Microsoft recently released the latest Windows 11 Insider Dev Channel Build 23451. This new build includes three major features: a new Facebook widget, an improved File Explorer details pane, and an improved Windows Spotlight with support for 4K images and more. A Dev Channel build doesn’t necessarily mean code will eventually be released, but you can hope that it will.
If you want to try out the new Facebook widget for yourself, you can. You’ll need the Facebook app for that. To add a Facebook widget to your ongoing collection, open the widget board and click the little “+” sign in the top right corner. You can view a snapshot of your activity on your Facebook page and the app itself will open. Microsoft is also adding a new widget “picker” that lets you preview what a widget will look like before adding it. An animated widget icon is also displayed on the taskbar.
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Another feature of interest is the new details pane in File Explorer. To view information about a particular file, such as permissions and resolution, you usually have to right-click on the file to open it. This new window lets you see details without navigating Windows 11’s cumbersome right-click menus.
Finally, Windows Spotlight is getting some much-needed improvements, including support for 4K images on 4K displays. Microsoft is trying out various “treats” of Windows Spotlight that provide slightly different information and direction.
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Microsoft also said it is extending Start menu ads/notifications to more users. “This feature gives customers quick access to important account-related notifications,” Microsoft said. At least they are somewhat manageable by going to Settings > Personalization > Startup.
The Recommended section of the Start menu usually contains the last document you worked on. Microsoft has been working on making it smart and is extending the category of “recommended” files to include websites.
Narrator also works more closely with Excel, which describes the contents of cells based on Narrator-assistive technology, Microsoft said.