Microsoft started shipping more advanced Windows 11 version 24H2 builds to Insiders on the Dev Channel yesterday. The Dev Channel is now receiving 26200 series builds, starting with the just-released build 26200.5510. Dev testers who install it will no longer be able to switch to the Beta Channel, which has received the same 26120 series builds as the Dev Channel for the past few weeks.
The Windows Insider team explained yesterday that 26200 series builds, which are still based on Windows 11 version 24H2, will include many of the new features and improvements that will continue to ship in 26120 series builds for Beta Channel testers. “Over time, we will be making behind-the-scenes platform changes in these builds and these builds may have different known issues because of those changes than what we’re flighting to the Beta Channel,” the team explained.
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If you’re on the Dev Channel, the build 26200.5510 released yesterday includes the same changes as the build 26120.3576 that was released on March 17. Again, there will be no immediate differences between these 26200 and 26120 series builds, which are both based on Windows 11 version 24H2. But that will change eventually.
Yesterday, Microsoft also released the 24H2 build 26120.3585 for Beta Channel testers. It enables the AI-powered search experience on AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs, which lets users search for documents, images, and settings using natural language prompts. This improved Windows Search experience relies on NPU-powered semantic indexing and it works without an Internet connection.
Yesterday, Microsoft also made this AI-powered Windows Search experience available for Windows Insiders on the Release Preview ring with Qualcomm-powered Copilot+ PCs. The public rollout of this feature should start with next month’s Patch Tuesday updates.
Lastly, Microsoft also released a new Photos app update for all Insiders yesterday. The new bits improve the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature and add a new Copilot integration.