Windows 11 enthusiasts can now access the latest preview builds, with the rollout of versions 26300.8697 and 26220.8690 for Insiders in the Experimental and Beta Channels. While these updates do not introduce new features, they mark a significant transition for the Experimental Channel, which has officially been upgraded to version 26H2. Alongside this, Microsoft has made strides in enhancing the user experience, particularly in File Explorer, the Start menu, and virtualization capabilities.
Changelog Highlights
The following improvements have been documented in the recent builds:
[General]
- Insiders in the Experimental channel will notice an update in versioning under Settings > System > About (and winver), now reflecting version 26H2. For further details, users can refer to the Windows Insiders blog.
[File Explorer]
- The Copy dialog in Dark mode has received enhancements, focusing on visual consistency and reliability. This includes improvements to its launch experience and an expanded progress view.
[Start Menu] – Also available in Beta
- Users can expect improved reliability from the Start menu, which now accurately reflects newly installed or removed applications without necessitating a sign-out or restart.
[Taskbar]
- An issue affecting Insiders using the new smaller taskbar option has been resolved, addressing the problem where the system tray could become cut off or pushed off-screen.
[Settings] – Also available in Beta
- Reliability enhancements have been made to Settings > Apps > Startup, ensuring a smoother user experience.
[Virtualization] – Also available in Beta
- This update tackles a critical issue that could lead to bugchecks citing HYPERVISORERROR (0x20001) and KMODEEXCEPTIONNOTHANDLED (0x1E) errors. These errors were observed after installing the latest flights on certain devices during system restarts, virtual machine operations, or while running specific gaming applications.
For those interested in a deeper dive, the official changelog for the Experimental build can be found here, while the Beta build details are available here.
