phantomofearth 🌳
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phantomofearth.bsky.social
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
New mouse haptic signals options in Settings coming soon (hidden in the latest Dev/Beta build)
November 9, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Windows 11's Snipping Tool is finally getting the ability to insert text when editing screenshots! Here's a look at the feature:
November 9, 2025 at 8:03 PM
The Widgets Board now has a toggle under Settings > Notifications > Dashboard notifications as well if you want to get badges from your pinned widgets.
November 5, 2025 at 8:11 PM
The dashboard at the top will be the default, so you can actually have the widgets-only page be the default instead of the MSN feed.

Also notice the new icon for the main Widgets page, looks more like the one in taskbar settings.
November 5, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Instead of waiting for a new build for details on the out-of-band Widgets changes, how about we check them out now? 🧵

New full-page Widgets settings below, no longer in a dialog. Dashboards section is now like lock screen widgets settings, lets you change the order in which boards are displayed.
November 5, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Here's the Ask Copilot taskbar search experience/composer in Dev/Beta build 26220.7051.

To get it, enable feature IDs 57739723 and 57941090, then reboot and toggle Ask Copilot on in taskbar settings (this is an opt-in feature).
November 1, 2025 at 12:22 AM
*Enables the Ask Copilot on taskbar feature to test it out*
FBH: "why did you turn it off"

???
October 31, 2025 at 11:34 PM
To enable the updated taskbar autohide animation in recent Dev/Beta builds, run vivetool /enable /id:41356296. If that doesn't work then you know the drill, make sure you have 48433719 enabled.
October 26, 2025 at 2:10 PM
The blog post has been corrected.
October 25, 2025 at 4:34 PM
More incorrect info in the weekly build blog posts. Voice Typing's "wait time before acting" setting is not a Copilot+ feature, and is available to all devices. If you want to get it in .6982, enable feature ID 58970402.

(C2D HW req check not met dialog used for proof.)
October 24, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Imagine not having the watermark on though.
October 23, 2025 at 6:27 PM
👀
October 19, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Build 26x20.6972 brings dark mode to the folder options and Run dialogs! (Yes, dark mode Run is present this time.)

Dark Mode dialog prereq: vivetool /enable /id:58383338

Dark Mode Run: vivetool /enable /id:59270880

Dark Mode Folder Options: vivetool /enable /id:59203365
October 17, 2025 at 6:57 PM
I hope this actually exists in the build
October 17, 2025 at 5:09 PM
I'm sure people will be very happy to see this. Totally. 🙃
October 6, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Gotta love when features never go into RP testing and then suddenly start rolling out to retail... several days after the update is released. Sigh.
October 3, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Windows DreamScene is back! Hidden in the latest Windows 11 Dev/Beta build (26x20.6690) is built in support for setting video files like .mp4 as your desktop background:
September 20, 2025 at 1:56 PM
A new Windows AI Labs program is coming soon. It will let you try out experimental AI features in inbox apps. Paint looks like it'll be the first to start getting any, there's a Reimagine feature in the works which might end up rolling out through this program.
September 17, 2025 at 7:34 PM
26x00.6713 blog post was quietly updated to mention that the administrator protection toggle in Windows Security isn't rolling out with this release.
September 17, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Speaking of revamped settings pages, the main (L1) privacy & security settings page is being revamped. New headings have been added and all the pages have been moved around, with descriptions for more pages. There's also a "background AI tasks" page coming (just crashes atm.)
September 13, 2025 at 11:28 PM
The mobile devices settings page is being revamped! You will now be able to see connected devices and toggle all the options for them in this page, no separate manage mobile devices window needed. Related settings links are also being added.
September 13, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Haptic touchpad settings are also being updated. Click force/sensitivity will have a dropdown instead of a slider, and there are now separate toggles and sliders for haptic click and haptic signals.
September 13, 2025 at 10:34 PM
A keyboard settings page is being added to Bluetooth & devices. Will house keyboard backlight and keyboard character repeat options (latter migrated from Control Panel).
September 13, 2025 at 10:28 PM
The Drag Tray is no longer going to be exclusively for file sharing. It'll be getting more actions, with a basic one hidden in the latest Dev/Beta CU - moving files between folders.
September 13, 2025 at 9:45 PM
The network icon in the system tray's context menu and the Wi-Fi quick settings page in Windows 11 are getting buttons to let you quickly run a network speed test. (Takes you to Bing to do the speed test.)
September 13, 2025 at 9:22 PM