- Windows 11 build 27898, available in the Canary Channel, introduces smaller Taskbar icons, Quick Machine Recovery, Voice Access dictionary, and adaptive energy saver.
- It also updates app permission dialogs, improves File Explorer visuals, enhances accessibility, and implements browser default changes to comply with the Digital Markets Act in Europe.
- These features were previously tested in other Insider Channels and are now consolidated in this release.
Microsoft is now rolling out Windows 11 build 27898 in the Canary Channel with a slew of new features, changes, and fixes. However, they’re not technically new since these are improvements that have been available through the other Windows Insider Program channels for several months.
According to the official changes, Windows 11 build 27898 adds the ability to use smaller icons in Taskbar, rolls out the Quick Machine Recovery features, includes a new option to add words to the Voice Access dictionary, and brings the Screen Curtain for Windows Narrator.
In addition, Windows 11 adds visual changes when apps require permission, the Accessibility page for Quick Settings now shows descriptions for features, File Explorer gets an updated context menu, and the Window Share interface adds new content preview and image compression features.
Furthermore, this update rolls out the adaptive energy saver for the power settings. It also makes changes to the process that users in Europe set a new browser as the default, and there are several fixes.
Everything new in Windows 11 build 27898
Microsoft is testing out these improvements and fixes in the latest preview of Windows 11 available in the Canary Channel.
New option to reduce Taskbar icon size
On Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, the “Taskbar behaviors” settings now include the “Show smaller taskbar buttons” setting that allows making the icons smaller in the Taskbar in specific situations, including “Always,” “Never,” or “When taskbar is full.”
However, it’s not possible to choose the size of the icons, and when using this setting, it won’t change the size of the Taskbar. The option is intended solely to create more space in the Taskbar.
Additionally, in the System Tray, the “Accessibility” page now includes a text description for each feature, making it easier to identify them.
Also, network administrators can now let users unpin specific apps permanently, preventing them from reappearing after a policy refresh using the new PinGeneration option.
Redesigned app permission prompts
Microsoft is also refreshing the design of app permission dialogs for a more consistent experience. When an app requests access to sensitive resources like location, camera, or microphone, the system now displays a centered modal dialog with a dimmed background to draw more attention and improve clarity.
Additionally, Microsoft Entra ID authentication requests are transitioning to WebView2, offering improved performance and reliability over the previous WebView1 implementation.
New browser defaults for Europe (DMA)
On Settings > Apps > Default app, the “Set default” button previously only assigned default settings to specific browser types (http, https, .htm, and .html). In this flight, to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the European Economic Area (EEA), when setting up a new web browser, Microsoft will also set the default for additional links and file types like ftp, read, .mht, .svg, .xhtml, and more on the “Default apps” setting page, if the browser supports them.
Also, when changing the default browser, the system will now automatically pin itself to both the Taskbar and Start menu. You can opt out by clearing the corresponding checkboxes during setup on the “Default apps” setting page.
Finally, if a browser can handle PDFs, a separate “Set default for .pdf” button now appears. This allows users to set it as the default PDF handler with a single click.
Quick Machine Recovery to fix boot failures
Quick Machine Recovery is a new feature that aims to reduce downtime due to boot failures by automatically detecting and resolving boot issues using the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) and Windows Update.
If the computer crashes, the system automatically connects to the network and uploads diagnostic information to Microsoft, and the computer will receive targeted fixes.
The feature will be enabled by default for Windows 11 Home, but on Windows 11 Pro, network administrators will also be able to test and customize the feature.
You can enable and configure the “Quick Machine Recovery” tool from Settings > System > Recovery > Quick Machine Recovery, where you can choose automatic remediation searches and restart preferences.
Once the feature is enabled and a remediation is applied, you can confirm the fix in the Settings > Windows Update > Update history.
Add custom words to Voice Access
In the Canary Channel, Windows 11 also introduces the ability to add custom words to the dictionary for Voice Access, including words that are difficult to pronounce, to help improve dictation accuracy.
You can add new words to the dictionary after using the “Spell that,” “Correct that,” or using the “Add to Vocabulary” command. In addition, there’s a new “Add to Vocabulary” entry in the main settings menu.
Finally, the company is also bringing Chinese and Japanese support for Voice Access.
New Screen Curtain for Narrator privacy
Windows 11 build 27898 also introduces a new Screen Curtain feature for the Windows Narrator, which enhances privacy by blacking out the screen while the feature is active, keeping sensitive information hidden from view.
While the Narrator feature is enabled, you can use the “Caps + Ctrl + C” keyboard shortcut to turn the Screen Curtain on or off.
In addition, Microsoft is adding a new experience to discover and learn about the latest capabilities when they become available.
File Explorer gets new context menu design
In this flight, Microsoft introduces a context menu with dividers for the top-level icons to make it easier to identify each action in File Explorer.
Adaptive Energy Saver adjusts power settings automatically
The company is also working on a new “Adaptive Energy Saver” mode powered by Windows Health and Optimized Experiences background services.
The idea of the new option is to monitor key system telemetry (battery charge, temperature, load, etc.) and then automatically toggle the “Energy Saver” mode based on conditions it deems optimal. Instead of turning “Always use energy saver” on or off manually.
As a result of this change, the “Energy Saver” feature removes the “Turn energy saver on automatically when battery is at” option.
It’s important to note that this feature only appears on laptops or computers connected to an external battery, and it’s not available for devices without a battery.
Windows Share adds image compression and link previews
The Windows Share interface is adding compression for images, and you can choose from “High,” “Medium,” or “Low” quality.
Also, the share interface will show a preview for links and web content.
Settings shows device setup region
Inside the “Language & region” page, the Settings app will now display the country or region selected during the computer setup under the “Device setup region” setting.
New shortcut to open Text Extractor
You can now use the “Windows + Shift + T” keyboard shortcut to open “Text Extractor” directly, making it easier to grab text from screenshots.
Other fixes and changes
The company is also pushing several fixes and changes in the preview build:
- File Explorer: Performance improvements when extracting archive files, especially with large 7z and .rar archives containing many files.
- Input: Resolved a bug where switching between English and Japanese on the touch keyboard could cause Japanese typing to stop working.
- Settings: Fixed crashes when changing the mouse cursor, and the update addressed issues causing the Settings window to become unresponsive unless restarted.
- Other: Fixed a bug with
Math.Pow()causing inaccurate results in apps and games, and updated error messaging for failed Windows Updates when the system reserved partition lacks space, making the cause clearer.
In addition to these fixes, the company notes various known issues regarding File Explorer, Settings, Remote Desktop, and this flight will also include the Windows Vista boot sound.
How to download Windows 11 build 27898
To download and install this Windows 11 build, enroll your devices in the Canary 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.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert and founder of Pureinfotech in 2010. With over 22 years as a technology writer and IT Specialist, Mauro specializes in Windows, software, and cross-platform systems such as Linux, Android, and macOS.
Certifications: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), VMware Certified Professional (VCP), and CompTIA A+ and Network+.
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