Microsoft launches Windows 11 Insider build 26220.8925 In the beta channel, new controls for precise touchpad scrolling and zooming, faster scrolling, Start menu toggles at the section level, and various File Explorer updates have been introduced, according to Windows Insider release notes and reports from Windows Central.
This build is one of five Insider updates released at the same time to the Beta, Experimental, and Release Preview channels. Microsoft notes that it is working to get all Flight releases back on schedule after a series of updates that were not aligned with its normal Friday release cycle.
What’s new in Windows 11 Insider build 26220.8925 and other test builds
Five builds have been released to Windows Insiders: beta preview build 26220.8925, experimental preview build 26300.8935, beta (26H1) preview build 28020.2539, release preview builds 26100.8942 and 26200.8942, as well as builds 28000.2597.
According to Windows Central, due to the structure of the new Windows Insider program, some of these changes have already been experienced by some testers through earlier flights. Build 26220.8925 contains the most important set of user-facing updates.
Microsoft is introducing gesture-related settings for the precision touchpad within the Settings app. There are two new controls included in this build. Scroll and zoom speeds are adjusted to set a baseline for gestures. The second enables quick scrolling, which increases scroll speed when gestures are repeated, allowing faster navigation through long documents.
Microsoft says these features are intended to work on most applications without requiring per-app configuration. While WinUI3-based interfaces depend on newer versions of WinAppSDK for full functionality, Microsoft says it is updating WinAppSDK to versions 1.8 and 2.0 to support these features.
Start menu layout changes, File Explorer changes, and Narrator Braille support.
The changes to the Start menu follow plans outlined in Microsoft’s blog post titled “Making the taskbar and Start more personal.” The update introduces several new features: the Recommended section in both the Start menu and the Settings page has been renamed to Recent; Users can now toggle the visibility of pinned, recent, and all sections independently; In addition to the existing automatic setting, there is an option to switch between small and large Start menu; Users can choose to hide their name and profile picture in Start; And the Settings page for the Start menu has been redesigned.
Section-level toggles address a common request from users who wanted to be able to completely remove a recommended section without editing the registry or using third-party tools.
File sizes in details view are now displayed in appropriate units such as KB, MB and GB instead of just KB. You can now middle-click to open a folder in a new tab in both the address bar and the home page. Screen reader announcements when resolving file conflicts during transfer and copy operations have been improved.
Narrator now supports refreshable braille displays that use the HID standard. Compatible HID displays connect via USB without additional setup, and Microsoft lists the Orbit Reader 20, Orbit Slate 340, Freedom Scientific Focus 40, and APH Mantis Q40 as compatible models. Bluetooth HID Braille displays can be paired like other accessories via Settings, then Bluetooth and Devices.
HID Braille Display also works during initial Windows setup over USB, allowing deaf-blind users to complete setup independently from the first screen. Braille input and output options can be configured in Settings, then Accessibility, then Narrator, then Braille.
Account control changes, bug fixes, and how to try these features in the beta channel
The Windows 11 Account Control flyout has been redesigned to include a subscription badge that displays account status, plan details, and available upgrades.
Microsoft also improved the persistence of the mouse cursor size setting, as well as addressed an issue that could cause recent Insider builds to fail installation with error 0xc0000409.
Insiders using build 26220.8925 can access the new controls through the Settings app. To find the scroll and zoom speed controls and toggles for quick scrolling, go to Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, and then Touchpad.
For the redesigned Start Settings page, go to Settings, then Personalization, then Start, which now includes section toggles, size options, and profile visibility controls. To configure HID braille display input and output, open Settings, then Accessibility, then Narrator, and finally Braille.
Devices must be enrolled in the beta channel of the Windows Insider program to receive build 26220.8925. Touchpad settings require a precise touchpad, and the behavior of WinUI3 applications may be incomplete until an updated WinAppSDK version is available.
Microsoft has not announced when these changes to the touchpad, Start menu, or File Explorer will be available in the stable Windows 11 release channel. Features may still be modified or removed in Insider builds before they are released to the general public. Typically, Microsoft releases Beta Channel updates to a subset of testers before making them available to everyone.
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