- Windows 11 22H2 receives builds 22621.2199 and 22631.2199 (KB5029352) in the Beta Channel.
- This update introduces changes expected to arrive with version 23H2.
- Some of them include a new preview of files in the Start menu, labels for the Taskbar, and more.
- The update also brings several fixes and improvements.
Windows 11 build 22631.2199 (KB5029352) is rolling out with new features enabled by default, expected to arrive with version 23H2, and the preview build 22621.2199 (KB5029352) with features turned off by default for computers enrolled in the Beta Channel.
Build 22631.2199 for Windows 11, according to the official changes, introduces native support or reading additional archive file formats using the libarchive open-source project, including “.tar,” “.tar.gz,” “.tar.bz2,” “.tar.zst,” “.tar.xz,” “.tgz,” “.tbz2,” “.tzst,” “.txz,” “.rar,” “.7z,” and many more.
The Start menu now shows a different thumbnail preview instead of a blank page for files that the system can’t show a rich thumbnail preview.
The operating system rolls out an updated version of the Taskbar that features the “never combined” mode to ungroup and show labels for apps. You can find this feature by navigating to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors.
In addition, for the Windows Narrator, in this release, Microsoft has changed the default verbosity level from 2 to 3, which will now announce “Immediate Context Name and Type.” The Control context type like “list” or “toolbar” will allow users to better understand the focused control. Also, users are now unblocked from typing Traditional Chinese characters in Windows by the addition of a Traditional Chinese dictionary for detailed reading.
Finally, the “End task” feature for the Taskbar, under System > For Developers, no longer requires Developer Mode to be enabled first before it can be used.
Windows 11 build 22631.2199 fixes
This rollout also brings a bunch of fixes and improvements for build 22631.2199:
File Explorer
- Improves the performance of archive functionality during compression on Windows.
Taskbar
- Fixed an issue causing app icons in the taskbar to not be able to move, and start overlapping once you tried to do this, in the previous flight.
- Fixed an issue causing the safely remove hardware icon to not appear when expected in the system tray.
- Fixed an issue where the End Task feature wasn’t working if you tried it when there were multiple windows open of that app.
- Fixed an issue where using End Task on certain apps would cause other unrelated apps to close.
Input
- Fixed an issue causing typing with the Japanese and Chinese IMEs to not work correctly after the latest flights for some Insiders.
Windows Narrator
- Fixed an issue where Narrator was not reading various list items in a combo box on various web pages when navigating with up and down arrow.
- Fixed an issue where Narrator was incorrectly announcing combo boxes as read-only even when users could actually select different values from the combo box list items.
- Addressed the issue where Narrator was not announcing the checked and unchecked status of radio buttons but was announcing selected for every item.
- Fixed an issue where Narrator was announcing older information while navigating in date/time picker using arrow keys.
- Fixed an issue where Narrator was incorrectly reading contents of previous cell and the current cell when navigating in a table using right and left arrow keys.
- Fixed an issue where Narrator is incorrectly reading older Window title even after navigating to inner control.
- Fixed an issue where Narrator is reading entire paragraph when up arrow is invoked in online word document.
- Fixed an issue where Narrator was incorrectly reading out last word of previous paragraph when a new paragraph started with a punctuation mark.
- Fixed a bug where Narrator was not announcing the character being deleted when using backspace key in some text fields on the web.
- Fixed an issue in narrator where while entering any number in CVV edit field, Narrator should only announce as “hidden”, instead of “CVV edit, hidden new line selected”.
- Fixed an issue where Narrator is not able to detect different headings on some web pages in scan mode while using “h” key to navigate.
- Fixed an issue where Narrator scan mode arrow navigation skipped first item in container.
- Fixed an issue, where Narrator is skipping the first item after navigating via landmark using “d” key in scan mode.
- Fixed an issue where Narrator focus did not move past the first check box if there was a list of check boxes when using up and down arrow key in scan mode.
- Fixed an issue where Narrator was not activating combo box when navigating using up and down arrow and using enter/spacebar to activate it in scan mode.
- Fixed an issue where Narrator would collapse the combo boxes in scan mode when navigating with up and down arrows.
- Fixed an issue where navigation commands are not executed as expected in a dialog box when you enter the dialog the second time.
- Fixed an issue where Narrator find was not working consistently on web pages when using Narrator key + Ctrl + F key combination.
HDR Backgrounds
- Fixed an issue where your HDR wallpaper might appear washed out although HDR was enabled.
- Fixed an issue where it wasn’t possible to select .JXL files for your wallpaper slideshow.
Task Manager
- Updated the summary view for the Performance page (that you see when double clicking the graphs in the navigation pane) to make the window smaller.
Windows 11 build 22631.2199 and 22621.2199 fixes
This update delivers these fixes and changes for both builds:
- Adds new functionality that affects app defaults. To learn more, see A principled approach to app pinning and app defaults in Windows.
- Addresses an issue that causes Windows to fail. This occurs when you use BitLocker on a storage medium that has a large sector size.
- Addresses an issue that affects Remote Desktop sessions. Sometimes you receive a wrong error message when you try to sign in to a session.
- Addresses an issue that affects the search icon. When you select it, the Search app does not open.
- Addresses an issue that affects It does not correctly identify the search box on the taskbar and search highlights within the search box.
- Adds a new API for D3D12 Independent Devices. You can use it to create multiple D3D12 devices on the same adapter. To learn more, see D3D12 Independent Devices.
- Addresses an issue that affects disk partitions. The system might stop working. This occurs after you delete a disk partition and add the space from the deleted partition to an existing BitLocker partition.
- Addresses an issue that affects Start menu icons. They are missing after you sign in for the first time.
- Supports daylight saving time (DST) changes in Israel.
- Improves the reliability of the Search app.
- Addresses an issue that affects print jobs that are sent to a virtual print queue. They fail without an error.
- Addresses an issue that affects the search box size. Its size is reduced in tablet posture mode on Microsoft Surface Pro and Surface Book devices.
- Addresses an issue that affects the TAB key. Using it to browse search results requires additional actions.
- Addresses an issue that affects the Group Policy Service. It will not wait for 30 seconds, which is the default wait time, for the network to be available. Because of this, policies are not correctly processed.
- Addresses an issue that affects settings. They do not sync even if you turn on the toggle on the Windows Backup page in the Settings app.
- Addresses an issue that affects the Resultant Set of Policy (RSOP). The Windows LAPS “BackupDirectory” policy setting was not being reported. This occurs when the setting is set to 1, which is “Back up to AAD.”
- Addresses an issue that causes high CPU use. This occurs when you enable the “fBlockNonDomain policy.”
- The update addresses an issue that affects those who use Windows Update for Business. After you are asked to change your password at sign in, the change operation fails. Then you cannot sign in. The error code is 0xc000006d.
- Addresses an issue that affects a WS_EX_LAYERED window. The window might render with the wrong dimensions or at the wrong position. This occurs when you scale the display screen.
Microsoft also points out various known issues regarding File Explorer and the Windows Narrator.
Finally, the software giant is rolling out the updated version of Snipping Tool (version 11.2306.43.0) to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel with new buttons to edit in Paint for screenshots and edit in Clipchamp for screen recordings.
Install build 22631.2199
To download and install the Windows 11 build 22631.2199, enroll your device in the Beta Channel using the “Windows Insider Program” settings from the “Update & Security” section.
Once you enroll the computer in the program, you can download build 22631.2199 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. If the device receives build 22621.2199, you can turn on the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” toggle switch to switch to build 22631.2199.
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].