New Windows 11 Build 22623.1325 – New Widgets, Start Menu with AI, and Fixes (Beta)

In this article, we will talk about the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build for the Beta Channel, which is Build 22623.1325.

Starting today, Microsoft is releasing updates to the Beta Channel that put Windows Insiders into one of two groups similar to what they did back in 2019:

• A group of Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive Build 22623.xxx updates that will have new features getting rolled out or turned on via an enablement package like how we release updates for Windows 10 today.
• A group of Insiders in the Beta Channel will receive Build 22621.xxx updates that will have new features turned off by default.

This way, Microsoft will be able to test out new features easier.

If you receive the Build that has all the features automatically turned off, you can enable them manually in 2 ways:

• Search for Update in the Settings App Windows Update
• Use Vivetool to manually enable the features

New Widgets: Messenger, Spotify, Phone Link, and Game Pass

Microsoft is beginning to roll out support for new preview widgets for Messenger, Spotify, Phone Link, and Xbox (Game Pass) to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. To give them a try, go to the widgets collection in the Microsoft Store and update to the latest version of the apps. Then open the widgets board and navigate to the widgets picker by clicking the “+” button at the top-right of the board to pin your widgets.

New Commercial Policy: Enable features that are off by default

This new policy enables commercial customers to enable features introduced via servicing (outside of the annual feature update) that are off by default for devices that have their Windows updates managed. Windows update managed devices are those that have their Windows updates managed via policy; whether via the cloud using Windows Update for Business or on-premises with Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). Learn more about this new policy here.

Start Menu with AI

For devices that are Azure Active Directory (AAD) joined, Microsoft is personalizing your experience by delivering AI-powered recommended content within your Start menu. When you open the Start menu, you will find related content to help you prepare for upcoming meetings, quickly access files you’re collaborating on, and more.

Fixes in Build 22623.1325

Taskbar and System Tray

• Fixed an issue that was causing taskbar to be cut off after resolution changes.

Fixes for Both Build 22621.1325 and Build 22623.1325

• We fixed compatibility issues that affected some printers. Those printers used Windows Graphical Device Interface (GDI) printer drivers. Those drivers did not completely adhere to GDI specifications.
• We fixed a reliability issue that occurred when you used Task View.
• We fixed an issue that affected copying from a network to a local drive. Copying was slower than expected for some users.
• We provided support for the United Mexican States’ daylight-saving time change order for 2023.
• We fixed a date information issue. It affected the format of dates sent between Windows and some versions of the Heimdal Kerberos library.
• We fixed an issue that affected provisioning packages. They failed to apply in certain circumstances when elevation was required.
• We fixed an issue that affected which folders appeared in the Browse for Folder picker.
• We fixed an issue that affected File Explorer. When you used Shift + Tab or Shift + F6, the input focus did not move.
• We fixed an issue that affected the user interface (UI). The volume up and volume down commands from a Bluetooth keyboard did not display.
• We improved the reliability of Windows after you installed an update.
• We fixed an issue that might have affected lsass.exe. It might have stopped responding when it sent a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query to a domain controller that had a very large LDAP filter.
• We fixed an issue that affected Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). Using a provisioning package for bulk provisioning failed.
• We fixed an issue that affected the software keyboard. It did not appear in the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) after a Push-button reset (factory reset). This type of reset required an external keyboard to be attached to provide credentials.
• We fixed an issue that affected AppV. It stopped file names from having the correct letter case (uppercase or lowercase).
• We fixed an issue that affected Universal Print’s Configuration Service Provider (CSP). A command prompt window appeared when you installed a printer.
• We fixed an issue that might have affected the touch keyboard and the PIN entry keyboard. You might not have been able to use them to enter text when you signed in to your device.
• We fixed an issue that displayed a blue screen during video playback. This occurred after you set high dynamic range (HDR) on your display.
• We fixed an issue that affected parity virtual disks. Using Server Manager to create them failed
• We fixed an issue that affected IE mode. The text on the status bar was not always visible.
• We fixed an issue that affected the Color filters setting. When you selected Inverted, the system set it to Grayscale instead.
• We fixed an issue that affected Microsoft Edge. The issue removed conflicting policies for Microsoft Edge. This occurred when you set the MDMWinsOverGPFlag in a Microsoft Intune tenant and Intune detected a policy conflict.
• We fixed an issue that affected the Appx State Repository. When you removed a user profile, the cleanup was incomplete. Because of that, its database grew as time passes. This growth might have caused delays when users signed in to multi-user environments like FSLogix.

For more information regarding 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.