Windows 11 Insider Build 25201 adds option to expand widgets board and improves Xbox widget
Microsoft is testing out ways to show more widgets on Windows 11.
What you need to know
- Microsoft just released Windows 11 Build 25201 to Insiders in the Dev Channel
- The update adds the ability to expand the widget board and includes an improved Game Pass app.
- Windows 11 Build 25201 also brings several fixes and improvements,
Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 25201 to Insiders in the Dev Channel today. The update includes a couple of notable new features, both of which center around widgets. Microsoft is testing out the option to expand the widget board to show more content at once.
The widgets board now shows a button to expand the panel. Windows 11 will remember your preference and default back to it the next time you open the widgets board. Microsoft notes that the experience isn't available for all Insiders at this time.
Microsoft is shipping an update to the Game Pass widget that adds the ability to sign in to your Xbox profile. Thanks to sign-in support, the widget can now show available Game Pass games, the most recent titles you've played on PC Game Pass, and provide a shortcut to return to your recently played games.
Here are the highlights and changes in the build from Microsoft:
Windows 11 Preview Build 25201 highlights
- We are releasing ISOs for this build – they can be downloaded here.
- We are beginning to rollout expanded view for Widgets. We’re beginning the roll out to a small set of Insiders in the Dev Channel first so not everyone will see it right away.
- We are also beginning to roll out an update to the Game Pass widget that supports signing in with your Xbox profile and shows your recently played games from the Game Pass library.
Windows 11 Preview Build 25201 File Explorer changes
- File Explorer search will now show results as you type. The full search results page will update live without needing to press enter. We are beginning to roll this out, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders just yet.
- We’re experimenting with adding more cloud files to search results from Home.
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Sean Endicott is a News Writer at Windows Central, where he covers Windows 11, Surface hardware, Microsoft 365, AI, apps, and the broader PC ecosystem. Since joining the site in 2017, he has written well over a thousand articles across the Microsoft landscape, covering breaking news, analysis, and feature reporting.
He writes Windows Wrap, a weekly column covering the biggest stories in Windows and the PC industry, and what they mean for the platform going forward.
Before joining Windows Central full-time, Sean worked in journalism and media production after earning a First Class degree in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University. Outside of tech, he is an award-winning American football coach based in Nottingham, England, and was named BAFCA Youth Coach of the Year in 2024.
