New Windows 11 Build 22635.3500 – New Start Menu Design, Taskbar Changes, and more (Beta)

In this article, we will talk about the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build for the Beta Channel, which is Build 22635.3500.

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. 

Start Menu

• Microsoft is introducing a New Account Manager in the Start Menu, that offers information related to your Microsoft Account.

• Also, the All apps section is now categorized with letters so that you can navigate more easily.

Windows Share

If your Microsoft account uses a Gmail address, you can now send email to yourself from Windows share window and receive it in your Gmail account.

Settings

• To ensure you don’t lose access to your Microsoft account, Microsoft is beginning to roll out a new banner with a “Add now” button under Settings > Account for adding a recovery email address if you haven’t added one for your Microsoft account yet. This will only show if you are signed in with a Microsoft account.
• Microsoft is introducing a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings homepage. The Game Pass recommendation card on Settings Homepage will be shown to you if you actively play games on your PC. As a reminder – the Settings homepage will be shown only on the Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 and if you’re signed into Windows with your Microsoft account.

Widgets Board

• Microsoft is introducing a new navigation bar on the left allowing you to switch between a dedicated widgets dashboard and other integrated dashboards like Discover. As part of this change, we are introducing the ability for developers to send notifications to the taskbar button with their custom dashboards for the Widgets board. Developers can check out this documentation on how to implement this capability with their Widgets dashboards.

• Microsoft is making some improvements to the Widgets button on the taskbar so that the icons on the taskbar are clearer and we are rolling out a larger set of animated icons too.

Taskbar Change

Also, Microsoft is trying a new change where the search box will show on the taskbar set to auto hide.

The taskbar search box will soon be able to show on taskbars set to auto hide. Currently, attempting to have the search box show on an auto hiding taskbar causes it to show the simpler icon instead.

(this change is disabled by default, build 22635.3500.) pic.twitter.com/syjHI9c4XK

— PhantomOcean3 🌳 (@PhantomOfEarth) April 19, 2024

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.