Build 26200.7296: Windows Insider Release Preview Channel, November 2025. File Explorer dark mode and fixes for Settings and the taskbar

• Copilot+ PCs can use Windows Studio Effects with an additional camera, such as a USB webcam or a built-in rear camera.¹
  Turn on Use Windows Studio Effects under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras > Advanced camera options.

For: Copilot+ PCs

• The Click to Do context menu has a simpler design for finding actions such as Copy, Save, Share, and Open.²
• The context menu opens automatically when a large image or table appears on screen.³

For: Copilot+ PCs

• Settings search shows more results, with a scroll bar to see them all.⁴
• Recommended settings include an inline agent option for settings you changed recently.⁵
• A dialog explains when a setting cannot be adjusted further and offers an option to modify it.⁶

For: Windows 11 devices

• When Windows Spotlight is your desktop background, its context menu offers options to learn about the background or switch to the next one.⁷

• Drag Tray supports sharing multiple files, shows more relevant apps, and makes it easier to move files to a chosen folder.⁸
  Availability varies by device and market.
• You can turn Drag Tray on or off in Settings.⁹
  The setting is under Settings > System > Nearby sharing.

• More File Explorer dialogs and progress views now use a consistent dark appearance.¹⁰
  The dark-mode updates cover copy, move, delete, confirmation, and error dialogs, along with progress bars and chart views.
• File Explorer is testing a single entry point for share options in the context menu.¹¹
  The change is initially available to a small group of devices.

• You can change character repeat delay and rate, and cursor blink rate, in Settings instead of Control Panel.¹²
  Character repeat options are under Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard. Cursor blink rate is under Settings > Accessibility > Text cursor.
• The Settings home page can show a Device Card with key PC specifications and usage details, with a link to more information.¹³
  The card appears when signed in with a Microsoft account and in the U.S. only. It links to Settings > About.

For: Devices with supported ESS fingerprint readers

• Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security will support external fingerprint sensors in a future update.¹⁴
  Enroll a supported ESS fingerprint reader under Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.

For: Microsoft account users

• You can share OneDrive files through other apps using the Share using options after selecting Copy link.¹⁵
  You must be signed in to your Microsoft account. Availability depends on device and market; the feature is not available in the European Economic Area.

For: Windows 11 devices

• Settings lets you add and manage mobile devices, including options to use a device as a connected camera or access its files in File Explorer.¹⁶
  Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile.

For: Windows 11 devices

• You can choose a default dashboard. When live weather is showing, Widgets opens the first dashboard in the navigation bar.¹⁷
  In full-page Widgets Settings, move your preferred dashboard to the top.
• Dashboard icons show the number of alerts, and their badges clear when you leave a dashboard.¹⁸

For: People with supported pens

• Pens that support haptic feedback give tactile responses during some interactions, such as hovering over the close button or snapping and resizing windows.¹⁹

For: Windows 11 devices

• Advanced Settings lets you enable or disable virtual environments such as Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox.²⁰
  Virtual Workspaces is available under Settings > Systems > Advanced.

For: Copilot+ PCs

• The File Explorer search box now highlights the enhanced Windows Search.²¹
  The placeholder text in the File Explorer Search Box has been updated.

• Supported keyboards show their keys more clearly in low light, and their backlights adjust to help conserve power.²²
  Applies to supported HID-compliant keyboards.

For: Windows 11 devices

• The About page groups device details and related options together for easier access.²³
  The updated layout includes access to options such as Storage settings.

For: Windows 11 devices

• References to Game Pass in Settings reflect its updated branding and benefits.²⁴

For: Windows 11 devices

• Taskbar app-group previews transition as you move between apps.²⁵
  The animation appears when hovering over app groups on the taskbar.

For: PCs with both recovery settings enabled

• Quick Machine Recovery runs one scan instead of repeating scans in a loop on PCs with both relevant recovery settings enabled.²⁶
  Applies when Quick Machine Recovery and automatically check for solutions are both enabled. If no fix is available, QMR points to recovery options.

For: Windows 11 devices

• The updated OneDrive icon appears in Accounts and Homepages in Settings.²⁷

• Apps can query monitors for supported display modes with less chance of a momentary stutter on very high-resolution monitors.²⁸
  The performance improvement applies when apps query monitors for their full list of supported modes.

For: Windows 11 devices

• Video thumbnails appear in File Explorer when files contain certain EXIF metadata.²⁹
• An old white toolbar no longer appears unexpectedly in File Explorer.³⁰
• The Open command's icon matches the default app for the file type.³¹

For: Windows 11 devices

• Settings stays responsive when you open the Network & Internet section.³²

• The Automatically hide the taskbar setting no longer unexpectedly turns off after a message says a toolbar is already hidden.³³
• Voice access can interact with taskbar items when you call out their numbers.³⁴

• The first sign-in to a new account is no longer very slow.³⁵
• A lock-screen slideshow no longer causes the described memory leak.³⁶
  Memory leaks can lead to performance or reliability issues over time.

• The brightness slider on all-in-one PCs no longer unexpectedly reverts to its original setting when used.³⁷
• Some games no longer report an unsupported graphics card when the card is supported.³⁸

For: People using ECC smart card sign-in

• You no longer unexpectedly see a not-supported error when signing in with an ECC smart card credential.³⁹
  Addresses STATUS_NOT_SUPPORTED (0xc00000bb) during ECC Smart Card Logon Credential sign-in.

For: Everyone in the Release Preview Channel

• The update addresses an issue that could make LSASS unstable because of an access violation.⁴⁰
  Addresses an issue affecting Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS).