(Image credit: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central)
Microsoft officially announced the next chapter of its operating system, Windows 11, and now it’s time for developers and enthusiasts to download and install the latest preview builds to get their hands on the new features and UI design changes to provide feedback to help shape the future of this new version.
The first preview of Windows 11 is build 22000.51, and you can download it now from the Dev Channel of the Windows Insider Program. However, since the new version of Windows has increased the hardware requirements, the way that Insiders will receive flights will depend on their hardware configuration and whether if they have already been testers or they are new to the program.
In this Windows 11 guide, we will show you the steps to prepare to install the first and follow up previews of the next major release of Windows through the Insider Preview program.
- How to determine if Windows 11 test previews will run on your PC
- How to get Windows 11 test previews from Windows Update
How to determine if Windows 11 test previews will run on your PC
Since the hardware requirements are changing significantly, it’s important how this is going to affect testing previews of Windows 11.
Already in the Insider program
If you have been testing previews in the Dev Channel «up through June 24, 2021,», Microsoft will allow you to continue installing previews of Windows 11 even if your computer does not meet the minimum system requirements.
However, there are some caveats you need to know moving forward. For example, if the system doesn’t meet the new requirements, you are likely to encounter more problems and bugs that will negatively affect the Windows 11 experience that may never get resolved.
In the case that something wrong happens with the setup that requires reinstalling the operating system, the computer won’t be allowed back into the preview program of Windows 11 because the system requirements will be enforced.
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Finally, once the company launches Windows 11, devices that do not meet the minimum hardware requirements that were part of the Windows Insider Program will be opted out of the program, and future previews for follow-up updates will no longer download on these devices. If this is your case, the company recommends performing a clean installation of Windows 10 using the latest available ISO file. Then you can still join the program again, but only to test upcoming updates of Windows 10, not Windows 11.
If you have a device in the Beta Channel that does not meet the requirements, Microsoft is now moving these devices to the Release Preview Channel of Windows 10. In some special cases, devices may be able to re-join the Beta Channel but there will be more risks involved.
Microsoft even created a chart describing the eligibility of devices for those people already flying preview builds:
New to the Insider program
If you plan to enroll a device in the testing program for the first time, the hardware configuration must meet the minimum requirements before you can join and install previews from the program.
These are the minimum suggested hardware requirements run Windows 11:
- Processor: 1GHz or faster with two or more 64-bit cores or System on a Chip (SoC)
- RAM: 4GBG.
- Hard drive: 64GB or larger.
- System firmware: UEFI and Secure Boot.
- TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0.
- Graphics: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver.
- Display: High definition (720p) display larger than 9-inches, 8-bits per color channel.
In addition, an internet connection will be required for devices setting up Windows 10 Home because this version will require a Microsoft account to complete the setup.
If you are not sure whether your computer meets the minimum requirements, you can use the Microsoft PC Health Check app to find out.
- Open the Microsoft support page.
- Click the Download app link.
- Save the app on your device.
- Double-click the setup file to install the PC Health Check app.
- Check the option to accept the license agreement option.
- Click the Install button.
- Check the option to open the app.
- Click the Finish button.
- Click the Check now button.
Once you complete the steps, the app will determine whether your computer is compatible or what component will block the installation.
Windows 11 will also require to have a TPM 2.0 chip present and enabled. You can use these instructions to determine if the chip is present and these instructions to enable it on your computer.
If the issue is the processor, it’s important to note that Windows 11 can only be installed on specific processors from Intel, AMD, and ARM. You can check the processor installed on your computer and a list of support chips that Microsoft supports in this guide.
How to get Windows 11 test previews from Windows Update
If you have a device already enrolled in the Dev Channel of the Windows Insider Program, you do not need to change any settings. Once the first preview arrives, you can proceed with the install process from Windows Update as outlined below.
If you will be joining the Windows Insider Program for the first time to test Windows 11 and your device meets the minimum requirements, use these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Update & Security.
- Click on Windows Insider Program.Quick tip: If you don’t see the option to configure the feature, then go to Settings > Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback, and check the Optional diagnostic data option, and then return to the «Windows Insider Program» page.
- Click the Get started button.
- Click the Link an account button.
- Select your Microsoft account from the list.
- Click the Continue button.
- Under the «Pick your Insider settings» section, select the Dev Channel option.
- Click the Confirm button.
- Click the Confirm button one more time to agree to the terms.
- Click the Restart now button.
Once you complete the steps, it should download and install automatically when Microsoft releases the first preview.
Installing Windows 11 Insider Preview builds
Whether you are a new or an existing member of the Windows Insider Program, you can use the following steps to force the install manually with these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Update & Security.
- Click on Windows Update.
- Click the Check for updates button.
After you complete the steps, the Windows 11 preview will download and install like any other preview you may have installed before.
More Windows resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:
- Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know
- Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
- Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.
· Hot!
This week, a pre-release Windows 11 build made it to the public. Version 21380 was never publicly announced, so enthusiasts did what enthusiasts do and went deep into the build’s guts to see what was inside the early Windows 11 build. They uncovered a weird mix of Windows 10 and 11 and a unique default wallpaper.
Unlike public Windows 11 builds and their Bloom wallpaper, pre-release version 21380 has a modified Windows 10 wallpaper (via @XenoPanther), different from what we used to see before. It is the third variant of the picture Microsoft introduced in 2015 (here is how the company created it), with slightly dimmer lights and toned-down colors.
We do not know the story behind this wallpaper, but some may say it represents the end of the Windows 10 era with its lights going down. Regardless, it is a neat wallpaper and great addition to your stock picture collection. Other than the new picture, build 21380 does not feature anything groundbreaking or previously unseen. And like most pre-release builds, it will contain bugs and unfinished features.
This is not the first Windows 11 pre-release build leaking to the public, nor the first prototype wallpaper. In the Summer of 2021, just several days before Windows 11’s public debut, build 21996 spilled the beans on the upcoming OS and revealed some of its features. In 2022, users discovered an early «petal-like» version of the stock Bloom wallpaper.
If you want more awesome wallpapers for your PC, check out this official modern take on the iconic Windows XP «Bliss» wallpaper. Also, someone decided to look at what is beneath the Bloom wallpaper and extended the picture using the power of artificial intelligence. Finally, Microsoft is working on AI-powered effects for desktop backgrounds. Although the feature is not available for testing yet, you can check it out in action here.
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published
April 3, 2024
UPDATE 4/26: We are starting to roll out Cumulative Update Build 26100.268 (KB5036908) to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. This update is designed to test our servicing pipeline and is the same as the April 2024 security update released earlier this month for Windows 11, version 23H2.
Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100 to the Canary and Dev Channels.
The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the times in which the Canary and Dev Channels are on the same builds (e.g. Build 26100), the window is open for Insiders in the Canary Channel to switch to the Dev Channel. In the near future, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed so make your choice on which channel to be in soon!
NOTE: Some features may begin rolling out to the Canary Channel first before the Dev Channel even if the two channels have the same build.
What’s new in Build 26100
Changes and Improvements
[General]
- [REMINDER] The build watermark at the lower right-hand corner of the desktop is not present in this build and will return in future Insider Preview builds. This is part of our normal process preparing Windows 11, version 24H2 for releasing to customers later this year – but does not mean we’re done. Windows 11, version 24H2, will be this year’s annual feature update. As mentioned here, Windows 11 will have an annual feature update cadence that releases in the second half of the calendar year.
Fixes for known issues
[General]
- Made another fix to address the issue causing shutdown and hibernate to not work in the latest builds.
- Fixed an issue resulting in some Insiders seeing error 0x80240067 when trying to download app updates from Microsoft Store or Windows updates in Settings in the latest builds.
[Copilot in Windows*]
- With the updated Copilot in Windows experience that introduces the ability for Copilot to act like a normal application window, we have fixed the issue that prevented the ability to bring focus to the “…” or refresh buttons within Copilot when using a keyboard (ex: by using tab to cycle through buttons).
[Windowing]
- Fixed a DWM crash impacting some Insiders in the latest flights (this could result in you seeing your screen flash black).
Known issues
[General]
- [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO here and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.
[Copilot in Windows*]
- [ADDED 4/12] We are aware of reports by Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels that Copilot is auto-launching unexpectedly after restarting their PCs. We hope to have a fix for this issue soon and is unrelated to the auto-launching experience we tried out with Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels in early February which we stopped rolling out in March.
- Voice access does not work reliably with the updated Copilot in Windows experience that introduces the ability for Copilot to act like a normal application.
- Using Windows Ink to write in Copilot will not work with the updated Copilot in Windows experience that introduces the ability for Copilot to act like a normal application window.
- When Copilot in Windows is docked and resized to a large width, Copilot does not always fill the width of the panel. Resizing Copilot usually fixes this issue.
For developers
You can download the latest Windows Insider SDK at aka.ms/windowsinsidersdk.
SDK NuGet packages are now also flighting at NuGet Gallery | WindowsSDK which include:
- .NET TFM packages for use in .NET apps as described at aka.ms/windowsinsidersdk
- C++ packages for Win32 headers and libs per architecture
- BuildTools package when you just need tools like MakeAppx.exe, MakePri.exe, and SignTool.exe
These NuGet packages provide more granular access to the SDK and better integration in CI/CD pipelines.
SDK flights are now published for both the Canary and Dev Channels, so be sure to choose the right version for your Insider Channel.
Remember to use adaptive code when targeting new APIs to make sure your app runs on all customer machines, particularly when building against the Dev Channel SDK. Feature detection is recommended over OS version checks, as OS version checks are unreliable and will not work as expected in all cases.
Reminders for Windows Insiders
- The Canary and Dev Channels receive builds with features and experiences that may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.
- Many features in the Canary and Dev Channel are rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in these channels.
- As the Canary and Dev Channels receive the same builds, some features may begin rolling out to the Canary Channel first before the Dev Channel.
- While the Canary Channel is now on Windows 11, version 24H2, this is just temporary. At some point in the future, the Canary Channel will jump ahead to receiving new builds not matched to any specific release in a higher build series.
- To get off the Canary or Dev Channel, a clean install of Windows 11 will be required. As a reminder – Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.
- The desktop watermark shown at the lower right corner of the desktop is normal for these pre-release builds.
- Check out Flight Hub for a complete look at what build is in which Insider channel.
- Copilot in Windows* in preview is being rolled out gradually to Windows Insiders in select global markets. The initial markets for the Copilot in Windows preview include North America, United Kingdom and parts of Asia and South America. It is our intention to add additional markets over time.
Thanks,
Amanda & Brandon
- Publication date
-
2023-10-13
- Usage
- CC0 1.0 Universal
- Topics
- Windows 11, Windows 11 Insider
- Language
- English
- Item Size
- 3.5G
4th Insider Preview build of Windows 11, version 24H2. released to Canary Channel on October 18, 2023.
- Addeddate
- 2023-11-12 04:46:17
- Identifier
- 25977.1000.231013-1534.-rs-prerelease-clientmulti-x-64-fre-en-us_202311
- Scanner
- Internet Archive HTML5 Uploader 1.7.0
- Year
-
2023
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