The release is Windows 11 Insider Experimental Preview Build 26340.9843. According to Microsoft's Windows Insider Blog, the October 30, 2026 releases shipped Beta: Build 26220.9836 and Experimental: Build 26340.9843. ElevenForum's news index lists it as KB5127930 Windows 11 Insider Experimental (26H2) build 26340.9843 - Oct. 30. Microsoft's release notes say the build is based on Windows 11, version 26H2, delivered through an enablement package.
What changed in build 26340.9843
| Area | Change | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Quick Settings in the Gaming Task View navigation bar while in Xbox mode | Rolling out gradually to Experimental Insiders |
| Settings | Shared Microsoft 365 Family cloud storage usage under Settings > Accounts > Cloud storage | Depends on when the subscription was purchased or renewed |
| Settings | Microsoft 365 subscription upgrades in a dialog inside Settings > Accounts | Eligible Insider subscriptions only |
| Design | Solid ("donut") spinners rolled back for Boot, Logon, Restart, Shutdown and Update | Temporary, while Microsoft fixes a bug |
The headline feature of the build is actually a bigger overhaul of Windows Search. Neowin reports that this build introduces more options to the redesigned Windows Search with inline controls, phone actions, richer results, and filters. This article covers the three smaller changes listed above.
In short: this is an Experimental-channel Insider build on 26H2. Microsoft rolls these features out to a subset of Insiders first, and its release notes say they could change, be removed, or never ship beyond the Insider program.
Gaming: Quick Settings come to Xbox mode
Microsoft's release notes say Quick Settings are coming to the navigation bar in Gaming Task View while in Xbox mode. You get the full set of Quick Settings from the Windows taskbar without having to leave Xbox mode. Windows Report summarized it this way: This lets players access Windows taskbar settings without leaving the gaming interface.
Why does this matter? Xbox mode is meant to be a full-screen experience you can use from the couch. When Microsoft announced its wider rollout at GDC 2026, the company said nothing... more precisely, Microsoft described Xbox mode as a controller-optimized experience for browsing your game library, launching games, using Game Bar and switching between apps. Until now, changing a basic system setting meant leaving that full-screen shell. This change closes that gap.
There is one caveat. Microsoft's notes don't list which controls appear in the panel. They only say it's the same set you get from the taskbar. What you see will likely depend on how your own taskbar Quick Settings are configured and what hardware you have. That's a reasonable guess, but Microsoft hasn't confirmed which tiles appear.
Some context from the 26H1 branch: Windows Report says the separate Experimental (26H1) build 28120.3393 also tweaks this navigation bar. The updated navigation bar provides quicker access to Exit to Desktop and Power Options, making it easier to switch between gaming and standard desktop use. Both branches are getting work on the same part of Xbox mode.
In short: if you're on build 26340.9843 and the feature has reached your device, you can reach Quick Settings from Gaming Task View without leaving Xbox mode.
Settings: Microsoft 365 Family shared storage
Pureinfotech describes the change simply: Windows 11 is making it easier to check shared cloud storage included with Microsoft 365 Family subscriptions. According to Microsoft's release notes, Settings now shows shared storage usage across a Microsoft 365 Family subscription. A breakdown for each family member is "coming soon."
When you get the view depends on when the subscription was bought:
- Bought after October 8, 2026: open Settings > Accounts > Cloud storage to see it now.
- Bought before October 8, 2026: the view appears after your first subscription renewal on or after May 2, 2027.
The second rule is easy to misread. Older subscriptions don't all get the view on May 2, 2027. It arrives with your first renewal on or after that date, so a subscription that renews in, say, August 2027 would wait until August. Microsoft's notes link this to separate changes in how Microsoft 365 storage works. This build doesn't explain those changes.
What the view doesn't do yet: it shows total usage across the family, not each person's share. If you're trying to work out whose backup filled the family's storage, you'll still need other tools until the per-member breakdown arrives.
Settings: upgrading Microsoft 365 without a browser
The second Settings change applies only to Insiders. Microsoft says Windows Insiders with eligible Microsoft 365 subscriptions can now browse upgrade options and upgrade their plan in a dialog inside Settings > Accounts, instead of being sent to a browser. To open it, select Upgrade on the Microsoft 365 subscription card.
Microsoft's notes don't say which plans qualify, what the prices are, or when non-Insiders will get the feature.
It's fair to ask who benefits more here: users who save a few clicks, or Microsoft, which now has a checkout flow inside the operating system's own Settings app. Both are true. Enterprise admins and privacy-minded home users will notice that Settings > Accounts keeps adding subscription prompts. This is analysis, not something Microsoft has stated, but adding purchase flows to Windows has been a sore point with some users for years.
Windows design: the donut spinners are rolled back for now
The third change removes something. Microsoft says it is temporarily rolling back the solid ("donut") spinners in several key Windows screens while it works on a bug:
- Boot
- Logon
- Restart
- Shutdown
- Update
Microsoft says it expects to start rolling the new spinners out again soon. It hasn't given a date or described the bug. If the familiar spinner is back on your Insider machine's restart or update screen, that's expected and doesn't mean your installation is broken.
How to get the build
Experimental is one of Microsoft's Insider channels. NTCompatible explains how the builds line up: The Beta channel (26220.9836) runs on the current 25H2 feature update and is the one most casual Insiders will actually land on. The Experimental channel (26340.9843) sits on version 26H2.
- Go to Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program and enroll the device in the Experimental channel.
- Check Windows Update for build 26340.9843.
- After installing, check whether the features are there: Gaming Task View in Xbox mode, and Settings > Accounts > Cloud storage.
If a feature is missing: that's usually not a failed install. Microsoft uses Controlled Feature Rollout, which turns features on for a subset of Insiders first and expands over time. For the storage view, check your subscription's purchase and renewal dates against the rules above.
Known issue in this build
Microsoft lists one unrelated known issue: Insiders report that the CPU speed shown in Task Manager stops updating after recent flights, and Microsoft is investigating. It has nothing to do with the three changes above. Just don't trust that number on an affected test machine.
Bottom line
None of these changes is big on its own, but they're useful. Xbox mode users no longer have to leave the full-screen shell to reach basic settings, and Microsoft 365 Family subscribers get some visibility into shared storage. The spinner rollback shows Microsoft holding back a change that touches every boot, logon, restart, shutdown and update screen until the bug is fixed.
For production PCs, wait. This is an Experimental-channel build, and the storage view's dates mean many existing subscribers won't see it until 2027.