Microsoft has released the latest Windows 11 build for members of the Windows Insider Program in the Beta Channel. The build number is 2635.3495, under KB5037000. It adds app recommendations to the Start menu, changes to the Windows Spotlight experience, and the option to use Copilot as an app that can be resized, among other changes.
Here is the changelog;
Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on
[Start menu]
Building on top of recent improvements like grouping recently installed apps and showing your frequently used apps, we are now trying out recommendations to help you discover great apps from the Microsoft Store under Recommended on the Start menu. This will appear only for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel in the U.S. and will not apply to commercial devices (devices managed by organizations). This can be turned off by going to Settings > Personalization > Start and turning off the toggle for “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more”. As a reminder, we regularly try out new experiences and concepts that may never get released with Windows Insiders to get feedback. Should you see this experience on the Start menu, let us know what you think. We are beginning to roll this out to a small set of Insiders in the Beta Channel at first.
Example of a recommended app on the Start menu highlighted in a red box.
[Desktop Spotlight]
We are beginning to try out some adjustments for Windows Spotlight experience on the desktop to make it easier for Spotlight users to engage with this feature to change images, like or not like an image etc. In addition, these changes will make the Spotlight icon behave like other desktop icons. There will be several different treatments these adjustments that Insiders will notice.
With Treatment 1, if a user right-clicks on the Windows Spotlight icon it will launch Spotlight experience in full screen mode, while double clicking will open the landing page for the image on desktop.
With Treatment 2, if a user right-clicks on the Windows Spotlight icon it will launch the Spotlight experience without any change to the desktop set up, while double clicking launches the Spotlight experience in full screen mode.
[Settings]
We are introducing a new Linked devices page under Settings > Accounts that allows you to manage PCs and Xbox consoles that you are signed in to with your Microsoft account. This settings page will only show on the Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 and if you’re signed into Windows with your Microsoft account.
New linked devices page under Accounts settings highlighted in a red box.
Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Beta Channel
[Copilot in Windows]
We are beginning to roll out an updated Copilot in Windows experience that adds the ability to switch between the existing “docked” behavior that attaches Copilot to the side of your desktop, and a new mode where it acts like a normal application window which you can resize and move around your screen. As part of this change, we’re also introducing some under-the-hood improvements as well. This experience is beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders in BOTH the Dev and Beta Channels. As always, please report any issues you experience to us via Feedback Hub.
Copilot in Windows undocked and shown next to Notepad like a normal application window.
Known issues
[General]
We are investigating an issue where Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work after installing this update.
[Copilot in Windows]
Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the updated Copilot in Windows experience that introduces the ability for Copilot to act like a normal application window may see the following known issues:
[NEW] Voice access does not work reliably with the updated Copilot in Windows experience that introduces the ability for Copilot to act like a normal application.
[NEW] Using Windows Ink to write in Copilot will not work with the updated Copilot in Windows experience.
[Widgets]
Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:
Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.
Turning on/off Widgets in taskbar settings may refresh the taskbar.
