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Windows 11 Windows 11 Insider 25H2 Insider Preview, Dev Channel
Windows Insider

Build 26220.7051

Build 26220.7051: Windows Insider Dev Channel, October 2025. Ask Copilot in taskbar and shared audio preview

In short

Brings Ask Copilot in the taskbar, shared audio, and expanded full-screen gaming to Dev and Beta Channel Insiders, along with fixes for File Explorer and other Windows features.

Does it affect you? Applies to: Devices enrolled in the Dev Channel or Beta Channel of the Windows Insider Program.

Build
26220.7051
Review notes Additional details from the official release notes (1) Read note
  • What changes Dev Channel Insiders can switch to Beta while the channels receive the same 25H2-based updates. This opportunity will close when Dev moves to a higher build number.

The official sources are linked at the end of the page.

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

Fixes 12 changes

USB devices

Gradual rollout
  • Keyboards and other USB devices work again for a small number of Insiders who had problems after recent builds.1

Start menu

Gradual rollout

For: Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels

  • Interacting with a folder or its contents in Start no longer makes the folder disappear.2

File Explorer

Gradual rollout 3 items

For: Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels

  • The Open command in the context menu shows the default app icon for .exe, .cmd, and .bat files instead of a generic executable icon.3
  • Desktop icons no longer move when interacting with files, such as opening or renaming them.4
  • Tooltips appear as expected when navigating Home with a keyboard.5

Lock and login screens

Gradual rollout 2 items
  • A lock-screen slideshow no longer causes a memory leak that could lead to performance or reliability problems over time when unlocking the PC.6
  • The first sign-in to a new account is no longer slowed by this issue.7

Settings

Gradual rollout

For: Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels

  • The Settings search box no longer overlaps the minimize and maximize buttons in the title bar.8

Screen readers

Gradual rollout

For: Screen-reader users

  • Screen readers no longer unexpectedly say “legacy window” without reading the contents when interacting with certain apps.9

Text rendering

Gradual rollout
  • Text renders correctly while editing content in multiline text boxes in certain apps.10

Protected content playback

Gradual rollout
  • Protected content playback works again on some machines affected after recent updates.11

Ethernet

Gradual rollout
  • Ethernet upload speeds are no longer significantly lower on some affected PCs.12

New features 3 changes

Ask Copilot in taskbar

Gradual rollout

For: Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels

  • Ask Copilot adds taskbar access to Copilot Vision and Voice. Results appear and update as you type.13
    Enable it in Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Ask Copilot. The Copilot app's "Auto start on log in" toggle controls whether it launches at sign-in.

Full screen experience

Gradual rollout

For: Windows 11 handheld owners

  • The console-style full screen gaming experience is expanding to more Windows 11 handhelds. A preview is rolling out to MSI Claw models.14
    On supported devices, select Xbox as the home app under Settings > Gaming > Full screen experience.

Shared audio (preview)

Gradual rollout

For: Copilot+ PC users

  • Two people can listen together using two supported connected accessories on a Copilot+ PC.15
    Shared audio uses Bluetooth LE Audio broadcast technology. Start it from the Shared audio (preview) tile in Quick Settings.

Improvements 3 changes

Prism

Gradual rollout

For: Windows on Arm users

  • More 64-bit x86 apps can run on Windows on Arm through emulation.16
    Prism adds support for more CPU features under emulation. Support is enabled by default for x64 apps; 32-bit x86 apps can opt in through the emulation settings in the Properties window.

File Explorer

Gradual rollout 2 items

For: Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels

  • File Explorer is more responsive when navigating network locations.17
  • File Explorer takes less time to launch.18

Technical details

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

Data sheet

Released
2025-10-31
Type
Windows Insider build
VersionBuildChannel
— 26220.7051 Dev Channel
— 26220.7051 Beta Channel

Security

No vulnerabilities are listed for this update.

Sources

Updated
Cited passages from Microsoft's official notes (18)
  1. 1. Fixed an underlying issue leading to keyboards or other USB devices not working for a small number of Insiders after the latest flights. blogs.windows.com
  2. 2. Fixed an issue where interacting with a folder or its contents in Start menu could result in the folder becoming invisible. blogs.windows.com
  3. 3. Fixed an issue where “Open” in File Explorer’s context menu wasn’t showing the right icon for .exe, .cmd & .bat files (was showing a generic executable icon, instead of the default app for that file type). blogs.windows.com
  4. 4. Fixed an issue where you might see your desktop icons move when interacting with files, such as opening or renaming them. blogs.windows.com
  5. 5. Fixed a couple issues where tooltips were not showing up as expected when using navigating Home with a keyboard. blogs.windows.com
  6. 6. Fixed a memory leak when your lock screen was set to slide show, which could lead to performance or reliability issues over time when unlocking your PC. blogs.windows.com
  7. 7. Fixed an issue which could cause logging into be very slow the first time when logging into a new account. blogs.windows.com
  8. 8. Fixed an issue where the search box in Settings could become overlapped with the minimum and maximize buttons in the title bar. blogs.windows.com
  9. 9. Fixed an issue where after the latest updates, screen readers might unexpectedly say “legacy window” without reading out the window contents when interacting with certain apps. blogs.windows.com
  10. 10. Fixed an issue where after the latest updates, text might not render correctly when editing content within a multiline text box in certain apps. blogs.windows.com
  11. 11. Fixed an issue where protected content playback might fail on some machines after the latest updates. blogs.windows.com
  12. 12. Fixed an issue which could cause ethernet upload speeds to be significantly lower on some PCs after the latest updates. blogs.windows.com
  13. 13. This opt-in experience gives you one-click access to Copilot Vision and Voice, enabling more natural interaction in your flow. blogs.windows.com
  14. 14. Preview rolling out to MSI Claw models today blogs.windows.com
  15. 15. Shared audio allows two family members to watch movies together while traveling, or two students to share music while studying. blogs.windows.com
  16. 16. We are enabling the feature update to Prism, our emulator for Windows on Arm, that makes it possible for more 64-bit x86 (x64) applications to run under emulation by adding support for more CPU features under emulation. blogs.windows.com
  17. 17. Made some underlying changes to help responsiveness of File Explorer when navigating in network locations. blogs.windows.com
  18. 18. Made some more underlying improvements to help reduce the launch time of File Explorer. blogs.windows.com
Checked automatically: 8 of 8 checks passed, 18 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 4/5, clarity 4/5, completeness 4/5. 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