Say cheese! Microsoft has released a new preview build to the Dev channel for Insiders to try. Windows 11 build 25182 includes a few new additions and general improvements.
Though the prime focus, as expected, is still bug fixes and overall polish.
The announcement post provides complete details of this build’s new features. It also announces that starting with build 25182, the expiration date of these Windows 11 preview versions is September 15, 2023.
The previous expiry date of these builds was, correspondingly, September 15 of this year.
Although you still have plenty of time if you deploy these Insider builds on your test systems, paying attention to these expiration notices is always a good idea so that your build does not stop functioning.
Speaking of functioning, this new version functions like fine wine.
That’s because Microsoft has packed in a whole range of bug fixes and improvements in this version of the preview. There are general improvements to the OS, fixes for taskbar troubles, solutions for the Start Menu, and fine-tuning of the File Explorer, to go with a few other refinements.
There’s also a fix for an issue where users experienced a decrease in FPS when playing certain games due to using the wrong graphics card.
On the new additions side of things, we have an update to the Camera app that now understands the state of privacy shutter on supported hardware like Microsoft Modern Webcam or the integrated camera on many new Windows 11 laptops.
The camera app will now be able to display a warning if these cameras have a shutter blocking the view or the lid on a laptop closed, noting that the camera is blocked and will offer help.
Microsoft has also improved the Camera app on ARM64 devices, meaning you will see faster and better performance when you use the application on these machines.
Do note that this is still version 22H2, as development of the Sun Valley 3 update has been canceled in favor of releasing a major new version of Windows every three years. Most of these new additions will eventually be released, sometimes in 2023, under the Windows 11 23H2 version naming.
