Microsoft has updated the Windows Setup Experience UI for the first time since the Vista era. A refreshed Windows OS Media Setup has arrived in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26040 (Canary Channel) and it isn’t a mistake, it is intentionally “a much cleaner and more modern design.”
On the Windows Blog, readers are assured that the new Windows setup UI hasn’t been dumbed down. “All of the same features will continue to be supported in the bare-metal (clean) OS installation experience,” says Microsoft. That means unattended support remains too, but now the pre-Windows experience will be consistent with the current upgrade and installation experience seen on devices already running the latest Windows OS.
In the before and after Windows OS Media Setup shots(top) the change between old and new is immediately clear. Depending on how often you install or refresh Windows it might be hard to remember the different UIs you have to click through – everyone wants to get this stage over with ASAP.
Someone who has probably endured many more Windows OS install experiences than most of us is NTDEV, best known for his tiny11 work. The developer was quite taken aback by the introduction of this new Windows Setup Experience, Tweeting that “the impossible has happened.” He expects the new Windows install UI to be in place when the next major version of Windows lands. Is that going to be Windows 12?
If you want to see more of the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26040 (Canary Channel) install experience, NTDEV produced a walk-through video, embedded above.
It is evident that at this stage Microsoft still hasn’t ironed out all the wrinkles in its revamped Windows Setup Experience. Another Twitter tech tattler, eagle-eyed Bob Pony, highlighted that Microsoft’s support links in the new UI aren’t very well integrated.
Ever wondered what happens if you click one of the links at the bottom left corner in the new Windows Setup, introduced in Windows 11 Build 26040?Both of them shows a message box that simply says to visit that entire URL, which you have to type manually on another device. 🫠 pic.twitter.com/QYNQSbaThdJanuary 27, 2024
Bob Pony noticed that if you click ‘Support’ near the bottom left corner of the installer UI, a popup simply provides a URL that you will have to jot down and type in later – unless your smart device camera can parse it, perhaps.
Other new stuff in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26040 (Canary Channel) includes:
- The ability to access Windows screenshots “instantly” from your smart device.
- AI-powered Voice Clarity which offers Deep Noise Suppression, echo canceling, and reverberation removal.
- The Windows LAPS automatic account management feature
- Better discoverability of screen casting
- USB 80Gbps support has also arrived in this release, but initially only on select devices packing Intel Core 14th Gen HX-series mobile processors
There is also a long list of improvements for Copilot, File Explorer, Task Manager, Narrator, Input, and more. Hit the blog link in the intro for the full details.
