Hello Windows Insiders, today marks the release of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3380 (KB5053660) for both the Dev and Beta Channels. As a gentle reminder, the same updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 are being offered to Insiders in the Beta Channel. Initially, these updates will be optional, allowing Beta Channel users to upgrade at their convenience. However, we anticipate making these updates recommended later this year, leading to automatic upgrades for Beta Channel users to the 24H2-based updates.
For those currently in the Dev Channel, there is a temporary opportunity to transition to the Beta Channel while both channels are releasing the same 24H2-based updates. Be aware that once the Dev Channel advances with higher build numbers, this switching window will close. It is important to note that switching may result in the temporary loss of certain features.
IMPORTANT: This window is closing soon, so we highly encourage you to evaluate which channel you would like to be in during this time.
New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*
Recommended files in File Explorer
The Recommended files feature in File Explorer Home is now accessible to all Windows Insiders using personal Microsoft accounts or local accounts. This feature offers quick access to pertinent files based on user activity, displayed as a carousel with thumbnail previews. It includes frequently used files, recently downloaded items, and content added to the File Explorer Gallery. For users with work or school accounts (Entra ID), additional recommendations will be available with this update. Please note that this change has not yet been rolled out in the European Economic Area (EEA). Quick access folders will remain available in the navigation pane for easy access to pinned folders.
FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files Folders and Online Storage > File Explorer.
Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*
[Live captions]
- We are initiating the rollout of real-time translation to Chinese (Simplified) on AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs. Supported languages now include Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, German, Greek, English, Spanish, Estonian, Finnish, French, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovene, and Swedish.
[Start menu]
- A new feature is being tested, recommending a snap group in the Recommended section of the Start menu based on two apps that are likely to be snapped together. We welcome your feedback on this addition!
[Search on the Taskbar]
- Enhanced support for web search providers in Windows Search for the EEA is being introduced, including improved discoverability.
[Notifications]
- A new toast notification will prompt users to add a secondary email or recovery phone number to their Microsoft account, ensuring continued access to their account. This notification will only appear if the user is signed in with a Microsoft account and lacks this information in their profile.
[Widgets]
- This flight introduces the capability for web developers to utilize existing web content to create dynamic and interactive widgets for the Windows 11 widget surfaces. For further details, click here.
[Input]
- A new experience is being tested to enhance the discoverability of the emoji and more panel in Windows 11, featuring a new system tray icon on the taskbar. This icon allows users to express themselves using emojis, GIFs, and Kaomoji across all applications. The WIN + . keyboard shortcut is also now highlighted in the emoji and more panel, and users can customize the icon’s appearance by right-clicking it to access taskbar settings.
[Settings]
- We are rolling out “top cards” under Settings > System > About, providing a straightforward view of your PC’s key specifications—processor, RAM, storage, and GPU. This feature aims to simplify decision-making by highlighting potential areas for hardware improvements while offering a clear snapshot of your PC. Note that top cards will not appear on managed commercial PCs and are currently limited to specific PC form factors such as desktops.
Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*
[File Explorer]
- In our ongoing commitment to enhancing File Explorer accessibility, this release includes improved support for text scaling (via Settings > Text size) across File Open/Save dialogs and Wizard dialogs.
[Windowing]
- We have resolved an issue where the Snap Bar at the top of the screen was unexpectedly displaying corners on the side closest to the screen.
[Input]
- A significant crash affecting ctfmon.exe, which could impede typing functionality, has been addressed.
[Settings]
- We have fixed an underlying issue that could lead to Settings crashing when adding a color profile in Settings > System > Display.
- An issue causing Settings to crash after signing into a Microsoft account has also been resolved.
- For Japanese users, we have corrected the display issue where the name at the top of Settings > Accounts showed First Name Last Name instead of Last Name First Name.
[Other]
- We have resolved an issue that could lead to a bugcheck with PDCWATCHDOGTIMEOUT when resuming from sleep.
- An issue with windows.storage.dll that caused app crashes when opening files has also been fixed.
Known issues
[General]
- After performing a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly display as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not hinder your ability to receive future Dev Channel updates that will rectify this issue.
[Recall]
- [REMINDER] Ensure your Microsoft 365 apps are updated to the latest version to facilitate seamless access to specific documents.
The following known issues will be resolved in future updates for Windows Insiders:
- [NEW] If you are utilizing Recall on a PC managed by an IT administrator (signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID), your Recall snapshots may be deleted after installing this build and continue to be deleted after each reboot. To prevent this, follow these steps before installing the update (you may need to repeat these steps after each reboot):
- Type gpedit.msc in the search box on your taskbar to open Group Policy Editor.
- Navigate to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows AI.
- Set “Allow Recall to be enabled” to Enabled.
- Set “Turn off saving snapshots for use with Recall” to Disabled.
- Some Insiders may encounter issues where Recall cannot automatically save snapshots, and the setting cannot be enabled in Settings. We are actively working on a fix for this.
- Recall can be toggled on or off from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are currently caching the Recall binaries on disk while testing add/remove functionality. A future update will completely remove these binaries.
[Click to Do]
- [REMINDER] If actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.
- [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions utilize Microsoft’s secure cloud to enhance text results by ensuring prompts and responses are safe and appropriate. This data is automatically deleted, and local moderation will be implemented in the future to replace this cloud endpoint.
The following known issues will be addressed in future updates for Windows Insiders:
- Occasionally, additional context is provided when using intelligent text actions powered by Phi Silica.
[Improved Windows Search]
- [REMINDER] For optimal Windows Search performance on Copilot+ PCs, it is advisable to plug in your device during the initial search indexing. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.
[File Explorer]
- We are working on resolving an issue that causes File Explorer to close slowly for some Insiders when using the X button, which may also affect other title bar buttons.
[Task Manager]
- After the addition of the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that the System Idle Process consistently shows as 0.
- The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still reflecting the previous CPU utility calculations.
Reminders for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel
- Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 will receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 via an enablement package (Build 26120.xxxx).
- Updates delivered to the Dev Channel are formatted to preview enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2. For more information, visit https://aka.ms/CheckpointCumulativeUpdates.
- Many features in the Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and gradually expanding as we monitor feedback.
- For Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel eager to receive features gradually rolled out to you, you can activate the toggle to access the latest updates via Settings > Windows Update*. Over time, we will increase the rollout of features to all users with the toggle enabled. If you keep this toggle off, new features will be rolled out to your PC over time as they become ready.
- Features and experiences included in these builds may not be released, as we explore different concepts and gather feedback. Features may evolve, be removed, or replaced, and may not extend beyond Windows Insiders. Some features could appear in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
- Some features currently in development may not be fully localized, with localization occurring over time as features are finalized. Please report any localization issues in your language via the Feedback Hub.
- Note that some accessibility features may not function with features like Recall and Click to Do while in preview with Windows Insiders.
- As the Dev and Beta Channels represent parallel development paths, there may be instances where features and experiences debut in the Beta Channel first.
- For a comprehensive overview of the current build in each Insider channel, check out Flight Hub.
Thanks,
Amanda & Brandon
