Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6682 (Beta Channel)

Hello Windows Insiders, today marks the release of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6682 (KB5065782) to the Beta Channel for those utilizing Windows 11, version 24H2. This update brings a host of changes, improvements, and fixes, which are documented in two categories: features that are gradually rolled out to Insiders who have opted in for the latest updates and those that are available to everyone in the Beta Channel. For additional details, please refer to the Reminders section at the end of this post.

Changes and Improvements Gradually Being Rolled Out to the Beta Channel with Toggle On*

[Click to Do (Preview)]

Enhancements are being introduced for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:

• Copilot Prompt Box: A newly designed prompt box aims to refine user interaction with Microsoft Copilot. This feature allows users to input custom prompts directly into a text box, which is then sent to Copilot alongside selected content. Suggested prompts will appear below the text box, powered locally by Phi-Silica, although this change is not yet available for Insiders in the EEA or China.

• Visual Animations: New animations for the right edge gesture in Click to Do provide clear visual cues as users swipe, enhancing the overall experience.
• Action Tags: The context menu now features new and popular action tags, facilitating the discovery of the latest AI-powered actions.

• The output from the Summarize action for text entities in Click to Do is being fine-tuned for brevity and clarity.

[Start Menu]

• A small change is being tested in the Recommended section of the Start menu, showcasing examples of prompts users can try within the Copilot app, such as creating an image.

[Emoji]

The Emoji 16.0 release introduces a carefully curated selection of new emojis—one from each major category—designed to resonate across cultures. Each emoji embodies timeless symbolism and versatility. Users will find these new emojis available in the emoji panel.

• Face with Bags Under Eyes: Represents exhaustion or the need for rest.
• Fingerprint: Symbolizes identity or security.
• Root Vegetable: Reflects healthy eating and gardening.
• Leafless Tree: Signifies winter or dormancy.
• Harp: A timeless musical icon.
• Shovel: Useful for gardening or metaphorically digging out of trouble.
• Splatter: An expressive and playful addition.

[Gaming]

• Improvements have been made for Xbox game controllers on Windows 11. A short press of the Xbox button now opens Game Bar, while a long press will open Task View. Holding the Xbox button will still turn off the game controller.

[Narrator]

Several enhancements have been implemented to ensure a smoother experience with Narrator when working with documents in Word. These updates focus on improving the naturalness and efficiency of reading, writing, and editing.

• Natural Voice Feedback: The pitch of Narrator’s voice will no longer rise dramatically when announcing headings or grammar/spelling errors, creating a less distracting experience.
• Footnote Navigation: Users can now navigate documents via footnotes, with clear announcements of footnote numbers.
• Continuous Reading: Narrator will now maintain a smooth flow during lengthy passages of text.
• Comment Reading: Focus tracking has been improved when moving between the document canvas and comments pane.

Creating & Consuming Lists

• Coherent Announcements: Narrator now reads lists consistently across different surfaces and navigation methods, ensuring users understand formatting and positioning.
• Complete List Reading: Narrator will announce entire list items, even when they extend onto the next line.
• Navigation of List Items: Users can now navigate between list items using Ctrl + Up/Down keys.

Creating & Consuming Tables

• Easier Navigation Commands: Quick navigation in Scan Mode is now supported, allowing users to jump to the first or last cell in a row or column.
• Clearer Guidance: Narrator provides announcements at table boundaries, preventing confusion during navigation.
• Less Confusing Entry Announcements: The announcement of “entering table” will now occur only once when moving across cells.
• Better Feedback During Selection: Clear announcements will indicate when one or more cells are selected across rows and columns.
• Awareness of Non-Uniform Tables: Users will be alerted if a table is non-uniform, providing important context about its structure.

[Settings]

• Advanced Settings is being reintroduced to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels, though the long path and virtual workspaces options have been temporarily removed to address certain issues.

[Other]

• A simple reminder will now appear as a SCOOBE screen (Second Chance Out of Box Experience) to inform users if their Microsoft subscription requires attention, allowing for quick updates to payment methods.

Fixes Gradually Being Rolled Out to the Beta Channel with Toggle On*

[General]

• An issue causing some PCs to bugcheck (green screen) during hibernation has been resolved, addressing concerns that hibernation had shut down the PC.

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• Improvements have been made to enhance the reliability of taskbar hiding and unhiding when the “automatically hide the taskbar” setting is enabled, with smoother animations.
• Fixed issues that could prevent interaction with apps or the desktop above the taskbar.

[File Explorer]

• Resolved an issue where the Shared section in File Explorer Home might display even without content.
• Fixed a problem causing File Explorer to not show thumbnails for video files with certain EXIF metadata.
• Addressed an issue where context menu interactions could lead to unresponsiveness in File Explorer.
• Fixed a problem causing certain apps to hang when launching the Open or Save Dialog.

[Lock and Login Screens]

• Resolved an issue that could crash the lock screen when interacting with the power button.

[Start Menu]

• Fixed an issue causing the Start menu to dismiss when using WIN + Shift + S for screenshots.
• Addressed reliability issues impacting the Start menu in recent builds.
• Fixed a problem causing the Start menu to scroll back to the top unexpectedly.

[Windows Sandbox]

• Resolved an issue that could lead to high CPU consumption by the vmmemCmFirstBoot process after login.

[Search]

• Improvements have been made to reduce instances of search getting stuck in a loading state.

[Settings]

• Fixed an issue that could cause Settings to crash when interacting with Optional Features.

[Voice Access]

• Resolved an issue that could prevent Voice Access from functioning, displaying error 9001.

[Windows Hello]

• Fixed issues related to booting into safe mode and Windows Hello PIN setup failures.

[Other]

Fixes for Everyone in the Beta Channel

[General]

• This update addresses audio issues in apps utilizing the Network Device Interface (NDI), particularly in OBS Studio when Display Capture is enabled.

Known Issues

[Click to Do]

• [NEW] Launching Click to Do on the primary display via right-edge gesture may result in swipe visuals appearing on the incorrect display, which is currently under investigation.

[Lock and Login Screens]

• [NEW] An issue is being investigated where media controls may not display on the lock screen.

[Windows Studio Effects]

• [NEW] Some external webcams may experience preview failures when “Use Windows Studio Effects” is enabled due to compatibility issues, which are being addressed in a future update.

[For Developers]

• PIX on Windows is currently unable to play back GPU captures on this OS version, with a fix expected in a new release by the end of September.

[Settings]

• [NEW] The placeholder text in the Settings search box may appear vertically misaligned.

[Audio]

• Some Insiders are experiencing audio issues, indicated by yellow exclamation marks in Device Manager. Instructions for resolving this issue are provided for affected users.

[Xbox Controllers]

• Some Insiders are facing bugchecks when using Xbox Controllers via Bluetooth. A resolution process is outlined for those affected.

Microsoft Store Update

Windows Insiders running version 22508.1401.x.x of the Microsoft Store will see improvements, including:

New Additions to Microsoft Store’s AI Hub: Microsoft 365 Copilot Agents are now available, allowing users to explore deeper capabilities by clicking on agent cards. This feature is subject to availability based on subscription tier.

Launching Apps Provided by Publishers: Users can now launch apps directly from the product or downloads page if supported.

FEEDBACK: Users are encouraged to submit feedback in the Feedback Hub (WIN + F) regarding the Microsoft Store.

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 Beta Channel offer a preview of enhancements to servicing technology on Windows 11, version 24H2.
• Many features in the Beta Channel are rolled out using Controlled Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and gradually expanding based on feedback.
• Insiders wishing to receive features gradually rolled out to you can enable the toggle for the latest updates via Settings > Windows Update*.
• Features in active development may not be fully localized, and localization will occur over time as features are finalized.
• Some accessibility features may not function with features like Recall and Click to Do during the preview phase.
• Check Flight Hub for a complete overview of build statuses across Insider channels.

Thanks,
Amanda & Brandon