phantomofearth 🌳
LightNews LightNews
banner
phantomofearth.bsky.social
phantomofearth 🌳
@phantomofearth.bsky.social
940 followers 170 following 1.1K posts
I take a look at #WindowsInsider builds and older Windows betas, with some randomness and bad jokes here and there.

Twitter: @phantomofearth
Posts Replies Media Videos
phantomofearth.bsky.social
New mouse haptic signals options in Settings coming soon (hidden in the latest Dev/Beta build)
Mouse settings page in Windows 11. Options for haptic signals are visible, including a toggle to turn them on or off (currently On) and a slider to adjust the signal intensity (set to 2).
November 9, 2025 at 11:23 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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
phantomofearth.bsky.social
The Widgets Board now has a toggle under Settings > Notifications > Dashboard notifications as well if you want to get badges from your pinned widgets.
Notifications settings for Widgets in Windows 11. Under Dashboard notifications are two toggles: "Widgets" (Widgets Board) and "Discover" (Microsoft Start Feed), both enabled.
November 5, 2025 at 8:11 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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.
Top left hand corner of the Widgets board in Windows 11. The icon for Widgets is a blue square with smaller blue squares, of different shades, inside it.
November 5, 2025 at 8:11 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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.
Widgets settings page in Windows 11. At the top is a Dashboards section, which shows two dashboards: the main Widgets Board and the Microsoft Start Feed. The former is above the latter, meaning it is set as default. The latter has a toggle that allows the user to turn it on or off.
November 5, 2025 at 8:11 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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).
Windows 11 desktop with the Settings app open, showing taskbar settings. Ask Copilot has been enabled, and an info bar is visible below it informing the user that the Copilot key now opens Ask Copilot. Windows 11 desktop with Windows Search open. A few results for "hey", including a folder of the same name, a text document named "hello.txt" and a Copilot prompt suggestion ("hey, can mindfulness improve mental health?"), are displayed. The "talk to Copilot" button is also highlighted.
November 1, 2025 at 12:22 AM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
*Enables the Ask Copilot on taskbar feature to test it out*
FBH: "why did you turn it off"

???
Feedback Hub notification in Windows 11 asking the user to tell Microsoft why they turned off Ask Copilot on taskbar.
October 31, 2025 at 11:34 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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
phantomofearth.bsky.social
The blog post has been corrected.
Text from a Windows Insider blog post: "[Voice Typing] We are introducing a new ‘Wait time before acting’ setting in Voice Typing, allowing users to configure the delay before a voice command is executed. This provides greater flexibility for users with varying speech patterns, enabling more accurate recognition whether speaking slowly or quickly. (Update: This is rolling out for all desktop types, not just Copilot+ PCs.)"
October 25, 2025 at 4:34 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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.)
Voice Typing in Windows 11, with the wait time before acting menu expanded to show multiple options ranging from Instant (0.1 seconds) to Very Long (3.0 seconds). To the right of it is a dialog warning that Click to Do is not available on this type of device, indicating that it is not a Copilot+ PC.
October 24, 2025 at 7:58 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
Imagine not having the watermark on though.
Screenshot of the system tray in Windows 11. Above it is a build watermark for Windows 11 Pro Insider Preview build 27975.br_release.251017-1231.
October 23, 2025 at 6:27 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
👀
Screenshot of Snipping Tool in Windows 11, with a toolbar for text visible.
October 19, 2025 at 3:33 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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
Screenshot of Windows 11, depicting the Run and Folder Options dialogs in dark mode.
October 17, 2025 at 6:57 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
I hope this actually exists in the build
Text from a blog post highlighting dark mode support for the folder options dialog in Windows 11.
October 17, 2025 at 5:09 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
I'm sure people will be very happy to see this. Totally. 🙃
Local-only commands removal: We are removing known mechanisms for creating a local account in the Windows Setup experience (OOBE). While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also inadvertently skip critical setup screens, potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use. Users will need to complete OOBE with internet and a Microsoft account, to ensure device is setup correctly.
October 6, 2025 at 9:13 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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.
Change log for the release notes of KB5065789, mentioning that notification center for secondary monitors is now available with the update as of October 02, 2025.
October 3, 2025 at 1:51 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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.
A prompt in the Paint app for Windows AI Labs, letting the user try out experimental AI features in Paint by signing up. Options to sign up or state "not interested" are shown, as well as links to a program agreement and privacy statement.
September 17, 2025 at 7:34 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
26x00.6713 blog post was quietly updated to mention that the administrator protection toggle in Windows Security isn't rolling out with this release.
"[Administrator Protection Preview] Administrator protection aims to protect free floating admin rights for administrator users allowing them to still perform all admin functions with just-in-time admin privileges. This feature is off by default and needs to be enabled via OMA-URI in Intune or via group policy. [UPDATE 9/16] The ability to enable this via Windows Security under Account protection is coming in a later update."
September 17, 2025 at 11:52 AM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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.)
Privacy & security settings page in Windows 11. Several options are listed, including Recall & snapshots, Click to Do and Background AI Tasks. Privacy & security settings page in Windows 11. Several options are listed under the Security heading, including find my device, voice activation and passkeys. Below that is the "your info" heading, with options like custom dictionary, contacts and calendar. Privacy & security settings page in Windows 11. Several options are listed under the Communication heading, including camera, microphone, messaging and speech. Below that is the file access heading, with a couple of options visible (file system, downloads). Privacy & security settings page in Windows 11. Several options are listed under the System heading, including location, diagnostics and feedback, notifications, radios and automatic file downloads.
September 13, 2025 at 11:28 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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.
Mobile devices settings page in Windows 11. The user has one connected device, The Coolest of Phones, which is toggled on to show that Windows can access it. It is at 53% battery. A related settings section is visible at the bottom, with a toggle for showing suggestions for using a mobile device with Windows, and links to Resume and Start menu settings. Subpage of mobile devices settings for "The Coolest of Phones". A hero control at the top shows the current battery level is 53%, with a Remove button on the right. A toggle to control whether the PC can access this phone is visible below, and is set to On. The features section below houses numerous feature toggles, including showing the phone in File Explorer, using it as a connected camera, using it for Resume, and remote PC controls.
September 13, 2025 at 10:46 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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.
Touchpad settings in Windows 11. Three haptic touchpad options are visible: Click force (set to Low in the dropdown), Haptic click (toggled on, with the click sensitivity slider set to a low value), and Haptic signals (toggled on, with the signal intensity slider set to the lowest value).
September 13, 2025 at 10:34 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
A keyboard settings page is being added to Bluetooth & devices. Will house keyboard backlight and keyboard character repeat options (latter migrated from Control Panel).
Bluetooth & devices settings in Windows 11. Among the listed pages is Keyboard, with the description "Character repeat, hotkeys". Keyboard settings page in Windows 11, with two headings: keyboard backlight, which has no options below it, and keyboard character repeat which has sliders for keyboard character repeat delay and rate, as well as a preview in which the user can type to preview their changes.
September 13, 2025 at 10:28 PM
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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
phantomofearth.bsky.social
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.)
Network icon context menu in Windows 11. Three options are available: diagnose network problems, perform speed test and network and Internet settings. Wi-Fi quick settings page in Windows 11. In the bottom right hand corner is a button to "Test internet speed" (as indicated by the tooltip).
September 13, 2025 at 9:22 PM