Microsoft makes first more stable Windows 11 version available in Beta Channel
Microsoft has released a first Beta Channel version of Windows 11. This Windows 11 version will be more stable than the Dev Channel releases. The Beta version has many functions of the Dev version, although the Teams chat function in the taskbar is not yet active.
Users in the Beta channel can now Download Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.100. This version was released to users in the Dev Channel last Thursday. The Beta version has the same fixes and improvements as the Dev version, although Microsoft has now discovered some new issues. For example, it concerns links to specific pages in Settings that do not work properly, or the Taskbar that continuously crashes in Windows Sandbox.
In addition, the Beta version does not yet have access to Chat from Microsoft Teams. A Teams chat function is added to the taskbar. When clicking on the Teams button, a window opens like the start menu opens, so no separate window is opened. This feature is now being phased out to Dev users; Beta users will get the feature sometime in the next few weeks.
The Beta Channel version, according to Microsoft, is more stable than the Dev versions and suitable for early adopters and IT professionals who want to see what’s new in Windows 11, or validate the new version. It gets “trusted updates validated by Microsoft.” According to Microsoft, Dev users should consider whether they should switch to the more stable Beta version.
The Verge notes that moving from Dev to Beta normally requires a full reinstall of the operating system, but with Windows 11 a reboot would suffice. In the settings menu under the Windows Update heading, users can choose which Insider channel users want to be in.
The current Beta version includes many changes from Windows 10, such as a new interface with modified start menu, modified taskbar and widgets, and revised Microsoft Store. This Windows 11 version doesn’t have all the announced features yet; for example, it is not yet possible to download Android apps from the Microsoft Store. Windows 11 will be released later this year.