Windows 11 Insider Beta Channel build 22635.4225 (KB5043186) introduces new Copilot key settings

Microsoft has introduced a new build of Windows 11 for participants in the Windows Insider Program within the Beta Channel. The build number is 22635.4225, identified under KB5043186. This update brings several new features, including the option to configure the Copilot key on keyboards and laptops that feature this recently added key.

Below is the changelog:

Changes and Improvements being gradually rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

[File Explorer]

A new capability has been added that allows users to share content to an Android device directly from the context menu in File Explorer and on the desktop. To utilize this feature, ensure that the Phone Link is installed and set up on your PC.

New feature for sharing content to an Android device from the File Explorer context menu highlighted.

Fixes being gradually rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

[Input]

This update addresses an issue where some Insiders experienced problems with the emoji panel failing to operate correctly in the previous flight (the panel would close after selecting an emoji and users couldn’t switch categories).

Changes and Improvements currently being rolled out to all users in the Beta Channel

[Settings]

Users can now configure the Copilot key to launch an app that is MSIX packaged and signed, thereby ensuring it complies with security and privacy standards to protect users. Until a different option is chosen, the key will activate Copilot on devices with the Copilot app installed. You can find this setting under Settings > Personalization > Text input. Note that if your PC’s keyboard lacks a Copilot key, changing this setting will have no effect.

New option for configuring the Copilot key highlighted.

Fixes for all users in the Beta Channel

[General]

This update resolves a bug that caused some Insiders to experience a bugcheck when closing Notepad in the previous build.

[Other]

This update brings fixes for several issues:

[Windows Installer] When repairing an application, the User Account Control (UAC) will now prompt you for credentials. This adjustment means you will need to update your automation scripts, and application owners should include the Shield icon, which indicates that the process requires elevated administrative access. To disable the UAC prompt, set the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\DisableLUAInRepair registry value to 1. Note that these changes may impact automated repairs by Windows Installer; for further details check out Application Resiliency: Unlock the Hidden Features of Windows Installer.

[Group Policy Preferences Item Level Targeting (ILT) and Local Users and Groups] Users cannot select a group from the target domain for ILT, nor can they choose an account from Local Users and Groups in scenarios where multiple forests are deployed and the target domain maintains a one-way trust with the admin’s domain. This issue may impact deployments using Enhanced Security Admin Environment (ESAE), Hardened Forests (HF), or Privileged Access Management (PAM).

[Task Manager] The application may become unresponsive when switching from a high contrast theme back to a standard theme.

Known issues

[Start menu]

[NEW] If you click or tap a letter in the All apps list of the Start menu, the list may malfunction. If you run into this issue, restarting your system or restarting explorer.exe may resolve it.