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Will the New Windows 11 Preview Finally Stop Those Annoying File Explorer Glitches?
Microsoft has new test updates for Windows 11. These are called preview updates. They let you try out new fixes and features before they are released to everyone next month. Think of it as an early look. This guide explains what is new and what important problems are now solved.
Major Changes You Will See
This optional update brings several improvements to make your computer easier to use. These changes are rolling out gradually to users.
- A Better Start Menu: The Start menu has a new design. It helps you find your apps more quickly. You can see all your apps in a scrollable list or group them by type. The menu also changes its size to better fit your screen.
- Smarter File Explorer: File Explorer will now recommend files for you on its Home page. It shows files you use often or recently downloaded. If you do not like this, you can turn it off in the settings.
- Clearer Battery Icons: The battery icon on your taskbar and lock screen is now easier to read. It uses colors to show your battery status. Green means it is charging, yellow means battery saver is on, and red means the battery is critically low.
- Phone Link on Start: A new button next to the search bar lets you see information from your connected phone. This works with both Android and iOS phones.
Important Fixes for Common Problems
Many annoying bugs have been fixed in this update. If you have been having trouble with File Explorer or Windows Update, this release may help.
File Explorer Fixes
Users reported many problems with File Explorer. This update fixes several of them.
- It solves an issue where right-clicking would cause the menu to flicker.
- It fixes a bug that made File Explorer freeze or stop responding to mouse clicks.
- It corrects a problem where extracting very large zip files would fail with an error.
- It stops File Explorer from becoming unresponsive when you open the Home page.
Windows Update Fixes
Updating Windows should be a smooth process. This preview solves two significant update problems.
Some users found that choosing “Update and shutdown” did not actually shut down their PC. This update addresses the underlying cause of this issue. The update also fixes a problem that caused updates to fail with error 0x800f0983.
How to Get the Update
These are optional preview updates. Windows will not install them automatically. To get them, you must go to Settings > Windows Update and choose to download and install the preview.
- For Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, the update is KB5067036.
- For Windows 11 version 23H2, the update is KB5067112.
By installing this preview, you can fix existing problems and test new features before the main release.