- Windows 11 build 26300.8493 introduces Taskbar repositioning, letting users move it to the top, left, or right, and a new compact mode in the Experimental track.
- Microsoft is also rolling out improvements for Widgets, Windows Search, Voice Access and Typing, system-wide UI refresh for consistency, and more.
- Beta build 26220.8474 mirrors several improvements, focusing heavily on Voice Dictation and system reliability fixes.
Microsoft has released the Windows 11 Insider Preview Quality Update (26300.8493) for version 26H2 via the Experimental experience in the Windows Insider Program. This flight introduces changes to existing features and a small set of fixes.
In addition, the company is rolling out the Windows 11 Insider Preview Quality Update (26220.8474) to the Beta experience, with some changes and fixes available in the Experimental channel. Microsoft also notes that it’s switching users in the legacy Beta Channel to the new Beta experience.
According to the official notes, Windows 11 build 26300.8493 introduces the first preview of the new Taskbar with repositioning and resizing capabilities.
Also, this preview rolls out an updated version of the Widgets feature that makes the experience less distracting. The company is also improving Windows Search in the Taskbar box. Voice Access and Voice Typing get Fluent Dictation in Spanish and French. In addition, the development team is introducing a new design animation for the boot, logon, restart, shutdown, and update.
Finally, this flight also ships fixes and other smaller improvements for File Explorer, Run, and more.
Although these changes are part of development for version 26H2, the operating system will continue to report version 25H2 in Settings for now. Microsoft will update the version number closer to the official release.
- What’s new on Windows 11 build 26300.8493 (Experimental)
- What’s new on Windows 11 build 26220.8474 (Beta)
What’s new on Windows 11 build 26300.8493 (Experimental)
These are the new features and improvements rolling out in the Experimental Channel:
Taskbar repositioning and resizing options
Starting with build 26300.8493, Microsoft is finally adding support for repositioning the Taskbar on Windows 11. You can now move the Taskbar to the top, left, or right side of the screen, rather than being limited to the bottom.
The new option is available from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors, where users can choose their preferred location.
According to the company, flyouts, tooltips, and animations will continue to originate from the Taskbar regardless of its position on the screen. The majority of existing customization features, including smaller Taskbar buttons and the “Never combine taskbar buttons” option, also work across all supported layouts.
However, Microsoft notes that some experiences are still under development. Features such as touch gestures, the Search box, and “Ask Copilot” integration are not yet fully optimized for alternate layouts. In addition, the auto-hide feature and the touch-optimized Taskbar are currently unsupported in these new positions.
The company is also introducing a smaller Taskbar mode designed to free up additional screen space, particularly on compact laptops and tablets. The feature reduces both the Taskbar height and icon size while keeping core elements like Start, Search, and the system tray properly scaled and aligned.
Users can enable the feature from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Show smaller taskbar buttons. When the option is set to “Always,” Windows automatically applies the compact layout system-wide.
Microsoft says it’s also working on additional improvements to Taskbar customization settings to simplify resizing and layout adjustments in future updates.
Widgets get quieter taskbar badges
This flight refines the Widgets experience, making it less distracting and better aligned with user preferences. One of the most noticeable changes is a visual update to Taskbar badging. Instead of the traditional red indicator, badge notifications will now adopt the current system accent color, helping reduce the sense of urgency while maintaining visibility for updates.
The change applies to users with Taskbar badging enabled and is designed to make notifications feel more integrated with the overall system’s personalization settings.
The development team is also experimenting with a more adaptive approach to widgets’ behavior based on user engagement. In this model, highly engaged users will continue to receive the current experience tuned to their usage patterns, while users who interact less frequently with Widgets may see a quieter default state, including reduced or disabled taskbar badging similar to the out-of-box experience.
Windows Search box result relevance tweaks
In this release, Windows Search delivers more relevant results when users search for apps and files from the Taskbar. Locally installed apps and files now appear more reliably above web suggestions when they provide a stronger match for the query.
The company says these adjustments are part of ongoing improvements to Search relevance, with additional refinements planned for future releases to further improve accuracy and result prioritization.
Fluid dictation expands to Spanish and French
Fluid Dictation in Voice Access and Voice Typing is expanding support for Spanish and French. The feature enhances voice input by automatically correcting grammar, punctuation, and filler words in real time, reducing the need for manual editing after dictation.
Fluid Dictation is powered by on-device small language models, enabling fast processing while keeping data local for improved privacy and responsiveness. Users can try the experience through Voice Access or by launching Voice Typing using the “Windows key + H” keyboard shortcut.
Consistent new spinners across core experiences
Windows 11 build 26300.8493 is also rolling out a unified “donut” style spinner design across key Windows 11 system flows, including Boot, Logon, Restart, Shutdown, and Windows Update. The change replaces legacy loading indicators with a modern, consistent visual language aligned with the current Windows 11 design language.
Alongside the new spinner style, users will see updated status text such as “Restarting,” “Working on updates,” and “Welcome,” depending on the system state. The goal is to improve visual consistency across core experiences and enhance perceived reliability during system transitions.
Other changes
The company has also released several other improvements for the operating system. For example, it fixed an issue in the previous flight where “Properties” was not invoked correctly for the Recycle Bin and in some other scenarios.
Also, in the Run dialog, the company fixed an issue in which the refreshed Run dialog did not navigate through the command history when using the up and down arrow keys on first launch.
In addition, this release includes these improvements:
- Introduced the first set of optimizations to improve Windows 11 logon performance as part of an ongoing multi-flight effort in the Windows Insider Program.
- Improved reliability when switching between multiple desktops.
- Improved reliability of Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP) notifications to prevent the service from becoming unresponsive.
- Improved reliability of the
DISM /online /cleanup-image /restorehealthcommand. - Fixed an issue causing devices to remain in sleep mode after an update.
Finally, in this preview, Microsoft notes a known issue that resetting a device may get stuck in “Reset this PC.”
Feature flags for build 26300.8493
Here’s a complete list of the flags you can use to enable experimental features on Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program > Features flags:
-
Consistent solid (donut) spinners across key Windows scenarios
- Faster reopening of restartable apps
- Fluid Dictation Language Expansion in Voice Access
- Fluid Dictation Language Expansion in Voice Typing
- Free upgrade path to Windows 11 Pro Education for K-12
- Improved Magnifier quick settings access
- New Windows Insider Program experience
- Pause updates on your schedule
- Touchpad Enhancements
What’s new on Windows 11 build 26220.8474 (Beta)
In the Beta experience, Microsoft is also rolling out build 26220.8474, which includes the following improvements.
Fluid dictation expands to Spanish and French
Fluid Dictation in Voice Access and Voice Typing is expanding support for Spanish and French. The feature enhances voice input by automatically correcting grammar, punctuation, and filler words in real time, reducing the need for manual editing after dictation.
Fluid Dictation is powered by on-device small language models, enabling fast processing while keeping data local for improved privacy and responsiveness. Users can try the experience through Voice Access or by launching Voice Typing using the “Windows key + H” keyboard shortcut.
Other fixes
- Fixed an issue in the previous flight where “Properties” was not invoked correctly for the Recycle Bin and in some other scenarios in File Explorer.
- Improved reliability of Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP) notifications to prevent the service from becoming unresponsive.
- Improved reliability of the
DISM /online /cleanup-image /restorehealthcommand.
Download Windows 11 update 26300.8493
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.
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.
It’s worth noting that Microsoft is now labeling preview builds with the new names (Experimental, Beta, and Release Preview), even though users may still not have transitioned to the Experimental experience. Users in the Beta Channel have not yet begun moving to the new Beta experience.
Which Windows 11 Insider feature are you most interested in?
Voting closes: May 22, 2026 1:00 pm
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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