In a significant advancement for Windows on Arm, Microsoft has introduced an updated Prism emulator in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27744. This enhancement addresses one of the primary challenges faced by users: compatibility with x86-based applications and games. With the new emulator, support for additional CPU extensions—including AVX, AVX2, BMI, FMA, and F16C—has been integrated, allowing popular applications such as Adobe Premiere Pro 2025 and gaming titles like Starfield and Helldivers 2 to function seamlessly on Arm PCs.
Devices powered by Arm chips, particularly those featuring Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus SoCs, will now have the capability to run a wider array of legacy applications and games that lack native ARM64 versions. This development marks a notable step towards bridging the gap between traditional x86 software and the growing ecosystem of Arm-based computing.
New Features and Improvements
Beyond the Prism emulator update, the Insider Preview Build also introduces a new on-screen gamepad keyboard, enhancing navigation and typing experiences in Windows 11. This feature is poised to be particularly beneficial for gaming handhelds and touchscreen devices, providing users with greater flexibility and control.
The changelog for Build 27744 includes a variety of enhancements and fixes aimed at improving overall user experience:
- General:
- Resolved an issue affecting Insiders with older NVIDIA GPUs, which caused displays to freeze or become unresponsive.
- Input:
- Addressed problems preventing the Emoji Panel and Clipboard History from opening in certain applications, including Registry Editor.
- Fixed an issue that resulted in clipboard history not displaying copied items correctly.
- Windows Sandbox:
- Improved performance issues that some Insiders experienced with Windows Sandbox following recent updates.
- Graphics:
- Corrected a problem that caused the dynamic refresh rate to remain stuck at 60Hz upon first boot.
- Other Fixes:
- Fixed a bugcheck issue with error PAGEFAULTINNONPAGEDAREA that started in Build 27723.
- Resolved crashes related to remote desktop connections (mstsc.exe) in the previous flight.
- Addressed a crashing issue linked to msmpeg2vdec.dll in recent builds.
- Fixed an issue preventing rotation information about JPGs from being queried via APIs.
- Resolved an underlying issue that caused the Get-WindowsCapability command to fail unexpectedly until a reboot.
- Corrected a problem where mica effects did not function properly when using a slideshow for the desktop background.
- Fixed an issue that hindered certain apps from detecting connected scanners.
These updates reflect Microsoft’s commitment to enhancing the functionality and user experience of Windows on Arm, paving the way for a more versatile computing environment.
