- Microsoft rolls out the preview of Windows Recall and Click to Do with the release of the update KB5046723 in the Dev Channel.
- This Windows 11 preview also updates the Windows Hello experience and settings.
- The company also makes available an update KB5046756 in the Beta Channel with the new Resume feature.
- You’ll also find visual changes for File Explorer, Start menu, and Passkeys settings.
Microsoft continues the development of Windows 11 with the release of build 26120.2415 (KB5046723) in the Dev Channel and build 22635.4515 (KB5046756) in the Beta Channel. In this rollout, the preview in the Bete Channel is a minor update, while the update in the Dev Channel is considered a significant update.
Windows 11 build 26120.2415 (Dev)
According to the official announcement, Windows 11 build 26120.2415 delivers the first preview of the Windows Recall feature, but only for Copilot+ PCs run on the latest Snapdragon processors from Qualcomm. The feature is expected to roll out to Copilot+ PCs using Intel and AMD processors, but the company isn’t sharing the exact date.
You can check my comprehensive Windows Recall guide, which details everything you know. In summary, Microsoft is making available an updated version of the feature that addresses many of the security and privacy concerns.
This means that Windows 11 now keeps the Recall data always encrypted even when you’re signed in, and it’ll have to authenticate with Windows Hello constantly to access your data with the feature.
Starting with the update KB5046723, the AI models to manage the “Recall” and “Click to Do” features will download automatically on compatible devices through Windows Update. However, the feature will remain disabled until you turn it on by launching the app from the Start menu and opt-in to the experience.
The Recall app remains mostly the same as when the company introduced the feature. However, the experience now integrates with the Windows Hello security feature to access your data. It no longer saves screenshots with sensitive information, and you now have access to the Click to Do feature.
Click to Do is a feature that gives you a number of additional actions that you can perform from text and elements found on a Recall snapshot. For example, by selecting text from the image, you can copy text to your clipboard, open the selected text with an app, search the web, open a link, and send an email.
If you’re selecting an element from an image, you can copy the element to the clipboard, save the element to another location, share the element as an image, open it with an app, perform a visual search, blur the background, erase objects, or remove the background using the Photos or Paint app.
The Settings app now includes the “Recall & snapshots” settings page to manage the feature. On the page, you can turn off the feature, pause temporarily, filter apps and websites, control storage usage, and delete your snapshots.
Windows Hello with modern design
On Windows 11 build 26120.2415, Microsoft is also updating the Sign-in screen with some visual changes if your computer is configured using Windows Hello Face, Fingerprint, or PIN. For example, as you access the screen, the system will show an animation on the icon representing the current sign-in methods to improve the experience and make it a bit easier to understand.
While on your account, the operating system also changes the security credential user experience dialogs for passkey.
For example, once you create a passkey, Windows Hello will play a new animation when you enter your credentials and recognize the information the next time you sign in. Also, you can now switch between authentication options.
Settings app changes
Other changes in the Settings app that Microsoft didn’t mention include the “Activity history” page, which is no longer available through the “Privacy & security” section.
Also, in the “System” section, the Settings app includes a new “AI components” page that will list the components that contain AI functionalities.
Microsoft also notes that you can enable or disable the Recall through the “Turn Windows features on or off.” However, during the early development phase, the operating system will retain the binaries on the hard drive, but in future updates, the system will remove everything related to Recall from the setup.
Other changes and fixes
This update adds two new features to the Windows Narrator experience: Skip past links (N’) and Jump to lists (L’).
In addition, the company is improving speech-to-text and text-to-speech features, and it will now deliver language files through the Microsoft Store.
Microsoft also notes fixes for the Taskbar, File Explorer, Windows Narrator, and input.
Windows 11 build 22635.4515 (Beta)
The company is also pushing the update KB5046756 (build 22635.4515) for Windows 11, and according to the official notes, this update introduces the new “Resume” feature and adds the ability to share files from the context menu in the Start menu, more specifically from the “Recommended” section. In addition, there’s a new “Ctrl + Alt + Minus” keyboard shortcut to switch between the current zoom and 1x zoom and change to File Explorer.
The update also introduces API support for third-party passkey providers and WebAuthn APIs to support a plugin authentication for passkeys. These new implementations will allow users to use third-party providers to manage passkeys alongside the one available in the operating system.
Resume feature
The Resume feature is a mobile and computer integration that allows you to resume working on files from your OneDrive account that you may have started working on your iPhone or Android phone.
The feature is available from Settings > Apps > Resume, and when you turn it on, you will receive a toast notification to resume editing a document you started working on your phone within the last five minutes after unlocking your computer.
When you click the notification, the file will resume from OneDrive but using your default web browser.
Microsoft notes that the feature works with a Microsoft account, but work and school accounts are not supported. Also, you can only resume documents compatible with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and PDFs.
Finally, for the feature to work as intended, OneDrive has to be opened on your phone when your computer is locked. Only when you unlock your computer within five minutes after accessing the file on your phone, then you will receive the toast notification.
File Explorer changes
As part of the changes for File Explorer, the update in the Beta Channel fixes several issues and improves the performance of the context menu and thumbnails for cloud files.
In addition, it’s been discovered that opening desktop or external folder links will now open in a new tab on the File Explorer active window.
If you don’t like this experience, File Explorer includes a new “Open desktop folders and external folder links in new tab” in the “Folder Options” page.
You can enable these features manually by running the vivetool /enable /id:49143212,52081114,48433719 command with the ViveTool.
Furthermore, Microsoft is also adding an option to finally turn off the notifications in the address to back up your files to OneDrive.
You can also enable this feature manually by running the vivetool /enable /id:47944061 command with the ViveTool.
Passkeys new settings
On the update KB5046756, in addition to adding the new APIs to support third-party providers, on Settings > Passkeys, you will find a new “Advanced options” page to manage third-party services.
Start menu new share option
In the Start menu, in the “Recommended” section, the context menu for files now includes a “Share” option for sharing files directly from experience.
Installation process
To download and install these Windows 11 builds, enroll your device in the Beta or Dev Channel through the “Windows Insider Program” settings from the “Update & Security” section. Once you enroll the computer in the program, you can download the build from the “Windows Update” settings by turning on the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” option and clicking the “Check for Updates” button.