Windows 11 Build 26120.3380 Released with Start Menu Enhancements, New Tray Button, and More
Microsoft Unveils New Windows 11 Preview Build: Key Updates and Features
Microsoft has introduced a fresh Windows 11 preview build, version 26120.3380 (KB5053660), now accessible in both the Dev and Beta Channels. This significant update brings several exciting enhancements, including updates to the Start menu and snap groups, a new system tray button, and various improvements across File Explorer.
Changelog Overview
New Features Rolling Out in the Dev Channel
File Explorer Recommended Files
The Recommended files feature is now available in File Explorer Home for all Windows Insiders logged in with personal or local Microsoft accounts. This feature offers quick access to important files, displaying a carousel of thumbnails based on your activity. This includes frequently used documents, recent downloads, and media added to your File Explorer Gallery. Work or school account users (Entra ID) will see additional recommendations coming with this update. Currently, this feature is not rolling out in the European Economic Area (EEA), but quick access to pinned folders remains available in the navigation pane.
Enhancements and Improvements
Live Captions: The feature, compatible with AMD and Intel® Copilot+ PCs, now offers real-time translation to Simplified Chinese. Supported languages include a variety spanning from Arabic to Swedish.
Start Menu Enhancements: Users will notice recommendations for snap groups based on commonly paired applications in the Recommended section of the Start menu.
Taskbar Search Improvements: Enhanced support for web search providers in Windows Search is now available for users in the EEA, enhancing overall discoverability.
Notifications Update: A new toast notification advises users to add a secondary email or recovery phone number to their Microsoft accounts to ensure access recovery in case of password loss.
Widgets for Developers: Developers can now create dynamic widgets using their existing web content, facilitating interaction on the Windows 11 widgets surface.
Emoji Integration: A new tray icon enhances the discoverability of the emoji and more panel, allowing users to express themselves across applications easily.
System Settings Overview: The new “top cards” feature under Settings > System > About provides a quick view of important PC specifications such as processor, RAM, storage, and GPU, simplifying user decision-making about hardware upgrades.
Additional Fixes and Enhancements
File Explorer Enhancements:
Improved accessibility support for text scaling in File Open/Save dialogs and Wizard dialogs enhances user experience.
Windowing Improvements:
Resolved an issue where the Snap Bar displayed unexpected corners closest to the screen.
Input Fixes:
Fixed a critical crash in ctfmon.exe that impacted typographical abilities on the platform.
Settings Resolutions:
Addressed a crash issue that could occur when adding a color profile.
Fixed a problem causing Settings to crash when logging into a Microsoft Account (MSA).
Corrected display names in Settings > Accounts for Japanese users.
General Stability Improvements:
Resolved potential bugs associated with the PDC_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT error during system sleep.
Fixed an issue in windows.storage.dll where opening files from an app might lead to crashes.
Known Issues to Address
General Issues:
Post PC resets, some users may notice their build version displaying incorrectly as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This does not hinder future updates.
Recall Feature Issues:
If using Recall on an IT-managed PC, snapshots may be deleted upon reboot. Users can prevent this by accessing Group Policy Editor and adjusting settings under Windows AI.
Known issues affecting Recall saving snapshots and enabling settings are being worked on by the development team.
The Recall feature still requires enabling from the “Turn Windows features on or off” section.
Click to Do Feature Issues:
Users should ensure all Microsoft apps are updated for optimal operation.
Actions leveraging intelligent text tools may experience intermittent context integration.
Search Performance Recommendations:
To accelerate search indexing, users are advised to connect their Copilot+ PC during the initial setup.
File Explorer Concerns:
Ongoing fixes are in progress for slow closing times when using the X button in File Explorer.
Task Manager Observations:
New CPU Utility columns may display the System Idle Process inaccurately, and graphs are still using legacy calculations.
For more information about the latest build, refer to the official announcement on the Windows Blog.
Stay updated by following the changes and fixes through this build, and make sure to explore all the new features available.
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