Microsoft has released the first Windows Insider Preview build of Windows 11, the company's next version of the operating system. It's Build 22000.51 and will be available only in the Dev channel. The new build was announced by Insider program head Amanda Langowski and senior program manager Brandon LeBlanc in a blog post.
The new build won't have all of the Windows 11 features but will include the new start menu and taskbar, notification center, and File Explorer. The Snap layouts and Snap groups will be there, as is the new widget center on the taskbar.
In addition, there's a preview of the new Microsoft Store, voice typing, an improved touch keyboard with personalization, the new settings menu and display improvements. Additionally, Wi-Fi 6E should work as long as you have capable hardware.
There are no mentions of Android apps in the store or changes to Microsoft Teams being available yet.
Several people who had installed the leaked build of Windows 11 have been reporting that they can upgrade to the new Insider Build.
The new build comes with a slew of known issues, which you can find in the blog post. This is one reason why you should not put these early builds on your main machine. (A second Insider Track, for beta builds, is a bit less risky, though of course, you can wait for the final release as well for a more complete experience).
First Windows 11 Insider Build Arrives in Dev Channel
Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming as well as keeping up with the latest news. He holds a M.S. in Journalism (Digital Media) from Columbia University. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Kotaku, PCMag, Complex, Tom's Guide and Laptop Mag among others.