KB5021304 brings end-of-the-year changes to the Beta Channel
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Key notes
- The end of 2022 is almost upon us, so Beta Channel Insiders got their last build of the year.
- Know that the changes to the taskbar search are not exclusive to the Dev Channel anymore.
- The entire changelog is here and you can check it out right now so make sure you don't miss it.
We’ve already peeked at the last Dev Channel Insider Build for 2022, which is Build 25267, so it was only natural we’d also have a look at the Beta Channel as well.
However, before we do, we want to remind you about the latest Patch Tuesday rollout, which you should definitely check out.
As you would have expected, these security updates managed to break features as well as fix some of the vulnerabilities still exploited.
Let’s move on now and look at the most recent release to the Windows 11 Insiders Beta Channel and see what we’re getting these holidays.
What should I look for in builds 22621.1037 and 22623.1037?
You should know that today, Microsoft released builds 22621.1037, and 22623.1037 to the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders.
The 22623.1037 build includes a bunch of new voice access improvements and commands which are listed below so that you can use many aspects of Windows 11 just with your voice.
Before we get into it, keep in mind that Insiders who were previously on Build 22622 will automatically get moved to Build 22623 via an enablement package.
The above-mentioned enablement package artificially increments the build number for the update with new features getting rolled out and turned on to make it easier to differentiate from devices with the update with features off by default.
Furthermore, Microsoft is continuing to tweak Search on the taskbar, trying to make it a much more reliable and stable experience.
Through this recent software release, Microsoft has fixed an issue that might have affected Data Protection Application Programming Interface (DPAPI) decryption.
In case you didn’t know, the decryption of a certificate private key might have failed, so virtual private network (VPN) and other 802.1 certificate-based authentications might have failed.
The tech giant also specified that this issue might have occurred when you encrypted the DPAPI master key with a wrong value.
In addition, the Redmond-based tech company has added support for the following commands:
| To do this | Say this |
|---|---|
| Close the voice access application | Close voice access, Exit voice access, Quit voice access |
| Open a new application | Show [application name] , e.g., Show Edge |
| Close an application | Exit/Quit [application name], e.g., Exit Word, Quit Edge |
| Show grid overlay on your screen | Show window grid |
| Pull up the command help list | Show command list, Show commands |
| Release a held down key | Release |
| Move cursor in a text box | Move forward 5 characters, Go back 2 lines, Go to start of document, Move to beginning of line |
| Select the desired no. of characters/lines | Select forward/backward [count] characters/lines, e.g., Select forward 5 characters |
| Delete selected text or last dictated text | Strike that |
| Paste text in a text box | Paste here, paste that |
| Apply bold formatting to specific text | Boldface [text], e.g., boldface hello world |
| Capitalize selected text or last dictated text | Cap that |
Fixes in Build 22623.1037
[Taskbar & System Tray]
- Updated the Quick Settings icons in the taskbar when using a screen reader so if you set focus to each of the icons it no longer includes the words system state and instead just says what the icon is (for example instead of “system volume state” it just says “volume”).
- Fixed a few more explorer.exe crashes relating to recent taskbar changes.
[Task Manager]
- We fixed the issue causing Task Manager to become unresponsive when using the search box at the top of Task Manager.
Fixes for BOTH Build 22621.1037 & Build 22623.1037
- Fixed a known issue that might have affected Task Manager. It might have displayed certain elements in the user interface (UI) in unexpected colors. Some parts of the UI might not have been readable. This issue might have occurred if you had “Choose your mode” set to “Custom” in the Personalization > Colors section of Settings.
- Fixed an issue that might have affected Data Protection Application Programming Interface (DPAPI) decryption. The decryption of a certificate private key might have failed. Because of that, virtual private network (VPN) and other 802.1 certificate-based authentication might have failed. This issue might have occurred when you encrypted the DPAPI master key with a wrong value.
Known issues
[Search on the Taskbar]
- You may see issues with the search box on taskbar not rendering correctly and displaying visual artifacts.
[Task Manager]
- Filtering by publisher name does not match correctly on the Processes page.
- Some services may not show in the Services page after filtering is applied.
- If a new process is starting while a filter is set, then that process may appear for a split second in the filtered list.
- Some dialogs may not render in the correct theme when applied from Task Manager Settings page.
- The data content area of the Processes page may flash once when theme changes are applied in the Task Manager Settings page.
- The Startup apps page in Task manager does not list any apps for some Insiders. If you are impacted, please use Settings > Apps > Startup for the time being.
What can I do if I can’t install KB5021304?
- Press Win+ I to access Settings.
- Select the System category and click on Troubleshoot.
- Press the Other troubleshooters button.
- Press the Run button next to Windows Update.
Please be sure to report any other issues you might come across, in order for Microsoft to address and improve the overall OS experience for us all.
This is everything you can expect if you are a Windows Insider for the end of 2022. Leave a comment below if you found any issues since installing this build.
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