- Windows 11 build 22478 releases in the Dev Channel.
- The preview brings new emoji designs, Windows Hello improvements, and Taskbar tweaks.
- Microsoft also ships the first preview of the Update Stack Package.
As part of the active development of Windows 11, Microsoft is now rolling out build 22478 for devices enrolled in the Dev Channel of the Insider program. This is the seventh preview available to testers, and it’s a small update that only includes minor visual changes and a slew of fixes and known issues. (See also the hands-on video highlighting all the new changes in this flight.)
According to the company notes, Windows 11 build 22478 introduces the first preview of the new emojis using Fluent design styles. The company is even shipping a Clippy emoji in this release.
As for changes, you can scroll the mouse wheel in the Taskbar volume icon to change the volume level. In a continued effort to modernize the user interface build 22478 redesigns the page to add languages to align with the design style of Windows 11.
Windows Search gets updated to improve the overall reliability and reduce the indexing database size. Also, you can now use Windows Hello Facial Recognition from an external monitor with a camera and supports the feature when the laptop is closed.
Windows 11 build 22478 fixes and known issues
As part of the fixes, build 22478 updates prompt text when pinning something from a UWP app to Start, so it now says simply, “Do you want to pin this to Start.” This preview also mitigates a memory leak in ctfmon, causing unexpected resource usage over time, and improves loading themes in the Personalization page. Furthermore, you will find reliability improvements opening Quick Settings and the page for managing audio endpoints has been renamed from “Volume” to “Sound output.” Mitigates an issue that was causing the SysMain service to use an unexpected amount of power in recent builds and a problem that was causing crashes related to audiosrv.dll.
While these changes and fixes are part of the active development branch for the next version of Windows 11, Microsoft says that some of these improvements will eventually arrive in the original release of the OS.
Windows 11 build 22478 also ships with a bunch of known issues related to the Start menu, Taskbar, Search, and Quick Settings.
Update Stack Package preview
In this rollout, Microsoft is also pushing an Update Stack Package, a package designed to provide a new update process to deliver improvements outside of major feature updates.
According to the company, the Update Stack Package can help deliver improvements to the update experience before a monthly or feature update release. The new package will help test whether an update will install successfully and minimize a disruptive experience.
The first preview of the package is limited, but it will include more components in future releases, and it will arrive similar to builds and quality updates through Windows Update.
Also, in celebration of the seventh year anniversary of the Windows Insider Program, Microsoft is releasing a pair of special desktop backgrounds, and you can download them from this Microsoft website.
You can also read this guide with all the new features available with the official release of Windows 11.
Install Windows 11 build 22478
If you want to download and install the Windows 11 build 22478, you need to enroll your device in the Dev Channel using the “Windows Insider Program” settings from the “Update & Security” section.
Once you enroll the computer in the program, you can download build 22478 from the “Windows Update” settings by clicking the Check for Updates button. However, you will need a device that meets the minimum system requirements to receive the update if you are new to the Windows Insider Program.
Update October 15, 2021: Following the release of build 22478, Microsoft is now rolling out build 22478.1012 (KB5007328). The update does not include anything new and is only an update to test the servicing pipeline for previews in the Dev Channel.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].