Microsoft has unveiled a new Release Preview build for Windows 11 24H2 Insiders, identified as build 26100.2448 under KB5046740. This update addresses various issues, including Mica and DISM, while also introducing enhancements to the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) and more. Below is a detailed overview of the changes and improvements included in this release.
Gradual Rollout Features
The following features and improvements will be rolled out gradually, meaning not all users may receive them simultaneously. Key updates are highlighted in brackets:
- [Start menu] New! Users can now access jump lists by right-clicking pinned apps in the Start menu.
- [Taskbar] New! The system tray now displays a shortened date and time. Additionally, the notification bell icon may be hidden when “Do not disturb” is enabled. Users can click on the date and time to access messages in the notification center. For those preferring the full date and time format, adjustments can be made in Settings > Date and Time.
- [Touchscreen] New! A new section for touchscreen edge gestures has been added. Users can manage these settings under Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touch.
- [Task Manager]
- New! The Disconnect and Logoff dialogs now support dark mode and text scaling.
- New! The Performance section now displays the type of each disk.
- [Input Method Editor (IME)] New! The IME toolbar will now hide when apps are in full-screen mode while typing in Chinese or Japanese.
- [File Explorer] New! Users can share content directly to an Android device from the context menu in File Explorer and on the desktop, provided they have installed and configured Phone Link.
- [IFilters] New! Windows Search will now run IFilters in Less Privileged App Containers (LPAC), enhancing security by limiting access to sensitive system components.
- [Dynamic Lighting Settings page]
- New! A placeholder message will appear when no compatible device is connected, with Brightness and Effects controls turned off.
- New! The update introduces new directional options for the Wave effect and adds a Forward direction option for the Gradient effect.
- [Narrator] New! Enhancements to Narrator scan mode allow users to skip past links and jump to lists more efficiently, improving navigation through lengthy documents.
- [Speech in Windows] New! Improvements have been made to speech-to-text and text-to-speech functionalities, with users prompted to update their language files via the Microsoft Store.
- [Settings] New! The Tailored Experiences feature has been rebranded as Personalized offers within the OOBE, allowing users to manage data sharing settings.
- [Jump lists] New! Holding Shift and CTRL while clicking a jump list item will now open it with administrative privileges.
- [DISM] Fixed: The StartComponentCleanup task now functions correctly, resolving the issue where it would stop at 71% with error 6842.
- [PowerShell] Fixed: The Get-WindowsCapability command has been stabilized, eliminating the need for a restart in certain scenarios.
- [Windows Update] Fixed: Resolved an issue where users encountered error 0x800f0905 during updates.
- [JPG files] Fixed: Users can now successfully utilize APIs to retrieve rotation information.
- [Display]
- Fixed an issue where app windows would cluster in the corner of a monitor after sleep mode, particularly for users with multiple monitors.
- Corrected the display of Mica material when using a slideshow background.
- [Mouse] Fixed the size of the pointer location circles when using the CTRL key on certain displays.
- [Clipboard] Resolved an issue where clipboard history would show no content despite being enabled.
- [Taskbar] Fixed the display of the search box when the taskbar is set to auto-hide.
- [File Explorer]
- Fixed the expansion direction of the menu when selecting the See more button.
- Addressed the issue of the search box being cut off in smaller File Explorer windows.
Normal Rollout Features
This update also includes several features and improvements that are rolling out as part of the normal update process:
- [File Explorer] Fixed the upward expansion of the menu when selecting the See more button.
- [HTML Applications (HTA)] Fixed the inclusion of HTA optional components in ARM64 Windows PE.
- [Task Manager] Resolved an issue causing the Users page to freeze when using the keyboard.
- [Graphics Device Interface Plus (GDI+)]
- Fixed issues with obtaining properties of image files.
- Corrected scaling errors during image re-encoding.
- [RAW format images] Fixed orientation issues with displayed images.
- [Exporting chart objects] Resolved freezing issues when exporting chart objects in PDF and XLSX formats.
- [Mouse and Xbox game bar] Fixed mouse unlocking issues from the game window when using multiple monitors.
For further details, the official blog post is available on Microsoft’s website.
