Microsoft Releases Windows 11 Build 26100.3025 to Release Preview Channel

Microsoft has rolled out a new preview build for Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Channel, identified as build 26100.3025 (KB5050094). This update introduces a mix of new features, taskbar improvements, bug fixes, and enhancements across various aspects of Windows 11. Below is a breakdown of the changes, categorized into features rolling out gradually and those available to all users immediately.

Features Rolling Out Gradually

Some updates in this build are part of a gradual rollout, meaning they may not be immediately available to all users. Details of these features are as follows:

Taskbar

• New! Taskbar previews have been improved, offering smoother animations and a better hover experience.

Windows Studio Effects

• New! A system tray icon now appears when using an app that supports Windows Studio Effects on devices equipped with a neural processing unit (NPU). Clicking the icon opens the Studio Effects page in Quick Settings, while hovering over it shows the app using the camera.

Fonts

• New! Simsun-ExtG, a simplified Chinese font, has been added. It includes the Biangbiang noodles character and 9,753 ideographs supporting Unicode Extensions G, H, and I. Some apps may not fully display these new characters yet.
  • Unicode ranges supported:
    • G: 30000-3134A (4,939 characters)
    • H: 31350-323AF (4,192 characters)
    • I: 2EBF0-2EE5D (622 characters)

File Explorer

• New! Quick access to items shared with you (e.g., files, emails, Teams chats) is now available in the File Explorer Home page under the Shared tab. This feature requires a Microsoft account or a Microsoft Entra ID account for sign-in. Entra ID users also see files they’ve shared with others and an expanded range of file types in sections like Recent, Favorites, and Shared.
• New! The “New Folder” command now appears in the context menu when right-clicking items in the left pane.
• Fixes:
  • Prevents search repetition after completing a search.
  • Corrects date and time properties of files that updated unexpectedly after copying.
  • Ensures icons in the details pane update properly when switching themes.
  • Resolves the search box losing input focus during use.

Mobile Hotspot

• New! The Windows Mobile Hotspot feature now supports 6 GHz connections, requiring compatible chips with updated drivers. To enable, navigate to Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot, then select Edit under Network properties.

Settings

• New! Non-administrative users can now change time zones in Settings > Time & Language > Date & Time.

Domains

• Fix: Resolved an issue where devices might fail to join a domain.

Mouse

• Fixes:
  • Resolved disappearing mouse cursors when hovering over text fields in some apps.
  • Fixed transparency and black box issues caused by pointer trails.
  • Improved cursor movement to prevent stuttering even when system resources are low.

Pinyin Input Method Editor (IME)

• Fix: Resolved an issue where switching between app windows caused the IME language to change from Chinese to English.

Snipping Tool

• Fix: Addressed distorted screenshots when using multiple monitors with different display scaling.

Task Manager

• Fix: Improved Task Manager’s responsiveness when closing the app.

Microsoft Excel 2016

• Fix: Resolved an issue where certain files caused Excel to freeze on the loading screen.

Dam.sys

• Fix: Corrected a watchdog timeout error that occurred when PCs resumed from sleep.

Windows Update Installation

• Fix: Addressed an issue where cumulative updates failed to install with error code 0x800736b3 after a feature on demand failed to install.

Features Available to All Users

The following updates and improvements are rolling out to all users immediately:

Windows Backup

• New! After restoring from a backup via the Windows Setup experience (OOBE) on a new PC, you’ll now see a standard Windows 11 taskbar. Your apps will still be in the Start menu and Search, and you can pin desired apps to the taskbar. This change is not yet available in the European Economic Area (EEA).

High Dynamic Range (HDR)

• Fix: Resolved oversaturation issues in certain games when using Auto HDR.

For the official announcement, refer to the Microsoft blog post.

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