- Windows 11 build 26220.8680 introduces Screen tint, a new accessibility feature that reduces screen intensity to ease eye strain.
- Widgets now use quieter defaults, fewer notifications, accent-colored badges, and improved memory management.
- Magnifier gains precise zoom controls with custom percentages and preset zoom levels.
- File Explorer receives address bar, ISO mounting, OneDrive Favorites, and Rename experience fixes.
Microsoft has released the Windows 11 Insider Preview Quality Update (26220.8680) for version 25H2 via the Beta experience in the Windows Insider Program. This flight introduces new features, significant changes to existing features, and various fixes as part of the Windows K2 initiative.
According to the official notes, Windows 11 build 26220.8680 ships a new version of Widgets that makes the experience less distracting. The Windows Magnifier receives several improvements, and you’ll find other changes for File Explorer, Remote Recovery Management, and Windows Update.
In addition, this preview introduces a new accessibility feature known as Screen tint to improve viewability ot content throughout the day.
What’s new on Windows 11 build 26220.8680 (Beta)
These are the new features and improvements rolling out in the Beta channel:
Widgets become quieter and less distracting
Microsoft is making Widgets less distracting on Windows 11 by introducing quieter default settings. The changes disable “Open on hover,” turn off taskbar badges, show only the Weather widget on the lock screen by default, and limit the number of widget alerts that can appear on the Taskbar each day.
The company is also changing widget notifications, so Taskbar badges now use the system accent color instead of red, making alerts feel less urgent. In addition, Widgets can now display notification counts inside the navigation pane, and these badges automatically clear after opening a dashboard. Users can also turn them off entirely.
Windows 11 will further tailor the Widgets experience based on usage patterns. Users who rarely interact with Widgets may see fewer notifications, while frequent users will generally keep their current preferences. Microsoft has also redesigned the Widgets settings page as a full-screen experience.
The update includes performance improvements as well. Widgets can now optimize memory usage based on device hardware and user behavior, reducing their memory footprint, freeing resources faster when idle, and limiting background preloading on systems with less RAM. This should help lower the feature’s overall impact on system performance.
New Screen tint accessibility feature
The company is introducing a new accessibility feature called “Screen tint,” designed to make displays more comfortable to look at during long periods of use. The feature applies a color overlay across the entire screen, reducing visual intensity and helping users who experience eye strain or light sensitivity from bright, saturated displays.
The new option is available from Settings > Accessibility > Vision > Screen tint. Once enabled, users can choose from six preset colors or create a custom tint that better suits their preferences. Microsoft also includes a strength slider, allowing the effect to range from a subtle color wash to a much stronger overlay.
Unlike Night Light, which reduces blue light and warms screen colors to help minimize sleep disruption, Screen Tint focuses on lowering overall visual intensity during daytime use. Since the two features address different needs, they can be used together, with Night Light adjusting color temperature and Screen tint reducing screen harshness.
There is one limitation, however. Screen tint and Color filters cannot run simultaneously. Enabling one feature automatically disables the other, so users who rely on color filters for accessibility may need to keep Screen tint turned off.
Magnifier gains more precise zoom controls
The Magnifier experience has been updated with new controls that make it easier to zoom to the exact level you need.
Starting with build 26220.8680, users can now enter a specific zoom percentage directly from the Magnifier toolbar instead of repeatedly increasing or decreasing the zoom level until reaching the desired setting.
The company has also added several preset zoom increments, including 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 400 percent. These presets are available in the Settings menu, allowing you to switch between commonly used zoom levels with a single click.
File Explorer improvements and fixes
In this release from the Beta channel, the development team is rolling out several File Explorer improvements focused on compatibility, performance, and reliability. The address bar now properly supports paths that include double backslashes and quotation marks, making it easier to work with a wider range of file path formats.
The company has also improved performance when mounting large ISO files by preventing File Explorer from becoming unresponsive during SmartScreen scans. In addition, the address bar suggestions menu is now more reliable and consistently closes after selecting an entry.
This update also fixes an issue that could cause OneDrive files to appear twice in the Favorites section on the Home page.
For the “Rename” experience, the company addressed a bug that repeatedly selected text while renaming files and folders. The update also fixes a problem where name changes involving only letter casing weren’t immediately reflected in File Explorer, whether the items were stored locally or in the cloud.
Other changes
In addition, this preview ships with a number of smaller improvements, including:
- Emoji panel: The emoji panel (Windows key + .) now uses GIPHY as its GIF provider, replacing Tenor and offering a more reliable GIF browsing and sharing experience.
- Remote Recovery Management: Microsoft is adding a new remote management plug-in for Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), allowing MDM providers to extend recovery management capabilities on managed devices.
- Windows Update: This build fixes an issue that caused some devices to receive error 0x800f0843 when attempting to install the previous update.
Download Windows 11 update 26220.8680
To download and install these Windows 11 builds, enroll your Devices in the Beta 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.
Alternatively, you can also download the ISO files from the Windows Insider Preview Downloads page. Specific preview builds are available for a limited time only.
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+.
Mauro is a recognized Microsoft MVP and has also been a long-time contributor to Windows Central.
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