A brand new Windows 11 Insider Preview Build is 26220.5790 now in the Dev Channel. The test build is coming with better dictation and a way to improve USB webcams. This could be great for everyone, but the catch is that you need a Copilot+ PC to take advantage of the new features.
The new “fluid dictation” feature is designed to make voice dictation smoother and smarter by automatically correcting things like grammar, punctuation, and even those little filler words we all use. It’s all powered by on-device small language models (SLMs), which means it’s fast and, more importantly, keeps your information private. You can use it in any text app, though it’s turned off in secure fields like password or PIN entry to protect your privacy.
I have a general American accent, but I always have trouble with dictation programs. I love the idea of improved dictation features to make voice typing feel much more natural and a lot less frustrating. The cool part is you can simply say “turn on (off) fluid dictation” to toggle it whenever you’d like. Unfortunately for me, this is only for those who own a Copilot+ PC.
Along with the improved dictation, Microsoft is also making Windows Studio Effects available on more cameras. If you have a supported Copilot+ PC, you can now use the AI-powered camera improvements with a wider range of hardware, including a USB webcam or your laptop’s built-in rear camera.
This is great because it helps you look your best in more setups without being limited to just the integrated camera on your device. You can find a new toggle for Use Windows Studio Effects in the advanced camera options menu under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras. Once it’s enabled, you can adjust the effects right from the camera settings page or through the quick settings menu in the taskbar.
This update for webcams won’t come to all insiders immediately. Instead, the driver update for this is rolling out to Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs first, and updates for AMD and Snapdragon models will come in the next few weeks.
These new features are super cool, but the big stipulation is that they’re only available on Copilot+ PCs. While it’s a bummer that not everyone can use these features right away, it makes sense that updates are being rolled out to the hardware that’s optimized for these PCs.
Beyond the Copilot+ PC-specific updates, the new build also includes some other changes and fixes that are being gradually rolled out to Insiders in the Dev Channel. For instance, File Explorer Home now has on-hover actions, so if you hover your mouse over a file, you’ll see commands like “Open file location” and “Ask Copilot about this file,” which is pretty neat. However, this feature currently requires you to be signed in with a Microsoft account, but work or school account support is coming down the road.
There are also a bunch of fixes for general performance issues, like an underlying problem that was causing lag when interacting with File Explorer and the taskbar. Microsoft has also fixed a bug that would make app preview windows in the taskbar get all misaligned after changing the display resolution.
Source: Windows Insider Blog