New Windows 11 Preview Builds Introduced: Enhancements and Fixes

Microsoft has unveiled two fresh preview builds for Windows 11—one within the Beta Channel and another exclusive to Dev Channel insiders. For those in the Dev Channel, the build number 26120.2222 is accessible via update KB5046746. This latest iteration brings a wealth of new features, including advancements in jump lists and File Explorer, in addition to various bug resolutions related to window management and more.

Overview of Changes and Improvements

New Features Rolling Out in the Dev Channel

[General Enhancements]

• By holding the Shift and CTRL keys while selecting an item from the jump list on the Start menu or the taskbar, users can now launch that application with administrative privileges, similar to the method of holding those keys when clicking directly on the app icon. For instance, clicking on PowerShell in the Windows Terminal jump list using these keys will open a PowerShell window as an administrator.
• Additional fixes are being gradually rolled out in the Dev Channel with this toggle activated.

[File Explorer Improvements]

• Addressed an issue where the “See More” (“…”) menu would occasionally open incorrectly, leading to it being displayed off-screen.

[Input Enhancements]

• Resolved a problem that could cause the mouse to become disengaged from the game window on multi-monitor systems after using the Game Bar, rendering it unusable in-game.

[Window Management Fixes]

• Tackled an issue where application windows could unpredictably shift positions upon waking from sleep mode, particularly on setups with multiple monitors.

[Additional Fixes]

• Fixed a glitch that could render the Registry Editor unresponsive when pressing Alt after accessing the license information in the About section.

Known Issues to Consider

Before proceeding with the update to today’s build, users should be aware of the following known issues:

[Narrator Issues]

• [NEW] [IMPORTANT] A critical issue has been identified where the Narrator feature crashes at launch if one of the natural voices, such as Jenny, is selected. For users dependent on Narrator, pausing further updates is advisable through Settings under Windows Update by selecting “Pause Updates” . If you opt to install this build and encounter this issue, switching to an alternative voice, such as Microsoft David, via Settings under Accessibility > Narrator can mitigate these crashes. Due to the crashes, it may be necessary to utilize a secondary screen reader or seek assistance to make this change.

[Desktop Background Issues]

• Our team is actively working on a solution for a problem that may prevent the desktop background from displaying correctly, particularly for users with multiple monitors where black areas could appear.

Further Information and Resources

For those interested in exploring the complete build announcement, visit the official Windows Blogs website.

For additional insights and visuals, check out this article on Neowin.