Microsoft has released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26090 to Windows Insiders in both the Canary and development channels. In Windows 11 Build 26090, several enhancements have been made to the Windows Insiders experience. One of these enhancements is the addition of a new navigation bar on the left side of the screen. This bar gives users the ability to switch between a dashboard that is solely dedicated to widgets and other integrated dashboards such as Discover. The newly introduced navigation pane gives users the ability to switch to the My Widgets dashboard, which offers them a complete experience that is exclusive to widgets from their preferred applications and services.

Additionally, beginning with Build 26085 and higher, modifications to the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol are implemented for QUIC, signing, and encryption. Through the use of PowerShell or Group Policy, administrators now have the ability to disable the SMB over QUIC client. It is now possible to write successful SMB over QUIC client connection events to the event log. This includes the QUIC transport. In addition, administrators have the ability to enable auditing of the SMB server and client in order to support authentication and encryption for SMB.

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26090 (Canary and Dev Channels)

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26090 to the Canary and Dev Channels. The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. 

What’s new in Build 26090

Widgets board improvements

We are restarting the rollout of the Widgets board improvements that originally began rolling out with  Build 26058 to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel. Those improvements include introducing a new navigation bar on the left allowing you to switch between a dedicated widgets dashboard and other integrated dashboards like Discover. Give it a try and let us know what you think using the feedback button at the top of the board.
More Server Message Block (SMB) protocol changes
Starting with Build 26085 and higher, we are introducing the following Server Message Block (SMB) protocol changes for QUIC, signing, and encryption.

Changes and Improvements

[General]

• The build watermark at the lower right-hand corner of the desktop is not present in this build and will return in future Insider Preview builds. This is part of our normal process for preparing Windows 11, version 24H2 for release to customers later this year – but does not mean we’re done. Windows 11, version 24H2, will be this year’s annual feature update. As mentioned here, Windows 11 will have an annual feature update cadence that releases in the second half of the calendar year.

[Copilot in Windows*]

• You can ask Copilot in Windows (in preview) for help ten times when you sign in to Windows using a local account. After that, you must sign in using a Microsoft account (MSA) or a  Microsoft Entra IDaccount (formerly Azure Active Directory (Azure AD)). To sign in, use the link in the dialog that appears in Copilot in Windows. If you do not sign in, some Copilot features might not work. To learn more, see  Welcome to Copilot in Windows and  Manage Copilot in Windows.

[Settings]

• The redesigned version of the Delivery Optimization settings page under Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization that was first introduced in  Build 25987 has been reverted to the previous design starting with Build 26085. We plan to bring back this redesigned settings page in a future flight after fixing some bugs. Thanks to Insiders for all the feedback on this!

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26090 (Canary and Dev Channels)