Windows Insider Build 26100.3025: New Features & Fixes Unleashed

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Microsoft has once again tickled the curiosity of Windows enthusiasts by releasing a fresh treat for users enrolled in the Windows Insider Program's Release Preview Channel. Announced as Build 26100.3025 (KB5050094), this release whispers of system-wide improvements, bug fixes, performance tweaking, and a sprinkle of brand-new features. Windows 11 users—and especially tech enthusiasts—can expect these enhancements to tease what's next for Microsoft's flagship operating system.
Let’s dive into every nook and cranny of the announcement to make sense of what this update means for not just beta testers but ultimately, every Windows user when these features roll out globally.

A computer monitor displays the Windows Insider Program welcome screen on a desk.
🚀 The Headliners: Gradual & Immediate Updates

Microsoft often rolls out updates in two flavors: some goodies are universal and available right when the update is installed, while others are handed out like candy, selectively distributed to random users as part of larger A/B testing. Build 26100.3025 doesn’t stray from this script.

What’s Rolling Out Gradually?

These features might feel like Easter eggs; not everyone will get them immediately. Slowly but surely, though, they’ll make their way into the broader Windows ecosystem.

1. Taskbar Previews: Smoother Animations, Richer Hover Features

  • Expect more polished animations when hovering over taskbar icons. These improvements aim to enhance "previews for open apps,” making the visual workflow snappier and easier on the eyes. Smooth animation might sound like minor fluff, but let’s not kid ourselves—users notice these touches.

2. Studio Effects: A Neural-Powered Camera Buddy

  • Devices equipped with an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) get a new system tray icon whenever apps like Teams use Windows Studio Effects (which offer AI-powered video filters like background blur or auto-framing).
  • Quick Access Tip: Clicking the icon sends you straight to the Studio Effects page in Quick Settings. Hovering over it? A tooltip identifies any apps using that camera mojo.

3. Fonts Go Ultra Modern

  • Tapping into Unicode extensions for advanced Chinese character sets, Microsoft has added Simsun-ExtG, which includes:
  • Over 9,750 ideographs supporting niche characters under Unicode ranges G, H, and I.
  • Have a fondness for Chinese Biangbiang noodle culture? That character’s officially here, alongside more linguistic surprises. Not all apps will render these perfectly yet, but support will improve over time.

4. File Explorer’s Glow-Up

  • The well-loved File Explorer gets several tweaks:
  • A Shared Tab in the Explorer homepage lists files, emails, Teams chats, and other items shared with you.
  • Use Microsoft accounts (or login via Microsoft Entra, for business users) for comprehensive file-sharing details.
  • A new “New Folder” command conveniently appears in the right-click context menu within the left sidebar.

5. Mobile Hotspot: Now With 6 GHz Support

  • Previously operating solely on 2.4GHz/5GHz channels, the Windows Mobile Hotspot feature steps its game up—supporting 6 GHz spectrum for blazing-fast connections. However, your chipset-drivers combo needs special compatibility for this.
Pro Tip: Head to Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot and fine-tune by adjusting "Network properties."

Fixes That Will Make Your Life Easier

In true Windows fashion, every update includes its weight in bug fixes for longstanding issues. Here are some interesting corrections Microsoft made this time.

Mouse Oddities Banished

  • Gone is the mischievous bug that caused the mouse cursor to disappear over text fields. Pointer trails (those graphics from the 2000s we all miss), black-box weirdness, and stuttering while dragging the pointer—fixed, fixed, and fixed again.

File Explorer—Fighting the Funk

  • Resolved the strange tendency of date and time metadata on certain files updating unexpectedly after being copied.
  • Made sure File Explorer behaves consistently when searching or handling theme-switching.

Pinyin IME (Input Method Editor)

  • This one’s for those utilizing Chinese text input: Your IME will no longer slip into English mode randomly when switching between application windows. After all, we’ve had enough excuses to blame typos on the system.

Snipping Tool Multi-Monitor Fix

  • Screenshots got sharper! Display scaling mismatches across multiple monitors used to distort snips, but no more.

Windows Update Reliability Boost

  • Cumulative updates failing due to the 0x800736b3 error? Microsoft’s engineers have patched this nuisance.

Available to ALL Users Upon Install

Finally, not every change requires a phased rollout. Let’s talk features that everybody gets—immediate results, no lotteries involved.

Standardized Taskbars After Backup Restores

  • Performing backups followed by system restorations just got a little less funky. When setting up a new PC, post-restore installations now present you with a standard Taskbar configuration for faster recovery continuity.

HDR Auto-Tuning for Gamers Out There

  • Nobody likes overly saturated HDR (High Dynamic Range) visuals. With this build, your favorite games—especially with Auto HDR—butter their visuals smoother than grandma’s cookies.

Behind the Curtain: Why Insiders Should Care

Microsoft calls these incremental builds mere "previews," but experienced techies know the company uses this space as an innovation sandbox. Like many of you, Insiders are the first to see and test-drive Microsoft's UI overhauls, kernel optimization tweaks, and obscure infrastructure changes that may sound mundane but form the bedrock of every fluid Windows experience out there.
From subtle animation smoothing to ambitious neural processing features, Build 26100.3025 exemplifies the diversity in scaling Windows from grandma-friendly ease to developer-level depth.

What’s Next?

This Release Preview Build teases some juicy changes while reminding us why rolling preview programs exist. Not every feature previewed here will graduate into global rollout. Microsoft will analyze the feedback, squash more bugs, and refine these systems before blessing the masses with many of these attributes.
However, let this serve as your preview of the near-future daily reality in Windows 11. What’s your favorite feature or fix? Is Microsoft going in the right direction with these adjustments? Share your thoughts below!

Source: Research Snipers https://researchsnipers.com/microsoft-releases-windows-11-build-26100-3025-to-release-preview-channel/
 

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