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OpenAI is reportedly testing a new "watermark" for the Image Generation model, which is a part of the ChatGPT 4o model. [...]

A newly discovered malicious PyPi package named 'disgrasya' that abuses legitimate WooCommerce stores for validating stolen credit cards has been downloaded over 34,000 times from the open-source package platform. [...]

A likely lone wolf actor behind the EncryptHub persona was acknowledged by Microsoft for discovering and reporting two security flaws in Windows last month, painting a picture of a "conflicted" individual straddling a legitimate career in cybersecurity and pursuing cybercrime. In a new extensive analysis published by Outpost24 KrakenLabs, the Swedish security company unmasked the up-and-coming Ravie Lakshmananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767675513435997467noreply@blogger.com

Coinbase is fixing an incorrect account activity message that freaks out customers and makes them think their credentials were compromised. [...]

The North Korean threat actors behind the ongoing Contagious Interview campaign are spreading their tentacles on the npm ecosystem by publishing more malicious packages that deliver the BeaverTail malware, as well as a new remote access trojan (RAT) loader. "These latest samples employ hexadecimal string encoding to evade automated detection systems and manual code audits, signaling a variationRavie Lakshmananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767675513435997467noreply@blogger.com

A vulnerability in the WinRAR file archiver solution could be exploited to bypass the Mark of the Web (MotW) security warning and execute arbitrary code on a Windows machine. [...]

Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered malicious libraries in the Python Package Index (PyPI) repository that are designed to steal sensitive information and test stolen credit card data. Two of the packages, bitcoinlibdbfix and bitcoinlib-dev, masquerade as fixes for recent issues detected in a legitimate Python module called bitcoinlib, according to ReversingLabs. A third package discovered Ravie Lakshmananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09767675513435997467noreply@blogger.com

Microsoft 365 (and Office 365) subscribers get more frequent software updates than those who have purchased Office without a subscription, which means subscribers have access to the latest features, security patches, and bug fixes. But it can be hard to keep track of the changes in each update and know when they’re available. We’re doing this for you, so you don’t have to.

Following are summaries of the updates to Microsoft 365/Office 365 for Windows over the past year, with the latest releases shown first. We’ll add info about new updates as they’re rolled out.

Note: This story covers updates released to the Current Channel for Microsoft 365/Office 365 subscriptions. If you’re a member of Microsoft’s Office Insider preview program or want to get a sneak peek at upcoming features, see the Microsoft 365 Insider blog.

Version 2503 (Build 18623.20156)

Release date: April 2, 2025

This build lets you use Dark Mode in Excel, which darkens your entire sheet, including cells, and may reduce eye strain. It also fixes several bugs, including one in Word in which opening specific files that contain many tracked changes and comments resulted in poor performance, and one in PowerPoint in which the app was not displaying the icon for an inserted PDF object.

Get more info about Version 2503 (Build 18623.20156).

Version 2502 (Build 18526.20168)

Release date: March 11, 2025

This build fixes several bugs, including one in which some Word files with numerous tracked changes and comments were slow. It also includes a variety of security updates: see details.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2502 (Build 18526.20168).

Version 2502 (Build 18526.20144)

Release date: March 5, 2025

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Word in which the default font size may not be 12pt as expected, and another in which PowerPoint automatically closed when the system went into hibernate or sleep mode.

Get more info about Version 2502 (Build 18526.20144).

Version 2501 (Build 18429.20158)

Release date: February 11, 2025

This build removes the option to display Track Changes balloons in left margin in Word. It also includes a variety of security updates. See “Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates” for details.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2501 (Build 18429.20158).

Version 2501 (Build 18429.20132)

Release date: January 30, 2025

In this build, the advanced Track Changes option to set the margin for balloons in Word has been removed.

A wide variety of bugs have also been fixed, including one in which ActiveX controls used an excessive amount of GDI handles in PowerPoint, and another for the entire Office suite in which images couldn’t be pasted from SharePoint.

 Get more info about Version 2501 (Build 18429.20132).

Version 2412 (Build 18324.20194)

Release date: January 16, 2025

This build fixes one bug, in which apps would exit unexpectedly when running on Windows Server 2016.

Get more info about Version 2412 (Build 18324.20194).

Version 2412 (Build 18324.20190)

Release date: January 14, 2025

This build fixes a bug in Word in which the layout of tables were changed unexpectedly. It also includes a variety of security updates. See Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates for details.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2412 (Build 18324.20190).

Version 2412 (Build 18324.20168)

Release date: January 7, 2025

This build makes tables in Outlook more accessible for screen readers. It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Word in which a document saved to a network shared folder and set to “Always Open Read-Only” would open in “Editing” mode, and another for the entire Office suite in which application didn’t render the grid properly after switching from page break preview to normal view.

Get more info about Version 2412 (Build 18324.20168).

Version 2411 (Build 18227.20162)

Release date: December 10, 2024

This build fixes a bug in Word and Outlook where characters didn’t render correctly when using Save Selection to Text Box Gallery. It also includes a variety of security updates. See Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates for details.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2411 (Build 18227.20162).

Version 2411 (Build 18227.20152)

Release date: December 5, 2024

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which some cells might not be rendered properly upon scrolling in a worksheet using freeze panes, one in Word which prevented emails with linked SVG content from saving or sending, and one in which some PowerPoint presentations created by third-party tools didn’t open correctly and some content was removed.

Get more info about Version 2411 (Build 18227.20152).

Version 2410 (Build 18129.20158)

Release date: November 12, 2024

This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Word in which all characters didn’t appear correctly when creating an Outlook task from OneNote, and one in PowerPoint in which embedded BMP images in the PowerPoint slide were not opening.

This build also includes a variety of security updates. See Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates for details.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2410 (Build 18129.20158).

Version 2410 (Build 18129.20116)

Release date: October 28, 2024

This build enables filtering capabilities for the comment pane in Excel and fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Word in which the title bar no longer showed a “Saved” status for locally saved files, and one in PowerPoint in which a graphics-related issue caused the app to close unexpectedly at times.

Get more info about Version 2410 (Build 18129.20116).

Version 2409 (Build 18025.20160)

Release date: October 15, 2024

This build fixes a single bug in Word, in which emails with linked SVG content couldn’t be saved or sent.

Get more info about Version 2409 (Build 18025.20160).

Version 2409 (Build 18025.20140)

Release date: October 8, 2024

This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Word in which text wasn’t clearly visible in High Contrast Mode when using “Draft with Copilot” and referencing a meeting under “Reference your content.”

This build also includes multiple security updates. See Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates for details.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2409 (Build 18025.20140).

Version 2409 (Build 18025.20104)

Release date: September 25, 2024

This build fixes a single bug, in which when you saved a file in Word, the save status was missing from the Title bar.

Get more info about Version 2409 (Build 18025.20104).

Version 2409 (Build 18025.20096)

Release date: September 23, 2024

This build improves the user experience for selecting which users should have which permissions when a sensitivity label configured for user-defined permissions is applied to a file or when configuring standalone Information Rights Management through the Restrict Access feature. This change affects Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Word in which Document Mode would switch from “editing” to “viewing” if user enabled “Track Changes” and set “For Everyone.”

Get more info about Version 2409 (Build 18025.20096).

Version 2408 (Build 17928.20156)

Release date: September 10, 2024

This update will remove Flip video support when the service goes offline on October 1, 2024. The build also includes a variety of security updates. Go here for details.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2408 (Build 17928.20156).

Version 2408 (Build 17928.20114)

Release date: August 26, 2024

This build allows you to disable connected experiences for privacy concerns without impacting data security policies, such as sensitivity labels. Services associated with Microsoft Purview (e.g., sensitivity labels and rights management) are no longer controlled by policy settings to manage privacy controls for Microsoft 365 Apps. Instead, these services will rely on their existing security admin controls in Purview portals.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in Outlook that caused default SMIME labels to fail to apply when a user replied to or forwarded an unlabeled message, and one for the entire suite in which people couldn’t install Microsoft 365 apps on an enrolled device.

Get more info about Version 2408 (Build 17928.20114).

Version 2407 (Build 17830.20166)

Release date: August 13, 2024

This build includes a variety of security updates for Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Project, Visio, and the entire Office suite. See Microsoft’s Release notes for Office security updates for details.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2407 (Build 17830.20166).

Version 2407 (Build 17830.20138)

Release date: August 1, 2024

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which coauthoring on text boxes in Excel sometimes gave unexpected results, another in PowerPoint in which line widths were not preserved when exporting arrow shapes to PDF, and another in Word in which revisions were sometimes skipped when reviewing using VBA.

Get more info about Version 2407 (Build 17830.20138).

Version 2406 (Build 17726.20160)

Release date: July 9, 2024

This build fixes several bugs, including one in Word and Excel in which characters don’t appear correctly in Text Box Gallery. It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2406 (Build 17726.20160).

Version 2406 (Build 17726.20126)

Release date: June 26, 2024

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which Excel documents might be unexpectedly edited when a mandatory sensitivity label has not been applied, one that caused Outlook to exit unexpectedly shortly after launch for some users, and one in which pasting data from Word or Excel to an Outlook template as a link would cause an error message to appear.

Get more info about Version 2406 (Build 17726.20126).

Version 2405 (Build 17628.20164)

Release date: June 19, 2024

This build includes a variety of unspecified bug and performance fixes.

Get more info about Version 2405 (Build 17628.20164).

Version 2405 (Build 17628.20144)

Release date: June 11, 2024

This build fixes one bug, which prevented users from sending mail for a few hours after updating add-ins with on-send events. It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2405 (Build 17628.20144).

Version 2405 (Build 17628.20110)

Release date: May 30, 2024

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which an embedded workbook in .xls format might not have closed properly, one that that caused Outlook to close when using Copilot Summarize, one in Word in which content controls may have been removed when coauthoring, and one for the entire Office suite in which the Organization Chart Add-In for Microsoft programs was not loading properly.

Get more info about Version 2405 (Build 17628.20110).

Version 2404 (Build 17531.20152)

Release date: May 14, 2024

This build fixes a number of bugs, including one in Word where content controls might be removed when coauthoring, and one that caused Sovereign users to be unable to create ToDo tasks from Outlook.

It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2404 (Build 17531.20152).

Version 2404 (Build 17531.20140)

Release date: May 7, 2024

This build fixes two bugs in Outlook, one in which it closed unexpectedly using the Scheduling Assistant when creating a new meeting or viewing an existing meeting, and another that caused add-in developers to hit timeouts when retrieving notifications from an Outlook client context.

Get more info about Version 2404 (Build 17531.20140) .

Version 2404 (Build 17531.20120)

Release date: April 29, 2024

This build reduces workbook size bloat from unnecessary cell formatting with a new “Check Performance” task pane. In addition, it fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which the default font could not be set; one in Outlook in which custom forms from MAPI form servers stopped responding; one in PowerPoint in which online videos did not play in some cases; one in which when opening certain Word documents would cause the error, “Word experienced an error trying to open the file”; and one in which the Office update installer appeared to be unresponsive.

Get more info about Version 2404 (Build 17531.20120) .

Version 2403 (Build 17425.20176)

Release date: April 9, 2024

This build fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2403 (Build 17425.20176).

Version 2402 (Build 17328.20184)

Release date: March 12, 2024

This build fixes three bugs: one in which Access closed unexpectedly, one in which Excel closed unexpectedly when opening files with pivot tables and table design in macro-enabled files, and one in which Word closed unexpectedly when the undo function was used.

This build also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2402 (Build 17328.20184).

Version 2402 (Build 17328.20162)

Release date: March 4, 2024

This build fixes several bugs, including one that crashed Outlook when a link was clicked on, and another for the entire Office suite in which opened Office apps didn’t automatically start when a laptop was reopened, and an error message appeared after manual relaunch.

Get more info about Version 2402 (Build 17328.20162).

Version 2402 (Build 17328.20142)

Release date: February 28, 2024

This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused Outlook to exit unexpectedly when expanding a conversation in the search results from a search of “All Mailboxes,” and another in which users were not able to create a bullet list with hyphens in PowerPoint.

Get more info about Version 2402 (Build 17328.20142).

Version 2401 (Build 17231.20236)

Release date: February 13, 2024

This build fixes several bugs, including one in which macros were being corrupted when saving Excel files and another that affected the entire Office suite in which add-ins would not load after Click trust for content add-in was selected.

This build also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2401 (Build 17231.20236).

Version 2401 (Build 17231.20194)

Release date: February 1, 2024

This build fixes a single bug in which expanded groups in the message list collapsed when users changed which column they were arranged by.

Get more info about Version 2401 (Build 17231.20194).

Version 2401 (Build 17231.20182)

Release date: January 30, 2024

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which Excel would stop responding when saving changes, one in PowerPoint in which Notes and Slide layout would open with incorrect proportions when a file was opened from a protected view, and one in Word in which comment cards appeared too wide and cut off text when changing or switching the screen in use.

Get more info about Version 2401 (Build 17231.20182).

Version 2312 (Build 17126.20132)

Release date: January 9, 2024

This build fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2312 (Build 17126.20132).

Version 2312 (Build 17126.20126)

Release date: January 4, 2023

This build introduces a new sensitivity toolbar in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint that helps users understand the security policies that apply to their documents. It’s available when users are creating copies of their documents in File / Save As. In addition, Office now had a new default theme, which Microsoft says is “more modern and accessible.”

It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which Custom Menu text was truncated when right-clicking in a cell, one in PowerPoint in which restoring a previous version of a presentation was not working as expected when using Version History, and one in Word in which the content control end tag was marked at the end of the document automatically if the document was edited in Word Online and then opened in Word desktop.

Get more info about  Version 2312 (Build 17126.20126).

Version 2311 (Build 17029.20108)

Release date: December 12, 2023

This build fixes one bug in Outlook, in which the message list was blank when switching between the “Focused” and “Other” views.

It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2311 (Build 17029.20108).

Version 2311 (Build 17029.20068)

Release date: November 29, 2023

This build automatically inserts image captioning for Excel’s images. When you insert an image into a spreadsheet, accessibility image captioning is automatically generated for you.

It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Excel in which list box controls would not respond to mouse clicks after scrolling using the mouse wheel, and one in Word in which the language of a presentation was not retained when saving or exporting the presentation to a PDF file.

Get more info about Version 2311 (Build 17029.20068).

Version 2310 (Build 16924.20150)

Release date: November 14, 2023

This build fixes several bugs, including one in which Outlook failed to comply with the default browser settings for some users, and another in which new lines were added to an Outlook signature when pressing Enter in the body of the email.

It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2310 (Build 16924.20150).

Version 2310 (Build 16924.20124)

Release date: Oct. 31, 2023

This build fixes a bug that caused Outlook to exit unexpectedly when clicking the More link in the Search results list.

Get more info about Version 2310 (Build 16924.20124).

Version 2310 (Build 16924.20106)

Release date: Oct. 25, 2023

In this build, the Teams Meeting App works in Outlook, too. With it, you’ll be able to configure a meeting app while scheduling an invite in Outlook. The meeting app will be ready to use when you chat or join the meeting on Teams.

A wide variety of bugs have also been fixed, including one in Excel where certain Pivot Tables would load slowly; one in which OneNote would close unexpectedly when rapidly navigating from one .PDF file to another .PDF file between different sections, or when performing an undo operation on a .PDF printout insertion; and one in the entire Office suite that caused unexpected black borders to appear around screen captures added with the Insert Screenshot functionality.

Get more info about Version 2310 (Build 16924.20106).

Version 2309 (Build 16827.20166)

Release date: October 10, 2023

This build fixes two bugs, one in which users were missing their Outlook add-ins, and another in Word in which subheading numbering with a custom Style would disappear if the file was saved and reopened. It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2309 (Build 16827.20166).

Version 2309 (Build 16827.20130)

Release date: September 28, 2023

This build introduces two new features, including the ability to disable specific types of automatic data conversions in Excel and support for the “Present in Teams” button to present local files in PowerPoint Live in Microsoft Teams.

Several bugs have also been fixed, including one in which the setting to control how Outlook opens previous items at start-up was missing from the Options window, and another in Word in which the Add-ins tab was not visible when using custom toolbar information.

Get more info about Version 2309 (Build 16827.20130).

Version 2308 (Build 16731.20234)

Release date: September 12, 2023

This build fixes several bugs, including one that caused Outlook to close unexpectedly when viewing an email, and another in PowerPoint in which the presenter view slide section zoomed in and out when zooming in the notes section.

It also fixes a number of security holes. For details, see Release notes for Microsoft Office security updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 2308 (Build 16731.20234).

At a special 50th anniversary event on Friday, Microsoft executives reflected on the company’s storied past and on how it’s now reinventing itself for an AI-focused future.

With previous CEOs Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer in attendance, current CEO Satya Nadella boasted that the company is “leading this new wave of AI innovation, and more importantly, democratizing just like we did it with the PC.”

Details about the company’s plans were laid out by Microsoft Executive Vice President Mustafa Suleyman, who noted that the ability to customize Windows to every person’s specific needs is coming. “Years ago, Bill laid out a bold ambition, which at the time probably felt like a pretty crazy dream — to put a PC on every desk and in every home.

“Today, we’re creating a Copilot for everyone,” Suleyman said at the event, which was webcast. 

Suleyman talked about how the company is transforming its generative AI (genAI)-based Copilot into a personal assistant. Microsoft is replicating key sensory features from humans into the software.

“Today, we’re taking the very first steps towards rich memory and personalization, the very foundations of an AI companion,” Suleyman said.

Copilot is gradually adding a “Memory” feature that can personalize the tool to remember human preferences, dates, events and more. Suleyman pointed out how the AI agent over time will be able to remember birthdays, and provide reminders on tasks. It will also provide advice on how users go through each step in training sessions on specific topics and even memorize individual traits, such as whether a person greets others formally or informally.

The memory feature works with others such as “Actions,” which can complete tasks in the background.

Microsoft is also developing avatars for Copilot that make interacting with it more fun. Suleyman showed off avatars as animated characters, and in jest showcased the dreaded Clippy — of old Microsoft Office fame — as an avatar.

The company’s main announcements included Copilot Vision, a mobile app that can help users interact with the real-world. The app uses the phone’s camera to capture images and in real-time provide context of the surroundings.

“With our new mobile app, Copilot can actually see what you see and talk to you about it in real time,” Suleyman said.

The second piece to Copilot Vision is a Windows app, which can take a snapshot of a user’s PC screen and help explain what is being displayed. The app works across applications, browser tabs or files.

“It will read the screen and interact with the content. You’ll be able to use Copilot to search, change settings, organize files and collaborate on projects without switching between files or apps,” the company said in a blog post.

“With my permission it can see my screen like a second set of eyes,” Suleyman said at the event said. “It’s my sounding board. And most importantly, it can respond in the context of what I’m seeing on my screen.”

Suleyman made no reference to Windows Recall, the controversial Copilot feature that uses snapshots to log the history of activity on a PC. Recall was unveiled last year and quickly ran into a storm of controversy related to privacy concerns.

Microsoft has also started rolling out Copilot Search, with AI integrated into a conventional Bing search to provide better search results. The search results will be personalized and dynamically generated on the screen.

“With Copilot’s new search capabilities, you can get many magazine style cards made just for you, on any topic that you care about, with text, images, videos, and maps built right in,” Suleyman said.

Microsoft also unveiled “Podcasts,” an AI feature that can instantly generate podcasts with video and audio, and new AI technologies for Azure AI Foundry. 

For enterprise users, Microsoft recently rolled out Research and Analyst agents to boost enterprise search and employee productivity. 

AI will be the biggest change to the PC since the graphical user interface (GUI), and it may be as important as the first databases for enterprise users, said Jack Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates.

But harnessing its potential is a challenge, with numerous usability, privacy and security challenges. “The ability to make AI most useful and efficient for enterprise needs still needs a lot of work. We’re in the first innings,” Gold said.

Microsoft’s challenge with AI is not just in the OS, but also in apps that support enterprise users, where Microsoft has a large installed base.

“While Copilot may make the way we interact with our devices through agents that implement and execute tasks for us more personal, it’s what AI may do to enhance our insights from our increasingly complex enterprise informational environment that could be a game changer,” Gold said.

It’s likely to be a decade-long maturing process before enterprises see the same level of maturity and creativity users have grown to expect in day-to-day go-to apps.

“Enterprises need to start down the path now, but don’t expect to achieve the end state in the short term,” Gold said.

Posted by Elie Burzstein and Marianna Tishchenko, Sec-Gemini team

Today, we’re announcing Sec-Gemini v1, a new experimental AI model focused on advancing cybersecurity AI frontiers. 

As outlined a year ago, defenders face the daunting task of securing against all cyber threats, while attackers need to successfully find and exploit only a single vulnerability. This fundamental asymmetry has made securing systems extremely difficult, time consuming and error prone. AI-powered cybersecurity workflows have the potential to help shift the balance back to the defenders by force multiplying cybersecurity professionals like never before.

 

Effectively powering SecOps workflows requires state-of-the-art reasoning capabilities and extensive current cybersecurity knowledge. Sec-Gemini v1 achieves this by combining Gemini’s advanced capabilities with near real-time cybersecurity knowledge and tooling. This combination allows it to achieve superior performance on key cybersecurity workflows, including incident root cause analysis, threat analysis, and vulnerability impact understanding.

We firmly believe that successfully pushing AI cybersecurity frontiers to decisively tilt the balance in favor of the defenders requires a strong collaboration across the cybersecurity community. This is why we are making Sec-Gemini v1 freely available to select organizations, institutions, professionals, and NGOs for research purposes.

Sec-Gemini v1 outperforms other models on key cybersecurity benchmarks as a result of its advanced integration of Google Threat Intelligence (GTI), OSV, and other key data sources. Sec-Gemini v1 outperforms other models on CTI-MCQ, a leading threat intelligence benchmark, by at least 11% (See Figure 1). It also outperforms other models by at least 10.5% on the CTI-Root Cause Mapping benchmark (See Figure 2):

Figure 1: Sec-Gemini v1 outperforms other models on the CTI-MCQ Cybersecurity Threat Intelligence benchmark.

Figure 2: Sec-Gemini v1 has outperformed other models in a Cybersecurity Threat Intelligence-Root Cause Mapping (CTI-RCM) benchmark that evaluates an LLM's ability to understand the nuances of vulnerability descriptions, identify vulnerabilities underlying root causes, and accurately classify them according to the CWE taxonomy.

Below is an example of the comprehensiveness of Sec-Gemini v1’s answers in response to key cybersecurity questions. First, Sec-Gemini v1 is able to determine that Salt Typhoon is a threat actor (not all models do) and provides a comprehensive description of that threat actor, thanks to its deep integration with Mandiant Threat intelligence data.

Next, in response to a question about the vulnerabilities in the Salt Typhoon description, Sec-Gemini v1 outputs not only vulnerability details (thanks to its integration with OSV data, the open-source vulnerabilities database operated by Google), but also contextualizes the vulnerabilities with respect to threat actors (using Mandiant data). With Sec-Gemini v1, analysts can understand the risk and threat profile associated with specific vulnerabilities faster.

If you are interested in collaborating with us on advancing the AI cybersecurity frontier, please request early access to Sec-Gemini v1 via this form.

The tech market lost 29,000 jobs in March, even as the unemployment rate for tech-related jobs slipped 0.1% to 3.1%, according to an analysis of US Labor Department data released today.

At the same time, tech sector employment fell by 8,428 jobs last month, driven largely by job cuts in tech services and telecommunications, according to CompTIA, a non-profit IT trade association that analyzed figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

The BLS data, CompTIA said, sent conflicting signals about the IT job market as uncertainty around it “accelerated.”

“With many employers in wait-and-see mode, the jobs data is about in line with expectations for the month,” said Tim Herbert, chief research officer at CompTIA.

Overall, US job growth beat expectations, with the broader economy adding 228,000 positions. That’s nearly 100,000 more than the 135,000 economists had predicted would be added. Conversely, the federal government lost 4,000 jobs, due to reduction in force efforts by the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Victor Janulaitis, CEO of IT industry research firm Janco Associates, said DOGE’s impact is causing IT contracts to be delayed, leaving government IT professionals uncertain about their future.

The overall US unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.2% in March, just 0.1% higher than in February. Previous US job gains for January and February were revised down by a total of 48,000, with January reduced by 14,000 and February by 34,000, according to BLS data.

In the first quarter of 2025, the IT job market shrank by 34,200 jobs, according to Janulaitis. The number of unemployed IT professionals dropped slightly in March to 133,000 from 148,000 at the start of the year. “We believe that many low-skilled, legacy-skilled IT pros, or displaced IT professionals have stopped looking for jobs in the IT sector,” he said.

CompTIA said new employee job postings for tech occupations rose slightly to more than 213,000. In all, there were nearly 478,000 active tech job postings last month. Industry sectors adding the most new tech job postings included professional, scientific and technical services (52,526), administrative and support services (26,099) and manufacturing (21,975).

Software developers and engineers, tech support specialists, systems engineers and architects, and cybersecurity engineers and analysts were in highest demand, according to CompTIA’. Positions in artificial intelligence (AI) or that require AI skills accounted for 21% of all active tech job postings. And half of all tech job postings did not require a four-year academic degree.

Several industry experts saw the uptick in overall hiring and steady unemployment rates as a good omen.

Martha Heller, CEO of executive search firm Heller, called the BLS jobs report healthy, and said it reinforces “the plain truth that technology innovation (primarily AI) will drive up employment. In every sector, companies need people to realize the return on their AI investments, and while those people are often technologists, the AI employment boom will expand to include a broader range of skills.

“With the nearly certain instability that our current economic policy brings, technology and the people who can use it to navigate uncertainty will have job security for a long time,” Heller said.

Kye Mitchell, head of US tech recruiting firm Experis North America, sees AI as a boon for all businesses. “In the tech sector, our real-time data shows that businesses are addressing their AI needs by focusing on their data to be prepared to best leverage AI in this new era,” he said.

Quarter over quarter, demand for data analysis and cleansing has risen sharply, he said. For example, roles for data scientists are up 238%. Database architect positions rose 142%. And, job openings for mathematicians were up 1,272%, Mitchell said.

“Additionally, there’s a growing need for executive management, indicating businesses are relying on leadership to drive AI integration,” he said. “The impact of recent economic policy shifts on AI worker demand is still unfolding, and market uncertainty may lead to longer decision timelines and adjustments.”

Others familiar with the tech industry saw the latest jobs report as positive, including Ger Doyle, US country manager at global staffing firm ManpowerGroup. “Today’s jobs report is a welcome sign, given the negative indicators we saw leading into it. While the US labor market is proving to be resilient, there are signs of cooling that are consistent with employers navigating uncertainty.”

ManpowerGroup data shows a 2% overall decline in all job postings and a 3% drop in new job postings. While the labor market appears stable, Doyle said employers remain cautious, with the exception of healthcare and education sectors.

“Uncertainty is keeping both employers and employees from making moves, leading businesses to focus on maintaining current workforces but considering adjustments if the uncertainty persists,” he said.

Janulaitis said interviews he performed with more than 100 CFOs and CIOs revealed optimism about Trump administration, though many anticipate a mild economic downturn in mid-2025. “Unemployed IT pros found jobs faster than expected as CIOs quickly filled positions while hiring was still authorized,” he said.

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​Port of Seattle, the U.S. government agency overseeing Seattle's seaport and airport, is notifying roughly 90,000 individuals of a data breach after their personal information was stolen in an August 2024 ransomware attack. [...]

Posted by Mihai Maruseac, Google Open Source Security Team (GOSST)

In partnership with NVIDIA and HiddenLayer, as part of the Open Source Security Foundation, we are now launching the first stable version of our model signing library. Using digital signatures like those from Sigstore, we allow users to verify that the model used by the application is exactly the model that was created by the developers. In this blog post we will illustrate why this release is important from Google’s point of view.

With the advent of LLMs, the ML field has entered an era of rapid evolution. We have seen remarkable progress leading to weekly launches of various applications which incorporate ML models to perform tasks ranging from customer support, software development, and even performing security critical tasks.

However, this has also opened the door to a new wave of security threats. Model and data poisoning, prompt injection, prompt leaking and prompt evasion are just a few of the risks that have recently been in the news. Garnering less attention are the risks around the ML supply chain process: since models are an uninspectable collection of weights (sometimes also with arbitrary code), an attacker can tamper with them and achieve significant impact to those using the models. Users, developers, and practitioners need to examine an important question during their risk assessment process: “can I trust this model?”

Since its launch, Google’s Secure AI Framework (SAIF) has created guidance and technical solutions for creating AI applications that users can trust. A first step in achieving trust in the model is to permit users to verify its integrity and provenance, to prevent tampering across all processes from training to usage, via cryptographic signing. 

The ML supply chain

To understand the need for the model signing project, let’s look at the way ML powered applications are developed, with an eye to where malicious tampering can occur.

Applications that use advanced AI models are typically developed in at least three different stages. First, a large foundation model is trained on large datasets. Next, a separate ML team finetunes the model to make it achieve good performance on application specific tasks. Finally,  this fine-tuned model is embedded into an application.

The three steps involved in building an application that uses large language models.

These three stages are usually handled by different teams, and potentially even different companies, since each stage requires specialized expertise. To make models available from one stage to the next, practitioners leverage model hubs, which are repositories for storing models. Kaggle and HuggingFace are popular open source options, although internal model hubs could also be used.

This separation into stages creates multiple opportunities where a malicious user (or external threat actor who has compromised the internal infrastructure) could tamper with the model. This could range from just a slight alteration of the model weights that control model behavior, to injecting architectural backdoors — completely new model behaviors and capabilities that could be triggered only on specific inputs. It is also possible to exploit the serialization format and inject arbitrary code execution in the model as saved on disk — our whitepaper on AI supply chain integrity goes into more details on how popular model serialization libraries could be exploited. The following diagram summarizes the risks across the ML supply chain for developing a single model, as discussed in the whitepaper.

The supply chain diagram for building a single model, illustrating some supply chain risks (oval labels) and where model signing can defend against them (check marks)

The diagram shows several places where the model could be compromised. Most of these could be prevented by signing the model during training and verifying integrity before any usage, in every step: the signature would have to be verified when the model gets uploaded to a model hub, when the model gets selected to be deployed into an application (embedded or via remote APIs) and when the model is used as an intermediary during another training run. Assuming the training infrastructure is trustworthy and not compromised, this approach guarantees that each model user can trust the model.

Sigstore for ML models

Signing models is inspired by code signing, a critical step in traditional software development. A signed binary artifact helps users identify its producer and prevents tampering after publication. The average developer, however, would not want to manage keys and rotate them on compromise.

These challenges are addressed by using Sigstore, a collection of tools and services that make code signing secure and easy. By binding an OpenID Connect token to a workload or developer identity, Sigstore alleviates the need to manage or rotate long-lived secrets. Furthermore, signing is made transparent so signatures over malicious artifacts could be audited in a public transparency log, by anyone. This ensures that split-view attacks are not possible, so any user would get the exact same model. These features are why we recommend Sigstore’s signing mechanism as the default approach for signing ML models.

Today the OSS community is releasing the v1.0 stable version of our model signing library as a Python package supporting Sigstore and traditional signing methods. This model signing library is specialized to handle the sheer scale of ML models (which are usually much larger than traditional software components), and handles signing models represented as a directory tree. The package provides CLI utilities so that users can sign and verify model signatures for individual models. The package can also be used as a library which we plan to incorporate directly into model hub upload flows as well as into ML frameworks.

Future goals

We can view model signing as establishing the foundation of trust in the ML ecosystem. We envision extending this approach to also include datasets and other ML-related artifacts. Then, we plan to build on top of signatures, towards fully tamper-proof metadata records, that can be read by both humans and machines. This has the potential to automate a significant fraction of the work needed to perform incident response in case of a compromise in the ML world. In an ideal world, an ML developer would not need to perform any code changes to the training code, while the framework itself would handle model signing and verification in a transparent manner.

If you are interested in the future of this project, join the OpenSSF meetings attached to the project. To shape the future of building tamper-proof ML, join the Coalition for Secure AI, where we are planning to work on building the entire trust ecosystem together with the open source community. In collaboration with multiple industry partners, we are starting up a special interest group under CoSAI for defining the future of ML signing and including tamper-proof ML metadata, such as model cards and evaluation results.

A large-scale phishing campaign dubbed 'PoisonSeed' compromises corporate email marketing accounts to distribute emails containing crypto seed phrases used to drain cryptocurrency wallets. [...]

We are still within the sequence of energies described in Newton’s Third Law of Motion, “every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” In this case, Apple, already badly bruised by Trump’s tariffs and their impact on its business, will now take another kicking as nations react to those oddly calculated trade taxes. Europe is gunning for Apple’s services, while China is about to stick some of the world’s rarest components behind its own trade wall. 

The third law

China, predictably, isn’t happy. Not only has it slapped a reciprocal 34% tariff against US goods, but it also introduced export restrictions on rare earth materials — this will have a direct and significant impact on tech, as these are used in almost every electronic device.

That includes Macs and PCs, smartphones and tablets, as well as weapons systems, energy-generation tech, and electric cars. China produces around 90% of the world’s refined rare earths and the new export restrictions are being applied against exports to all countries. The exports haven’t been banned, but the latest move does give Beijing the strategic power to restrict them or even turn them off. (Not all is lost, of course. Other nations also have some of these materials, including Canada, for example).

France, meanwhile, is warning that the EU’s second line response to these tariffs will be aimed at digital services, such as those provided by all the Big Tech firms — Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft.

This is also a strategic approach, given that services are popular across the region and have already emerged as the bulwark against the recession those firms all knew was coming but never called out, preferring socialism for the rich. (And given Apple’s really under pressure in the EU, at what point will the US decide to relent in some fields to give its big tax revenue generator a break?)

Also, in the run up to this chapter, don’t be too surprised if Apple — and other companies selling products into the US — imported bigly piles of hardware to meet short-term demand. 

Tactical silence

Don’t expect to hear much from Apple’s leadership quite yet. Execs recognize that the sensible approach is to stay under water until others throw their own responding stones into the pool as the rocks of Trump’s tariff troubles ripple across an angry world trade pond.

They may have gamed out a whole range of potential scenarios, but must now wait to see what’s left after the storm. It’s only after both action and reaction have had time to play out that defensive plans can be put into effect.

I don’t imagine they feel particularly optimistic in the medium term. Investment bank JP Morgan now sees a 60% chance of global economic recession this year, up from a still uninspiring 40% before. A recession would further deepen the damage to consumer confidence, and no doubt cut tithes from product sales across every category, not just iPhones. But America’s biggest company will be especially impacted, and given it already supports 2.9 million US jobs, what’s good for Apple is good for America. 

As is what’s bad.

Battle of the bean counters

While the extent of the tariffs and the unpredictable nature of reactions to them makes the future hard to see, Apple’s leadership is shrewd. They’ll have read The Art of War enough times to understand the need to preserve what resources they do possess and use what defensive opportunities they can exploit.

Look at it this way: every company involved in hardware production rationally knows that the cost of repatriating production to the US would be trillions of dollars, and would take years, even if there were enough skilled workers to handle all that.

With trillions at stake, what do they do? Backstage, anticipate political maneuvering, lobbying, and a chance for a cohort of people not usually celebrated too much at Apple to shine. I’m talking about lawyers, accountants, tax experts, PR types, and corporate staff.

This really is their time.

Way I see it, just as product design saved Apple in the late ’90s with a message that echoed the zeitgeist then, tactical use of obscure tax and territorial law has now become equally important to the future of Apple and any other multinational company exposed to risk. In terms of profit and revenue, this is the time when the back room professionals must save the day. Defend. Delay. Navigate. Obfuscate. Be ready to innovate. Your shareholders are counting on you.

You can follow me on social media! Join me on BlueSky,  LinkedIn, and Mastodon.

On April 4, 1975, two childhood friends, Paul Allen and Bill Gates, started what is today one of the world’s leading technology companies. Inspired by the January cover of Popular Electronics magazine, they created Microsoft (then Micro-Soft, referring to microprocessors and software) to develop software for the Altair 8800, one of the first personal computers on the market.

Half a century later, and after establishing its operations center in Redmond, Washington, in 1986, the company has diversified its activity, from Windows operating systems to the cloud and the video game industry, reaching a present dominated by artificial intelligence (AI).

In the stock market — where it listed in March 1986 — it has always occupied the top positions on the Nasdaq, where it is known as one of “the magnificent seven” along with other major players in the digital landscape.

Throughout these five decades it has only had three global CEOs: Bill Gates himself, Steve Ballmer and Satya Nadella, in an industry accustomed to the constant dance of names. But in that time it has acquired and merged with hundreds of companies, including Hotmail, Nokia’s mobile devices division, and more recently Skype, GitHub, Linkedin and Activision Blizzard, the latter, related to gaming, being the most expensive at $68.7 billion.

But let’s look back to some of the earliest milestones in the development of the organization. In 1980, Gates and Allen signed an agreement to provide an operating system for IBM’s first personal computer. After presenting its MS-DOS PC in 1981, Windows came along in 1985 and, by the end of the decade, it was already the most recognized software brand on the planet. The first version of Microsoft Office arrived around that time, the productivity suite that today, under the Microsoft 365 brand, is used by more than 1.5 billion people.

One of the first images of the Microsoft team, TAKEN shortly after its founding. In the bottom row are Bill Gates (left) and Paul Allen (right).

Microsoft

During the 1990s, Bill Gates’ vision of the potential of the World Wide Web led to the integration of the company’s products and services into the network and the creation of one of the most famous browsers in the digital world, Internet Explorer. Gates has become one of the leading gurus of the computer industry and his thinking has permeated the world through numerous lectures, public appearances and published books.

In 1995 he set out a roadmap for the IT revolution in his first major text, The Road Ahead. Of the changes to come, he told Time magazine in a 1997 interview, “People always fear change. People feared electricity when it was invented, didn’t they?” That year he created the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to address health and education issues of our time.

The arrival of the new century crowned a new CEO, Steve Ballmer. Gates stepped back to let the company’s first business manager continue with his strategy. Through 2013 Ballmer laid the first stones of the company’s video game business with the launch of the Xbox game console, and of the cloud with the 2008 launch of Azure. It was in 2011 that Office made the leap to the cloud with Office 365, and the company too a further step in collaboration with the purchase of the Skype video calling tool. In Ballmer’s final years in charge the Surface line of tablets emerged.

Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer during a meeting in the 1990s.

Microsoft

In 2014 comes the Satya Nadella era, characterized by a hitherto unknown acceleration of the technology industry around the planet. It stands out for the consolidation of cloud business and video games while introducing new trends, such as AI. Along the way, Windows 10, the purchase of LinkedIn, GitHub, the launch of Teams, which became the fastest growing application for the company, and the strong investment in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. His great achievement, perhaps, is to take Microsoft to a market value of $3 trillion dollars by 2024 thanks to this strategy. But it was in 2015 that he turns the technology around with a new corporate mission: “To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more” through IT.

Today, Nadella leads a company of 228,000 employees spread across more than 190 countries.

Supplied Art (with Permission)

Paco Salcedo, head of the company’s Spanish subsidiary, says, “The most relevant learning in these 50 years is to have gone from believing we were a company ‘that knew everything’ to wanting to become a brand that ‘wants to learn everything’. And, if we look to the future, we believe that AI can enable the next billion jobs in all parts of the economy.”

A marathon journey

Reviewing this trajectory, Foundry consultant Fernando Maldonado says the company has adapted to change. “You have to know how to rise to disruptions in time,” he said, noting the company’s entry into the cybersecurity sector under the premise that “without protection there is nothing” when hardly anyone understood this need. Also, the company’s switch to embrace open source, even before its acquisition of GitHub. “At the beginning, open source was the enemy and, today, we can say that it also knew how to adapt. […] A lot of its software is already open source.”

“All this gives you an idea that it has always been able to react in time to macro-trends,” Maldonado said. Although, he added, the company has taken several hits, inevitable for a company that has been around for half a century, such as the flop of the Bing search engine. “If it hadn’t had any friction, we wouldn’t be talking about its achievements,” he says. “But it has worked on a very solid foundation with Office, which is the anchoring of all types of companies.”

Now, it remains to be seen how it fares in the still very young world of AI, with the billion-dollar investments it is making, although there is some slowdown in terms of data centers. In any case, says the analyst, “it is also making a very strong bet on the future”.

Nadella’s reflection regarding Microsoft’s anniversary is in line with the expert’s analysis: “I’ve found myself reflecting on how Microsoft has remained a consequential company decade after decade in an industry with no franchise value. And I realize that it’s because -time and time again, when tech paradigms have shifted- we have seized the opportunity to reinvent ourselves to stay relevant to our customers, our partners and our employees. And that’s what we are doing again today,” he said.

Over the weekend, a massive wave of credential stuffing attacks hit multiple large Australian super funds, compromising thousands of members' accounts. [...]

A hacker breached the GitLab repositories of multinational car-rental company Europcar Mobility Group and stole source code for Android and iOS applications, as well as some personal information belonging to up to 200,000 users. [...]

ChatGPT Plus subscription is now free, but only if you're a student based out of the United States of America and Canada. [...]

Windows 11 24H2 has been released, but behind the scenes, Microsoft is constantly working to improve the newest version of Windows. The company frequently rolls out public preview builds to members of its Windows Insider Program, allowing them to test out — and even help shape — upcoming features.

Skip to the builds

The Windows Insider program is divided into four channels:

• The Canary Channel is where platform changes (such as major updates to the Windows kernel and new APIs) are previewed. These changes are not tied to a particular Windows release and may never ship at all. Little documentation is provided, and builds are likely to be very unstable. This channel is best for highly technical users.
• The Dev Channel is where new features are introduced for initial testing, regardless of which Windows release they’ll eventually end up in. This channel is best for technical users and developers and builds in it may be unstable and buggy.
• In the Beta Channel, you’ll get more polished features that will be deployed in the next major Windows release. This channel is best for early adopters, and Microsoft says your feedback in this channel will have the most impact.
• The Release Preview Channel typically doesn’t see action until shortly before a new feature update is rolled out. It’s meant for final testing of an upcoming release and is best for those who want the most stable builds.

The Beta and Release Preview Channels also receive bug-fix builds for the currently shipping version of Windows 11. See “How to preview and deploy Windows 10 and 11 updates” for more details about the four channels and how to switch to a different channel.

Not everyone can participate in the Windows 11 Insider program, because the new operating system has more stringent system requirements than Windows 10. If your PC fails to meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11, you cannot join the Windows 11 Insider Program. (See “How to check if your PC can run Windows 11.”)

Below you’ll find information about the Windows 11 preview builds that have been announced by Microsoft in the past six months. (For the Release Preview Channel, we cover builds released for the current version of Windows 11, not for earlier versions.) For each build, we’ve included the date of its release, which Insider channel it was released to, a summary of what’s in the build, and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it.

Note: If you’re looking for information about updates being rolled out to all Windows 11 users, not previews for Windows Insiders, see “Windows 11: A guide to the updates.”

The latest Windows 11 Insider preview builds Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5518

Release date: April 3, 2025

Released to: Dev Channel

Those in the Dev Channel who have opted to receive the latest updates get several new features that are being rolled out gradually, including taskbar icon scaling — when your taskbar starts to get crowded with pinned or open apps, the icons automatically scale down to a smaller size. This lets you keep more apps visible and accessible without having to use a secondary menu.

Dev Channel users who have opted to receive the latest updates get three bug fixes, one in which external graphics cards connected over Thunderbolt were unexpectedly not discoverable in some cases; another in which Hyper-V Manager erroneously reported 0% CPU usage for VMs in some scenarios; and another for those with Copilot+ PCs who saw semantic search stop working until their PCs were rebooted.

There are 11 known issues in this build, including one in which Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5518.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3671

Release date: April 3, 2025

Released to: Beta Channel

Those in the Beta Channel who agreed to receive the latest updates get several new features being rolled out gradually, including taskbar icon scaling — when your taskbar starts to get crowded with pinned or open apps, the icons automatically scale down to a smaller size. This lets you keep more apps visible and accessible without having to use a secondary menu.

Those in the Beta Channel who get the latest updates get two bug fixes, one in which external graphics cards connected over Thunderbolt were unexpectedly not discoverable in some cases, and another in which Hyper-V Manager erroneously reported 0% CPU usage for VMs in some scenarios.

There are 12 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3671.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5516

Release date: March 28, 2025

Released to: Dev Channel

This build includes improved search tools for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs. When searching in File Explorer, the Windows search box on the taskbar, or in Settings, you can type plain-English searches without having to remember file names, exact words in file content, or settings names. In addition, those with AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs can find photos in the cloud by using plain-English searches.

Those who have turned on the toggle to receive changes as soon as they come out get a speech recap in Narrator which keeps track of what Narrator has spoken and access it for quick reference. They also get a variety of changes and improvements, including one in which on Copilot+ PCs, they can now access Click to Do from the Start menu and can pin it to Start and the taskbar.

They also receive a variety of bug fixes, including one in which File Explorer was very slow to close for some Insiders when closing it using the X button.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a bug fixed in which the toggle to get the latest updates as soon they are available via Settings > Windows Update didn’t render correctly and turned itself off.

There are 13 known issues in this build, including one in which Windows Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5516.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3653

Release date: March 28, 2025

Released to: Beta Channel

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned a toggle on to receive the latest updates get several new features being rolled out gradually, including a speech recap feature in Narrator that keeps track of what Narrator has spoken and lets you access it for quick reference. There are also a variety of changes and improvements, including one in which on Copilot+ PCs, users can now access Click to Do from the Start menu and can pin it to Start and the taskbar.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned a toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which the taskbar icons weren’t increasing in size as they should when using your PC in a tablet posture.

Two bugs are fixed for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which the toggle to get the latest updates as soon they are available via Settings > Windows Update did not render correctly and automatically turned itself off.

There are 13 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates that will resolve this issue.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3653.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27823

Release date: March 26, 2025

Released to: Canary Channel

This update, in the words of Microsoft, “includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience” of using Windows. It also includes new “top cards” under Settings > System > About. Top cards provide an easy way to view your PC’s key specifications—processor, RAM, storage, and GPU.

The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Settings could crash when interacting with Bluetooth & Devices > Cameras.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27823.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3585

Release date: March 24, 2025

Released to: Beta Channel

This build includes improved search tools for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs. When searching in File Explorer, the Windows search box on the taskbar, or in Settings, you can type plain-English searches without having to remember file names, exact words in file content, or settings names. In addition, those with AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs can find photos in the cloud by using plain-English searches.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which File Explorer was very slow to close via the X button.

Two bugs are fixed for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update did not render correctly and automatically turned itself off.

There are 16 known issues in this build, including one in which Windows Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3585.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5510

Release date: March 24, 2025

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build the Dev Channel is jumping ahead to receive 26200 series builds. This means that once you install it, you cannot switch to the Beta Channel. If you are in the Dev Channel and want to switch to the Beta Channel, don’t install this build. Instead, pause updates in Windows Update, switch your channel to the Beta Channel and then un-pause updates.

There are 11 known issues in this build, including one in which Windows Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5510.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3624 (KB5053656)

Release date: March 24, 2025

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build gradually rolls out several new features for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, including natural-language search in Windows Search. Just describe what you’re looking for without having to remember specific file names, exact words in file content, or settings names.

In addition, the build includes the same set of improvements and bug fixes as a previous build, Build 26100.3613, such as Natural Language Commanding in voice access, available initially on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3624.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27818

Release date: March 19, 2025

Released to: Canary Channel

This update, in the words of Microsoft, “includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience” of using Windows.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Remote Desktop sometimes froze when connecting.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27818.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3613 (KB5053656)

Release date: March 18, 2025

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build gradually rolls out a number of new features, including Natural Language Commanding in voice access, which lets users speak commands naturally, using filler words and synonyms, rather than rigid, predefined commands. It is available initially on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs.

Several bug fixes are also being rolled out gradually, including one in which the “see more” (…) menu in the File Explorer command bar opened in the wrong direction in some cases.

A variety of new bug fixes are being rolled out immediately, including one for a bug in which critical PowerShell modules required for device configuration were not executed under Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policies.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3613.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3576 

Release date: March 17, 2025

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several new features, including one in which on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, you can use natural language commands during voice access, rather than having to remember specific voice commands.

The same group gets several bug fixes, including one addressing a bug for users in managed environments, in which your Windows Recall snapshots would get deleted after installing Build 26120.3380 and after each reboot on that build.

There are 16 known issues in this build, including one in which Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings, and another in which Recall is no longer able to save new snapshots or modify settings.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3576.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27813

Release date: March 12, 2025

Released to: Canary Channel

This update, in the words of Microsoft, “includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience” of using Windows.

The build also fixes two bugs, one which the WDMAud system driver was causing some app crashes, and the other in which Settings > System > Display > Color Management did not always display the expected color profile list for the selected monitor.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27813.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3380 

Release date: March 10, 2025

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several new features, including one in which File Explorer displays a new Recommended section that is displayed as a carousel with thumbnail previews. This includes content such as files you frequently use, have recently downloaded, or added to your File Explorer Gallery. Users with a work/school account (Entra ID) will have additional types of recommendations available with this update.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which windows.storage.dll led caused some apps to crash when files were opened in them.

There are 10 known issues in this build, including one in which Windows Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3380.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27808

Release date: March 7, 2025

Released to: Canary Channel

In this update, a change is being rolled out in the way Task Manager calculates CPU utilization for the Processes, Performance, and Users pages. Task Manager will now use the standard metrics to display CPU workload consistently across all pages and aligning with industry standards and third-party tools. For backward compatibility, a new optional column called CPU Utility is available (hidden by default) on the Details tab showing the previous CPU value used on the Processes page.

The build also fixes a number of bugs, including one that caused the search window to go blank for some Insiders when searching from the taskbar, due to a background crash.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN. In the other, a d3d9.dll crash is causing multiple apps to fail to launch starting with Build 27802 for some Insiders.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27808.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5015

Release date: February 28, 2025

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will see a new system tray icon on the taskbar, which lets you use emojis, GIFs, Kaomoji, etc. across all apps and surfaces in Windows in addition to using the Win + . keyboard shortcut. This new system tray icon can be changed by right-clicking on the icon to go to taskbar settings page.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a number of new bug fixes, including for a bug in which File Explorer Home crashed for some Insiders.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which File Explorer is very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also affect the other title bar buttons.

Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5015.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3360 

Release date: February 28, 2025

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get two new features being gradually rolled out, including one in which Task Manager changes the way it calculates CPU utilization for the Processes, Performance, and Users pages. Task Manager will now use the standard metrics to display CPU workload consistently across all pages and aligning with industry standards and third-party tools. Also being added is the ability to share directly to apps that support sharing in Windows when right-clicking on local files in File Explorer or the desktop.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug which some people experienced Remote Desktop freezes on login, or frequent disconnect.

There are 11 known issues in this build, including one in which Windows Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3360.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27802

Release date: February 28, 2025

Released to: Canary Channel

In this update, new battery icons in Windows 11 communicate the battery status of your PC with a quick glance. Key changes include colored icons to indicate charging states, simplified overlays that don’t block the progress bar, and an option to turn on battery percentage.

The build also fixes several bugs, including one that was causing the login screen to crash when clicking the “sign-in options” link for some Insiders.

There are six known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27802.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3291

Release date: February 21, 2025

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

In this build, those with Copilot+ PCs can search photos saved in the cloud by using your own words to describe what you’re looking for in the Windows search box on the taskbar.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bugs fixed, including one in which switching languages crashed live captions if audio was playing or the microphone was enabled.

There are 11 known issues in this build, including one in the Recall feature in which some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots,” while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3291.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3321 (KB5052093)

Release date: February 18, 2025

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build gradually rolls out a number of new features, including one in which you can share files directly from a jump list on the taskbar, and another in which you can find out more information about a background image by hovering over the image or clicking the “Learn about this picture” icon.

A variety of bug fixes are also being gradually rolled out, including one in which when you enter a URL in the File Explorer address bar, it might not go to the location.

The build also immediately fixes a number of bugs, including one in which Remote Desktop stopped working.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3321.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3281

Release date: February 14, 2025

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates have the ability to resume working on OneDrive files from your phone (iOS and Android) on your Windows 11 PC with a single click. In addition, when “Restore previous folder windows at logon” is enabled in File Explorer, you can now restore all the extra tabs that you previously had open in each File Explorer window. 

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which if you tried to reset your password from the login screen, it wouldn’t work due to an underlying crash. Another fix addresses a bug for users who have a Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PC, in which File Explorer search was unresponsive and required a reboot to start working.

There are 12 known issues in this build, including one in the Recall feature in which some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots,” while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3281.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27788

Release date: February 5, 2025

Released to: Canary Channel

This update includes the first in-box public preview of Windows MIDI Services, a complete rewrite of MIDI on Windows for musicians. Windows MIDI Services handles MIDI 2.0 and improves MIDI 1.0 implementation, with automatic translation between the two. It works on 64-bit operating systems on all supported processors, including Arm64.

The build also gradually rolls out the ability to resume working on OneDrive files from your phone (iOS or Android) on your Windows 11 PC with a single click.

The build also fixes several bugs, including one that prevented scanning apps from detecting a connected scanner.

There are six known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27788.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4870

Release date: February 3, 2025

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, IT administrators in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get a new group policy called “Disable Widgets On Lock Screen,” which allows them to disable lock screen widgets without disabling widgets elsewhere on PCs they manage. 

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which the Start menu crashed for some Insiders when they interacted with the letters in the apps list.

Several bugs have been fixed for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which PCs did not recognize that USB cameras were on after installing the January 2025 security update.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which the home page of Settings may crash. If you are impacted by this, you should still be able to open specific Settings pages directly by searching for them from the taskbar.

Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4870.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3073

Release date: January 31, 2025

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

In this build, those who have Copilot+ PCs get a new feature in Windows Search, in which you can use your own words to find photos stored and saved in the cloud by describing what they are, such as “European castles” or “summer picnics.” In addition to photos stored locally on your Copilot+ PC, photos from the cloud will now show up in the search results as well. Exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will show in the search results.

The build also includes changes being gradually rolled out for all Windows 11 PCs. Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will see a Settings home page for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. The feature will show some existing cards relevant to enterprise-managed PCs like “Recommended settings” and “Bluetooth devices,” as well as two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards. For commercial customers who also use their Microsoft account on their managed PC, there will also be a new accounts card indicating the presence of both work/school and Microsoft account types. 

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which minimized File Explorer windows might not have rendered correctly when restored.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets several bug fixes, including for one in which the display of some games appeared oversaturated when you used Auto HDR.

There are 18 known issues in this build, including one in the Recall feature in which some users may see a “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots” message while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3073.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27783

Release date: January 29, 2025

Released to: Canary Channel

In this update, users signed into Windows with a Microsoft account will be able to view files that have been shared with the account, such as email, Teams chat, etc., in File Explorer. Commercial customers signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID account will also be able to view files that they have shared with others. You can access this feature by launching File Explorer Home and clicking on the ‘Shared’ tab item.

The build also fixes several bugs, including one in which taskbar preview windows sometimes didn’t display when hovering over open apps in the taskbar.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27783.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4805

Release date: January 24, 2025

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get a change to Snap in Windows 11 in which inline messaging will now appear when you accidentally invoke the Snap Bar when dragging an app to the top middle of your desktop or Snap Flyout when hovering over the Minimize or Maximize button of an app. This is designed to provide guidance on snapping app windows and educating users on the keyboard shortcuts for quickly snapping app windows in the future.

This group also gets new keyboard shortcuts in Narrator scan mode for quickly jumping to list items and to the beginning or end of large elements such as tables or lists. These changes are gradually rolling out.

There are five known issues in this build, including one in which the Home page of Settings may crash. If you are impacted by this, you should still be able to open specific Settings pages directly by searching for them from the taskbar.

Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4805.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3000

Release date: January 24, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get new battery icons, including colored icons to indicate charging states, simplified overlays that don’t block the progress bar, and an option to turn on battery percentage. The same group also gets several bug fixes, including for a bug in File Explorer in which you sometimes would be unable to navigate by entering a path in the address bar. These changes are gradually rolling out.

There are 18 known issues in this build, including one in the Recall feature in which some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots” while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3000.)

Windows 11 Build 26100.3025 (KB5050094)

Release date: January 21, 2025

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build gradually rolls out a number of new features, including one in which an icon will appear in the system tray when you use an app that supports Windows Studio Effects. This only occurs on a device that has a neural processing unit (NPU). Select the icon to open the Studio Effects page in Quick Settings.

The update also improves the previews that show when your cursor hovers over apps on the taskbar. In addition, the Windows Mobile Hotspot now supports 6 GHz connections. This new band requires chips that support the feature and updated drivers. 

A variety of bug fixes are also being rolled out, including for a bug in which the Snipping Tool screenshots were distorted when you used two or more monitors that have different display scaling.

The build also immediately rolls out a change in which you will now have a standard Windows 11 taskbar after restoring from a backup via the Windows Setup experience (OOBE) on a new Windows PC.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3025.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4800

Release date: January 17, 2025

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get a standard Windows 11 taskbar after restoring from a backup via the Windows Setup experience (OOBE) on a new Windows PC. You can still find your apps in the Start menu and Search, and you can pin apps to your taskbar. In addition, the build starts the rollout of the Settings home page for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. 

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get one bug fix, which includes increased support for text scaling in File Explorer, File Open/Save dialogs, and copy dialogs.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which the Home page of Settings may crash. If you are impacted by this, you should still be able to open specific Settings pages directly by searching for them from the taskbar.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4800.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27774

Release date: January 16, 2025

Released to: Canary Channel

This update includes a small set of tweaks that Microsoft says improves the overall experience of Windows 11. In addition, the Administrator protection can now be enabled from Windows Security settings under the Account Protection tab, which allows users to enable the feature without requiring help from IT admins.

The build also fixes several bugs, including one in which accent colored window borders were not displayed when enabled, shadows around windows were not displaying when enabled, and window launching (and other) animations were not showing.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which Insiders joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into the PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27774.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27768

Release date: January 9, 2025

Released to: Canary Channel

This update includes a small set of general changes that Microsoft says improve the overall experience of Windows 11. It also fixes several bugs, including one in which File Explorer sometimes lost focus on the search box while typing.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27768.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4660

Release date: January 3, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get labels added to previously unlabeled actions on File Explorer’s context menu such as cut, copy, paste, rename, share, and delete.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bug fixes for issues that impacted File Explorer’s performance and reliability.

Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4660.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27766

Release date: January 3, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that Microsoft says improve the overall experience of Windows 11. It also fixes several bugs, including one in which some Insiders experienced frequent explorer.exe crashes after they clean-installed or reset their PC.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27766.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2702

Release date: December 13, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a new advanced camera options page. To see it, navigate to a camera under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras and click the edit button for advanced camera options. Note that this is being gradually rolled out.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bugs fixed, including one in which when pointer trails were enabled, the mouse cursor became invisible with a black box behind it.

One bug is fixed for everyone in the Dev Channel, in which if you rolled back from Build 26120.2510 to an earlier build, you would see a “Your organization used App Control for Business to block this app” dialog when attempting to use or install certain third-party apps on your PC due to an incorrect policy being enforced.

There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which Click to Do sometimes doesn’t highlight any info on screen if there is no content on a connected external monitor in extended mode.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2702.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4655

Release date: December 13, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available will be able to see visual previews of links or web content they share using the Windows share window. Note that the new feature may not yet be available to everyone because it is being gradually rolled out.

The build also fixes one bug, in which window previews weren’t showing when hovering over certain open apps in the taskbar, for those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates.

Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4655.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27764

Release date: December 11, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, when right-clicking on apps pinned to the Start menu, jump lists will be shown for apps that have them, such as PowerPoint. The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which File Explorer might hang when browsing a folder with lots of media in it, and another in which some HDDs were being incorrectly listed as SSD on the Task Manager Performance page.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27764.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4580

Release date: December 6, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get several improvements to File Explorer, including one in which if you launch File Explorer folders from outside of File Explorer (for example, from an app or from the desktop), by default they now open in a new tab if you have an existing File Explorer window open. Note that these features are being gradually rolled out, so may not be immediately available.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a single bug fix, in which Pinyin IME users may unexpectedly switch the IME from Chinese to English when switching between windows.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets four bug fixes, including for a bug in which Windows stopped responding when you used an Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) USB printer.

Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4580.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27758

Release date: December 4, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build introduces a new advanced camera options page in Settings that includes a multi-app camera setting and a basic camera setting, the latter intended as a last resort when your camera is not functioning correctly. The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that could have caused Settings to crash when you selected your default audio device.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27758.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2415

Release date: November 22, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

This build, for those who have Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, introduces the first preview of the Recall feature that constantly takes screenshots of what you do while you work so you easily find files, web pages, and more. In addition to searching, you can use a timeline to scroll back to what you were doing on your PC at a specific day and time.

Click to Do is also included. It lets you take AI-powered actions on the screenshots taken by Recall, such as erasing objects from them, performing a visual Bing search on them, copying them, sharing them, and more.

In addition, those who have the toggle turned on to immediately get new features will soon get new Windows Hello features that have already been rolled out to the Beta and Canary Channels.

Those who have the toggle turned on to immediately get new features and other changes get a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which explorer.exe sometimes crashed when interacting with app icons.

Click to Do has eight known issues, including one in which there a delay before snapshots first appear in the timeline.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2415.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4510

Release date: November 22, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available can resume working on OneDrive files from a phone (iOS and Android) on a Windows 11 PC with a single click. Users will also be able to right-click and share local files under the Recommended section of the Start menu. Note that these changes will roll out gradually.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a variety of bug fixes, including one for a bug in which you sometimes could not navigate by entering a path in the address bar.

Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4510.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27754

Release date: November 20, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build revamps Windows Hello in several ways, primarily to make authentication easier. Among the changes is a redesign of using passkeys for more secure and faster authentication. Users can now switch between authentication options and select passkey/devices more intuitively. Beyond that, if you hold Shift and Ctrl when clicking on a jump list item in the Start menu or taskbar, you will launch that item as admin.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused RAW images taken in portrait mode to unexpectedly display in landscape mode thumbnails in File Explorer.

There are six known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27754.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4510

Release date: November 15, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available can share files directly from right-click jump lists on the taskbar in supported apps such as Notepad. Note that this feature will roll out gradually.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get a fix for a single bug, in which you might have unexpectedly seen a message saying “You’re offline. Widgets are unavailable.”

Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4510.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.2448

Release date: November 14, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build gets a wide variety of new features, including one in which when you right-click apps that you have pinned to the Start menu, jump lists will appear for apps that have jump lists. There is also a new section for touchscreen edge gestures. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touch. There, you can choose if you would like to turn off the left or right screen edge touch gesture. These features are being gradually rolled out.

There are also a variety of bugs that have been fixed, including one in which the Task Manager’s Users page could have caused Task Manager to stop responding when you used the keyboard.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.2448.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27749

Release date: November 13, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build adds a new shortcut “Narrator key + Ctrl + X” to copy what Narrator last spoke to clipboard. You can use this shortcut in conjunction with “Narrator key + X,” which repeats the last spoken phrase out loud, to review and copy what Narrator spoke.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Task Manager showed a 0 count for apps and processes, and another in which a blank entry in Settings > Privacy would cause Settings to crash if you clicked it.

There are five known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27749.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2222

Release date: November 8, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can hold Shift + Ctrl when clicking on a jump list item in the Start menu or taskbar to launch that item as admin. This feature is being gradually rolled out.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bug fixes, including for an issue in which windows unexpectedly moved around after waking from sleep if you had multiple monitors. Note that this is being gradually rolled out.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which Narrator crashes on launch if you use one of the natural voices, and another in which your desktop background may show big black areas with multiple monitors.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2222.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4445

Release date: November 8, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, Insiders in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available have a New Folder option in the context menu when right-clicking locations in the navigation pane. Note that this change will be gradually rolled out.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also have a variety of bugs fixed, including one in which performing a search unexpectedly triggered the search happening repeatedly. Note that these fixes will be gradually rolled out.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4445.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27744

Release date: November 6, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build includes a major feature update to Prism, Microsoft’s emulator for Windows on Arm, that will make it possible for more 64-bit x86 (x64) applications to run under emulation. This new support in Prism is already in limited use in the retail version of Windows 11 24H2, where it enables the ability to run Adobe Premiere Pro 25 on Arm. Starting with this build, the support is being opened to any x64 application under emulation. You may find that some games or creative apps that were blocked due to CPU requirements before will now be able to run using Prism.

Note that only x64 applications can use these new CPU features. If you have a 32-bit app or a 64-bit app that uses a 32-bit helper to detect CPU feature support, that app won’t detect the new features in Prism.

The build also fixes several bugs, including one in which certain apps did not detect a scanner, although one was connected.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you may lose your Windows Hello PIN and biometric sign-in your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27744.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2213

Release date: November 4, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will have the IME toolbar hidden when apps are in full-screen mode for those who have the IME toolbar enabled and type in Chinese or Japanese. Note that this is being gradually rolled out.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get a variety of bug fixes, including for one in which RAW images taken in portrait mode unexpectedly displayed in landscape mode thumbnails in File Explorer. Note that this is being gradually rolled out.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug that caused Task Manager to show a 0 count for apps and processes.

There is one known issue in this build, in which the desktop background sometimes may not show correctly with multiple monitors (showing big black areas).

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2213.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4440

Release date: November 1, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get a revamped Windows Hello that adheres to contemporary Windows visual design standards. The update also has a small set of general improvements. Note that all these changes will be gradually rolled out.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get a single bug fix, for a bug that caused touch keyboard crashes and the IME candidate window not to appear for some Insiders.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4440.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4435

Release date: October 25, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available can launch an item on the Start menu or taskbar as an admin by holding Ctrl + Shift when clicking. Note that this feature will be gradually rolled out.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bugs fixed, including one in which the X button to close an app window from the taskbar wasn’t working for some Insiders. This fix will be gradually rolled out.

Everyone in the Beta Channel can now configure the Copilot key again, after that feature was turned off in Build 22635.4291. Everyone in the Beta Channel gets several bug fixes, including for one in which the PIN reset did not work when you selected the “I forgot my PIN’ link on the credentials screen in Windows Hello for Business.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4435.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2200

Release date: October 25, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can access Windows Studio Effects in Quick Settings from the system tray of the taskbar. Windows Studio Effects delivers AI-based camera and audio enhancements on devices equipped with a neural processing unit (NPU). Note that this feature is being gradually rolled out.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bugs fixed, including one in which if you clicked or tapped on a letter on the Start menu’s All apps list, the All apps list may have broken. This fix is being gradually rolled out.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which you could not view some parts of the UI when you ran certain apps.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which there is an unexpected amount of spacing between items in the Start menu apps list.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2200.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4371

Release date: October 18, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available can now use the new Narrator key + Ctrl + X shortcut to copy what Narrator last spoke to clipboard. It follows the pattern of using Narrator key + X, which repeats the last spoken phrase out loud.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as possible get several fixes for several bugs, including one in which Narrator would slow down after 15 minutes of continuous use with a single application.

An update for the Snipping Tool (version 11.2409.23.0 and newer) is also being rolled out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. It introduces a new “Copy as table” feature.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4371.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2130

Release date: October 18, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several new features, including one in which “All apps” is now just “All” on the Start menu.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which clipboard history did not display items you had copied.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you click or tap on a letter on Start menu’s All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2130.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27729

Release date: October 17, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build adds the ability  to configure the Copilot key. You can choose to have the Copilot key launch an app that is MSIX packaged and signed, thus indicating the app meets security and privacy requirements to keep customers safe.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the screen went black for a few seconds for some people when using Alt + Tab.

There are five known issues in this build, including one in which some Insiders with PCs that have older NVIDIA GPUs (like the GTX 970, Quadro K620, etc.) are experiencing some issues where their displays appear stuck at a black screen and unresponsive or seeing their GPUs showing errors in Device Manager and not working correctly.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27729.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4367

Release date: October 11, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get a small set of general improvements and fixes that Microsoft claims improves the overall experience of running Windows. They also now have the ability to share directly to apps that support sharing in Windows when right-clicking on local files in File Explorer or the desktop.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as possible get several bug fixes, including for one in which some Insiders saw an unexpected amount of spacing between items in the Start menu All Apps list.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4367.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2122

Release date: October 11, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of general fixes that Microsoft says improve the overall experience of running Windows. The Disconnect and Logoff dialogs in Task Manager now support dark mode and text scaling.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get one bug fix, for a bug that caused the screen to go black for a few seconds for some people when using Alt + Tab.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets several bugs fixed, including one in which some Insiders saw error 0x800f0825 when trying to install the latest Dev Channel builds.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you click or tap on a letter on Start menu’s All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2122.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.2152

Release date: October 10, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build gradually rolls out a number of new features, including one in which you can stop the suggestions to turn off notifications from certain apps. Select the ellipses (…) in the notification and turn it off. You can also go to Settings > System > Notifications and turn it off from there.

The build also immediately rolls out a change in which you can configure the Copilot key on the keyboard. The build also immediately fixes a number of bugs, including one in which you could not sign in to your account from the web because the screen stopped responding.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.2152.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27723

Release date: October 9, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build introduces several minor changes and features, including one in which you can share local files directly from within the search results shown in the search box on the taskbar.

There are five known issues in this build, including one for those using Copilot+ PCs, in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose your Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27723.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1930

Release date: October 4, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of general improvements and one bug fix, for a bug in which the boot menu wasn’t displaying correctly for some Insiders with dual-boot devices.

Everyone in the Dev Channel can now configure the Copilot key. You can have the Copilot key launch an app that is MSIX packaged and signed, increasing security and privacy.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you click or tap on a letter on Start menu’s All apps list, the list may break. If you encounter this issue, please try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1930.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4300 

Release date: October 4, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available will see “All” instead of “All apps” on the Start menu. In addition, Windows Search runs IFilters in the Less Privileged App Containers (LPACs). LPACs are like app containers, but they deny even more permissions by default. The intent is that a process running in a LPAC has access only to the resources needed by it. This helps to minimize the potential damage that can be caused by a compromised process by limiting its access to sensitive system components and data.

Two bugs are fixed for those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as possible, including one in which items in the navigation pane became very spread out for some people.

There are two known issues in the build, including one in which live captions will crash if you try to use them.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4300.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27718

Release date: October 2, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build introduces a number of minor new changes and features. You can now drag apps from the Pinned section of the Start menu and pin them to the taskbar. For laptops on battery, a notification will pop up asking you to plug in your laptop if the battery level reaches 20% while Energy Saver is set to “Always On.” 

Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which the emoji panel closed when you tried to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji, and another in which the Widgets icon sometimes unexpectedly displayed twice in the taskbar.

There are three known issues in this build, including one for those using Copilot+ PCs, in which If you are joining the Canary Channel from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC; you’ll see error 0xd0000225 and an error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available.” You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27718.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1912

Release date: September 30, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who’ve turned on the toggle to receive the latest updates get a small set of general improvements and fixes that Microsoft says improves the overall experience of running Windows. In addition, Windows Mobile Hotspot has been enhanced to support 6GHz connections. The new band requires chips that support the feature and updated drivers; not all chips that support 6GHz Wi-Fi in general will support the 6GHz mobile hotspot.

Those in the Dev Channel who agreed to receive the latest updates also get several bug fixes, including one in which Task Manager’s Settings page might have a white background when it should not.

There is one known issue in this build: if you click or tap on a letter on Start menu’s All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1912.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4291

Release date: September 30, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned on the toggle to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get an updated Task Manager design in which the Disconnect and Logoff dialogs in Task Manager now support dark mode and text scaling. They also get several bug fixes, including one in which explorer.exe crashed sporadically when using ALT + Tab in recent builds.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets several bug fixes, including one in which Work Folders files failed to sync when Defender for Endpoint was on.

There are two known issues in the build, including one in which live captions will crash if you try to use them.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4291)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.1876

Release date: September 23, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build, for those using Windows 11 version 24H2, gradually rolls out a number of new features, including one in which when your device’s battery power is running low, a pop-up window will appear that asks you to plug in your device. This occurs when the battery level reaches 20% and while Energy Saver is set to “Always On.

Several bug fixes are being immediately rolled out, including one in which when a combo box has input focus, a memory leak might have occurred when you closed that window.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.1876.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.4247 and 22631.4247

Release date: September 23, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

In this update for users on Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, a variety of features are being rolled out slowly, including one in which the “Sign out” option is now on the account manager when you open the Start menu. To change to a different user, select the ellipses (…). A list of other users appears to make it easier to switch.

The update also fixes several bugs, including one in which Microsoft Edge sometimes stopped responding when you used IE mode.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.4247 and 22631.4247.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4225

Release date: September 20, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available will get the ability to share content to an Android device from the context menu in File Explorer and on the desktop. To use this feature, the Phone Link app must be installed and configured on your PC.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as possible get a fix for a bug in which the emoji panel didn’t work properly.

Everyone in the Beta Channel can now configure the Copilot key. You can choose to have the Copilot key launch an app that is MSIX packaged and signed, thus indicating the app meets security and privacy requirements.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets several bug fixes, including for a bug in which some Insiders experienced a bug check when closing Notepad.

There is one known issue in the build, in which if you click or tap on a letter on the Start menu’s All apps list, the list may break. If you encounter this issue, try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4225.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1843

Release date: September 20, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a new feature, in which File Explorer provides you with quick access to files that have been shared with you. If you are signed into Windows with your Microsoft account or Entra ID account, you will be able to view files that have been shared with your account, such as email, Teams chat, etc. You can access this feature by launching File Explorer Home and clicking on the Shared tab.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including one in which when pressing Windows key + E, a screen reader might unexpectedly say a pane had focus, or focus may not be set within File Explorer at all.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a number of bug fixes, including one in which could result in the Widgets icon unexpectedly displaying in the taskbar twice sometimes.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which if you click or tap on a letter on Start menu’s All apps list, the list may break. If you encounter this issue, try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1843.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4145

Release date: August 30, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available will see several new features, including one in which the Sign out option is immediately visible in the new account manager on the Start menu. There’s also a list of signed in users under the three-dot icon so it’s faster to switch accounts. The mouse and touchscreen controls have more options, and hotspots now appear on the desktop when users right-click the Windows Spotlight icon. The changes are being rolled out gradually.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as possible get fixes for several bugs, including one in which explorer.exe crashed when interacting with archive files. These fixes are being rolled out gradually

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets a number of bug fixes, including for a bug in which the [NetJoinLegacyAccountReuse] registry key has been removed.

There is one known issue in the build: if you click or tap on a letter on Start menu’s All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4145.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27695

Release date: August 30, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) has been improved with a new ability to recover encrypted passwords from Active Directory (AD) backup media even when there are zero AD domain controllers running.

A number of bugs have been fixed, including one in which Ctrl + F would sometimes not start a search in File Explore, and another in which the colors in the Performance section of Task Manager weren’t displayed correctly in dark mode.

There are two known issues in this build, including one for those using Copilot+ PCs, in which  If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose your Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available.” You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27695.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4082

Release date: August 26, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available will see the media controls at the lower bottom center of the Lock screen when media is being played. There is also now an option to turn off the suggestions to disable notifications from certain apps. These features are being rolled out gradually.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as possible get fixes for several bugs, including one in which explorer.exe crashed for some Insiders when closing apps from the taskbar. These fixes are being rolled out gradually.

Everyone in the beta channel gets one bug fix, in which the [NetJoinLegacyAccountReuse] registry key has been removed.

There are two known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one that causes explorer.exe to crash when interacting with archive files.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4082.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.4108 and 22631.4108

Release date: August 19, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel (Windows 11 23H2 and 22H2)

Starting with this update, a variety of features will be rolled out slowly, including one that lets you share content to your Android device from the Windows Share window. To do this, you must pair your Android device to your Windows PC. Use the Link to Windows app on your Android device and Phone Link on your PC.

A number of bugs are being fixed, including one in which when a combo box has input focus, a memory leak might occur when you close that window.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.4108 and 22631.4108.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22610.1586

Release date: August 19, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel (Windows 11 24H2)

This build, for those with Windows 11 version 24H2, gradually rolls out a new feature in which when you right-click a tab in File Explorer, you have the choice to duplicate it.

A wide variety of bug fixes are being gradually rolled out, including for a bug in which memory leak occurred when you interacted with archive folders and another in which File Explorer stopped responding when you browsed within it.

Three bug fixes have been immediately released to everyone, including one in which a deadlock occurred in the domain controller (DC) when it started up in the DNS client.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.1586.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4076

Release date: August 19, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will find that a feature introduced in Build 22635.3930 that showed a Studio Effects icon in the system tray when using any application with a Studio Effects-enabled camera has temporarily been disabled. It will be re-enabled in a future build.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which  Voice Access commands weren’t working for non-English supported languages.

A wide variety of bugs are fixed for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Windows Backup sometimes failed in devices with an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) system partition (ESP).

There are two known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which explorer.exe crashes when interacting with archive files.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4076.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1542

Release date: August 19, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a new feature that adds first letter navigation support to the taskbar. When keyboard focus is set to the taskbar (WIN + T), you can press a letter, and it will jump to the open or pinned app whose name starts with that letter. The feature is being gradually rolled out so isn’t yet available to everyone.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get fixes for three bugs, including one in which the emoji panel closed when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a number of bug fixes, including for a bug in which adding languages or optional features might fail with error 0x800f081f.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which navigating between different pages in Task Manager may crash it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1542.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27686

Release date: August 15, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build includes the new Windows Sandbox Client Preview that is now updated via the Microsoft Store. It introduces runtime clipboard redirection, audio/video input control, and the ability to share folders with the host at runtime. You can access these via the new “…” icon at the upper right on the app. This preview also includes a very early version of command line support. (Commands may change over time.) You can use the wsb.exe –help command for more information.

The build also includes optimizations to improve battery life and a detach virtual hard disk (VHD/VHDx) button in Settings that makes it simpler to detach your VHD/VHDx as needed.

A number of bugs have been fixed, including one in which Dev Drive VHDs weren’t automatically remounting when the underlying volume was dismounted and brought back online, and one in the Windows Security app where if you browsed the networks under Firewall & Network protection, it showed a broken glyph (a rectangle) next to the network name rather than a network icon.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27686.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1350

Release date: August 9, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can more easily share content to an Android device from Windows share window. The feature requires you to pair your Android device to your Windows PC using the Link to Windows app on Android and Phone Link on your PC. The feature is being rolled out gradually.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get one fix that addresses an issue in which graphs on the Performance page in Task Manager did not show the correct colors when using dark mode again. The fix is being rolled out gradually.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets several bug fixes, including for a bug in which Windows Sandbox failed to launch with error 0x80370106.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which navigating between different pages in Task Manager may crash it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1350.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4010

Release date: August 9, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, many of those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will see the simplified system tray with shortened date/time change that began rolling out with Build 22635.3930. The feature is being rolled out gradually.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get fixes for two bugs, one in which the dropdown at the top of the GPU section of Performance wasn’t showing in dark mode when dark mode was enabled, and the other in which if you pressed the Shift key when you right-clicked on an app icon on the taskbar, it opened another instance of the app rather than opening the expected menu.

There are three known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one that causes explorer.exe to crash for some Insiders when closing apps from the taskbar.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4010.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1340

Release date: August 5, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get improvements for spelling and corrections in voice access, including the ability to dictate characters at a faster speed and have more editing flexibility with selection, deletion, and text navigation commands.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a fix for a bug in which items under “Let desktop apps access your location” section in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location had visibly flickered although there were no changes displayed.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which navigating between different pages in Task Manager may crash it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1340.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4005

Release date: August 2, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of general tweaks and fixes that Microsoft says improves the overall experience of running Windows.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get one fix for a bug that caused sporadic explorer.exe crashes for some Insiders.

There are three known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one that causes explorer.exe to crash for some Insiders when closing apps from the taskbar.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4005.)