Windows 11 Insider Release Preview builds 22621.3807 and 22631.3807 (KB5039302) have dropped

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Microsoft has released new Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2 builds for members of the Insider program in the Release Preview channel. The build numbers are 22621.3807 for version 22H2 and 22631.3807 for version 23H2, both under KB5039302. The new builds have quite a few features that have been released in early Insider channel builds including a way to pin Copilot to the taskbar like an app. a new Gane Pass recommendation card, support for making 7-Zip and Tape Archive (TAR) files, and more.

Note that any of the new features listed with an asterisk below will be released gradually for those Release Preview Insider members. Here is the changelog.

* New! We are advancing the Copilot experience on Windows. It is now pinned to the taskbar and will behave like an app. This gives you the benefits of a typical app experience. For example, you can do things like resize, move, and snap the window.

* New! This update adds a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings home page. This home page shows on Home and Pro editions when you sign in to Windows using your Microsoft account. The card appears if you actively play games on your PC.

* New! The show desktop button is on the taskbar again by default. To change this, right-click the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings. At the lower part of the page, you will find Taskbar behaviors.

* New! This update affects File Explorer. You can now create 7-Zip and Tape Archive (TAR) files using the context menu. When you right-click a file, a Compress to item gives you ways to compress a file using tools like gzip, bzip2, and more. There is also a new compression wizard in Additional options. It will help you choose more formats and add details. You can use different types of compression to add many files to archives in other TAR formats. You can also change the compression level and choose the types of data to store in each archive.

* New! This update adds support for Emoji 15.1. Windows supports Unicode symbol-like shapes for family groupings. But Windows will keep using people for them. Also, you can choose the right or left facing direction for some people emoji. The new emoji are:

Horizontal and vertical head shake

Phoenix

Lime

Brown mushroom

Broken chain 48617543

* New! You can now copy files from the Windows Share window. Just click the new Copy

* New! This update affects OneDrive. You can now use it as a RemoteApp in Azure Virtual Desktop.

* This update changes the units for DDR speed from MHz to MT/s.

* This update addresses an issue that affects USB devices. Ejecting them using the Safely Remove Hardware option fails. This occurs when Task Manager is open.

* This update affects process handles. Task Manager releases them more quickly when it stops a process.

* This update makes Task Manager more reliable.

* This update affects the sort order of processes in Task Manager. Performance is better when you change the order.

* This update makes Task Manager more accessible by improving:

Keyboard focus

Tab key navigation

Text scaling

The readout of item names by screen readers

High contrast heatmaps and more.

* This update makes resizing the Task Manager window easier when you grab the top of its window.

This update addresses an issue that affects Group Policy. It fails to detect when a network’s speed is slow. Instead, it assumes that a fast link is present.

This update addresses an issue that affects Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) and Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA). When you use them with SMBdirect in your networks, the networks fail. You also lose the ability to manage clusters.

This update addresses an issue that affects GPUs. They do not enter the idle state that stops them from consuming power.

This update adds the registry key HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM ForceDisableModeChangeAnimation (REG_DWORD). When you set its value to 1 (or a non-zero number), it turns off the display mode change animation. If the value is 0 or the key does not exist, the animation is set to on.

This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.

This update addresses an issue that affects Snipping Tool. When you use it to record videos on some PCs, the audio has distortions.

This update addresses an issue that affects Azure Virtual Desktop sessions. A deadlock stops you from signing in to them.

This update addresses an issue that affects the touch keyboard. You cannot use it to enter special characters. This occurs when you use the Japanese 106 keyboard.