Microsoft brings new hotspots for Spotlight feature in Windows 11

Microsoft has introduced a new beta version of Windows 11 23H2. Build 22635.4145 brings interesting new features such as hotspots for Windows Spotlight and improved mouse settings. We show the most important changes and known problems at a glance.

New features for Windows 11 beta testers

Microsoft has announced a new beta version of Windows 11 23H2 on the Windows blog. Build 22635.4145 (KB5041881) brings some interesting new features for participants of the Windows Insider program in the beta channel.

One highlight is the extension of Windows Spotlight to include so-called hotspots. If you right-click on the spotlight symbol, animated dots are displayed that provide additional information about the current background image. Clicking on a hotspot then opens the associated Bing page with further details. There are two variants.

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4145Microsoft is still testing various…
Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4145… user interfaces

Microsoft has been working on improvements to the Windows spotlight for some time now, but has also quickly discarded one or two features over the past few months.

Input device options

There are new options for input devices: In the mouse settings, you can now deactivate the improved mouse pointer precision. You can also reverse the scrolling direction of the mouse. For touchscreens, users can choose whether they want to deactivate the edge gestures on the left or right edge of the screen.

A practical new feature concerns the Windows sharing window. From here, content can now be forwarded directly to the Notepad and Clipchamp apps. This makes it easier to quickly exchange texts and media between different applications.

Microsoft 365 for Business

Interesting for companies: On new PCs or new user accounts on managed devices, the Microsoft 365 app is automatically pinned to the taskbar. This should enable faster access to Copilot for Microsoft 365.

Some of these new features will be rolled out gradually using the so-called Control Feature Rollout technology. This means that not all beta testers will receive the features immediately. Microsoft is slowly improving availability to identify potential problems. Insiders can select in the settings that they would like to receive the new features as soon as possible.

Bug fixes and known issues

In addition to the new features, the update also contains numerous bug fixes. Crashes in File Explorer have been fixed and problems with the start menu, hibernation and Windows Hello for Business have been addressed. Bluetooth connection problems and difficulties with BitLocker have also occurred.

However, a known problem remains: Clicking on a letter in the “All Apps” list of the start menu can lead to display errors. As a workaround, Microsoft recommends restarting the Explorer process.

What do you think of the new features in the current Windows 11 beta? Which function do you find particularly exciting or useful? Feel free to share your experiences and opinions in the comments!

Summary

  • New beta version of Windows 11 23H2 introduced
  • Windows Spotlight expanded to include hotspots
  • Added improved mouse settings
  • Direct forwarding to Notepad and Clipchamp
  • The Microsoft 365 app is automatically pinned
  • Innovations gradually via Control Feature Rollout
  • The update includes numerous bug fixes

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