Windows 11 Beta Build 26220.7670 Brings Fixes and CFR Rollouts (KB5074169)

Microsoft has pushed Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7670 (KB5074169) to the Beta Channel, a quiet-but-important maintenance flight that patches several recent regressions while leaving a handful of productivity-impacting issues still under investigation.

Overview​

Today’s Beta Channel update arrives as an enablement-package build on top of Windows 11, version 25H2, and is targeted at Windows Insiders who want ongoing previews of fixes and staged feature rollouts. The public-facing notes emphasize a set of fixes being gradually rolled out to Insiders who have turned on the “get the latest updates as they are available” toggle, and list several persistent known issues that Microsoft is still working to resolve.
Key takeaways for enthusiasts and IT pros:

• Build: 26220.7670 (delivered as an enablement/package layer for 25H2)
• KB: KB5074169
• Channel: Beta Channel
• Focus: multiple stability and UX fixes (File Explorer, Start menu, Search, Settings, display/graphics) and fixes for enterprise scenarios (Azure Virtual Desktop / Windows 365 sign-in)
• Known issues remain that may affect workflows (File Explorer window jumps, Start menu Categories view, system tray app visibility, Click to Do / Copilot prompt on images)

I verified the release and the exact list of fixes and known issues on the official Windows Insider announcement and cross-checked platform/rollout details with Microsoft’s Flight Hub and independent Windows outlets that track Insider builds and cumulative updates.

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Background: enablement packages, channels, and the rollout model​

What this build is and why the build number looks like 26220.xxxx​

Microsoft has been shipping Windows 11 “25H2” preview content as an enablement package on top of the base 25H2 platform, which is why Beta and Dev channel builds sometimes show a 26220-series build number. The enablement approach flips features on without requiring a full-feature update reinstall, keeping the update window smaller and the transition lighter for testers.

Controlled Feature Rollouts and the toggle​

Microsoft continues to use Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR) mechanisms for many fixes and features. Insiders who want to receive the earliest staged updates can enable the toggle shown on the Windows Update page—commonly labeled Get the latest updates as soon as they are available—which places that device in the front of CFR deployments. This setting can be toggled in Settings > Windows Update (with additional policy controls available for managed devices).

Who should run this build​

• Enthusiasts and testers who accept that preview builds can break things: good fit.
• Production or mission-critical machines: not recommended, particularly because a small number of the fixes address regressions that themselves caused serious disruption (bug checks, sign-in failures, black screens).
• IT teams evaluating deployment impact: test in a controlled environment, especially if you use AVD, Windows 365, or multi-monitor setups.

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What Microsoft fixed in Build 26220.7670 (high-level summary)​

The release note groups fixes that are being gradually rolled out (those gated by the toggle) and then the known issues Microsoft is tracking. Notable fixes included in this update are:

• File Explorer: resolved an issue where the “Extract All” option wouldn’t appear in the command bar when browsing non-ZIP archive folders.
• Start menu: fixed a problem where the hide this pane button in the mobile device side panel didn’t take users to the setting.
• Search: addressed a cosmetic/UX issue where the Search process showed an icon with an X instead of the expected magnifying glass.
• Settings: applied changes to reduce instances where Settings Home would load very slowly.
• Display & Graphics: fixed a regression that caused secondary monitors to display black screens for some devices after earlier updates.
• Other: corrected an underlying issue that could cause unexpected sign-in failures when using Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365, and addressed a bug that could trigger a SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION bug check on some devices after recent flights.

These corrections are pragmatic: they focus on UX regressions and a couple of higher-severity items affecting enterprise remote desktop scenarios and kernel stability.

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Known issues you should watch for​

Despite the fixes, Microsoft lists several ongoing problems that remain open and are labeled as NEW or in-progress:

• Start menu (Categories view): clicking the entry to show more apps inside a category may not work.
• File Explorer: an underlying issue can cause all open File Explorer windows and tabs to unexpectedly jump to Desktop or Home.
• Xbox Full-Screen Experience (FSE): some apps that expect a fixed size or spawn additional windows may behave unexpectedly in FSE.
• Taskbar & System Tray: some apps may not appear in the system tray when they should.
• Click to Do (Microsoft 365 Copilot): on selected images, the Copilot prompt box may not function unless the Microsoft 365 Copilot app is already running.

These are not cosmetic-only problems—several can interrupt daily work (File Explorer behavior, Start menu navigation, and missing system tray icons). Microsoft is actively investigating but has not yet provided ETA windows for fixes.

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Deep dive: why the fixes matter (and the potential impact)​

File Explorer — “Extract All” and the jump-to-Desktop/Home bug​

File Explorer is the single-most-used file manager for Windows users; regressions that change its command bar or navigation behavior quickly become visible and annoying.

• The “Extract All” fix corrects a UI inconsistency for archived folders that are not ZIPs, restoring expected context actions.
• The more severe, still-open issue where windows or tabs jump to Desktop/Home can destroy a user’s workflow: if open tabs move unexpectedly they can cause lost context while working across multiple folders or projects. This behavior is especially disruptive for power users who use tabbed File Explorer layouts or tools that depend on stable window states.

Why it matters: unpredictable navigation or lost window state erodes trust in the environment and leads to wasted time re-opening folders and reorienting workflows.

Start menu — Categories view interaction failure​

The Start menu remains central to daily interactions. The Categories view is intended to make app discovery easier, but a click that fails silently to expand a category is a clear UX regression.
Why it matters: users who rely on quick navigation through categories will experience a direct productivity hit; it also raises the risk of redundant bug reports and duplicated feedback.

Search — icon UX bug​

Replacing the magnifying glass icon with an X is primarily a cosmetic issue, but it’s a visible symptom of a fragile shell or service that might misreport state. Microsoft fixed this rapidly, and while non-critical, it’s a good barometer of attention to detail.

Settings Home — slow loading​

The Settings app is a central control plane. Slow loading of the Home page indicates either performance regressions in service calls the app makes or throttling/telemetry interactions. Microsoft says underlying changes were made to mitigate the slowness; users should still verify performance after applying the update.

Display & Graphics — black screens on secondary monitors​

Black screens on secondary displays after an update are serious: they break multi-monitor work and can force adoption of rollback or driver workarounds. Microsoft’s fix targets a class of secondary monitor failures observed after recent updates.
Why it matters: multi-monitor setups are extremely common in professional workflows—audio/video editing, coding with multiple IDE windows, spreadsheet-heavy tasks—and black screens break productivity and risk user errors.

Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 sign-in failures​

The update includes a fix for unexpected sign-in failures in AVD and Windows 365. These services are widely used in enterprise and education.
Why it matters: sign-in failures prevent remote desktop sessions, block remote work, and require IT intervention. Addressing this quickly reduces downtime for enterprise customers and restores trust in remote desktop services.

Kernel bugchecks (SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION)​

Bugchecks are the worst-case scenario for stability. A fix that reduces SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION triggers restores baseline reliability and prevents potential data loss from unexpected crashes.

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Risk assessment: should you enable the early rollout toggle?​

The build notes and Microsoft’s CFR approach mean two distinct experiences:

• Devices with the toggle enabled (the “get the latest updates as soon as they are available” option) will receive some of these fixes earlier as Microsoft ramps them out. This is great for testers who want to validate fixes ASAP.
• Devices without the toggle will receive updates more conservatively and may avoid some early-side effects.

Recommendation:

• If you’re an enthusiast who likes to test and report behavior, enable the toggle—but keep this device off your daily work production profile.
• If you run enterprise workloads, critical VMs, or depend on AVD/Windows 365 in production, don’t enable the toggle until the known issues are resolved and the fixes are out of the general Beta Channel population.
• For IT admins: use lab machines or departmental test pools to evaluate the impact before approving broader adoption.

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Practical guidance: how to manage this build and recover from problems​

Below are concise, practical steps and precautions for Insiders and IT admins.

How to turn ON the early rollout toggle​

• Open Settings (Windows key + I).
• Select Windows Update from the left column.
• Find the tile or option labeled Get the latest updates as soon as they are available and toggle it On.
• Restart if prompted.

Notes: Managed or domain-joined machines might have this control disabled by policy. IT administrators can control this behavior using Group Policy or registry keys that enable or disable optional content and controlled feature rollouts.

How to pause updates temporarily​

• Settings > Windows Update.
• Use the Pause updates button (select a pause window).
• This prevents further optional/preview updates from arriving while you investigate.

How to uninstall a problematic update (what to try)​

• Preferred GUI route: Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates (this opens the Installed Updates list where some recent updates can be removed).
• Command Prompt (administrative): wusa /uninstall /kb:<KBNumber>
• Example: wusa /uninstall /kb:5074169
• If the update shows as non-removable or the uninstall is blocked, consider booting into Safe Mode and attempting the uninstall from there, or use System Restore to revert to a pre-update point.
• Caveat: Some cumulative updates or combined packages can be marked as required and may not be uninstallable by standard methods. In those cases the Windows Q&A community and Microsoft engineers have suggested Safe Mode or recovery-based options but there is no universal guarantee of rollback.

How to report problems​

• Use the Feedback Hub (Win + F or open Feedback Hub from Start) and file a problem under the appropriate category (File Explorer, Start Menu, Windows Update, Azure Virtual Desktop, etc.).
• Include diagnostic logs and repro steps whenever possible. For enterprise AVD / Windows 365 sign-in issues, include tenant-level details (anonymized) and timestamps.

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Enterprise considerations​

• If your org uses Azure Virtual Desktop, test the sign-in workflow on a small set of machines before allowing a broad rollout. The problem fixed in this build affected sign-in for some deployments and was impacting access.
• For organizations that deploy via WSUS, SCCM, or Windows Update for Business, remember that controlled feature rollouts may still be governed by platform signals and optional-content policies—verify your Update Policy CSP and Group Policy settings for “AllowOptionalContent.”
• Back up VM snapshots or create restore points before applying preview updates in lab or user acceptance environments. That lets you revert quickly if a regression appears.
• Keep a clear escalation path with Microsoft support when kernel-level bug checks or multi-monitor black screens appear: these are stability issues that merit priority investigation.

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What to expect next​

Microsoft’s messaging is clear: many items remain in active investigation and fixes will roll out gradually under CFR. There is no fixed ETA for the remaining known issues; historically, Microsoft escalates fixes for high-impact problems (bugchecks, sign-in failures, persistent black screens) more quickly than for cosmetic bugs.
Insiders should:

• Watch Flight Hub or the Windows Insider Blog for follow-up flights and fix confirmations.
• Continue to report repro steps and telemetry via Feedback Hub to speed triage.
• Consider keeping production machines on slower rings or with the toggle off while Beta testing continues.

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Final judgment: strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations​

Strengths of this flight:

• Microsoft addressed several real regressions that were affecting a small but meaningful subset of users: secondary monitor black screens, Azure Virtual Desktop sign-in failures, and a SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION bug were all prioritized in this flight.
• The release follows the predictable pattern of targeted, incremental fixes delivered via enablement packages and controlled feature rollouts; this reduces the surface area of wider disruption while allowing Insiders to validate fixes.

Risks and shortcomings:

• The list of known issues still includes productivity-impacting bugs (File Explorer jumping windows, Start menu categories not expanding, system tray apps missing) that could meaningfully interfere with daily work.
• Some fixes (and the ability to roll back) depend on the structure of cumulative packages; in practice, not all updates can be uninstalled straightforwardly, and some users reported having to use System Restore or Safe Mode to recover—an inconvenient and risky process for less technical users.
• Controlled rollouts mean not all Insiders receive the same fixes at once, which fragments testing feedback and can slow collective triage.

Bottom-line recommendation:

• If you run experimental or personal devices and want to help validate the fixes, enable the toggle and update to Build 26220.7670—but keep backups and be prepared to revert.
• If you rely on multi-monitor setups, AVD/Windows 365 sessions, or critical productivity apps, delay enabling the early rollout toggle until the major known issues are marked resolved in a subsequent flight.
• For IT admins: stage widely only after validating the update in a segmented test pool; maintain rollback procedures and communication to end-users in case they encounter the reported behaviors.

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Microsoft’s Windows Insider program is doing what it’s meant to do with this flight: patching regressions and iterating under the watchful eye of testers. But the persistent known issues are a reminder that preview builds are still previews—use them to help improve Windows, but not as an excuse to run critical workloads on unstable code. If you test this build, file concise, reproducible Feedback Hub reports and include logs; the faster high-quality reports arrive, the faster Microsoft can prioritize fixes for everyone.

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Source: Microsoft - Windows Insiders Blog Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7670 (Beta Channel)