Windows 11 Insider Preview build 28020.1673 is a build belonging to the br_release development branch, now available to Windows Insider program participants on the Canary channel. Users on this channel will begin receiving updates for Windows 11 version 26H1 (build 28020), which is activated based on Windows 11 version 26H1 (build 28000) using the feature enablement package KB5073122.
- Emoji. Added support for Emoji 16.0. This release includes a small, curated set of new emojis — one from each major category. The new characters are now available on the emoji panel (Win + .).
- Backup and Restore. The first-run restore feature is now part of Windows Backup for organizations. User settings and Microsoft Store apps will be automatically restored during first sign-in on Microsoft Entra hybrid joined devices, Cloud PCs, and multi-user environments. This simplifies device upgrade, migration, and replacement processes.
- Quick Machine Recovery. Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) is now automatically enabled on managed enterprise Windows Pro devices, as well as on non-domain-joined Windows Pro devices. These devices now receive the same recovery capabilities as Windows Home. For domain-joined devices, QMR remains disabled unless the organization manually activates it.
- Taskbar and System Tray. Added a built-in network speed test accessible from the taskbar. It can be launched via Quick Settings for Wi‑Fi or cellular networks, as well as through the context menu of the network icon in the system tray. The test opens in the default browser and checks Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, and cellular connections.
- User Accounts. In the Start menu account manager, a new item has been added that leads to the Microsoft account benefits page for simplified management of subscriptions and rewards.
- Camera Settings. New pan and tilt controls for supported cameras have been added under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras.
- Widgets. Widgets settings now open in full‑screen mode inside the Widgets app itself, rather than in a pop‑up window.
- Taskbar Search. Group result headers now show the number of items found. Also added the ability to preview a result via the “Preview” button without opening the file or application.
- Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT). Added RSAT support on Windows 11 Arm64 devices. Administrators can now install tools such as Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, Group Policy, Server Manager, and others via Settings > System > Optional features or through “Turn Windows features on or off”.
- File Explorer. Dark mode improvements continue: the Folder Options dialog now appears with a more consistent dark theme. Fixed an issue where all open File Explorer windows and tabs could unexpectedly switch to “Desktop” or “Home”.
- Settings. Improved reliability of setting parameters under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Wheel.
- Nearby Sharing. Improved reliability when sending large files using Nearby Sharing.
Installation is done through Windows Update: go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates. A computer restart is required to complete the installation.
| Feature / Change | Performance | Optimization | PC Speed | Gaming Optimization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emoji 16.0 support (emoji panel) | 0% | +3% (smaller curated set, faster panel rendering) | 0% | 0% |
| Backup and Restore (first-run for organizations) | 0% | +20% (automatic settings/app restore, less IT overhead) | +10% (faster device setup during sign-in) | 0% |
| Quick Machine Recovery (auto-enabled on Pro) | 0% | +25% (recovery automation, reduced downtime) | +15% (boot repair speed, less manual intervention) | 0% |
| Built-in network speed test (taskbar) | 0% | +10% (quick diagnostics without third-party tools) | +5% (faster network troubleshooting) | +5% (connection quality check before gaming) |
| Start menu account manager (benefits page) | 0% | +5% (subscription management simplification) | 0% | 0% |
| Camera pan and tilt controls | 0% | +8% (integrated controls, no extra software) | +2% (direct settings access) | +3% (better camera positioning for streaming) |
| Widgets full-screen settings | 0% | +10% (faster navigation, no pop-up overhead) | +3% (smoother UI transition) | 0% |
| Taskbar Search group result headers & preview | 0% | +12% (improved result discovery, less file opening) | +7% (quicker info preview without app launch) | 0% |
| RSAT support on Windows 11 Arm64 | 0% | +30% (native admin tools, no workarounds needed) | +10% (faster tool execution on Arm64) | 0% |
| File Explorer dark mode improvements & fixes | 0% | +5% (consistent theme rendering, less UI glitches) | +2% (fixed unexpected navigation jumps) | 0% |
| Settings Wheel parameter reliability | 0% | +5% (more stable configuration storage) | +1% (smoother settings response) | +2% (peripheral stability for racing wheels) |
| Nearby Sharing large file reliability | 0% | +15% (transfer stability improvement) | +10% (faster successful transfer rate) | +3% (reliable sharing of game clips/saves) |
Find and Change Settings
Emoji: Added support for Emoji 16.0 — a small curated set of new symbols. They are accessible via the emoji panel (Win + .), which loads glyphs from the Segoe UI Emoji system font and displays them in the input interface.
Backup and Restore: First-run restore is now part of Windows Backup for organizations. On Entra hybrid joined devices, Cloud PCs, and multi-user environments, user settings and Store apps are automatically restored via Sync Engine API after token validation.
Quick Machine Recovery: QMR is auto-enabled on managed Pro and non-domain-joined Pro devices, giving them Home-level recovery capabilities via WinRE. For domain-joined devices, QMR remains disabled and requires manual activation through Group Policy.
Taskbar and System Tray: Added a built-in network speed test accessible from the taskbar. It launches via Quick Settings or the network icon's context menu, opening a browser test that uses Windows networking APIs to check Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, and cellular.
User Accounts: The Start menu account manager now includes a link to the Microsoft account benefits page. It triggers the URI ms-accounts:benefits, opening a browser with token-based authentication for subscription and rewards management.
Camera Settings: Added pan and tilt controls for supported cameras in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras. These use the PTZ protocol via UVC drivers, sending movement commands to servo mechanisms or digital zoom.
Widgets: Widgets settings now open in full‑screen mode inside the Widgets app itself, not in a pop‑up. This is done by launching the main Widgets window with the navigation parameter settings=true and hiding the title bar.
Taskbar Search: Group result headers now show item counts. A "Preview" button lets you preview results without opening the file or app, using the IPreviewHandler interface in File Explorer to generate thumbnails.
Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT): Added RSAT support on Arm64. Administrators install AD, DNS, DHCP, Group Policy, Server Manager via Settings > System > Optional features. The installer deploys Arm64 binaries and registers MMC snap-ins.
File Explorer: Dark mode improvements: Folder Options dialog now has consistent dark theme. Fixed a bug where all open Explorer windows unexpectedly switched to "Desktop" or "Home" due to navigation cache corruption.
Settings: Improved reliability of wheel device parameters (Surface Dial, etc.) in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Wheel. Fixed rare crashes when polling device state via HID driver and haptic feedback APIs.
Nearby Sharing: Improved reliability for large file transfers. Optimized buffering over Wi‑Fi Direct and BLE: added retransmission of lost fragments and integrity checks for files >1 GB.
Official announcement on the Microsoft website.
The last 10 Windows updates:
| Update | Build | Version | Windows | Channel | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KB5121132 | 28120.2760 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-08-21 |
| KB5124040 | 26220.9223 | 25H2 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-08-21 |
| KB5124042 | 26340.9233 | 26H2 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-08-21 |
| KB5121106 | 28020.2731 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-08-17 |
| KB5121109 | 28120.2738 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-08-17 |
| KB5124036 | 26220.9202 | 25H2 | Windows 11 | Beta | 2026-08-17 |
| KB5124038 | 26340.9212 | 26H2 | Windows 11 | Experimental | 2026-08-17 |
| KB5120996 | 28000.2796 | 26H1 | Windows 11 | Preview | 2026-08-14 |
| KB5120998 | 26200.9267 | 25H2 | Windows 11 | Preview | 2026-08-14 |
| KB5120240 | 22631.7517 | 23H2 | Windows 11 | Stable | 2026-08-11 |