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1. Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday updates: Keeping up with the latest fixes

   Long before Taco Tuesday became part of the pop-culture vernacular, Tuesdays were synonymous with security — and for anyone in the tech world, they still are.  Patch Tuesday, as you most likely know, refers to the day each month when Microsoft releases security updates and patches for its software products — everything from Windows to Office to SQL Server, developer tools to browsers.

   The practice, which happens on the second Tuesday of the month, was initiated to streamline the patch distribution process and make it easier for users and IT system administrators to manage updates.  Like tacos, Patch Tuesday is here to stay.

   In a blog post celebrating the 20th anniversary of Patch Tuesday, the Microsoft Security Response Center wrote: “The concept of Patch Tuesday was conceived and implemented in 2003. Before this unified approach, our security updates were sporadic, posing significant challenges for IT professionals and organizations in deploying critical patches in a timely manner.”

   Patch Tuesday will continue to be an “important part of our strategy to keep users secure,” Microsoft said, adding that it’s now an important part of the cybersecurity industry.  As a case in point, Adobe, among others, follows a similar patch cadence.

   Patch Tuesday coverage has also long been a staple of Computerworld’s commitment to provide critical information to the IT industry. That’s why we’ve gathered together this collection of recent patches, a rolling list we’ll keep updated each month.

   In case you missed a recent Patch Tuesday announcement, here are the latest six months of updates.

   For July, a ‘big, broad’ Patch Tuesday release

   With 133 patches in its Patch Tuesday update this month, Microsoft delivered a big, broad and important release that requires a Patch Now plan for Windows, Microsoft Office and SQL Server. A zero-day (CVE-2025-49719) in SQL Server requires urgent action, as do Git extensions to Microsoft Visual Studio. More info on Microsoft Security updates for July 2025.

   June Patch Tuesday: 68 fixes — and two zero-day flaws

   Microsoft offered up a fairly light Patch Tuesday release for June, with 68 patches to Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office. There were no updates for Exchange or SQL server and just two minor patches for Microsoft Edge. But two zero-day vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-33073 and CVE-2025-33053) mean IT admins need to get busy with quick patching plans. More info on Microsoft Security updates for June 2025.

   May’s Patch Tuesday serves up 78 updates, including 5 zero-day fixes

   This May Patch Tuesday release is very much a “back-to-basics” update with just 78 patches for Microsoft Windows, Office, Visual Studio, and .NET. Notably, Microsoft has not released any patches for Microsoft Exchange Server or Microsoft SQL Server. However, five zero-day exploits for Windows mean this month’s Windows updates should be patched now. More info on Microsoft Security updates for May 2025.

   For April, a large ‘dynamic’ Patch Tuesday release

   IT admins will be busy this month: the latest patch update from Microsoft includes 126 fixes, including one for an exploited Windows flaw and five critical patches for Office. The April Patch Tuesday release is large (126 patches), broad and unfortunately very dynamic, with several re-releases, missing files and broken patches affecting both the Windows and Office platforms. More info on Microsoft Security updates for April 2025.

   For March’s Patch Tuesday, 57 fixes — and 7 zero-days

   For so few patches from Microsoft this month (57), we have seven zero-days to manage (with a “Patch Now” recommendation for Windows) and standard release schedules for Microsoft Office, Microsoft browsers (Edge) and Visual Studio.  Adobe is back with a critical update for Reader, too — but it’s not been paired (at least for now) with a Microsoft patch. More info on Microsoft Security updates for March 2025.

   For February’s Patch Tuesday, Microsoft rolls out 63 updates

   Microsoft released 63 patches for Windows, Microsoft Office, and developer platforms in this week’s Patch Tuesday update. The February release was a relatively light update, but it comes with significant testing requirements for networking and remote desktop environments. Two zero-day Windows patches (CVE-2025-21391 and CVE-2025-21418) have been reported as exploited and another Windows update (CVE-2025-21377) has been publicly disclosed — meaning IT admins get a “Patch Now” recommendation for this month’s Windows updates. More info on Microsoft Security updates for February 2025.

2. For July, a ‘big, broad’ Patch Tuesday release

   With 133 patches in its Patch Tuesday update this month, Microsoft delivered a big, broad and important release that requires a Patch Now plan for Windows, Microsoft Office and SQL Server. A zero-day (CVE-2025-49719) in SQL Server requires urgent action, as do Git extensions to Microsoft Visual Studio. 

   To help IT admins navigate these changes, the team from Readiness has provided this useful infographic detailing the risks of deploying the updates to each platform. (More information about recent Patch Tuesday releases is available here.)

   Known issues 

   Microsoft is doing a pretty good job these days and there are a relatively small number of known issues reported for the desktop and server platforms, including this minor issue with Windows 10:

   • Noto fonts are still experiencing display issues at smaller (less than 96 DPI) resolutions. For additional support, users can report issues related to Noto CJK fonts through the official Google Noto Fonts GitHub repository.

   Major revisions and mitigations

   So far, Microsoft has not published any revisions or updates to this month’s patches.

   Windows lifecycle and enforcement updates

   Likewise, there are no further enforcement updates from Microsoft this month. However, for some (strange) reason, every Microsoft support page that deals with Windows 10, displays this \ message;

   “After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. Your PC will still work, but we recommend moving to Windows 11.”

   The team at Readiness has analyzed Microsoft’s latest updates to develop technically sound, actionable testing plans. July’s release brings significant updates to core Windows components, most notably in the areas of printing, networking, and media playback. Two components have been designated as high-risk and warrant immediate attention: the Printing Subsystem and Routing and Remote Access (RRAS).

   As always, we have grouped Microsoft’s updates by Windows feature and accompanied each section with prescriptive test actions and rationale to help prioritize enterprise validation efforts.

   Core OS and printing

   Microsoft updated several core kernel drivers affecting Windows as a whole. This is a low-level system change and carries a high risk of compatibility and system issues. In addition, core Microsoft print libraries have been included in this month’s update, requiring additional print testing in addition to the following recommendations:

   • Run print operations from 32-bit applications on 64-bit Windows environments.
   • Use different print drivers and configurations (e.g., local, networked).
   • Observe printing from older productivity apps and virtual environments, paying close attention to the boundaries/margins of the printing area.

   Remote Desktop and network connectivity

   This month’s updates could affect the reliability of remote access, and regressions in RRAS can disrupt critical network infrastructure. We recommend the following tests:

   • Create and reconnect Remote Desktop (RDP) sessions under varying network conditions.
   • Test modifying NAT and routing settings in RRAS configurations and ensure that changes persist across reboots.
   • Create a VPN profile using the UI or PowerShell and try to connect/disconnect with different VPN servers.
   • Test RemoteApp functionality by setting up and using web feed URLs.
   • Test devices such as touchpads, keyboards, and touchscreens that use the I2C protocol.
   • When validating routing information, ensure property pages report expected settings (checking the following protocols: DHC, NAT, RIP, IGMP, BOOTP). 

   Filesystem and storage

   Updates to core Windows storage libraries impact nearly every command related to file and storage operations. A minor misalignment here can result in data access issues. These are high-priority components in modern data center and hybrid cloud infrastructure, with the following storage-related testing recommendations:

   • Mount and dismount FastFat, NTFS, and UDFS volumes.
   • Test directory query related scenarios, such as [NtQueryDirectoryFileEx] and [NtQueryDirectoryFile]. 
   • Configure a cluster shared volume and use it for a VM deployment.

   Media and codecs

   Microsoft issued extensive testing guidance for media codecs, indicating a focus on this area. We recommend the following:

   • Perform extensive testing of DVD playback, including menu navigation, chapter selection, and playback of MPEG2-encoded files from local storage.
   • Validate playback on both modern and low-end hardware, monitoring for performance issues or excessive CPU usage.
   • Test advanced DVD features such as subtitle/audio track switching, region encoding, and CSS copy protection.
   • Open and play TIFF files.

   Application deployment and SQL Server

   Updates to application deployment and management components require validation to ensure that application lifecycle operations are not affected. Additionally, the latest updates include patches for various versions of SQL Server with the following suggested testing:

   • Perform installation, repair, and uninstallation of MSI Installer packages using standard enterprise deployment tools.
   • Test any application deployment operation on the System drive (default) or additional volume (D:\ or E:).
   • For SQL Server, install the appropriate GDR patch on top of the baseline/RTM version and perform a clean installation and removal of the patch.

   It’s important to prioritize printer testing this month, leading onto remote desktop and RRAS deployment testing, and ensuring that your core business applications install and uninstall as expected. Finally, validate the media and codec updates, as these have been highlighted by Microsoft as a key area of change.

   Each month, we break down the update cycle into product families (as defined by Microsoft) with the following basic groupings: 

   • Browsers (Microsoft IE and Edge) 
   • Microsoft Windows (both desktop and server) 
   • Microsoft Office
   • Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server 
   • Microsoft developer tools (Visual Studio and .NET)
   • Third-party updates (rather than Adobe)

   Browsers

   Microsoft delivered two important updates to its browser platforms. In addition, Google updated the Chrome engine, addressing the vulnerability CVE-2025-6554. These low-profile changes can be added to your standard release plan.

   Microsoft Windows

   Microsoft released six critical patches and 95 patches rated important for Windows; the critical vulnerabilities:

   • CVE-2025-36357 — The vulnerability assigned to this CVE is in certain processor models offered by AMD. The mitigation requires a Windows update. 
   • CVE-2025-36350 — This vulnerability is also in certain processor models offered by AMD. The mitigation also requires a Windows update.
   • CVE-2025-49735 — Use after free in Windows KDC Proxy Service (KPSSVC) allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network. 
   • CVE-2025-47980 — Exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor in Windows Imaging Component allows an attacker to disclose information locally.
   • CVE-2025-47981 — Heap-based buffer overflow in Windows SPNEGO Extended Negotiation allows an attacker to execute code over a network.
   • CVE-2025-48822 — Out-of-bounds read in Windows Hyper-V allows an attacker to execute code locally.

   Due to the number and severity of critical issues, make this a “Patch Now” schedule for Windows.

   Microsoft Office

   Microsoft released seven critical updates (and 11 rated as important) for the Office platform. The critical-rated Office patches deal with the following vulnerabilities:

   • CVE-2025-49695 — Use after free in Office allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.
   • CVE-2025-49696 — Out-of-bounds read in Office allows an attacker to execute code locally.
   • CVE-2025-49697 — Heap-based buffer overflow in Office allows an attacker to execute code locally.
   • CVE-2025-49698 — Use after free in Word allows an attacker to execute code locally.
   • CVE-2025-49702 — Access of resource using incompatible type (“type confusion”) in Office allows an attacker to execute code locally. 
   • CVE-2025-49703 — Use after free in Word allows an attacker to execute code locally.
   • CVE-2025-49704 — Improper control of generation of code (“code injection”) in SharePoint allows an attacker to execute code over a network. 

   This represents a lot of critical updates for Microsoft Office and is unusual for their concentration in the general aspects of the platform rather than specific issues with World or Excel. We suggest adding Office to your Patch Now release calendar, too.

   Microsoft SQL Server

   Microsoft released one critical and two important updates for SQL Server, including:

   • CVE-2025-49717 – Heap-based buffer overflow in SQL Server allows an attacker to execute code over a network.
   • CVE-2025-49718: Information disclosure vulnerability could allow an attacker to disclose information over a network.
   • CVE-2025-49719 has been reported as publicly disclosed.

   Given the presence of zero-day vulnerabilities, add the Microsoft SQL Server updates to your  Patch Now schedule.

   Developer tools

   There were two updates (rated important) released this month affecting .NET and Visual Studio. Interestingly, there were several vulnerabilities to the Microsoft Visual Studio platform that were addressed by a third party (Mitre). These updates address security vulnerabilities in how Git integrates with Visual Studio:

   • CVE-2025-27613 — Gitk Arguments Vulnerability
   • CVE-2025-27614 — Gitk Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability
   • CVE-2025-46334 — Git Malicious Shell Vulnerability
   • CVE-2025-46835 — Git File Overwrite Vulnerability
   • CVE-2025-48384 — Git Symlink Vulnerability
   • CVE-2025-48385 — Git Protocol Injection Vulnerability
   • CVE-2025-48386 — Git Credential Helper Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

   Add these updates to your standard developer release schedule.

   Third-party updates

   This is a big month for third-party updates, with Chrome (CVE-2025-655) and patches to Git extensions adding substantial weight to the July release. In addition, we have Mitre and AMD (CVE-2025-36350 and CVE-2025-36357) as the registered CNA for the Microsoft-targeted updates. I expect that we will see more of this, with an extended range of third-party vendors registering and addressing Microsoft security vulnerabilities.

3. Windows 11 Insider Previews: What’s in the latest build?

   Windows 11 24H2 has been released, but behind the scenes, Microsoft is constantly working to improve the newest version of Windows. The company frequently rolls out public preview builds to members of its Windows Insider Program, allowing them to test out — and even help shape — upcoming features.

   Skip to the latest builds

   The Windows Insider program is divided into four channels:

   • The Canary Channel is where platform changes (such as major updates to the Windows kernel and new APIs) are previewed. These changes are not tied to a particular Windows release and may never ship at all. Little documentation is provided, and builds are likely to be very unstable. This channel is best for highly technical users.
   • The Dev Channel is where new features are introduced for initial testing, regardless of which Windows release they’ll eventually end up in. This channel is best for technical users and developers and builds in it may be unstable and buggy.
   • In the Beta Channel, you’ll get more polished features that will be deployed in the next major Windows release. This channel is best for early adopters, and Microsoft says your feedback in this channel will have the most impact.
   • The Release Preview Channel typically doesn’t see action until shortly before a new feature update is rolled out. It’s meant for final testing of an upcoming release and is best for those who want the most stable builds.

   The Beta and Release Preview Channels also receive bug-fix builds for the currently shipping version of Windows 11. See “How to preview and deploy Windows 10 and 11 updates” for more details about the four channels and how to switch to a different channel.

   Not everyone can participate in the Windows 11 Insider program, because the new operating system has more stringent system requirements than Windows 10. If your PC fails to meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11, you cannot join the Windows 11 Insider Program. (See “How to check if your PC can run Windows 11.”)

   Below you’ll find information about the Windows 11 preview builds that have been announced by Microsoft in the past six months. (For the Release Preview Channel, we cover builds released for the current version of Windows 11, not for earlier versions.) For each build, we’ve included the date of its release, which Insider channel it was released to, a summary of what’s in the build, and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it.

   Note: If you’re looking for information about updates being rolled out to all Windows 11 users, not previews for Windows Insiders, see “Windows 11: A guide to the updates.”

   The latest Windows 11 Insider preview builds

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27898

   Release date: July 11, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   This build introduces Quick machine recovery, a feature introduced as part of the Windows Resiliency Initiative at Ignite 2024. When enabled, it automatically detects and fixes widespread issues on Windows 11 devices using the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). This reduces downtime and avoids the need for manual fixes. If a device experiences a widespread boot issue, it enters WinRE, connects to the internet, and Microsoft can deliver a targeted fix through Windows Update. IT admins can enable or customize this experience for their organization through the Intune Settings Catalog UI using the RemoteRemediation CSP.

   There are five known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27898.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.4762 (KB5062660)

   Release date: July 10, 2025

   Released to: Release Preview Channel

   This build gradually rolls out a number of new features, including one for admins in which the Configure Start Pins policy now includes an option to apply Start menu pins only once. This means users will receive the admin Start menu pins on their first sign-in (day 0), but afterward can personalize their pinned layout, and those changes will be retained. This policy can also be applied through group policy, in addition to the existing Configuration Service Provider (CSP).

   In addition, several bug fixes are being immediately rolled out, including one that addresses an issue in which File Explorer Home unexpectedly displayed only a single folder (for example, Desktop), rather than the expected content with recent files.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.4762.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27891 

   Release date: July 3, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   In this build, Windows PowerShell 2.0 has been removed. A number of bugs have also been fixed, including one in which the “Reset this PC” option under Settings > System > Recovery did not work.

   There are three known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27891.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4520

   Release date: June 27, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get new features being rolled out gradually, including 1Password passkey integration in beta.

   The same group also gets a variety of bug fixes rolled out gradually, including one for a bug in which File Explorer Home crashed, potentially also making File Explorer crash on launch, since Home is the default section for File Explorer.

   There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4520.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5670

   Release date: June 27, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get new features being rolled out gradually, including 1Password passkey integration in beta.

   The same group also gets a variety of bug fixes rolled out gradually, including one for a bug in which File Explorer Home crashed, potentially also making File Explorer crash on launch, since Home is the default section for File Explorer.

   Everyone in the Dev Channel gets two bug fixes, including one that addresses the Windows Vista boot sound playing instead of the Windows 11 boot sound.

   There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5670.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4452

   Release date: June 23, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   In this build, Copilot+ PCs get a new Windows Recall homepage, which shows you your most recent snapshots so you can quickly return to what you were previously doing, and also displays the top three apps and websites you have spent the most time on in the past 24 hours.

   In addition, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get new features being rolled out gradually, including the option to move the hardware indicators for brightness, volume, airplane mode, and virtual desktops to different positions on your screen.

   Some additional improvements are being gradually rolled out to the same group, including the addition of a Boolean to the Configure Start Pins policy to allow admins to apply Start menu pins once. This means that a user will receive admin pins on day 0 but can then make any changes to their Start pinned layout and have those safeguarded. These changes can be optionally applied through the existing configuration service provider (CSP).

   A handful of bug fixes are rolling out to the same group, including one that addresses an issue in which File Explorer Home only showed a single folder (like Desktop) and nothing else for some people.

   Several bugs have been fixed for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which the Windows Vista boot sound played instead of the Windows 11 boot sound.

   There are 10 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4452.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5661

   Release date: June 23, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   In this build, Copilot+ PCs get a new Windows Recall homepage, which shows you your most recent snapshots so you can quickly return to what you were previously doing, and also displays the top three apps and websites you have spent the most time on in the past 24 hours.

   In addition, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get new features being rolled out gradually, including the option to move the hardware indicators for brightness, volume, airplane mode, and virtual desktops to different positions on your screen.

   The same group also gets a variety of bug fixes rolled out gradually, including one for a bug in which the File Explorer Home only showed a single folder (like Desktop) and nothing else for some people.

   Everyone in the Dev Channel gets several bug fixes, including for one in which the Windows Vista boot sound played instead of the Windows 11 boot sound.

   There are 10 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5661.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27881 

   Release date: June 19, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   This build introduces speech recapto Narrator. It lets you keep track of what Narrator has said and offers access to it for quick reference. With it, you can quickly access spoken content, follow along with live transcription, and copy what Narrator last said, using keyboard shortcuts.

   A number of bugs have also been fixed, including one in which File Explorer crashed when the user tapped the View button using touch.

   There are four known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27881.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.4482 (KB5060829)

   Release date: June 19, 2025

   Released to: Release Preview Channel

   This build gradually rolls out a number of new features, including automatic icon resizing in the taskbar to fit more apps, and a new Screen Curtain feature that blacks out the screen while Narrator reads content aloud. Also new is the ability add custom words to the dictionary in voice access.

   In addition, several bug fixes are being immediately rolled out, including one that improves the Copilot key’s reliability and resolves an issue that prevented users from restarting Copilot after using the key.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.4482.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4441

   Release date: June 13, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   In this build, those with Copilot+ PCs in the European Economic area get the option to export their Recall snapshots to be shared with third-party apps and websites. When they open Recall for the first time and opt into saving snapshots, they will be shown their unique Recall export code. The Recall export code will be needed if they ever choose to export their Recall snapshots to share with a trusted app or website in the future.

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a variety of new features being gradually rolled out, including a bigger clock with seconds in the notification center.

   The same group also gets a variety of bug fixes rolled out gradually, including one for an issue in which folders opened outside of File Explorer would open it in a new File Explorer tab, but the tab wasn’t put in focus.

   There are nine known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4441.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5651

   Release date: June 13, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   In this build, Copilot+ PCs get agents that can help make it easier to find and change settings on PCs. Rather than dig through settings, you’ll be able to simply describe what you need help with like, “how to control my PC by voice” or “my mouse pointer is too small” and an agent will recommend the right steps you can take to address the issue.

   In addition, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a variety of new features being gradually rolled out, including a bigger clock with seconds in the notification center.

   The same group also gets a variety of bug fixes rolled out gradually, including one for an issue in which folders opened outside of File Explorer would open it in a new File Explorer tab, but the tab wasn’t put in focus.

   There are 13 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5651.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4250 

   Release date: June 9, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a variety of new features being gradually rolled out, including a larger scrollable Start menu. The menu automatically resizes itself according to the size of your screen, and offers two views, category and grid. In addition, the “Search permissions” and “Searching Windows” settings pages have been combined so you can access all the Windows Search settings under a single page via Settings > Privacy & security > Search.

   The same group also gets a variety of bug fixes rolled out gradually, including one for a bug in which input did not work for some Insiders, including when typing into Search, and with the Chinese pinyin IME candidate window, clipboard history, and the emoji panel.

   For everyone in the Beta Channel, the build fixes a bug in which some people might have seen severe discoloration when connecting their PC to some older Dolby Vision displays.

   There are nine known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4250.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5641

   Release date: June 9, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a variety of new features being gradually rolled out, including a larger scrollable Start menu. The menu automatically resizes itself according to the size of your screen, and offers two views, category and grid. In addition, the “Search permissions” and “Searching Windows” settings pages have been combined so you can access all the Windows Search settings under a single page via Settings > Privacy & security > Search.

   The same group also gets a variety of bug fixes rolled out gradually, including one for a bug in which input did not work for some Insiders, including when typing into Search, and with the Chinese pinyin IME candidate window, clipboard history, and the emoji panel.

   For everyone in the Dev Channel, the build fixes a bug in which some people might have seen severe discoloration when connecting their PC to some older Dolby Vision displays.

   There are 12 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5641.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27871 

   Release date: June 4, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   In this build, IT administrators can use Microsoft Intune to control the energy saver settings on Windows 11 PCs through group policies and MDM configurations.

   A number of bugs have also been fixed, including one in which when Virtualization Based Security was enabled, applications dependent on virtualization, such as VMware Workstation, lost the ability to run unless the “Windows Hypervisor Platform” Windows optional component was installed on the system.

   There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27871.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4230 

   Release date: June 2, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a new dedicated settings page for quick machine recovery, which can be found under System > Recovery > Quick machine recovery. This makes it easier to manage recovery options directly from Settings. This is being gradually rolled out.

   A variety of bug fixes are being rolled out gradually to the same group, including one addressing a bug that caused File Explorer to crash performing various actions, such as when deleting files. 

   For everyone in the Beta Channel, a bug is fixed in which when Virtualization Based Security was enabled, applications dependent on virtualization, such as VMware Workstation, would lose the ability to run unless the “Windows Hypervisor Platform” Windows optional component is installed on the system.

   There are nine known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4230.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5622 

   Release date: June 2, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   In this build, those with Copilot+ PCs get a new action in Click to Do, Draft with Copilot in Word. Select text, press the Windows key and click simultaneously, and choose Draft with Copilot in Word. Copilot will create an initial draft based on the text.

   Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get new features being rolled out gradually, including quick machine recovery, designed to help Windows 11 devices recover from widespread boot issues by applying remediations through the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

   The same group also gets several bug fixes, including for an issue in which File Explorer crashed when performing various actions, such as deleting files.

   There are eight known issues in this build, including one in which taskbar icons may appear small even though the setting to show smaller taskbar buttons is configured as “never.”

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5622.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27868 

   Release date: May 29, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   In this build, voice access has been redesigned to help you more easily discover and learn about new features. You can launch or dismiss this new experience from the settings menu.

   Several bugs have been fixed, including one that was causing pen input to be non-responsive on some PCs.

   There are six known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27868.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4161 

   Release date: May 23, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   This build begins the rollout of a new Click-to-Do action that uses Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant to rewrite or elaborate on selected text. To get started, select text, then press the Windows key and click, then choose the Draft with Copilot in Word action. (This feature requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.)

   In addition, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several new features, including the ability to add, remove, and rearrange lock screen widgets such as Weather, Watchlist, Sports, Traffic, and more. Any widget that supports the small sizing option can be added here. To customize your lock screen widgets, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. Note that these features are being rolled out gradually.

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get a variety of bug fixes rolled out gradually, including one for a bug in which the Describe image feature of narrator wasn’t working.

   There are nine known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4161.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27863 

   Release date: May 23, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   This build adds support for post-quantum signature algorithm ML-DSA in NCrypt and BCrypt cryptography API surfaces, as well as Crypt32 certificate APIs. Three variants are supported, ML-DSA 44, 65, and 87. 

   Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which Windows Sandbox was not working and showed error 0xc0370106 on launch.

   There are six known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27863.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4151

   Release date: May 19, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several new features, including AI actions in File Explorer, which offers a set of AI-related tools when you right-click a file. For now, the only AI tools available are for image files, including Bing Visual Search for searching the web using an image instead of text, as well as several AI-related image-editing capabilities. Eventually, other features will be added, such as summarizing documents using Copilot. These features, including the ones related to images, are being rolled out gradually.

   The same group also gets a variety of bug fixes being rolled out gradually, including one that addresses a bug in which if File Explorer was maximized and you clicked the new tab button, it would unmaximize the window.

   There are 12 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4151.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5603

   Release date: May 19, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several new features, including AI actions in File Explorer, which offers a set of AI-related tools when you right-click a file. For now, the only AI tools available are for image files, including Bing Visual Search for searching the web using an image instead of text, as well as several AI-related image-editing capabilities. Eventually, other features will be added, such as summarizing documents using Copilot. These features, including the ones related to images, are being rolled out gradually.

   The same group also gets a variety of bug fixes being rolled out gradually, including one that addresses a bug in which if File Explorer was maximized and you clicked the new tab button, it would unmaximize the window.

   There are 13 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5603.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.4188 (KB5058499)

   Release date: May 19, 2025

   Released to: Release Preview Channel

   This build gradually rolls out a wide variety of new features, including a new Copilot action in Click to Do. When you highlight text or an image, Click to Do offers an Ask Copilot option. Selecting it opens Microsoft Copilot with your content in the prompt box. You can send the selected text or image directly to the Copilot app to complete your prompt.

   In addition, IT admins can manage energy saver settings on Windows 11 PCs through group policies and MDM configurations using Microsoft Intune. This feature helps extend battery life by limiting background activity, dimming the screen, and contributing to environmental sustainability. To configure the policy, go to the Local Group Policy under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Energy Saver Settingsand select Enable Energy Saver to Always Be On.

   A number of bug fixes are also being gradually rolled out, including one for a bug in which Settings crashed at times when loading information about Bluetooth devices.

   Several bugs are being fixed immediately, including one in which some devices with BitLocker on removable drives encountered a blue screen error after resuming from sleep or hybrid-booting.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.4188.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27858

   Release date: May 16, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   This build includes a new system tray icon on the taskbar that makes it easier to find and use emojis, GIFs, Kaomoji, etc. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including an explorer.exe crash related to snap layouts, which happened when dragging a window or hovering over the maximize button in a window.

   There are four known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27858.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3964

   Release date: May 12, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   This build introduces a new agent in Settings on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCS. Using it, you can describe what you need help with, such as “how to control my PC by voice” or “my mouse pointer is too small,” and the agent will recommend steps you can take to address the issue. Support for AMD- and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs is coming soon.

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get new features being rolled out gradually, including a new FAQs section on the Settings > System > Aboutpage to provide help with using your PC.

   The same group also gets a variety of bug fixes being rolled out gradually, including for an issue that caused live captions to crash and another that could make some apps like Word hang when trying to print.

   There are 12 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3964.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5600

   Release date: May 12, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   This build introduces a new set of intelligent text actions using Click to Do on AMD- and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs. You can Use Win key + mouse-click or Win key + Q to select a text block and drag to select the text that you want. You’ll see options to summarize, create a bulleted list, or to help you rewrite your text so it sounds more causal, more formal, or more polished.

   A wide variety of bug fixes are being rolled out gradually to those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates, including for an issue that caused File Explorer Home to hang when loading and another that caused live captions to crash.

   There are 10 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Dev Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5600.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3950

   Release date: May 5, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get new features being rolled out gradually, including one that gives IT administrators the ability to use Microsoft Intune to control energy savings on Windows 11 PCs through group policies and MDM configurations.

   The same group also gets a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which Windows’ startup sound would not play, even though it was enabled.

   There are nine known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3950.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5581

   Release date: May 5, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get new features being rolled out gradually, including one that gives IT administrators the ability to use Microsoft Intune to control energy savings on Windows 11 PCs through group policies and MDM configurations.

   The same group gets several new bug fixes, including for a bug in which Windows’ startup sound would not play, even though it was enabled.

   There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which live captions have been crashing.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5570.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3941

   Release date: April 25, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several new features and minor improvements, including a new profanity filter setting for voice typing. This group will also have several bugs fixed, including one that caused apps to appear blank, and another in which Windows Hello facial recognition would not work for login for some Insiders. The new feature and bug fixes are gradually rolling out.

   Everyone in the Beta Channel gets a fix for a bug that caused Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to not work and the option “Fix problems using Windows Update” option under Settings > Recovery to also not work.

   There are 13 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3941.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5570

   Release date: April 25, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several new features and minor improvements, including a new profanity filter setting for voice typing. This group will also have several bugs fixed, including one that caused apps to appear blank, and another in which Windows Hello facial recognition would not work for login for some Insiders.

   Everyone in the Dev Channel  gets a fix for a bug that caused Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to not work and the option “Fix problems using Windows Update” option under Settings > Recovery to also not work.

   There are six known issues in this build, including one in which Windows Sandbox may fail to launch with a 0x800705b4 error. If this occurs, try reinstalling Sandbox by unchecking Sandbox under “Turn Windows features on or off” to uninstall it, then reboot, go back to “Turn Windows features on or off” and check Sandbox to reinstall it and reboot again.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5570.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27842

   Release date: April 23, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   This build previews a new UI that is used when a PC unexpectedly restarts. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the Smart App Control icon wasn’t displaying correctly in the Windows Security app.

   There are four known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27842.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5562

   Release date: April 21, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   In this build, those with Copilot+ PCs get two new text actions in Click to Do, including the “Practice in Reading Coach” Click to Do action that can increase fluency and pronunciation.

   In addition, those in the Dev Channel who have turned a toggle on to receive the latest updates get new features being rolled out gradually, including several improvements in voice access and to the notification widgets settings page, so that they can control the number of notifications per feed or dashboard. 

   Those in the Dev Channel who have turned a toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bugs fixed, including one that was causing Start menu to crash when creating folders. Everyone in the Dev Channel gets additional bug fixes, including for a bug that didn’t allow some apps like Spotify to install from the Microsoft Store.

   There are 14 known issues in this build, including one in which Windows Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5562.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3872

   Release date: April 21, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   In this build, those with Copilot+ PCs get two new text actions in Click to Do, including the “Practice in Reading Coach” Click to Do action that can increase fluency and pronunciation.

   In addition, those in the Beta Channel who have turned a toggle on to receive the latest updates get new features being rolled out gradually, including several improvements in voice access.

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned a toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including one that was causing Start menu to crash when creating folders. Everyone in the Beta Channel gets one bug fix, for a bug that didn’t allow some apps like Spotify to install from the Microsoft Store

   There are 13 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3872.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5551

   Release date: April 11, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   This build begins the rollout of natural language search for settings in the Windows search box on the taskbar for users with Copilot+ PCs. For example, you can use your own words to find settings like “change my theme” or “about my PC.” You no longer need to remember the exact setting name you are looking for.

   In addition, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get new features being rolled out gradually, including one in which you can read content such as full articles, slideshows, and videos directly within your MSN feed in the widgets board.

   Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug that caused File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders. Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a fix for Windows Sandbox, which was not working.

   There are 12 known issues in this build, including one in which Windows Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5551.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3863

   Release date: April 11, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   This build begins the rollout of natural language search for settings in the Windows search box on the taskbar for users with Copilot+ PCs. For example, you can use your own words to find settings like “change my theme” or “about my PC.” You no longer need to remember the exact setting name you are looking for.

   In addition, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get new features being rolled out gradually, including one in which you can read content such as full articles, slideshows, and videos directly within your MSN feed in the widgets board.

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned a toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug that caused File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders. Everyone in the Beta Channel gets a fix for Windows Sandbox, which was not working.

   There are 14 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3863.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3902 (KB5055627)

   Release date: April 10, 2025

   Released to: Release Preview Channel

   This build gradually rolls out several new features for Copilot+ PCs, including Windows Recall (preview) in which you can quickly find and get back to any app, website, image, or document by describing its content. To use Recall, you need to opt in to saving snapshots, which are images of your activity, and enroll in Windows Hello to confirm your presence so only you can access them. Those with Copilot+ PCs can also search by describing what they’re looking for, without having to remember file names, exact words in file content, or settings names. 

   A number of new features are being rolled out immediately for all PCs, not just Copilot+ PCs, including one in which you get an estimated time for how long your PC will be offline to install updates from Windows Update. Several bugs are also being fixed, including one in which some content pages with JPEG images were not displaying.

   There is one known issue in this build, in which Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) may not work, and you may not be able to use the “Fix problems using Windows Update” option under Settings > Recovery.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3902.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5518

   Release date: April 3, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   Those in the Dev Channel who have opted to receive the latest updates get several new features that are being rolled out gradually, including taskbar icon scaling — when your taskbar starts to get crowded with pinned or open apps, the icons automatically scale down to a smaller size. This lets you keep more apps visible and accessible without having to use a secondary menu.

   Dev Channel users who have opted to receive the latest updates get three bug fixes, one in which external graphics cards connected over Thunderbolt were unexpectedly not discoverable in some cases; another in which Hyper-V Manager erroneously reported 0% CPU usage for VMs in some scenarios; and another for those with Copilot+ PCs who saw semantic search stop working until their PCs were rebooted.

   There are 11 known issues in this build, including one in which Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5518.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3671

   Release date: April 3, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   Those in the Beta Channel who agreed to receive the latest updates get several new features being rolled out gradually, including taskbar icon scaling — when your taskbar starts to get crowded with pinned or open apps, the icons automatically scale down to a smaller size. This lets you keep more apps visible and accessible without having to use a secondary menu.

   Those in the Beta Channel who get the latest updates get two bug fixes, one in which external graphics cards connected over Thunderbolt were unexpectedly not discoverable in some cases, and another in which Hyper-V Manager erroneously reported 0% CPU usage for VMs in some scenarios.

   There are 12 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3671.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5516

   Release date: March 28, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   This build includes improved search tools for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs. When searching in File Explorer, the Windows search box on the taskbar, or in Settings, you can type plain-English searches without having to remember file names, exact words in file content, or settings names. In addition, those with AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs can find photos in the cloud by using plain-English searches.

   Those who have turned on the toggle to receive changes as soon as they come out get a speech recap in Narrator which keeps track of what Narrator has spoken and access it for quick reference. They also get a variety of changes and improvements, including one in which on Copilot+ PCs, they can now access Click to Do from the Start menu and can pin it to Start and the taskbar.

   They also receive a variety of bug fixes, including one in which File Explorer was very slow to close for some Insiders when closing it using the X button.

   Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a bug fixed in which the toggle to get the latest updates as soon they are available via Settings > Windows Update didn’t render correctly and turned itself off.

   There are 13 known issues in this build, including one in which Windows Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5516.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3653

   Release date: March 28, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned a toggle on to receive the latest updates get several new features being rolled out gradually, including a speech recap feature in Narrator that keeps track of what Narrator has spoken and lets you access it for quick reference. There are also a variety of changes and improvements, including one in which on Copilot+ PCs, users can now access Click to Do from the Start menu and can pin it to Start and the taskbar.

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned a toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which the taskbar icons weren’t increasing in size as they should when using your PC in a tablet posture.

   Two bugs are fixed for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which the toggle to get the latest updates as soon they are available via Settings > Windows Update did not render correctly and automatically turned itself off.

   There are 13 known issues in this build, including one in which after you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates that will resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3653.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27823

   Release date: March 26, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   This update, in the words of Microsoft, “includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience” of using Windows. It also includes new “top cards” under Settings > System > About. Top cards provide an easy way to view your PC’s key specifications—processor, RAM, storage, and GPU.

   The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Settings could crash when interacting with Bluetooth & Devices > Cameras.

   There are three known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27823.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3585

   Release date: March 24, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   This build includes improved search tools for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs. When searching in File Explorer, the Windows search box on the taskbar, or in Settings, you can type plain-English searches without having to remember file names, exact words in file content, or settings names. In addition, those with AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs can find photos in the cloud by using plain-English searches.

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which File Explorer was very slow to close via the X button.

   Two bugs are fixed for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update did not render correctly and automatically turned itself off.

   There are 16 known issues in this build, including one in which Windows Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3585.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5510

   Release date: March 24, 2025

   Released to: Dev Channel

   In this build the Dev Channel is jumping ahead to receive 26200 series builds. This means that once you install it, you cannot switch to the Beta Channel. If you are in the Dev Channel and want to switch to the Beta Channel, don’t install this build. Instead, pause updates in Windows Update, switch your channel to the Beta Channel and then un-pause updates.

   There are 11 known issues in this build, including one in which Windows Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5510.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3624 (KB5053656)

   Release date: March 24, 2025

   Released to: Release Preview Channel

   This build gradually rolls out several new features for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, including natural-language search in Windows Search. Just describe what you’re looking for without having to remember specific file names, exact words in file content, or settings names.

   In addition, the build includes the same set of improvements and bug fixes as a previous build, Build 26100.3613, such as Natural Language Commanding in voice access, available initially on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3624.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27818

   Release date: March 19, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   This update, in the words of Microsoft, “includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience” of using Windows.

   The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Remote Desktop sometimes froze when connecting.

   There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27818.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3613 (KB5053656)

   Release date: March 18, 2025

   Released to: Release Preview Channel

   This build gradually rolls out a number of new features, including Natural Language Commanding in voice access, which lets users speak commands naturally, using filler words and synonyms, rather than rigid, predefined commands. It is available initially on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs.

   Several bug fixes are also being rolled out gradually, including one in which the “see more” (…) menu in the File Explorer command bar opened in the wrong direction in some cases.

   A variety of new bug fixes are being rolled out immediately, including one for a bug in which critical PowerShell modules required for device configuration were not executed under Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policies.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3613.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3576 

   Release date: March 17, 2025

   Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

   In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several new features, including one in which on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, you can use natural language commands during voice access, rather than having to remember specific voice commands.

   The same group gets several bug fixes, including one addressing a bug for users in managed environments, in which your Windows Recall snapshots would get deleted after installing Build 26120.3380 and after each reboot on that build.

   There are 16 known issues in this build, including one in which Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings, and another in which Recall is no longer able to save new snapshots or modify settings.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3576.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27813

   Release date: March 12, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   This update, in the words of Microsoft, “includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience” of using Windows.

   The build also fixes two bugs, one which the WDMAud system driver was causing some app crashes, and the other in which Settings > System > Display > Color Management did not always display the expected color profile list for the selected monitor.

   There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27813.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3380 

   Release date: March 10, 2025

   Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

   In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several new features, including one in which File Explorer displays a new Recommended section that is displayed as a carousel with thumbnail previews. This includes content such as files you frequently use, have recently downloaded, or added to your File Explorer Gallery. Users with a work/school account (Entra ID) will have additional types of recommendations available with this update.

   Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which windows.storage.dll led caused some apps to crash when files were opened in them.

   There are 10 known issues in this build, including one in which Windows Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3380.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27808

   Release date: March 7, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   In this update, a change is being rolled out in the way Task Manager calculates CPU utilization for the Processes, Performance, and Users pages. Task Manager will now use the standard metrics to display CPU workload consistently across all pages and aligning with industry standards and third-party tools. For backward compatibility, a new optional column called CPU Utility is available (hidden by default) on the Details tab showing the previous CPU value used on the Processes page.

   The build also fixes a number of bugs, including one that caused the search window to go blank for some Insiders when searching from the taskbar, due to a background crash.

   There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN. In the other, a d3d9.dll crash is causing multiple apps to fail to launch starting with Build 27802 for some Insiders.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27808.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5015

   Release date: February 28, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will see a new system tray icon on the taskbar, which lets you use emojis, GIFs, Kaomoji, etc. across all apps and surfaces in Windows in addition to using the Win + . keyboard shortcut. This new system tray icon can be changed by right-clicking on the icon to go to taskbar settings page.

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a number of new bug fixes, including for a bug in which File Explorer Home crashed for some Insiders.

   There are four known issues in this build, including one in which File Explorer is very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also affect the other title bar buttons.

   Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5015.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3360 

   Release date: February 28, 2025

   Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

   In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get two new features being gradually rolled out, including one in which Task Manager changes the way it calculates CPU utilization for the Processes, Performance, and Users pages. Task Manager will now use the standard metrics to display CPU workload consistently across all pages and aligning with industry standards and third-party tools. Also being added is the ability to share directly to apps that support sharing in Windows when right-clicking on local files in File Explorer or the desktop.

   Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug which some people experienced Remote Desktop freezes on login, or frequent disconnect.

   There are 11 known issues in this build, including one in which Windows Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3360.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27802

   Release date: February 28, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   In this update, new battery icons in Windows 11 communicate the battery status of your PC with a quick glance. Key changes include colored icons to indicate charging states, simplified overlays that don’t block the progress bar, and an option to turn on battery percentage.

   The build also fixes several bugs, including one that was causing the login screen to crash when clicking the “sign-in options” link for some Insiders.

   There are six known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27802.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3291

   Release date: February 21, 2025

   Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

   In this build, those with Copilot+ PCs can search photos saved in the cloud by using your own words to describe what you’re looking for in the Windows search box on the taskbar.

   Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bugs fixed, including one in which switching languages crashed live captions if audio was playing or the microphone was enabled.

   There are 11 known issues in this build, including one in the Recall feature in which some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots,” while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3291.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3321 (KB5052093)

   Release date: February 18, 2025

   Released to: Release Preview Channel

   This build gradually rolls out a number of new features, including one in which you can share files directly from a jump list on the taskbar, and another in which you can find out more information about a background image by hovering over the image or clicking the “Learn about this picture” icon.

   A variety of bug fixes are also being gradually rolled out, including one in which when you enter a URL in the File Explorer address bar, it might not go to the location.

   The build also immediately fixes a number of bugs, including one in which Remote Desktop stopped working.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3321.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3281

   Release date: February 14, 2025

   Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

   In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates have the ability to resume working on OneDrive files from your phone (iOS and Android) on your Windows 11 PC with a single click. In addition, when “Restore previous folder windows at logon” is enabled in File Explorer, you can now restore all the extra tabs that you previously had open in each File Explorer window. 

   Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which if you tried to reset your password from the login screen, it wouldn’t work due to an underlying crash. Another fix addresses a bug for users who have a Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PC, in which File Explorer search was unresponsive and required a reboot to start working.

   There are 12 known issues in this build, including one in the Recall feature in which some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots,” while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3281.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27788

   Release date: February 5, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   This update includes the first in-box public preview of Windows MIDI Services, a complete rewrite of MIDI on Windows for musicians. Windows MIDI Services handles MIDI 2.0 and improves MIDI 1.0 implementation, with automatic translation between the two. It works on 64-bit operating systems on all supported processors, including Arm64.

   The build also gradually rolls out the ability to resume working on OneDrive files from your phone (iOS or Android) on your Windows 11 PC with a single click.

   The build also fixes several bugs, including one that prevented scanning apps from detecting a connected scanner.

   There are six known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27788.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4870

   Release date: February 3, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   In this build, IT administrators in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get a new group policy called “Disable Widgets On Lock Screen,” which allows them to disable lock screen widgets without disabling widgets elsewhere on PCs they manage. 

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which the Start menu crashed for some Insiders when they interacted with the letters in the apps list.

   Several bugs have been fixed for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which PCs did not recognize that USB cameras were on after installing the January 2025 security update.

   There are three known issues in this build, including one in which the home page of Settings may crash. If you are impacted by this, you should still be able to open specific Settings pages directly by searching for them from the taskbar.

   Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4870.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3073

   Release date: January 31, 2025

   Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

   In this build, those who have Copilot+ PCs get a new feature in Windows Search, in which you can use your own words to find photos stored and saved in the cloud by describing what they are, such as “European castles” or “summer picnics.” In addition to photos stored locally on your Copilot+ PC, photos from the cloud will now show up in the search results as well. Exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will show in the search results.

   The build also includes changes being gradually rolled out for all Windows 11 PCs. Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will see a Settings home page for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. The feature will show some existing cards relevant to enterprise-managed PCs like “Recommended settings” and “Bluetooth devices,” as well as two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards. For commercial customers who also use their Microsoft account on their managed PC, there will also be a new accounts card indicating the presence of both work/school and Microsoft account types. 

   Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which minimized File Explorer windows might not have rendered correctly when restored.

   Everyone in the Dev Channel gets several bug fixes, including for one in which the display of some games appeared oversaturated when you used Auto HDR.

   There are 18 known issues in this build, including one in the Recall feature in which some users may see a “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots” message while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3073.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27783

   Release date: January 29, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   In this update, users signed into Windows with a Microsoft account will be able to view files that have been shared with the account, such as email, Teams chat, etc., in File Explorer. Commercial customers signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID account will also be able to view files that they have shared with others. You can access this feature by launching File Explorer Home and clicking on the ‘Shared’ tab item.

   The build also fixes several bugs, including one in which taskbar preview windows sometimes didn’t display when hovering over open apps in the taskbar.

   There are four known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27783.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4805

   Release date: January 24, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get a change to Snap in Windows 11 in which inline messaging will now appear when you accidentally invoke the Snap Bar when dragging an app to the top middle of your desktop or Snap Flyout when hovering over the Minimize or Maximize button of an app. This is designed to provide guidance on snapping app windows and educating users on the keyboard shortcuts for quickly snapping app windows in the future.

   This group also gets new keyboard shortcuts in Narrator scan mode for quickly jumping to list items and to the beginning or end of large elements such as tables or lists. These changes are gradually rolling out.

   There are five known issues in this build, including one in which the Home page of Settings may crash. If you are impacted by this, you should still be able to open specific Settings pages directly by searching for them from the taskbar.

   Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4805.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3000

   Release date: January 24, 2024

   Released to: Dev Channel

   In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get new battery icons, including colored icons to indicate charging states, simplified overlays that don’t block the progress bar, and an option to turn on battery percentage. The same group also gets several bug fixes, including for a bug in File Explorer in which you sometimes would be unable to navigate by entering a path in the address bar. These changes are gradually rolling out.

   There are 18 known issues in this build, including one in the Recall feature in which some users may see a message to “Make sure Recall is saving snapshots” while the Settings page for Recall shows saving snapshots is enabled. Reboot your device to resolve this issue.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3000.)

   Windows 11 Build 26100.3025 (KB5050094)

   Release date: January 21, 2025

   Released to: Release Preview Channel

   This build gradually rolls out a number of new features, including one in which an icon will appear in the system tray when you use an app that supports Windows Studio Effects. This only occurs on a device that has a neural processing unit (NPU). Select the icon to open the Studio Effects page in Quick Settings.

   The update also improves the previews that show when your cursor hovers over apps on the taskbar. In addition, the Windows Mobile Hotspot now supports 6 GHz connections. This new band requires chips that support the feature and updated drivers. 

   A variety of bug fixes are also being rolled out, including for a bug in which the Snipping Tool screenshots were distorted when you used two or more monitors that have different display scaling.

   The build also immediately rolls out a change in which you will now have a standard Windows 11 taskbar after restoring from a backup via the Windows Setup experience (OOBE) on a new Windows PC.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.3025.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4800

   Release date: January 17, 2025

   Released to: Beta Channel

   In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get a standard Windows 11 taskbar after restoring from a backup via the Windows Setup experience (OOBE) on a new Windows PC. You can still find your apps in the Start menu and Search, and you can pin apps to your taskbar. In addition, the build starts the rollout of the Settings home page for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. 

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get one bug fix, which includes increased support for text scaling in File Explorer, File Open/Save dialogs, and copy dialogs.

   There are three known issues in this build, including one in which the Home page of Settings may crash. If you are impacted by this, you should still be able to open specific Settings pages directly by searching for them from the taskbar.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4800.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27774

   Release date: January 16, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   This update includes a small set of tweaks that Microsoft says improves the overall experience of Windows 11. In addition, the Administrator protection can now be enabled from Windows Security settings under the Account Protection tab, which allows users to enable the feature without requiring help from IT admins.

   The build also fixes several bugs, including one in which accent colored window borders were not displayed when enabled, shadows around windows were not displaying when enabled, and window launching (and other) animations were not showing.

   There are three known issues in this build, including one in which Insiders joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into the PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27774.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27768

   Release date: January 9, 2025

   Released to: Canary Channel

   This update includes a small set of general changes that Microsoft says improve the overall experience of Windows 11. It also fixes several bugs, including one in which File Explorer sometimes lost focus on the search box while typing.

   There are three known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27768.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4660

   Release date: January 3, 2024

   Released to: Beta Channel

   In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get labels added to previously unlabeled actions on File Explorer’s context menu such as cut, copy, paste, rename, share, and delete.

   Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bug fixes for issues that impacted File Explorer’s performance and reliability.

   Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4660.)

   Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27766

   Release date: January 3, 2024

   Released to: Canary Channel

   This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that Microsoft says improve the overall experience of Windows 11. It also fixes several bugs, including one in which some Insiders experienced frequent explorer.exe crashes after they clean-installed or reset their PC.

   There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

   (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27766.)

4. Apple’s done innovating? Be serious

   Everytime anyone says there’s no innovation left at Apple, I think of the big innovation that made so much of the technology we take for granted possible back in 1895, when Guglielmo Marconi successfully transmitted a radio signal over two miles. 

   After all, if you’re in the mood for lazy analysis, you could argue that everything that ever followed that invention is just the same rehashed idea, all the way from Bluetooth to Wi-Fi, TV, LiDAR, and 5G. It’s all just Marconi redux. Everything we’ll ever do already happened yesterday, it’s all over. 

   Of course, I’m not in the mood for that kind of analysis. Because not only is it not true at all, it also ignores what innovation actually is. Innovation, in truth, is a substance that happens in small tweaks, not broad strokes, and what look like huge steps forward today usually rely on a whole subsystem of smaller innovations that paved the way. (Marconi relied on a whole host of innovations taken from research into electricity, for example.)

   The power of nothing

   All the same, in our post-truth era, the most tangible realities seem to have become those most easily defined by ignorance, in part because the great thing about untruths is that arguing against them makes you look too cool for school, no one likes you and you have no friends. “What are you? Some kind of liberal?” 

   Ignorance is bliss, and people seeking to hang onto their quiet lives stay quiet, leaving headline writers free to appeal to prejudice because it’s easier than educating, illuminating, or campaigning for their audiences. I considered this while reaching for the empty space on my shelves where my Vision Pro headset would almost certainly sit if Apple had done the right thing and sent one to me for “research purposes” (It’s not too late – Ed.). 

   “This is just electricity,” I imagine saying in a scathing tone as I fling the expensive headset to the ground. “There’s nothing new here,” I might spit, making a disappointed click and muttering about Marconi. Of course, even electricity probably started with a single, flint-driven spark.

   Spoiled brats

   In truth, we’ve been spoiled — not by an endless supply of things that genuinely are new and exciting, but by an unyielding buffet of electrical gadgets that claim to be. Many of them are pretty great, but tech does tend to suffer from the PJ Barnum factor with a multitude of promises made but little deliverance. (Apple has recently been guilty of that with contextually-savvy Siri in Apple Intelligence.)

   What happens when you over-promise and under-deliver is that you erode trust in what you claim. You also whet the hunger of your audience for things that do meet the mark, even when they don’t yet exist. 

   Marketing promise by marketing promise, you destroy the thrill of the new, replacing it with a dull ding as your empty tryst meets base metal and the spark don’t strike. It makes people think there’s nothing going on; it takes the fun out of things.

   This, of course, is really what people who claim Apple is done innovating are thinking about. It’s not so much that Apple has stopped making things, because it quite provably has not — unless you think the billions invested in this year’s all-new C1 modem didn’t create a new technology or consider the superb M4 chips to be nothing new at all. The company continues to innovate and invent…

   Reality distortion

   But we don’t care about that because we’ve become addicted to the big promises. New phone factors will change our lives, this computer will make you tall, that tablet can make you irresistible to would-be love interests, or even those tariffs that raise the prices you pay will somehow make everything great again. 

   We’ve been over-sold to the extent that we confuse reality with promise, and many have become so dedicated to believing what they want to believe that even a provable counter-argument can’t quite cut through.  We’re all lost in our received illusions, waiting for Marconi to turn flint sparks into communication signals until we’re surrounded by so much communication we cease to see the forest for the trees.

   But the more cynical we become, the more tightly that fake reality grips. It doesn’t matter whether it’s true. Everything is experiential, nothing matters anymore. Nothing counts.

   Rock and roll

   Anyway, coming in the next few months will be a huge wave of new Apple products, including new inventions and product families; even then there will still be some who say the company has done nothing new. Perhaps they have a point. Perhaps there has been nothing new since that first primitive flint spark. Perhaps it really is time humans returned to banging the stones. 

   The next few months will again prove that sentiment wrong.

   You can follow me on social media! Join me on BlueSky,  LinkedIn, and Mastodon.

5. AI coding tools can slow down seasoned developers by 19%

   Experienced developers can take 19% longer to complete tasks when using popular AI assistants like Cursor Pro and Claude, challenging the tech industry’s prevailing narrative about AI coding tools, according to a comprehensive new study.

   The research, conducted by Model Evaluation & Threat Research (METR), tracked 16 seasoned open-source developers as they completed 246 real-world coding tasks on mature repositories averaging over one million lines of code.