Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel just got an update, but still can't use Click to Do or Windows Recall

Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel have a new build to install. The latest update bumps systems to Windows 11 Build 27871, and it includes some noteworthy changes and additions.

Starting with Build 27871, IT admins can control the energy saver settings on Windows 11 through group policies and Mobile Device Management configurations.

The update also marks the return of Phone companion for the Start menu in the Canary Channel. That feature went away temporarily but is now back for testing among Canary Channel Insiders.

Phone companion is an add-on to the Start menu that shows notifications from your mobile device. You can also mirror your Android device's screen to the Start menu with the feature, though that functionality is limited to specific phones.

Phone Link companion is part of the new Start menu experience unveiled by Microsoft last month.

Below is the change log for the latest Canary Channel Insider build, as shared by Microsoft.

What's new with Build 27871

Energy saver now available in Microsoft Intune

We are bringing the ability to manage energy saver in Windows 11 to Microsoft Intune to allow IT administrators to control the energy saver settings on Windows 11 PCs through group policies and Mobile Device Management (MDM) configurations.

This feature, when enabled, intelligently balances your battery use, so it can last longer between charges. It extends battery life by managing power usage efficiently. It limits background activity and reduces screen brightness, ensuring that devices consume less power while maintaining optimal performance. By automatically managing system processes and power usage, the energy saver group policy helps reduce overall energy consumption. This not only saves costs but also contributes to environmental sustainability.

IT administrators can activate the policy by using either method below:

• Local Group Policy Editor in Windows 11
• Microsoft Intune Admin Center

The path for the new policy configuration can be found at in Local Group Policy Editor by navigating to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Energy Saver Settings and “Enable Energy Saver to Always Be On”.

Changes and Improvements

[Phone Link]

Phone companion for the Start menu is rolling out (again) for Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel along with the following improvements:

• Instantly see notifications from your mobile device apps — grouped by app for easy catch-up, right from your Start menu.
• Mirror your Android device’s screen with a single click from your Start menu. Simply click on your device’s icon or access the option from the footer menu to quickly launch device screen mirroring.
• Your iPhone© memories are now accessible from the Start menu. iCloud for Windows users can see recently synced photos and quickly access their iCloud photos all within the Start menu.

Note: Screen mirroring is only supported on certain Android devices. See Setting up and using phone screen in the Phone Link – Microsoft Support for more details on device support.

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• We have adjusted the needy state pill under apps on the taskbar that need attention to be wider and more visible.

Windows Insider Channels

The Canary Channel differs from Microsoft's other Windows Insider channels. Right now, the Canary Channel is on a different development track than the Beta Channel and Dev Channel.

The Canary Channel focuses on platform changes rather than surface level changes. As a result, some features ship to the Beta Channel and Dev Channel before they roll out to Canary Channel Insiders.

Microsoft notes this in the release notes for Canary Channel builds. If you want to try the latest features and provide feedback to Microsoft while those tools are in development, you should probably switch to a different channel.

While I understand why Canary Channel Insiders cannot use certain Windows 11 features, I find the situation frustrating. I'm not the only one to bring up the strange status of features like Windows Recall and Click to Do in the Canary Channel.

To get off the Canary Channel, you'll have to perform a clean install of Windows 11.