Windows 11 Build 22631.4969 (RP) comes with a lot of improvements

Microsoft today released Windows 11 Build 22631.4969 to the Release Preview channel of the Insider program. There are plenty of improvements in this update, including the ability to disable the backup prompt in File Explorer, new Spotlight, Settings and Narrator options, and some fixes.

Gradual roll-out

The new features described below are not available to all Insiders as they are being rolled out in stages.

Taskbar and system tray

• • You can now share files directly from the taskbar jump list. This menu appears when you right-click on taskbar apps, such as Notepad.

Windows Spotlight

• • Microsoft is continuing to make changes to the way the Spotlight icon on your desktop works. You can now quickly get more information about the background image you're using by hovering over it or clicking the "Learn more about this image" icon.
  • Now it will be easier to find Windows Spotlight. The company has changed the color and background of the icon. In addition, the icon itself has moved to the lower right corner of the desktop.

Lock screen

• • You can now get additional information about an image from Spotlight by clicking the "Like icon" button.

Narrator

• • [Narrator] New! There are new functions for Narrator scan mode. Skip past links (n) allows you to go to the text after a link. Use the comma (,) to jump to the start of an item (large table, long list, or another item.) Use the period (.) to jump to the end of an item. This is most helpful when you read long emails, news articles, and wiki pages. Jump to lists (l) allows you to quickly access a list on a web page or in a document. To use these new functions, turn on Narrator first (Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter). Then turn scan mode on by pressing Caps lock + Spacebar. Note that scan mode is on by default on most web pages (like news articles, wiki page, and so on).

Settings

• • Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers will find a new card on the Settings home page that lets you invite friends to try PC Game Pass for free. The card will appear if you're signed in with a Microsoft account and meet the eligibility criteria.

File Explorer

• • A new option has been added to delay or disable the "Start backup" reminder in the Explorer address bar, which will be useful for those users who do not create backup copies of the Documents, Pictures, or Desktop libraries. To disable the reminder, right-click on the phrase "Start backup".
  • Fixed an issue where sometimes it was not possible to navigate to a path entered in the address bar.
  • Fixed an issue where the File Explorer address bar would unexpectedly overlap content in full-screen mode ( F11).
  • Improved performance of launching the context menu when right-clicking on cloud files.
  • A change has been made to help ensure that cloud file thumbnails display more consistently in File Explorer search results.

Start Menu

• • Fixed an issue where the wrong colors were used when opening the Account Manager flyout if a mix of dark and light themes was selected in Settings > Personalization > Colors.

Mouse

• • In Settings > Ease of Access > Mouse pointer & touch, you can choose a color for the mouse cursor other than the default. Fixed an issue where the cursor color could reset to the default after the User Account Control (UAC) dialog box appeared.

Available to all users

File Explorer

• For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), content in the Recent, Featured, Details Dashboard, and Recommended sections is disabled when using Entra ID.
• Added support for Daylight Saving Time (DST) in Paraguay.
• Fixed an issue where dwm.exe would stop responding.
• Updated Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles for some mobile operators.
• Fixed an issue where the Open Secure Shell (OpenSSH) service would not start, causing SSH connections to be broken. No detailed logging is provided, so the sshd.exe process had to be started manually.

Source