November 2024 Windows 11 24H2 Non-Security Preview Update

  Microsoft released KB5044384 (OS Builds 22100.2161 for Windows 11 24H2.

Gradual rollout

These might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually.​​​​​

• [Settings] New! Tailored Experiences is now Personalized offers in the out of box experience (OOBE). You can find it on the Recommendations and offers page. Go to Settings > Privacy & security. Here, you can turn off the setting that sends data about your device to enhance Windows.
• [Taskbar]
• New! The system tray shows a shortened date and time. Also, the notification bell icon might not show if you have set the toggle for “Do not disturb” to on. If the bell icon does not show, click the date and time to view your messages in the notification center. To go back to the long form of the date and time, go to Settings > Date and Time. Then turn on the toggle for “Show time and day in the system tray.” To show the bell icon, go to Settings > System > Notifications. Turn on the toggle for “Notifications.” You can also get to these settings using the context menu. Just right click the system tray clock or bell icon.
• Fixed: When you choose "Automatically hide the taskbar," the search box shows as an icon, not as a search box.
• [Start menu] New! When you right-click apps that you have pinned to the Start menu, jump lists will appear for apps that have jump lists.
• [Touchscreen] New! This update adds a new section for touchscreen edge gestures. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touch. There, you can choose if you would like to turn off the left or right screen edge touch gesture.
• [Input Method Editor (IME)] New! After you install this update, the IME toolbar will hide when apps are in full screen mode. This only occurs when the IME toolbar is active and you type Chinese or Japanese characters.​​​​​​​
• [File Explorer]
• New! You can share content to an Android device from the context menu in File Explorer and on the desktop. To use this feature, you must install and configure Phone Link on your PC.​​​​​​​
• Fixed: There might be more space than you expect between the items listed in the left pane.
• Fixed: The search box is cut off when the File Explorer window is small.
• [Dynamic Lighting Settings page]
• New! Its page will show a placeholder message when there is no compatible device attached to your computer. Also, the Brightness and Effects controls will be off.
• New! This update adds the Forward, Backward, Outward, and Inward direction options to the Wave effect. The Gradient effect now has the Forward direction option.

• [Jump lists] New! If you hold Shift and CTRL and click a jump list item, this opens the item as an admin.
• [Speech in Windows] New!This update improves the speech-to-text and text-to-speech features in Windows. You might get a message that asks you to update your language files manually. You can get those files from Microsoft Store. This change affects those of you who use Narrator, voice access, live captions, live translations, and voice typing.
• ​​​​​​​[Display]
• Fixed: App windows might collect in the corner of a monitor after your device goes to sleep. This occurs when you use multiple monitors.
• Fixed: Mica material might not display correctly. This occurs when you use a slideshow background.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
• Fixed: Some secondary displays might experience lag and screen tearing when a window is in full screen.
• [Mouse] Fixed: When you use the "Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key," the circles might be tiny on some displays.
• [Clipboard] Fixed: Clipboard history (Windows logo key plus sign (+) V) might show no content. This issue occurs even though it is on, and you have copied text and images.

Normal rollout

• [Mouse and game bar] Fixed: Your mouse might unlock from the game window. This occurs when you have multiple monitors and open and close the game bar.

See the KB article for improvements included.

Note:  Due to the holiday schedule, there will be no December 2024 non-security preview update but there will be a monthly security update for December 2024.

Update:  To get the update, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. The link to download and install the update can be found in the Optional updates available area.  To get the standalone package for this update, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

References:

Windows 11 update history

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

November 2024 Windows 11 23H3 and 22H2 Non-Security Preview Update

 Microsoft released KB5046732 (OS Builds 22621.4541 and 22631.4541 for Windows 11 23H3 and Windows 11 22H2. 

Highlights

These might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually

• [Settings] New! Tailored Experiences is now Personalized offers in the out of box experience (OOBE). You can find it on the Recommendations and offers page. Go to Settings > Privacy & security. Here, you can turn off the setting that sends data about your device to enhance Windows.
• [Taskbar]
• ​​​​​​​New! The system tray shows a shortened date and time. Also, the notification bell icon might not show if you have set the toggle for “Do not disturb” to on. If the bell icon does not show, click the date and time to view your messages in the notification center. To go back to the long form of the date and time, go to Settings > Date and Time. Then turn on the toggle for “Show time and day in the system tray.” To show the bell icon, go to Settings > System > Notifications. Turn on the toggle for “Notifications.” You can also get to these settings using the context menu. Just right click the system tray clock or bell icon.
• Fixed: When you choose "Automatically hide the taskbar," the search box shows as an icon, not as a search box.
• ​​​​​​​[Input Method Editor (IME)] New! After you install this update, the IME toolbar will hide when apps are in full screen mode. This only occurs when the IME toolbar is active and you type Chinese or Japanese characters.
• [Start menu] New! When you right-click apps that you have pinned to the Start menu, jump lists will appear for apps that have jump lists.
• [File Explorer]
• New! You canshare content to an Android device from the context menu in File Explorer and on the desktop. To use this feature, you must install and configure Phone Link on your PC.
• Fixed: There might be more space than you expect between the items listed in the left pane.
• Fixed: The search box is cut off when the File Explorer window is small.
• [Touchscreen] New! This update adds a new section for touchscreen edge gestures. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touch. There, you can choose if you would like to turn off the left or right screen edge touch gesture.
• [Mouse] New! This update adds the option to turn off enhanced mouse pointer precision to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Mouse. There is also a new option to change the direction in which the mouse scrolls.
• ​​​​​​​[Dynamic Lighting Settings page]
• New! Its page will show a placeholder message when there is no compatible device attached to your computer. Also, the Brightness and Effects controls will be off.
• New! This update adds the Forward, Backward, Outward, and Inward direction options to the Wave effect. The Gradient effect now has the Forward direction option.
• [Jump lists] New! If you hold Shift and CTRL and click a jump list item, this opens the item as an admin.

Normal rollout​

• [Bluetooth LE Audio] Fixed: Some devices, like hearing aids, do not stream Bluetooth audio.
• [Mouse and game bar] Fixed: Your mouse might unlock from the game window. This occurs when you have multiple monitors and open and close the game bar.

Note:  Due to the holiday schedule, there will be no December 2024 non-security preview update but there will be a monthly security update for December 2024.

Update:  To get the update, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. The link to download and install the update can be found in the Optional updates available area.  To get the standalone package for this update, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

References:

Windows 11 update history

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...

November 2024 Windows 10 Non-Security Preview Update

 Microsoft released KB5046714 for Windows 10 version 22H2 optional non-security release preview (Windows monthly updates explained).

Highlights

• [App list backup] Fixed: Win32 shortcuts might not back up to the cloud. 
• [Copy cloud files] Fixed: When you drag and drop files from a cloud files provider folder, it might result in a move instead of a copy.

See the KB article for the list of quality improvements included in the update.

This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates. For general information about SSUs, see Servicing stack updates and Servicing Stack Updates (SSU): Frequently Asked Questions.

Note:  Due to the holiday schedule, there will be no December 2024 non-security preview update but there will be a monthly security update for December 2024.

Update:  To get the update, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. The link to download and install the update can be found in the Optional updates available area.  To get the standalone package for this update, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

Windows 10 update history

Remember - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart...