Microsoft is rolling out yet another build of Windows 11 to Insiders this week, this time in the Beta channel. Windows Insiders enrolled in this channel are now getting Windows 11 build 22623.870 or build 22621.870, the former of which has additional features enabled by default. This update brings a new Braille driver solution that's been in testing in the Dev channel for a while, along with many other improvements.
This new Braille implementation makes it so that users can keep using Braille as they switch between the built-in Narrator in Windows 11 and other screen readers. Narrator can dynamically change the Braille driver as needed so users don't lose functionality unexpectedly. This does require you to uninstall the previous Braille driver solution if you had it already, and reinstalling it will get you the new capabilities.
Another change in this build is that some Insiders will now be able to see Task Manager as an option when they right-click the taskbar, similar to how it worked before. Microsoft has highlighted this change un multiple updates this week, including the first feature drop for Windows 11 version 22H2, but in all of these cases, it's a gradual rollout. You may not see it right away, and in our experience with a few devices, we haven't gotten it to show up yet.
This build also includes new improvements for users that have the new tablet-optimized taskbar, who should now see smoother animations when using touch gestures involving the taskbar. Additionally, for users who have the new system tray experience, there's a fix that could cause explorer.exe to crash when moving icons in the system tray.
All of that applies just to Windows 11 build 22623.870, which is the one that has those new features enabled. However, there are some additional fixes that apply to build 22621.870 as well. You can check those out below.
- New! We added improvements to the Microsoft Account experience in Settings. For instance, you can manage your Microsoft One Drive subscription and related storage alerts.
- New! We added a new consent form for those of you enrolled in Windows Hello Face and Fingerprint. You have new choices for your biometric data. You can keep storing your biometric data or open Settings to delete the data if you have not used your face or fingerprint for authentication in over 365 days. You also have these options if you upgraded to Windows 11 and have not yet seen the new Hello Learn More Privacy text.
- New! We enhanced search visual treatments on the taskbar to improve discoverability. This is available to a small audience initially and deploys more broadly in the months that follow. Some devices might notice different visual treatments as we gather feedback. To learn more about why you might be seeing these changes, see Search for anything, anywhere.
- We updated DriverSiPolicy.p7b for the Windows kernel vulnerable driver blocklist. This update includes drivers that are vulnerable to Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
- We extended original equipment manufacturer (OEM) control of Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI) enforcement for targeted hardware configurations.
- We fixed an issue that affects the Microsoft Azure Active Directory (AAD) Application Proxy connector. It cannot retrieve a Kerberos ticket on behalf of the user. The error message is, “The handle specified is invalid (0x80090301).”
- We fixed an issue that affects cached credentials for security keys and Fast Identity Online 2.0 (FIDO2) On hybrid domain-joined devices, the system removes these cached credentials.
- We fixed an issue that might cause vertical and horizontal line artifacts to appear on the screen.
- We fixed an issue that affects title bars when you use third-party tools to customize them. The title bars did not render. This update ensures that title bars render; however, we cannot guarantee all text customizations will work as before.
- We fixed an issue that might fail to sync the audio when you record game play using the Xbox Game Bar.
Additionally, there are some known issues affecting this build, including a longstanding problem where audio may not work for some users. The remaining issues are related to the tablet-optimized taskbar, which is still very much a work in progress.
If you're a Windows Insider in the Beta channel, you can head into the Settings app to check for updates if you want to grab Windows 11 build 22623.870 (or 22621.870) right away. As a reminder, if you're in the 22621 branch, you can check for updates again after installing the new update if you want to jump over to build 22623.
Source: Microsoft