Install the latest preview build at your own peril.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Despite record-breaking quarterly income reports, Microsoft hasn't exactly had a good track record with end users lately, particularly around Windows 11 and/or its 25H2 update. There's no shortage of bugs with every point release, and the latest one can be described as annoying and amusing in equal parts. In the latest preview release (KB5070311), when Windows is set to dark mode, several parts of Explorer will flash bright white before displaying their contents, Bleeping Computerreports.
The bug can be triggered in multiple ways: simply navigating to or from Home or Gallery (including an initial launch to Home), creating a new tab, enabling or disabling the Details pane, or selecting More Details when copying files. The only workaround is to disable dark mode entirely. It's worth noting that the preview build specifically says Explorer "now offers a more consistent dark mode experience". The irony here is palpable.
The Microsoft post about the update specifically calls out the purported improvements made by Windows' coders in this release. Dark mode consistency in Explorer should apply to: copy/move/delete dialogs, progress bars, chart views, and confirmation dialogs. Microsoft is also testing a change to its controversial context menu, unifying Share, Copy, and Move actions in a single menu in a bid for discoverability. Explorer has been the target of many improvements lately, including preloading its contents.
The preview build does bring in a lot of goodies, though. Handheld owners will be happy to know that the Full-Screen Experience is now generally available, haptic-enabled pens now respond to Windows UI actions, compatible backlit keyboards are more configurable, and there's a new Mobile Devices setting for managing Bluetooth devices.
Over on the more techie side, the new Quick Machine Recovery feature can now run a one-time scan and try and fix basic issues with an install, or direct users to recovery options. Detailed keyboard character repeat and delay rate, as well as cursor blink rate, were moved to Settings. Windows Share now supports multi-file sharing, as well. Gamers will be happy to know that the bug causing some titles to error out with "unsupported graphics card detected" should now work.
If you enjoy living on the edge and want to get a hold of the latest improvements, the KB5070311 preview update should be right up your alley.
Bruno Ferreira is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware. He has decades of experience with PC hardware and assorted sundries, alongside a career as a developer. He's obsessed with detail and has a tendency to ramble on the topics he loves. When not doing that, he's usually playing games, or at live music shows and festivals.
