Beta Channel
The latest Beta Channel coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
Windows 11 Insider Builds 26220.6690 and 26120.6690: Copilot Invades the Taskbar and a New Account Hub Arrives
Microsoft dropped a new Insider preview on September 19, pushing KB5065786 to the Dev Channel as Build 26220.6690 and to the Beta Channel as Build 26120.6690. The update concentrates on three fronts:...
Windows 11 Beta Build 26120.6690 Fixes File Explorer Crashes and Update Errors
Microsoft pushed a new Beta Channel build to Windows Insiders on September 19, 2025, delivering a round of critical reliability fixes alongside incremental AI feature rollouts. Build 26120.6690...
Microsoft Plants a Bing Speed Test Shortcut in the Taskbar and Teases AI Oversight in New Insider Builds
A quiet update this week to Windows 11 Insider Preview builds plants a one-click internet speed test directly into the taskbar network flyout, but it’s not the native diagnostic tool power users...
Windows 11 Insider Builds Surface Long-Awaited Keyboard Repeat Controls and Haptic Touchpad Overhaul
Microsoft’s methodical chipping away at the legacy Control Panel has unearthed two fresh treasures for input customization: a live keyboard repeat tester and a revamped haptic touchpad tuning page,...
Microsoft Repurposes Xbox Button for Multitasking: Long Press Opens Task View in Windows 11 Insider
Microsoft has quietly changed how the Xbox button works on Windows 11 Insider Preview builds, giving gamepad users a faster way to manage open windows. A long press of the Xbox button now opens Task...
Windows 11 Beta Build 26120.6682: Copilot Prompt Box, Emoji 16, and Critical Fixes Arrive
Microsoft dropped Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6682 (KB5065782) into the Beta Channel on September 12, 2025, equipping Copilot+ PCs with an on-device prompt box inside the Click to Do...
Excel’s Silent Upgrade: Auto-Refresh PivotTables Arrive in Beta, Outshining AI for Dashboard Reliability
Microsoft’s Excel may be grabbing headlines for its AI-powered features—Copilot, natural-language formulas, and on-cell generative functions—but a quiet Beta Channel update is reshaping daily...
Windows 11 Fluid Dictation Hands-On: On-Device AI Makes Speech-to-Text Smarter, but Hardware-Locked
Microsoft shipped Windows 11 Insider Preview builds 26220.5790 (Dev) and 26120.5790 (Beta) under KB5065779, and the headline feature is Fluid Dictation – an on-device AI engine inside Voice Access...
Hands-Free Gets Smarter: Windows 11 Tests On-Device AI Dictation and Camera Upgrades
Microsoft is pushing a significant voice input overhaul to Windows 11 Insiders, blending on-device AI dictation with expanded camera effects—but you’ll need a Copilot+ PC to join the experiment....
Microsoft Ships Insider Builds 26220 and 26120 with On-Device Fluid Dictation and Expanded Camera Effects
{ "title": "Microsoft Ships Insider Builds 26220 and 26120 with On-Device Fluid Dictation and Expanded Camera Effects", "content": "Microsoft’s latest Insider flight isn’t just a routine...
Windows 11 Beta Adds App Recommendations to Start Menu: How to Opt Out
Microsoft has begun testing a new feature that places app recommendations directly inside the Windows 11 Start menu’s Recommended area. Limited to a small set of Windows Insiders in the Beta...
Forgotten Windows VR Headsets Get a SteamVR Lifeline via Oasis Driver
On August 29, 2025, owners of Windows Mixed Reality headsets got an unexpected reprieve. A new native SteamVR driver called Oasis, developed by former Microsoft mixed reality engineer Matthieu...