Windows 11 Builds 22621.1020/22623.1020 (Beta) finally bring with it the Windows Spotlight theme

Microsoft has released new preview builds of Windows 11 (version 22H2) 22621.1020 and 22623.1020 (KB5020035) to Insiders on the Beta channel. Build 22623.1020 supports new features, such as new Braille displays in Narrator. Both builds include Windows Spotlight with Themes, Microsoft OneDrive subscription options in Settings, and more.

Keep in mind that insiders who were previously on Build 22622 will receive Build 22623 via a special package. This package artificially increments the build number to make it easier for Microsoft engineers to distinguish between enabled and disabled devices by default.

If you are in a group with features disabled by default (build 22621), then check for updates and agree to install an optional update that will make these features available and will move you on build 22623.

What's new in Windows 11 Builds 22621.1020/22623.1020

Support for new Braille displays in Narrator includes the APH Chameleon, the APH Mantis Q40, the NLS eReader and many more. Update it as follows.

Prerequisites

You must remove Narrator’s current braille support if it is already installed by following the steps below:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Apps > Optional features > Installed features.
3. Search for Accessibility – Braille support.
4. Expand Accessibility – Braille support and uninstall the feature.

Install new narrator braille support

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Narrator > Braille.
2. Select the more button.
3. Download braille from this new window by selecting the Download and install braille button.
4. After braille is installed, restart your computer and return to Settings > Accessibility > Narrator > Braille.
5. For Braille display to continue working seamlessly while switching between Narrator and third-party screen readers, select the braille display driver used by your third-party screen reader from the “Braille display driver” option. See the note below for customers that use the JAWS for Windows screen reader. This only needs to be done once. Refer to the detailed documentationto learn more about the braille driver solution.

Fixes in Build 22623.1020

General

• The spelling dictionary now uses a language-neutral word list and syncs across all devices that use the same Windows account (Microsoft accounts and AAD) is now available to all Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. Users can toggle this feature via Settings > Accounts > Windows backup > Remember my preferences > Language preferences.

Taskbar & System Tray

• Fixed a high hitting explorer.exe crash in the previous Beta Channel flight related to the system tray. This crash is also believed to be the cause of some Insiders experiencing a repeated explorer.exe crash when entering safe mode on that flight.
• Fixed an issue which was causing certain third-party app icons in the system tray to be unresponsive after the latest system tray changes.
• The Windows Update icon in the system tray should no longer look pixelated after changing between light and dark mode.

Windowing

• If you have two monitors on top of each other, the Desktops list in Task View should no longer appear to be floating in the middle of Task View.

Task Manager

• Moved the open navigation pane button to be under the title bar when Task Manager is wide enough to expand it inline – in doing so, addressed an issue where you couldn’t drag Task Manager from the area in the title bar above the navigation pane if the navigate pane was expanded.
• The Delete key should work in the search box now.

Fixes for both builds

• New! We combined Windows Spotlight with Themes on the Personalization page. This made it easier for you to discover and turn on the Windows Spotlight feature.
• New! We provided the full amount of storage capacity of all your Microsoft OneDrive subscriptions. We also displayed the total storage on the Accounts page in the Settings app.
• New! We gave Microsoft OneDrive subscribers storage alerts on the Systems page in the Settings app. The alerts appeared when you were close to your storage limit. You could also manage your storage and purchase additional storage, if needed.
• New! We added the organizational messages feature. With it, third-party companies could provide content to their employees. They did not need to use the default behavior of Windows.
• We fixed an issue that affected protocol activation of the Settings app. The app failed to open a page under the Accounts category.
• We fixed an issue that affected certain applications. They stopped working. This occurred when you used keyboard shortcuts to change the input mode for the Japanese Input Method Editor (IME).
• We fixed an issue that affected cluster name objects (CNO) or virtual computer objects (VCO). Password reset failed. The error message was, ” There was an error resetting the AD password… // 0x80070005”.
• We fixed an issue that might have caused certain apps to stop responding. This occurred when you opened the Open File dialog.
• We fixed an issue that sometimes affected File Explorer when you opened a file. Because of that, there was high CPU usage.
• We fixed an issue that affected Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Automated investigation blocked live response investigations.
• We fixed an issue that affected Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) authentication hardening. We would automatically raise the authentication level for all non-anonymous activation requests from DCOM clients to RPC_C_AUTHN_LEVEL_PKT_INTEGRITY. This occurred if the authentication level was below Packet Integrity.
• We fixed an issue that affected microphone streams that used the Listen To feature to route to the speaker endpoint. The microphone stopped working after you restarted the device.
• We fixed an issue that caused File Explorer to stop working. This occurred when you closed context menus and menu items.

More in the official announcement.

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