Although February is coming to an end quickly, it gave Microsoft time to begin rolling out several significant features to Windows 11, and in this guide, we're going to take a look at them.
In addition to the improvements rolled out during the first half of February, Microsoft has made previews of versions 25H2 and 26H1 available in the last two weeks.
Biggest improvements from the Windows Insider Program in February 2026
These are the most significant changes Microsoft has unveiled since the last roundup.
File Explorer updated context menu
Microsoft continues its efforts to improve the modern content menu, and this time around, with the release of build 26300.7877, when right-clicking a specific file (such as ".exe," ".bat," or ".cmd"), the "Open" option will also show the icon for the app that supports the file.
In the Canary Channel, you'll also find an updated version of File Explorer that brings dark mode improvements to the Folder Options dialog. Finally!
Settings Home page changes
Starting with build 26300.7877, Windows 11 has an updated version of the Settings app that introduces small tweaks to make it easier to understand.
Settings About page redesign
In addition, build 26300.7877 also brings some changes to the "About" settings page.
For example, Microsoft is rolling back the top card views with the details from the top key hardware specifications, including CPU, RAM, GPU, and Storage.
Also, and perhaps the most noticeable change, is the addition of the GPU and storage information under the "Device info" section.
This last improvement really surprised me, because it's the type of information you always expect to be there. However, it's time for Microsoft to include.
The improvements available on build 26300.7877 also apply to build 26220.7872 from the Beta Channel.
Microsoft 365 subscription interface tweaks
Windows 11 build 26220.7859 was only released in the Beta Channel, and it introduced an "Upgrade" option to switch from the Personal to Family plan from the "Accounts" page.
According to the company, this option can be turned off by disabling the feature to suggest content in the Settings app.
Security improvements for batch files
Microsoft is making changes to how the system manages batch files and Command Prompt scripts to improve performance and security.
Starting with builds 26300.7939 and 26220.7934, it's possible to enable a new Registry key that enables protected execution mode, preventing batch files from being modified while they are running
This configuration is done at the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor path, and setting the LockBatchFilesInUse DWORD to 1 enables protection. The 0 value leaves it disabled.
Shared audio feature (preview)
The development is now also previewing the Shared audio feature with more granular controls and support for more devices.
As part of the improvements, Windows 11 now provides separate volume sliders for each individual when two Bluetooth LE Audio devices are connected.
The main system volume controls appear in the Quick Settings flyout, and the hardware and keyboard controls continue to adjust audio for both listeners simultaneously.
Microsoft is also adding an indicator in the Taskbar to signal that the audio is being shared.
Finally, this feature is now also available for Samsung Galaxy Buds 4, Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, Sony WF-1000XM6, and the Xbox Wireless Headset.
These changes are also available starting with builds 26300.7939 and 26220.7934.
Cross-Device Resume
Microsoft is also bringing the Cross-Device Resume feature to the Canary Channel (build 28020.1619).
The feature lets you resume apps from your Android phone on your computer directly from the Taskbar. Currently, you can resume Spotify playback, work in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, or continue a browsing session.
The company also notes that resuming browsing sessions works for Vivo phones when using the Vivo Browser on Windows 11.
Furthermore, if you use a phone from HONOR, OPPO, Samsung, Vivo, or Xiaomi, you can also resume online files opened in the Microsoft Copilot app.
Narrator with new customization
Narrator now includes a new personalization feature that gives you precise control over how interface elements are announced while navigating apps. Instead of relying on a fixed speaking order, you can choose which properties the Narrator reads aloud for each control type, including buttons, checkboxes, links, sliders, and text fields. You can also reorder or remove specific details to better match your workflow and preferences.
You can access these customization options with the shortcut "Narrator key + Ctrl + P," where you can select, clear, and rearrange spoken properties for each control type.
Windows Hello improvements
The Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) experience has only supported built-in biometric sensors. However, starting with this preview build, you'll be able to connect and configure virtually any supported Windows Hello ESS fingerprint reader from the "Sign-in options" settings page.
You can configure this new feature from Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and enable the "Enhanced sign-in security" option with an external supported device.
Voice Access changes
The company is also updating Voice Typing to let you set a wait time before a voice command runs.
You can find the option on Voice Typing Settings > Wait time before acting. The options available range from instant to very long (default).
Voice Typing improvements
Voice Access brings to the Canary Channel a new wizard to help you set up the experience more easily.
This new experience will help you download the required speech model for your setup language, choose a microphone, and get started with the feature.
SCOOBE page redesign
The company is also updating the Second Chance Out-of-box Experience (SCOOBE) with a new design to streamline the setup process so you can configure all recommended settings from a single page.
Settings AI agent new languages
Microsoft is also expanding the AI agent in the Settings app for more languages to German (de-de), Portuguese (pt-br, pt-pt), Spanish (es-es, es-mx), Korean (ko-kr), Japanese (ja-jp), Hindi (hi-in), Italian (it-it), and Chinese Simplified (zh-cn).
Quick Machine Recovery for Pro editions
Quick Machine Recovery has been available for some time, but until now, it was enabled by default only on the Home edition of the operating system.
Microsoft is now (starting with build 28020.1673) expanding that behavior to Windows 11 Pro, automatically turning on the recovery feature by default as well, except for managed devices.
Camera new support for pan and tilt
If you use a built-in webcam or external camera, from the Canary Channel, you can now control the pan and tilt settings from the device's properties under the "Basic settings."
Start menu new account option
In February, for devices running build 28020.1673, the Start menu received an update that added a new link in the account manager menu pointing to the benefits associated with your Microsoft account.
Network speed test in the Taskbar
Windows 11 is also adding a new network speed test in the Canary Channel, which you can access from the Taskbar, more specifically by right-clicking the network icon in the System Tray or from the Wi-Fi or Cellular pages in the Quick Settings interface.
When you select the option, the web browser will open a Bing page to run a network test using your internet connection to diagnose connectivity and performance issues.
Widgets dashboard new settings
In the Widgets dashboard, Microsoft is rolling out a new settings page to manage the feature. Previously, the experience would pop up an overlay dialog to configure the settings, but now with the release of build 28020.1673, it's an actual page.
Other details
For clarification, the changes from build 28020.1619 belong to version 26H1, which is not a feature update for existing computers. This is an update that has been designed exclusively for new ARM64 hardware shipping in 2026, including the Snapdragon X2 Plus, Elite, and Extreme processors.
At the same time, Microsoft has split the Canary Channel into two paths, meaning that this channel now offers builds in the 28020 series for version 26H1 and builds in the 29531 series that will offer platform changes for future releases of the operating system, presumably version 27H2.
Also, the company has recently started work on the next feature update coming later this year through the Dev Channel, and for several builds, the Beta and Dev Channels shipped with the same changes. The Dev Channel is now dedicated to what it'll become version 26H2, and the Beta Channel will continue to ship changes for version 25H2.
💬What did you think of February’s Windows 11 Insider update?
Windows 11’s February 2026 Insider build brings a fresh round of new features and several changes—some small quality‑of‑life tweaks, some more noticeable additions, all part of Microsoft’s steady rhythm of shaping what’s next for the OS. These updates can feel incremental, but they’re also where early improvements and experiments show up first.
Did this month’s build feel meaningful, or more like another routine Insider drop? Jump into the comments and tell us how this update landed for you.
More resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:
- Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
- Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know
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