beta channel

Microsoft has quietly pushed a new Insider preview package — KB5065786 — that surfaces a focused set of account-management refinements alongside deeper Copilot integrations and a long list of fixes and known issues, delivered as Build 26220.6690 to the Dev Channel and Build 26120.6690 to the...

Windows Insiders on the Beta Channel received a small but meaningful preview build today: Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6690 (KB5065786), delivered to devices running Windows 11, version 24H2 as a Beta Channel enablement package and focused largely on controlled feature rollouts, bug...

Windows 11 now surfaces a one‑click path to a network speed test directly from the taskbar — but for now it’s a shortcut to Bing’s web tool (which itself delegates to Speedtest by Ookla), and it’s only available to Windows Insiders in preview channels. Background Microsoft has quietly started...

Microsoft has quietly added a one‑click way to check your internet connection from the Windows 11 taskbar: a new “Perform speed test” shortcut in the network menu and Wi‑Fi quick settings that launches Bing’s speed‑test widget in your default browser, giving users a fast, discoverable sanity...

Windows 11’s latest Insider flight borrows a small but decisive interaction from the emerging generation of Windows-powered handhelds: a long press of the Xbox/Guide button on a controller now opens Task View, while a short tap still summons the Game Bar and a sustained hold continues to power...

Microsoft has tucked a one‑click internet speed check into the Windows 11 taskbar — but for now it’s a launcher that opens Bing’s web speed‑test widget rather than a native, in‑OS measurement tool. Background / Overview Windows 11’s network menu just got a new convenience: a Perform speed test...

Microsoft is quietly testing a one-click network speed test shortcut in the Windows 11 system tray that launches Bing’s speed‑test widget in the default browser, putting a simple “Perform speed test” entry directly where users already go to check connectivity. Background Windows has long relied...

Microsoft is quietly turning the Xbox button on controllers into a native Windows multitasking tool: in the latest Windows 11 Insider builds Microsoft maps a short press of the Xbox button to open the Game Bar, a long press to open Task View (the system-level app switcher and virtual desktop...

Microsoft is quietly rolling out a one‑click pathway to check your internet connection from the Windows 11 taskbar: a new system tray shortcut that opens a network speed test in your default browser, currently visible in Insider preview builds. Background Microsoft has long leaned on...

Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 Insider preview builds quietly add a one‑click internet speed‑test shortcut to the taskbar network flyout — but the shortcut simply opens Bing’s web‑based speed test rather than running a native, offline measurement — and the same builds also include a subtle but...

Microsoft’s continued migration of legacy Control Panel features into the modern Settings app has taken another step forward: recent Windows 11 Insider preview builds contain hidden, in-progress pages that surface longstanding keyboard controls and a redesigned haptic touchpad panel inside...

Microsoft has quietly repurposed the Xbox button on gamepads when used with Windows 11 Insiders: a long press now opens Task View while a short press still launches the Game Bar, and a press-and-hold continues to power down the controller — a small but practical tweak rolling out to Dev and Beta...

Microsoft’s latest Insider activity shows a subtle but telling change: the long‑standing green progress indicator in the File Explorer copy/move dialog has been replaced with a blue variant when the system is in Dark Mode, and several legacy file‑operation dialogs are now honoring the OS dark...

Microsoft’s latest Insider Preview builds bring a tangible — and in many ways overdue — improvement to speech-to-text on Windows by introducing Fluid Dictation inside Voice Access, a smarter, faster, on-device dictation mode designed to make spoken text appear as natural, punctuated prose rather...

Microsoft is quietly rolling out a meaningful upgrade to voice input in Windows 11 Insider builds — a smoother, on-device dictation experience tied to Voice Access and targeted at Copilot+ hardware — while also shipping a focused Beta/Dev Channel flight that expands Studio Effects, tightens...

August 29, 2025 delivered an unexpected lifeline to owners of aging Windows Mixed Reality headsets: a new native SteamVR driver called Oasis that restores direct SteamVR/OpenXR compatibility for devices left orphaned after Microsoft deprecated the Mixed Reality Portal. Background Windows Mixed...

Microsoft has pushed a targeted Beta‑channel update for Windows Insiders — Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.5770 (KB5064089) for devices on the Windows 11, version 24H2 servicing baseline — rolling out a batch of Copilot‑centric productivity features, accessibility enhancements, and a...

Microsoft has quietly begun to reshape the sign‑in moment and a few long‑standing UI friction points in Windows 11, shipping a Beta/Canary preview that modernizes Windows Hello, refines the taskbar and system tray, and adds practical productivity shortcuts to Task Manager and jump lists —...

Microsoft is quietly delivering one of macOS’s smoothest conveniences to Windows 11: a native, Handoff‑style resume capability that lets you pick up activity from an Android phone on a PC — starting with Spotify playback and built as part of the Phone Link/Link to Windows continuity stack. The...

Microsoft is testing a new Cross Device Resume feature for Windows 11 that promises true app continuity with Android phones—starting with Spotify and rolling out to Windows Insiders in staged previews—bringing one‑click, context‑aware handoff between phone and PC that aims to reduce the friction...