Build 27686: Windows Insider Experimental Channel, August 2024. Sandbox sharing, HDR streaming and larger FAT32 formats

For: Users of Dev Drive VHDs

• Dev Drive virtual disks remount automatically after the underlying volume is dismounted and brought back online.¹

• The lock-screen battery icon is less likely to show a level that is out of sync with the PC’s actual battery level.²

For: Windows Security users

• Firewall & Network protection shows a network icon instead of a broken rectangle next to a network name.³

• There is now spacing between the Create and Attach VHD buttons under Disks and Volumes.⁴
  Applies to Settings > System > Storage > Disks and Volumes.
• The Power Mode option no longer appears when it cannot be changed, which could previously leave a blank dropdown.⁵
  Applies to Settings > System > Power & Battery.
• Searching Settings for Kiosk and selecting the setup result takes you to the correct kiosk mode page.⁶

For: Users editing registry values

• Registry Editor saves the hexadecimal DWORD or QWORD value you entered instead of changing it to a different value.⁷

For: Developers

• SDKs for 27xxx-series builds are not planned for the time being.⁸

For: Insiders in the Canary Channel

• Some features previously rolled out to Canary Insiders may temporarily disappear as newer 27xxx builds arrive, then begin rolling out again over time.⁹

For: Canary PCs running build 27686 or higher

• Battery-life optimizations apply to PCs running build 27686 or higher in the Canary Channel.⁹

For: Insiders receiving the Settings rollout

• Power Mode can be set separately for when the PC is plugged in and when it is on battery, alongside other page UI improvements.¹⁰

For: Users formatting disks from the command line

• The FAT32 size limit when formatting a disk from the command line increases from 32 GB to 2 TB.¹¹
  Applies to the format command.

For: Windows Sandbox users

• The preview adds runtime clipboard redirection, audio/video input controls, folder sharing with the host, and early command-line support.¹²
  Use the new “…” icon in the app for the runtime controls. The wsb.exe –help command provides information about the early command-line support.

For: Windows users with an attached VHD or VHDx

• You can detach a virtual hard disk from its properties under Settings > System > Storage > Disks & Volumes.¹³
  Adds a detach VHD/VHDx button to the properties for the attached virtual hard disk.

• On PCs with HDR displays, a new option allows HDR video streaming even when HDR is off.¹⁴
  The option is under Settings > System > Display > HDR.

For: Canary PCs running build 27686 or higher

• Your PC may periodically run background network tests that use up to 10 MB of data per day.¹⁵
  Tests collect diagnostic data and run only on unmetered Ethernet or Wi-Fi connections on Canary PCs running build 27686 or higher.