Windows 11 23h2 dev

In this changelog article, we have listed all Insider Preview builds of Windows 11 version 23H2 which were released to Insiders on older “Dev Channel/Fast Ring” branch before the launch of new Canary and rebooted Dev channels.

Windows 11 23H2 is the next version of Windows 11 which is scheduled to release in second half of year 2023. Windows 11 23H2 version is codenamed as Sun Valley 3 (SV3).

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Microsoft has already started releasing testing builds of Windows 11 23H2 to Insiders on Dev channel.

If you also want to download and install Windows 11 Insider Preview builds in your computer, following articles will help you:

How to Download and Install Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds in Your Computer?

New Windows 11 Insider Preview Build Released to Dev Channel

New Windows 11 Insider Preview Build Released to Canary Channel

In this exclusive changelog article, we have listed all changes, improvements and new features found in all Windows 11 23H2 Insider Preview builds. It’ll help you in understanding what changes and new features are going to become a part of the next Windows 11 feature update.

So let’s start the changelog of Windows 11 23H2 builds:

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25115

Build 25115 was the 1st Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on May 11, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Addition of Suggested Actions: When you copy a date, time, or phone number, Windows will suggest actions relevant to you such as creating calendar events or making phone calls with your favorite apps. (How-to Disable Guide)
• Updated the icons in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
• Updated the underlying speech platform to improve voice activity detection for voice access, live captions, and voice typing, as well as address some issues with how punctuation is recognized.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25120

Build 25120 was the 2nd Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on May 18, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• A new Search box is displayed on Desktop to search the web quickly. It’s a part of the new lightweight interactive content feature. Users can easily remove the Search box by right-clicking on the Desktop, selecting “Show more options” and unchecking “Show search” option.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25126

Build 25126 was the 3rd Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on May 25, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Now you can manage all supported Office perpetual products such as Office 2021, Office 2019 associated with your Microsoft Account using Settings -> Accounts page.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25131

Build 25131 was the 4th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on June 02, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25136

Build 25136 was the 5th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on June 09, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• File Explorer now comes with Tabs support similar to web browsers
• Navigation pane UI has been redesigned in File Explorer
• Dynamic widgets content in Taskbar such as live updates and scores from sports, breaking news alerts, etc.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25140

Build 25140 was the 6th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on June 15, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Updated Euphemia typeface font to improve the legibility and screen rendering of over 200 characters at various sizes.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25145

Build 25145 was the 7th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on June 22, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• OneDrive storage alert and subscription management in Settings -> Accounts page.
• Braille devices will continue working while switching between Narrator and third-party screen readers as narrator will automatically change Braille drivers.
• The legacy Local Administrator Password Solution product (aka “LAPS”) is now a native part of Windows and includes many new features. You can access it using Group Policy editor and navigate to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System -> LAPS.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25151

Build 25151 was the 8th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on June 29, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25158

Build 25158 was the 9th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on July 13, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Notification badging for Widgets to provide more dynamic Widgets content to the taskbar.
• New visual treatments for the Search entry on the taskbar.
• DNS over TLS testing is now available for Windows DNS client query protection.
• The Nyala font has been updated to support syllables for the Gurage language orthography from the Ethiopic Extended-B Unicode range.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25163

Build 25163 was the 10th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on July 20, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• A newly designed experience for taskbar overflow feature. The taskbar will automatically transition into this new overflow state when it has hit its maximum capacity. In this state, taskbar will offer an entry point to an overflow menu that allows you to view all your overflowed apps in one space.
• The discovery of devices under nearby share has been enhanced by using UDP (Network needs to be set to private) along with Bluetooth to discover nearby devices. You will now be able to discover and share to more devices including desktop PCs.
• When sharing a local file, you can now choose OneDrive as a target to directly upload the file to OneDrive and share it further along with access control options.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25169

Build 25169 was the 11th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on July 28, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Multi-App Kiosk Mode: A lockdown feature for Windows 11 that allows an IT administrator to select a set of allowable apps to run on the device, while all other functionalities are blocked. This enables you to create multiple different apps and access configurations for different user types, all on a single device.
• You can now enable Windows Spotlight on the desktop via a brand-new Windows Spotlight theme under Settings -> Personalization and Settings -> Personalization -> Themes. Additionally, you can make your own custom themes with Windows Spotlight’s rotating images as well.
• Updated the U.S. English (EN-US) handwriting model to be faster and more accurate.
• Settings now supports managing apps which were earlier only supported from Control Panel. This includes uninstallation of apps which have inter-dependencies (e.g., Steam and gaming apps running on Steam), repair and modifying of Win32 apps.
• The Windows Security app version is now displayed in Windows Security settings under About.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25174

Build 25174 was the 12th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on August 03, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• New Game Pass widget for PC Game Pass (Xbox)
• Middle clicking a folder in the navigation pane of File Explorer will now open it in a new tab.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25179

Build 25179 was the 13th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on August 10, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• The spelling dictionary will now use a language-neutral word list and will sync across all devices that use the same Windows account. Users can toggle this feature via Settings > Accounts > Windows backup > Remember my preferences > Language preferences. This currently only works with Microsoft accounts today with AAD support coming later.
• Addition of Tamil Anjal keyboard for the Tamil language. To add it (once it’s available to you), make sure Tamil (India) is listed under Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region, and then click the “…” next to the language, select Language Options, and add it to the list of keyboards.
• Roll out of a small tweak to improve the key repeat rate for the traditional touch keyboard layout, as well as the default touch keyboard layout, so it feels more responsive. Now it has the rate of 20 keys per second (for example, when holding down the delete key).
• Updated the default duration captured by powercfg -sleepstudy from 3 to 7 days.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25182

Build 25182 was the 14th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on August 17, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Starting with Build 25182, the expiration date is now September 15th, 2023.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25188

Build 25188 was the 15th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on August 24, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Updated Touch Keyboard Settings that replaces the “Show the touch keyboard when there’s no keyboard attached” checkbox under Settings > Time & language > Typing > Touch keyboard with a new dropdown menu with 3 options to control whether tapping an edit control should launch the touch keyboard.
• Windows Terminal is now the default terminal in Windows 11. The setting for this change can be found via Settings > Privacy & security > For developers.
• Updated the Wi-Fi and VPN properties pages in Settings to now include a link to advanced properties for that network.
• The “Always show menus” option in Folder Options removed which didn’t do anything.
• Updates to emoji keywords based on feedback.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25193

Build 25193 was the 16th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on September 01, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Xbox subscription management added in Settings app
• Support for new Braille displays in Narrator
• The ability to share a local file directly to OneDrive using the built-in Windows share window disabled based on feedback.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25197

Build 25197 was the 17th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on September 08, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Tablet-optimized taskbar and system tray updates re-enabled.
• Animated icons and illustrations in Settings app’s navigation bar.
• The Personal Dictionary section under Settings > Privacy & Security > Inking & Typing Personalization renamed to “Custom word list”.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25201

Build 25201 was the 18th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on September 14, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• New expanded view in Widgets board: You can now expand the size of your widgets board by using the expand and collapse button present in the top right corner of the board.
• Update to Game Pass widget that supports signing in with your Xbox profile and shows your recently played games from the Game Pass library.
• File Explorer search box will now show instant results as you type. The full search results page will update live without needing to press enter. We also talked about this issue in details in this review article.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25206

Build 25206 was the 19th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on September 21, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Changes to SMB authentication rate limiter behavior: It is now on by default and set to 2000ms (2 seconds).
• You can now save power by using Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR) on external displays. To enable this setting, you must have a 120+Hz monitor with VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) support, as well as a WDDM 3.1 driver installed. To select a dynamic refresh rate, go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display and make your selection under Refresh rate.
• Search from File Explorer Home will show recent file activity for cloud files in Details View.
• A change to support the use of clipboard history (WIN + V) on password fields.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25211

Build 25211 was the 20th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on September 29, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• An option to open Task Manager now available in Taskbar context menu when right-clicking on the taskbar.
• New settings experience for Widgets.
• Now you can rearrange System Tray icons in the new updated System Tray experience.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25217

Build 25217 was the 21st Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on October 06, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Developers can now start building and testing 3rd party widgets as part of WinAppSDK 1.2 preview 2 release.
• Cloud Suggestion in Simplified Chinese IME
• The new touch keyboard setting has been disabled that first began rolling out in build 25188.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25227

Build 25227 was the 22nd Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on October 19, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Improvements to management of quality and feature updates
• Start Menu now shows a badge on user profile icon notifying the user that certain actions need to be taken (How-to Disable Guide)
• Position of the header in Widgets board has been changed for some insiders for testing purposes
• A new dialog will warn users of potential data loss if they elect to change the partition style of their storage drive under Settings > System > Storage > Disks & Volumes > Disk Properties.
• The ethernet and Wi-Fi property pages have been updated in Settings to now show gateway information in the network details summary.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25231

Build 25231 was the 23rd Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on October 27, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25236

Build 25236 was the 24th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on November 02, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• The Search shortcut icon on Taskbar now shows tooltips to assist users (U.S. English) in learning how to use Windows Search via Taskbar.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25247

Build 25247 was the 25th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on November 18, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Start Menu now shows websites under Recommended section. The websites will be displayed based on your region or browsing history. You can remove a website entry by right-clicking on the website and selecting remove option. You can also stop showing all recommended websites entirely. (How-to Disable Guide)
• You can now show seconds in the clock on Taskbar system tray by enabling the “Show seconds in system tray clock” option listed under Taskbar behaviors section on Taskbar Settings page. (How-to Guide)
• You can now access Windows Studio Effects from Quick Settings on the Taskbar.
• New “Energy Recommendations” feature on Settings > System > Power & Battery page to improve the energy efficiency of your PC and reduce your carbon footprint.
• Improvements to Task Manager including ability to filter processes, set dark or light theme, improved Efficiency mode dialog, etc.
• New suggested action “Search copied text” will be shown when you copy some text inside apps. Once you select this search action, a new tab in Microsoft Edge will be launched to search the copied text. This feature will initially be available for Insiders in the U.S. only.
• The Accounts tab in Settings app now shows a visual overview of your cloud storage usage across Microsoft products. You’ll see a consolidated cloud storage bar that shows your storage usage for each product and notifies you if you’re running low on storage.
• Some performance improvements to allow more files and content on your PC to show up as results in Taskbar search box.
• The touch keyboard icon option under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar switched from being a toggle to now being a dropdown where you can select Never, Always, or When no keyboard attached.
• Two new French keyboard layouts standards (AZERTY and BÉPO) added on Settings > Time & language > Language & region page.
• Improved the experience on logon after booting up by reducing the performance impact of startup apps.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25252

Build 25252 was the 26th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on November 28, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Different UIs of the Search box on Taskbar can be tested using Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Items page.
• If you are connected to a recognized VPN profile, a new VPN icon (small shield) is overlayed over the Network Connection icon in system tray to show the VPN status.
• The battery icon’s tooltip now lets you know if your device is charging slowly.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25262

Build 25262 was the 27th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on December 09, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Removed the sign-in requirement for widgets board. Now, all users can get weather updates on Taskbar, pin widgets or access personalized dynamic feed without an account.
• Added a link to Quick Assist at the bottom of Settings > System > Troubleshooters page.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25267

Build 25267 was the 28th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel”. It was released on December 14, 2022. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Different UIs with more rounded corners for the Search box on Taskbar.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25272

Build 25272 was the 1st Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel” in year 2023. It was released on January 05, 2023. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Moved Quick Assist out of Windows Tools so it displays directly in the Start menu’s All apps list and is easier to find.
• Removed the suggestion action for searching copied text in Microsoft Edge and showing recommend common websites on the Recommended section in Start.
• The inbox version of Windows Subsystem for Linux has been removed. When you install a build with this change if you’re a WSL user you will need to update to the latest WSL version to ensure WSL continues working on your PC.
• Added a refresh button to the Windows print queue.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25276

Build 25276 was the 2nd Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel” in year 2023. It was released on January 12, 2023. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Users can now create live kernel memory dumps (LKDs) in Task Manager. To capture a live kernel memory dump (LKD), go to the Details page in Task Manager, right-click on the System process and select “Create live kernel memory dump file” option to capture a Full live kernel or Kernel stack memory dumps. The dumps will be written to a fixed location: “%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\TaskManager\LiveKernelDumps” folder. You can also go to the Task Manager Settings page to view/edit the settings for live kernel memory dumps. (How-to Guide)
• Updates to cloud storage in Settings app
• Updated the dialog box that shows when an app has a known compatibility issue to use the new Windows 11 design.
• The search box design in the Start menu has been updated with more rounded corners to reflect the design of the search box on the taskbar.
• Disabled the updated Windows Security (firewall) notification dialogs that match the Windows 11 visuals introduced with Build 25267.
• Pro editions no longer allow a user to connect to a remote share by using guest credentials by default, even if the remote server requests guest credentials.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25281

Build 25281 was the 3rd Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel” in year 2023. It was released on January 19, 2023. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Improvements to Windows Spotlight. You can enable Windows Spotlight on desktop by right-clicking on the desktop and choose “Personalize” option and then choose the new Spotlight theme. Additionally, you can directly enable Windows Spotlight but going to Settings > Personalization > Background and choosing the option under the “Personalize your background” drop-down.
• Redesigned Graphics Settings page under Settings > Display > Graphics to help you get to graphics configurations such as ‘GPU preference’ and ‘Auto HDR’ with greater ease.
• When removing a paired Bluetooth device from Settings > Bluetooth and Devices, it will no longer pop up a prompt to confirm before removing it.
• Updated the printer icon in the system tray when printing something, so it better aligns with other modern icons.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25284

Build 25284 was the 4th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel” in year 2023. It was released on January 25, 2023. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• New widget of Messenger app from Meta can be downloaded and installed from Microsoft Store
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25290

Build 25290 was the 5th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel” in year 2023. It was released on February 01, 2023. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• New widget of Spotify and Phone Link can be downloaded and installed from Microsoft Store
• Start Menu now shows badges on user profile icon to notify users about important actions such as backup files
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25295

Build 25295 was the 6th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel” in year 2023. It was released on February 09, 2023. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• New policy to enable features introduced via servicing that are off by default for devices that have their Windows updates managed.
• A new “Copy” button is now displayed for quickly copying two-factor authentication (2FA) codes in notification toasts from apps installed on the PC or from phones linked to the PC.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25300

Build 25300 was the 7th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel” in year 2023. It was released on February 15, 2023. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• Live Captions feature now supports more languages including Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish and other English dialects
• Improvements to Snap Layouts feature such as decreasing the hover time required to invoke the flyout, display the program icons, etc
• Updated Settings > Apps > Startup page to show more information about the apps
• Right-clicking on a program shortcut in Start Menu, or searching for the app, and choosing “Uninstall” option will now take the user to the Settings to uninstall the app.
• Bug fixes and general improvements

What’s New in Windows 11 Build 10.0.25309

Build 25309 was the 8th Insider Preview build of Windows 11 23H2 released to “Dev channel” in year 2023. It was released on March 02, 2023. This new build arrived via new “NI_RELEASE” development branch. It came with following features and fixes:

• The search box on Taskbar now shows lighter when Windows is set to a custom color mode. Specifically, when you choose Windows mode as dark and app mode as light under Settings > Personalization > Colors page.
• A new “pizza” icon now shows on the command bar in File Explorer indicating that the user is previewing the Windows App SDK version of File Explorer. Functionality in File Explorer remains unchanged, it just switches from using WinUI 2 to using WinUI 3.
• The “Open in new tab” context menu option and middle clicking folders in File Explorer will now open the tab in the background rather than switching focus.
• A more personalized second-chance out of box experience (SCOOBE) screen.
• A new enhanced modern volume mixer in Quick Settings
• A new keyboard shortcut (WIN+CTRL+V) to bring the volume mixer directly on screen for faster control
• Theme-aware icons for Widgets on the taskbar compatible with dark or light themes
• Updated touch keyboard settings replacing the previous “Show the touch keyboard when there’s no keyboard attached” checkbox option with a new drop-down menu “Show the touch keyboard” on Settings > Time & language > Typing > Touch keyboard page.
• Settings > Power & Battery page now includes settings for choosing what happens when interacting with your PC’s physical power controls.
• Auto Color Management (ACM) can now be used on SDR displays as well using Settings > Display > Advanced display page.
• Updated Simplified Chinese handwriting recognition engine
• Voice access improvements
• Bug fixes and general improvements

Also Check:

Windows 11 Dev Insider Preview Builds Changelog

Windows 11 Canary Insider Preview Builds Changelog

Windows 11 23H2 is now available everywhere. And with most big Windows releases, Windows 11 23H2 promises some big features coming to the operating system.

If we’re honest, these are, probably, some of the most exciting features to ever come to any Windows; we’re talking about Windows Copilot, a redesigned File Explorer, native RAR support, a new Settings page, the ability to see how much energy your battery consumes, and many more which we will discuss below in this article.

Most of the features were already released across the various channels within the Windows Insider Program, but it will be Windows 11 23H2 that will bring them together in a single build, the 22631 Build.

There will be a lot of new features, and Windows 11 23H2 might seem overwhelming because of them, but don’t worry, we’ll walk through each and every one of them; this way, you’ll be able to know what to expect from the hotly-anticipated Windows 11 23H2 update package.

Windows 11 23H2: here is everything you need to know

Release date: October 31, 2023

• First and foremost, Windows 11 23H2 was released on October 31, 2023.
• Users can get it by opening Settings > Windows Update, turning on Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available, and selecting Check for updates.

With this being said, let’s get down to business. Here is a breakthrough of all the new features coming to Windows 11 23H2:

• Windows Copilot
• Redesigned File Explorer
• New Settings page
• Native RAR support
• Taskbar changes and upgrades
• Improved Volume Mixer
• Windows Backup
• Windows Dev Drive and Dev Home
• RGB Lighting Controls
• Windows 365 Switch
• New sharing experience
• Dark Mode on Paint
• Voice access on sign-in
• Other smaller new features: HDR wallpapers in JXR format; new Task Manager dialog menus; Adaptive Dimming; Passkeys, and many more.

Windows Copilot on Windows 11

Ever since it was announced, earlier this year, Copilot has been the star of the 23H2 update package. The AI assistant will replace Cortana (which was deprecated in August), to become your on-the-go tool for almost everything. Need to change your OS to dark mode? Say no more, Copilot will do it. Need a new recipe for a dinner with friends? Same, just hop on Copilot, and the tool will be more than happy to get it for you.

Картинка с сайта: windowsreport.com

Copilot runs on Bing Chat, and it is currently available to test and experiment in the Windows Insider Program. However, Microsoft will greatly improve it over time, and the Redmond-based tech giant plans to transform it into a tool to use natively with Windows, from now on.

Do keep in mind that many users reported that Copilot is not available on Windows 11 23H2, but that can be easily fixed.

Redesigned File Explorer

A brand new File Explorer is coming to Windows 11, and it is designed for a seamless navigation experience within the OS. You’ll have carousel-like thumbnails, a new Details pane, and a new Recommended area, which will showcase the files you access the most.

Картинка с сайта: windowsreport.com

It also comes with a new layout for Quick Access, Favorites, and Recents. You’ll be able to see details such as comments, editing, and an overall different experience when interacting with these files.

New Settings page

The Settings page will debut a new layout with a brand new feature: interactive cards. For starters, there will be 7 interactive cards with the installation of 23H2: Recommended Settings, Cloud Storage, Account Recovery, Personalization, Microsoft 365, Xbox, and Bluetooth Devices. But worry not, Microsoft will add more interactive cards in the future.

Картинка с сайта: windowsreport.com

Basically, these interactive cards will let you set-up your device much faster, with just a few clicks, without getting lost in all the panels that the Settings page currently features. This, alone, makes it one of the most useful features coming to Windows.

Native RAR support

After all this time, native RAR support is finally coming to Windows 11. While WinRar has become everyone’s favorite hero with its unlimited trial period, unfortunately, it will no longer be of any use on Windows 11 devices from now on.

For starters, the native RAR will support .tar, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.zst, .tar.xz, .tgz, .tbz2, .tzst, .txz, .rar, .7z, and many other formats, and Microsoft promises to expand it in the future. The best news? It’s all free, and quite easy to use, as well.

The taskbar was changed and upgraded

The Taskbar will also welcome back some old features, Never combine, and Show labels. Microsoft removed these features when Windows 11 was released, 2 years ago, but due to popular demand, they’re back. You’ll be able to display each app individually on the taskbar, while also labeling the pinned ones, for easier management.

And, Windows 11 23H2 is coming with an elegant bell notification, replacing the current one. If you have any notifications, the bell will be shown as full. When the bell is empty, then there are no notifications. The feature is already live in the Windows Insider Program, and it’s amazing just how impactful it can be.

Improved Volume Mixer

There is a new Volume mixer coming to Windows 11 with the 23H2 release. This new Volume mixer will have settings for Spatial Sound, as well as options to control the audio on specific apps (such as Spotify, Microsoft Edge, and more), independent of your device’s audio settings.

Plus, you’ll be able to easily access it from your taskbar, just like you currently do in your Windows 11. There’s a new button that will open up the new Volume mixer, and once you’re there, you’ll know what to do. That’s how easy it is.

Картинка с сайта: windowsreport.com

Windows Backup

This new app coming to Windows 11 23H2 will allow you to easily back up your device, including your files, apps, pictures, settings, and credentials, in case your device is compromised.

Plus, once your device has a backup, you can easily use it to migrate to another device, where all your stored info will be intact. Cool, isn’t it? It was about time, that Microsoft would release such a feature.

Dev Drive and Dev Home

Microsoft was thinking about software developers when developing these features, but Windows 11 23H2 will also welcome Dev Drive and Dev Home, 2 brand new apps that will allow software developers to build a working station from the comfort of their own Windows 11 device.

Dev Home will be the central hub for this, and it will include the Dev Drive, which is a drive especially designated as a space for development. Plus, Dev Home will include other utilities, such as GitHub, to allow you to easily access your favorite platform. Microsoft plans to enhance Dev Home with AI capabilities in the future, too.

RGB Lighting Controls

Maybe Windows 11 is not yet the most popular Windows around, but it will sure be the best Windows to game on, and the 23H2 release will make sure of that with the new RGB Lighting Controls feature coming to the operating system.

You’ll be able to control your device’s RGB lighting right from the Settings page, and it will include the customization of peripherals too. So if you have a mouse, or keyboard with RGB lighting, then you’ll be able to match (or mismatch) them very easily now.

Microsoft released a list of supported devices, and the Redmond-based tech giant will add more devices to it, so if you already have RGB devices but don’t show on the list, just wait.

Windows 365 Switch

Windows 365 Switch is another interesting and useful feature coming with Windows 11 23H2. This one will allow you to easily switch between your local PC and your Cloud PC. Of course, you’ll need to set-up your Windows Switch first, and then make sure you have a Cloud PC that is connected to it.

But once those steps are made, you’ll be able to go from your local device to your cloud PC as if you would switch tabs on your taskbar. Actually, it will be that easy. Windows Switch will operate inside your taskbar, and the taskbar will be the gate to your Cloud PC and vice-versa. For work situations on a personal device, this feature is heaven.

New sharing experience with just a click coming to Windows 11

You will be able to quickly email a file to yourself directly from File Explorer on Windows 11. The feature will appear as an option when you right-click a file. Once you select the share icon, a list of options will pop-up, including the ability to email the file to yourself.

Картинка с сайта: windowsreport.com

However, there will be limitations to it, as files from OneDrive cannot be emailed. But this is a very useful feature, especially when you’re in a hurry.

Windows 11 23H2 will debut Dark Mode on Paint, Layers, and Cocreator

If you use Paint, for whatever reason, you need to know that Dark Mode is finally coming to it with the 23H2 release. Paint will be automatically in Dark Mode if your system is also in this mode, but if not, you’ll be able to get in Dark Mode, by accessing Settings inside the Paint app.

Картинка с сайта: windowsreport.com

Plus, Microsoft Paint will also get Layers and an AI tool, called Cocreator, to help you bring to life your visions. We’ve checked it out, and it’s quite impressive, but you’ll have to join a waitlist in order for you to try it.

Voice access on sign-in

Lock-screen will feature voice access with the Windows 11 23H2 release. This means that every time you restart your computer, before signing in, you’ll be able to use the voice access on the Windows 11 lock screen. You can do it remotely, and away from your keyboard.

The feature will allow you to dictate your PIN and sign in. Even more, if you say show keyboard, the voice access will then show a keyword with labels on it. You can say the numbers on the keys to enter the letters associated with them. According to Microsoft, this will mask the actual password you are entering from being heard by anyone in your vicinity.

What other features are coming in Windows 11 23H2:

• You’ll be able to set HDR wallpapers in JRX format as desktop backgrounds.
• Task Manager will debut a new design for its dialog menus.
• Passkeys will also come with this release, eliminating the worries of having your credentials compromised.
• You’ll be able to dim the lights of your screen with your eyes, all thanks to the new Adaptive Dimming feature coming to Windows 11.
• Important notifications will no longer show up content to respect your privacy when using a full-screen app on your Windows 11.
• There will be a new VPN icon attached to your new Wi-Fi icon, which will tell you if your network is secure or not.
• The Teams Chat app will be removed, and you’ll also be able to uninstall Microsoft Teams from your Windows 11.
• You’ll be able to easily find out your Wi-Fi password now, by accessing Settings.
• More features and options are coming to Windows Ink, as you’ll be able to put your handwritten text into any text box using your Surface Pen.
• Natural Voices for Narrator will support French, Portuguese, English (India), German, Japanese, Chinese, and English (UK).

We can’t help but wonder: will Microsoft tone down its ads with the Windows 11 23H2 release?

We all know that the Redmond-based tech giant is pushing ads almost everywhere on the OS. For example, there was a time when users would get a recommendation to keep using Edge, when searching for Chrome on Microsoft Edge. Other times, it would ask you to use Edge instead of Firefox.

These recommendations have only started to get more aggressive recently, with Microsoft being accused of pushing Bing to users, in unethical ways.

So, will Microsoft tone down its ads and product placements on Windows 11 and the other apps we’re using on it? We don’t know, but assuming there are so many new features coming to it, maybe the Redmond-based tech giant will think it’s enough for now.

We’re going to have Copilot, and this tool alone will prompt people to update their Windows 11. But if there is more intentional and unintentional ad pushing, many will choose to either downgrade or return to Windows 10.

But Microsoft has listened to the community, and features such as Never Combine are coming back to Windows 11 after they were deprecated. So maybe, the tech giant will listen once more, and it will avoid pushing unnecessary software and products on users. But we’ll see.

If you want to get early access to all the features, then download Windows 11 23H2. To learn more, check out this guide. And in case Windows 11 23H2 is not showing up, it’s time you fix things!

What do you think about it? Are you excited about Windows 11 23H2? Let us know in the comments section below.

Microsoft is tidying up the next Windows 11 update to release the 23H2 build with some major features and improvements. The upcoming 23H2 release is expected to bring many ground-level changes and AI features for a smarter experience on Windows 11. So in this article, we have compiled the details of the best Windows 11 23H2 features, including information on its release date. On that note, let’s go ahead and check out the key features of the Windows 11 23H2 build.

Windows 11 23H2: Release Date

Microsoft is likely to release the Windows 11 23H2 update on September 21, 2023, at the Surface event in New York. The update is also referred to as the “Moment 4” update and will have OS build number 22631. The features mentioned below are currently being tested on Windows 11 Dev and Release Preview channels.

While it’s not confirmed, this might be the last feature update for Windows 11. According to earlier speculations, Windows 12 is likely to be released in 2024, hence, Moment 4 will be the last update serviced to Windows 11. With that out of the way, let’s go ahead and learn about the new Windows 11 23H2 features.

1. AI-powered Windows Copilot

Microsoft is working to bring native AI experiences to Windows 11 through Windows Copilot. This is going to be the headline feature of the 23H2 build. It’s basically an AI chatbot similar to Bing Sidebar but supports some local actions as well. You can ask the Copilot to turn on dark mode, take a screenshot, and do other Windows 11 tasks using natural language.

Картинка с сайта: beebom.com

In addition, unlike the Bing Sidebar, Windows Copilot will work system-wide. You can press “Windows + C” to instantly open Windows Copilot from any interface. Having said that, local actions are limited at the moment. Microsoft says that support for third-party actions will be added in the near future which is amazing. If you are on the Dev build, you can enable Windows Copilot on Windows 11 right away.

2. Redesigned File Explorer

With the 22H2 update, Microsoft brought tabbed File Explorer to Windows 11. And now, with the 23H2 update, it’s improving the File Explorer further with new enhancements. Some elements of the new File Explorer are rewritten in XAML like the homepage, header, address bar, details pane, and more. It’s an attempt by Microsoft to modernize the File Explorer UI and remove the legacy components.

Moreover, the 23H2 update adds a new Gallery View to the File Explorer from your OneDrive and Phone Link. You can seamlessly view your photos and videos in a timeline from various sources right inside the File Explorer. Next, there is a new Details pane & a streamlined Homepage integrated with OneDrive and Office files. Overall, the Windows 11 23H2 update completes the modernization work in File Explorer.

3. Ungroup Taskbar Apps

Картинка с сайта: beebom.com

Gradually, Microsoft is listening to community demands and adding the missing features to the Windows 11 Taskbar. With the Windows 11 23H2 update, the company is finally bringing the ability to ungroup apps and labels on the Taskbar. This setting will let you customize whether you want to combine the apps on the Taskbar or not.

For power users, this is a meaningful change, and I’m sure many old-school users will appreciate this feature being resurrected. By the way, if you want to ungroup Taskbar apps on Windows 11, follow our linked article.

4. Built-in Cloud Backup

On Android and iOS, we are accustomed to seamless cloud backups, and Microsoft is following in the same footsteps on Windows 11. With the Windows 11 23H2 release, Microsoft is bringing a native cloud backup tool powered by OneDrive. It can back up your files, settings preferences, Microsoft Store apps, and more to the cloud. So when the next time, you move to a new PC, it can restore your personalized settings and apps with just a click. That’s pretty cool, right?

5. Advanced Volume Mixer

Taking a cue from one of the best Windows 11 apps, EarTrumpet, Windows 11 is finally getting an advanced volume mixer with the 23H2 update. Placed within the Quick Settings panel, you can now control and adjust volume for specific apps. You no longer have to use third-party apps to customize your volume preferences. Kudos Microsoft!

6. RAR, 7Z, Tar.gz File Support

Картинка с сайта: beebom.com

For many years, users have been asking for more archive file format support on Windows. And finally, with the Windows 11 23H2 update, you can natively compress and extract archive formats like RAR, 7Z, Tar.gz, and more. This means you can easily open a 7Z or RAR file and extract data without using 7-Zip or WinRAR.

By the way, Windows 11 already supports ZIP out of the box. According to the Windows blog, support for more archive formats like .tar, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.zst, .tar.xz, .tgz, .tbz2, .tzst, .txz, .rar, .7z, etc. have been added using the libarchive open-source project.

7. Windows Lighting

Картинка с сайта: beebom.com

Another great feature of the 23H2 build is Windows Lighting. The dynamic lighting feature will allow gamers to customize their accessories and peripherals with custom themes and lights. Housed within the Settings page, you can control the RGB lighting of your keyboard, mouse, headset, and more. Again, no need to download third-party software to customize the RGB lighting. Gamers are definitely going to love this feature.

8. Dark Mode in MS Paint

Картинка с сайта: beebom.com

As promised, Microsoft is finally bringing dark mode to Microsoft Paint with the 23H2 update. If you’re on the latest Release Preview build, you can experience it right away. Those who love all things dark are going to find the feature addition to Microsoft Paint helpful. Apart from that, you will be able to zoom in/out seamlessly on MS Paint.

9. Snap Layout Suggestions

Snap Layouts is one of the best features of Windows 11, and Microsoft just keeps on improving it. With the Windows 11 23H2 update, Snap Layouts will smartly recommend possible layout positions, considering all your active programs.

To get suggestions, you have to hover your mouse on the “maximize” button, the same as before. It’s a small change, but users who are new to Snap Layout may find it immensely helpful for neat window organization.

10. Widgets Customization

Картинка с сайта: beebom.com

While the Widget dashboard has gone through many iterative changes after its launch, finally, with the 23H2 update, Windows 11 will let you completely disable the MSN news feed. This has been a long-requested feature from the community, and I’m glad Microsoft added the option to remove the news feed. Moreover, Microsoft is also testing to add widgets on the desktop, but we’re not sure if the feature will go live with the 23H2 update.

11. New Dev Home App

At the Microsoft Build 2023 event, the company announced a new “Dev Home” app especially for developers to set up their development environment quickly and seamlessly. And it’s likely the new Dev Home app will ship with the Windows 11 23H2 build out of the box.

With the Dev Home app, you will be able to connect your GitHub account, monitor push and merge changes, install apps via winget, add performance-centric widgets, and more.

Apart from that, you also get a new Dev Drive feature that can be formatted as a ReFS partition (Resilient File System). You can use it to create a virtual hard drive that can be utilized for software development. Due to the ReFS partition, you will see a 30% performance jump in various operations.

12. Presence Sensing

Картинка с сайта: beebom.com

Windows 11 23H2 is adding something called Presence Sensing to the Settings page. It houses several options, including the ability to dim the screen when you look away. It uses a proximity sensor to detect your presence. The setting also allows you to choose the sensor of your choice. This is combined with the Wake-on Approach that will turn the display on if it senses your presence. I think from the privacy point of view, adaptive dimming is quite a cool feature.