Microsoft released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6682 (KB5065782) to the Beta Channel on September 12, 2025 — a targeted maintenance-and-experience flight for PCs running Windows 11, version 24H2 that layers incremental Copilot-era UX polish, accessibility improvements, and a handful of stability fixes while continuing to gate higher-impact features behind Microsoft’s staged rollout toggles. (blogs.windows.com)
Summary for busy readers
- What shipped: Build 26120.6682 (KB5065782) to the Beta Channel (Windows 11, version 24H2). (blogs.windows.com)
- Focus: Click to Do / Copilot interactions, Start menu prompt examples, Emoji 16.0 additions, Xbox controller behavior tweaks, Narrator improvements, a range of reliability fixes (taskbar, File Explorer, Windows Sandbox, Settings), plus several new known issues called out by Microsoft. (blogs.windows.com)
- Who should install: Windows Insiders and test/dev pilots. Do NOT install on production machines without a rollback plan. This is a preview build intended for validation and feedback. (blogs.windows.com)
- Click to Do — Copilot prompt box and UI refinements: The headline user-facing change in this flight is the new Copilot prompt box surfaced inside Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs. The box lets an Insider type a short prompt that is sent to Copilot together with the selected content on-screen; suggested prompt text appears below the box and uses on‑device Phi‑Silica model support for English, Spanish and French selections (text-only). Microsoft explicitly notes this capability is not yet rolling out to the EEA or China. These sorts of on-device prompt helpers are part of Microsoft’s broader push to blend local model power with cloud Copilot services. (blogs.windows.com)
- Start menu and Copilot prompt examples: Microsoft is experimenting with prompt examples in the Recommended section of Start to help users discover Copilot prompts (for example, “create an image with Copilot”). This is a small UX experiment intended to surface micro‑prompts to users who may not discover Copilot features organically. (blogs.windows.com)
- Emoji 16.0: The build adds the new Emoji 16.0 set to the emoji panel — a compact, cross‑cultural update that includes items such as Face with Bags Under Eyes, Fingerprint, Root Vegetable, Leafless Tree, Harp, Shovel and Splatter. (blogs.windows.com)
- Xbox controller changes: Short pressing the Xbox button still opens Game Bar; long‑pressing will open Task View and pressing/holding continues to power off the controller. This tweak reflects Microsoft's ongoing work to unify controller interactions with the Windows shell. (blogs.windows.com)
- Narrator accessibility improvements: Microsoft lists multiple improvements for Narrator in document workflows — more natural voice feedback, better footnote navigation, improved continuous reading, clearer list and table navigation commands, and better selection announcements. These are meaningful quality‑of‑life improvements for screen‑reader users and enterprise accessibility programs. (blogs.windows.com)
- Hibernation bugcheck: Microsoft fixed an issue introduced by recent flights that could cause some PCs to bugcheck (green screen) while hibernating; this could have been perceived as a shutdown or a hang on shutdown. (blogs.windows.com)
- Taskbar / System Tray: Reliability improvements for automatic hide/show and fixes for hit-test issues above the taskbar. Smoother animations are reported as part of the work. (blogs.windows.com)
- File Explorer: Multiple fixes including removal of empty Shared sections in Home, thumbnail generation for videos with certain EXIF metadata, context-menu responsiveness, and hangs launching Open/Save dialogs. These are targeted stability fixes that matter to day‑to‑day workflows and content creators. (blogs.windows.com)
- Windows Sandbox vmmem CPU usage: A specific fix for vmmemCmFirstBoot consuming high CPU after login in Sandbox scenarios — a useful fix for developers and QA who use Sandbox extensively. (blogs.windows.com)
- Audio + OBS/NDI: The release also addresses an NDI/display-capture audio stuttering problem observed when Display Capture is enabled in OBS Studio (this fix is rolled out broadly in the Beta Channel). (blogs.windows.com)
Microsoft calls out a number of new and ongoing known problems in this build: Click to Do right-edge gesture visuals on the wrong display, potential missing media controls on the lock screen, Windows Studio Effects compatibility problems for some external webcams, audio device driver exclamation marks in Device Manager (ACPI Audio Compositor and others), PIX on Windows GPU capture playback incompatibility for this OS version, and Xbox controller Bluetooth bugchecks on certain systems — for the latter Microsoft provides an explicit Device Manager uninstall workaround. Anyone testing this build should scan that known‑issues list carefully before upgrading. (blogs.windows.com)
How this fits into Microsoft’s servicing and rollout approach
Microsoft’s Beta Channel build for the 26120 series is part of the Windows 11, version 24H2 servicing stream that uses checkpoint/enablement-style updates and controlled feature rollouts. In plain terms: Microsoft ships the binaries inside monthly cumulative/checkpoint updates but often keeps features gated and enabled selectively using server-side flags so that only a sample of Insiders see a feature while telemetry and feedback are collected. This flight (26120.6682) continues that pattern — some items are “gradually rolling out to those who’ve enabled the toggle” and other fixes are being deployed to everyone in the Beta Channel. (blogs.windows.com)
For IT professionals and deployment planners, this servicing model is documented and supported: checkpoint cumulative updates were introduced to improve update bandwidth and sequencing for Windows 11, version 24H2, and Microsoft’s guidance for managing these updates and the commercial control policy is available in official docs. Administrators should understand that features introduced via servicing may be off by default for managed enterprise devices and can be controlled with a single policy until the next annual update. (learn.microsoft.com)
Context and corroboration (what outside sources show)
- The Windows Insider blog post is the authoritative primary source for the details of this release; Microsoft published the announcement on September 12, 2025. (blogs.windows.com)
- Microsoft’s public documentation explains the controlled rollout and checkpoint cumulative updates model that underpins why you’ll see features staggered between devices and why the Beta Channel shows a mix of fixes + gated feature bits. See the Windows Support overview on delivering continuous innovation and the Microsoft Learn article on checkpoint cumulative updates. (support.microsoft.com)
- Independent coverage tends to lag by hours or days for incremental Insider flights; historically outlets such as Windows Central and XDA, and community forum collations have summarized patterns and implications for IT pros — those same outlets contextualize why Microsoft uses staged flags and enablement packaging for 24H2-era servicing. For example, Windows Central has discussed the Insider/Release Preview cadence and how Microsoft stages feature visibility for Insiders. (windowscentral.com)
- Community and forum collations of recent 26120-series Beta/Dev flights show the same pattern of small, targeted UX changes, Copilot/Click-to-Do evolution, and frequent fixes (see prior Beta builds in the 26120 line for precedent).
1) Incremental but practical: The update is not a major feature milestone; it’s a mix of user-facing refinements (helpful for discoverability of Copilot experiences), accessibility polish (Narrator), and reliability fixes (hibernation, File Explorer, Sandbox). These small changes collectively raise day‑to‑day quality for power users and testers. (blogs.windows.com)
2) Copilot in the shell is still evolutionary: The Click to Do prompt box and Start menu prompt examples show Microsoft optimizing for discoverability and faster on‑device interactions — not a wholesale Copilot redesign. Expect more iterations and staggered activation per Microsoft’s Controlled Feature Rollout. (blogs.windows.com)
3) Enterprise caution: Because of the feature-gating model and the pairing of features with licensing (some AI actions depend on Microsoft 365/Copilot entitlements), IT teams must treat these Beta builds as validation fodder, not production updates. Commercial policy controls mean features can be off by default for managed environments, but the presence of new binaries in servicing means IT should plan compatibility and testing. (techcommunity.microsoft.com)
Actionable checklist — short and long form
If you manage Insider devices or run test labs, use this checklist before installing Build 26120.6682.
Pre-update (required for pilots)
- Snapshot or image: Take a VM snapshot or full image backup of any machine you upgrade. This is the single most effective rollback control.
- Document hardware/driver versions: For devices that run audio, camera, or controller hardware, record driver versions and have vendor driver installers at hand. Known issues include audio Device Manager exclamation marks and webcam Studio Effects compatibility. (blogs.windows.com)
- Read the known issues: Confirm whether any listed issues (Xbox controller bugcheck, audio driver exclamation marks, Windows Studio Effects camera preview failure) would disrupt testing goals. (blogs.windows.com)
- For Insiders in Beta on 24H2: Settings → Windows Update → Toggle “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” (if you want to be in the earliest subset). Then Check for updates. Microsoft will deliver this preview in the usual Windows Update flow. (blogs.windows.com)
- Audio devices show yellow exclamation in Device Manager: Right‑click the device → Update driver → Browse my computer for drivers → Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer → choose the most recent dated driver → Next. Repeat for each device with an exclamation mark. Microsoft documents this exact path in the build notes as a way to recover from a corrupted/mismatched audio driver state caused by the flight. (blogs.windows.com)
- Xbox Bluetooth controller causing bugchecks: Uninstall the offending “oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)” entry from Device Manager (View → Devices by driver → locate and uninstall the XboxGameControllerDriver.inf entry). This is the Microsoft-provided workaround for the Bluetooth controller bugcheck problem. (blogs.windows.com)
- Camera preview fails when Windows Studio Effects turned on: Turn off Windows Studio Effects inside Camera settings until a fix ships. (blogs.windows.com)
- Rollback: If the machine is unbootable or you need to revert the update: use your VM snapshot or image; for physical devices, you can try system recovery options (Settings > Recovery > Advanced startup) and uninstall the most recent update if necessary. Always keep recovery media ready. (blogs.windows.com)
- Reproduce and collect: Reproduce the issue and collect logs using the Feedback Hub (WIN+F) — include repro steps, attach system and diagnostic logs (collect via Settings → Privacy & security → Diagnostics & feedback). Microsoft asks Insiders to file Guided Feedback for new problems so the product team can triage. (blogs.windows.com)
- For developers: If PIX on Windows GPU capture playback fails on this OS version (callout in the blog), submit feedback in PIX and check the PIX devblog for the updated PIX release (Microsoft estimated a fix by end of September in the blog). (blogs.windows.com)
The Windows Insider Blog announcement is the authoritative primary source for this flight and is the basis for the feature/known‑issues list in this article. (blogs.windows.com) Microsoft’s support and Learn documentation describe the servicing and rollout machinery (checkpoint cumulative updates and controlled feature rollout) that explain why some features are gated and why Beta Channel builds may look like a mix of fixes plus “opt‑in” feature bits. (support.microsoft.com) Independent outlets and community coverage typically aggregate these Insider announcements and provide hands‑on analysis; for contextual background on the “why” behind feature gating and checkpoint updates you can refer to industry coverage in Windows Central and XDA, which have summarized Microsoft’s approach to continuous innovation and checkpoint updates in recent months. (windowscentral.com)
What to expect next
- Continued iteration: Expect more incremental shipments in the 26120.xxxx line for Beta, and parallel 26200.xxxx flights in Dev/25H2‑track channels as Microsoft finalizes features and prepares staging for broader availability. Community patterns show Microsoft shipping similar cumulative updates across channels while varying feature activation via server‑side flags.
- PIX and developer tooling updates: Microsoft has signaled a PIX update to restore GPU capture playback compatibility by late September; developers who rely on PIX should plan to stage workloads until the updated PIX is available. (blogs.windows.com)
Build 26120.6682 (KB5065782) is a quality-plus‑experience flight: not headline new features, but practical Copilot discoverability improvements, accessibility polish, and targeted fixes that improve day‑to‑day stability for Insiders and testers. If you’re an Insider or run a pilot lab, install it on test hardware and follow Microsoft’s remediation steps for the known issues. If you manage production systems, treat this release as a preview: validate, document, and don’t rush it into critical endpoints until Microsoft widens enablement and any remaining regressions are resolved. (blogs.windows.com)
References and quick links cited in this piece
- Microsoft — Windows Insider Blog: Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6682 (Beta Channel), published September 12, 2025. (blogs.windows.com)
- Microsoft Support — Delivering continuous innovation in Windows 11 (Controlled Feature Rollout explainer). (support.microsoft.com)
- Microsoft Learn — Checkpoint cumulative updates and Microsoft Update Catalog (Windows 11, version 24H2). (learn.microsoft.com)
- Independent coverage and context on servicing and Insider cadence (Windows Central, XDA). (windowscentral.com)
- Community / forum collations showing the Beta/Dev 26120-series pattern and prior flight behavior.
- Produce a short “IT bulletin” version of this article formatted for internal distribution (one page, checklist + rollback steps).
- Generate a step‑by‑step support‑desk script for the Xbox controller and audio-driver workarounds with exact GUI navigation and PowerShell fallbacks.
Which of those would help you most right now?
Source: Microsoft - Windows Insiders Blog Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6682 (Beta Channel)