Microsoft has pushed a targeted update to Windows 11 preview builds that addresses several missing or misbehaving features reported by Insiders, while also documenting a small set of high‑risk regressions Insiders should weigh before installing.
Windows Insider channels serve distinct purposes: the Canary Channel exposes the earliest experimental platform work, Beta collects more validated feature work, and Release Preview acts as the near‑final staging ground before public rollout. Microsoft often ships compact maintenance flights to these channels that focus on reliability and functional regressions rather than headline features. Recent Canary and Release Preview updates have followed this pattern, pushing fixes for usability regressions and restoring missing UI elements for testers.
In practical terms, these preview updates are delivered as cumulative packages or enablement-style flips (KB-designated packages on Release Preview/Beta) and as numbered builds in Dev/Canary. Because some features are controlled server-side (phased rollout or gating by account/hardware), binaries may be present on a machine without the feature being activated. That rollout model explains why some Insiders saw missing items reappear after installing a recent update while others did not.
If a change is important to your workflow, always validate the build number shown on your PC against the public Insider flight notes available within the Windows Insider Blog or your channel’s release history; the flight metadata and known‑issues list are the authoritative record for each preview package.
The tradeoff is complexity: enterprise planners must account for phased activation, entitlement checks, and hardware capability matrices when mapping a Windows 11 feature rollout to a fleet. For consumers, the experience may feel inconsistent as some devices receive feature activations earlier than others. Both audiences benefit from clearer release notes and explicit entitlement guidance from Microsoft.
At the same time, the update highlights enduring challenges in the Insider ecosystem: channel heterogeneity, gated feature activation, entitlement complexity, and the persistent risk that early flights can introduce regressions with a higher operational cost than the annoyances they fix. For testers and IT teams, the correct posture is cautious and methodical: verify build metadata, back up data, pilot broadly but conservatively, and prioritize Release Preview for production‑adjacent validation. fileciteturn0file12turn0file17
In short: the fixes materially improve day‑to‑day usability for Insiders and reduce administrative noise, but the presence of high‑impact known issues means this remains a flight best suited to test devices and controlled pilots rather than primary production machines.
Source: Neowin Microsoft releases a new update to fix missing features in Windows 11 preview builds
Background / Overview
Windows Insider channels serve distinct purposes: the Canary Channel exposes the earliest experimental platform work, Beta collects more validated feature work, and Release Preview acts as the near‑final staging ground before public rollout. Microsoft often ships compact maintenance flights to these channels that focus on reliability and functional regressions rather than headline features. Recent Canary and Release Preview updates have followed this pattern, pushing fixes for usability regressions and restoring missing UI elements for testers.In practical terms, these preview updates are delivered as cumulative packages or enablement-style flips (KB-designated packages on Release Preview/Beta) and as numbered builds in Dev/Canary. Because some features are controlled server-side (phased rollout or gating by account/hardware), binaries may be present on a machine without the feature being activated. That rollout model explains why some Insiders saw missing items reappear after installing a recent update while others did not.
What Microsoft fixed in the latest preview update
The recent update bundles a set of fixes aimed at restoring missing or broken behaviors across Settings, taskbar UX, graphics, and diagnostic noise. The most notable corrections include:- Fix for the Temporary files scanner in Settings > System > Storage that could get stuck and hide the Clean up previous Windows installations entry; the scanner now completes and surfaces previously missing cleanup options.
- Taskbar thumbnail duplication: resolved a duplicate thumbnail preview that could appear when hovering minimized apps after switching virtual desktops. This corrects a confusing taskbar thumbnail duplication in multi‑desktop workflows.
- HDR toggle regression: corrected an issue where HDR would immediately turn off after being enabled in Settings, restoring expected on/off behavior for HDR displays.
- Quieted noisy Event Viewer errors associated with the Microsoft Pluton cryptographic provider (error ID 57) that led administrators to chase cosmetic entries.
- Restored some previously missing UI behaviors in widgets and file‑sharing/file explorer contexts reported by Insiders in Beta and Release Preview streams. These items were addressed across recent small cumulative flights. fileciteturn0file4turn0file2
Verification of build numbers and KB identifiers
Microsoft’s preview releases are identified by both build numbers (for Dev/Canary) and KB package IDs (for Release Preview/Beta). The Canary fix set described above was distributed in the 27xxx build range (a specific example being Build 27943) and is documented in Insider flight notes summarizing the Storage UI, taskbar and HDR fixes. Concurrent Release Preview KB packages (for example KB5065789 and similar small cumulative packages) have been used to deliver incremental fixes to Beta/Release Preview participants. Readers are advised to confirm the exact build and KB visible on their device via Settings > Windows Update or by running winver, since minor micro‑revisions can change behavior and available fixes. fileciteturn0file11turn0file12If a change is important to your workflow, always validate the build number shown on your PC against the public Insider flight notes available within the Windows Insider Blog or your channel’s release history; the flight metadata and known‑issues list are the authoritative record for each preview package.
Why this update matters (user and IT perspectives)
- For Insiders and power users, restoring missing Settings items and cleaning noisy system logs reduces friction in daily testing and helps keep feedback focused on substantive feature work rather than cosmetic regressions. The temporary files scanner fix, for example, unblocks a scenario where storage cleanup options were invisible and prevented reclaiming space from previous Windows installations — a real problem for testers with limited VM or partition space.
- For IT pilots and administrators validating builds in pilot rings, a cleaner Event Viewer and fewer spurious cryptographic errors reduce false positives and triage time. Reducing noisy logs is especially valuable in enterprise environments where log sifting scales with fleet size.
- For creators and users with HDR displays, the HDR toggle fix restores reliable color workflows and prevents unexpected SDR fallbacks immediately after enabling HDR. This matters for photo/video work and gaming on HDR-capable hardware.
Notable known issues and deployment blockers
While the update repairs several visible problems, Microsoft flagged a few critical regressions that Insiders need to consider:- Install rollbacks and repeated retries: some devices may encounter rollback behavior during installation with errors resembling 0xC1900101‑0x20017 or 0xC1900101‑0x30017. These rollback loops can force recovery actions and extended troubleshooting. Microsoft is actively investigating these install failures.
- Arm64 kernel regression: an increase in bugchecks, specifically IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL style green screens, was reported on some Arm64 devices after certain Canary flights. This regression is a high‑severity risk for Arm64 device owners. Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and is working on a fix.
- Tooling and developer gaps: GPU capture playback support in PIX required updates and could not play back captures on affected OS versions until PIX was updated. Developer tooling mismatches are a practical problem for graphics developers validating workflows on preview builds.
Critical analysis — strengths and positive signals
Microsoft’s rapid, surgical approach to preview fixes demonstrates several strengths worth highlighting:- Responsiveness to telemetry and community feedback: the fixes addressing Settings scanning, HDR toggles and noisy Pluton logs show Microsoft is listening to both automated telemetry and Insider reports and shipping narrow updates to improve day‑to‑day usability. fileciteturn0file0turn0file2
- Prioritization of developer and admin ergonomics: quieting false Event Viewer errors and restoring system cleanup entries reduces unnecessary admin workload, an underrated but high‑leverage improvement for organizations managing large fleets.
- Incrementalism that reduces blast radius: rather than a large, risky feature flip, these small maintenance flights limit scope and make it easier to isolate regressions when they occur. That modularity helps accelerate fixes without destabilizing unrelated subsystems.
Critical analysis — risks, tradeoffs, and concerns
Despite the positives, there are several systemic risks and policy/strategy tradeoffs that deserve scrutiny:- Channel fragmentation and gated rollouts create inconsistent experiences. When features are gated server-side (by account type, licensing, or Copilot+ hardware), the same build can present divergent behaviors across devices. That fragmentation complicates testing and documentation for IT teams. It also means Insiders may not reproduce issues consistently across devices. fileciteturn0file12turn0file17
- Copilot+ hardware and Microsoft 365 gating increases entitlement friction. Several recent feature rollouts and previews hinge on Copilot+ PCs or Microsoft 365/Copilot licensing. That creates a two‑tier experience and raises questions about which features will be broadly available versus restricted to premium hardware and subscription tiers. This has both UX and procurement implications for organizations.
- Canary‑level fixes can mask higher‑impact regressions. While the update corrects visible annoyances, the presence of install rollbacks and Arm64 kernel regressions is a reminder that early flights can introduce platform‑level regressions that are worse than the problems they fix. This is the reality of pushing code at the Canary ring and underscores why production or pilot devices should favor Release Preview or signed servicing channels.
- Developer tooling mismatches slow validation. When platform updates render developer tools (like PIX) temporarily incompatible, it interrupts validation workflows and can delay software releases. Tooling vendors must coordinate releases to match platform flights, or Microsoft must manage compatibility windows more conservatively.
Practical guidance: what Insiders and IT should do next
- Check the build and KB on your device: Open Settings > Windows Update or run winver.exe to confirm the exact build number and KB (if applicable) before installing. Compare that to the Insider flight notes for known issues and mitigations. fileciteturn0file17turn0file12
- Back up important data: create a system image or at minimum ensure file backups exist before applying Canary or early Dev updates, especially if your machine is critical for work. Known rollback and kernel issues increase the non‑zero chance of recovery actions.
- Use channel‑appropriate hardware: avoid installing Canary builds on production laptops or machines without easy recovery. Reserve Canary for test rigs or virtual machines where snapshots can be restored quickly.
- Pilot in controlled groups: for enterprise pilots, roll updates to a small, representative group first, validate business apps, and only then broaden the deployment if no regressions appear. Track telemetry and Feedback Hub reports for signs of install rollbacks or driver incompatibilities.
- Monitor developer tooling compatibility: if you rely on tools like PIX for GPU capture playback or other platform‑sensitive tooling, confirm tooling updates are available or postpone platform upgrades until tooling is validated.
How to confirm the fixes and detect regressions on your device
- Verify the Temporary files scanner behavior: Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files — run the scan and confirm the Clean up previous Windows installations entry appears when applicable. If the scan stalls, capture logs and report via Feedback Hub.
- Test HDR toggling: Enable HDR in Settings > Display and observe whether HDR remains enabled without immediately falling back to SDR. Check color profile and HDR app behavior for visual confirmation.
- Examine Event Viewer: filter for Pluton or CertEnroll related entries (error ID 57) and confirm that the noisy entries are reduced or absent after the update. If entries persist, collect event logs and open Feedback Hub reports.
- Watch for install rollback behavior: if your device rolls back during install, note any rollback error codes (e.g., 0xC1900101‑0x20017) and include these in Feedback Hub submissions; rollbacks are an important high‑impact symptom Microsoft is tracking.
The wider strategy: incremental fixes, AI integration, and what’s next
Microsoft’s update cadence for Windows 11 has settled into a rhythm of small, targeted maintenance flights combined with enablement packages that gate AI‑first features and Copilot‑centric functionality. Recent Release Preview packages have previewed items such as File Explorer AI actions, Click to Do improvements, and movable hardware indicator placements — features that are being introduced gradually and often require additional licensing or hardware entitlements (Copilot+, Microsoft 365). This approach allows Microsoft to validate UX and telemetry at scale while keeping the core OS servicing model stable for broader releases. fileciteturn0file12turn0file17The tradeoff is complexity: enterprise planners must account for phased activation, entitlement checks, and hardware capability matrices when mapping a Windows 11 feature rollout to a fleet. For consumers, the experience may feel inconsistent as some devices receive feature activations earlier than others. Both audiences benefit from clearer release notes and explicit entitlement guidance from Microsoft.
Final assessment and conclusion
The recent Microsoft update that restores missing features in Windows 11 preview builds is a solid example of focused platform maintenance: it fixes genuinely disruptive UI and reliability issues (temporary files scanning, taskbar thumbnails, HDR behavior, noisy Pluton events) while acknowledging and tracking significant known regressions that remain in specific device classes. Microsoft’s rapid response to these user‑visible complaints is commendable and demonstrates an effective Insider feedback loop. fileciteturn0file0turn0file11At the same time, the update highlights enduring challenges in the Insider ecosystem: channel heterogeneity, gated feature activation, entitlement complexity, and the persistent risk that early flights can introduce regressions with a higher operational cost than the annoyances they fix. For testers and IT teams, the correct posture is cautious and methodical: verify build metadata, back up data, pilot broadly but conservatively, and prioritize Release Preview for production‑adjacent validation. fileciteturn0file12turn0file17
In short: the fixes materially improve day‑to‑day usability for Insiders and reduce administrative noise, but the presence of high‑impact known issues means this remains a flight best suited to test devices and controlled pilots rather than primary production machines.
Source: Neowin Microsoft releases a new update to fix missing features in Windows 11 preview builds
