Windows 11 Canary Channel build 27686 blog post gets updated with new features [Update]

Update, August 17, 2024 - Microsoft updated the blog post for the Windows 11 Insider Canary Channel build 27686 late on Friday, August 16 to include new HDR video streaming settings, new Power Mode settings, and a new known issue. We have updated our post to show these changes:

Microsoft has released the latest Windows 11 build for members of the Windows Insider program in the Canary Channel. The new build number is 27686. It includes a preview of the new Windows Sandbox Client along with some optimizations for better battery life and more.

Here is the changelog:

What’s new with Build 27686

Windows Sandbox Client Preview

This build includes the new Windows Sandbox Client Preview that is now updated via the Microsoft Store. As part of this preview, we’re introducing runtime clipboard redirection, audio/video input control, and the ability to share folders with the host at runtime. You can access these via the new “…” icon at the upper right on the app. Additionally, this preview includes a super early version of command line support (commands may change over time). You can use ‘wsb.exe –help’ command for more information.

FEEDBACK: Send us feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Security & Privacy > Windows Sandbox.

Changes and Improvements

[General]

• Some features that were previously rolled out to Insiders in the Canary Channel may disappear as we flight newer 27xxx series builds. These features should begin rolling out again to Insiders over time.
• We’ve made optimizations to improve battery life for PCs running Build 27686+ in the Canary Channel. Let us know what you think and if you are not seeing the battery life on your PC you are expecting, let us know via Feedback Hub. When filing feedback in Feedback Hub on any battery life issues you experience, be sure to use the “Start recording” button to capture additional logs.

[Settings]

In response to feedback, we have added a detach virtual hard disk (VHD/`VHDx) button to Settings making it much simpler to detach your VHD/VHDx as needed. This option is available under Settings > System > Storage > Disks & Volumes, in the properties for your VHD/VHDx.

[ADDED 8/16] We’re beginning to roll out improvements to Settings > System > Power & battery including the ability to set your Power Mode for both when your PC is plugged in when it’s on battery along with a few other UI improvements to the page.

[ADDED 8/16] On PCs with HDR displays, we have added the option to allow HDR video streaming even when HDR is off under Settings > System > Display > HDR.

[Networking]

To help us evaluate future improvements in network performance, your device may periodically run network tests in the background to collect diagnostic data. These tests will use a small amount of data (up to 10MB/day) and will only run on Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections that are not marked as metered. This will only occur on PCs in the Canary Channel running Build 27686 and higher.

[Storage]

When formatting disks from the command line using the format command, we’ve increased the FAT32 size limit from 32GB to 2TB.

Fixes

[Dev Drive]

Fixed an issue where Dev Drive VHDs weren’t automatically re-mounting when the underlying volume was dismounted and brought back online.

[Lock screen]

Did some work to help address an issue where the battery icon displayed on the lock screen might be out of sync with the actual battery level of your PC.

[Windows Security]

Fixed an issue in the Windows Security app where if you browsed the networks under Firewall & Network protection, it showed a broken glyph (a rectangle) next to the network name rather than a network icon.

[Settings]

• Fixed an issue under Settings > System > Storage > Disks and Volumes, where there was no space between the Create and Attach VHD buttons.
• Fixed an issue where the power mode option in Settings > System > Power & Battery was showing in cases where it couldn’t be changed, leading to a blank dropdown.
• Fixed an issue where if you searched in Settings for Kiosk and clicked the result for setting up kiosk mode, it wouldn’t navigate to the correct page for doing that.

[Other]

Fixed an issue in Registry Editor where when editing a DWORD or QWORD if you pasted in a HEX value into the text box and saved it, the value saved might not be the one you had entered (for example, pasting 0x1 would become 0x411).

Known issues

[General]

[IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.

[ADDED 8/16] We’re investigating an issue where when trying to open dfrgui.exe (Defrag and Optimize drives) fails with a pop up saying SXSHARED_UCRT.dll was not found.

[Input]

We are working on the fix for an issue causing the emoji panel to close when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.

You can check out the full blog post here.