- Windows 11 builds 28020.2380 (Beta) and 28120.2387 (Experimental) are now available for version 26H1.
- Microsoft is testing long-requested Taskbar positioning and a smaller Taskbar in the Experimental channel.
- Windows 11 Home devices in eligible K-12 environments can now upgrade to Windows 11 Pro Education for free.
Microsoft has released Windows 11 Insider Preview builds 28020.2380 and 28120.2387 for version 26H1 via the Beta and Experimental channels in the Windows Insider Program. These flights introduce improvements for existing features.
According to the official notes (Beta) and Experimental, Windows 11 builds 28020.2380 (Beta) and 28120.2387 (Experimental) introduce a free upgrade path to Windows 11 Pro Education for K-12, as well as fixes for File Explorer and Outlook.
As part of the changes for build 28120.2387, the development team is now bringing Taskbar positioning and smaller Taskbar size to version 26H1 in the Experimental channel.
What’s new on Windows 11 build 28120.2387 (Experimental)
These are the new features and improvements rolling out in the Experimental channel:
Taskbar gets more customization options
Microsoft is expanding Taskbar customization with two long-requested improvements, including the ability to move the Taskbar to different areas of the screen and a new, smaller Taskbar option.
The new “Taskbar position” setting lets users place the Taskbar on the top, left, or right side of the display, in addition to the default bottom position.
The option is available under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors, where users can choose their preferred location.
It’s important to note that most existing customization options, including smaller icons and icon grouping settings, will continue to work regardless of the Taskbar position. However, the company says that support for features such as touch gestures, the Search box, Ask Copilot, auto-hide, and the touch-optimized Taskbar is still under development.
Microsoft is also introducing a smaller Taskbar option designed to give users more screen space, especially on devices with smaller displays.
When enabled from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Show smaller taskbar buttons, Windows 11 reduces both icon sizes and the Taskbar height while keeping elements like Start, Search, and the system tray properly aligned.
These changes are part of Microsoft’s broader Windows K2 effort to make Windows 11 more flexible and to address some of the customization limitations introduced with the redesigned Taskbar.
Free upgrade path to Windows 11 Pro Education for K-12
The company is also introducing a new upgrade path for Windows Insiders in K-12 education environments, allowing eligible devices running Windows 11 Home to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro Education at no additional cost.
The change gives schools more flexibility when purchasing devices, allowing organizations to deploy Windows 11 Home computers and later move them to the education-focused edition, which supports school management features.
Microsoft notes that the upgrade is one-way only. Once a device moves to Windows 11 Pro Education, returning to Windows 11 Home requires a clean installation of the operating system.
Other fixes
In addition, Windows 11 builds 28020.2380 and 28120.2387 also push several fixes and improvements.
- File Explorer: Fixed a bug that caused the OneDrive shortcut to stop working when File Explorer was opened with administrative privileges.
- Other: Fixed an issue that caused Outlook to become unresponsive when selecting the close button, and improved long-term resource usage for title bar tooltips.
Download Windows 11 update previews
To download and install these Windows 11 builds, enroll your Devices in the Experimental or Beta Channels 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 23 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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