Windows 11 has had a rough start to the year. January's Patch Tuesday update proved disastrous, as it included several bugs and issues that affect users and forced Microsoft to release out of band security updates.
February presents the tech giant with another chance to roll out updates with fewer issues. While the security fixes will not ship until Patch Tuesday in February, you can grab the new features and changes on the way to Windows 11 right now.
View the full changelog ↴
Windows 11 Preview: Gradual Rollout
Agent in Settings
- New! The Settings Agent now supports more languages, with expanded support for German, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Hindi, Italian, and Chinese (Simplified).
Cross Device Resume
New! This update expands the functionality of Cross‑Device Resume, which Microsoft first introduced in the May 2025 Windows non-security update (KB5058499). You can continue activities from your Android phone on your PC based on the apps and services you use, including resuming Spotify playback, working in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, or continuing a browsing session.
- Vivo Android phone users can continue browsing from Vivo Browser on their PC.
- If you use an Android phone from HONOR, OPPO, Samsung, vivo, or Xiaomi, you can resume online files that you opened in the Microsoft Copilot app on your phone and continue working on them on your PC. Files open in the corresponding Microsoft 365 app on your PC if it is installed. If the app is not installed, the files open in your default web browser. This feature does not support offline files stored only on your phone.
Windows MIDI Services
- New! This update improves MIDI on Windows with enhanced support for MIDI 1.0 and MIDI 2.0, including full WinMM and WinRT MIDI 1.0 support with built-in translation, shared MIDI ports across apps, custom port names, loopback and app-to-app MIDI, plus performance improvements and bug fixes—delivering a better experience for musicians.
- The App SDK and Tools package is a separate download that enables inbox MIDI 2.0 features and includes tools like MIDI Console and the MIDI Settings app. Releases are available on the Windows MIDI Services landing page and GitHub and are currently unsigned, which might display a security warning during download or installation.
Narrator
- New! Narrator now gives you more control over how it announces on‑screen controls. You can choose which details are spoken and adjust their order to match how you navigate apps. These settings apply throughout the app to help reduce extra speech and make Narrator easier to follow.
Settings
- New!1 You can view the Device card on the Settings home page. It shows key specifications and usage details for your PC. From the card, you can go directly to Settings > System > About for more detailed information about your device. This card appears when you sign in with your Microsoft account. This feature rollout has resumed after being paused during the August 2025 release.
Smart App Control
- New! You can turn Smart App Control (SAC) on or off without any clean install requirement. To make changes, go to Windows Security > App & Browser Control > Smart App Control settings. When turned on, SAC helps block untrusted or potentially harmful apps. To learn more, see App & Browser Control in the Windows Security App – Microsoft Support.
Voice Access
- New! A streamlined setup makes it easier to get started with Voice Access. The redesigned experience helps you download a speech model for your chosen language, select your preferred input microphone, and learn what Voice Access can help you do on your Windows PC.
Voice Typing
- New! The Wait time before acting setting in Voice Typing enables you to adjust the delay before a voice command runs. This setting gives you flexibility for different speech patterns and improves recognition accuracy whether you speak slowly or quickly.
Windows Hello
- New! Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) now supports peripheral fingerprint sensors. This update extends this more secure sign in option beyond devices with built in fingerprint sensors to include desktops and other Windows 11 PCs, including Copilot+ PCs. To get started, plug in a supported ESS fingerprint reader, go to Settings > Accounts > Sign in options, and follow the prompts to enroll.
Start Menu
- Fixed: This update addresses an issue where the warning message that appears when you shut down your computer while other users are signed in might be cut off at the edge of the Start menu.
- Fixed: This update addresses an issue where Start menu might open on the wrong side of the screen when you use Arabic or Hebrew as your display language and the taskbar icons aren't centered.
Kiosk mode
- Changed: This update removes an error message that might show after you sign in for multi-app kiosk mode. The message said, "This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer".
Windows Update
- Fixed: This update addresses an issue where trying to join the Windows Insider Program from Settings > Windows Update might get stuck.
Lock screen
- Improved: This update includes some underlying changes that help address cases where the lock screen might become unresponsive.
File Explorer
- Improved: This update includes some underlying changes that help improve responsiveness of File Explorer when navigating in network locations.
Logging into your PC
- Fixed: This update addresses an issue where Explorer.exe might stop responding (hang) the first time you sign in to your PC, if certain apps were configured as startup apps. This could make the taskbar not appear.
Activation
- Fixed: This update addresses an issue where, in some cases, valid Windows license migration might fail when upgrading because the device couldn’t register with the Windows Activation server for its digital license, requiring the use of the troubleshooter to fix.
Desktop icons
- Fixed: This update addresses an issue where desktop icons unexpectedly move when interacting with files, such as opening or renaming them
Input
- Fixed: This update addresses an issue where the keyboard character repeat delay labels in Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Keyboard were reversed.
User Account Control (UAC)
- Fixed: This update addresses an issue where your PC might stop responding when attempting to run Windows Terminal elevated from a non-admin account.
Windows Sandbox
- Fixed: This update addresses an issue that could cause Windows Sandbox to stop responding during start up and display error 0x800705b4.
View the full changelog ↴
Windows 11 Preview: Normal Rollout
Agent in Settings
- New! The Settings Agent now supports more languages, with expanded support for German, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Hindi, Italian, and Chinese (Simplified).
Windows Sandbox
- Fixed: This update addresses an issue that could cause Windows Sandbox to stop responding during start up and display error 0x800705b4.
The future of Windows 11 updates
Following feedback from users, Microsoft has promised to improve Windows 11 and address "pain points" across the operating system.
"The feedback we’re receiving from our community of passionate customers and Windows Insiders has been clear. We need to improve Windows in ways that are meaningful for people," said Microsoft in a statement to The Verge.
"This year, you will see us focus on addressing pain points we hear consistently from customers: improving system performance, reliability, and the overall experience of Windows."
That promise was only made this week, so it would be unreasonable to expect major changes before the February's Patch Tuesday updates. But Microsoft has acknowledged concerns and committed to improve Windows 11.
Would a stable February update be enough to fix the trust broken in January, or are you still hitting the 'Pause Updates' button? Let's talk in the comments.
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