New Windows 11 Build 22635.4800 – New Start Menu Design, New File Explorer Home, and more (Beta)

In this article, we will talk about the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build for the Beta Channel, which is the Build 22635.4800.

Microsoft is making some changes to the Beta Channel:

• They will no longer release 2 different builds for the Beta Channel, and everyone will now be on the same build
• Insiders who want all the new features will need to toggle on the get the latest updates as they are available setting in Windows Update
• Features will be tested in 2 different ways: new features, improvements, and fixes that are being gradually rolled out for Insiders who have turned ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available and then new features, improvements, and fixes gradually rolling out to everyone in the Beta Channel. 

New Widgets Change

In this flight, Microsoft is introducing the ability for web developers to easily utilize their existing web content to build dynamic and interactive widgets that can be added to the widgets surfaces in Windows 11. For more information, click here.

New File Explorer Features

• Microsoft is temporarily disabling the change that began rolling out with Build 22635.4580 where File Explorer opens in a new tab by default if you have an existing File Explorer window open when launching File Explorer from outside of File Explorer (for example, from an app or from the desktop) to address some issues.
• The Recommended Files Section in the File Explorer Homepage is now also available for personal MSAs and local accounts, not just Entra ID accounts and it will also show local files, not just cloud files.
• This updates also includes increased support for the text scaling (via Settings > Accessibility > Text size) across File Explorer, File Open/Save dialogs and the copy dialogs.

New Windows Backup Change

You will now have a standard Windows 11 taskbar after restoring from a backup via the Windows Setup experience (OOBE) on a new Windows PC. You can still find your apps in the Start menu and Search and pin apps you want to your taskbar.

New Search on the Taskbar

Improved support for web search providers in Windows Search for the EEA, including clearer provider attribution in tabs.

New Settings Features

• Microsoft is starting to roll out the Settings homepage for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. The feature will show some existing cards relevant to enterprise-managed PCs like “Recommended settings” and “Bluetooth devices” as well as two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards. For commercial customers who also use their Microsoft account on their managed PC, there will also be a new accounts card indicating the presence of both work and school and Microsoft account types. We are starting the rollout of this gradually with managed commercial PCs who have both work and school and Microsoft accounts present seeing this experience first.

• Microsoft is also rolling out “top cards” under Settings > System > About. These top cards provide an easy way to view your PC’s key specifications—processor, RAM, storage, and GPU—helping you understand your PC’s capabilities at a glance. This is designed to simplify decision-making by highlighting potential areas for hardware improvements while giving you a clear snapshot of your PC. Top Cards won’t appear yet on managed commercial PCs.

New Start Menu All Apps Section

Microsoft has also worked more on the Start Menu All Apps Section, which is now more reliable, has smoother animations and also includes more apps in the Category Section Folders.

Known Issues in this Build

File Explorer

• If you open a File Explorer window and minimize it in this build, it may not render correctly when you restore it.

Settings

• The Home page of Settings may crash. If you are impacted by this, you should still be able to open specific Settings pages directly by searching for them from the taskbar.
• There is a known issue where the two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards are showing up on non-managed PCs signed in with Microsoft accounts.

For more information about this Build, you can check this article from the Microsoft Blog.

For a more in-depth presentation of the New Build, you can watch the video below from the youtube channel.