Windows Insider
Preview builds, experimental features, and early access updates from the Windows Insider Program for enthusiasts and developers.
Microsoft Overhauls Insider Channels for Windows 11: What Experimental, Beta, and Release Preview Mean for You
Microsoft has begun rolling out a redesigned channel selector for the Windows Insider Program on Windows 11 PCs, renaming the previous Dev, Beta, and Release Preview channels to Experimental, Beta,...
You Can Now Try Windows 11’s Cleaned-Up Search—with New Controls and a Warning
Microsoft began rolling out an overhauled Windows Search experience to Insiders on July 13, 2026. The changes—delivered through Experimental build 26300.8772 for Windows 11 version 26H2—cut...
Windows 11 Testers Face New Experimental Channels—and a Clean Install Trap
Microsoft began rolling out the biggest overhaul to its Windows Insider testing program in years on April 24, 2026. Devices that have spent months or years in the Dev and Canary channels are now...
Microsoft Experiments with Ad-Free Windows Search and a Kill Switch for Web Results
Microsoft has started testing a dramatically cleaner Windows Search experience, stripping out promotional content from web results and—for the first time—giving users a straightforward toggle to...
Windows 11 Insiders Get a Kill Switch for Web Results in Search — Here’s How It Works
Microsoft has given Windows Insiders a rare and long-awaited gift: the ability to completely strip web and Microsoft Store suggestions from the operating system’s search experience. Starting July...
Leaked: Windows 11 Phone Link to Get Taskbar Flyout and Standalone SMS App
Microsoft is quietly building a more immersive Phone Link experience for Windows 11, complete with a taskbar flyout that surfaces smartphone activity and a dedicated Messages app for synced SMS...
Windows 11's Hidden Cloud Rebuild Tool Could Banish Boot Failure Headaches for Good
Microsoft has tucked a powerful new recovery tool into the latest experimental builds of Windows 11. The option, called Cloud Rebuild, lets you reinstall the entire operating system directly from...
Windows Insider Builds Hide Secret 'Device Rebuild' Feature in WinRE
Microsoft is quietly readying a new Windows recovery feature designed to rebuild a broken PC directly from the recovery environment, according to hidden identifiers found in recent test builds. The...
Microsoft Redesigns Feedback Hub for Windows Insiders: Here’s When to Use the New Compact Form
Microsoft shipped a redesigned Feedback Hub to Windows Insiders on March 20, 2026, splitting the app into two distinct feedback surfaces: a new compact “small” form for rapid submissions and the...
Microsoft Begins Rollout of New Start Menu for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 in July 2026
Microsoft confirmed today that the redesigned Start menu for Windows 11, first teased in early 2025, will begin rolling out to devices running version 24H2 and 25H2 starting with the July 2026 Patch...
Microsoft Refreshes Windows 11 Inbox Apps for Insiders: What's New in Calculator, Photos, and Beyond
Microsoft has kicked off the June 2026 Windows Insider update cycle with a fresh batch of improvements for Windows 11's built-in applications. The rollout, first spotted in the Beta and Dev channels,...
Microsoft Surfaces 26H2 Branding in Experimental Build 26300, Bolsters Beta with Reliability Fixes
Microsoft has given Experimental Channel Insiders their first official taste of Windows 11 version 26H2 with the rollout of build 26300.8697 on June 19, 2026. Simultaneously, Beta Channel testers...