phantomofearth ☃️
@phantomofearth.bsky.social
I take a look at #WindowsInsider builds and older Windows betas, with some randomness and bad jokes here and there.
Twitter: @phantomofearth
Twitter: @phantomofearth
Pinned
Want to try out the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) on a desktop/laptop running build 26220.7271 without waiting an eternity for the gradual rollout?
Run vivetool /enable /id:59765208, reboot and enjoy!
Run vivetool /enable /id:59765208, reboot and enjoy!
For anyone wondering if we'll get 26220.7857/KB5077223 for Beta again, a newer revision of it is being tested and that might actually go out to Insiders intentionally. (26220.7859)
February 16, 2026 at 4:04 PM
For anyone wondering if we'll get 26220.7857/KB5077223 for Beta again, a newer revision of it is being tested and that might actually go out to Insiders intentionally. (26220.7859)
Build 26300.7864, yesterday's seemingly unintentional (now pulled) Dev build, includes updated point-in-time restore settings. Now in a dialog instead of an entire subpage, and requires you to click Yes on a UAC prompt.
February 13, 2026 at 1:09 PM
Build 26300.7864, yesterday's seemingly unintentional (now pulled) Dev build, includes updated point-in-time restore settings. Now in a dialog instead of an entire subpage, and requires you to click Yes on a UAC prompt.
Cooking for the coming week:
🐦 28020.1611
🧑💻 26300.7760
🐟 26220.7755
🐦 28020.1611
🧑💻 26300.7760
🐟 26220.7755
February 8, 2026 at 11:11 AM
Cooking for the coming week:
🐦 28020.1611
🧑💻 26300.7760
🐟 26220.7755
🐦 28020.1611
🧑💻 26300.7760
🐟 26220.7755
Cooking:
🐦 28020.1546
🧑💻 26300.7733
🐟 26220.7724
🐦 28020.1546
🧑💻 26300.7733
🐟 26220.7724
February 2, 2026 at 1:58 PM
Cooking:
🐦 28020.1546
🧑💻 26300.7733
🐟 26220.7724
🐦 28020.1546
🧑💻 26300.7733
🐟 26220.7724
Reposted by phantomofearth ☃️
Video on KB5074105 youtu.be/wJeQtO9W5is
Windows 11 January/February 2026 Update (KB5074105): What's New?
YouTube video by phantomofearth
youtu.be
January 28, 2026 at 12:26 AM
Video on KB5074105 youtu.be/wJeQtO9W5is
The upcoming revamped L1 privacy settings page has been updated in recent builds, it now has a hero control featuring Windows Security. At a glance info is also shown next to each subpage (e.g. how many apps are allowed to use text and image gen.)
![Privacy & security settings in Windows 11, with a hero control at the top showing Windows Security, as well as location, camera and microphone permission info. Below that is a list of subpages, with at a glance info shown for some of them (e.g. 2 apps [allowed to use screenshot borders] next to "screenshot borders".)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lld3hsasiketetu767uagr6m/bafkreihycii7xyeniejmb4cftbbh4kjmg7filmhpte3owjsh3olkzeczn4@jpeg)
January 29, 2026 at 4:16 PM
The upcoming revamped L1 privacy settings page has been updated in recent builds, it now has a hero control featuring Windows Security. At a glance info is also shown next to each subpage (e.g. how many apps are allowed to use text and image gen.)
New "Share any window from my taskbar with virtual assistant" toggle in taskbar settings hidden in recent builds
January 29, 2026 at 4:16 PM
New "Share any window from my taskbar with virtual assistant" toggle in taskbar settings hidden in recent builds
A toggle for WSL is being added to Settings > System > Advanced > Virtual Workspaces.
January 29, 2026 at 3:40 PM
A toggle for WSL is being added to Settings > System > Advanced > Virtual Workspaces.
WhatsApp Resume is coming soon, toggle for it already seems to be gradually rolling out (feature ID49059846, ID... well... 49059846).
January 29, 2026 at 2:52 PM
WhatsApp Resume is coming soon, toggle for it already seems to be gradually rolling out (feature ID49059846, ID... well... 49059846).
Also quietly rolling out are updated dialogs for turning Windows protected print mode on/off, here they are in both light and dark mode (feature Print_PlatformStabilizationFixes_2026_Wave1, ID 57741219)
January 29, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Also quietly rolling out are updated dialogs for turning Windows protected print mode on/off, here they are in both light and dark mode (feature Print_PlatformStabilizationFixes_2026_Wave1, ID 57741219)
Also quietly rolling out are updated dialogs for turning Windows protected print mode on/off, here they are in both light and dark mode (feature Print_PlatformStabilizationFixes_2026_Wave1, ID 57741219)
January 29, 2026 at 1:43 PM
Also quietly rolling out are updated dialogs for turning Windows protected print mode on/off, here they are in both light and dark mode (feature Print_PlatformStabilizationFixes_2026_Wave1, ID 57741219)
Undocumented change in the latest Dev and Beta builds (.767x) - the create/attach/initialize VHD confirmation dialogs in Settings have been rejuvenated to be more consistent with the Windows 11 UI.
Why MS shipped these with the older design in *2025* is beyond me.
Why MS shipped these with the older design in *2025* is beyond me.
January 29, 2026 at 1:28 PM
Undocumented change in the latest Dev and Beta builds (.767x) - the create/attach/initialize VHD confirmation dialogs in Settings have been rejuvenated to be more consistent with the Windows 11 UI.
Why MS shipped these with the older design in *2025* is beyond me.
Why MS shipped these with the older design in *2025* is beyond me.
"In recent Canary builds we added the capability to set .webp images for your desktop background..."
This change has been around since 2788x (if not earlier, I haven't checked everything). You know, over half a year ago. But sure, "recent".
This change has been around since 2788x (if not earlier, I haven't checked everything). You know, over half a year ago. But sure, "recent".
January 28, 2026 at 10:22 PM
"In recent Canary builds we added the capability to set .webp images for your desktop background..."
This change has been around since 2788x (if not earlier, I haven't checked everything). You know, over half a year ago. But sure, "recent".
This change has been around since 2788x (if not earlier, I haven't checked everything). You know, over half a year ago. But sure, "recent".
I'm not sure why some people seem to think 26300 is 26H1, given the EKB for it is literally "Windows (Ge) 26H2" and we already know that 26H1 is 28000...
Sigh.
Sigh.
January 28, 2026 at 12:10 PM
I'm not sure why some people seem to think 26300 is 26H1, given the EKB for it is literally "Windows (Ge) 26H2" and we already know that 26H1 is 28000...
Sigh.
Sigh.
Video on KB5074105 youtu.be/wJeQtO9W5is
Windows 11 January/February 2026 Update (KB5074105): What's New?
YouTube video by phantomofearth
youtu.be
January 28, 2026 at 12:26 AM
Video on KB5074105 youtu.be/wJeQtO9W5is
26300.7674 includes the EKB aware watermark changes we heard were coming roughly 2 weeks ago, here's how that looks.
January 27, 2026 at 11:46 PM
26300.7674 includes the EKB aware watermark changes we heard were coming roughly 2 weeks ago, here's how that looks.
The 26300 EKB is labelled "Feature Enablement for Windows (Ge) 26H2 Insider Refresh", btw
January 27, 2026 at 11:40 PM
The 26300 EKB is labelled "Feature Enablement for Windows (Ge) 26H2 Insider Refresh", btw
10.0.26100.7674 (ge_prerelease_im.260120-1446)
January 27, 2026 at 10:04 PM
10.0.26100.7674 (ge_prerelease_im.260120-1446)
I wonder if we'll (finally) get the monthly RP update today 🤔
January 26, 2026 at 3:52 PM
I wonder if we'll (finally) get the monthly RP update today 🤔
It's that time of the year again
birthday 🎉
birthday 🎉
January 25, 2026 at 1:22 PM
It's that time of the year again
birthday 🎉
birthday 🎉
10.0.29520.1000 (rs_prerelease.260122-1601)
January 23, 2026 at 6:33 PM
10.0.29520.1000 (rs_prerelease.260122-1601)
Challenge: Ship a monthly feature drop WITHOUT having to disable features during RP testing or *after* releasing to stable because they should have never been near stable in the first place.
(Difficulty: Impossible)
(Difficulty: Impossible)
![A change to the release notes for KB5070311, dated January 20, 2026:
"Update: These features, originally documented for the December 2025 non‑security update (KB5070311), have been removed from documentation. They are planned for a future release.
[Widgets] You can choose a default dashboard in Widget Board settings. When live weather is showing, the Widget Board opens the first dashboard in your navigation bar instead of the most recently used one, making the experience consistent. To set your default dashboard, open the full-page Widgets Settings by selecting Settings in the navigation bar, then move your preferred dashboard to the top.
[Widgets] Dashboard icons in the Widget navigation bar now show numbers that correspond to the number of alerts from that dashboard. Navigation bar badges clear automatically when you leave a dashboard, making it easy to track what’s new. "](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lld3hsasiketetu767uagr6m/bafkreibg7f556miq4excclmxocz4htddbedvjquud75xqhbncosdnm6ml4@jpeg)
January 23, 2026 at 6:21 PM
Challenge: Ship a monthly feature drop WITHOUT having to disable features during RP testing or *after* releasing to stable because they should have never been near stable in the first place.
(Difficulty: Impossible)
(Difficulty: Impossible)