If your Windows 11 Canary build is titled as a Dev build, don't worry; you haven't switched channels

The latest Windows 11 Canary build was one of the most significant in a while. It included many features, such as the automatic HDR settings and Windows Sandbox, as well as the change in the FAT32 file system. However, some insiders were also surprised by another confusing name.

Apparently, the winver dialogue and the System > About section now label this Windows 11 Insider version as “Dev,” even though it’s a Canary build.

Brandon LeBlanc, a Senior Program Manager at the Windows Insider Program team, chimed in to clarify. He mentioned that this “Dev” label doesn’t refer to the Insider Channel but indicates that the build is an in-development pre-release of Windows 11.

This makes sense. After all, Canary builds are meant to be on the cutting edge, not tied to any specific Windows release. There’s already a Dev Channel, so you can see why some people might be slightly puzzled about the latest Windows 11 Canary build.

Remember when Microsoft had just two channels (or “rings”)? Fast Ring and Slow Ring were straightforward. Now, we’ve got four channels, and features often pop up in the “slower” or more stable channels before Canary and Dev.

Plus, with features rolling out gradually, it’s a bit of a lottery whether you’ll see new stuff immediately. While this approach has a clear logic, it doesn’t simplify things for Insiders.

If you ever wonder which Insider channel you’re on, go to Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider. You should see your channel there, as pictured above.