Hello WindowsForum members! Microsoft has just released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25281 to the Dev Channel, bringing exciting new features and a variety of fixes. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what's new and how it impacts your Windows 11 experience.
Key Highlights
1. Enhancements to Windows Spotlight Starting with Build 25281, Microsoft is experimenting with different treatments for Windows Spotlight:- Richer UI: Showcases titles, descriptions, and more information about Spotlight images directly on your desktop.
- Improved Interactivity: New options for switching pictures, including previews, full-screen experiences, and minimized experiences. To enable Windows Spotlight:
- Right-click on your desktop →
"Personalize" → Choose the new Spotlight theme. - Alternatively: Settings → Personalization → Background → Select Spotlight under the “Personalize your background” dropdown. [FEEDBACK: Use Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Windows Spotlight to share your thoughts.] 2. Redesigned Graphics Settings Page Aligning with Windows 11’s new design principles, the graphics settings page has received a visual update:
- Streamlined Appearance: Enhanced ease in accessing graphics configurations like 'GPU preference' and 'Auto HDR'.
- Functionality Remains Unchanged: Only the interface has been revamped for a modern look. For additional details on graphics settings, refer to the DirectX Blog post. 3.
Tabs in Notepad Tabs in Notepad have started rolling out to Dev Channel Insiders, streamlining your text-editing tasks.Changes and Fixes
- Updated System Tray Icons: The printer icon now aligns with other modern icons.
- Taskbar Navigation: Windows Narrator now better describes the position of app icons when navigating the taskbar with WIN + T and arrow keys.
- File Explorer: Fixes include a corrected error dialogue for network discovery and resolution of certain explorer.exe crashes.
- Settings Adjustments: Removal of Bluetooth devices no longer prompts for confirmation, and several Wi-Fi-related bugs have been addressed.
- Task View & Snap Groups: No more crashes
when right-clicking to show snap groups on all desktops. - Narrator Improvements: Various fixes enhancing the accessibility experience, especially with Braille devices.
Known Issues
- Windows Hello: Facial recognition might fail on Arm64 PCs. Use the PIN method as a workaround.
- Update Times: Some users experience longer-than-expected update times—ongoing investigations.
- App Freezes: Freezes reported in browsers and apps after the last Dev Channel build.
- Taskbar Issues: The taskbar might be cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized version.
- Search on Taskbar: Adjustments needed for certain configurations to show the search box as an icon only.
- Task Manager Themes: Some dialogs may not
render correctly under custom themes. For a complete list of known issues and other details, make sure to visit the official Windows Insider Blog post.Developer Notes
The latest Windows Insider SDK can be downloaded at aka.ms/windowsinsidersdk. NuGet packages are also available, providing more granular access and seamless CI/CD pipeline integration.About the Dev Channel
Builds in the Dev Channel are experimental and might never make it to public release. These builds are intended for trying out new ideas and collecting feedback. Always check the known issues and remember, switching from Dev Channel to Beta or Release Preview Channels requires
a clean install.Important Links
- Windows Insider Program Documentation
Flight Hub for build updates across Insider channels. Stay tuned for more updates and happy testing!
Post your questions and experiences with Build 25281 below. Don’t forget to share your feedback directly with Microsoft using the Feedback Hub! Amanda & Brandon
