- Microsoft releases Windows 11 build 22509 in the Dev Channel.
- This flight brings better “recommended” options to show more pins.
- The Taskbar will now show the clock across all desktops.
- The Settings app gets updated with more Control Panel settings.
As part of the active development branch, Microsoft is now making available Windows 11 build 22509 for devices enrolled in the Dev Channel. Although this is another minor update, it’s significant in the visual changes that it brings to the Start menu and Taskbar. (See also the hands-on video showcasing all the changes in this flight.)
Windows 11 build 22509, according to the official notes, brings welcome visual changes to the Start menu and Taskbar for multiple monitor setups. The Settings app gets updated with more settings from Control Panel, and there are several fixes, improvements, and known issues.
What’s new on Windows 11 build 22509
On Windows 11, build 22509 brings new settings to customize the “Recommended” section in the Start menu. While it’s not possible to disable the “Recommended” section, you can now choose from three different options in the Start settings to show fewer recommended items and more pins. For example, the “More pins” only shows a single row of items and allows you to show more pins. The “Default” option shows three rows of recommended items and three rows of pin items, while the “More Recommendations” option offers more recommended items and two rows of pins.
The clock will now show on all monitors
As part of build 22509, when you have a multi-monitor setup, the clock with date and time will now show on all monitors, removing the need to use third-party tools to get the same experience that existed in previous versions of Windows.
Windows 11 notification improvements
Microsoft is also updating the notification system. For example, apps that send notifications for calls, reminders, or alarms, the three high-priority notifications will now appear stacked simultaneously. This means that you may end up seeing up to four notifications at one time (three high-priority and one normal priority).
Settings app gets more Control Panel options
In a continued effort to get rid of the Control Panel, this flight also ports more settings to the Settings app. For instance, the “Advanced network settings” page now includes several new sharing settings, such as Network discovery, File and printer sharing, and public folder sharing.
The Printers & Scanners settings page now shows more details about the printer and scanner. In addition, some entry points for network and devices settings in Control Panel will now open in the Settings app.
Furthermore, the Installed Apps settings page now includes a new option to sort the list from Name (Z to A), and accordingly, updated the previous “Alphabetically” option to now be called Name (A to Z).
Windows 11 will now remember if you turn on Bluetooth or Wi-Fi while in airplane mode. Then the next time you use airplane mode, the radios will reflect your preference.
Finally, Windows Sandbox now supports reboot inside of its virtualized environment.
Narrator app changes
Starting with build 22509, Windows 11 is introducing several changes for Narrator experience when browsing the web with Microsoft Edge. In this update, Microsoft made it easier to type in edit fields, such as the address bar, because Narrator scan mode will now turn off faster. Narrator will now read the character that the cursor position is at after a character has been deleted.
According to the company, you will also get more contextual information when navigating the web. For instance, required radio buttons and edit fields will now be read out as required, and more information about lists including list levels and accurate list indices will now be readout.
Finally, you will have a more consistent navigation experience with improvements in heading navigation, a more consistent scan mode navigation experience where scan mode is less likely to loop between items, and a more consistent hyperlink reading experience when navigating forwards and backward.
Build 22509 fixes and known issues
In addition to the new visual changes, Windows 11 build 22509 delivers several fixes for various features. In the Taskbar, the Start, Search, Task View, Widgets, and Chat icons should no longer be unexpectedly large when the system scaling is set to 125%. The “Windows key + number” should work as expected to open apps in Taskbar. And when the Narrator focus is set to the Task View button, and the Desktops flyout appears, the feature will now let you know information about the Desktops.
For input, this flight fixes problems with handwriting in Chinese, mitigates mouse bugcheck issues, tweaks the Chinese Simplified IME candidates to be center aligned, and fixes touch keyboard problems with PowerShell.
As part of the windowing experience, hovering over different desktops in Task View will no longer result in the displayed thumbnails and content area unexpectedly shrinking. Removes unexpected tilt animation when clicking down on a corner of the New Desktop button, and it fixes context menu animation issues.
Finally, build 22509 fixes overlapping text for specific languages on the Installed Apps page in the Settings app. In the Installed Apps page, clicking the Uninstall button in grid view will now show a confirmation dialog. Also, it changes the new ms-settings:installed-apps URI to ms-settings:appsfeatures to avoid conflicts.
Microsoft reports that this flight includes a few known issues regarding the Start menu when using search, the Taskbar will flicker sometimes, and Windows Search may not open at times.
Install Windows 11 build 22509
If you want to download and install the Windows 11 build 22509, 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 22509 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.
You can also read this guide with all the new features Microsoft has been working on for the next version of Windows 11 (22H2).
Update December 3, 2021: Microsoft is now rolling out build 22509.1011 as update KB5008918. However, the update does not include anything new, it’s only designed to test the update mechanism through 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 14 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 20 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].