Microsoft released the Canary Channel for Windows 11 updates yesterday and today we already have the first build on it with build 25314 that was released alongside build 23403 on the Dev Channel with several new features, most of them very similar in both versions.
What’s New in Dev Channel Build 23403
Access shortcuts in the File Explorer XAML menu
Starting with File Explorer, we now have new keyboard shortcuts for options presented in the XAML menu, which is a new format adopted by Windows 11.
File recommendations in File Explorer
File Explorer will now recommend folders and files for Azure Active Directory users. Among the recommendations will appear items from the user himself, shared with him and associated with his account.
Narrator Support in Outlook
Outlook is finally getting support for Windows Narrator, which gives access to people who are visually impaired or who prefer to listen to their emails. Only US English language is supported for now.
Copy button in notifications
Windows 11 will display a button to copy the content of notifications that can be useful as two-factor authentication codes, for example.
VPNs Indicator in the Taskbar
When connecting to a recognized VPN network, Windows 11 will show a custom WiFi icon. At the moment the icon is still black or white, but soon it will be colored according to the theme applied on the computer.
Search box with new colors
The Taskbar Search Box will have a lighter tone when you use a custom color mode on the system. Box color will be dark when color mode is set to dark.
Live Language and Subtitle Improvements
Lastly, Microsoft claims that it has improved handwriting recognition in Simplified Chinese with GB18030-2022 Level 2 characters and some GB18030-2022 Level 1 characters. Speaking of languages, Live Subtitles are now supported in the following languages:
- Chinese (simplified and traditional)
- French
- German
- Italian
- Japanese
- Portuguese – Brazil)
- Spanish
- Other English Dialects
Live Subtitles can be enabled by pressing “Windows + Ctrl + L” on the keyboard or via the Quick Settings menu. When activated for the first time, it is necessary to download the installation package, which is automatically managed by the system.
What’s New in Voice Access
Voice Access is getting improvements to make accessibility even easier. The Voice Access main page has now been redesigned to present the commands with a search bar to make finding each one easier.
Voice Access is currently only available in US English, but will support variations for other regions such as Canada, Australia, UK, New Zealand and more soon.
In addition, it will also be possible to switch the Access language in the settings bar pinned to the Taskbar:
Some of the Voice Access commands include the following options: select ranges of text, delete all text in a field, apply formatting styles, remove spaces from a selected piece of text, capitalize the first letter of each selected word, and even typing without a space using just your voice.
Option to hide virtual keyboard
If you have a touch screen device you can now set whether or not the virtual keyboard will be displayed on the screen when a physical keyboard is connected.
Bugs fixed and known issues
Build 23403 from the Dev Channel still has several fixes for issues found in the Taskbar and File Explorer, but we do not recommend installing it on your primary PC as there are still known bugs in File Explorer, Live Subtitles and Access by voice.
Check out the full log of this update at the link below:
Build 25314 news on the Canary Channel
The first update of the Windows 11 Canary Channel brings some changes that are already present in the Dev channel, they are:
However, now Microsoft has implemented enabling LSA protection in updates. This function is intended to protect the theft of sensitive information used in login through unauthorized code execution in the LSA process.
This function will be enabled automatically after installing the update, as Microsoft claims it has not yet found any signs of incompatibility, but you can manually disable it by going to: Device Security > Core Isolation.
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Finally, Microsoft warns that there are still known issues in the Canary version of Windows 11, as some features are still disabled such as the Remote Email Slot Protocol, which may cause errors in applications that use this feature. This option will be reactivated in future updates.