- Microsoft finally added labels for the action buttons (cut, copy, paste, etc.) in the File Explorer context menu.
- The build 26058 introduces a new Mouse Pointer Indicator feature, redesigns the Widgets board, and rolls out various other changes.
- These new improvements are expected to ship in the final release of Windows 11 24H2.
Microsoft began the rollout of Windows 11 build 26058 for devices enrolled in the Canary and Dev Channels of the Windows Insider Program with various visual changes and new features.
According to the official announcement, devices in the Canary Channel are getting the build 26058.1000, while those in the Dev Channel are getting the build 26058.1100 (as the update KB5036078). In this release, the development team is adding a new pointer indicator feature for low-vision users and visual changes for the Widgets board. File Explorer gets labels for the context menu action buttons. The “Windows key + Ctrl + S” keyboard shortcut will access Voice Access and more.
This flight also fixes a bunch of problems and lists some new known issues.
These new features and changes are expected to ship in the final release of Windows 11 24H2 later in the year. Currently, both channels, including Canary and Dev, are sharing the code base, but this is temporary since the company notes that previews in the Canary Channel will eventually jump to a higher number.
What’s new on Windows 11 build 26058
These are the new features and changes rolling out with build 26058:
File Explorer context menu update
In this release, the company is updating the File Explorer context menu with labels for the main action buttons: cut, copy, paste, rename, share, and delete.
It’s a minor change, but in my opinion, it’s a significant update. Since the original release of Windows 11, I noticed that iconography matches the action intent, but they were still confusing.
Pointer Indicator
The Pointer Indicator is a new feature, and it’s an accessibility feature aimed to help low-vision users locate the cursor on the screen easily using a visual crosshair.
You can use the “Windows key + Ctrl + X” keyboard shortcut to enable the feature or open Settings > Accessibility > Mouse Pointer and Touch and turn on the “Prointer Indicator” toggle switch.
On the page, you will also find the settings to change the colors for the crosshair visual.
Although this is a new feature that will be part of Windows 11 24H2, the PowerToys app has had the same feature for many years, and it seems that the company is now porting it into the operating system.
Widgets redesign
In addition to the ability to disable the news feed, starting on Windows 11 build 26058, the Widgets board is getting a left navigation pane that allows you to switch between a dedicated page with your widgets and the news feed.
Starting with this update, the Widgets icon will include a badge notification in the Taskbar to show the number of notifications you may have missed.
When opening the dashboard, you will notice a new widget with the missed notifications in the top-left corner.
Lock Screen Weather widget
Although the Lock Screen already shows weather information, on build 26058, the company is updating the feature with a richer weather widget that includes dynamic and interactive updates.
For example, when hovering over the widget, it’ll show more information, and clicking the widget will open the weather forecast on the browser after logging in.
Finally, Microsoft is making the weather widget the default experience in the Lock Screen to push the new changes.
You can prevent the Lock Screen from showing the weather information from Settings > Personalization > Lock screen > Lock screen status.
This feature rollout only applies to devices in the Canary Channel, as the feature has been in the Dev Channel for some time.
Voice Access new shortcut
As a minor change, the “Windows key + Ctrl + S” keyboard shortcut will now open Voice Access instead of Windows Speech Recognition since the company plans to remove this feature.
Other changes
This flight also updates Command Prompt to understand when the PATH changes to update your current session if you’re the Windows Package Manager or any other package manager.
Finally, the “Windows protected print mode” feature appears to be working on this flight. When you click the “Set up” button on the “Printers & scanners” page, you will get a warning that the process will remove the printers that are not compatible with this new feature.
Finally, Microsoft is also noting various known issues regarding the Dev Drive, games not playing correctly, clean installation, networking, input switcher, Windows Update, and File Explorer.
Install build 26058
To download and install the Windows 11 build 26058, enroll your device 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 clicking the “Check for Updates” button.
You can also download the ISO file for Windows 11 build 26058 in two methods, including downloading the file directly from Microsoft or using the UUP Dump tool.
Update February 22, 2024: The update KB5036082 (build 26058.1300) is now rolling out in the Dev Channel. The update doesn’t contain anything new since it’s only a test for servicing version 24H2 (2024 Update). Microsoft also points out that devices with Virtualization Based Security (VBS) turned on will receive the build 26058.1400 (KB5036080) instead.
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 15 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 21 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].