Microsoft Adds 'Edit' Command-line tool to Windows 11; Drops Old .NET 3.5

Microsoft’s new Windows 11 Insider Canary Build 27965 brings some important changes for power users and developers. First, let’s talk about Edit, which is a new built-in text editor for the command line.

The lightweight editor is open-source on GitHub and supports syntax highlighting, undo history, and more. It makes it ideal for quick config tweaks and script edits. You can just type edit inside Windows Terminal to open files instantly.

While the latest build adds a new tool, Microsoft has dropped .NET Framework 3.5 as a preinstalled Windows component. The company now recommends developers migrate to newer .NET versions, though legacy apps can still rely on the downloadable standalone installer.

It’s not hidden anymore that Windows 11 has been gradually streamlining its developer stack, and these changes reflect that. Removing outdated frameworks reduces maintenance overhead, while Edit fills a long-missing gap for command-line editing. It’s faster than launching Notepad and more accessible than using PowerShell editors.

Apart from the above changes, the Canary Build 27965 also introduces a revamped, scrollable Start menu, Phone Link integration into Start Menu, and fixes auto-hiding taskbar and red video bug.