Windows 11 build 27695 is now available to Insiders using the Canary channel. It introduces the Widgets button on the right side of the taskbar, new build expiration date, improvements to the notification management, and more. Interestingly, some Insiders in the Canary ring will see an estimate of how long their PC will be not in usable state while installing Build 27695.
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What's new in Windows 11 Build 27695
If the taskbar is left-aligned, the taskbar's Widgets button will now appear on the left side of the system tray. The button itself has been made slightly wider to accommodate more useful content. The widgets panel will also now appear on the right side of the screen instead of the left.
Windows LAPS: Retrieving Encrypted Passwords When Restoring Active Directory
Windows LAPS (Local Administrator Password Solution) has received an update that makes it easier to recover encrypted passwords from Active Directory (AD) backups even when domain controllers are unavailable.
Windows LAPS encrypts passwords using CNG DPAPI (Cryptography API: Next Generation Data Protection API), providing a significantly higher level of security compared to storing passwords in plaintext. Typically, decryption keys are stored on functioning AD domain controllers. However, in the event of a failure, access to domain controllers may be lost.
The new solution allows you to use a PowerShell command Get-LapsADPasswordto extract and decrypt Windows LAPS passwords directly from AD backups (mounted using the AD snapshot browser dsamain.exe). The recovery procedure can be performed even on a computer that is not part of the domain. Having an AD backup ensures that encrypted Windows LAPS passwords are available in any situation.
This update resolves a critical issue with Windows LAPS password recovery when AD domain controllers are unavailable. For more information, see Password Recovery in AD Disaster Recovery Scenarios .
Changes and improvements
General
- New expiration date: Starting with Build 27691, the expiration date for Windows Insider builds for the Canary channel has changed to September 15, 2025. Microsoft strongly recommends updating to the latest build.
- Some Insiders in the Canary ring will see an estimate of how long their PC will be not in usable state while installing Build 27695. This information will be available both on the Windows Update page and when hovering over the power button in the Start menu.
Notifications
You can now turn off notification suggestions from individual apps. You can tap the three-dot button ("…") inside a notification to turn it off like any other notification, or go to the list of notification senders in Settings > System > Notifications and turn it off there (it’s called "Notification suggestions" in the list). Note that this option will only appear in the list of senders once you’ve received at least one such suggestion.
Microsoft is rolling out the ability to quickly share content with your Android device from the Share window. For the feature to work, you need to link your Android device to Windows using the Link to Windows app for Android and Link to Phone for PC.
Widgets
The widget platform has been updated to improve security and APIs. The changes are primarily targeted at users in the European Economic Area (EEA). Microsoft Start Experiences will now support Microsoft Start widgets and feeds. This update will remove some existing widgets and make changes to others that may temporarily affect their functionality. This update is the foundation for new widgets and functionality that are in development and will be released soon.
Fixes
File Explorer
- When using the WIN + E keyboard shortcut, the screen reader might report that the panel already has focus, or that focus could not be set at all.
- When using the Ctrl + F keyboard shortcut, the search did not start.
- Fixed an issue where keyboard focus could be lost when using the Shift + Tab shortcut to navigate the taskbar.
- Screen readers did not indicate that you were opening or viewing items that were in the breadcrumb trail in Open or Save dialog boxes.
- Screen readers did not indicate when opening or viewing items in column headers.
Task Manager
Fixed an issue where colors in the Performance section were not displayed correctly when using the dark theme.
Windows Sandbox
Fixed an issue where Windows Sandbox would not start. Error code: 0x80070005.
Other
- Fixed an issue where Windows installed from bootable media might not become the default partition if another version of Windows was already installed on the computer.
- Fixed an issue where the dfrgui.exe (Defragment and Optimize Drives) tool would fail to launch in the previous build, reporting that SXSHARED_UCRT.dll was not found. This is also believed to be the cause of the "The specified module could not be found" error when attempting to use the backup options in Control Panel.
Known issues
- General: [Important note for Copilot+ devices] If you are upgrading to the Canary channel from the Dev, Release Preview, or Stable channels on a Copilot+ device, you will encounter an issue using your PIN or biometrics when attempting to sign in. You will see the error "Something went wrong, your PIN is not available" with the code 0xd0000225. To reset your PIN, click the "Set up PIN" button.
- Input: Working on a fix for an issue where the emoji panel would close when trying to switch to the Symbols or Kaomoji sections after selecting an emoji.
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