows is docked and resized to a large width, Copilot does not always fill the width of the panel. Resizing Copilot to less than half of the width of your screen usually fixes this issue.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/03/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26080-canary-and-dev-channels/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26080</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3286">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3286</h3>
Release date: March 8, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, for those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates, when you copy text, the Copilot icon will change appearance and animate to indicate that Copilot can help. When you hover your mouse over the Copilot icon, it will provide a menu of actions that you can take, such as summarizing or explaining the copied text. If you select an action on the menu, it will launch Copilot with the action ready to go.
You can now also open Copilot by dragging an image file onto the Copilot icon in the taskbar. Then drop the image into the text box in Copilot and type an action that you would like to take on the image.
A single bug has been fixed for those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates: Settings will no longer crash for some Insiders when going to System > Nearby Sharing. And everyone in the Beta channel gets a fix for a bug that increased of explorer.exe crashes in the last two flights.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/03/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3286-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3286</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3276">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3276</h3>
Release date: March 4, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get three bug fixes, including for a bug in which devices with long names weren’t shown in nearby sharing, and another that made Task Manager less reliable.
A new feature is being slowly rolled out in the next few weeks to all Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel: When they move their mouse cursors over the Copilot icon on the taskbar, it opens the Copilot pane. The Copilot pane will close unless interacted with after it opens.
In addition, a bug was fixed for all Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel — search highlights icon in the taskbar could get out of sync with the search highlights for the day.
There are two known issues in this build, including one in which Microsoft Defender Application Guard (MDAG) for Microsoft Edge users may hit a no network connection issue when browsing inside MDAG. The workaround is to disable the MDAG enterprise policy or uninstall MDAG via “Turn Windows Features on and off” and reboot. Note that <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/whats-new/deprecated-features" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">MDAG for Edge is a deprecated feature</a>.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/03/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3276-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3276</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3212">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3212</h3>
Release date: February 26, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get two bugs fixed, one in which the taskbar was sometimes very slow to appear after booting up and logging in for the first time, and another in which taskbar search would open and immediately close if the taskbar had a great many app icons.
Everyone in the Beta Channel will now get notifications when they miss an important notification on their taskbars.
There is one known issue in this build, in which Microsoft Defender Application Guard (MDAG) for Microsoft Edge users may hit a no network connection issue when browsing inside MDAG. The workaround is to disable the MDAG enterprise policy or uninstall MDAG via “Turn Windows Features on and off” and reboot. Note that <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/whats-new/deprecated-features" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">MDAG for Edge is a deprecated feature</a>.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/02/26/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3212-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3212</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-26063">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26063</h3>
Release date: February 22, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build supports the new Wi-Fi 7 standard, which offers higher speed, improved video streaming and videoconferencing compared to previous standards — up to four times as fast as Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, and close to six times faster than Wi-Fi 5. To take advantage of it, you’ll need a Wi-Fi 7 capable consumer access point and PC.
In addition, Copilot in Windows can perform 16 new actions, including Power Automate Desktop, which lets you automate Windows tasks.
Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which typing too quickly in the Settings search box could result in the results not loading completely, and another in which if you were using multiple monitors, opening a minimized window sometimes resulted in the window appearing on the wrong monitor.
There are nine known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which a Display Connection section is incorrectly showing up under Settings > System > Display > Graphics that when clicked, will crash Settings.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/02/22/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26063-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26063</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3209">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3209</h3>
Release date: February 16, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, you can now access and edit your most recent photos and screenshots from your Android mobile device in Snipping Tool on your PC. It sends instant notifications on your PC whenever a new photo or screenshot is captured on your Android device. To turn it on, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices, choose Manage devices, and allow your PC to access your Android phone. Note that this feature is being gradually rolled out.
The build also fixes a number of bugs, including one in which devices didn’t make the automatic switch from cellular to Wi-Fi when they could use Wi-Fi, and another in which you could not connect to sovereign cloud endpoints in Remote Desktop Web Authentication.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/02/16/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3209-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3209</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-3227-and-22631-3227">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3227 and 22631.3227</h3>
Release date: February 15, 2024
Released to: Release Preview Channel
In this build, you can use the Snipping Tool on your PC to edit the most recent photos and screenshots from your Android device. You will get an instant notification on your PC when your Android device captures a new photo or screenshot. To turn this on, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices. Choose Manage devices and allow your PC to access your Android device. In addition, the Copilot in Windows icon appears on the right side of the system tray on the taskbar.
A wide variety of bugs have been fixed in this build, including one in which Notepad did not open for the standard user account when you use Command Prompt to open it based on file type association.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/02/15/releasing-windows-11-builds-22621-3227-and-22631-3227-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3227 and 22631.3227</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-26058">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26058</h3>
Release date: February 14, 2023
Released to: Dev and Canary Channels
In this build, a new pointer indicator helps low-vision users to more easily locate and use their cursors. To turn it on, go to Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch and enable the Pointer indicator setting. The widget board also gets a new navigation pane.
Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which focus sessions continued to show as running in the notification center after they had ended, and another in which the last checked time showing for Windows Update in Settings was wrong.
There are nine known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which a Display Connection section is incorrectly showing up under Settings > System > Display > Graphics that when clicked, will crash Settings.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/02/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26058-canary-and-dev-channels/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26058</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-26052">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26052</h3>
Release date: February 8, 2024
Released to: Canary and Dev Channels
With this build, Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel are being moved from receiving 23000 series builds to receiving 26000 series builds. The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the times in which the Canary and Dev Channels are on the same builds, the window is open for Insiders in the Canary Channel to switch to the Dev Channel. At some point, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed.
The build includes <a href="https://devblogs.microsoft.com/commandline/introducing-sudo-for-windows/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Sudo for Windows</a>, a new way for users to run elevated commands directly from an unelevated console session. The build also has a new Copilot in Windows feature that springs into action when you copy text. The Copilot icon will change appearance and animate to indicate that Copilot can help (there are several different treatments, so you may notice a different visual effect). When you hover your mouse over the Copilot icon, it will provide a menu of actions that you can take, such as summarizing or explaining the copied text.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the print queue did not open and another in which in some multi-monitor configurations, a display appeared as frozen.
There are five known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which some video streaming apps from the Microsoft Store may not play. As a workaround, you can try streaming from a browser.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/02/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26052-canary-and-dev-channels/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26052</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3140">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3140</h3>
Release date: February 8, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, the Copilot icon has been moved to the right side of the system tray on the taskbar for everyone in the Beta Channel. This is just beginning to roll out, so not everyone will see this change right away. In addition, people logged into Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise editions with a Microsoft Entra ID account will be able to view and join upcoming Microsoft Teams meetings directly from the Start menu.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/02/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3140-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3140</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3139">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3139</h3>
Release date: February 1, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features get several bug fixes, including some that improve overall Windows 11 reliability, one that addresses Task Manager unreliability, and one that fixes a dwm.exe crash.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/02/01/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3139-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3139</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-26040">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26040</h3>
Release date: January 26, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build gradually rolls out a feature that gives Windows users the ability to access and edit their most recent photos and screenshots from their Android mobile devices in Snipping Tool on their PC. They can receive instant notifications on their PCs whenever a new photo or screenshot is captured on their Android devices.
The build also supports the latest generation USB standard, USB 80Gbps. USB 80Gbps support will initially launch on select devices based on the Intel Core 14th Gen HX-series mobile processors, such as the new <a href="https://press.razer.com/product-news/ces-2024-razer-blades/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Razer Blade 18</a>.
Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which hovering over the system tray area wasn’t bringing up the taskbar when set to autohide, and another in which spacing and fonts used in some settings pages for Widgets were incorrect.
There are five known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which the print queue shows messaging saying it can’t find the app when opened. As a workaround, you can launch the print queue from the Run dialog (Win key + R) and enter: explorer.exe shell:appsFolder\Microsoft.Windows.PrintQueueActionCenter_cw5n1h2txyewy!App.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/01/26/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26040-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26040</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23620">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23620</h3>
Release date: January 25, 2024
Released to: Dev Channel
This build fixes several bugs, including one that was causing labels like System in the Start menu’s all apps list to be cut off if text scaling was above 100%, and another that harmed Task Manager’s reliability.
The build has two known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/01/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23620-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23620</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3130">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3130</h3>
Release date: January 25, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features will see 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 key + 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.
Everyone in the Beta Channel who has turned on the toggle to unenroll their device under Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program > Stop getting preview builds will 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.
Everyone in the Beta Channel gets a number of bug fixes, including one for a bug that caused your device to shut down after 60 seconds when you used a smart card to authenticate on a remote system, and another in which search stopped working on the Start menu for some users because of a deadlock.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/01/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3130-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3130</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3066">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3066</h3>
Release date: January 19, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, four bugs have been fixed for Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features, including one in which dragging the Task Manager window didn’t work if your mouse pointer was on the search box, and another in which voice access crashed when setting up new languages.
Everyone in the Beta Channel gets support for the latest generation USB standard, USB 80Gbps. USB 80Gbps support will initially launch on select devices based on the Intel Core 14th Gen HX-series mobile processors, such as the new <a href="https://press.razer.com/product-news/ces-2024-razer-blades/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Razer Blade 18</a>.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/01/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3066-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3066</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23619">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23619</h3>
Release date: January 18, 2024
Released to: Dev Channel
This build starts a gradual rollout of a feature that lets Windows users access and edit their most recent photos and screenshots from their Android mobile devices in Snipping Tool on their PCs. They will receive instant notifications on their PCs whenever a new photo or screenshot is captured on their Android devices. To turn on the feature, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices, choose Manage devices, and allow your PC to access your Android phone.
Two bugs have also been fixed, one in which dragging the Task Manager window wouldn’t work if your mouse was on the search box, and another that hurt the launch performance of File Explorer.
The build has four known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/01/18/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23619-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23619</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23615">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23615</h3>
Release date: January 11, 2024
Released to: Dev Channel
This build supports the latest-generation USB standard, USB 80Gbps. In addition, 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, launch the Windows share window by clicking the share icon at the top right in the toolbar and choosing the Windows share options.
Two bugs have also been fixed, one that made Task Manager unreliable for some Insiders, and another that made the Windows share window unreliable for some Insiders.
The build has four known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/01/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23615-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23615</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3061">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3061</h3>
Release date: January 11, 2024
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, for Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features, the Windows share window for Microsoft Edge and other browsers that invoke the Windows share window now supports the ability to share URLs directly to WhatsApp, Gmail, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn. In Microsoft Edge, launch the Windows share window by clicking the share icon at the top right in the toolbar and choosing the Windows share options.
Everyone in the Beta Channel gets dynamic, interactive weather updates on their lock screens. Everyone also gets two bug fixes, one for the spellchecker, and the other for ActiveX scroll bar.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/01/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-3061-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3061</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-3078-and-22631-3078">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3078 and 22631.3078</h3>
Release date: January 11, 2024
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This build adds eye control system settings. You can back up these settings from the former device while you set up a new device. Then those settings will install automatically on the new device so you can use them when you reach the desktop.
There are a wide variety of bug fixed in this build, including one in which search stopped working on the Start menu for some users because of a deadlock, and another that stopped WMI from working in certain scenarios with mobile device management providers, such as Microsoft Intune.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/01/11/releasing-windows-11-builds-22621-3078-and-22631-3078-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3078 and 22631.3078</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2921">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2921</h3>
Release date: January 4, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features get a handful of fixes to improve overall reliability. One bug was fixed for those who get new features, in which a tabtip.exe crash impacted the ability for some Windows Insiders to input text.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/01/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2921-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2921</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23612">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23612</h3>
Release date: January 3, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build offers dynamic, interactive weather updates on the lockscreen. It also lets you 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. It also introduces voice shortcuts or custom commands to enable you to create your own commands. This is currently available if you use voice access in English.
Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which the text input indicator appeared to be floating when you opened Start menu, and another that caused explorer.exe to crash when opening the context menu in File Explorer if multiple files were selected.
The build has five known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/01/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23612-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23612</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-26020">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26020</h3>
Release date: January 3, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build lets you 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. It also introduces voice shortcuts or custom commands to enable you to create your own commands. This is currently available if you use voice access in English. In addition, the WordPad and People apps will no longer be installed after doing a clean install of the OS. In a future flight, WordPad will be removed on upgrade and will not be reinstallable.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which Settings crashed when navigating to Power & Battery, and another in which the details pane in File Explorer unexpectedly took keyboard focus sometimes.
There are six known issues in this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which the print queue shows a messaging saying it can’t find the app when opened. As a workaround, you can launch the print queue from the Run dialog (Windows key + R) and entering:
explorer.exe shell:appsFolder\Microsoft.Windows.PrintQueueActionCenter_cw5n1h2txyewy!App.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/01/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26020-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26020</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2915">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2915</h3>
Release date: December 14, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features get extended language support for languages such as French (France or Canada), German, and Spanish (Spain or Mexico).
In addition, there is a new dedicated mode for <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/windows-365/enterprise/windows-365-boot-overview" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 365 boot</a>. With it, you can 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 passwordless authentication methods like <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/3220967/windows-hello-for-business-passwordless-authentication-for-windows-shops.html">Windows Hello for Business</a>. In <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/windows-365/enterprise/windows-365-switch-overview" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 365 Switch</a>, you can now disconnect from Cloud PC directly from a local PC. This can be done by going to Local PC > Task view > Right click on the Cloud PC button > Disconnect.
This build also marks a transition from Windows Speech Recognition (WSR), <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/whats-new/deprecated-features" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">which is being deprecated</a>, to voice access, a new assistive technology that uses on-device speech recognition, enabling control of your PC and authoring text without an internet connection. When WSR is opened, a dialog will pop up directing you to try voice access.
All Insiders, even those who haven’t selected the option to receive new features, get an updated Notepad that includes displaying character count in the status bar.
Insiders who have opted to receive new features get two bug fixes, one in which when you create a dump file for a process, the dump file location is selectable now so you can copy it out, and another that eliminates the background jumping when switching between desktops.
This is the last Beta Channel release for 2023.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/12/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2915-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2915</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23606">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23606</h3>
Release date: December 13, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build marks a transition from Windows Speech Recognition (WSR), <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/whats-new/deprecated-features" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">which is being deprecated</a>, to voice access, a new assistive technology that uses on-device speech recognition, enabling control of your PC and authoring text without an internet connection. When WSR is opened, a dialog will pop up directing you to try voice access.
Several bugs have been fixed, including one that caused the details pane in File Explorer to unexpectedly take keyboard focus sometimes.
The build has six known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.
Microsoft is releasing ISOs for this build, which can be <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windowsinsiderpreviewiso" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">downloaded here</a>. This is the last Dev Channel release for 2023.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/12/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23606-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23606</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-26016">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26016</h3>
Release date: December 13, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build introduces Windows Protected Print Mode, which lets your PC print using <a href="https://mopria.org/certified-products" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Mopria-certified printers</a> only. These printers eliminate third-party printer drivers and instead rely on Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) with built-in encryption for safer and more streamlined printing operations.
A variety of bugs have been fixed in this build, including one that caused keyboard shortcuts to not work on the desktop, and another that caused the details pane in File Explorer to unexpectedly take keyboard focus sometimes.
There are four known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which attempting to reboot into safe mode hangs on the boot logo.
This is the last Canary Channel release for 2023.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/12/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26016-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26016</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2850">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2850</h3>
Release date: December 8, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features can use WhatsApp in Windows Share.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/12/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2850-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2850</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23601">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23601</h3>
Release date: December 7, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build includes many new features for <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-365/enterprise/windows-365-boot-overview" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 365 Boot</a>, which lets sys admins configure Windows 11 physical devices so that users can sign in directly to their Windows 365 Cloud PC on them. Among the new capabilities is a dedicated mode that lets you seamlessly log in to your Windows 365 Cloud PC from the Windows 11 login screen using <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/3220967/windows-hello-for-business-passwordless-authentication-for-windows-shops.html">passwordless authentication methods like Windows Hello for Business</a>.
<a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-365/enterprise/windows-365-switch-overview" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 365 Switch</a>, which lets users move between their local device and one of their Cloud PCs using multiple desktops with the Windows 11 Task view, also gets new features, including an easier way to disconnect from their Cloud PC directly from their local PC.
In addition, screen casting gets improved discoverability, and there are new widgets board settings, including more ways to customize it.
The build also includes a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in Copilot in Windows that was causing full-screen apps to minimize on secondary monitors when launching Copilot, and another on the Start menu that caused the Recommended section to appear blank for some users.
The build has seven known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/12/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23601-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23601</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-26010">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26010</h3>
Release date: December 7, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build introduces new settings to customize how the widget board works, including one that makes it easier for you to discover how to personalize your feed content.
Six bugs have been fixed, including one that caused the restart button to be missing in Settings > Windows Update or for that settings page to not load at all, and another that caused some users to experience an increase in bug checks.
There are four known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which attempting to reboot into safe mode hangs on the boot logo.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/12/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26010-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26010</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2841">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2841</h3>
Release date: December 4, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel 
In this build, when Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features turn on nearby sharing via quick settings or directly in Settings and have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off, it will turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, so nearby sharing will work as expected. If they turn off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, it will also turn off nearby sharing.
There are several bug fixes for those who have toggled the option on, including one in which Task Manager crashed when changing Always on Top mode, and one in which the dropdowns in settings would float up the screen if you scrolled.
Everyone in the Beta Channel gets new widget board settings, including one that makes it easier for you to discover how to personalize your feed content.
Everyone in the Beta Channel gets a variety of bug fixes, including one in which Copilot in Windows can be used across multiple displays, and another that fixed an issue with Remote Desktop web authentication.
There are six known issues, including one in which the Microsoft 365, Outlook Calendar, and To Do widgets get stuck in an error state when the Microsoft Start feed is disabled.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/12/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2841-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2841</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-26002">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26002</h3>
Release date: November 29, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build introduces energy saver, which enhances Windows’s battery saver feature by reducing system performance to improve battery life. It can be toggled on and off via Quick Settings in the system tray or configured to run automatically whenever the device reaches a certain battery percentage.
Four bugs have been fixed, including one that caused the installation of some apps, including Phone Link, to fail with error 0x87AF0813, and another that caused Settings to crash when navigating to Bluetooth & Devices > Touchpad.
There are three known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which attempting to reboot into safe mode hangs on the boot logo.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/11/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26002-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26002</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23595">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23595</h3>
Release date: November 29, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build shows the Copilot icon on the right side of the system tray on the taskbar so the entry point to Copilot is closer to where the Copilot pane opens. And 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 directly within the Windows share window.
One bug was fixed; it caused custom wallpapers to shift when switching desktops.
The build has two known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/11/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23595-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23595</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2776">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2776</h3>
Release date: November 28, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, those Insiders who have toggled on the option to receive new features as soon as they are released and are signed into Windows with a Microsoft Entra ID can now directly share Teams contacts to specific Microsoft Teams Channels and groups chats as well directly within the Windows share window.
There are several bug fixes for those who have toggled the option on, including for a bug in which when dragging and dropping windows in Task View to different desktops, the windows might unexpectedly be placed in the background of other windows.
Everyone in the Beta Channel gets account-related notifications for Microsoft accounts on the Settings homepage. Notifications are displayed across the Start menu and Settings. You can manage Settings notifications in Settings > Privacy & security > General.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/11/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2776-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2776</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22631-2787">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22631.2787</h3>
Release date: November 16, 2023
Released to: Release Preview Channel
In this build, 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. You can also ask Copilot in Windows for help ten times when you sign in to Windows using a local account.
There are a variety of bug fixes in this build, including for an issue in which remote direct memory access (RDMA) performance counters did not return networking data on VMs in the right way, and another in which the Systems Settings application stopped responding after you turned off Device Encryption.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/11/16/releasing-windows-11-builds-22621-2787-and-22631-2787-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22631.2787</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2771">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2771</h3>
Release date: November 16, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, those Insiders who have toggled on the option to receive new features as soon as they are released will get previews for natural voices in Narrator for 10 new locales launched in September 2023. They will also get improvements in how Narrator handles images, such as improved recognition of text in images, including handwriting, and improvements to overall image descriptions.
There are also a variety of bug fixes for those who have toggled the option on, including one in which Narrator was announcing old dialog names even after users navigated to new dialogs on a few web pages, and another in which Settings Home was unexpectedly showing some users that there was NaN% storage left.
Everyone in the Beta Channel gets several bug fixes, including for one in which Settings Home showed a prompt to sign into your Microsoft account and failed to sign in if you tried to use it, even though Settings itself showed you were already signed in.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/11/16/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2771-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2771</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23590">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23590</h3>
Release date: November 15, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build includes previews for natural voices in Narrator for 10 new locales launched in September 2023. Narrator also gets improvements in how it handles images, such as improved recognition of text in images, including handwriting, and improvements to overall image descriptions.
A variety of bugs were fixed, including one in which opening the context menu on the desktop crashed explorer.exe and another in which the share window in Windows Share crashed.
The build has one known issue: when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/11/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23590-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23590</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25997">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25997</h3>
Release date: November 15, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
In this build, 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 make it easier to share. In addition, a new option under Settings > Bluetooth & devices will prevent Phone Link from communicating with your mobile devices.
Five bugs have been fixed, including one that caused taskbar icons to disappear after switching desktops, and another in which Settings Home showed a prompt to sign into your Microsoft account and failed to sign you in if you tried to use it, even though Settings itself showed you were already signed in.
There are three known issues in this build, including one in which attempting to navigate to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touchpad will crash Settings.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/11/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25997-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25997</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25992">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25992</h3>
Release date: November 8, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build includes a number of Server Message Block (SMB) protocol changes, including <a href="https://aka.ms/SMBfirewall" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">firewall changes</a>; the ability to connect to an SMB server over TCP, QUIC, or RDMA using alternative network ports to the hardcoded defaults; and changes to SMB over QUIC client access control certificates.
Five bugs have been fixed, including one that caused taskbar icons to disappear after switching desktops, and another in which Settings Home showed a prompt to sign into your Microsoft account and failed to sign you in if you tried to use it, even though Settings itself showed you were already signed in.
There are three known issues in this build, including one in which attempting to navigate to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touchpad will crash Settings.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/11/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25992-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25992</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23585">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23585</h3>
Release date: November 8, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
In this build, the Camera app, Cortana app, Photos app, People app, and Remote Desktop (MSTSC) client can now be uninstalled.
Several bugs were fixed, including one in which the context menu drew off screen when invoked using touch or pen on the side of your desktop.
The build has one known issue, in when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/11/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23585-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23585</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2700">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2700</h3>
Release date: Nov. 2, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
This build fixes a bug in which the setting to turn off the use of drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop did not work. Microsoft is also looking into an issue in which Snipping Tool may crash when taking a capture on Arm devices.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/11/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2700-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2700</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23580">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23580</h3>
Release date: Nov. 1, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
In this build, users with local accounts can access Copilot in Windows for a limited number of queries before needing to sign in.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in File Explorer in which using mouse back and forward buttons didn’t react when hovering over the Recommended Files section of Home, and another in which if your taskbar was nearly full of icons — and you used the search box — clicking the search box would open search, which would immediately close.
The build has two known issues, one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/11/01/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23580-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23580</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25987">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25987</h3>
Release date: Nov. 1, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
In this build, PNG files now support viewing and editing metadata — you can set a star rating in Properties, edit the description, or add keywords. In addition, the settings page for Delivery Optimization under Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization now matches the Windows 11 design principles.
One bug has been fixed, to stop File Explorer from crashing in Windows Sandbox when using a non-English display language.
There are three known issues, including one in which some popular games might not work correctly on Preview builds in the Canary Channel.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/11/01/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25987-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25987</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23575">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23575</h3>
Release date: Oct. 27, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build tests out grouping recently added apps into a folder under the Recommended section of Start with some Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. It also fixes a number of bugs, including one in which some Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel using the Home edition of Windows 11 Insider Preview builds to find Copilot in Windows has disappeared from the taskbar.
The build has one known issue: when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/10/27/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23575-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23575</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2552">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2552</h3>
Release date: Oct. 26, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, system Components currently listed in Settings > Apps > Installed Apps page, have moved to their own page under Settings > System > System Components.
There are also a variety of bug fixes, including one in which the Widgets notification badge was on the wrong place ion the taskbar, and another in which touchscreens did not work properly when more than one display is used.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/10/26/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2552-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2552</a>)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25982">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25982</h3>
Release date: Oct. 25, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build gradually rolls out the Copilot in Windows preview. Some Insiders will immediately see it, and others will have to wait. In addition, SMB now supports requiring encryption of all outbound SMB client connections.
Several bugs have been fixed, including one that led to hangs when launching File Explorer, and another that caused the print queue to be inaccessible and show an error if you tried to open it.
There is one known issue in this build, in which some popular games might not work correctly on Preview builds in the Canary Channel.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/10/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25982-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25982</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2486">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2486</h3>
Release date: October 19, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
In this build, under “All apps” in the Start menu, Windows 11 system components will now show a “system” label. Also, the Xbox Game Bar will now show as just Game Bar under the Start menu and under Settings > System > Apps > Installed apps. This change will come through a Game Bar update via the Microsoft Store.
The build fixes two bugs, one that caused the Start menu to crash on launch if the display language was set to Czech or Slovak, and another in which the search icon in the taskbar wasn’t appearing correctly for people using search icon and label.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/10/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2486-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2486</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23570">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23570</h3>
Release date: October 18, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
In this build, Copilot in Windows can now be used across multiple monitors. The build fixes a variety of bugs, including some that could have led to hangs when launching File Explorer, and one in Settings in which Home was unexpectedly showing some users that there was NaN% storage left.
The build has two known issues, both in Copilot in Windows. In one, while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time. In the other, Copilot in Windows has disappeared from the taskbars of some Insiders who use the Home edition of Windows 11 Insider Preview builds.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/10/18/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23570-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23570</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25977">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25977</h3>
Release date: October 18, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
In this build, new controls have been added to help manage which apps have access to the list of Wi-Fi networks around you, which could be used to determine your location. You can view and modify which apps can access the list of Wi-Fi networks by navigating to Settings > Privacy & security > Location.
In addition, in the build, Windows supports the use of hearing aids equipped with the latest Bluetooth Low Energy Audio (LE Audio) technology. Customers who use these new hearing aids are now able to directly pair, stream audio, and take calls on their Windows PCs with LE Audio support.
Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which certain .rar files would open blank or with an unexpected message saying there was insufficient memory to open the file.
There are three known issues in this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly on Preview builds in the Canary Channel.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/10/18/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25977-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25977</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2483">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2483</h3>
Release date: October 13, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
This build disables the update of the color font format to <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/typography/opentype/spec/colr#colr-version-1-rendering-algorithm" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">COLRv1</a> (first introduced in Build 22631.2265) that displayed richer emoji with a 3D like appearance to fix some bugs. It will be re-enabled in a future build.
The build fixes one bug, which was causing search to crash on launch for some Insiders.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/10/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2483-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2483</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2500">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621. 2500</h3>
Release date: October 12, 2023
Released to: Release Preview Channel
In this update, when you select the gleam in the search box, a Bing.com page will appear for the daily search highlight. This is available to a small audience initially and will be made available more widely in the coming months.
The update also addresses a wide variety of bugs, including fixing memory leaks in ctfmon.exe and TextInputHost.exem and fixing a bug that blocked external connections when you set up a Kubernetes load balanced service and turned on session affinity.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/10/12/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-2500-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2500</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23565">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23565</h3>
Release date: October 11, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
In this build Copilot in Windows shows its new icon on the taskbar. Several bugs have also been fixed, including one that could have caused File Explorer windows to hang for OneDrive users.
The build has three known issues, including one in which some apps under “All apps” on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components, and another in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/10/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23565-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23565</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2419">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2419</h3>
Release date: October 10, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
With this build, there will no longer be a build split number in the Beta channel — everyone in the channel will now get the same build. If you want to get the newest features from the build, go to Settings > Windows Update and turn the toggle below “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” to On. If you don’t do that, the features will be rolled out to you more gradually.
This build includes improvements to Windows Ink, which will be rolled out to everyone regardless of whether they asked to receive the latest features. It also includes a new Copilot in Windows icon on the taskbar, which will only be immediately available to those who want the newest features.
The build fixes several bugs, including one in which explorer.exe was crashing when you tried to open File Explorer by using Open File Location in an app.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/10/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22635-2419-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2419</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25967">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25967</h3>
Release date: October 5, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build introduces a new Settings homepage that provides an overview of your device, gives quick access to key settings, and helps manage your Microsoft account. It includes interactive cards that represent various device and account related settings, grouped by commonly accessed functions. Each card is optimized to offer the most relevant information and controls. This release has seven cards, with more coming soon.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused Insiders to see bug checks (green screens) in recent Canary Channel builds when shutting down, logging out, or restarting, and another in which File Explorer sorting changes wouldn’t persist in folders after you navigated away and back.
There are three known issues in this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly on Preview builds in the Canary Channel.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/10/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25967-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25967</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23560">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23560</h3>
Release date: October 4, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
In this build, Using the Alt + Tab hotkey displays the thumbnail preview for Copilot in Windows among with the other thumbnail previews of open windows, which you can switch between by pressing Tab. The build also fixes several bugs, including one that sometimes made File Explorer dropdowns and context menus unexpectedly have a transparent background and another in which the search box wasn’t showing the correct folder name when you were in Gallery.
The build has four known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time, and another in which some apps under All apps on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/10/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23560-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23560</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23555">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23555</h3>
Release date: September 28, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused a Task Manager crash when changing Always on Top mode, and another that caused explorer.exe to crash when trying to open Copilot from the taskbar.
The build has five known issues, including one which the Windows Copilot Preview is not available in some regions and another in which some apps under All apps on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/09/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23555-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23555</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-version-23h2">Windows 11 version 23H2</h3>
Release date: September 26, 2023
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This update is being released to Release Preview Channel for <a href="https://insider.windows.com/en-us/for-business/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows Insider Program for Business</a> participants to validate on devices in their organizations. This update is delivered as an enablement package with the same servicing branch and code base as Windows 11 version 22H2. It includes Copilot in Windows (in preview) and Windows Backup for Microsoft Accounts.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/09/26/releasing-windows-11-version-23h2-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 version 23H2</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2361">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2361</h3>
Release date: September 22, 2023
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This update introduces a preview of Windows Copilot, which Microsoft says uses AI to make it easier to use Windows 11 and get more out of it. You can launch the Copilot preview by clicking its icon on the taskbar or pressing Window key + C.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/09/22/rolling-out-new-features-for-windows-11-22h2-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2361</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23550">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23550</h3>
Release date: September 22, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
In this build, you can enable voice access for users to set up new Windows devices and navigate through the <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/customize/desktop/customize-oobe-in-windows-11" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">out of box experience</a>. To enable it, launch the accessibility flyout on the bottom right corner of their screens and click on voice access.
The update also rolls out the <a href="https://devblogs.microsoft.com/commandline/windows-subsystem-for-linux-september-2023-update/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">September 2023 update</a> for the Windows Subsystem for Linux and fixes a number of bugs, including one that caused sporadic explorer.exe and Start menu crashes, and another that sometimes caused thumbnails in the File Explorer Gallery to flash when scrolling.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/09/22/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23550-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23550</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2359">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2359</h3>
Release date: September 14, 2023
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This update introduces websites to the Recommended section of the Start menu. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Microsoft Defender stopped some USB printers from printing, and another in which the display of some elements of Remote Apps were not aligned correctly.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/09/14/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-2359-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2359</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25951">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25951</h3>
Release date: September 13, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
In this build, the SMB client now supports blocking NTLM for remote outbound connections, and the SMB server also supports controlling which SMB 2 and 3 dialects it will negotiate. The build also adjusts the network flyout on the Lock screen to better match the UI of the network flyout from quick settings in system tray on the taskbar.
There is one known issue in this build, in which some popular games may not work correctly on Preview builds in the Canary Channel.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/09/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25951-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25951</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23545">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23545</h3>
Release date: September 13, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build lets you quickly give your device a more friendly name for use with nearby share under Settings > System > Nearby sharing.
It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which icons on the desktop showed as generic white pages rather than their proper icons, and another in which rapidly opening two File Explorer windows made explorer.exe crash.
The build has four known issues, including one in which some apps under All apps on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components, and another in which you can use Alt + Tab to switch out of Windows Copilot, but not back into it. Windows + C will move focus back to Windows Copilot.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/09/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23545-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23545</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-2338-and-22631-2338">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2338 and 22631.2338</h3>
Release date: September 12, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2338 and 22631.2338.
Build 22631.2338 gets a variety of fixes, including for a bug that caused some Insiders to see untranslated text in some areas across the system, including in File Explorer and Settings, and another in which after changing between dark and light mode in File Explorer, the icons in the command bar and context menu became very difficult to see.
In both Build 22621.2338 and Build 22631.2338, the Camera app, Cortana, Photos app, and People app can now be uninstalled, and a bug was fixed in which Microsoft Defender stopped some USB printers from printing.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.2338, you can check for updates and install 22631.2338.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/09/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2338-and-22631-2338-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2338 and 22631.2338</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23541">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23541</h3>
Release date: September 8, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which dragging app icons in the taskbar sometimes led to an explorer.exe crash, and another in search on the taskbar in which sometimes the tooltip when mousing over the search box wouldn’t match the current search highlight.
The build has nine known issues, including one in which icons on the desktop may show as generic white pages rather than their proper icons, and another in which some apps under All apps on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/09/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23541-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23541</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25947">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25947</h3>
Release date: September 7, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which File Explorer could crash when navigating to Gallery, and another in which explorer.exe would not work in safe mode.
There is one known issue in this build, in which some popular games may not work correctly on Preview builds in the Canary Channel.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/09/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25947-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25947</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-2271-and-22631-2271">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2271 and 22631. 2271</h3>
Release date: September 6, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2271 and 22631.2271.
In Build 22631.2271, the Windows Ink improvements introduced with <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/07/21/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2050-and-22631-2050/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Build 22631.2050</a> that enabled inking directly onto edit fields are being temporarily disabled for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel while bugs impacting its usability are fixed.
Build 22631.2271 fixes a variety of bugs, including one that could make explorer.exe crash when navigating away from Home, and another that caused the Windows Copilot icon in the taskbar to be flipped backwards for right-to-left languages.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.2271, you can check for updates and install 22631.2271.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/09/06/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2271-and-22631-2271-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2271 and 22631.2271</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23536">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23536</h3>
Release date: August 31, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one that impacted the taskbar appearing correctly after powering on your device, and another that caused Task Manager to crash when using the end task option in the Details page.
The build has five known issues, including one which sometimes the tooltip when mousing over the search box does not match the current search highlight, and another in which some apps under “All apps” on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/31/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23536-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23536</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25941">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25941</h3>
Release date: August 31, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
In this build, the graph at the top of the Power & Battery page in Settings has been removed. Insiders can continue to see a graph of battery usage in the battery usage section further down the page. The Power & Battery settings page is also no longer broken up by “Power” and “Battery” sections.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Settings crashed when you looked at detailed battery usage, and another in which File Explorer context menu and command bar dropdowns became transparent and did not work with touch.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/31/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25941-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25941</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-2265-and-22631-2265">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2265 and 22631.2265</h3>
Release date: August 31, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2265 and 22631.2265.
In Build 22631.2265, Windows can now display richer emoji with a 3D like appearance with support coming soon to some apps and browsers.
Build 22631.2265 gets a variety of fixes, including for a bug in which apps in the taskbar appeared to be cut off without a rounded corner on the end when you had a lot of app windows open and the taskbar was set to not combine.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.2265, you can check for updates and install 22631.2265.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/31/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2265-and-22631-2265-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2265 and 22631.2265</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25936">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25936</h3>
Release date: August 25, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
In this build, the Task Manager settings page has been changed to match the design principles of Windows 11. The design has a similar look and feel to the Settings in Windows 11 and provides a cleaner UI separating categories into different sections. In addition, the underlying crash which was causing .NET updates to get stuck requesting restart in Windows Update Settings in recent Canary Channel builds has been fixed.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25936-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25936</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23531">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23531</h3>
Release date: August 25, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build reintroduces the search experience for invoking the search flyout when you hover over the search box gleam. This behavior can be adjusted by right-clicking on the taskbar, choosing Taskbar settings, and adjusting your preferred search box experience.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which explorer.exe crashed when File Explorer was closed, and another in which Task Manager crashed sporadically, including when ending tasks.
The build has four known issues, including one which sometimes the tooltip when mousing over the search box does not match the current search highlight, and another in which some apps under All apps on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components.
(Get more info about<a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23531-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"> Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23531</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-2262-and-22631-2262">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2262 and 22631.2262</h3>
Release date: August 24, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2262 and 22631.2262.
Build 22631.2262 adds a new Settings home page that provides an overview of your device, adds quick access to key settings, and helps manage your Microsoft account. In addition, new backup and restore features make it easier to move apps to a new PC.
Build 22631.2262 fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which in some cases, the context menu background in File Explorer appeared transparent. This also impacted the command bar dropdown menus.
Builds 22621.2262 and 22631.2262 get two bug fixes, for one in which the “Check for updates” button did not appear as expected under Settings > Windows Update, and another in which removing a monitor while connected to a Cloud PC could result in a black screen with only a mouse visible.
Build 22631.2262 has three known issues, including one in which explorer.exe crashes on the login screen when attempting to enter safe mode.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.2262, you can check for updates and install 22631.2262.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/24/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2262-and-22631-2262-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2262 and 22631.2262</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23526">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23526</h3>
Release date: August 18, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
In this build, which is being <a href="https://aka.ms/wipISO" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">released via ISOs</a>, files that do not have rich thumbnail previews will no longer show a blank preview area in File Explorer. In addition, a variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which the System label in the Start menu’s “All apps” list was the wrong color in high-contrast themes, and another in which if you attempted to uninstall certain apps from Start, it would just open Settings and not navigate to the Installed Apps page.
The build has six known issues, including one which explorer.exe crashed on the login screen when attempting to enter safe mode, and another in which some apps under “All apps” on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as a system component.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/18/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23526-dev-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23526</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-2199-and-22631-2199">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2199 and 22631.2199</h3>
Release date: August 18, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2199 and 22631.2199.
Build 22631.2199 adds native support for reading additional archive file formats using the <a href="https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">libarchive open-source project</a>, such as .tar, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.zst,.tar.xz, and many others. In addition, files that do not have rich thumbnail previews will no longer show a blank preview area in File Explorer.
Build 22631.2199 fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the “safely remove hardware” icon did not appear when expected in the system tray, and another in which using End Task on certain apps caused other unrelated apps to close.
Build 22621.2199 has five known issues, including one in which the context menu background in File Explorer sometimes appears transparent.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.2199, you can check for updates and install 22631.2199.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/18/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2199-and-22631-2199-beta-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2199 and 22631.2199</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25931">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25931</h3>
Release date: August 16, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
In this build, DC (domain controller) location will no longer use NetBIOS\WINS\mailslot-based discovery by default. In addition, the build includes new features previously released to the Dev Channel, such as <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/06/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23475/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Unicode Emoji 15 support</a>, and <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23516/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">voice is available for use on more areas in Windows such as the Lock screen</a>. There are also more fields in the File Explorer Details pane, including image dimensions for pictures, number of pages for .docx, space used and free information for drives, and many others.
There’s one fix for a bug in which you weren’t able to connect over SMB to a third-party storage device using guest (no username or password) credentials.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/16/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25931-canary-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25931</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23521">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23521</h3>
Release date: August 10, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
In this build, Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel can participate in the public preview of Windows 365 Switch, which provides the ability to easily move between a Windows 365 Cloud PC and the local desktop using the familiar keyboard commands, as well as a mouse-click or a swipe gesture through Task View on the Windows 11 taskbar. <a href="https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/windows-365-switch-now-available-in-public-preview/ba-p/3891857" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Go here for details about how to participate</a>.
In addition, Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who log in and are managed by AAD (soon to be Microsoft Entra ID) will see Windows Copilot enabled for them without the need to enable it via Group Policy Editor. Windows Search now also uses the Microsoft Bing Search app to return web content and search results.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one that prevented users from dragging a file out of an archived folder to extract it with one of the newly supported archive formats, and another that had removed the USB icon and its options from the system tray.
The build has six known issues, including one in which explorer.exe crashes on the login screen when attempting to enter safe mode, and another in which some apps under All apps on the Start menu may incorrectly be labeled as a system component.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23521/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23521</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-2191-and-22631-2191">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2191 and 22631.2191</h3>
Release date: August 10, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2191 and 22631.2191.
Build 22631.2191 lets you set JXR files to be your desktop background, and if you have an HDR display, they will render in full HDR. In addition, you can now participate in the public preview of Windows 365 Switch, which provides the ability to easily move between a Windows 365 Cloud PC and the local desktop using the familiar keyboard commands, as well as a mouse-click or a swipe gesture through Task View on the Windows 11 taskbar. <a href="https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/windows-365-switch-now-available-in-public-preview/ba-p/3891857" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Go here for details about how to participate</a>.
Build 22631.2191 gets a variety of fixes, including for a bug in which File Explorer crashed when you went to its Home, and another in which the image in the File Explorer Details pane might get blurry after resizing the File Explorer window.
Build 22621.has six known issues, including one in which the context menu background in File Explorer sometimes appeared transparent.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.2191, you can check for updates and install 22631.2191.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2191-and-22631-2191/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2191 and 22631.2191</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2213">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2213</h3>
Release date: August 10, 2023
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This update adds a new hover behavior to the search box gleam. When you hover over it, the search flyout box appears. To can adjust this behavior, right-click the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings to change your search box experience.
The build also adds a new policy called “Enable optional updates” in which administrators can use it to configure the monthly, optional cumulative updates for commercial devices. You can also use this policy for the gradual <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/windows/b0aa0a27-ea9a-4365-9224-cb155e517f12" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Controlled Feature Rollouts (CFRs)</a>.
The update also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Group Policy Service did not wait for 30 seconds, the default wait time, for the network to be available. Because of this, policies were not correctly processed.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/10/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-2213-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2213</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25926">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25926</h3>
Release date: August 9, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build includes new features first released in the Dev Channel, including <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/07/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2048-and-22631-2048/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">improvements for Windows Ink</a>, <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23516/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">improved screen casting</a>, and <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/07/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23506/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">local file-sharing improvements</a>. The Snipping Tool has also been upgraded, with new buttons to edit in Paint for screenshots and edit in Clipchamp for screen recordings.
In addition, Notifications now show as a bell in the system tray, and when new notifications come through, the bell will colorize based on your system accent color. When there are no notifications and the clock is visible, the bell will be empty. Notification counts are no longer shown.
There’s one bug fix in which using devices with mobile broadband connectivity could not connect to a wireless network due to an issue with the APN configuration.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25926/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25926</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25921">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25921</h3>
Release date: August 4, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build lets you set JXR files to be your desktop background. If you have an HDR display, they will render in full HDR. In addition, for people logged into a Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise editions with an AAD account (<a href="https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-entra-azure-ad-blog/azure-ad-is-becoming-microsoft-entra-id/ba-p/2520436" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">soon to be Microsoft Entra ID</a>), there is a richer thumbnail preview (tooltips) when hovering over cloud files such as Word documents under Recommended on the Start menu. For this initial release, richer thumbnail previews will not be available for all files. An update will enable the experience for more files and for Microsoft account users.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25921/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25921</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23516">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23516</h3>
Release date: August 2, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build offers improvements to Windows screen casting, which lets you wirelessly extend your display to a nearby PC, TV, or other external display. The way in which you connect has been simplified and streamlined, and it’s easier to find nearby devices and displays to which you can cast.
The build also increases the ways in which you can use voice access, including to log into your PC and access other areas of the lock screen. You can turn on voice access from the accessibility flyout on the Lock screen or have it on automatically by checking the setting Start voice access before you sign in to your PC via Settings > Accessibility > Speech.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which the icons displayed in the tabs in File Explorer could have become out of sync with the current folder after navigating, and another in which multiple explorer.exe crashes harmed taskbar reliability.
The build has nine issues, including one in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process, and another in which search boxes in Microsoft 365 applications (such as Microsoft Word) might not work correctly.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23516/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23516</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-2129-and-22631-2129">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2129 and 22631.2129</h3>
Release date: July 26, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2129 and 22631.2129.
Build 22631.2129 includes a preview of <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2023/05/23/bringing-the-power-of-ai-to-windows-11-unlocking-a-new-era-of-productivity-for-customers-and-developers-with-windows-copilot-and-dev-home/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows Copilot for Windows 11</a>. The preview focuses solely on the user interface. Later builds will have new features. Click the New button on the taskbar (or use the keyboard shortcut Windows key + C) to launch Windows Copilot. Windows Copilot will use the same Microsoft account or Azure Active Directory (AAD) account used to sign in to Windows.
In addition, voice access can now use “correction” commands to correct words that have been misrecognized. The build also increases the ways in which you can use voice access, including to log into your PC and access other areas of the lock screen. You can turn on voice access from the accessibility flyout on the Lock screen or have it on automatically by checking the setting Start voice access before you sign in to your PC via Settings > Accessibility > Speech.
This build also offers improvements to Windows screen casting, which lets you wirelessly extend your display to a nearby PC, TV, or other external display. The way in which you connect has been simplified and streamlined, and it’s easier to find nearby devices and displays to which you can cast.
In the build, enterprise customers can now set the EnablePasswordlessExperience policy that promotes a user experience on AAD-joined machines for core authentication scenarios without requiring a password. This hides passwords from certain Windows authentication scenarios and leverages passwordless recovery mechanisms, such as WHFB PIN reset, if necessary.
Build 22631.2129 gets a variety of fixes, including one in which the dropdown in the address bar appeared totally blank, and another in which some of the app icons in the Startup Apps section of Task Manager were very tiny.
Both Build 22621.2129 and 22631.2129 have seven known issues, including one in which File Explorer crashes when you go to its Home, and another in which the context menu background in File Explorer sometimes appears transparent.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.2129, you can check for updates and install 22631.2129.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2129-and-22631-2129/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2129 and 22631.2129</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="insider-preview-builds-22621-2115-and-22631-2115">Insider Preview Builds 22621.2115 and 22631.2115</h3>
Release date: July 26, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2115 and 22631.2115.
In Build 22631.2115, Narrator users who interact with Traditional Chinese characters are now able to do this with confidence while using Narrator and the IME candidate window in Windows.
Both Build 22621.2115 and 22631.2115 get a variety of fixes, including one that makes brightness settings more accurate. It also fixes a bug in which you could not sign into hybrid joined devices if they were not connected to the internet. This occurred when you used a Windows Hello for Business PIN or biometric credentials.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.2115, you can check for updates and install 22631.2115.
Both Build 22621.2115 and 22631.2115 have eight known issues, one in which File Explorer crashed when you went to its Home, and another in which the context menu background in File Explorer sometimes appeared transparent.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/07/26/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2115-and-22631-2115/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Insider Preview Builds 22621.2115 and 22631.2115</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-2050-and-22631-2050">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2050 and 22631.2050</h3>
Release date: July 21, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2050 and 22631.2050.
Build 22631.2050 gets a modernized File Explorer Home, Address Bar, and Details Pane. Windows Ink has also been improved, allowing you to ink directly onto edit fields. Quick Settings gets a redesigned volume mixer. Improvements have been made in using passkeys rather than passwords when signing into websites. In addition, <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/security/threat-protection/microsoft-defender-smartscreen/phishing-protection-microsoft-defender-smartscreen?tabs=intune" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Enhanced Phishing Protection in Microsoft Defender SmartScreen</a> helps protect Microsoft school or work passwords against phishing and unsafe usage on sites and apps.
Build 22631.2050 gets bug fixes, including for a bug that was causing the context menu in File Explorer or on the desktop to draw in the wrong position (off screen or on the other monitor).
Build 22621.2050 received no changes. Note that if you receive Build 22621.2050, you can check for updates and install 22631.2050.
Build 22631.2050 has two known issues, one in which the “safely remove hardware” icon isn’t appearing when expected in the system tray, and another in Narrator in which you may see some of the strings are not localized to the selected language.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/07/21/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2050-and-22631-2050/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2050 and 22631.2050</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23506">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23506</h3>
Release date: July 19, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build offers, in the words of Microsoft, “a strong, phish-resistant credential” that will help organizations that use <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/3220967/windows-hello-for-business-next-gen-authentication-for-windows-shops.html">Windows Hello for Business</a> (WHFB) move to a secure, <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/05/04/how-microsoft-can-help-you-go-passwordless-this-world-password-day/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">passwordless future</a>. Enterprise customers can now <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/client-management/mdm/policy-csp-Authentication?WT.mc_id=Portal-fx#enablepasswordlessexperience" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">set the EnablePasswordlessExperience policy</a> that lets users on AAD joined machines authenticate without requiring a password. It hides passwords from certain Windows authentication scenarios and leverages passwordless recovery mechanisms, such as WHFB PIN reset, if necessary.
In addition, <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/security/threat-protection/microsoft-defender-smartscreen/phishing-protection-microsoft-defender-smartscreen?tabs=intune" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Enhanced Phishing Protection in Microsoft Defender SmartScreen</a> helps protect Microsoft school or work passwords against phishing and unsafe usage on sites and apps. Improvements have also been made to local file sharing, including a redesign of the sharing windows, and the ability to share files faster using Wi-Fi Direct.
The Windows Copilot preview, which began rolling out with Build 23493, is now available to all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Insiders may need to reboot to have it show up.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which explorer.exe might crash when dragging tabs, and another in which opening Home was crashing for some Insiders.
The build has more than a dozen issues, including one in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process, and another in which the context menu background in File Explorer may appear transparent. 
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/07/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23506/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23506</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2066">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2066</h3>
Release date: July 13, 2023
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This update makes brightness settings more accurate and fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which certain display and audio devices were missing after your system resumed from sleep and another that caused deadlock in Internet Protocol Security (IPsec). When you configured servers with IPsec rules, they stopped responding. This issue affected virtual and physical servers.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/07/13/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-2066-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2066</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-2048-and-22631-2048">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2048 and 22631.2048</h3>
Release date: July 13, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2048 and 22631.2048.
Build 22631.2048 gets the new Gallery feature in File Explorer to make it easier to access your photos. The content shown in Gallery is the same as what you’ll see in the All Photos view in the Photos app. It’s optimized for accessing your most recently taken photos. If you have OneDrive Camera Roll Backup set up on your phone, photos you take will show up automatically at the top of the view.
In addition, Build 22631.2048 displays the versioning updated under Settings > System > About (and winver) to version 23H2. This indicates that Windows 11, version 23H2 will be this year’s annual feature update, which will be delivered to customers similar to the most recent Windows 10 feature updates. <a href="https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/windows-client-roadmap-update-july-2023/ba-p/3871736" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 will have an annual feature update cadence</a> that releases in the second half of the calendar year.
Build 22631.2048 gets a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in Windows Explorer that led to explorer.exe crashes when opening a folder containing .WEBP files, and another that caused the taskbar to hang during initialization and not complete loading.
Build 22621.2048 received no changes. Note that if you receive Build 22621.2048, you can check for updates and install 22631.2048.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/07/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-2048-and-22631-2048/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2048 and 22631.2048</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25905">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25905</h3>
Release date: July 12, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build includes new features first released in the Dev Channel, including Dev Drive, Backup and Restore improvements (Windows Backup), Dynamic Lighting, the Windows App SDK version of File Explorer and Gallery, and others. Support for Arm32 UWP applications from Windows on Arm <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications#table3" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">has been removed</a>. There’s also New PostAuthenticationAction support for terminating individual processes in Windows LAPS.
This build is not being offered to Asus devices or PCs with Asus motherboards. There is one known issue, in which Ethernet-connected devices may lose network connectivity after updating to this build. Unplugging the Ethernet cable and re-plugging the cable in should resolve the issue.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/07/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25905/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25905</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23493">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23493</h3>
Release date: June 29, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build has an early look at <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2023/05/23/bringing-the-power-of-ai-to-windows-11-unlocking-a-new-era-of-productivity-for-customers-and-developers-with-windows-copilot-and-dev-home/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows Copilot for Windows 11</a> that focuses on the integrated UI experience and doesn’t have all of Copilot’s future capabilities, which will be released in future previews. To use Copilot in this flight, you must have Windows Build 23493 or higher in the Dev Channel, and Microsoft Edge version 115.0.1901.150 or higher.
Copilot appears as sidebar docked to the right side of the screen and stays open so you can access it while using applications. It lets you perform tasks such as:
<ul>
<li>“Change to dark mode.” </li>
<li>“Turn on do not disturb.” </li>
<li>“Take a screenshot.” </li>
<li>“Summarize this website” (the active tab in Microsoft Edge).</li>
<li>“Write a story about a dog who lives on the moon.” </li>
<li>“Make me a picture of a serene koi fishpond with lily pads.” </li>
</ul>
Many features are still missing, and not all of what was shown at Microsoft’s Build conference is available in this early version of Copilot. Copilot is not yet available for all Insiders, and will gradually be rolled out over time to them.
The build also has a new Settings home page which provides an overview of your device and quick access to key settings; it also helps manage your Microsoft account. It includes interactive cards that represent various device and account related settings, grouped by commonly accessed functions.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including improving the performance of archive functionality during compression on Windows, and fixing multiple explorer.exe crashes that were impacting taskbar reliability.
The build has more than two dozen known issues, including one in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process, and another in which the context menu background in File Explorer may appear transparent. 
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/06/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23493/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23493</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1972-and-22631-1972">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1972 and 22631.1972</h3>
Release date: June 29, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1972 and 22631.1972.
Build 22631.1972 previews the Windows App SDK version of File Explorer. Functionality in File Explorer remains unchanged; it just switches from using WinUI 2 to using WinUI 3. The build also fixes a single bug: the “Hide date and time in the System tray” switch is no longer backwards.
Both 22621.1972 and Build 22631.1972 get several new features, including additional capabilities and improvements to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. For more information, see <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/security/defender-endpoint/microsoft-defender-endpoint?view=o365-worldwide" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Microsoft Defender for Endpoint</a>. Both builds also let you authenticate across Microsoft clouds. This feature satisfies Conditional Access checks if they are needed.
Both 22621.1972 and Build 22631.1972 also get a variety of bug fixes, including for one that stopped Narrator from retaining your scan mode when you switched between browsers, and another in which Teams stopped alerting you about missed calls or messages.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.1972, you can check for updates and install 22631.1972.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/06/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1972-and-22631-1972/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1972 and 22631.1972</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23486">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23486</h3>
Release date: June 22, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build improves the use of passkeys, which can replace passwords when you sign into a website or application that supports them. You can now go to any app or website that supports passkeys to create and sign in using passkeys using Windows Hello. You can also manage passkeys stored on a Windows 11 device.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which the login screen was crashing when trying to connect to certain types of networks, and another in which Task Manager crashed for some people.
The build has more than two dozen known issues, including one in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process, and another in which the count shown for selected files in the File Explorer details pane may be extremely large.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/06/22/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23486/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23486</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1906 and 22631.1906</h3>
Release date: June 22, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1906 and 22631.1906. The former receives new features; the latter doesn’t.
In 22631.1906, you can now hide the time and date in the system tray. You can also view Wi-Fi passwords for your known networks via Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi and Manage known networks. Support has been added for bridging adapters via command line via <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/windows-server/networking/technologies/netsh/netsh" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">netsh</a>.
Both Build 22621.1906 and Build 22631.1906 fix a compatibility issue that occurs because of unsupported use of the registry. The builds also have one known issue, in which toggling on the Hide date and time in the System tray option will show the System Tray clock, while toggling it off will hide it. (In other words, it’s backwards.)
Note that if you receive Build 22621.1906, you can check for updates and install 22631.1906.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/06/22/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1906-and-22631-1906/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1906 and 22631.1906</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-build-22621-1926-kb5027303">Windows 11 Build 22621.1926 (KB5027303)</h3>
Release date: June 20, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This build introduces a wide variety of new features, including improved sharing of local files in File Explorer with Microsoft Outlook contacts, expanded rollout of notification badging for Microsoft accounts on the Start menu, and a <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/defender-endpoint/microsoft-defender-endpoint?view=o365-worldwide" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">variety of improvements to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint</a>.
It also fixes a number of bugs, including one that stopped Narrator from retaining your scan mode when you switched between browsers, and another in which Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 users were not always seeing the right location for a Remote Desktop session on their virtual machine or Cloud PC.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/06/20/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-1926-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1926</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1900-and-22631-1900">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1900 and 22631.1900</h3>
Release date: June 15, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1900 and 22631.1900.
In 22631.1900, to minimize distractions from notification toasts, Windows 11 now detects if the user is interacting with notification toasts or not and provides a suggestion to turn the toast banners off for such apps. In addition, Passpoint Wi-Fi networks now support enhanced connection performance and will display a URL in Quick Settings to provide information to users about the venue or event.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.1900, you can check for updates and install 22631.1900.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/06/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1900-and-22631-1900/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1900 and 22631.1900</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23481">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23481</h3>
Release date: June 14, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build improves Windows Ink by allowing users to enable inking directly onto edit fields. In addition, Microsoft says it has improved the accuracy of the recognition technology and a scratch-out gesture for when users need to make edits. It also removes a number of legacy settings under Folder Options in File Explorer, such as displaying file icons on thumbnails and using a sharing wizard.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one that caused a bugcheck when using Dev Drive, and another in which navigating the search flyout on the taskbar with the keyboard arrow keys did not work correctly.
The build has nearly two dozen known issues, including one in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process, and another in which the count shown for selected files in the File Explorer details pane may be extremely large.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/06/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23481/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23481</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1835-and-22631-1835">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1835 and 22631.1835</h3>
Release date: June 8, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1835 and 22631.1835.
In 22631.1835, there are new natural voices in Chinese and Spanish (Spain and Mexico) that allow Narrator users to comfortably browse the web, read, and write mail, and do more. It is also now easier to control whether to use cellular when Wi-Fi is available but poor, via a new toggle in Settings > Network & Internet > Cellular.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.1835, you can check for updates and install 22631.1835.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/06/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1835-and-22631-1835/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1835 and 22631.1835</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23475">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23475</h3>
Release date: June 7, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces several new features, including one in which File Explorer gets a new address bar and search box that recognizes local versus cloud folders and displays their status. For OneDrive, the address bar now contains OneDrive sync status and quota flyout.
The <a href="https://www.unicode.org/review/pri435/pri435-background-emoji-candidates.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Unicode Emoji 15</a> is also beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Users will now be able to see, search for, and insert new emoji from the emoji panel, including more hearts, animals, and one new smiley face.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which the taskbar didn’t always show the correct apps when using multiple desktops, and another in which some notifications caused explorer.exe crashes.
The build has 19 known issues, including one in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scrollbar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process, and another in which navigating the search flyout on the taskbar with the keyboard arrow keys does not work as expected.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/06/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23475/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23475</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25381">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25381</h3>
Release date: June 2, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
Beginning with Enterprise editions of this build, SMB signing is required by default for all connections. This changes the legacy behavior of Windows 10 and 11, which required SMB signing by default only when connecting to shares named <a href="https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/itops-talk-blog/how-to-defend-users-from-interception-attacks-via-smb-client/ba-p/1494995" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">SYSVOL and NETLOGON</a> and where Active Directory <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/security/threat-protection/security-policy-settings/microsoft-network-client-digitally-sign-communications-always" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">domain controllers</a> required SMB signing when any client connected to them. The move was made to improve security of Windows and Windows Server.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/06/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25381/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25381</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23471">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23471</h3>
Release date: June 1, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build lets you access your phone’s camera roll from the File Explorer Gallery. In addition, some Insiders will be able to tear out and merge tabs in File Explorer. The feature is just starting to roll out, so isn’t yet available to all Insiders.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which pressing Shift + F10 wasn’t opening the context menu in File Explorer, and another that was causing the taskbar to get cut off when switching to and from the tablet-optimized taskbar.
The build has 12 known issues, including one in which Insiders who have the new hover behavior for the search box and search highlight gleam will see an empty tooltip displayed momentarily while the gleam is hovered, and another in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/06/01/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23471/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23471</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1830-and-22631-1830">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1830 and 22631.1830</h3>
Release date: June 1, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1830 and 22631.1830.
In 22631.1830, WPA3 support has been added to the Phone Link instant hotspot feature for more secure connections to a phone’s hotspot. Fixes were also made to respect metered connection settings, reduce duplicate profiles, and show the phone’s display name in the network list.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.1830, you can check for updates and install 22631.1830.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/06/01/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1830-and-22631-1830/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1830 and 22631.1830</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25375">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25375</h3>
Release date: May 25, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build extends <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/compliance/dlp-create-deploy-policy?view=o365-worldwide" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Microsoft Endpoint Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies</a> and actions to endpoints running Windows on Arm (Arm64), which allows you to detect and protect sensitive data in files part of your digital ecosystem. This lets you introduce policy controls for scenarios such as when an information worker using a Windows endpoint powered by an Arm chipset from accessing sensitive files and trying an egress action such as copying to a USB or copying to clipboard, notepad, etc.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/05/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25375/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25375</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1825-and-22631-1825">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1825 and 22631.1825</h3>
Release date: May 25, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1825 and 22624.1825.
In both builds, users will see the full amount of storage capacity of all their OneDrive subscriptions. The total storage is now also visible on the Accounts page in the Settings app.
Both builds get a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which the Server Message Block (SMB) shared folder could not be accessed, instead displaying the error messages “Not enough memory resources” or “Insufficient system resources.” Also fixed was an issue affecting devices with multiple, discrete GPUs in which you were not able to choose the high-performance GPUs.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/05/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1825-and-22631-1825/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1825 and 22631.1825</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23466">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23466</h3>
Release date: May 24, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces Dev Drive, a new kind of storage volume that improves performance for key developer workloads. It’s built upon Resilient File System (ReFS) technology and has file system optimizations and features that enable developers to better manage their performance and security profile.
The build also adds new backup and restore capabilities to make moving to a new PC easier, and gets users quickly to a familiar desktop so they can become productive faster on their new PC. There are also a wide range of other, more minor features in this build, including the addition of links to advanced properties for network adapters and internet properties under Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which the taskbar in multi-monitor setups showed the indicator for an app window having focus on your screen when it actually didn’t, and another that caused search to crash on launch.
The build has 17 known issues, including one in which Insiders who have the new hover behavior for the search box and search highlight gleam will see an empty tooltip displayed momentarily while the gleam is hovered, and another in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/05/24/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23466/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23466</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25370">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25370</h3>
Release date: May 22, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build adds links to advanced properties for network adapters and internet properties under Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings, and includes support for vTPM (virtual Trusted Platform Module) in Hyper-V on Windows on Arm (Arm64) builds.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/05/22/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25370/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25370</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1776">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1776</h3>
Release date: May 11, 2023
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This update adds a wide variety of new features to Windows 11, including access key shortcuts in File Explorer that let you run a command in a context menu with a single keystroke. New voice-related features include live captions for several languages and voice access commands for a number of English dialects.
The build also improves the performance of search within Settings and adds a Settings page for USB4 hubs and devices. You can find it at Settings > Bluetooth & devices > USB > USB4 Hubs and Devices. This new page provides information about the system’s USB4 capabilities and the attached peripherals on a system that supports USB4.
These and many other new features will roll out slowly. To get them as soon as possible, open Settings > Windows Update and turn on the Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available toggle and check for updates. (The toggle is not enabled for devices managed by Windows Update for Business or WSUS.)
The update also fixes numerous bugs, including one in which the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) stopped working when you used Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), and another in which the Windows Firewall could not apply the correct domain and profile for devices joined to Azure Active Directory (Azure AD).
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/05/11/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-1776-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1776</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1755-and-22624-1755">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1755 and 22624.1755</h3>
Release date: May 9, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1755 and 22624.1755.
Build 22624.1755 fixes two bugs, one in which Settings crashed when attempting to uninstall an app while using grid view, and another in which the Pinyin IME’s insert text button wasn’t displaying correctly in some cases.
Builds 22621.1755 and 22624.1755 get a bug fix in which in the Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) might stop responding.
There are two known issues in this build, including one in which when you launch the widgets board for the first time, you may see momentarily placeholders of the widgets/feed cards of the old 2-column layout even if your device supports three columns.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.1755, you can check for updates and install 22624.1755.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/05/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1755-and-22624-1755/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1755 and 22624.1755</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23451">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23451</h3>
Release date: May 4, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces a details pane in File Explorer that displays contextual information about files including file thumbnails, share status and button, file activity, related files and emails, and other information. It also adds a Facebook widget. To use the widget, you’ll first have to download the Facebook app from the Microsoft Store.
The widget picker has been redesigned with an image that gives a visual preview of the widget before pinning, a deep linking ability that allows users to jump directly to the picker from the provider app/service, and a link to the widgets collection page in the Microsoft Store where users can discover more apps with widgets.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including an explorer.exe crash that made the taskbar unreliable, and another one that caused the Recommended section in Start to be blank the first time it was opened.
The build has 11 known issues, including one in which some people may not see the search box on the taskbar and/or the settings to adjust the search box experience on the taskbar after updating to Build 23403, and another in which when you open the search flyout, you may see the content flicker before the content finishes loading.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/05/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23451/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23451</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1690-and-22624-1690">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1690 and 22624.1690</h3>
Release date: May 4, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1690 and 22624.1690. Both builds get a Facebook widget. To use it you’ll first have to download the Facebook app from the Microsoft Store.
Those who get Build 22624.1690 get a variety of bug fixes, including for a Task Manager bug in which random processes sometimes were grouped under Microsoft Edge even though they weren’t related, and another in which resizing Task Manager from the top of the window didn’t work properly.
There are two known issues in this build, including one in which when you launch the widgets board for the first time, you may see momentarily placeholders of the widgets/feed cards of the old 2-column layout even if your device supports three columns.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.1690, you can check for updates and install 22624.1690.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/05/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1690-and-22624-1690/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1690 and 22624.1690</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25357">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25357</h3>
Release date: May 4, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build adds a Facebook widget and a new volume mixer design in Quick Settings. To use the Facebook widget you’ll first have to download the Facebook app from the Microsoft Store.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/05/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25357/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25357</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25352">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25352</h3>
Release date: April 28, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build rolls out a new widget picker that gives a visual preview of the widget before pinning, as well as a linking ability that allows users to jump directly to the picker from the provider app/service as well as a link to the widgets Store collection page where users can discover more apps with widgets.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/04/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25352/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25352</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1680-and-22624-1680">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1680 and 22624.1680</h3>
Release date: April 27, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1680 and 22624.1680. Those in both builds get a revamped widgets board with a larger canvas (three-column if supported by the device) and new zones to provide users access to glanceable widgets from their apps and services and their personalized feeds.
Build 22624.1680 fixes a number of bugs, including one in which the touch keyboard and PIN entry wasn’t appearing on the login screen for touch-capable PCs, and another in which searching for service host in the Processes section didn’t return any results.
Both 22621.1680 and 22624.1680 get a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which endpoints in SMB Direct weren’t always available on systems that use multi-byte character sets, and another in which signed Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policies were not applied to the Secure Kernel when you enabled Secure Boot.
There are two known issues in this build, including one in which when you launch the widgets board for the first time, you may see momentarily placeholders of the widgets/feed cards of the old 2-column layout even if your device supports 3 column.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.1680, you can check for updates and install 22624.1680, which has the new features.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/04/27/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1680-and-22624-1680/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1680 and 22624.1680</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1616-and-22624-1616">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1616 and 22624.1616</h3>
Release date: April 20, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1616 and 22624.1616. Those in 22624.1616 get new language support for Danish, English (Ireland), French (Canada), Korean, and Portuguese (Portugal).
Build 22624.1616 fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which the touch keyboard didn’t correctly recognize that a hardware keyboard was available in some cases, and another in which live captions crashed on first launch due to an issue impacting registry data retrieval.
There are four known issues in this build, including one in which a Shift + right-click on a file or folder is not opening “Show more options.”
Note that if you receive Build 22621.1616, you can check for updates and install 22624.1616, which has the new features and bug fixes.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/04/20/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1616-and-22624-1616/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1616 and 22624.1616</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23440">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23440</h3>
Release date: April 19, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
In this build, you can now hide the time and date in the system tray. Turn the feature on by right-clicking on the system tray clock and choosing “Adjust date and time.” The desktop icon for Windows Spotlight has also been updated.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including several explorer.exe crashes that were impacting taskbar reliability, and an issue in Language & region settings that caused language feature installation progress to be hidden.
The build has 10 known issues, including one in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions, and another in which some people may not see the search box on the taskbar and/or the settings to adjust the search box experience on the taskbar after updating to Build 23403.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/04/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23440/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23440</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25346">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25346</h3>
Release date: April 19, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build lets <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/content-adaptive-brightness-control-in-windows-292d1f7f-9e02-4b37-a9c8-dab3e1727e78" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Content Adaptive Brightness Control</a> (CABC) run on devices such as laptops and 2-in-1’s that are plugged into a charger. CABC dims or brighten areas of a display or monitor based on the content being displayed, with the goal of striking a balance between reduced power consumption with visual experience to save battery life.
Other changes include new presence sensor privacy settings and APIs. If you have a device with compatible presence sensors, you can now manage your privacy and block/allow certain apps from accessing these sensors.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/04/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25346/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25346</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23435">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23435</h3>
Release date: April 14, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces the new Gallery feature of File Explorer, which shows what you see in the All Photos view in the Photos app, while giving you the file-management capabilities and navigation of File Explorer. Note that it isn’t yet available to all Dev Channel Insiders.
A variety of bugs have been fixed, including several in explorer.exe that made the taskbar less reliable. The build also improves the performance of the expand all / collapse all view options on the Task Manager’s Processes page.
The build has a dozen known issues, including one in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions, and another in which some people may not see the search box on the taskbar and/or the settings to adjust the search box experience on the taskbar after updating to Build 23403.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/04/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23435/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23435</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1610-and-22624-1610">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1610 and 22624.1610</h3>
Release date: April 13, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1610 and 22624.1610. Those in 22624.1610 get new presence sensor privacy settings and APIs. If you have a device with compatible presence sensors, you can now manage your privacy and block/allow certain apps from accessing these sensors. No images or metadata is collected by Microsoft, and all processing is done locally on the device hardware to maximize privacy.
Both 22621.1610 and 22624.1610 get a new toggle under Settings > Windows Update for “getting the latest updates as soon as they are available.” This new toggle is meant to be used in the Beta Channel to allow Insiders to switch more seamlessly to <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/kb5003791-update-to-windows-10-version-21h2-by-using-an-enablement-package-8bc077be-18d7-4aac-81ce-6f6dad2cd384" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">the enablement package</a>.
Build 22624.1610 fixes a bug that caused a noticeable increase in explorer.exe crashes in the last flight for some Insiders.
Both 22621.1610 and 22624.1610 fix a compatibility issue that occurred because of unsupported use of the registry.
There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which certain languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.1610, you can check for updates and install 22624.1610, which has the new features.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/04/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1610-and-22624-1610/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1610 and 22624.1610</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1631">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1631</h3>
Release date: April 13, 2023
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This update adds a new toggle control on the Settings > Windows Update page. When you turn it on, your device will opt in to receive future non-security updates as soon as they are available. For commercial customers, the toggle is disabled by default. It also changes firewall settings. You can now configure application group rules.
The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Microsoft Edge IE mode in which the Tab Window Manager stopped responding, and another that affects the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) process. It might stop responding. Because of this, the machine restarts. The error is 0xc0000005 (STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION).
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/04/13/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-1631-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1631</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1546-and-22624-1546">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1546 and 22624.1546</h3>
Release date: April 7, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1546 and 22624.1546. Those in the 22624.1546 group will see several new features, including one in which search performance has been improved in Settings, and another in which pressing the print screen key will now open Snipping Tool by default. This setting can be turned off via Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard.
Build 22624.1546 also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which text input features like the touch keyboard, voice typing, and emoji panel didn’t always launch, and another in which some of the details in the Performance page wouldn’t display properly until you resized the window or changed pages back and forth.
There are six known issues in this build, including one in which certain languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.
Note that if you receive Build 22621.1546, you can check for updates and install 22624.1546, which has the new features.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/04/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1546-and-22624-1546/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1546 and 22624.1546</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23430">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23430</h3>
Release date: April 7, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
In this build, urgent or important notifications that appear when “do not disturb” is turned on while using apps at full screen will now display a “View notification” button, instead of showing the notification itself, to protect your privacy.
In addition, for developers, there is a new setting under Settings > Privacy & security > For developers to enable “end task” when right-clicking an app on the taskbar. Although the setting is included in this build, it does not currently work. It will be fixed in a future build.
There are also several bug fixes, including for a bug in which text input features like the touch keyboard, voice typing, and emoji panel might not have launched. In addition, the Task Manager search box is no longer cropped at the top when a window is maximized.
The build has nine known issues, including one in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions, and another in which if you have the Bing button in the search box on the taskbar and you restart your computer, you may see the daily rotating search highlight for some time before getting the Bing button back.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/04/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23430/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23430</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25336">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25336</h3>
Release date: April 7, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build improves search performance in Settings. In addition, people with two or more discrete graphics adapters with no integrated graphics can now choose which of the discrete graphics adapters is considered high-performance. To do it, navigate to Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Default graphics settings and select which of the discrete graphics adapters you would like to be designated as the default high-performance GPU.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/04/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25336/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25336 </a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1537-and-22624-1537">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1537 and 22624.1537</h3>
Release date: March 31, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1537 and 22624.1537. Those in 22624.1537 will see several new features, including one in which access key shortcuts have been added into the XAML context menu in File Explorer. An access key is a one keystroke shortcut that allows a keyboard user to quickly execute a command in a context menu. The build also has a new set of features to aid the collection of live kernel memory dumps (LKDs).
In builds 22621.1537 and 22624.1537, once you have access to the new Bing, the search box on the taskbar will include a button that opens the Bing chat experience in Edge. If you don’t have access, the search box on the taskbar will feature a dynamic search highlight button. The change is being rolled out, and not everyone will see it yet.
Build 22624.1537 fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which an unexpected error message appeared when opening Group Policy Editor.
Builds 22621.1537 and Build 22624.1537 both get a number of bugs fixed, including one in which audio glitching or screeching may have occurred when the system was under a heavy load or woke from sleep, and another in which Clustered Shared Volume (CSV) failed to come online if you enabled BitLocker and local CSV managed protectors, and the system recently rotated the BitLocker keys.
There are five issues in this build, including one in which certain languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/03/31/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1537-and-22624-1537/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1537 and 22624.1537</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23424">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23424</h3>
Release date: March 30, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build revamps the widget board with a larger canvas (3 columns if supported by the device) and new zones to provide users quick access to glanceable widgets from their apps and services as well as enable users to take a break with their personalized feed.
It also fixes a number of bugs, including one in Task Manager in which the search icon could end up overlapping the Task Manager icon in the title bar, and another in which voice access was taking some time to turn on after using the wake-up command.
The build has eight known issues, including one in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions, and another in which if you have the Bing button in the search box on the taskbar and you restart your computer, you may see the daily rotating search highlight for some time before getting the Bing button back.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/03/30/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23424/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23424</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25330">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25330</h3>
Release date: March 30, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build introduces several changes to the Microsoft Store, including new purchase dialog styles that align better with Windows 11, and a new interface for the in-app ratings dialogue.
In addition, the Remote Desktop Connection setup window (mstsc.exe) now follows the text scaling settings under Settings > Accessibility > Text Size. In cases where the text scaling is very large, it will show a scrollbar. The print screen key will now open the Snipping Tool by default.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/03/30/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25330/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25330</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25324">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25324</h3>
Release date: March 23, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
This build offers a revamped widgets board, with a larger canvas (3 columns if supported by the device) and dedicated sections for widgets and feed content with a clear separation between them. There is also a new USB4 hubs and devices Settings page for users under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > USB > USB4 Hubs and Devices. USB4 enables new productivity scenarios for docking, high performance peripherals, displays and charging.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/03/23/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25324/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25324</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1470-and-22624-1470">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1470 and 22624.1470</h3>
Release date: March 23, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22624.1470 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.1470 update that fewer new features and bug fixes.
In Build 22624.1470 there is a new USB4 hubs and devices Settings page for users under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > USB > USB4 Hubs and Devices. USB4 enables new productivity scenarios for docking, high performance peripherals, displays and charging.
In both builds, the search box on the taskbar will be lighter when Windows is set to a custom color mode. When Windows 11 mode is set to dark, and the app mode is set to light under Settings > Personalization > Colors, and you will see a lighter search box on taskbar.
Builds 22621.1470 and 22624.1470 have a number of new bug fixes, including for an issue in which double-clicking the search highlight glyph in the search box made it disappear. Build 22624.1470 fixes an additional bug, in which live captions did not work for Chinese Traditional on Arm64 devices.
There are several known issues in this build, including one in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/03/23/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1470-and-22624-1470/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1470 and 22624.1470</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23419">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23419</h3>
Release date: March 22, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build offers a number of new features, including several developer-focused ones that aid the collection of live kernel memory dumps (LKDs). This is in addition to the existing “Memory dump” for user mode processes.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Narrator read the position before the name on system tray icons, and another which caused explorer.exe to crash when opening Home if certain content was visible in the Recent section.
The build has nine known issues, including one in which clicking on the “Remove from list” command in File Explorer doesn’t work, and another in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/03/22/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23419/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23419</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1483">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1483</h3>
Release date: March 21, 2023
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This build includes several new features, including one in which notifications for Microsoft accounts are now on the Start menu. (Note that this feature is available to only a small number of people and will roll out to more in the next several months.)
The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which Windows classified USB printers as multimedia devices even though they are not, and another in which Windows Search failed inside of Windows container images.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/03/21/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-1483-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1483</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1465-and-22624-1465">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1465 and 22624.1465</h3>
Release date: March 16, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1465 and 22624.1465. Those in the 22624.1465 group will see a variety of new features, including live captions in more languages, updated touch keyboard settings, and the multi-app kiosk mode, a lockdown feature that allows an IT administrator to select a set of allowable apps to run on the device, while all other functionalities are blocked.
Builds 22621.1465 and 22624.1465 both get phase three of Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) hardening. (See <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/topic/kb5004442-manage-changes-for-windows-dcom-server-security-feature-bypass-cve-2021-26414-f1400b52-c141-43d2-941e-37ed901c769c" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">KB5004442</a> for details.) They also get a fix for a bug that affects a computer account and Active Directory, in which when you reuse an existing computer account to join an Active Directory domain, joining fails.
There are five issues in this build, including one in which certain languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/03/16/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1465-and-22624-1465/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1465 and 22624.1465</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-1757">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.1757</h3>
Release date: March 16, 2023
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which Microsoft PowerPoint stopped responding when you used accessibility tools, and another in which the command line failed when you set the system locale to Japanese and cmd.exe was configured in legacy mode.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/03/16/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-1757-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.1757</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25314">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25314</h3>
Release date: March 8, 2023
Released to: Canary Channel
The first build to be released to the new Canary Channel offers a number of new features, including one in which File Explorer recommends files that are most relevant to what people are currently working on. It is available to users signed into Windows with an Azure Active Directory (AAD) account. Files that are recommended are cloud files associated with that account, either owned by the user or shared with the user. (Note that this feature has not yet rolled out to all insiders in the Canary Channel. Microsoft is gathering feedback about it before introducing it more widely.)
The build also adds access key shortcuts into the XAML context menu in File Explorer. An access key is a one-keystroke shortcut that allows a keyboard user to quickly execute a command in a context menu. Each access key corresponds with a letter in the display name.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/03/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25314/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25314</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-23403">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23403</h3>
Release date: March 8, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build offers a number of new features, including one in which File Explorer recommends files that are most relevant to what people are currently working on. It is available to users signed into Windows with an Azure Active Directory (AAD) account. Files that are recommended are cloud files associated with that account, either owned by the user or shared with the user. (Note that this feature has not yet rolled out to all insiders in the Dev Channel. Microsoft is gathering feedback about it before introducing it more widely.)
The build also adds access key shortcuts into the XAML context menu in File Explorer. An access key is a one-keystroke shortcut that allows a keyboard user to quickly execute a command in context menu. Each access key corresponds with a letter in the display name.
Live captioning is also now available in more languages, and touch keyboard settings have been updated with new options that control how tapping an edit control should launch the touch keyboard.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the search box randomly disappeared, and another in which File Explorer sometimes unexpectedly jumped into the foreground.
The build has 10 known issues, including one in which clicking on the “Remove from list” command in File Explorer doesn’t work, and another in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/03/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-23403/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23403</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25309">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25309</h3>
Release date: March 2, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build lets you customize audio settings on a per-app basis using the volume mixer in Quick Settings. In addition, the in-app command help page for voice access has been redesigned so you can more quickly find the settings you want. New voice commands have also been added, including selecting a range of text in a text box and deleting all text in a text box.
It fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which some USB devices (including keyboards and mice) weren’t working in builds 25295 and above, another that could have caused the taskbar to appear duplicated when making resolution changes, and another in which under certain circumstances third-party widgets weren’t loading as expected.
The build has 10 known issues, including one in which launching Group Policy Editor may show an error about a displayName attribute not being found, and another in which some AAD (Azure Active Directory) joined users are seeing “Getting ready for you” screens when signing into Windows after updating the latest builds.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/03/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25309/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25309</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1391-and-22624-1391">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1391 and 22624.1391</h3>
Release date: March 2, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1391 and 22624.1391. Those in 22624.1391 will see a redesigned in-app command help page for voice access so you can more quickly find the settings you want. New voice commands have also been added, including selecting a range of text in a text box and deleting all text in a text box.
Builds 22621.1391 and 22624.1391 both get two bug fixes, one that improves the reliability of Windows after you install an update, and another that fixes an issue in which Notification Center, Quick Settings, and taskbar jump lists were not working for some Insiders.
There is one known issue in this build – the redesigned in-app help page in voice access may not include all commands and the supplementary information may be inaccurate.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/03/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1391-and-22624-1391/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1391 and 22624.1391</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-build-22621-1343">Windows 11 Build 22621.1343</h3>
Release date: February 21, 2023
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This build includes a variety of new features, including one that shows search results in a flyout box as you type them in the taskbar’s search box. For devices joined to Azure Active Directory (AAD), this update provides AI-powered recommended content on the Start menu.
You can now also get recommendations to help to improve the energy efficiency of your PC and reduce your carbon footprint. Go to Settings > System > Power & Battery > Energy Recommendations for them. In the Task Manager, you can now filter processes using the binary name, PID, or publisher name. The filter also applies when you switch between pages. The keyboard shortcut is Alt-F.
The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which using a provisioning package for bulk provisioning for Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) failed, and another in which after you ran Sysprep on a domain-joined, the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) might have stopped responding.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/02/21/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-1343-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Build 22621.1343</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1325-and-22623-1325">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1325 and 22623.1325</h3>
Release date: February 16, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1325 and 22623.1325. Both builds get support for new preview widgets for Messenger, Spotify, Phone Link, and Xbox (Game Pass). In 22623.1325, devices that are Azure Active Directory (AAD) joined now receive AI-powered recommended, personalized content on the Start menu.
Both builds get a wide variety of bug fixes, including one in which lsass.exe sometimes stopped responding when it sent a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query to a domain controller that had a very large LDAP filter. In Build 22623.1325 a bug that caused the taskbar to be cut off after resolution change was fixed.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/02/16/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1325-and-22623-1325/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1325 and 22623.1325</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25300">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25300</h3>
Release date: February 15, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build adds live captioning in several new languages, including Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, and other English dialects. In addition, it adds several different treatments for <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/apps/desktop/modernize/apply-snap-layout-menu" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">snap layouts</a> and is looking for feedback on them.
It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which some people experienced issues authenticating to enterprise websites that require windows integrated authentication, and another in which the “Find more widgets” feature in the widgets picker didn’t work.
The build has 17 known issues, including one in which Launching Group Policy Editor may show an error about a displayName attribute not being found, and another in which under certain circumstances third-party widgets may not load as expected.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/02/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25300/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25300</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25295">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25295</h3>
Release date: February 9, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces a copy button for quickly copying two-factor authentication (2FA) codes in notifications from apps installed on a PC or from phones linked to the PC. In addition, the new search design for the taskbar that began rolling out with Build 25252 is now available for all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. You can change the treatment of search on the taskbar by going to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Items.
The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which the update history page under Settings > Windows Update > Update history was blank for some users after installing Build 25290, and another in which the Add a Device dialog had an unexpectedly big border.
The build has 14 known issues, including one in which some users are experiencing issues authenticating to enterprise websites that require windows integrated authentication, and another in which the “Find more widgets” option in the widgets picker doesn’t work.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/02/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25295/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25295</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1255-and-22623-1255">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1255 and 22623.1255</h3>
Release date: February 9, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
In both builds, <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/01/19/tabs-in-notepad-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">tabs in Notepad</a> are beginning to be rolled out. Build 22623.1255 also has several bug fixes, including for a bug in which results disappeared when using search on the App History page, and another in which Process names typed into the search box were unexpectedly getting spellchecked.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/02/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1255-and-22623-1255/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1255 and 22623.1255</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1250-and-22623-1250">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1250 and 22623.1250</h3>
Release date: February 2, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1250 and 22623.1250. Both updates get a new policy for IT administrators to manage how the search box on the taskbar appears in their organizations. <a href="https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/customizing-search-on-the-windows-11-taskbar/ba-p/3730314" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">This blog post has details.</a>
Build 22623.1250 also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the search box would randomly disappear sometimes when you clicked it, leaving a blank space on the taskbar, and another in which ending processes in the Task Manager’s Details tab wasn’t showing a confirmation dialog.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/02/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1250-and-22623-1250/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1250 and 22623.1250</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25290">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25290</h3>
Release date: February 1, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces two new widgets, one for <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/store/productId/9NCBCSZSJRSB" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Spotify</a> and one for the <a href="https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/phone-link/9NMPJ99VJBWV" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Phone Link</a> app. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one which an explorer.exe crash which could cause the taskbar not to load for some people, and another in which some dialogs did not render in the correct theme when applied from the Task Manager Settings page.
The build has 14 known issues, including one in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which “Find more widgets” in the widgets picker doesn’t work.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/02/01/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25290/">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25290</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1245-and-22623-1245">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1245 and 22623.1245</h3>
Release date: January 26, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1245 and 22623.1245. Builds 22621.1245 and 22623.1245 both fix a wide variety of bugs, including one in which copying from a network to a local drive was slower than expected for some users, and another that affected searchindexer.exe, which randomly stopped you from signing in or signing out.
Build 22623.1245 gets several additional bug fixes, including for several issues that caused Task Manager to crash, and one in which certain parts of its title bar couldn’t be used to drag the window.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/01/26/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1245-and-22623-1245/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1245 and 22623.1245</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25284">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25284</h3>
Release date: January 25, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces a new widget for the Messenger app. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused some apps to hang or crash when saving files as PDF, and another in the taskbar and system tray in which right-clicking on some icons in the hidden icons flyout would make the flyout dismiss rather than bringing up the context menu for that icon.
The build has 15 known issues, including one in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which some Task Manager dialogs may not render in the correct theme when applied from Task Manager Settings page. Note that the build is not being offered to Arm64 devices due to an issue that causes the devices to get stuck at the OS boot logo.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/01/25/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25284/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25284</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25281">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25281</h3>
Release date: January 19, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build marks the beginning of Microsoft trying different treatments for how Windows Spotlight looks, using what Microsoft calls a “richer UI around displaying the title and description and learning more information about the image displayed on your desktop via Spotlight.” To enable Windows Spotlight on your PC, right-click your desktop and choose “Personalize,” then choose the new Spotlight theme.
It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which explorer.exe would crash when closing File Explorer, and another in which SSID wasn’t being populated on the properties page for Wi-Fi in Network & Internet Settings.
The build has seven known issues, including one in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which some Task Manager dialogs may not render in the correct theme when applied from Task Manager Settings page.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/01/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25281/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25281</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1180-and-22623-1180">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1180 and 22623.1180</h3>
Release date: January 19, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.1180 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.1180 update that has new features but no bug fixes.
Both builds update the Settings app with new cloud storage visuals on the Accounts page, including a bar that shows your storage usage for each product and lets you know if you’re running low on storage. Outlook attachment data is also shown. (This change will roll out gradually to Insiders.)
Build 22623.1180 has a variety of bug fixes, including one in which explorer.exe crashed when trying to load certain app icons, and another which prevented the taskbar from showing in Safe Mode when using the new search box option.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/01/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1180-and-22623-1180/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1180 and 22623.1180</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1192">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1192</h3>
Release date: January 17, 2023
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This build changes the way in which preview .NET Framework updates are shown. From now on, future preview (optional) .NET Framework updates will be displayed on the Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates page. On that page, you can control which optional updates you want to install.
It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including an issue that affected searchindexer.exe and randomly stopped you from signing in or signing out. It also fixed one that affected the Domain Name System (DNS) suffix search list. When you configured it, the parent domain might have been missing.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/01/17/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-1192-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1192</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25276">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25276</h3>
Release date: January 12, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces developer-focused features in Task Manager to help collecting live kernel memory dumps (LKDs). This is in addition to the existing “Memory dump” for user mode processes. The build also adds new information to the visual overview of cloud storage usage in Settings app — it now shows Outlook attachment data.
It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which switching windows through taskbar previews wasn’t working, and another in which explorer.exe would crash when opening File Explorer.
The build has eight known issues, including one in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which some Task Manager dialogs may not render in the correct theme when applied from Task Manager Settings page.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/01/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25276/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25276</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25272">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25272</h3>
Release date: January 5, 2023
Released to: Dev Channel
This build moves Quick Assist out of Windows Tools so it displays directly in the Start menu’s All apps list and is easier to find. It also adds a refresh button to the Windows print queue.
The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in the Task Manger in which filtering by publisher name did not match correctly on the Processes page, and another in which the Task Manager did not display light and dark content correctly, rendering potentially unreadable text.
The build has eight known issues, including one in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which some Task Manager dialogs may not render in the correct theme when applied from Task Manager Settings page.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/01/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25272/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25272</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1095-and-22623-1095">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1095 and 22623.1095</h3>
Release date: January 5, 2023
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.1095 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.1095 update with fewer new features and bug fixes.
In Build 22623.1095, Quick Assist has been moved out of Windows Tools, so it displays directly in the Start menu’s All apps list and is easier to find.
In Builds 22621.1095 and 22623.1095, the search box design in the Start menu has been updated with more rounded corners to reflect the design of the search box on the taskbar.
Build 22623.1095 has a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in Task Manager in which filtering by publisher name did not match correctly on the Processes page.
Builds 22621.1095 and 22623.1095 fix a number of bugs, including one that affected how fast you could copy items from a network to a local computer. For some users, the copy speed was slower than expected.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/01/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1095-and-22623-1095/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1095 and 22623.1095</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1037-and-22623-1037">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1037 and 22623.1037</h3>
Release date: December 15, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.1037 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.1037 update that has fewer new features and bug fixes.
Build 22623.1037 gets a wide variety of voice access improvements, including many new commands, such as for opening and closing applications, releasing a held down key, and showing a grid overlay on the screen.
Builds 22621.1037 and 22623.1037 both get several new treatments for how search looks on the taskbar. They can be found by going to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Items.
Build 22623.1037 has a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug that caused Task Manager to become unresponsive when using its search box, and another that caused explorer.exe crashes.
Builds 22621.1037 and 22623.1037 have two bug fixes, one for a bug that caused Task Manager to display certain elements in the user interface (UI) in unexpected colors, and another in which the decryption of a certificate private key failed in Data Protection Application Programming Interface (DPAPI) decryption.
Both builds have seven known issues, including one in which some services may not show in the Task Manager’s Services page after filtering is applied, and another in which the search box on the taskbar does not render correctly and displays visual artifact
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/12/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1037-and-22623-1037/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1037 and 22623.1037</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25267">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25267</h3>
Release date: December 14, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build makes two minor changes: Search on the taskbar now has rounded corners, and the Windows Security (firewall) notification dialogs now match Windows 11 visuals.
It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused the Bluetooth section of Quick Settings to crash for some people, and another in which using “Browse for Folder” from an app was only showing Desktop (and no other folders) for some people.
The build has 17 known issues, including one in which various UI elements in apps are disappearing and reappearing, another in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which filtering by publisher name does not match correctly on the Processes page.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/12/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25267/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25267</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25262">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25262</h3>
Release date: December 9, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build removes the sign-in requirement for using the widgets board and adds a link to <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/windows/solve-pc-problems-over-a-remote-connection-b077e31a-16f4-2529-1a47-21f6a9040bf3" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Quick Assist</a> at the bottom of Settings > System > Troubleshooters, to help if you’re having issues with your PC. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused secondary drives or other PCI devices to not be viewable for some Insiders, another in which auto-hiding the taskbar would stop working after you had interacted with the hidden icons flyout, and another in which explorer.exe would crash when opening certain items from the Recent section in File Explorer.
The build has 18 known issues, including one in which various UI elements in apps disappear and reappear, another in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which filtering by publisher name does not match correctly on the Processes page.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/12/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25262/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25262</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1028-and-22623-1028">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1028 and 22623.1028</h3>
Release date: December 6, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.1028 update that has multiple new bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.1028 update that has only one bug fix.
There are several bug fixes for 22623.1028, including for an issue in which auto-hiding the taskbar would stop working after you had interacted with the hidden icons flyout in the system tray, and another in which the sleep recommendation on the Energy Recommendations page and Battery & Power page were sometimes inconsistent.
One bug was fixed in both Build 22621.1028 and 22623.1028, in which GPU performance debugging features lowered the performance of games.
Both builds have eight known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which some services may not show in the Task Manager’s Services page after filtering is applied.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/12/06/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1028-and-22623-1028/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1028 and 22623.1028</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25252">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25252</h3>
Release date: November 28, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build adds a VPN status icon into the system tray when connected to a recognized VPN profile. The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including multiple explorer.exe crashes that impacted system tray performance, another that caused folders in Start menu to not open on the first try, and another that could put your PC to sleep although it was configured to not sleep.
The build has 21 known issues, including one in which various UI elements in apps are disappearing and reappearing, another in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which filtering by publisher name does not match correctly on the Processes page.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/11/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25252/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25252</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-1020-and-22623-1020">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1020 and 22623.1020</h3>
Release date: November 28, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get Build 22623.1020, which has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive Build 22621.1020, which has only bug fixes.
In Build 22623.1020, there is support for new Braille displays and new Braille input and output languages in Narrator.
There are several bug fixes for 22623.1020, including for one that crashed explorer.exe in safe mode, another that caused certain third-party app icons in the system tray to be unresponsive, and another in which the Delete key didn’t work in the search box.
A number of bugs were fixed in both Build 22621.1020 and 22623.1020, including one in which the Settings app failed to open a page under the Accounts category, and another that caused File Explorer to stop working when you closed context menus and menu items.
Both builds have ten known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet posture
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/11/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1020-and-22623-1020/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1020 and 22623.1020</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25247">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25247</h3>
Release date: November 18, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build lets you access <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/windows/manage-cameras-with-camera-settings-in-windows-11-97997ed5-bb98-47b6-a13d-964106997757" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows Studio effects</a> directly from Quick Settings on the taskbar, for devices that have a supported Neural Processing Unit (NPU). The build also begins the rollout of Energy Recommendations under Settings > System > Power & Battery > Energy Recommendations. Following the recommendations may improve the energy efficiency of your PC and reduce your carbon footprint.
In addition, Task Manager lets you use process filtering, letting you filter the binary name, PID or publisher name. The Settings app now has new visuals on the Accounts page to provide a visual overview of your cloud storage usage across Microsoft products.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that didn’t allow you to input text using the touch keyboard/PIN entry keyboard on the login screen, another that caused the NVIDIA icon in the system tray to show empty notifications, and several that led to multiple explorer.exe crashes that harmed taskbar performance.
The build has 15 known issues, including one in which various UI elements in apps are disappearing and reappearing, another in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which filtering by publisher name does not match correctly on the Processes page.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/11/18/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25247/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25247</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-898">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.898</h3>
Release date: November 17, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
In this build, Microsoft OneDrive subscribers will get storage alerts on the Systems page in the Settings app when they are close to their storage limits. The full amount of storage capacity from all of someone’s OneDrive subscriptions will also be displayed.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that stopped modern applications from opening, another that affected transparency in layered windows when you were in High Definition remote applications integrated locally (RAIL) mode, and another that caused File Explorer to stop working when you closed context menus and menu items.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/11/17/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-898-to-the-release-preview-channel/">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.898</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-891-and-22623-891">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.891 and 22623.891</h3>
Release date: November 10, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.891 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.891 update that has only bug fixes.
In Build 22623.891, the Task Manager gets several improvements, including filtering processes using the binary name, PID, or publisher name. You can now also use your preferred theme in Task Manager regardless of the active Windows theme.
There are several bug fixes for 22623.891, including for a bug that caused the do not disturb icon to disappear while in do not disturb mode, and multiple issues that caused explorer.exe crashes, impacting the performance of the taskbar.
A number of bugs were fixed in both Build 22621.891 and 22623.891, including one in which File Explorer failed to localize folders, and another that affected the Windows Firewall service when the Override block rules option was turned on.
Both builds have 10 known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet posture.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/11/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-891-and-22623-891/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Insider Preview Builds 22621.891 and 22623.891</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-885-and-22623-885">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.885 and 22623.885</h3>
Release date: November 7, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.885 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.885 update that has fewer features and bug fixes.
In Build 22623.885, <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/windows/manage-cameras-with-camera-settings-in-windows-11-97997ed5-bb98-47b6-a13d-964106997757" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows Studio effects</a> can now be accessed directly from Quick Settings on the taskbar, for devices that have a supported Neural Processing Unit (NPU). The build also has several minor changes, including support for the use of clipboard history (Windows key + V) on password fields.
In both 22623.885 and 22621.885, you can now expand the size of your widgets board.
There are several bug fixes for 22623.885, including several related to the taskbar and system tray. The performance of deleting files via File Explorer when emptying the recycle bin or using Shift + Delete has been improved when there are a large number of files being deleted at once.
In both 22623.885 and 22621.885, an issue in which modern applications couldn’t open has been fixed.
Both builds have four known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet posture.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/11/07/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-885-and-22623-885/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Insider Preview Builds 22621.885 and 22623.885</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25236">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25236</h3>
Release date: November 2, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including issues related to the taskbar that were impacting explorer.exe reliability, and another in which natural voices such as Guy or Jenny were not speaking in Narrator.
The build has 13 known issues, including one in which the taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which various UI elements in apps are disappearing and reappearing.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/11/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25236/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25236</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-875-and-22623-875">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.875 and 22623.875</h3>
Release date: October 27, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.875 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.875 update that has only bug fixes.
In Build 22623.875, the tablet-optimized taskbar that began rolling out with Build 22623.730 is now available.
There are several bug fixes for both 22623.875 and 22621.875, including one that affected transparency in layered windows. This occurs when you are in High-Definition remote applications integrated locally (RAIL) mode.
Both builds have four known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet posture.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/10/27/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-875-and-22623-875/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.875 and 22623.875</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25231">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25231</h3>
Release date: October 27, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one that prevented some users from using FIDO to unlock a PC if it was connected to an external display with the laptop lid closed, and another in which certain network cameras were not being added when selected under Bluetooth & Devices > Cameras.
The build has 14 known issues, including one in which the taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which various UI elements in apps are disappearing and reappearing.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/10/27/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25231/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25231</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-870-and-22623-870">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.870 and 22623.870</h3>
Release date: October 20, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.870 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.870 update, which has only some new bug fixes.
In Build 22623.870, Task Manager has been added to the context menu when right-clicking on the taskbar. It also has a new Narrator braille driver solution that automatically changes Braille drivers when switching between Narrator and third-party screen readers.
Build 22623.870 also has a number of bug fixes, including one that improves how touch gestures and their animations with the tablet-optimized taskbar work with the touch keyboard, and another that fixes an issue which caused explorer.exe to crash when dragging icons in the system tray,
There are several bug fixes for both 22623.870 and 22621.870, including one that caused vertical and horizontal line artifacts to appear on the screen, and another that did not allow the Microsoft Azure Active Directory (AAD) Application Proxy connector to retrieve a Kerberos ticket on behalf of the user. The error message was, “The handle specified is invalid (0x80090301).
Both builds have four known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet posture
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/10/20/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-870-and-22623-870/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.870 and 22623.870</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-754">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.754</h3>
Release date: October 19, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This build includes a variety of small improvements, including new choices for biometric data for Windows Hello Face and Fingerprint, new settings for your Microsoft account, and the addition of Task Manager to the context menu when you right-click the taskbar.
It fixes a variety of bugs, including one that slowed down the Windows Search Service, and another that affected the Microsoft Azure Active Directory (AAD) Application Proxy connector, in which it cannot retrieve a Kerberos ticket on behalf of the user. The error message was, “The handle specified is invalid (0x80090301).”
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/10/19/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-754-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.754</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25227</h3>
Release date: October 19, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build includes improvements for update management for IT administrators by making a variety of changes to the Update Stack Orchestrator. It also introduces some very small changes to the Start menu, widgets, Settings, voice typing, and input.
It fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused explorer.exe to crash while switching between apps on the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which dragging content across an open Start menu folder could cause a crash.
The build has seven known issues, including one in which the taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet postures, and another in which various UI elements in apps are disappearing and reappearing.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/10/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25227/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25227</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-1163">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.1163</h3>
Release date: October 18, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
The build improves Windows search results and performance, and adds Task Manager to the context menu when you right-click the taskbar. It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which in Microsoft Direct3D 9 games the graphics hardware stopped working if the hardware did not have a native Direct3D 9 driver.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/10/18/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-1163-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.1163</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-746-and-22623-746">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.746 and 22623.746</h3>
Release date: October 13, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get Build 22623.746 with new features. The other group will receive Build 22621.746 with the new features turned off by default.
Those who get Build 22623.746 will get preliminary support to rearrange System Tray icons. System Tray updates are still rolling out and are not available to all Insiders yet. If your PC does not have these changes, your System Tray experience will remain the same as before.
A number of bugs have been fixed only in Build 22623.746, including one for the tablet-optimized taskbar, in which the gesture to slide the Start menu open from the bottom of the screen using touch might have stopped following your finger.
In both Build 22621.746 and Build 22623.746, the ms-appinstaller Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) has been enabled to work for the DesktopAppInstaller.
Both builds have five known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which dragging the system tray icons may cause explorer.exe to crash.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/10/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-746-and-22623-746/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.746 and 22623.746</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-675">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.675</h3>
Release date: October 11, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
The build enables a variety of new features that began rolling out to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2 last week, including tabs for File Explorer; Suggested Actions, which suggests actions you might want to take on items you copy, such as recommending making a call with Skype if you copy a phone number; the taskbar overflow menu, which shows you all your overflowed apps in one space; and the ability to share to more devices.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/10/11/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-675-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.675</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-741-and-22623-741">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.741 and 22623.741</h3>
Release date: October 10, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.741 update that has new bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.741 update that has only some new bug fixes.
In Build 22623.741, the bug fixes include several for the tablet-optimized taskbar, including one in which it sometimes collapsed when it should have been expanded if there were no running windows on the desktop, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar would crash explorer.exe if you entered the overflow flyout.
There are two bug fixes for both 22621.741 and 22623.741: one in which Server Manager could reset the wrong disk when several disks have the same UniqueId, and another in which localization issues for some setup files stopped you from creating installation media for non-English languages.
Both builds have four known issues, including one in which audio has stopped working for some Insiders, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/10/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-741-and-22623-741/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.741 and 22623.741</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25217">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25217</h3>
Release date: October 6, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the taskbar sometimes collapsed when it should be expanded if there are no running windows on the desktop, and another in which when switching between windows, the entire window flashed black for a frame while rendering.
The build has eight known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which the taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet postures.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/10/06/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25217/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25217</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="october-2022-feature-rollout">October 2022 feature rollout</h3>
Release date: October 4, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
Insiders in the Release Preview Channel who have upgraded to Windows 11 22H2 and installed the <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/september-30-2022-kb5017389-os-build-22621-608-preview-62f353a0-696a-49d8-a78f-a14910f30ae3" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">KB5017389 build</a> will begin to see several new features, including one of the most significant ones left out of Windows 11 22H2 — tabs in File Explorer like those in browsers. Among other File Explorer improvements are the ability to pin important files on its home page for easy access to them. You’ll also be able to see actions that colleagues take on your shared files.
In addition, with a new feature called Suggested Actions, when you copy phone numbers or future dates, Windows provides suggestions for what you might want to do with them, such as making a call with Teams or Skype or adding an event in the Calendar app.
The new taskbar overflow menu shows all of your taskbar apps on a single menu entry. Also, there are new sharing features, letting you discover and share to more devices.
Note that initially not all Insiders will get these new features. They’ll be gradually rolled out.
(Get more info about the <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/10/04/rolling-out-new-features-for-windows-11-version-22h2-in-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">October 2022 feature rollout</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25211">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25211</h3>
Release date: September 29, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces new settings to the Widgets pane and makes them easier to access than previous settings. It also adds Task Manager to the context menu that appears on the taskbar when you right-click it.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which command bar items like copy, paste, and empty recycle bin may unexpectedly not be enabled when they should be, and another in which Settings would crash when changing your mobile hotspot name.
The build has 10 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which the taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop and tablet postures.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/09/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25211/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25211</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-730-and-22623-730">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.730 and 22623.730</h3>
Release date: September 29, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.730 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.730 update that has new features and some new bug fixes turned off by default.
In Build 22623.730, the tablet-optimized taskbar has been reintroduced. In addition, File Explorer search will show results as you type. Among the bugs fixed are one that caused parts of the taskbar or its icons to get stuck in the wrong theme’s colors when switching between light and dark themes.
There are a wide variety of bug fixes for both 22621.730 and 22623.730, including for one that stopped you from signing in to various Microsoft 365 apps, and another that caused updates to the Microsoft Store to fail.
Both builds have six known issues, including one in which audio has stopped working for some Insiders, and another in which when there are no running windows on the desktop, the taskbar can sometimes collapse, when it should be expanded.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/09/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-730-and-22623-730/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.730 and 22623.730</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-607">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.607</h3>
Release date: September 22, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This build for Windows 11 22H2 fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that that caused updates to the Microsoft Store to fail, another that stopped you from signing into various Microsoft Office 365 apps, and another in which Task Manager stopped working when you switched between light and dark mode or changed the accent color.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/09/22/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-607-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.607</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25206">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25206</h3>
Release date: September 21, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build improves the security of the SMB server service by implementing a delay between each failed NTLM authentication in the <a href="https://aka.ms/smbauthratelimiter" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">SMB authentication rate limiter</a>. This means, for example, if an attacker previously sent 300 brute force attempts per second from a client for 5 minutes (90,000 passwords), the same number of attempts would now take at least 50 hours.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which OneDrive setup unexpectedly asked for permission to set up every time your PC rebooted, and another in which the Windows Sandbox window resized incorrectly when you snapped it to the side of the screen.
The build has 13 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which command bar items like Copy, Paste, and Empty Recycle Bin may unexpectedly not be enabled when they should be.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/09/21/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25206/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25206</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-601-and-22622-601">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.601 and 22622.601</h3>
Release date: September 21, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22622.601 update, which would normally have new bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.601 update, which would normally have most new bug fixes turned off by default. In this instance, however, the builds are identical.
The build fixes four bugs, including one in which clicking the network icon on the Lock screen crashed the Lock screen, and another that affected Dual SIM calling. If you selected no SIM on your phone and initiated a call on your device, Dual SIM functionality would not work.
Both builds have one known issue, in which audio stops working for some Insiders.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/09/21/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-601-and-22622-601/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.601 and 22622.601</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-598-and-22622-598">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.598 and 22622.598</h3>
Release date: September 12, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22622.598 update that has new bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.598 update that has most new bug fixes turned off by default.
For those who get Build 22622.598, among the bugs fixed are one that wouldn’t allow you to interact with the top part of File Explorer (with the address bar) when File Explorer was full screen, and another in which File Explorer command bar items like copy, paste, and empty recycle bin were not enabled when they should have been.
There are several bug fixes for both Build 22621.598 and 22622.598, including one that created a duplicate print queue, and another in Roaming User Profiles in which after you signed in or out, some of your settings were not restored.
Both builds have one known issue, in which clicking the network icon on the Lock screen does not work, may crash the Lock screen, and may require you to reboot to log in.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/09/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-598-and-22622-598/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.598 and 22622.598</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25197">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25197</h3>
Release date: September 8, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
The build reintroduces the touch-optimized taskbar for using your device as a tablet. Your taskbar will automatically transition to the optimized version when you disconnect or fold back the keyboard on your 2-in-1 device. In addition, animated icons are being rolled out in the Settings app.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused parts of the taskbar or its icons like search to get stuck in the wrong theme’s colors when switching between light and dark theme, and another that led to Settings crashing when removing devices.
The build has 13 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which command bar items like copy, paste, and empty recycle bin may unexpectedly not be enabled when they should be.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/09/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25197/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25197</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25193">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25193</h3>
Release date: September 1, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces new Xbox subscription management details in the Windows 11 Settings app. If you are a member of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Xbox Game Pass for Console or Xbox Live Gold, you can now see your subscription details via Settings > Accounts.
It also fixes a variety of bugs, including several that were leading to sporadic explorer.exe crashes related to the taskbar overflow, one that caused the Start menu to crash on launch for some people when Search Highlights was enabled, and one in File Explorer in which certain files couldn’t be unpinned from the Favorites section of Home after you’d pinned them.
The build has 10 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/09/01/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25193/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25193</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-590-and-22622-590">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.590 and 22622.590</h3>
Release date: September 1, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22622.590 update that has new bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.590 update that has most new bug fixes turned off by default.
For those who get Build 22622.590, among the bugs fixed are one in which the Control Panel could not launch from the Start menu search or if pinned to the taskbar, one in which there was a memory leak when closing File Explorer windows, and several that made the taskbar overflow cause sporadic explorer.exe crashes.
There are several bug fixes in both builds, including for one in which cldflt.sys caused a bug check when it used with Microsoft OneDrive.
Both builds have three known issues, including one in which audio has stopped working for some Insiders, and another in which command bar items like copy, paste, and empty recycle bin may unexpectedly not be enabled when they should be.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/09/01/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-590-and-22622-590/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.590 and 22622.590</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25188">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25188</h3>
Release date: August 24, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
The build updates touch keyboard settings to replace the “Show the touch keyboard when there’s no keyboard attached” checkbox under Settings > Time & language > Typing > Touch keyboard with a new dropdown menu with three options to control whether tapping an edit control should launch the touch keyboard.
It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the taskbar overflow was impacting explorer.exe reliability and another that caused Start’s recommendations to show one column instead of two.
The build has 10 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/08/24/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25188/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25188</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-586-and-22622-586">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.586 and 22622.586</h3>
Release date: August 24, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22622.586 update that has new bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.586 update that has most new bug fixes turned off by default.
In Build 22622.586, among the bugs fixed are one that caused the left half of the File Explorer title bar to not be draggable via mouse or touch, and another that caused the taskbar overflow flyout to unexpectedly appear on the opposite side of the screen.
There are several bug fixes for both Build 22621.586 and 22622.586, including one that caused domain credentials to not work for some Insiders, and another that forced the IE mode tabs in a session to reload.
Both builds have four known issues, including one in which audio has stopped working for some Insiders, and another in which the taskbar isn’t able to display if File Explorer is maximized and you have the taskbar set to auto-hide.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/08/24/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-586-and-22622-586/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.586 and 22622.586</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-457-kb5016695">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.457 (KB5016695)</h3>
Release date: August 23, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
The build introduces several new minor features and fixes a variety of bugs for Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint’s ability to identify and intercept ransomware and advanced attacks has been enhanced, and files can be compressed regardless of its size if you have configured Server Message Block (SMB) Compression.
Bugs fixed include one that caused Windows to display tablet mode features for some devices that do not have touchscreens, and another that caused Microsoft Edge to stop responding when you use IE mode.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/08/23/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-457-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.457</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25182">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25182</h3>
Release date: August 17, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the taskbar overflow flyout unexpectedly appeared on the opposite side of the screen, another in which a Start menu crash prevented apps from launching from Start, and another in which the camera light on laptops became stuck after people logged into their PCs.
The build has 11 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bugcheck.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/08/17/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25182/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25182</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-22000-917-kb5016691">Windows 11 Insider Preview 22000.917 (KB5016691)</h3>
Release date: August 16, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
The build enhances Microsoft Defender for Endpoint’s ability to identify and intercept ransomware and advanced attacks, and gives IT admins the ability to remotely add languages and language-related features.
It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that caused ServerAssignedConfigurations to be null in a few full-configuration scenarios, another that degraded BitLocker performance, and another that prevented virtualized App-V Microsoft Office applications from opening or causes them to stop working.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/08/16/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-917-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview 22000.917</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25179">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25179</h3>
Release date: August 10, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
The File Explorer tabs and navigation updates which began rolling out to some people in the Dev Channel with Build 25136 are rolling out to everyone in this build. If you don’t see them, reboot your PC.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the min/max/ close buttons were not visible in File Explorer when using a contrast theme, and another in which the taskbar overflow flyout unexpectedly appeared on the opposite side of the screen.
The build has 13 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bugcheck.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/08/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25179/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25179</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.575 and 22622.575</h3>
Release date: August 10, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22622.575 update that has new features. The other group will receive the Build 22621.575 update that has new features turned off by default.
In those who get Build 22622.575, middle clicking a folder in the navigation pane of File Explorer will now open it in a new tab, like clicking a folder in the body of File Explorer already does.
A number of bugs have been fixed only in Build 22622.575, including two in File Explorer, one in which the dividers in the navigation pane were overlapping or drawing too close to text, and another in which the left/right arrows were in light mode when you were using dark mode, causing them to not have enough contrast to show when they were enabled
There are several bug fixes for both 22621.575 and 22622.575, including one that prevented you from opening a URL if the URL’s length is more than 2084 characters. The update supports a URL of up to 8192 characters.
Both builds have 10 known issues, including one in which the up arrow is misaligned in File Explorer tabs, and another in which the left-half of the File Explorer title bar may not be draggable via mouse or touch.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/08/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-575-and-22622-575/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.575 and 22622.575</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25174">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25174</h3>
Release date: August 3, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
The build introduces the Game Pass Widget, which shows you the latest additions, games leaving soon, and games from highlighted categories in the PC Game Pass Library. You can use the widget to go to the Xbox app to see game reviews and install games.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which explorer.exe crashed when opening new File Explorer windows, and another in which some PCs were crashing when going to System > Storage > Disks & Volumes.
The build has 14 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number appeared misaligned on the taskbar and another in which the Delete key doesn’t work to delete files in File Explorer.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/08/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25174/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25174</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-450-and-22622-450">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.450 and 22622.450</h3>
Release date: August 2, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. As a general rule, one group gets build updates that have new features, while the other receives build updates that have most new features turned off by default.
In this instance, however, the builds are identical and include several minor changes and fixes. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint’s ability to identify and intercept ransomware and advanced attacks has been improved, and storage replication that occurs over low bandwidth or congested wide area networks (WAN) is being done more efficiently.
Among the bugs fixed are one that caused Windows to display tablet mode features for some devices that do not have touchscreens, one that caused some application windows to have blank sections in the Task View preview, and one that caused Microsoft Edge to stop responding when you use IE mode.
The builds have five known issues, including one in which the up arrow is misaligned in File Explorer tabs and another in which the left half of the File Explorer title bar may not be draggable via mouse or touch.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/08/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-450-and-22622-450/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.450 and 22622.450</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-317">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.317 </h3>
Release date: July 28, 2022 
Released to: Release Preview Channel 
The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in that prevented troubleshooters from opening, another that caused the Smart App Control to block catalog-signed files, and another that distorted photos taken with the Camera app when using certain cameras under certain low light conditions. 
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/07/28/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-317-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.317</a>.) 
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25169">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25169 </h3>
Release date: July 28, 2022 
Released to: Dev Channel 
The build introduces kiosk mode, a lockdown Windows 11 feature that allows an IT administrator to select a set of allowable apps to run on the device, while all other functionalities are blocked. Several other new features have been introduced as well, including an update to the US English (EN-US) handwriting model that makes it faster and more accurate. 
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which an explorer.exe crash sometimes prevented taskbar from loading when launching Microsoft Teams meetings, and another in which after using the reveal password button in the Wi-Fi section of Quick Settings, the text unexpectedly lost focus. 
The build has seven known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check. 
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/07/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25169/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25169</a>.) 
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-440-and-22622-440">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.440 and 22622.440 </h3>
Release date: July 28, 2022 
Released to: Beta Channel 
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get Build 22622.440 with new features. The other group will get receive Build 22621.440 with most new features turned off by default. 
Those who get Build 22622.440 will get the new taskbar overflow feature, in which when the taskbar goes over its maximum capacity for notifications and icons, you’ll be able to click an icon which will launch an overflow menu showing the taskbar icons that aren’t being displayed. 
In both 22621.440 and Build 22622.440, the weather, news, and finance widgets offer live updates. 
A number of bugs have been fixed only in Build 22622.440, including one that caused explorer.exe crashes when docking and undocking monitors, and another caused a memory leak when using tabs with File Explorer. 
Both builds have five known issues, including one in which the up arrow is misaligned in File Explorer tabs, and another in which left half of the File Explorer title bar may not be draggable via mouse or touch. 
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/07/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-440-and-22622-440/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.440 and 22622.440</a>.) 
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25163">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25163</h3>
Release date: July 20, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
The build introduces the new taskbar overflow feature: When the taskbar goes over its maximum capacity for notifications and icons, you’ll be able to click an icon that will launch an overflow menu showing the taskbar icons that aren’t being displayed.
The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which explorer.exe crashed when tabs were dragged around, and another in which the File Explorer “Add new tab” button wasn’t clearly visible when using Aquatic or Desert contrast themes.
The build has nine known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible; another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they will relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top; and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/07/20/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25163/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25163</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-436-and-22622-436">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.436 and 22622.436</h3>
Release date: July 19, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get Build 22622.436 with new features. The other group will receive Build 22621.436 with new features turned off by default.
Those who get Build 22622.436 will be able to use UDP and Bluetooth to discover and share files with more devices. In addition, Windows Terminal is being made the default terminal in Windows 11, so all command line applications will open in it, including Command Prompt and PowerShell.
A number of bugs have been fixed in both Build 22621.436 and Build 22622.436, including one that prevented troubleshooters from opening, and another that led to a loss of network connectivity after turning on mobile hotspots.
Build 22622.436 fixes several additional bugs, including an explorer.exe crash when dragging tabs around.
Both builds have one known issue, in which the up arrow is misaligned in File Explorer tabs.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/07/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-436-and-22622-436/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.436 and 22622.436</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-build-22000-829-kb5015882">Windows 11 Build 22000.829 (KB5015882)</h3>
Release date: July 14, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This build lets you receive urgent notifications when focus assist is on. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that prevented troubleshooters from opening, one that caused port mapping conflicts for containers, and another that caused Windows to stop working when you enabled Windows Defender Application Control with the Intelligent Security Graph feature turned on.
The build has one known issue: On some devices, Widgets may crash in the background upon logging in and show the static default icon instead of populating and updating to show the weather.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/07/14/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-829-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Build 22000.829</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25158">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25158</h3>
Release date: July 13, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
The build introduces notification badging for Widgets. When a Widget has new content, it displays a small notification on the bottom left of the taskbar. When you open the Widget board, you’ll get more information about the notification.
There are also a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which explorer.exe would crash when navigating OneDrive in File Explorer, and another in which the Start menu would crash when it loaded.
The build has nine known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible; another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they will relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top; and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/07/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25158/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25158</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="update-to-windows-subsystem-for-android-on-windows-11-version-2205-40000-14-0">Update to Windows Subsystem for Android on Windows 11 (version 2205.40000.14.0)</h3>
Release date: July 6, 2022
Released to: All Insider channels
This update for Windows Subsystem for Android on Windows 11 includes advanced networking, which enables app access to local network devices for ARM computers. IPv6 and VPN connectivity has also been turned on. The Windows Subsystem for Android Settings app has been updated accordingly: the IP address has been removed from the Developer section in the Settings app because the subsystem no longer has a different IP from your computer.
Note that some VPNs may not work with advanced networking. If you use a VPN and find Android apps do not have network connectivity, disable Advanced Networking in the Windows Subsystem for Android Settings app.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/07/06/update-to-windows-subsystem-for-android-on-windows-11-july-2022/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Update to Windows Subsystem for Android (version 2205.40000.14.0)</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-builds-22621-290-and-22622-290">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.290 and 22622.290</h3>
Release date: July 5, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get Build 22622.xxx updates that have new features. The other group will get receive Build 22621.xxx updates that have new features turned off by default.
Those who get Build 22622.290 will have a new feature in to make everyday tasks quicker in Windows 11 through inline suggested actions. When you copy a date, time, or phone number, Windows will suggest actions relevant to you such as creating calendar events or making phone calls with your favorite apps. The build also displays OneDrive storage alert and subscription management in Settings. Those who get Build 22621.290 do not get the new features.
A number of bugs have been fixed in both Build 22621.290 and Build 22622.290, including one that caused the Take Photo button to disappear when you use a common file dialog to open the camera, and another that prevented Microsoft Edge from being available in Windows Sandbox.
Build 22622.290 fixes several additional bugs, including fixing a scaling issue that could result in the tabs being unexpectedly large.
Both builds have two known issues, one of which causes cyclical crashes in Windows UI components (like explorer.exe), making it appear that the screen is flashing. If you are impacted, running the following command from an elevated PowerShell window should resolve it:
<code>Add-AppxPackage -Register -Path C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.UI.Xaml.CBS_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AppxManifest.xml -DisableDevelopmentMode -ForceApplicationShutdown</code>
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/07/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-290-22622-290/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.290 and 22622.290</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-222621-169">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 222621.169</h3>
Release date: June 30, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This build adds minor improvements, such as support for Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3 in Windows client and server Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) implementation, and Server Message Block (SMB) redirector (RDR) specific public File System Control (FSCTL) code FSCTL_LMR_QUERY_INFO. In addition, a number of bugs were fixed, including one that prevented Microsoft Edge from being available in Windows Sandbox, and another that caused install from media (IFM) creation for Active Directory to fail with the error “2101 JET_errCallbackFailed.”
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/06/30/releasing-windows-11-build-22621-165-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 222621.169</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25151">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25151</h3>
Release date: June 29, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
The build fixes several bugs, including one in File Explorer in which a scaling issue caused tabs to be unexpectedly large.
The build has eight known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, another in which some Widgets preferences unexpectedly get reset to default, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/06/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25151/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25151</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25145">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25145</h3>
Release date: June 22, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
The build incorporates the legacy Local Administrator Password Solution product (LAPS) directly into Windows and adds new features, including extending Active Directory schema by running the Update-LapsADSchema cmdlet in the new LAPS PowerShell module. The build also displays OneDrive Standalone 100GB subscriptions in the Accounts page within Settings, letting you see your recurring billing, payment method, and OneDrive storage usage.
The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which tab order when using Ctrl-Tab was wrong if you had rearranged the tabs in File Explorer, and another that caused Settings to crash when going to Bluetooth & Devices > Printers & Scanners.
The build has nine known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, another in which some Widgets preferences unexpectedly get reset to default, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/06/22/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25145/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25145</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-776">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.776</h3>
Release date: June 16, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This build introduces search highlights, which display notable moments about each day, including holidays, anniversaries, and other events globally and in your region. To see more details at a glance, hover or click on the illustration in the search box.
There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug that prevented the use of Encrypted File System files over a WebDAV connection, another that sometimes caused Windows 11 to stop working when installing an application without network connectivity, and another that prevented Bluetooth from reconnecting to some audio devices after restarting the devices.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/06/16/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-766-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.776</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25140">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25140</h3>
Release date: June 15, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in File Explorer where the active tab color didn’t match the command bar below it, one in Task Manager that caused a crash when switching modes in pages other than the Processes page, and one that caused audio to stop playing in certain apps after a minute.
The build has nine known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (such as video players) prevent live captions from being visible, another in which the up arrow is misaligned in File Explorer tabs, and another in which shutting down via the Start is unexpectedly rebooting instead.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/06/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25140/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25140</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-160-kb5014770">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.160 (KB5014770)</h3>
Release date: June 13, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
This build introduces tabs in File Explorer and a redesigned layout in File Explorer’s left navigation pane to make it easier to navigate to folders you use frequently.
The build has one known issue, in which the up arrow is misaligned in File Explorer tabs.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/06/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-160/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.160</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25136">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25136</h3>
Release date: June 9, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces tabs in File Explorer and a redesigned layout in File Explorer’s left navigation pane to make it easier to navigate to folders you use frequently. Some dynamic widgets in the taskbar have gotten new features, including live content from the weather widget, live updates from the sports and finance widgets, and breaking news alerts.
There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including one that caused Start to only show one column of recommended items, and another in which Windows Update unexpectedly showed error 0x00000000 when there wasn’t anything wrong.
The build has seven known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they will relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/06/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25136/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25136</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621</h3>
Release date: June 7, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
<a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/06/07/releasing-windows-11-version-22h2-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Microsoft has now released Build 22621</a>, which was <a href="#22621">previously released to the Beta Channel</a>, to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel. This signifies that the build is the shipping version of Windows 11 22H2 (more or less) and is ready for final testing by corporate IT departments.
Commercial devices enrolled in the Windows Insider Program for Business within the Release Preview Channel will automatically be offered Windows 11 22H2 as an optional update (as long as they meet the <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/windows-11-requirements" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">hardware requirements</a> for Windows 11). Noncommercial Windows Insider devices can seek out Build 22621 via Settings > Windows Update.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/05/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25131">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25131</h3>
Release date: June 2, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build fixes several bugs, including one that caused File Explorer to hang when browsing folders with lots of .mkv files, and another in Settings in which the “Listen to this device” audio option would stop working after a reboot until being unchecked and rechecked.
The build has five known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible; another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they will relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top; and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/06/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25131/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25131</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-706">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.706</h3>
Release date: May 19, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This build introduces Windows spotlight, which displays new photos on your desktop background every day. To turn it on, go to Settings > Personalization > Background > Personalize your background, and choose Windows spotlight.
The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that failed to display the Application Counters section in the performance reports of the Performance Monitor tool, one that failed to maintain the display brightness after you change the display mode, and another that caused some users to see a black screen when they signed in and out of Windows.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/05/19/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-706-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.706</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25120">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25120</h3>
Release date: May 18, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces a new widget that lets you search the web directly from your desktop. It also fixes several bugs, including one in Task Manager that caused unreadable text to appear in the Performance page when a contrast theme was enabled, and another that could crash Settings when opening and looking at the battery usage graph.
The build has three known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, and another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they will relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/05/18/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25120/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25120</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-25115">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25115</h3>
Release date: May 11, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build has a new feature called suggested actions. With it, when you copy a date, time, or phone number, Windows will suggest related actions such as creating a calendar event or making a phone call with an app. The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in File Explorer that displayed the error 0x800703E6 when copying files from Google Drive, and another that caused the Task Manager to become unreadable in dark mode when the CPU reached 100%.
The build has three known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, and another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/05/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25115/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25115</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621</h3>
Release date: May 11, 2022
Released to: Beta Channel
This build fixes several bugs, including one in File Explorer that displayed the error 0x800703E6 when copying files from Google Drive, and another that caused Smart App Control to block correctly signed applications.
The build has two known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, and another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/05/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22616">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22616</h3>
Release date: May 5, 2022
Released to: Dev and Beta Channels
This build fixes a wide variety of bug fixes, including one in which the widgets board did not open successfully when using the opening gesture from the side of the screen, another in which performance and reliability of explorer.exe degraded over time, eventually resulting in a bug check, and another in which using the 3-finger on-screen touch gesture for minimizing windows could cause animations to stop working across the system.
The build has two known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, and another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions are run will relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/05/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22616/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22616</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22610">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22610</h3>
Release date: April 29, 2022
Released to: Dev and Beta Channels
This build adds the following new MDM and group policies for IT administrators:
<ul>
<li>Disable Quick Settings flyout</li>
<li>Disable Notification Center and calendar flyouts</li>
<li>Disable all taskbar settings</li>
<li>Disable search (across Start and taskbar)</li>
<li>Hide Task View from taskbar</li>
<li>Block customization of ‘Pinned’ in Start</li>
<li>Hide ‘Recommended’ in Start</li>
<li>Disable Start context menus</li>
<li>Hide ‘All apps’ in Start</li>
</ul>
It also updates the Family Safety widget that includes a new location sharing view that shows where your family members are using the Family Safety app.
There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which an Administrative Template error no longer popped up when opening Group Policy editor, another that prevented Shift + Right-click on a taskbar icon from opening the expected context menu, and another in which app icons like Microsoft Edge were cut off on the bottom in Start’s all apps list.
The build has five known issues, including one in which the widgets board may not open successfully when using the gesture from the side of the screen, and another in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/04/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22610/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22610</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-preview-build-22000-651-kb5012643">Windows 11 Preview Build 22000.651 (KB5012643)</h3>
Release date: April 14, 2022
Released to: Release Preview Channel
This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which a memory leak affected Windows systems that are in use 24 hours each day of the week, another that caused video subtitles to be partially cut off, and another in which mobile device management (MDM) policies were not allowed on Windows Enterprise editions that were upgraded to Enterprise using Azure AD-joined subscription entitlement.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/04/14/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-651-to-the-release-preview-channel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Preview Build 22000.651</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22598">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22598</h3>
Release date: April 13, 2022
Released to: Dev and Beta Channels
This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which File Explorer’s context menu sometimes did not render completely and was sometimes transparent, and another in which the Task Manager’s memory composition graph was blank instead of filled in with the appropriate color.
The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which the widgets board may not open successfully when using the gesture from the side of the screen, another in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, and another in which the taskbar doesn’t always automatically collapse after launching an app or tapping outside of the expanded taskbar on 2-in-1 devices. 
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/04/13/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22598/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22598</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22593">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22593</h3>
Release date: April 6, 2022
Released to: Dev and Beta Channels
In this build, recent and pinned files displayed in Home are now searchable using the search box in File Explorer, even if they are not local files, so you can find Office files recently shared with you.
There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which app icons were unexpectedly animating in from the upper left of the taskbar when launching a new app, another that caused Windows Spotlight to unexpectedly stop updating for a prolonged period of time, and another that caused Narrator to read dialog buttons incorrectly in scan mode.
The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which the widgets board may not open successfully when using the gesture from the side of the screen, and another in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/04/06/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22593/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22593</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22581">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22581</h3>
Release date: March 23, 2022
Released to: Dev and Beta Channels
This build includes several minor changes to the taskbar, including having the top border line extend across the entire taskbar regardless of device type. There are also a wide variety of bugs thar have been fixed, including one in which the Search box at the top of the Start menu would flicker, and another in which Task Manager wasn’t populating the details of the Status column in the Startup Apps page.
The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which when you enter search terms in File Explorer’s search box, suggested results may not show, and another in which after rearranging widgets in the widgets board, widgets in the pinned section may render incorrectly.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/03/23/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22581/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22581</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22579">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22579</h3>
Release date: March 18, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build allows IT administrators to exclude USB removable drives from BitLocker encryption. This solves the problem of automatic or accidental encryption of storage built into specialized devices like video cameras, voice recorders, conferencing systems, and medical devices.
There are also a variety of minor changes, including one that lets you name your app folders in the Start menu, and another that puts the new Run New Task button on all pages of Task Manager.
The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which Start’s folders were still showing animations even if you had animation effects disabled, and another in which explorer.exe crashed when dragging certain windows across snap layouts at the top of the screen.
The build has a dozen known issues, including one in which opening suggested results shown while entering search terms in File Explorer’s search box may not work, and another in which when rearranging widgets in the widgets board, you may experience problems with widgets in the pinned section rendering incorrectly.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/03/18/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22579/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22579</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-588">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.588</h3>
Release date: March 15, 2022
Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels
This build allows Windows to display up to three high priority “toast” (popup) notifications simultaneously for apps that send notifications for calls, reminders, or alarms using Windows notifications. It also fixes more than two dozen bugs, including one that crashed SystemSettings.exe, and another that affected searchindexer.exe and prevented Microsoft Outlook’s offline search from returning recent emails.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/03/15/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-588-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.588</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22572">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22572</h3>
Release date: March 9, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build lets you set family controls for browsing in Microsoft Edge, and introduces a video editor called Clipchamp that offers tools like trimming, splitting, transitions, and animated text. For real-time content capture, Clipchamp has a built-in webcam and screen recorders.
There are a variety of small changes, including a Print Queue with an updated design to align with Windows 11 design principles. In addition, Shift + right-clicking in File Explorer and the desktop will now open the “Show more options” context menu.
The build also fixes several dozen bugs, including one in which scroll bars didn’t render appropriately on some Win32 applications, and another in which custom mouse pointers reverted to the default Windows one after rebooting.
The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which opening suggested results shown while entering search terms in File Explorer’s search box may not work, and another in which when rearranging widgets in the widgets board, you may experience problems with widgets in the pinned section rendering incorrectly.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/03/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22572/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22572</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22567">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22567</h3>
Release date: March 2, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build attempts to increase the use of renewable energy by installing Windows 11 updates at times of the day that are more likely to have higher availability of renewable energy such as solar, wind, and hydro. This feature will only be enabled when your PC is plugged in and regional carbon intensity data is available to Microsoft.
The build also allows you to link your Android phone to your PC during setup. It also introduces a new security feature, Smart App Control (SAC), that blocks untrusted or potentially dangerous applications.
There are a variety of small changes, including an updated “Open with” dialog box that better aligns with Windows 11 design principles.
The build also fixes several dozen bugs, including one in which the Windows startup sound didn’t play, and another in which explorer.exe would sometimes crash when opening the context menu.
The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which scroll bars are not rendering appropriately on some Win32 applications, and another in which opening suggested results shown while entering search terms in File Explorer’s search box may not work.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/03/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22567/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22567</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22563">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22563</h3>
Release date: February 24, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build includes a new taskbar feature in which it automatically adjusts to an optimized version when it detects a device is being used as a tablet. The taskbar can then either be collapsed or expanded. When collapsed, it disappears, giving you more screen space. When expanded, the taskbar is optimized to use with touch. You can easily switch between the two states by swiping up or down on the bottom of the tablet.
In this build, widgets and news feeds are mixed into the same feed, so you can more easily see changing information at a glance. There’s also a new feature for IT admins in education: the ability to use group policy to turn off all Windows Update notifications so as not to distract students.
A variety of smaller improvements have also been made, including an expanded search from Quick Access that includes content from OneDrive, Downloads, and any indexed location.
The build also fixes several dozen bugs, including one in which pop-up dialogs (for example, when adding an optional feature) in Settings were launching left aligned instead of centered, and another in which the navigation bar in Task Manager was showing black glitches when you launched Task Manager from a minimized state. Also fixed was a long-standing bug in which the taskbar sometimes flickered when switching input methods.
The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which the File Explorer search box may not work when typing and clicking a suggestion, and another in the Task Manager in which the Efficiency mode icon is missing on some child processes.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/02/24/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22563/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22563</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22557">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22557</h3>
Release date: February 16, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build includes many new features, including the ability to group pinned apps into folders in the Start menu; the Do not disturb feature, which lets you silence notifications; and the Focus feature, which turns off a variety of Windows actions that may be distracting.
Also new is integration of OneDrive and File Explorer, which will let you see your OneDrive sync status and quota usage without having to leave File Explorer. There are also a variety of new touch gestures. A new way of snapping windows into Snap Layouts has been introduced as well.
Default battery settings have been changed in order to reduce energy consumption. Task Manager has been redesigned to be in more in keeping with Windows 11 design principles, including a new hamburger-style navigation bar and a new settings page.
A variety of smaller improvements has also been made, including drag-and-drop support on the taskbar and a faster and more accurate search. 
The build also fixes several dozen bugs, including one in which Task View crashed if you held down the Ctrl key while hovering over it, and another in which explorer.exe crashed when you clicked on More Keyboard Settings in the input switcher.
The build has more than a dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/02/16/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22557/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22557</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-526">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.526</h3>
Release date: February 10, 2022
Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels
The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which the Startup impact values didn’t display in Task Manager, another that caused a mismatch between a Remote Desktop session’s keyboard and the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) client when signing in, and another that that disconnected Offline Files on the network drive after you restarted Windows and signed in. This occurred if the Distributed File System (DFS) path was mapped to the network drive.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/02/10/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-526-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.526</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22543">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22543</h3>
Release date: January 27, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces more “natural”-sounding voices for Narrator along with new Narrator keyboard shortcuts, and also updates the media controls that appear on the Lock screen when playing music in a supported app.
The build also fixes many bugs, including one in which Task Manager crashed when switching to the Performance tab, another that caused explorer.exe to crash when dragging and dropping a file out of a zipped folder in File Explorer, and another that caused the cursor to disappear in certain apps.
The build has five known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/01/27/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22543/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22543</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22538">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22538</h3>
Release date: January 19, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build gives new capabilities to voice access, including spelling words and entering numbers, punctuation marks, and symbols and emojis. There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which pressing the hardware buttons for volume up/down caused explorer.exe to crash, and another in which Settings sometimes crashed when viewing the properties of a Wi-Fi network.
The build has five known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/01/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22538/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22538</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-466">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.466</h3>
Release date: January 14, 2022
Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels
The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that prevented some image editing programs from rendering colors correctly on certain high dynamic range (HDR) displays, another that incorrectly showed the volume icon in the taskbar as muted, and another that prevented the touch keyboard from appearing on the lock screen when a device has a Microsoft account (MSA).
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/01/14/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-466-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.466</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22533">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22533</h3>
Release date: January 12, 2022
Released to: Dev Channel
This build updates the flyout design for hardware indicators for brightness, volume, camera privacy, camera on/off, and airplane mode to follow what Microsoft calls “Windows 11 design principles.” The new flyouts appear when you press the volume or brightness keys on a laptop.
The build also fixes 16 bugs, including one that wouldn’t allow you to import photos from certain cameras and mobile phones into the Photos app, and another in which holding the Ctrl key and hovering your mouse over the Task View icon in the taskbar crashed explorer.exe.
The build has more than a dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/01/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22533/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22533</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22526">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22526</h3>
Release date: January 6, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This build fixes nine bugs, including one in which the Search flyout became stuck on the screen and appeared transparent except for its border, and another in which the Widgets panel would temporarily become blank, showing only an Add Widgets button, which when clicked on opened to a blank dialog box.
The build has more than a dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/01/06/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22526/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22526</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22523">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22523</h3>
Release date: December 15, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This build brings the snap groups feature to Alt-Tab and Task View, allowing you to easily choose from a number of pre-set ways to automatically arrange your open windows. The build also squashes a wide variety of bugs, including the battery icon tooltip unexpectedly showing a percent above 100, and Settings content getting truncated when the Settings window is made small.
The build has more than a dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which the Search panel may not open after the Search icon on the taskbar is clicked.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/12/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22523/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22523</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22518">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22518</h3>
Release date: December 8, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This build includes a new set of photos that can be used as desktop backgrounds, plus a new widget that delivers live weather content on the widget panel. It also introduces Voice Access, which lets you control your PC and create and edit text using your voice.
A wide variety of bugs have been squashed, including an explorer.exe crash related to having websites pinned to the taskbar, and another in which Snap Group thumbnails weren’t updating in real time in Task View after you moved a group window to a different desktop.
The build has more than a dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/12/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22518/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22518</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22509">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22509</h3>
Release date: December 1, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This build improves the way that Narrator can control Microsoft Edge. In addition, it lets you right-click on Start to quickly access Start settings and customize the “More pins” or “More recommendations” layout options. It also brings a variety of settings from Control Panel into the Settings app, including moving the advanced sharing settings (such as Network discovery, File and printer sharing, and public folder sharing) to a new page in the Settings app under Advanced Network Settings.
There are a wide variety of bug fixes, including one in which the Start, Search, Task View, Widgets, and Chat icons in the taskbar no longer unexpectedly enlarge when the system scaling is set to 125%, and another in which hovering your mouse back and forth between different desktops in Task View will no longer result in the displayed thumbnails and content area unexpectedly shrinking.
The build has four known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/12/01/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22509/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22509</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-348">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.348</h3>
Release date: November 19, 2021
Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels
The build includes all the features and bug fixes of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.346, and also fixes a bug that prevented apps, such as Kaspersky apps, from opening after you attempt to repair or update the apps using the Microsoft Installer (MSI).
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/11/19/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-348-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.348</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22504">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22504</h3>
Release date: November 17, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This build applies the 13 themes for the touch keyboard to other input methods, including IMEs, the emoji panel, and voice typing. It also lets you use the Windows key + Alt + K keyboard shortcut to toggle the new mute icon in the taskbar when it’s showing.
There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for one in which snap layout options randomly put windows on other monitors, and another in which text was duplicated if the caret was moved while using voice typing.
The build has seven known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/11/17/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22504/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22504</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-346">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.346</h3>
Release date: November 12, 2021
Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels
The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that caused the system to stop working after you enabled Hyper-V, one that affected the System Memory Management Unit’s (SMMU) fault handling after hibernation, and another that caused some USB Print installers to report that they didn’t detect the printer after the printer was plugged in.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/11/12/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-346-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.346</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22499">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22499</h3>
Release date: November 10, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This build lets you quickly share content from open app windows directly from your taskbar to your Teams meeting calls. In addition, a wide variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which Clipboard history wasn’t working properly, and another in which explorer.exe crashed when using the touch keyboard.
The build has 10 known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods and the Search panel sometimes not opening when the Search icon on the taskbar is clicked.
On November 12 Microsoft noted that it is starting to roll out Cumulative Update Build 22499.1010 (KB5008400) to test the servicing pipeline for builds in the Dev Channel; the update does not include anything new.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/11/10/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22499/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22499</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-kb5008295">Windows 11 Insider Preview KB5008295</h3>
Release date: November 4, 2021
Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels
This build fixes a bug that prevented some users from opening or using certain built-in Windows apps or parts of some built-in apps, including the Snipping Tool, Touch Keyboard, Voice Typing, and Emoji Panel, Input Method Editor user interface (IME UI), and Getting Started and Tips.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/11/04/releasing-windows-11-kb5008295-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview KB5008295</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22494">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22494</h3>
Release date: November 3, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
With this build you can mute and unmute your microphone from the taskbar during a Microsoft Teams call. In addition, a wide variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which context menus crashed when you tried to scroll through them, and another in which some devices had a black screen when coming out of sleep.
The build has eight known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/11/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22494/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22494</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22489">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22489</h3>
Release date: October 27, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This build includes a new settings page that displays information about your Microsoft account, including your subscriptions for Microsoft 365, links to order history, payment details, and Microsoft Rewards. Note that it’s only being rolled out to a small group of Insiders at first.
A wide variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which explorer.exe crashed sometimes when using the Desktops flyout context menu, and another in which Settings crashed in certain cases after going to Windows Update.
The build has nine known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which the Search panel may not open after the Search icon on the taskbar is clicked.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/10/27/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22489/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22489</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22483">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22483</h3>
Release date: October 20, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This build includes a new feature that lets you right-click on either “Recommended” or the “More” button in Start to refresh the items shown there. In addition, it has a number of bug fixes, including one that caused Search to appear black and not display any content below the search box, and another that caused cellular data to not work on certain devices.
The build has 10 known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which the Search panel may not open after the Search icon on the taskbar is clicked.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/10/20/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22483/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22483</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-282">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.282</h3>
Release date: October 15, 2021
Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels
The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including an L3 caching issue that affected performance on devices with AMD Ryzen processors, another that caused distortion in the audio captured by voice assistants, and another in Windows Defender Exploit Protection that prevented some Microsoft Office applications from working on machines with certain processors.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/10/15/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-282-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.282</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22478">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22478</h3>
Release date: October 14, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This build includes new emojis that conform to Microsoft’s Fluent design standards. It also lets you log in to a closed laptop using Windows Hello facial recognition on a connected external monitor if it has a camera attached that supports it.
The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which the Notification Center refused to launch, and another in File Explorer in which the “Show hidden items” option was out of sync when multiple File Explorer windows were open.
The build has eight known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after the Search icon on the taskbar is clicked, the Search panel may not open.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/10/14/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22478/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22478</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22471">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22471</h3>
Release date: October 4, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This build has more than a dozen bug fixes, including for a bug that sometimes caused the taskbar’s hidden icons flyout to have sharp corners instead of rounded corners, and another that caused explorer.exe to crash sometimes when closing File Explorer windows.
The build also has 10 known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and widgets displaying in the wrong size on external monitors.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/10/04/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22471/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22471</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22468">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22468</h3>
Release date: September 29, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
The build has two minor new features. When you click a VPN connection in VPN Settings, you can now see some statistics about the connection. And you can now turn off recent searches when hovering over the Search icon in the taskbar.
There are also more than a dozen bug fixes, including for a bug in which some drives did not display in Defragment and Optimize Drives, and another that caused unexpected flickering in certain apps such as Microsoft Edge when using multiple monitors with different refresh rates.
The build has nine known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and widgets displaying in the wrong size on external monitors.
Microsoft also announced that the <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/09/28/redesigned-paint-app-for-windows-11-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">redesigned Paint app</a> for Windows 11 is beginning to roll out to Insiders in the Dev Channel.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/09/29/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22468/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22468</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22463">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22463</h3>
Release date: September 22, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
The build has several minor new features, including one in which when you have a file or folder selected in File Explorer, you can now use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the path to your clipboard. The build also fixes several dozen bugs, including one in which pressing F1 in File Explorer opened Windows 10 help instead of Windows 11 help, and another that caused File Explorer to hang when doing a search.
The build also has several dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and widgets displaying in the wrong size on external monitors.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/09/22/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22463/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22463</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-194">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.194</h3>
Release date: September 16, 2021
Released to: Beta Channel and commercial PCs in the Release Preview Channel
This build includes updates to the Snipping Tool, Calculator, and Clock with Focus Sessions apps.
The build also fixes several small issues, including one that caused some PCs to bug check during modern standby, and another that caused PowerShell to create an infinite number of child directories.
There are more than a dozen issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
 (Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/09/16/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-194/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.194</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22458">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22458</h3>
Release date: September 15, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
The build has more than a dozen bug fixes, including for one in which Settings sometimes crashed when trying to open the Display page, and another that made Start unreliable.
The build also has several dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and widgets displaying in the wrong size on external monitors.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/09/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22458/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22458</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22454">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22454</h3>
Release date: September 9, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This build has a few extremely minor changes, including in which right-clicking on Recycle Bin on the desktop brings up the new modern context menu.
The build also has several dozen bug fixes, including for a bug in which PCs with Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG) enabled bug-check continuously, and another in which taskbar icons flickered when you moused over them while using a contrast theme.
The build also has several dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and widgets displaying in the wrong size on external monitors.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/09/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22454/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22454</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-184">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.184</h3>
Release date: September 9, 2021
Released to: Beta Channel and commercial PCs in the Release Preview Channel
This build fixes two small issues, including one in which a small set of languages were missing translations across the user interface, and another in which the “learn more info” about Windows Hello in the out-of-box experience (OOBE) wasn’t translated for non-English languages.
There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
 (Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/09/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-184/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.184</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22449">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22449</h3>
Release date: September 2, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
With this build, the Dev Channel moves back to receiving only builds from the active development branch (RS_PRERELEASE). This means the Dev Channel builds no longer match the version of Windows 11 that will be released on October 5th. Dev Channel builds represent the newest works in progress and are not always stable.
The build changes the way <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/smb-compression" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">SMB compression</a> (compression of files as they’re sent over a network) works. From now on, algorithms will not determine whether to compress files — files will always be compressed if a user asks for it.
Additionally, there are several minor changes in the build, including notifications now having acrylic backgrounds. There are also many bug fixes, including for one that caused the font in the taskbar previews to incorrect and another that crashed explorer.exe when using Alt-Tab.
The build also has more than a dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and widgets displaying in the wrong size on external monitors.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/09/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22449/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22449</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-176">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.176</h3>
Release date: September 2, 2021
Released to: Beta Channel
This build introduces a “Taskbar settings” page, which lets you hide and unhide icons on the taskbar. It also includes a small number of bug fixes, including one that caused some users to get an unexpected error when trying to take pictures with certain USB cameras, and another in which ratings and reviews weren’t available for some Microsoft Store apps.
There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
 (Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/09/02/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-176/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.176</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-168">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.168</h3>
Release date: August 27, 2021
Released to: Dev and Beta Channels
This build introduces a Microsoft 365 widget that displays relevant documents, news, and meeting recordings to enterprise users. It only works if you’re signed into your Azure Active Directory (AAD) account on Windows 11. And Chat with Microsoft Teams now supports more than 50 languages.
The build also includes five bug fixes, including for a bug in which typing certain phrases into the search box in Settings sometimes crashed Settings, and another in Microsoft Teams in which videos sometimes froze or displayed a black image during video calls.
There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
 (Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/08/27/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-168/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.168</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-160">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.160</h3>
Release date: August 19, 2021
Released to: Dev and Beta Channels
This build fixes a bug in which the taskbar sometimes showed the “location in use” icon even when it had been blocked in preferences.
For Insiders in the Dev Channel, this build also includes the revamped Windows Clock app, with a new feature called Focus Sessions that lets you do things such as set timers, automatically play music from Spotify, and work directly with Microsoft’s To Do app. <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/08/19/new-clock-app-for-windows-11-with-focus-sessions-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Go here for details</a>.
The build is also available as an ISO from the <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windowsinsiderpreviewiso" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows Insider Preview Downloads page</a> for those who want to install it from media rather than online. Using this method, users experience the full Windows 11 setup process.
There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
 (Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/08/19/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-160/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.160</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-132">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.132</h3>
Release date: August 12, 2021
Released to: Dev and Beta Channels
With this build, Insiders in the Beta Channel now have access to Chat from Microsoft Teams. The feature, which was previously rolled out to Insiders in the Dev Channel, includes one-to-one and group audio and video calling. You can create and join meetings, toggle your microphone and camera on or off, and choose your preferred speakers, mic, and camera. You can also share your screen, see the roster of participants, admit meeting participants from the lobby, chat, and see people’s video in a gallery view. For more details, see “<a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/07/20/first-preview-of-chat-from-microsoft-teams-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">First Preview of Chat from Microsoft Teams begins rolling out to Windows Insiders</a>.”
The build also rolls out the new Snipping Tool for Windows 11, and updated Calculator, Mail, and Calendar apps for Insiders in the Dev Channel. For details, see “<a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/08/12/first-set-of-windows-app-updates-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders-for-windows-11/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">First set of Windows app updates rolling out to Windows Insiders for Windows 11.”</a>
There are seven fixes in this build, including for a bug in which the taskbar repeatedly crashed inside the Windows Sandbox, and another in which the “location in use” indicator icon wasn’t showing up in the taskbar when it should have been.
There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which the Search panel may not open when you click the Search icon on the taskbar.
 (Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/08/12/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-132/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.132</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-120">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.120</h3>
Release date: August 5, 2021
Released to: Dev and Beta Channels
This build introduces a new family widget for MSA accounts (a single sign-on Microsoft account). It lets people see recent activity of members of their Microsoft family group. The build also fixes several dozen bugs, including one in which File Explorer didn’t show an updated scroll bar in dark mode; another that caused search in Settings to be in a permanently broken state, saying “No result” for every search; and one in which explorer.exe crashed when the Task View button was clicked.
There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.
 (Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/08/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-120/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.120</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-100">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.100</h3>
Release date: July 22, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces Microsoft Teams integration into Windows 11, including a Teams Chat flyout on the taskbar. For more details, see Microsoft’s blog post, “<a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/07/20/first-preview-of-chat-from-microsoft-teams-begins-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">First Preview of Chat from Microsoft Teams begins rolling out to Windows Insiders</a>.” Note that not every Insider will see the feature right away.
There are also a variety of minor new features, including making the taskbar calendar flyout fully collapse when clicking the chevron in the top corner to give more room for notifications.
Several dozen bugs have been fixed, including one in which when you right-clicked the desktop or File Explorer, the resulting context menu and submenus appeared partially off screen, and another in which sign-in wasn’t working for widgets in some scenarios due to authentication hanging.
There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which the taskbar sometimes flickers when switching input methods.
 (Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/07/22/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-100/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.100</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-71">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.71</h3>
Release date: July 15, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This build introduces a new entertainment widget that displays new and featured movie titles in the Microsoft Store. There are also many bug fixes, including for one in which the new command bar didn’t appear when the “Open folders in a separate process” is enabled under File Explorer Options > View, and another that made Settings periodically crash when it launched.
There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which the right-click menu and submenus from the desktop or File Explorer may appear partially off-screen.
 (Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/07/15/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-71/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000. 71</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-65">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.65</h3>
Release date: July 8, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
Among other changes in this build, the Start menu now includes a search box, Power mode settings are now available on the Power & battery page in Settings, and several system alert dialog boxes, such as the alert for when your battery is running low or when you change your display settings, now adhere to the new Windows 11 visual design.
The build includes a wide variety of bug fixes, including one in which Settings could not be launched, another in which you could not pin and unpin apps from Start, another in which the command bar in File Explorer disappeared, and another in which the snap layouts did not appear until you rebooted your PC.
In addition, a remote code execution exploit in the Windows Print Spooler service, known as “PrintNightmare,” has been closed. For details, see <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-34527" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">CVE-2021-34527</a>.
There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which the new command bar may not appear when “Open folders in a separate process” is enabled under File Explorer Options > View.
What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.
(Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/07/08/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-65/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.65</a>.)
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="windows-11-insider-preview-build-22000-51">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.51</h3>
Release date: June 28, 2021
Released to: Dev Channel
This first Insider Preview for Windows 11 is a big one and offers many of the new features expected to be part of the shipping version of the new operating system.
General interface changes: The Start menu is now centered, rather than pinned to the left of the screen. It includes a set of pinned apps as well as recently opened files in OneDrive on all your cloud-connected devices, including PCs and smartphones. The taskbar is centered as well and offers new animations. It includes a button on the lower-right corner for notifications and for making quick changes to your settings.
<div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://images.idgesg.net/images/article/2021/06/windows11-promo-start-menu-100893893-orig.jpg?auto=webp&quality=85,70" alt="windows11 promo start menu" loading="lazy" width="400px" /></figure></div>
File Explorer has a new command bar and new overall look, including new context menus. New themes have been added to the overall interface, and Windows sounds have been redesigned.
Widgets: Windows 11 comes with a set of resizable informational widgets for things such as news, the weather, your calendar, local traffic, a to-do list, photos from OneDrive, news, sports, and more.
Multitasking: Windows 10’s “Snap” feature that gives you control over how you can arrange your open windows gets a makeover. You can choose from pre-built Snap layouts and arrange them into predesigned Snap groups. Desktops available via Task View can now be reordered and have custom backgrounds.
Touch, inking, and voice input: The touch keyboard gets 13 new themes and can be resized. There’s also a voice typing launcher, and several new touch gestures. The build lets you quickly switch between additional languages and keyboards via a switcher that appears at the lower right on the taskbar next to Quick Settings. There’s also now a menu for customizing digital pens.
Other changes include:
<ul>
<li>The Microsoft Store <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2021/06/24/building-a-new-open-microsoft-store-on-windows-11/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">has been redesigned</a>. Eventually Android mobile games and apps will be housed there, and be able to work on Windows 11.</li>
<li>When you undock your laptop, the windows on your external monitor will be minimized. When you re-dock your computer to your monitor, Windows puts everything back where it was before.</li>
<li>With Windows 11’s Dynamic Refresh Rate, your PC can automatically boost the refresh rate when you’re inking or scrolling to give you a smoother experience, and lower the refresh rate when you don’t need it to save power on your laptop.</li>
<li>Settings has been redesigned, including left-hand navigation that persists between pages. There are also breadcrumbs to help you know exactly where you are in Settings.</li>
<li>Windows 11 offers <a href="https://www.wi-fi.org/news-events/newsroom/wi-fi-alliance-delivers-more-value-from-wi-fi-in-6-ghz" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Wi-Fi 6E</a>.</li>
</ul>
Known issues: There are more than two dozen known issues in this build across a wide variety of features, including the taskbar, Settings, Start, Search, Widgets and the Store. For example, when upgrading a device with multiple user accounts to Windows 11, Settings will fail to launch; after clicking the Search icon taskbar, the Search panel may not open; and when upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10 or when installing an update to Windows 11, <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications#primaryR4" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">some features may be deprecated or removed</a>.
Get more info about <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/06/28/announcing-the-first-insider-preview-for-windows-11/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.51</a>.
</div></div></div><category>Microsoft, Small and Medium Business, Windows, Windows 11</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/1614352/windows-11-insider-previews-whats-in-latest-build.html</link>
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<title>Dropbox adds end-to-end encryption for team folders</title>
<pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 2024 11:16:41 +0000</pubDate>
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Dropbox now offers end-to-end encryption and key management for customers on certain paid plans, part of a range of updates to the file sharing application announced this week. 
Customers files are already encrypted “at rest” using 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standards, said Dropbox, but the end-to-end encryption integrated into team folders offers an added layer of security. 
The change means that only the sender and recipient can access content, with “not even Dropbox” able to view customers files, the company said in a <a href="https://blog.dropbox.com/topics/company/new-solutions-to-secure-organize-and-share-cloud-content" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">blog post</a> Wednesday. 
Dropbox said it will also provide customers with access to encryption keys, managed by FIPS 140-2 Level 3 key management services.
Information on how to activate and manage team folder encryption is available on <a href="https://help.dropbox.com/security/encrypted-team-folders" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Dropbox website</a>. The company warned that end-to-end encryption restricts certain features in the app, such as the ability to share files with users outside of a team, and might not be suitable for all files stored in a Dropbox account.
Other security features include the ability to manage team membership and invites from the Dropbox admin dashboard, and an updated <a href="https://trust.dropbox.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trust Center</a> that contains security and compliance information related to Dropbox products. 
The security features are now available to customers on Dropbox Advanced, Business Plus, and Enterprise plans.
Dropbox announced several other new features as part of the latest release.
It will be easier to collaborate with colleagues on certain Microsoft files from within the Dropbox application, with a co-authoring feature that lets multiple users edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents at the same time. Users can also see who’s working on a document and any edits made in real-time. (That feature is currently in beta.)
There’s also an integration between Dropbox Replay and Microsoft OneDrive, which lets users pull files from Microsoft’s file storage platform into the video and audio collaboration tool more easily for reviews and approvals. 
Dropbox Replay will also get new features, including the ability to review and approve additional file types such as PDF and PSD files, integration with music production application Avid Pro Tools, and dynamic watermarking to help protect proprietary content.
Other updates include changes to the Dropbox’s website UI, following <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/1637316/dropbox-unveils-video-app-updates-ai-tools-and-web-interface-for-new-era-of-work.html">a revamp last October</a>. The new capabilities let users preview files more easily, pin favorite files to the navigation bar, and access suggest quick actions for files.
</div></div></div><category>Cloud Storage, Collaboration Software, Productivity Software, Vendors and Providers</category></div>]]></description>
<link>https://www.computerworld.com/article/2095741/dropbox-adds-end-to-end-encryption-for-team-folders.html</link>
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