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Windows 11 Windows 11 Insider 26H2 Insider Preview, Experimental Channel
Windows Insider

Build 26300.8493

Build 26300.8493: Windows Insider Experimental Channel, May 2026. Taskbar moves to four screen edges and gets a smaller size

In short

Adds taskbar position and size options, updates Widgets and Windows Search, and includes reliability fixes. The new taskbar options are rolling out gradually.

Does it affect you? Applies to: Devices enrolled in the Experimental Channel of the Windows Insider Program. This channel was formerly known as the Dev Channel.

Build
26300.8493

This is a test build for people in the Windows Insider Program. Features in it can change, be removed, or never reach regular Windows releases.

What changes

Improvements 10 changes

Taskbar settings

Gradual rollout

For: Insiders in the Experimental Channel

  • Changes to taskbar settings that make resizing easier are in progress.1

Widgets

Gradual rollout 2 items
  • When taskbar badging is on, its badge color matches your Windows accent color instead of always being red.2
  • Widgets may quiet the experience based on how much you use it, including turning off taskbar badging for people who rarely engage with Widgets.3

Windows Search Box

Gradual rollout

For: Insiders in the Experimental Channel

  • Files and apps are more likely to appear before web suggestions when they are a stronger match for your search.4

Windows design

Gradual rollout

For: Insiders in the Experimental Channel

  • Progress indicators look more consistent during startup, sign-in, restart, shutdown, and updates, with status text such as “Restarting” or “Welcome.”5
    Solid (donut) spinners replace legacy spinner visuals across these Windows scenarios.

Logon performance

For: Insiders in the Experimental Channel

  • This build includes the first of a set of changes intended to improve sign-in performance.6
    Microsoft plans to test additional logon optimizations in Windows Insider builds, measure their impact, and use the results to guide further improvements.

Multiple desktops

For: Insiders in the Experimental Channel

  • Switching between multiple desktops is more reliable.7

Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP)

For: Insiders in the Experimental Channel

  • SSDP notifications are more reliable, helping prevent the service from becoming unresponsive.8

DISM

For: Insiders in the Experimental Channel

  • The DISM image repair command runs more reliably.9
    Improves reliability of dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth.

Sleep

For: Insiders in the Experimental Channel

  • A PC is more likely to remain asleep after an update if it was asleep beforehand.10

New features 3 changes

Taskbar

Gradual rollout 2 items

For: Insiders in the Experimental Channel

  • You can move the taskbar to the bottom, top, left, or right side of the screen.11
    Choose a position in Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behaviors. Support for touch gestures, the Search box, and Ask Copilot in alternate locations is in progress. Auto-hidden and touch-optimized taskbars are not yet supported.
  • A smaller taskbar uses smaller icons and less height, leaving more room for apps.12
    Choose Always under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Show smaller taskbar buttons.

Voice access and Voice typing

Gradual rollout

For: Windows Insiders using Spanish or French

  • Fluid Dictation is available in Spanish and French. It can correct grammar, punctuation, and filler words as you speak.13
    Fluid Dictation uses on-device small language models (SLMs). Try it through Windows voice access or Voice typing (Win + H).

Fixes 2 changes

File Explorer

For: Insiders in the Experimental Channel

  • Properties opens correctly for the Recycle Bin and some other scenarios.14

Run

For: Insiders in the Experimental Channel

  • The refreshed Run dialog can navigate through its history with the up and down arrow keys on first launch.15

Technical details

Data sheet · Security · Downloads · Components Click to collapse or expand

Data sheet

Released
2026-05-15
Type
Windows Insider build
VersionBuildChannel
26H2 26300.8493 Experimental Channel

Security

No vulnerabilities are listed for this update.

Sources

Updated
Cited passages from Microsoft's official notes (15)
  1. 1. We’re also working on improving taskbar settings to make resizing easier, these enhancements are currently in progress. learn.microsoft.com
  2. 2. For those that have taskbar badging on, the badge color will now match your Windows accent color instead of always appearing red learn.microsoft.com
  3. 3. We’re also testing out quieting down a user’s experience based on their level of engagement. learn.microsoft.com
  4. 4. Files and apps more reliably appear ahead of web suggestions when your content is a stronger match learn.microsoft.com
  5. 5. We are introducing consistent solid (donut) spinners across key Windows scenarios including Boot, Logon, Restart, Shutdown, and Update. learn.microsoft.com
  6. 6. This flight contains the first of a set of optimizations to improve logon performance that we expect to flight in the Windows Insider Program over the next few months. learn.microsoft.com
  7. 7. Improved reliability when switching between multiple desktops. learn.microsoft.com
  8. 8. This update improves the reliability of Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP) notifications to help prevent the service from becoming unresponsive. learn.microsoft.com
  9. 9. Improved reliability of running dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth command. learn.microsoft.com
  10. 10. Improved reliability of PC remaining asleep if it had been asleep prior to an update learn.microsoft.com
  11. 11. You can now change the position of taskbar on your screen. In Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behaviors, you can select the side of the screen you want your taskbar on: bottom, top, left, or right. learn.microsoft.com
  12. 12. When set to Always, both the icons and the taskbar height become smaller. learn.microsoft.com
  13. 13. Fluid Dictation is now available in Spanish & French for Windows Insiders! learn.microsoft.com
  14. 14. Fixed an issue in the previous flight where Properties wasn’t invoking correctly for the Recycle bin and some other scenarios. learn.microsoft.com
  15. 15. Fixed an issue where the refreshed Run dialog didn’t navigate through your history if you pressed the up / down arrow keys on first launch. learn.microsoft.com
Checked automatically: 8 of 8 checks passed, 15 quoted passages
  • Quotes found in the official pages: passed
  • Numbers found in the sources: passed
  • Vulnerabilities from the dossier only: passed
  • Links to allowed domains only: passed
  • Every official change covered: passed
  • Readable plain text: passed
  • Changes confirmed by the file list: passed
  • Sources agree: passed

A second AI read the text against the sources: correctness 5/5, clarity 4/5, completeness 5/5. How we work

Published by The Update Bureau. Written with AI from Microsoft's own documents, checked by rules and a second AI. How we work · Report a mistake