The preview of Windows 11 Build 22518 has begun to be made available to participants of the Windows Insider Program, a Microsoft Dev Channel. This update saw the implementation of new features and several improvements to key points of the operating system, including the file explorer, navigation and much more.
Called "Windows 11 Insider Preview 22518.1000 (rs_prerelease)", the update can be downloaded through Windows Update. It is important to note that the new features in this preview are not linked to a specific version of Windows such as 22H2. The reason for this is the active development branch, called "Nickel" and used in the Windows Insider Program, which makes test builds of the operating system available.
Notepad gains dark mode and other features in Windows 11
Understand the risks of participating in the Windows Insider Program
If you do not participate in Microsoft testing through the Windows Insider Program, please be aware that if you upgrade to the latest Windows 11 Builds, you will not be able to downgrade or use stable builds. There is only one way to return to using the stable version of Windows 11, through a clean installation of the operating system via the operating system ISO. In our tutorial we teach you how to download and install the Windows 11 ISO in different ways.
Spotlight Collection on Windows 11 Build 22518
Microsoft has been working on Spotilight desktop support. Now, after the Windows 11 Build 22518 preview update, you can use the Spotlight collection to update your lock screen art from time to time with beautiful images, in addition to seeing fun facts about each of them. To use it, follow the steps below:
Step 01: Right click on the desktop and click "customize".
Step 02: With the "customization" window open in the Settings app, simply choose "background" from the "customize your background" menu.
Okay, now the Windows 11 desktop wallpaper will be automatically updated with new images. Also, just like the image that appears on the lock screen, you can hover your mouse over the Spotlight icon to learn more about the image.
voice access
With the new Windows 11 update, Microsoft is bringing a new Voice Access experience to the operating system. Utilizing the Windows developer's machine learning technology and the device's voice recognition system, Windows 11 Voice Access gives users the ability to open and switch between applications, as well as browse the web and read email through voice commands.
Initially, Microsoft is offering the novelty in English only. For the new Voice Access to work, you need to change the Windows display language to English.
Other Windows 11 Build 22518 preview improvements:
- Microsoft is releasing a new custom emoji. These new emojis will be based on the face and skin tones of family members and can be customized by the user. Microsoft is also releasing emojis for couples with hearts, kisses, and people holding hands.
- You can now display the clock and date on the secondary monitor taskbar.
- Microsoft is adding a new extra-large candidate height option for IME users.
- Microsoft is making some changes to address an issue where an invisible window frame can prevent search entries. In some cases, the Windows Search recent searches flyout may get stuck on the screen.
- The Windows Search results searches flyout will now have a tooltip that describes its purpose.
- Fixed issues that resulted in Windows Search crashing.
How to download the update now
To get the performance improvements provided by the new Windows 11 update, follow these steps:
Step 01: Open Windows Settings.
Step 02: Select the "Windows Update" option in the left hand column.
Step 03: Select "check for updates".
Step 04: When you locate the update, it will be downloaded and installed automatically.
Step 05: Select "Restart Now".
Windows 11 Build 22518 Update Known Issues
As of now, Microsoft is aware of the following issues in Build 22518:
- A bug can crash the DWM. When this happens, your screen will flash repeatedly.
- The network icon will automatically disappear from the taskbar. This can be fixed by restarting Explorer.exe.
- Windows search panel may not open. Restart the "Windows Explorer" process to get it working again.
- The widget board may appear black or render at an incorrect resolution.
Other improvements
This week, Microsoft released an update in Windows 11 that allows Notepad to use dark mode, in addition to other improved features.
