Windows 11 Build 26100.5061: New AI Features & Improvements
Microsoft has rolled out Windows 11 Build 26100.5061 (KB5064081) to the Release Preview Channel for devices running version 24H2, offering Windows Insiders a glimpse into a host of upcoming features, improvements, and crucial fixes. This update introduces a mix of enhancements, some of which will gradually roll out to users, while others are immediately available.
Among the most anticipated additions is Recall, which now opens to a personalized homepage. This central hub consolidates recent activity, top-used applications, and frequently visited websites, streamlining the process of resuming tasks. After enabling snapshot collection, the homepage highlights “Recent Snapshots” for quick task resumption and “Top Apps and Websites” showcasing the three most-used in the past 24 hours. Users can also fine-tune which apps and websites are included in snapshots via settings, complemented by a new navigation bar for easy access to Home, Timeline, Feedback, and Settings.
The Click to Do feature receives an interactive tutorial upon its first launch, guiding users through faster task completion, such as summarizing text or removing image backgrounds. System-wide, a redesigned dialog box now appears when applications request access to sensitive device capabilities like location, camera, or microphone, dimming the screen and centering the privacy prompt for clearer visibility.
User interface refinements extend to the Taskbar, where the larger clock with seconds returns to the notification center, displayed above the date and calendar. The Taskbar Search function has been enhanced with a new grid view for more precise image identification and clearer status information, indicating when search results are incomplete due to background file organization or if files are available online or locally. The Lock Screen is also becoming more dynamic, with expanded widget options like Weather, Watchlist, Sports, and Traffic, now available to Insiders in all regions, along with personalization capabilities.
File Explorer gains significant AI-powered capabilities. Users can now right-click on .jpg, .jpeg, and .png files to access “AI Actions” for image manipulation, including “Visual Search” (web search by image), “Blur Background,” “Erase Objects,” and “Remove Background” (for clean subject cutouts). For Microsoft 365 subscribers with a Copilot license, the “Summarize action” allows for quick summaries of OneDrive and SharePoint files without opening them. Visual cues in File Explorer are also improved with dividers in the context menu and “people icons” in the Activity column and Recommended section for work or school accounts, displaying Microsoft 365 Live Persona Cards upon hover.
Windows Hello showcases a redesigned, modernized interface that supports faster, clearer communication across various authentication flows, including sign-in screens and passkey management. This update aims for a more intuitive and secure sign-in experience, allowing easy switching between authentication options.
Under the hood, the Advanced Settings page (formerly “For Developers”) has been reorganized for easier navigation, introducing new options like “Enable long paths” to remove MAX_PATH limitations, “Virtual workspaces” for managing Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox, and “File Explorer + version control” for displaying Git details directly within repository folders. General Settings have also received a facelift, with Windows activation and expiration prompts now matching the Windows 11 design as system notifications. A new privacy control under “Text and Image Generation” allows users to manage which third-party apps can use Windows’ generative AI models. A “Device Card” on the Settings homepage provides key PC specifications and usage details (currently U.S. only for Microsoft account users). Furthermore, a significant portion of time, language, and keyboard settings have migrated from the Control Panel to the Settings app, streamlining configuration. For Copilot+ PC users, the “agent in Settings” — an AI assistant to quickly locate and change settings — now supports AMD- and Intel-powered devices, in addition to Snapdragon.
The Task Manager now aligns with industry standards by using consistent metrics to display CPU workload across all pages, with an optional “CPU Utility” column for those who prefer the previous view. Businesses can benefit from the general availability of Windows Backup for Organizations, an enterprise-grade solution designed for seamless device transitions, maintaining productivity during upgrades or deployments.
In a notable change, PowerShell 2.0, a legacy component introduced in Windows 7 and deprecated in 2017, will no longer be included in Windows 11, version 24H2, starting August 2025. While most users are unaffected due to the availability of newer versions like PowerShell 5.1 and 7.x, organizations relying on older scripts are advised to update them.
Beyond new features, the build addresses a range of bug fixes. These include resolving issues with live captions opacity, Chinese IME input, and various application crashes (Sticky Notes, Notepad, explorer.exe, Kerberos). Improvements have been made to fingerprint login after standby, login screen delays, and underlying audio service hangs. Device management tools and the Resilient File System (ReFS) also see fixes, along with improved performance for application installation on ARM64 devices.
[Windows 11 just got smarter: AI-powered tools and deeper controls redefine your digital world.]