Microsoft has just popped the confetti cannons over at Windows Insider HQ, delivering what they call the “final” Beta Build for Windows 11 version 23H2 — KB5055636, build 22635.5305, if you’re collecting these like Pokémon cards. This update isn’t just one last hurrah for 23H2 Insiders, it’s the transition riff before Microsoft cranks the volume and shoves Beta Channel testers into the unknown pastures of Windows 11 version 24H2. If you have commitment issues, too bad — the Windows development train is on the move, no time for bittersweet goodbyes.
Windows 11’s update regime is nothing if not relentless, dropping tweaks and fixes upon the world like confetti after a lackluster office party. But KB5055636 comes with that rare “final” tag, a signal to IT pros and enthusiasts: whatever’s here, this is where the 23H2 story ends.
The most headline-grabbing new feature? A profanity filter for voice typing that now… wait for it… lets you switch it off. Yes, you can finally curse at your computer hands-free and see it transcribed in all its uncensored, colorful glory. Or, if you’re in a more genteel mood or worried about HR reviewing your demo sessions, keep the filter on, and let those expletives be gently masked by asterisks.
To enable or disable this filter, just hit Win + H to bring up voice typing, hit the settings cog, and toy with the “Filter profanity” toggle. It’s so easy, you’ll wonder why you can’t control your boss’s language the same way.
While some might snicker at the idea of a profanity filter as headline news, anyone who’s dictated notes while frustrated by a malfunctioning network knows the value here. Imagine demoing voice-to-text for a classroom of fourth-graders — you’d much rather have “****” than what they picked up at recess. Conversely, in enterprise IT, being able to review logs or chat transcripts as they actually happened, unvarnished, is occasionally helpful (“Did the admin really say that?”). Flexibility is king, and Microsoft’s finally, mercifully, offering it.
The suggested workaround? Open Device Manager, switch to “Devices by Driver,” hunt down a cryptically named driver whose label even Neowin’s summary censors as “(XXX),” and uninstall it. There’s apparently no prize for finding which “XXX” your system uses, but perhaps some satisfaction in besting Microsoft’s cryptic instructions.
Bug fixes for Explorer, Spotlight, touch keyboards — these might seem granular, but for busy IT teams juggling hybrid work, BYOD, and touch-first hardware, these “small” things make big differences.
Moreover, while enabling users to opt out of the profanity filter is welcome, why did it take this long? And as for touch bugs in File Explorer, the persistence of such gremlins in 2024 suggest Microsoft’s vision for a truly touch-optimized Windows is still a work in progress.
But as Microsoft shepherds everyone to 24H2, there’s a pragmatic undercurrent here, too. A clean slate, a new round of features, and — if history is any guide — a fresh crop of bugs. IT departments: update your user education scripts, print out those bug workaround instructions, and keep a bottle of aspirin handy. This is the last quiet before another beta storm hits.
But lest you grow complacent, here’s a reminder: with every sunset, there’s a sunrise somewhere on the changelog. Version 24H2 already looms, with its own promises, quirks, and probably a new way for Xbox controllers to ruin your coffee break.
For IT pros, this is a milestone — not a moment to relax, but to ready your scripts, test your quirkiest devices, and prepare for the future, a little more robustly, a little more irreverently, and (thanks to the new voice typing freedom) perhaps a lot more colorfully.
And if you ever feel alone in the trenches, just remember: somewhere, an Insider is debugging a stuck flyout while dictating “bugger!” into voice typing, and now, Windows will type it out just as they said. Progress.
Source: Neowin Windows 11 KB5055636 is the final Beta update for version 23H2
KB5055636: A Swan Song Wrapped in Asterisks
Windows 11’s update regime is nothing if not relentless, dropping tweaks and fixes upon the world like confetti after a lackluster office party. But KB5055636 comes with that rare “final” tag, a signal to IT pros and enthusiasts: whatever’s here, this is where the 23H2 story ends.The most headline-grabbing new feature? A profanity filter for voice typing that now… wait for it… lets you switch it off. Yes, you can finally curse at your computer hands-free and see it transcribed in all its uncensored, colorful glory. Or, if you’re in a more genteel mood or worried about HR reviewing your demo sessions, keep the filter on, and let those expletives be gently masked by asterisks.
To enable or disable this filter, just hit Win + H to bring up voice typing, hit the settings cog, and toy with the “Filter profanity” toggle. It’s so easy, you’ll wonder why you can’t control your boss’s language the same way.
The Real-World Grit: Why Profanity Control Actually Matters
While some might snicker at the idea of a profanity filter as headline news, anyone who’s dictated notes while frustrated by a malfunctioning network knows the value here. Imagine demoing voice-to-text for a classroom of fourth-graders — you’d much rather have “****” than what they picked up at recess. Conversely, in enterprise IT, being able to review logs or chat transcripts as they actually happened, unvarnished, is occasionally helpful (“Did the admin really say that?”). Flexibility is king, and Microsoft’s finally, mercifully, offering it.
A Parade of Fixes (With a Few Stumbles Along the Way)
With every update, Microsoft sprinkles in a handful of fixes they hope you’ll never notice because, ideally, the bugs weren’t noticed in the first place. Still, for people who have been undermined by Explorer crashes, Spotlight flyouts that refuse to leave, or weirdness with touch keyboards, this update might be a sigh of relief.File Explorer Finally Behaving (Sort Of)
Specifically, Microsoft addressed an issue where tapping the “View” button in File Explorer with touch would crash it. If you’ve been playing touchscreen whack-a-mole hoping File Explorer won’t vaporize, rejoice. This may mean one less urgent helpdesk ticket for IT crews and a small step toward Windows genuinely supporting all the shiny 2-in-1 devices out there.Commentary: Is Touch Still the Red-Headed Stepchild?
It still amazes me how a decade and a half after the first touchscreen Windows dreams, pressing a plain old button in File Explorer could still cause a meltdown. For all of Microsoft’s “surface” innovations, those using touch daily still stumble into these potholes more often than they should. If you’re running touch-centric deployments, it’s worth reading patch notes like scripture.The Spotlight Flyout That Wouldn’t Leave
Another fix? Windows Spotlight’s flyout for “learn more about this picture” could get stuck like gum under your desk, refusing to yield precious screen real estate to actual work. Now, thank heavens, that flyout should slink away when it’s supposed to, instead of holding your applications hostage.Commentary: UI Poltergeists and the IT Exorcist
Windows UI elements behaving badly is an eternal theme. The Spotlight flyout overstaying its welcome is harmless compared to other interface ghosts, but it racks up real irritation. How many hours are wasted as users try to click “behind” overlays that never should have been there in the first place? Quirks like this are easy to sneer at, but they kill productivity in death-by-a-thousand-cuts fashion.Symbol Keyboard Inserting Randomness
There’s also a fix for the touch keyboard, where using the symbols section and switching pages could insert an unwanted character, specifically in password fields. As if modern password policies weren’t labyrinthine enough! At least now you don’t have to wonder if your muscle memory is buggy — it was the OS all along.Commentary: Password Entry — Still a Minefield
Password entry on touch devices was never fun, but unintentional symbol input could lead to an admin spending 20 minutes wondering why their login doesn’t work before realizing it’s not PEBKAC, it’s PBM (Problem by Microsoft). This type of fix won’t make headlines, but it’s utterly essential for IT in touch-heavy environments.Settings Page Hover Hiccups
For UI obsessives, another correction: hovering over the cards atop Settings > System > About now displays the correct corner radius. That’s right, corner radius. The stuff that wins awards at design summits or earns ridicule on r/baddesign. It’s a tiny fix, but a reminder that no detail is too small in the age of rounded everything.Commentary: UI Consistency — Only Slightly Less Important Than Breathing?
While this may sound trivial, enough small UI glitches and you have an operating system that feels sloppy, eroding user trust. IT professionals know: polish equals credibility, and a polished feeling Windows means fewer “why does my computer look weird” calls.A Known Issue: Xbox Controllers versus Bluetooth, Fight!
Alas, it wouldn’t be a real Windows update without something horrifying lurking. The current monster? An issue where using Xbox controllers via Bluetooth may cause your PC to trigger a bugcheck. “Bugcheck,” of course, is Windows lingo for “Blue Screen of Death” — as in, your gaming session (or remote desktop session, or whatever you’re up to) comes to an abrupt, blue end.The suggested workaround? Open Device Manager, switch to “Devices by Driver,” hunt down a cryptically named driver whose label even Neowin’s summary censors as “(XXX),” and uninstall it. There’s apparently no prize for finding which “XXX” your system uses, but perhaps some satisfaction in besting Microsoft’s cryptic instructions.
Commentary: Gamers and IT Pros, United in Shared Suffering
As ever, those running Insider builds know to expect the unexpected, but this one stings. Xbox controllers are not just for gaming; IT pros use them for testing, accessibility, or custom input rigs. Nothing says “prepared for a demo” like plugging in your reliable controller, only to have Windows serenade you with a crash. One wonders how a bug like this wasn’t caught sooner by all the Halo enthusiasts lurking within Microsoft.What’s Good, What’s Weird, What’s Next
There are updates you remember, and there are updates that represent moments of closure. KB5055636 is the latter for any IT team managing a fleet of Beta Channel Windows 11 systems. This is the signpost saying, “You are here. Next stop: version 24H2.”The Strengths: Transparent Progress and User Control
Let’s give credit where it’s due. Microsoft’s willingness to let users control the profanity filter ups the trust factor. Previously, the filter was always on; now, power users can toggle it off if unfiltered transcripts fit their needs (or their, uh, poetic language style). This is a good predictor for future voice features, hopefully giving admins and users more say over how speech inputs are used and recorded.Bug fixes for Explorer, Spotlight, touch keyboards — these might seem granular, but for busy IT teams juggling hybrid work, BYOD, and touch-first hardware, these “small” things make big differences.
The Weaknesses: Death by a Thousand Known Issues
However, there’s always a price. Insider build users expect a little turbulence, but a BSOD via Xbox controller feels like the sort of thing best caught before public flight. Microsoft’s known-issue lists keep getting longer, sometimes reading like cautionary tales for would-be Windows tweakers.Moreover, while enabling users to opt out of the profanity filter is welcome, why did it take this long? And as for touch bugs in File Explorer, the persistence of such gremlins in 2024 suggest Microsoft’s vision for a truly touch-optimized Windows is still a work in progress.
The Real Risk for IT: Update Complacency
When a “final” build lands before a feature update, a lot of organizations breathe easy and stop testing — danger, Will Robinson! Whether you run a school full of touchscreen tablets or support engineers who insist on Xbox controller-driven robots, this moment in Insider history is your signal for a last blitz of regression testing. Profile your hardware, your input methods, your weirdest power-user edge cases — because 24H2 is around the corner, and anything not fixed now might get buried in “known issues” for another year.Beta Channel: The Party Moves On
For Beta Channel Insiders, this last hurrah for 23H2 comes with mixed emotions. There’s nostalgia for what worked, war stories about what didn’t, and a palpable sense that your bug feedback might be mildly appreciated (if only by the AI that triages them automatically).But as Microsoft shepherds everyone to 24H2, there’s a pragmatic undercurrent here, too. A clean slate, a new round of features, and — if history is any guide — a fresh crop of bugs. IT departments: update your user education scripts, print out those bug workaround instructions, and keep a bottle of aspirin handy. This is the last quiet before another beta storm hits.
Conclusion: The Curtain Falls on 23H2, Profanity (Mostly) Filtered
As the curtain drops on Windows 11 version 23H2 in the Beta Channel, it’s fitting that the “final” update is both utilitarian and a little quirky. You get much-needed bug fixes — the unsung heroes of the IT world — and a voice typing profanity filter that can finally be turned off, unlocking a brave new world of unexpurgated voice memos.But lest you grow complacent, here’s a reminder: with every sunset, there’s a sunrise somewhere on the changelog. Version 24H2 already looms, with its own promises, quirks, and probably a new way for Xbox controllers to ruin your coffee break.
For IT pros, this is a milestone — not a moment to relax, but to ready your scripts, test your quirkiest devices, and prepare for the future, a little more robustly, a little more irreverently, and (thanks to the new voice typing freedom) perhaps a lot more colorfully.
And if you ever feel alone in the trenches, just remember: somewhere, an Insider is debugging a stuck flyout while dictating “bugger!” into voice typing, and now, Windows will type it out just as they said. Progress.
Source: Neowin Windows 11 KB5055636 is the final Beta update for version 23H2
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