Insider Preview

Winsage
July 15, 2025
Microsoft is introducing taskbar icon scaling in the latest Windows Insider Canary build, allowing users to pin more applications without losing visibility. As the taskbar fills up, icons will automatically resize to smaller dimensions. This feature aims to enhance workflow efficiency by reducing the need for secondary menu navigation. Users can customize settings for icon scaling, including keeping icons small, maintaining a standard size, or opting for a permanent reduction in size. The feature is currently exclusive to Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27898. Users can adjust settings by right-clicking on the taskbar and navigating to "Taskbar settings > Taskbar behaviours." It is unclear if the scaling feature is activated by default.
Winsage
July 12, 2025
Microsoft has released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27898 to the Canary Channel, introducing several new features aimed at enhancing usability and recovery. Key features include: - Taskbar Icon Scaling: The taskbar will automatically reduce icon sizes when it reaches capacity, with three customizable options for users regarding icon size. - Quick Machine Recovery: This feature allows automatic recovery from boot issues using the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), connecting to the internet for targeted fixes from Windows Update. - Accessibility Enhancements: Users can add custom words to the voice access dictionary, and a new Screen Curtain feature for the Narrator screen reader enhances privacy by blacking out the display. - Energy Saver Feature: An adaptive energy saver mode is being rolled out for battery-powered devices, managing energy saver settings based on power state and system load. - Sharing Features: The Windows share window now shows visual previews of shared content and allows users to select compression settings for images. - Performance Improvements: Enhancements have been made to file extraction for large archives, and the Snipping Tool now has a shortcut for launching the text extractor. - Default Browser Management: Users can set their default browser to handle PDFs and pin it to the Start menu and taskbar. The build also addresses various issues within File Explorer and Settings, although some known problems remain, such as display distortion in Remote Desktop on Arm64 PCs.
Winsage
July 11, 2025
Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27898 has been released to the Canary Channel. Key features include: - Taskbar Icon Scaling: Icons on the taskbar can automatically resize when the taskbar is full, with options to keep them at original size or always small. - Quick Machine Recovery: This feature identifies and resolves common issues automatically via the Windows Recovery Environment, reducing downtime. - Custom Words in Voice Access: Users can add custom words to the voice access dictionary to improve dictation accuracy. - Screen Curtain in Narrator: This feature blacks out the display for privacy while using Narrator. - Privacy Dialogs Update: Privacy dialogs for app permissions have been redesigned for better focus. - Accessibility Enhancements: Text descriptions for assistive technologies have been added to the Accessibility flyout. - File Explorer Improvements: Dividers have been added to the context menu for better organization. - Adaptive Energy Saver: An opt-in feature that manages energy saver settings based on power state and system load. - Windows Share Updates: Visual previews are now shown when sharing links or web content. - Expanded Voice Access Support: Voice access now supports Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Japanese. - Narrator Guidance: Narrator will guide users through its features with modal windows. - Settings Adjustments: The selected country or region during setup is now displayed in Settings. Fixes include performance improvements in File Explorer, resolution of input issues with the touch keyboard, and fixes for crashes in Settings. Known issues involve potential loss of Windows Hello PIN on new Copilot+ PCs and graphical issues with Remote Desktop on Arm64 PCs.
Winsage
July 8, 2025
Microsoft has rolled out Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27891 to the Canary Channel, which includes the removal of Windows PowerShell 2.0. The update features several critical system fixes, including: - Correction of the “Reset this PC” feature under Settings > System > Recovery. - Resolution of an issue affecting the taskbar's acrylic material effect. - Fix for Windows Update downloads that stalled at 2%. - Correction of character rendering problems for languages like Vietnamese and Arabic. Enhancements in File Explorer include a dropdown menu in the address bar that shows the complete folder path. Stability improvements in Settings aim to prevent crashes when accessing microphone properties or Bluetooth settings, although a new known issue may cause crashes in Settings > System > Power & Battery. Task Manager now features updated CPU utility calculations. The Microsoft Store has been updated to allow users to install apps and games directly from the top featured sections. Known issues include potential loss of Windows Hello PIN on Copilot+ PCs, graphical distortion for Remote Desktop users on Arm64 PCs, and incomplete localization of some features. Transitioning out of the Canary Channel requires a clean installation of Windows 11.
Winsage
July 7, 2025
Microsoft has officially announced the discontinuation of PowerShell 2.0, as confirmed through a recent update from the Windows Insider program. PowerShell 2.0, which debuted with Windows 7 and was included in several other versions, has been deprecated since 2017 but remained available for backward compatibility. Most current Insider Preview builds of Windows 11 have removed PowerShell 2.0, and it has also been deprecated for Windows Server. Microsoft has not provided a specific timeline for its removal from the server operating system.
Winsage
July 2, 2025
Microsoft has decided not to release a standalone "Windows 12" and will instead focus on the upcoming Windows 11 version 25H2, with a wider rollout expected in the latter half of 2025. The latest Insider Preview build for this version is now available to testers. The 25H2 update will build on the existing 24H2 release, allowing users to transition seamlessly with a small enablement package that mimics a routine update installation. Features from the 24H2 Beta Channel will be included in the 25H2 preview, with enhancements already integrated but disabled until ready. The official support for Windows 10 will end in October 2025, and the timing of the 25H2 launch may encourage users to upgrade. Enterprises will receive a 36-month support cycle, while consumer editions will have 24 months of servicing. Windows Insiders can explore the preview now and provide feedback, with a simple restart required for activation upon official release.
Search