📢 Windows 11 Build 22563 is now rolling out with some new features

What’s new in Windows 11 Build 22563

Last week, Microsoft released Windows 11 Dev Preview Build 22557 to the Windows Insiders. The build added five new touch gestures to Windows 11 which include Swipe to invoke and dismiss Start, Swipe between Pinned/All apps and Recommended/More on Start, Swipe to invoke and dismiss Quick Settings, Swipe to invoke and dismiss Notification Center, and Full-screen gripper. Now the company has started rolling out a new update.

The latest Windows 11 Build 22563, currently rolling out to the Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel brings a few new features. The new build includes a tablet-optimized taskbar experience, some improvements to content in Widgets, and a new group policy for IT admins in education.

Tablet-optimized taskbar

We’re introducing a new taskbar state that’s specifically designed to make you feel more confident and comfortable using your device as a tablet, says Microsoft. If you are using a 2-in-1 device, your taskbar will automatically transition to this optimized version when you disconnect or fold back the keyboard. Do note that this feature will work only on devices that can be used as tablets. If you are using laptops or desktop PCs, this feature is not for you.

Making Widgets content more dynamic

With the Windows 11 Build 22563, Microsoft is trying out some changes in the Widgets to bring more dynamic content. This update will bring the widgets and news feed experiences as a dynamic blended feed. If you’ve already customized your Widgets board, all your pinned widgets will be exactly where you’d expect them to be, your existing customizations won’t be lost.

New group policy for managing Windows Update notifications

In the latest build, Microsoft introduced a new group policy for the IT Admins in education. Starting with this build, you will finally be able to turn off all Windows Update notifications that might distract your students during the school day, says Microsoft, You will be able to provide this better experience while staying compliant as the notifications will start to show again if user action is needed and the devices reach the deadline, though hopefully, most devices are able to automatically restart overnight when the student isn’t there.

Other changes and improvements in Windows 11 Build 22563

Taskbar

• The auto-hide taskbar will now stay expanded while you use Task View to switch Desktops.
• When dragging a file or app to the taskbar, we’ve updated the message next to the mouse showing what is and is not supported to now respond to dark mode and contrast themes.
• Fixed a cyclical explorer.exe crash that was happening for people using the French (Canada) display language, related to the battery icon tooltip.
• Updated the mute icon in the taskbar so that the tooltip now gives a hint for the keyboard shortcut (WIN + Alt + K).
• The top borderline of the taskbar now extends across the entire taskbar instead of stopping just before the system tray area.
• The button styling for the hidden icons flyout is now consistent with the design of the rest of the system tray buttons.
• The taskbar should no longer flicker when switching input methods or during other scenarios where system tray icons are added and removed.

Start menu

• Fixed an issue that was causing the Start menu to not open consistently with the new touch gesture where you swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
• When recommended items are newly added or removed, their icons will now be animated to fade in and out.
• The sleep icon in the power menu is no longer incorrectly showing as a bell.
• Fixed an issue causing the apostrophe in the power button tooltip to not display correctly.
• Names of apps in folders no longer appear blurred briefly when opening folders in Start.
• Fixed a crash some people were encountering when trying to share an app from the All apps list.

File Explorer

• Fixed an issue where the OneDrive icon wouldn’t show up in the File Explorer command bar sometimes when it should have.
• Removed a random white dot that was appearing in the context menu when right-clicking on File Explorer’s title bar in dark mode.

Input

• Made some improvements to the emoji search results based on feedback, including generally putting a stronger preference in the search results to the exact name match of emoji (for example, the balloon emoji first when searching for balloon) over the various other emoji that might be returned for those keywords.
• Fixed an issue causing Insiders to not see the updated Korean IME design in the previous flight.
• Fixed a couple of issues with the coloring in the IME candidate window.
• Mitigated a crash that was happening when attempting to access the Personalization > Text Input in Settings after upgrading if you had customized your touch keyboard appearance.
• Addressed an explorer.exe crash that could happen when switching input methods.
• Improved the performance of launching the input switcher for the first time.
• If you have “Show accent color on Start and Taskbar” enabled in Color Settings, the input switcher background color will now follow that preference.
• Fixed the Typing link name in the touch keyboard settings options, so it matches the Settings page that opens.
• System > Clipboard in Settings now explains why the “Sync across your devices” option could be grayed out.
• Added text to the emoji panel to help explain certain scenarios where emoji search results aren’t supported.

Settings

• Addressed an issue where pop-up dialogs (for example, when adding an optional feature, or when configuring your IP address) in Settings were launching left-aligned instead of centered.
• Addressed an issue where RSAT: DNS Server Tools would show that it was installed in Optional Features if you attempted to install it but wouldn’t actually be installed.
• Fixed an issue where Display settings might not show the option to change refresh rate when your PC was in portrait mode.
• Settings should no longer crash when attempting to uninstall apps via Apps > Installed apps when your User Account Control settings are set to Always Notify.
• Windows Update > Update History should show history for feature updates again with this build.
• Mitigated an issue related to the Windows Update page that could make Settings hang.
• The link to give feedback in Settings > System > Notifications will now take you directly to the notifications feedback section in the Feedback Hub.
• Fixed an issue preventing you from adding Bluetooth or Cast to the Quick Settings flyout.
• The media controls above Quick Settings should now show when you open media or hide when you close media more reliably.
• Fixed an issue where the number in the volume popup that opens when you use your hardware keys didn’t match the volume number in Quick Settings.
• Improved the positioning of the Accessibility flyout above the button on the login screen.
• Fixed an issue that was occasionally causing certain Bluetooth devices to not auto-connect after powering on or resuming your PC from sleep/hibernate.

Widgets

• With the taskbar left-aligned, information such as temperature is now shown.
• Fixed an issue where Widgets weather info may have shown different information across a multi-monitor setup.

Windowing

• Fixed an issue that was preventing you from using the minimize, maximize, and close buttons on maximized apps (and other scenarios) because Notification Center had kept focus.
• Did some work to improve the smoothness of the animation when invoking Task View using the 3-finger on-screen gesture.
• Improved general reliability of ALT + Tab to help address scenarios where it could get stuck.
• Addressed an issue that was impacting the performance when using ALT + Tab, Task View, or snap assist in recent builds.
• Snap group titles should appear properly when using Windows with an Arabic or Hebrew display language now.
• Made some refinements to the snap layouts invocation experience when moving a window to the top of the screen.
• Fixed an issue where dragging a snapped window while snap assist is active would include a thumbnail of the dragged window.
• When using the down arrow to navigate through app thumbnails in snap assist, it should cycle to the top now when you’ve reached the bottom row.
• Fixed two crashes that could happen when using snap layouts on a secondary monitor or a portrait mode monitor.
• Made the margins for snapping to the left and right sides of the screen a little bigger.
• Switching desktops using the keyboard shortcuts while the Start menu is open should no longer cause your desktop to unexpectedly switch back after closing Start.

Network

• Added some text to show Disconnecting to communicate if work is in progress after you’ve clicked the Disconnect button in the VPN section of Quick Settings.
• Fixed an issue where Managed VPN profiles with IPv4 routes specified might disconnect frequently.

Narrator

• Narrator will no longer jump up to the search box in Start after using the power or account menus.
• After switching to the All apps section of the Start menu, Narrator will now navigate to and read your app information correctly.
• Narrator in Word online will now read the new line correctly when arrowing up and down between paragraphs.
• Fixed an issue that was causing Narrator to stop reading or being able to move the cursor when entering tables in Microsoft Word.
• Improved how Narrator reads the content in the Accessibility flyout on the login screen.