Microsoft releases Windows 11 Build 25231, unlocks additional features

Some Windows 11 insider builds for testers in the Dev Channel offer a wealth of new features. Build 25231 doesn’t as such, but Microsoft is using it to increase the rollouts for a few previously announced features.

It’s not all good news though as this build also comes with some additional known issues.

From this build, the language-neutral word list in the spelling dictionary first introduced in Build 25179 is now available to all. This feature can be toggled on via Settings > Accounts > Windows backup > Remember my preferences > Language preferences. It currently only works with Microsoft accounts with AAD support coming later.

The tablet-optimized taskbar from Build 25197 is now available to all as are the System Tray improvements from Build 25211 that include drag and drop support. The cloud suggestion feature Simplified Chinese IME from Build 25217 is also now widely available.

Fixes in this build include:

[System Tray]

• When moving your mouse over the sound icon on Quick Settings, the tooltip will now display when spatial audio is in use -- not just that it is enabled.

[Settings]

• Removed the backplate from UWP app icons in Apps > Default apps and Apps > Apps for websites.
• Fixed the font used on the Wi-Fi section of Quick Settings when Wi-Fi was off, so that it’s consistent with the other text in Quick Settings
• Fixed an issue believed to be the root cause of certain network cameras unexpectedly not being added when you selected them under Bluetooth & Devices > Cameras.
• Improved DPI-awareness when launching setup.exe from a mounted ISO, so the initial logo while it’s preparing should no longer be blurry in certain cases.

[Other]

• Fixed a rare issue where FindWindow and FindWindowEx might return an unexpected window.
• Fixed an issue where sometimes you wouldn’t be able to use FIDO to unlock your PC if it was connected to an external display with the laptop lid closed.
• Fixed an issue which sometimes led to crashes in certain apps (like Paint, and Windows Terminal) when attempting to display a tooltip.

NOTE: Some fixes noted here in Insider Preview builds from the Dev Channel may make their way into the servicing updates for the released version of Windows 11.

Known issues are:

[General]

• Microsoft is looking into reports that audio stopped working for some Insiders after upgrading to the latest flights.
• Microsoft is investigating reports of crashes with a few different apps and games in recent builds.
• Microsoft is investigating reports that various UI elements in apps appear to be disappearing and reappearing sometimes in recent builds.
• [NEW] Microsoft is investigating reports that some apps like Microsoft Edge are unexpectedly showing thick lines on the side of the window after the last flight.
• [NEW] When using the latest ISO to install the Dev Channel build, you might get a SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION bugcheck citing an error with win32kfull.sys. Microsoft is working on a fix.

[Tablet-optimized taskbar]

• The taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture.
• When using the bottom right edge gesture to see Quick Settings, the taskbar sometimes stays stuck in the expanded state, instead of dismissing to collapsed state.

[System Tray Updates]

• [NEW] Opening the hidden icons flyout can result in a File Explorer entry for it appearing in the taskbar.
• [NEW] Chat apps aren’t flashing with new messages or opening a preview on hover in the system tray.

[Start menu]

• [NEW] Microsoft is investigating reports that folders in Start menu don’t open on the first try.

[Input]

• Microsoft is investigating reports that the text cursor becomes white on white when hovering over text fields, making it difficult to see.

[Widgets]

• In right-to-left display languages like Arabic, content animates out of view before the widgets board resizes when clicking to expanded view of the widgets board.

Image credit: rawf8 / Shutterstock