Month: August 2024

Windows 11 Insider Previews: What’s in the latest build?

Windows 11 24H2 has been released, but behind the scenes, Microsoft is constantly working to improve the newest version of Windows. The company frequently rolls out public preview builds to members of its Windows Insider Program, allowing them to test out — and even help shape — upcoming features.

Skip to the builds

The Windows Insider program is divided into four channels:

  • The Canary Channel is where platform changes (such as major updates to the Windows kernel and new APIs) are previewed. These changes are not tied to a particular Windows release and may never ship at all. Little documentation is provided, and builds are likely to be very unstable. This channel is best for highly technical users.
  • The Dev Channel is where new features are introduced for initial testing, regardless of which Windows release they’ll eventually end up in. This channel is best for technical users and developers and builds in it may be unstable and buggy.
  • In the Beta Channel, you’ll get more polished features that will be deployed in the next major Windows release. This channel is best for early adopters, and Microsoft says your feedback in this channel will have the most impact.
  • The Release Preview Channel typically doesn’t see action until shortly before a new feature update is rolled out. It’s meant for final testing of an upcoming release and is best for those who want the most stable builds.

The Beta and Release Preview Channels also receive bug-fix builds for the currently shipping version of Windows 11. See “How to preview and deploy Windows 10 and 11 updates” for more details about the four channels and how to switch to a different channel.

Not everyone can participate in the Windows 11 Insider program, because the new operating system has more stringent system requirements than Windows 10. If your PC fails to meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11, you cannot join the Windows 11 Insider Program. (See “How to check if your PC can run Windows 11.”)

Below you’ll find information about the Windows 11 preview builds that have been announced by Microsoft in the past six months. (For the Release Preview Channel, we cover builds released for the current version of Windows 11, not for earlier versions.) For each build, we’ve included the date of its release, which Insider channel it was released to, a summary of what’s in the build, and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it.

Note: If you’re looking for information about updates being rolled out to all Windows 11 users, not previews for Windows Insiders, see “Windows 11: A guide to the updates.”

The latest Windows 11 Insider preview builds

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2702

Release date: December 13, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a new advanced camera options page. To see it, navigate to a camera under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras and click the edit button for advanced camera options. Note that this is being gradually rolled out.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bugs fixed, including one in which when pointer trails were enabled, the mouse cursor became invisible with a black box behind it.

One bug is fixed for everyone in the Dev Channel, in which if you rolled back from Build 26120.2510 to an earlier build, you would see a “Your organization used App Control for Business to block this app” dialog when attempting to use or install certain third-party apps on your PC due to an incorrect policy being enforced.

There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which Click to Do sometimes doesn’t highlight any info on screen if there is no content on a connected external monitor in extended mode.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2702.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4655

Release date: December 13, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available will be able to see visual previews of links or web content they share using the Windows share window. Note that the new feature may not yet be available to everyone because it is being gradually rolled out.

The build also fixes one bug, in which window previews weren’t showing when hovering over certain open apps in the taskbar, for those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates.

Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4655.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27764

Release date: December 11, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, when right-clicking on apps pinned to the Start menu, jump lists will be shown for apps that have them, such as PowerPoint. The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which File Explorer might hang when browsing a folder with lots of media in it, and another in which some HDDs were being incorrectly listed as SSD on the Task Manager Performance page.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27764.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4580

Release date: December 6, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get several improvements to File Explorer, including one in which if you launch File Explorer folders from outside of File Explorer (for example, from an app or from the desktop), by default they now open in a new tab if you have an existing File Explorer window open. Note that these features are being gradually rolled out, so may not be immediately available.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a single bug fix, in which Pinyin IME users may unexpectedly switch the IME from Chinese to English when switching between windows.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets four bug fixes, including for a bug in which Windows stopped responding when you used an Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) USB printer.

Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4580.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27758

Release date: December 4, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build introduces a new advanced camera options page in Settings that includes a multi-app camera setting and a basic camera setting, the latter intended as a last resort when your camera is not functioning correctly. The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that could have caused Settings to crash when you selected your default audio device.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27758.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2415

Release date: November 22, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

This build, for those who have Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, introduces the first preview of the Recall feature that constantly takes screenshots of what you do while you work so you easily find files, web pages, and more. In addition to searching, you can use a timeline to scroll back to what you were doing on your PC at a specific day and time.

Click to Do is also included. It lets you take AI-powered actions on the screenshots taken by Recall, such as erasing objects from them, performing a visual Bing search on them, copying them, sharing them, and more.

In addition, those who have the toggle turned on to immediately get new features will soon get new Windows Hello features that have already been rolled out to the Beta and Canary Channels.

Those who have the toggle turned on to immediately get new features and other changes get a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which explorer.exe sometimes crashed when interacting with app icons.

Click to Do has eight known issues, including one in which there a delay before snapshots first appear in the timeline.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2415.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4510

Release date: November 22, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available can resume working on OneDrive files from a phone (iOS and Android) on a Windows 11 PC with a single click. Users will also be able to right-click and share local files under the Recommended section of the Start menu. Note that these changes will roll out gradually.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a variety of bug fixes, including one for a bug in which you sometimes could not navigate by entering a path in the address bar.

Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4510.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27754

Release date: November 20, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build revamps Windows Hello in several ways, primarily to make authentication easier. Among the changes is a redesign of using passkeys for more secure and faster authentication. Users can now switch between authentication options and select passkey/devices more intuitively. Beyond that, if you hold Shift and Ctrl when clicking on a jump list item in the Start menu or taskbar, you will launch that item as admin.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused RAW images taken in portrait mode to unexpectedly display in landscape mode thumbnails in File Explorer.

There are six known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27754.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4510

Release date: November 15, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available can share files directly from right-click jump lists on the taskbar in supported apps such as Notepad. Note that this feature will roll out gradually.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get a fix for a single bug, in which you might have unexpectedly seen a message saying “You’re offline. Widgets are unavailable.”

Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4510.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.2448

Release date: November 14, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build gets a wide variety of new features, including one in which when you right-click apps that you have pinned to the Start menu, jump lists will appear for apps that have jump lists. There is also a new section for touchscreen edge gestures. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touch. There, you can choose if you would like to turn off the left or right screen edge touch gesture. These features are being gradually rolled out.

There are also a variety of bugs that have been fixed, including one in which the Task Manager’s Users page could have caused Task Manager to stop responding when you used the keyboard.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.2448.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27749

Release date: November 13, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build adds a new shortcut “Narrator key + Ctrl + X” to copy what Narrator last spoke to clipboard. You can use this shortcut in conjunction with “Narrator key + X,” which repeats the last spoken phrase out loud, to review and copy what Narrator spoke.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Task Manager showed a 0 count for apps and processes, and another in which a blank entry in Settings > Privacy would cause Settings to crash if you clicked it.

There are five known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27749.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2222

Release date: November 8, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can hold Shift + Ctrl when clicking on a jump list item in the Start menu or taskbar to launch that item as admin. This feature is being gradually rolled out.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bug fixes, including for an issue in which windows unexpectedly moved around after waking from sleep if you had multiple monitors. Note that this is being gradually rolled out.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which Narrator crashes on launch if you use one of the natural voices, and another in which your desktop background may show big black areas with multiple monitors.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2222.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4445

Release date: November 8, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, Insiders in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available have a New Folder option in the context menu when right-clicking locations in the navigation pane. Note that this change will be gradually rolled out.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also have a variety of bugs fixed, including one in which performing a search unexpectedly triggered the search happening repeatedly. Note that these fixes will be gradually rolled out.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4445.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27744

Release date: November 6, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build includes a major feature update to Prism, Microsoft’s emulator for Windows on Arm, that will make it possible for more 64-bit x86 (x64) applications to run under emulation. This new support in Prism is already in limited use in the retail version of Windows 11 24H2, where it enables the ability to run Adobe Premiere Pro 25 on Arm. Starting with this build, the support is being opened to any x64 application under emulation. You may find that some games or creative apps that were blocked due to CPU requirements before will now be able to run using Prism.

Note that only x64 applications can use these new CPU features. If you have a 32-bit app or a 64-bit app that uses a 32-bit helper to detect CPU feature support, that app won’t detect the new features in Prism.

The build also fixes several bugs, including one in which certain apps did not detect a scanner, although one was connected.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you may lose your Windows Hello PIN and biometric sign-in your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27744.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2213

Release date: November 4, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will have the IME toolbar hidden when apps are in full-screen mode for those who have the IME toolbar enabled and type in Chinese or Japanese. Note that this is being gradually rolled out.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get a variety of bug fixes, including for one in which RAW images taken in portrait mode unexpectedly displayed in landscape mode thumbnails in File Explorer. Note that this is being gradually rolled out.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug that caused Task Manager to show a 0 count for apps and processes.

There is one known issue in this build, in which the desktop background sometimes may not show correctly with multiple monitors (showing big black areas).

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2213.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4440

Release date: November 1, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get a revamped Windows Hello that adheres to contemporary Windows visual design standards. The update also has a small set of general improvements. Note that all these changes will be gradually rolled out.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get a single bug fix, for a bug that caused touch keyboard crashes and the IME candidate window not to appear for some Insiders.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4440.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4435

Release date: October 25, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available can launch an item on the Start menu or taskbar as an admin by holding Ctrl + Shift when clicking. Note that this feature will be gradually rolled out.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bugs fixed, including one in which the X button to close an app window from the taskbar wasn’t working for some Insiders. This fix will be gradually rolled out.

Everyone in the Beta Channel can now configure the Copilot key again, after that feature was turned off in Build 22635.4291. Everyone in the Beta Channel gets several bug fixes, including for one in which the PIN reset did not work when you selected the “I forgot my PIN’ link on the credentials screen in Windows Hello for Business.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4435.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2200

Release date: October 25, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can access Windows Studio Effects in Quick Settings from the system tray of the taskbar. Windows Studio Effects delivers AI-based camera and audio enhancements on devices equipped with a neural processing unit (NPU). Note that this feature is being gradually rolled out.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bugs fixed, including one in which if you clicked or tapped on a letter on the Start menu’s All apps list, the All apps list may have broken. This fix is being gradually rolled out.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which you could not view some parts of the UI when you ran certain apps.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which there is an unexpected amount of spacing between items in the Start menu apps list.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2200.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4371

Release date: October 18, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available can now use the new Narrator key + Ctrl + X shortcut to copy what Narrator last spoke to clipboard. It follows the pattern of using Narrator key + X, which repeats the last spoken phrase out loud.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as possible get several fixes for several bugs, including one in which Narrator would slow down after 15 minutes of continuous use with a single application.

An update for the Snipping Tool (version 11.2409.23.0 and newer) is also being rolled out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. It introduces a new “Copy as table” feature.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4371.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2130

Release date: October 18, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several new features, including one in which “All apps” is now just “All” on the Start menu.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which clipboard history did not display items you had copied.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you click or tap on a letter on Start menu’s All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2130.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27729

Release date: October 17, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build adds the ability  to configure the Copilot key. You can choose to have the Copilot key launch an app that is MSIX packaged and signed, thus indicating the app meets security and privacy requirements to keep customers safe.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the screen went black for a few seconds for some people when using Alt + Tab.

There are five known issues in this build, including one in which some Insiders with PCs that have older NVIDIA GPUs (like the GTX 970, Quadro K620, etc.) are experiencing some issues where their displays appear stuck at a black screen and unresponsive or seeing their GPUs showing errors in Device Manager and not working correctly.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27729.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4367

Release date: October 11, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get a small set of general improvements and fixes that Microsoft claims improves the overall experience of running Windows. They also now have the ability to share directly to apps that support sharing in Windows when right-clicking on local files in File Explorer or the desktop.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as possible get several bug fixes, including for one in which some Insiders saw an unexpected amount of spacing between items in the Start menu All Apps list.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4367.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2122

Release date: October 11, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of general fixes that Microsoft says improve the overall experience of running Windows. The Disconnect and Logoff dialogs in Task Manager now support dark mode and text scaling.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get one bug fix, for a bug that caused the screen to go black for a few seconds for some people when using Alt + Tab.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets several bugs fixed, including one in which some Insiders saw error 0x800f0825 when trying to install the latest Dev Channel builds.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you click or tap on a letter on Start menu’s All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2122.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.2152

Release date: October 10, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build gradually rolls out a number of new features, including one in which you can stop the suggestions to turn off notifications from certain apps. Select the ellipses (…) in the notification and turn it off. You can also go to Settings > System > Notifications and turn it off from there.

The build also immediately rolls out a change in which you can configure the Copilot key on the keyboard. The build also immediately fixes a number of bugs, including one in which you could not sign in to your account from the web because the screen stopped responding.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.2152.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27723

Release date: October 9, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build introduces several minor changes and features, including one in which you can share local files directly from within the search results shown in the search box on the taskbar.

There are five known issues in this build, including one for those using Copilot+ PCs, in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose your Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27723.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1930

Release date: October 4, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of general improvements and one bug fix, for a bug in which the boot menu wasn’t displaying correctly for some Insiders with dual-boot devices.

Everyone in the Dev Channel can now configure the Copilot key. You can have the Copilot key launch an app that is MSIX packaged and signed, increasing security and privacy.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you click or tap on a letter on Start menu’s All apps list, the list may break. If you encounter this issue, please try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1930.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4300 

Release date: October 4, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available will see “All” instead of “All apps” on the Start menu. In addition, Windows Search runs IFilters in the Less Privileged App Containers (LPACs). LPACs are like app containers, but they deny even more permissions by default. The intent is that a process running in a LPAC has access only to the resources needed by it. This helps to minimize the potential damage that can be caused by a compromised process by limiting its access to sensitive system components and data.

Two bugs are fixed for those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as possible, including one in which items in the navigation pane became very spread out for some people.

There are two known issues in the build, including one in which live captions will crash if you try to use them.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4300.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27718

Release date: October 2, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build introduces a number of minor new changes and features. You can now drag apps from the Pinned section of the Start menu and pin them to the taskbar. For laptops on battery, a notification will pop up asking you to plug in your laptop if the battery level reaches 20% while Energy Saver is set to “Always On.” 

Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which the emoji panel closed when you tried to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji, and another in which the Widgets icon sometimes unexpectedly displayed twice in the taskbar.

There are three known issues in this build, including one for those using Copilot+ PCs, in which If you are joining the Canary Channel from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC; you’ll see error 0xd0000225 and an error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available.” You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27718.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1912

Release date: September 30, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who’ve turned on the toggle to receive the latest updates get a small set of general improvements and fixes that Microsoft says improves the overall experience of running Windows. In addition, Windows Mobile Hotspot has been enhanced to support 6GHz connections. The new band requires chips that support the feature and updated drivers; not all chips that support 6GHz Wi-Fi in general will support the 6GHz mobile hotspot.

Those in the Dev Channel who agreed to receive the latest updates also get several bug fixes, including one in which Task Manager’s Settings page might have a white background when it should not.

There is one known issue in this build: if you click or tap on a letter on Start menu’s All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1912.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4291

Release date: September 30, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned on the toggle to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available get an updated Task Manager design in which the Disconnect and Logoff dialogs in Task Manager now support dark mode and text scaling. They also get several bug fixes, including one in which explorer.exe crashed sporadically when using ALT + Tab in recent builds.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets several bug fixes, including one in which Work Folders files failed to sync when Defender for Endpoint was on.

There are two known issues in the build, including one in which live captions will crash if you try to use them.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4291)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.1876

Release date: September 23, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build, for those using Windows 11 version 24H2, gradually rolls out a number of new features, including one in which when your device’s battery power is running low, a pop-up window will appear that asks you to plug in your device. This occurs when the battery level reaches 20% and while Energy Saver is set to “Always On.

Several bug fixes are being immediately rolled out, including one in which when a combo box has input focus, a memory leak might have occurred when you closed that window.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.1876.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.4247 and 22631.4247

Release date: September 23, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

In this update for users on Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, a variety of features are being rolled out slowly, including one in which the “Sign out” option is now on the account manager when you open the Start menu. To change to a different user, select the ellipses (…). A list of other users appears to make it easier to switch.

The update also fixes several bugs, including one in which Microsoft Edge sometimes stopped responding when you used IE mode.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.4247 and 22631.4247.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4225

Release date: September 20, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available will get the ability to share content to an Android device from the context menu in File Explorer and on the desktop. To use this feature, the Phone Link app must be installed and configured on your PC.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as possible get a fix for a bug in which the emoji panel didn’t work properly.

Everyone in the Beta Channel can now configure the Copilot key. You can choose to have the Copilot key launch an app that is MSIX packaged and signed, thus indicating the app meets security and privacy requirements.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets several bug fixes, including for a bug in which some Insiders experienced a bug check when closing Notepad.

There is one known issue in the build, in which if you click or tap on a letter on the Start menu’s All apps list, the list may break. If you encounter this issue, try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4225.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1843

Release date: September 20, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a new feature, in which File Explorer provides you with quick access to files that have been shared with you. If you are signed into Windows with your Microsoft account or Entra ID account, you will be able to view files that have been shared with your account, such as email, Teams chat, etc. You can access this feature by launching File Explorer Home and clicking on the Shared tab.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including one in which when pressing Windows key + E, a screen reader might unexpectedly say a pane had focus, or focus may not be set within File Explorer at all.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a number of bug fixes, including one in which could result in the Widgets icon unexpectedly displaying in the taskbar twice sometimes.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which if you click or tap on a letter on Start menu’s All apps list, the list may break. If you encounter this issue, try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1843.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4145

Release date: August 30, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available will see several new features, including one in which the Sign out option is immediately visible in the new account manager on the Start menu. There’s also a list of signed in users under the three-dot icon so it’s faster to switch accounts. The mouse and touchscreen controls have more options, and hotspots now appear on the desktop when users right-click the Windows Spotlight icon. The changes are being rolled out gradually.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as possible get fixes for several bugs, including one in which explorer.exe crashed when interacting with archive files. These fixes are being rolled out gradually

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets a number of bug fixes, including for a bug in which the [NetJoinLegacyAccountReuse] registry key has been removed.

There is one known issue in the build: if you click or tap on a letter on Start menu’s All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4145.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27695

Release date: August 30, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) has been improved with a new ability to recover encrypted passwords from Active Directory (AD) backup media even when there are zero AD domain controllers running.

A number of bugs have been fixed, including one in which Ctrl + F would sometimes not start a search in File Explore, and another in which the colors in the Performance section of Task Manager weren’t displayed correctly in dark mode.

There are two known issues in this build, including one for those using Copilot+ PCs, in which  If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose your Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available.” You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking Set up my PIN.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27695.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4082

Release date: August 26, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as they are available will see the media controls at the lower bottom center of the Lock screen when media is being played. There is also now an option to turn off the suggestions to disable notifications from certain apps. These features are being rolled out gradually.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates as soon as possible get fixes for several bugs, including one in which explorer.exe crashed for some Insiders when closing apps from the taskbar. These fixes are being rolled out gradually.

Everyone in the beta channel gets one bug fix, in which the [NetJoinLegacyAccountReuse] registry key has been removed.

There are two known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one that causes explorer.exe to crash when interacting with archive files.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4082.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.4108 and 22631.4108

Release date: August 19, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel (Windows 11 23H2 and 22H2)

Starting with this update, a variety of features will be rolled out slowly, including one that lets you share content to your Android device from the Windows Share window. To do this, you must pair your Android device to your Windows PC. Use the Link to Windows app on your Android device and Phone Link on your PC.

A number of bugs are being fixed, including one in which when a combo box has input focus, a memory leak might occur when you close that window.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.4108 and 22631.4108.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22610.1586

Release date: August 19, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel (Windows 11 24H2)

This build, for those with Windows 11 version 24H2, gradually rolls out a new feature in which when you right-click a tab in File Explorer, you have the choice to duplicate it.

A wide variety of bug fixes are being gradually rolled out, including for a bug in which memory leak occurred when you interacted with archive folders and another in which File Explorer stopped responding when you browsed within it.

Three bug fixes have been immediately released to everyone, including one in which a deadlock occurred in the domain controller (DC) when it started up in the DNS client.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.1586.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4076

Release date: August 19, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will find that a feature introduced in Build 22635.3930 that showed a Studio Effects icon in the system tray when using any application with a Studio Effects-enabled camera has temporarily been disabled. It will be re-enabled in a future build.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which  Voice Access commands weren’t working for non-English supported languages.

A wide variety of bugs are fixed for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Windows Backup sometimes failed in devices with an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) system partition (ESP).

There are two known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which explorer.exe crashes when interacting with archive files.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4076.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1542

Release date: August 19, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a new feature that adds first letter navigation support to the taskbar. When keyboard focus is set to the taskbar (WIN + T), you can press a letter, and it will jump to the open or pinned app whose name starts with that letter. The feature is being gradually rolled out so isn’t yet available to everyone.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get fixes for three bugs, including one in which the emoji panel closed when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a number of bug fixes, including for a bug in which adding languages or optional features might fail with error 0x800f081f.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which navigating between different pages in Task Manager may crash it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1542.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27686

Release date: August 15, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build includes the new Windows Sandbox Client Preview that is now updated via the Microsoft Store. It introduces runtime clipboard redirection, audio/video input control, and the ability to share folders with the host at runtime. You can access these via the new “…” icon at the upper right on the app. This preview also includes a very early version of command line support. (Commands may change over time.) You can use the wsb.exe –help command for more information.

The build also includes optimizations to improve battery life and a detach virtual hard disk (VHD/VHDx) button in Settings that makes it simpler to detach your VHD/VHDx as needed.

A number of bugs have been fixed, including one in which Dev Drive VHDs weren’t automatically remounting when the underlying volume was dismounted and brought back online, and one in the Windows Security app where if you browsed the networks under Firewall & Network protection, it showed a broken glyph (a rectangle) next to the network name rather than a network icon.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which if you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel, or retail, you will lose Windows Hello PIN and biometrics to sign into your PC. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27686.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1350

Release date: August 9, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can more easily share content to an Android device from Windows share window. The feature requires you to pair your Android device to your Windows PC using the Link to Windows app on Android and Phone Link on your PC. The feature is being rolled out gradually.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get one fix that addresses an issue in which graphs on the Performance page in Task Manager did not show the correct colors when using dark mode again. The fix is being rolled out gradually.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets several bug fixes, including for a bug in which Windows Sandbox failed to launch with error 0x80370106.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which navigating between different pages in Task Manager may crash it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1350.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4010

Release date: August 9, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, many of those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will see the simplified system tray with shortened date/time change that began rolling out with Build 22635.3930. The feature is being rolled out gradually.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get fixes for two bugs, one in which the dropdown at the top of the GPU section of Performance wasn’t showing in dark mode when dark mode was enabled, and the other in which if you pressed the Shift key when you right-clicked on an app icon on the taskbar, it opened another instance of the app rather than opening the expected menu.

There are three known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one that causes explorer.exe to crash for some Insiders when closing apps from the taskbar.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4010.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1340

Release date: August 5, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get improvements for spelling and corrections in voice access, including the ability to dictate characters at a faster speed and have more editing flexibility with selection, deletion, and text navigation commands.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a fix for a bug in which items under “Let desktop apps access your location” section in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location had visibly flickered although there were no changes displayed.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which navigating between different pages in Task Manager may crash it.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1340.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4005

Release date: August 2, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of general tweaks and fixes that Microsoft says improves the overall experience of running Windows.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get one fix for a bug that caused sporadic explorer.exe crashes for some Insiders.

There are three known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one that causes explorer.exe to crash for some Insiders when closing apps from the taskbar.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4005.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4000

Release date: July 26, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of general improvements and fixes, as well as some improvements to spelling and corrections in voice access.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get two bug fixes, one in which Notification Center got stuck and would not open, and another that caused issues with launching the touch keyboard and emoji panel.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets two fixes that address one bug in which Narrator would not work as expected when navigating through the Recent, Favorites, and Shared tab items, and another that caused the context menu in Home or Gallery to open in the wrong position when using Arabic or Hebrew display languages.

There are four known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which files shared with you in File Explorer may not appear if there has been no interaction with that file.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4000.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1330

Release date: July 26, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can duplicate a tab by right-clicking on it in File Explorer. (Note: This is being gradually rolled out.)

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a fix for a bug in which no text appeared on the Windows Update page in Settings for Insiders using certain languages.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which the BitLocker Recovery screen issue documented here may also impact Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1330.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.1297

Release date: July 25, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build, for those with Windows 11 version 24H2, gradually rolls out a wide variety of new features, including pinning apps to the taskbar by dragging and dropping items directly to taskbar from the pinned section in the Start menu, using your mouse to drag files between breadcrumbs in the File Explorer address bar, and directly sharing to specific Microsoft Teams channels and group chats in the Windows share window.

It also includes a variety of changes released immediately to everyone, including being able to use OneDrive as a RemoteApp in Azure Virtual Desktop.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.1297.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26257

Release date: July 24, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build introduces the ability to duplicate a tab by right-clicking it in File Explorer. In addition, if you use the netsh wlan show networks command, you should be able to read SSIDs that are UTF-8 encoded. This means that Wi-Fi SSIDs with Unicode characters (like emojis) should be properly displayed in netsh output. This change is just beginning to roll out, so not all Insiders in the Canary Channel will see it right away.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which the address bar dropdown appeared unexpectedly while you were using File Explorer.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26257.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3936

Release date: July 22, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will see updated designs for the “Open with” dialog where the group headers are removed, among a few other changes.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including one in which text suggestions for the hardware keyboard did not work.

Note that the bug fixes and new features are being gradually rolled out.

There are nine known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if the taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3936.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1252

Release date: July 15, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can now pin apps from the Start menu to the taskbar by dragging and dropping items directly to taskbar from the pinned section in the Start menu.

Those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including one in which explorer.exe crashed when navigating away from Home.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a variety of bug fixes, including for one in which some Insiders saw a bug check with error KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE, and another in which Settings > System > Power & Battery had duplicate text when showing a warning about a slow charger.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which the Windows Update page in Settings is not displaying correctly for Insiders using certain languages (no text shows).

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.1252.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3930

Release date: July 12, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build for Windows 11 version 23H2, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can get quick access to files that have been shared with you. If you are signed into Windows with your Microsoft account, you will be able to view files that have been shared with your account, such as email, Teams chat, etc. If you are a commercial customer who is signed in with your Microsoft Entra ID account, you will additionally be able to view files that they have shared with others. You can access this feature by launching File Explorer Home and clicking on the Shared tab item.

In addition, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can access Studio Effects in Quick Settings from the system tray of the taskbar. Note that this is being gradually rolled out and so is not yet available to everyone.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get several bug fixes, including for one in which the All apps list wasn’t being read out by screen readers.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets one bug fix, in which you can now view or interact with the taskbar after you install KB5039302.

There are seven known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3930.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3951 and 22631.3951

Release date: July 11, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

In this update, you can drag apps from the Pinned section of the menu and pin them to the taskbar, and when you right-click a tab in File Explorer, you have the choice to duplicate it. Note that these features and several others might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3951 and 22631.3951.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26252

Release date: July 10, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build begins to roll out the “Weather and more” feature, which brings finance, traffic, and sports to your Lock screen, alongside weather information. You can also now pin apps from the Start menu to the taskbar by dragging and dropping items directly to taskbar from the pinned section in the Start menu.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one that caused colors in the Performance section of Task Manager to not display correctly in dark mode, and another in which Settings > System > Power & Battery had duplicate text when showing a warning about a slow charger.

There one known issue with this build, in which some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26252.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3858

Release date: June 28, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get some minor changes to simplify the Windows share window, including removing the search box. In addition, the preview thumbnail title in the taskbar, Alt + Tab, and Task View for File Explorer windows will now indicate if that window includes multiple tabs.

Those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a number of bug fixes, including some addressing accessibility issues where File Explorer, Common File Dialog (CFD), and Browse/Shortcuts Dialogs did not respond appropriately to your text size / scaling preferences.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets several bug fixes, including one in which the app icon flashing in the taskbar is now be a bit easier to see. Another fix addresses a bug in which Group Policy failed to detect when a network’s speed is slow, instead assuming that a fast link was present.

There are six known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3858.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26244

Release date: June 28, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build includes a small set of general enhancements and fixes that improve the overall experience of running Windows, according to Microsoft. In addition, a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings homepage will be shown to you if you actively play games on your PC.

One bug was fixed, in which some Insiders saw a Pcasvc.dll error dialog pop-up with the message “Missing entry: PcaWallpaperAppDetect” after upgrading from Windows 11, version 22H2/23H2 to a 26xxx build.

There are two known issues with this build, one in which some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620, and another in which colors in the Performance section aren’t displaying correctly in dark mode.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26244.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3790

Release date: June 21, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build for Windows 11, version 23H2, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can use their mobile device directly from the Start menu. See this blog post for details.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get one bug fix, which addresses contrast issues of certain elements in File Explorer (left navigation pane, view pane/folder view, status bar buttons on the bottom right) in light, dark, and high contrast themes.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets two bug fixes, for a bug in which Settings was crashing when trying you were trying to look at Wi-Fi properties, and another in which Settings might crash when attempting to install an optional feature via Settings > System > Option features.

There are six known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned, and another in which some Insiders to see errors when attempting to use Voice Typing.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3790.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.994

Release date: June 20, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build, for those with Windows 11 version 24H2, fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) failed to verify the policies of some apps, and another that caused DWM.exe to stop responding.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.994.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26241

Release date: June 19, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience of running Windows, according to Microsoft. In addition, dragging-and-dropping files between breadcrumbs is now available in the File Explorer Address Bar.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one that caused File Explorer to crash when going to Home.

There are two known issues with this build, one in which some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620, and another in which colors in the Performance section aren’t displaying correctly in dark mode.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26241.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3785

Release date: June 14, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can right-click on apps pinned to the Start menu to see jump lists for apps that have them, such as PowerPoint. They can also more easily share content to an Android device from the Windows share window. Note that these and other new features are being gradually rolled out so are not yet available for everyone.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get a number of bug fixes, including for a bug in which clicking your profile icon on the Start menu and choosing Change account settings did not open account settings.

Everyone in the Beta Channel get a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which your system might have not been able to resume from hibernate after you turned on BitLocker.

There are seven known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3785.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.961

Release date: June 14, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience of running Windows.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.961.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3807 and 22631.3807

Release date: June 13, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

In this update, Copilot will be pinned to the taskbar and will behave like an app so you can do things like resize, move, and snap the window. The build also lets you create 7-Zip and Tape Archive (TAR) files using the File Explorer context menu and adds support for Emoji 15.1. Note that those and other features are gradually rolling out and are not yet available for everyone. The Copilot features have not yet begun to roll out.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3807 and 22631.3807.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26236

Release date: June 12, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build starts the rollout of the new account manager on Start menu. When you sign in with a Microsoft account, the new design gives you a quick glanceable view of your account benefits and makes it easy to manage account settings. In addition, it includes a small set of general updates and fixes that Microsoft says improves the overall experience of running Windows.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one that caused the preferred audio volume (under Settings > System > Sound > Volume Mixer) for Microsoft Edge to not persist across after restarting the app.

There are two known issues with this build, one in which some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620, and another in which colors in the Performance section aren’t displaying correctly in dark mode.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26236.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3720

Release date: June 7, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can now use voice access to dictate text hands-free using Narrator. In addition, they get a new feature, auto restart for voice access in Windows 11, which automatically restarts voice access if it encounters any issues.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a number of bugs fixed, including one in which pressing Ctrl + F would sometimes not start a search in File Explorer.

There are seven known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3720.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.770

Release date: June 7, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience of running Windows. They also get an update of the Snipping Tool that introduces automatic save for screen recordings. Your recordings will automatically be saved to the Screen Recordings folder (inside your Videos folder). You can choose to turn this off in Snipping Tool settings.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.770.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26231

Release date: June 6, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, Narrator users can now use voice access to dictate text hands-free. In addition, a new feature called auto restart for voice access in Windows 11 automatically restarts voice access if it encounters any issues so that individuals with limited mobility can get back to using voice access as quickly as possible.

The build also includes a variety of bug fixes and improvements, including several that increase Task Manager reliability.

There is one known issue with this build, in which some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26231.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.751

Release date: May 31, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get the latest version of Copilot, which is pinned to the taskbar and runs like a traditional app, allowing you to resize, move, and snap the window. In addition, a new Linked devices page under Settings > Accounts allows you to manage PCs and Xbox consoles that you are signed into with your Microsoft account.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets several bug fixes, including for a bug in which the Win + W keyboard shortcut did not work correctly to open the Widgets board, and another in which installation of Windows update failed to complete when you had to restart your device more than once.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.751.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26227

Release date: May 30, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, Copilot for Windows runs as a traditional app pinned to the taskbar, allowing you to resize, move, and snap the window. The build also adds support for Emoji 15.1 and introduces a new Linked devices page under Settings > Accounts that allows you to manage PCs and Xbox consoles that you are signed in to with your Microsoft account.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which some apps didn’t run on startup even though they were enabled as startup apps in Settings, and another in which the Win + W keyboard shortcut did not work correctly and open the Widgets board.

There is one known issue with this build, in which some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26227.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3646

Release date: May 23, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get, in Microsoft’s words, “a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience” of using Windows.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets a number of bug fixes, including for a bug in which File Explorer stopped responding when you swiped from a screen edge after you turned off edge swiping, and another in which TWAIN drivers stopped responding when used in a virtual environment.

There are six known issues in this build, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3646.)

Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100.712)

Release date: May 22, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build is a preview of the annual Windows 11 feature update to be released later this year. It includes a variety of new features, including HDR background support, energy saver, Sudo for Windows, Rust in the Windows kernel, support for Wi-Fi 7, and voice clarity, among others. In it, Copilot will also become a traditional app that can be pinned to the taskbar. Microsoft will be sharing details about all its features in the coming months.

Note that new AI features such as Recall announced by Microsoft earlier this week will not be available on your PC after installing this update, as they require a Copilot+ PC. For more information on those new AI features and Copilot+ PCs, see Microsoft’s blog post.

(Get more info about Windows 11, version 24H2.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.670

Release date: May 17, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of unspecified “improvements and fixes that improve the overall Windows experience.”

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets several bug fixes including for a bug in which the Network Locations header was missing in the This PC section of File Explorer, and another in which NTLM authentication traffic might have increased in domain controllers (DC).

There is one known issue in this build, in which the Windows key + W keyboard shortcut may not work correctly to open the Widgets board.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.670.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3640

Release date: May 17, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get support for Emoji 15.1, which introduces a small number of new emoji, and support for creating 7-zip and TAR archives in addition to ZIP via the context menu in File Explorer. The build also fixes several bugs for those who have the toggle turned on, including a few accessibility issues in File Explorer’s Common File Dialog.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets several bug fixes, including for the underlying cause of the Start menu crashing on launch or the All apps list not displaying.

There are five known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3640.)

Windows 11 Insider Builds 22621.3668 and 22631.3668

Release date: May 17, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build for Windows version 22H2 (Build 22621) and version 23H2 (Build 22631) adds several new features, including one that lets you directly share to specific Microsoft Teams channels and group chats in the Windows share window, if you sign in using a Microsoft Entra ID.

It also starts the rollout of the new account manager on the Start menu, which shows you your account benefits a glance and makes it easier to manage your account settings when you use a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows.

These features might not be available to all users yet, because they will roll out gradually.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which File Explorer stopped responding when you swiped from a screen edge after turning off edge swiping.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Builds 22621.3668 and 22631.3668.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26217

Release date: May 15, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build includes, in Microsoft’s words, “a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders.”

It also fixes two bugs, including one in which after using the Disable button for a camera under Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Cameras, the Enable button wouldn’t work; and the other in which the text showing the color filters keyboard shortcut was missing from Settings > Accessibility > Color filters.

Microsoft is investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. If that happened to you and you want to get the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel, download the latest ISO, do a clean install, and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26217.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3575

Release date: May 10, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can copy files from the Windows share window by clicking the new copy button. The build also fixes several bugs for those who have the toggle turned on, including one in which the address bar dropdown appeared unexpectedly on its own, because focus moved to the address bar.

There are five known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3575)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.470

Release date: May 10, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings homepage. The card will be shown to you if you actively play games on your PC.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a wide variety of bug fixes, including one in which IT admins can now use mobile device management (MDM) to turn off the prompt that appears when users sign in to an Entra-joined machine. To do this, they can turn on the “DisablePostLogonProvisioning” policy setting. After a user signs in, provisioning is off for Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.470.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26212

Release date: May 8, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, you can now generate QR codes for URLs and cloud file links through the Windows share window in order to share web pages across your devices. To do it in Microsoft Edge, click the share button in the Edge toolbar and choose “Windows share options.”

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which File Explorer sporadically crashed when using path suggestions in the address bar.

Microsoft is investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. If that happened to you and you want to get the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel, download the latest ISO, do a clean install, and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26212.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3570

Release date: May 3, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can duplicate a tab by right-clicking on a tab in File Explorer and also receive a wide variety of bug fixes, including one in which the address bar dropdown might appear unexpectedly while using File Explorer.

The build fixes several bugs for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Copilot auto-launched unexpectedly after PCs restarted.

There are five known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3570)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.461

Release date: May 3, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience of Windows. Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a bug fixed in which one in which Copilot auto-launched unexpectedly after PCs restarted.

There is one known issue with this build: some Insiders experience an install error 0x8007371B when trying to install Build 26120.461

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.461.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3566

Release date: April 26, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can now drag-and-drop files with a mouse between breadcrumbs in the File Explorer Address Bar. For everyone in the Beta Channel, widgets are no longer pixelated or fuzzy. In addition, widgets on the lock screen are more reliable.

The build fixes an assortment of bugs for everyone in the Beta Channel, including a memory allocation issue in the Host Networking Service (HNS) that caused high memory consumption. The bug also affected service and pod deployment and scaling.

There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3566.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3500

Release date: April 19, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

This build begins the rollout of a new account manager on the Start menu for those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates. When you sign in with a Microsoft account, the new design gives you a quick glanceable view of your account benefits and makes it easier to manage account settings.

In the build, everyone in the Beta Channel gets new navigation bar on the left allowing one to switch between a dedicated widgets dashboard and other integrated dashboards like Discover.  

There are several known issues in this build for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3500.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200

Release date: April 19, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build there are several improvements to the Widgets button on the taskbar so that the icons on the taskbar are clearer. There are also a larger set of animated icons.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one that caused RemoteApp windows to get cut off when using 200% scaling.

There are four known issues with this build, including one in which using Windows Ink to write in Copilot will not work with the updated Copilot in Windows feature that allows Copilot to act like a normal application window.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3495

Release date: April 12, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will get recommendations for apps from the Microsoft Store under Recommended on the Start menu. This will appear only for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel in the US and will not apply to commercial devices (devices managed by organizations). This can be turned off by going to Settings > Personalization > Start and turning off the toggle for “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more.”

In the build, everyone in the Beta Channel can switch between two ways of using Copilot for Windows: The existing “docked” behavior that attaches Copilot to the side of your desktop, and a new mode where it acts like a normal application window that you can resize and move around your screen.

There are several known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3495.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3520 and 22631.3520

Release date: April 11, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update adds a new mobile device management (MDM) policy called “AllowScreenRecorder” for the Snipping Tool. With it, IT admins can turn off screen recording in the app. The build also adds support for Arm64 .msi files using a Group Policy Object (GPO).

There are a wide variety of bug fixes in this build, including for a bug in which Settings stopped responding when you dismissed a flyout menu, and another in which the Windows Local Administrator Password Solution’s (LAPS) Post Authentication Actions (PAA) did not happen at the end of the grace period. Instead, they occurred at restart.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3520 and 22631.3520.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3430

Release date: April 5, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a Copilot feature in which when you copy text or image files, the Copilot icon will change appearance and animate to indicate that Copilot can help. When you hover your mouse over the Copilot icon, it will provide a menu of actions that you can take, such as creating a similar image or analyzing an image. If you select an action on the menu, it will launch the action with Copilot.

There are several known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3430.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100

Release date: April 3, 2024

Released to: Canary and Dev Channels

This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one that prevented bringing focus to the “…” or refresh buttons within Copilot when using a keyboard (for example, by using tab to cycle through buttons).

There are four known issues with this build, including one in which Copilot in Windows does not always fill the width of the panel when docked and resized to a large width. Resizing Copilot to less than half of the width of your screen usually fixes this issue.

Note: The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the period in which they are on the same builds, Insiders in the Canary Channel can switch to switch to the Dev Channel. Soon, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed for switching.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.)

IDC: Expect AI spending to more than double to $632B

Worldwide spending on artificial intelligence (AI), including AI-enabled applications, infrastructure, and related IT and business services, will more grow by 29% annually at least through 2028 and reach a value of $632 billion, according to a new IDC Worldwide AI and Generative AI Spending Guide.

The financial services industry is expected to spend the most on technology, with banking leading the way; financial services will account for more than 20% of all AI spending, followed by software and information services and retail. Combined, those three industries will account for roughly 45% of all AI spending during the period.

The industries likely to see the fastest AI spending growth are business and personal services (with a 32.8% combined annual growth rate) and transportation and leisure (31.7% CAGR). In addition, 17 of the 27 industries included in the spending guide are forecast to have five-year CAGRs greater than 30%.

The growth in spending is driven mostly by the rapid incorporation of AI, and generative AI (genAI) in particular, into a wide range of products, according to IDC.

“AI-powered transformations have delivered tangible business outcomes and value for organizations worldwide and they are building their AI strategies around employee experience, customer engagement, business process, and industry innovations,” Ritu Jyoti, group vice president of AI and Data Research at IDC, said in a statement.

As AI continues to evolve, Ritu said barriers to “AI adoption at scale will continue to diminish.”

AI software spending

IDC

While genAI has captured the world’s attention over the past 20 months, spending on that technology will account for only one-third that for all other AI applications, such as machine learning, deep learning, and automatic speech recognition and natural language processing, according to IDC.

The rapid growth in genAI investments, however, means it will outpace the overall AI market with a five-year combined annual growth rate of 59.2%, according to IDC.

By 2028, IDC expects spending on genAI tools and platforms to reach $202 billion, representing 32% of overall AI spending.

Even as AI reshapes the hiring and skills landscape, the technology itself will eventually just be embedded in all digital tools, meaning in four years most executives won’t even be using the term “AI.”

“Really, we’re seeing its use mainly in development, software, testing, quality, customer care service as initial use cases. So, it’s slowly getting woven into everyone’s work,” Ken Englund, who leads EY’s Americas Technology Growth sector, said in a recent interview.

IDC also found software will be the largest category of AI technology spending, representing more than half the overall market for most of the four-year forecast.

AI spending in the United States is expected to reach $336 billion in 2028, making it the largest geographic region for AI investment and accounting for more than half of all AI spending through 2028. GenAI spending in the US is forecast to hit $108 billion by 2028.

Western Europe will be the second largest region for AI spending, followed by China and Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan and China), according to IDC.

Two-thirds of all software spending will go to AI-enabled applications and platforms, or software that provides tools and resources for building, training, deploying, and managing AI applications.

The demand for AI platform software is expected to grow 40% a year over the next four years, rising from $27.9 billion in sales last year to $153 billion in 2028, according to an earlier IDC report. That report focused on the rapid pace by which AI platforms, such as Microsoft Azure AI, Amazon AI services, Google Cloud AI, and OpenAI grew last year, and how that growth is projected to maintain a “remarkable momentum,” driven by the increasing adoption of technology across many industries.

A large remainder of AI spending, according to IDC, will be on AI application development and deployment and AI system software (which provides basic foundational layers that enable bare metal infrastructure hardware resources to host higher-level application development and deployment).

Spending on AI hardware, including servers, storage, and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), will be the next-largest category of tech spending.

“While industry-specific AI use cases approach 27% of the total spend by the end of the forecast period, the business functions that IDC expects will see accelerated AI investment are customer service, IT operations, and sales.” Karen Massey, research director for IDC’s, Data & Analytics research, said in a statement.

JumpCloud survey highlights the business case for Macs

Enterprises around the world are deploying more Macs than ever before, and IT leaders expect that trend to continue. However, despite the Crowdstrike disaster and sundry well-reported Microsoft security failures since, many IT teams also expect to invest in more Windows deployments, as well.

The latest SME IT Trends report from JumpCloud tells us the average tech stack for small- to mid-size enterprises (SMEs) includes 24% macOS devices (up from 22% in Q1 2024), 18% Linux devices (down from 22%), and 63% Windows devices (up from 60%). The report does not detail the use of iOS devices, but in a multi-device world of distributed endpoints and hybrid working models, iPhones are also seeing increased enterprise deployment.

The business case for macOS

The switch toward Macs in business is real.

Further, in line with a report earlier this year, JumpCloud reported 35% of IT teams anticipate increased Mac deployment in the coming year. And while 47% expect more Windows deployment, 16% expect Windows deployment to decrease in the same time period, compared to 8% who think Mac usage will fall; 25% foresee an increase in Linux use, while 13% predict a decline, the survey said.

Interestingly, in the UK, 25.3% of SMEs are using Macs — even larger than the 22.8% in the US, also according to JumpCloud.

The direction of travel is clear, it’s just taking some time. Why would it not? 

The battle of the boardroom

After all, everyone in the C-suite understands that power reflects budget and headcount. And for IT, the more insecure the platform, the more staff and the larger the budget required to manage it.

In a sense, Microsoft is a powerful executive’s best friend — at least in terms of creating that power balance. But it’s questionable whether that happy status will last forever in the wake of the Crowdstrike mess. 

The way I see it, the loss of billions of dollars as a consequence of supplier failure means CEOs, CFOs, and others in business have now seen the fiscal consequences of over-reliance on one platform. They’ve also seen previous disasters used as an excuse for increased IT budgets and headcounts. But what results have been delivered? If nothing else, this analysis will increase the number of voices at future board meetings supporting increased Mac adoption.

For the present, however, the JumpCloud report confirms we live in a multi-platform environment. That means companies actively seeking solutions to manage all these platforms as easily as possible.

Platform diversity is the name of the game

“The more our company grows, the more diverse our device mix becomes,” one IT director told JumpCloud. “Some employees only request macOS, some require Windows, and others are die-hard Linux users. It’s only going to grow more complex. The key is finding a solution that can manage them all.” (This, of course, is a reality that the recently-disclosed Jamf deal with Microsoft and Azure reflects — all the vendors in the Apple IT space are now actively seeking such parity.)

Beyond the talk about platforms, the JumpCloud survey confirms other emerging patterns. For example, three-quarters of SMEs rely on managed service providers (MSPs) to help with identity, user, and device management. In today’s business environments, MSPs help handle cloud storage, system security and management, and backups. Disincentives to working with MSPs include cost, and concerns around data security.

Keeping up with HypeAI

As the hype around artificial intelligence (AI) reaches a crescendo, it is also interesting the extent to which business users have become intentional around its deployment. Yes, 90% of organizations plan to implement AI initiatives in the next 24 months, but few intend to do so quickly. Indeed, 61% of IT pros think AI is outpacing their organization’s ability to protect against threats — and 25% of organizations have already experienced AI-generated attacks, the survey claims.

Not only this, but when asked how AI will impact their day-to-day job, 22% characterize the impact of AI as being much lower than they thought it would be. Thirty-four percent say the potential impact is moving slower than they thought it would, while 23% say it’s even faster than they expected. While it’s hard to draw too many conclusions from these data points, they do suggest that the reality behind the hype is beginning to dawn on then tech industry — perhaps the capacity to create fake videos isn’t such a great business to be in?

Everything is change, keep changing

One big takeaway that permeates the entire report is change. We’re using more devices, more platforms, and more services than before. Shadow IT is a growing problem, while the move toward MSPs is intensifying. Business leaders want good systems that help them control increasingly complex stacks, and the old war between incumbent technology and incoming change is being lost, one major Mac deployment at a time.

It’s no surprise. As the shortcomings of some platforms become more visible, expect to see others in the C-suite (CFOs, CEOs, human resources and business continuity experts) stand up against every growing IT budget, citing the security, TCO, and employee preference benefits of making such moves. The old ways are, it seems, rapidly changing; it’s way past time.

Please follow me on LinkedInMastodon, or join me in the AppleHolic’s bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe.

More large US companies see AI as a risk

A new study from Arize AI, a research platform that reviews public statements from large companies, found that 56% of the 500 largest companies in the United States consider AI to be a “risk factor,” according to the Financial Times. The figure represents a large jump from 2022, when just 9% felt that way.

The study also found that as many as 90% of America’s largest media and entertainment companies — and 86% of software and technology firms — see rapidly growing AI systems as a business risk. Among the risks cited are greater competition and ethical ambiguities, as well as the fact that AI can affect human rights, employment, and people’s privacy.

In a subset of 108 companies that specifically discussed generative AI (genAI), only 33 saw the technology as an opportunity. According to those companies, the benefits of gene platforms and tools are cost-effectiveness, operational advantages, and faster innovation. Two-thirds of the group, on the other hand, saw genAI as risky.

Enterprise buyer’s guide: Remote IT support software

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, fewer people than ever work from the office full time. That means demand for remote IT support for desktop, laptop, mobile, and other devices has strongly increased.

While the basics of what remote support tools can do hasn’t changed much in recent years, there are still some key differentiators among products, as well as opportunities for savings in licensing costs, depending on what features your organization really needs — and what you can live without.

[ Download our editors’ PDF remote IT support tools enterprise buyer’s guide today! ]

“These tools are very replaceable,” says Tom Cipolla, senior director analyst, end user services at Gartner. “There’s not a lot of stickiness because of the commoditized nature of the tools.”

And, he adds, licensing costs tend to go up sharply over time. Also, most vendors offer free trials or entry-level versions you can use before you commit.

So whether you’re looking for a new, dedicated remote support tool for the first time or shopping around for a better deal, it’s a good idea to assess your current situation and needs.

In this buyer’s guide:

  • Remote IT support software: What it is, why enterprises need it
  • Current trends in IT support software
  • What to look for in remote IT support software
  • Before you shop: Key questions to ask yourself and stakeholders
  • Key questions to ask vendors
  • 12 remote IT support tools to consider

Remote IT support software: What it is, why enterprises need it

Remote IT support software, also called PC remote control tools or remote desktop software, lets support professionals access a wide variety of remote devices — from Windows and Mac desktops and laptops to mobile devices, point-of-sale terminals, and kiosks — to review and resolve issues. With the increased reliance on technology for everything from personal computing to point-of-sale transactions, the ability to rapidly resolve problems on remote devices can boost profits as well as worker productivity.

Typically, a tech support professional initiates a session by sending an invitation to the end user device. The user then typically downloads software that enables screen sharing and remote control functions (although some don’t require that a persistent agent be installed). Once the session begins, the support tech can see the user’s screen, chat with them, remotely control the device, install programs, transfer files to and from the machine, log activity, and record the session, which may then be stored with the trouble ticket in the enterprise’s IT service management (ITSM) system by way of an integration or plug-in connector.

Some tools allow support technicians to exercise administrative-level privileges while working on the user’s device and to add one or more additional support analysts to a session. Others include auditing and reporting capabilities, and the ability to integrate with LDAP or Active Directory for authentication. Sessions are typically encrypted using Transport Layer Security (TLS) and 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), and some products will integrate with existing enterprise single sign-on (SSO) systems to allow for authentication prior to enabling a session.

Current trends in remote IT support software

While interest in remote IT support tools has increased in recent years due to the surge in remote and hybrid work, it’s an established market that hasn’t seen much in the way of new features recently, says Snow Tempest, research manager for IT service management at IDC.

Nonetheless, sales of the software have experienced double-digit growth over the past four years. “I expect it to reach $1.5 billion in revenue sometime this year,” she says.

One trend has been for some vendors to focus on the needs of specific verticals, such as education, healthcare, or retail. “For example, to focus on education, the vendor might support ChromeOS, because Chromebooks are popular for school use,” Tempest says. Others may support specialty devices such as point-of-sale terminals.

What to look for in remote IT support software

Here are some of the most commonly requested features to consider when shopping for remote IT support software, according to IDC and Gartner:

Basic features

  • Screen sharing
  • Remote control
  • Chat
  • Remote reboot and automatic reconnection to client device
  • Access to unattended devices
  • Screen session recording
  • Support for PCs, Macs, tablets, mobile devices, and point-of-sale devices running various versions of Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, etc.

Security

  • Session encryption with TLS and 256-bit AES
  • Integration with Active Directory, LDAP, and other enterprise SSO software for authentication purposes
  • Multifactor authentication (MFA)
  • Compliance with privacy and security standards such as:
    • Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS)
    • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
    • California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
    • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
    • Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS)
    • ISO 27001

Advanced features

  • Ability to operate over the internet (outside of the corporate network) with minimal network reconfiguration
  • Support for PCs running in Safe Mode
  • Remote reboot and reconnection to user’s device without user interaction
  • Remote viewing of all attached monitors on client’s PC
  • Screen capture for all monitors attached to client’s PC
  • Real-time access to diagnostic information on the user’s machine, including CPU usage, apps and services running, available storage, etc.
  • Integration with popular ITSM tools through plug-ins/connectors
  • Ability to save screen sessions with the associated trouble ticket in popular ITSM tools
  • Support technician can take action using administrator-level privileges on the client device
  • Transfer remote control sessions to another support analyst as needed to escalate
  • Additional support analysts can be added to session and share remote control of a device
  • Skills-based routing to triage support requests
  • Reporting, including session activity with audit trail of all actions taken and changes made
  • Ability to initiate a support session without the user having to install client software
  • Client software uninstalls automatically at end of session

Before you shop: Key questions to ask yourself and your stakeholders

How many techs need to use the software, how many need to use it concurrently, and how many users will they be supporting?

All three metrics are key to figuring out your licensing costs.

How many support techs, users, and devices do we anticipate needing to support in the future?

“There’s quite a bit of difference in licensing costs, so make sure the product you choose can accommodate your organization as your needs grow,” says Tempest at IDC. “Plan for a licensing model that delivers good value as your needs expand.”

What types of devices do we need to support?

Most products support Macs and Windows PCs, but do you need support for older versions of those OSes? For Chromebooks? For Linux? Point-of-sale terminals? Kiosks?

What are our core feature requirements?

 “Analyze your requirements,” says Cipolla. “Don’t overbuy.”

Most vendors offer tiered pricing. If you need screen sharing and remote control functions for PCs but you don’t need to store recordings or remotely control mobile devices, you may be able to save some money.

What are our security needs?

Know your requirements in terms of authentication and encryption, compliance standards that the remote IT support products must support for your industry, and the policies and configurations you’ll need to set up to ensure that the remote IT support tool is used properly.

Also note: “a tool may have the required security capabilities, but you have to train your people to use it in a secure way,” says Tempest.

Do we already have software that offers remote IT support functions?

If you have an ITSM or endpoint management tool, it may include a few basic features for remote support, says Cipolla. For organizations with modest remote support needs, those basic features may be enough.

In most cases, ITSM vendors don’t include remote support in their core product offering, but some may sell the capability separately, says Tempest. For example, “SolarWinds has ServiceDesk, but you also need to purchase Dameware, their remote desktop control software product,” she says.

“If there’s an offering available from your ITSM vendor, you may get a better package deal than with a standalone offering, and the integration may be more robust,” Tempest says. You might need only to press a button within the support ticket to open up a session, which is then automatically recorded and stored with the ticket.

In the endpoint management space, VMware’s Workspace ONE offers remote control as part of its core suite of tools, as does Zoho’s ManageEngine, IBM’s MaaS360, Ivanti Neurons for EUM, and Microsoft’s Remote Help. While these products allow support techs to share screens and remotely control PCs and some other devices, they typically don’t allow you to establish a remote control session with a mobile device, provide support from a mobile device, or record a session, Cipolla says.

Key questions to ask vendors

What is the cost for the configuration my organization needs, and how will it change over time?

Vendor pricing for remote IT support tools tends to be complex and difficult to calculate in advance, particularly after the first year, says Cipolla. One reason: Vendors typically quote a price based on three criteria: the number of support analysts who will be using the tool (named users), how many of those will be using the tool at the same time (concurrency), and the number of devices you need to support.

Another consideration: Licensing agreements typically offer a low cost in the first year but can be followed by increases of 25% to 50% or more in subsequent years, Cipolla says, so it’s best to lock in a multi-year contract price if you can. The opportunity cost that a better tool may come along in the meantime isn’t worth thinking about, he adds.

“Will there be a tool that comes along that’s cheaper? Maybe. But will there be a tool that’s better? Probably not.”

Bottom line: If you’re buying a new tool, longer-term contracts are better. And if you’ve already got a tool and you’ve seen those costs surge after the first year, it’s time to shop around, because it’s not difficult to swap out one tool with another in this market segment.

How scalable is the platform?

Can the product scale to meet your needs, and how will your licensing agreement change as you add administrator and client counts?

Does the product include integrations/connectors/plug-ins that work with my ITSM and other related software?

Most tools in this space have plug-ins to work with ServiceNow, which doesn’t offer its own remote IT support software, as well as other popular ITSM platforms. You may also want to ask about integrations with your asset management, knowledge management, directory, and endpoint management tools, Cipolla says.

Does the product’s functionality differ for different devices and OSes?

“The vendors don’t necessarily support all platforms,” says Tempest. “And even if they do support a specific OS version, the functionality may not be the same from OS to OS. It’s not just what they support but how they support it, so that’s something to ask about.”

Will the product work with my SSO system for authentication purposes?

“A remote control tool is inherently a security threat,” so it should provide two-factor authentication (2FA), integrate with enterprise authentication platforms, and be able to work with your SSL VPN or other secure access portals, says Cipolla.

Are remote sessions protected with enterprise-grade encryption?

What type of encryption is used on the transmission from end to end — does it meet your requirements, and can the vendor view unencrypted transmissions? “The answer to the latter should be no,” says Cipolla.

What experience do you have in my specific industry segment?

What can the vendor offer that may be targeted to the unique needs of your industry, such as education, healthcare, or retail? You may find some differentiation here, says Tempest.

Additionally, be sure to ask vendors questions about specific features you need, such as:

  • Can the support tech pass their credentials to a remotely controlled machine so they can take actions that user-level privileges don’t allow on the target machine?
  • Does the product support remote rebooting of the device with automatic reconnection to the support analyst?
  • Can the support tech remotely view and take screen captures of multiple monitors on a remote PC? (Likely to be important in businesses such as financial services, where many desktop users have extended screens.)
  • What sorts of triage, routing, and escalation capabilities does the product offer?
  • Does the product provide real-time information (such as available storage space and CPU use for running applications and services) on the remote device?
  • Can a remote control session be initiated without requiring the end user to install a persistent agent?
  • Does the product go beyond saving session data to include reporting, or can it integrate with ITSM platforms to provide reporting and an audit trail?

12 remote IT support tools to consider

While neither Gartner nor IDC break out the leaders in this space, Cipolla and Tempest mentioned a dozen companies as top of mind. All support remote screen viewing and remote control, but they can vary in terms of other features, platforms supported, security-related options, and integrations offered.

Note that this list is not comprehensive but represents a sampling of the many tools out there.

Acronis Cyber Protect Connect

This tool from cybersecurity vendor Acronis provides remote desktop connections and monitoring for Windows, macOS, and Linux machines. Support analysts can use a Windows, macOS, or mobile client to provide support using Acronis’ proprietary low-latency NEAR remote desktop protocol or via the Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), Apple Screen Sharing, or Virtual Network Computing (VNC) protocols. Security features include session encryption, keychain data protection, and master password protection. (See Acronis’ security practices.)

AnyDesk

AnyDesk Software’s eponymously named product provides secure remote desktop connections for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Raspberry Pi, and ChromeOS devices. Remote access features include chat, remote reboot, session recording, and file transfer, as well as compatibility with earlier versions of supported OSes (including Windows 7 or newer and macOS High Sierra or newer). AnyDesk security features include private key encryption and 2FA. (See AnyDesk’s security practices.)

BeyondTrust Remote Support

Remote Support’s features include unattended access, annotation, file sharing, and remote mobile device camera sharing for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices. Technicians can provide support using a client, a browser-based console, or a mobile app. Other features include integration with external directories, such as LDAP, ITSM systems, third-party authentication tools, and password managers. Roles, permissions, and audit and compliance features are supported, as are session logs and the ability to enable video session recordings. Other security features include TLS 1.2 encryption and native 2FA (using a one-time passcode), as well as support for existing 2FA systems. The product has received FedRAMP approval. (See BeyondTrust’s security practices.)

ConnectWise ScreenConnect

ScreenConnect supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices, including older versions of the desktop OSes. In addition to screen sharing and remote control, it offers session recording and reporting, file transfers, and access to unattended machines. Security features include role-based security, AES-256 encryption, 2FA, and compatibility with Active Directory and LDAP for user authentication. It also offers integrations with ITSM products from SolarWinds and Zendesk. (See ConnectWise’s security practices.)

EasyVista EV Reach

EasyVista’s EV Reach (formerly Goverlan Reach) offers screen sharing and remote control for on-demand and unattended access to desktops, audio and audio chat, and screen and video capture sessions across multiple monitors. It supports devices connected via virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), RDP, or Citrix. It also supports digital signage and kiosks; monitors CPU, disk, memory, and network activity levels; and technicians can create one-to-one or many-to-one support sessions. Enterprise-level features include Active Directory integration and management, global systems management via IT process automation, and support for IT compliance assessment and remediation. EV Reach supports 2FA, TLS 1.2, and AES 256-bit encryption for data in flight, and it’s HIPAA compliant. (Contact EasyVista for security practices.)

iDrive RemotePC

Key features of iDrive’s web-based RemotePC include remote control, reboot, file transfer, and printing; a whiteboard; chat; mobile access from iOS and Android devices; session recording; the ability to view multiple monitors the employee may be using; and the ability for multiple support analysts to remote into the same employee’s device. Employees don’t need to install remote client software to receive support. Sessions are protected by 2FA as well as TLS 1.2 and AES 256-bit encryption. Other features include session logging and reporting; compliance with FIPS, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI and other standards; Active Directory support; and the ability to set roles and access permissions for each user. (See iDrive’s security practices.)

LogMeIn Rescue

Rescue supports Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, Android, and iOS devices. In addition to remote control, it offers remote diagnostic capabilities; session recording, logging, and reporting; file transfers; multi-monitor navigation; and unattended access to employee devices. It offers out-of-the-box integrations and open APIs, including support for ServiceNow, Salesforce + Lightning, Microsoft Dynamics, Zendesk, and others. Administration features include session history and recording, as well as live reports of technician statistics and activity. Security features include Active Directory synchronization for user authentication, TLS 1.2 and AES 256-bit encryption, and 2FA. Technicians can establish support sessions from a web console and can host up to 15 concurrent sessions. (See LogMeIn’s security practices.)

Netop Remote Access

Netop’s enterprise-class Remote Access offers on-premises and cloud-based versions that support Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and embedded operating system users. Key features include remote screen view and control, chat, file transfer, and unattended access to remote PCs. It offers 256-bit AES encryption, MFA options including Microsoft Azure/Active Directory, and role-based access controls. It’s also compliant with the PCI-DSS, GDPR, HIPAA, FIPS, and ISO 27001 requirements for authentication and encryption. (See Netop’s security practices.)

RealVNC Connect

RealVNC’s entry doesn’t require supported users to install client software to receive support, and it allows technicians to have unlimited concurrent sessions. Connect features include remote screen viewing, remote control, file transfer and chat. Security features include MFA and SSO, as well as support for TLS 1.2 and 256-bit AES encryption. It’s also compliant with ISO/IEC 27001:2013, GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS, and includes session logging and auditing. (See RealVNC’s security practices.)

SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support

The Dameware remote support tool from service management software vendor SolarWinds is available in cloud and on-premises versions. It supports devices running Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS and has a mobile app for support analysts. Remote Support integrates with SolarWinds’ Help Desk Software and Service Desk products. In addition to remote screen viewing and remote control, key features include communication by voice or videoconference and the ability to access unattended devices. It’s compatible with Active Directory, supports MFA and smart card authentication, and uses RDP for session security. (See SolarWinds’ security practices.)

Splashtop Remote Support

This product, part of a suite of endpoint management tools available in on-premises and cloud versions, is on the lower end of the enterprise-scale tools, but is still very much relevant, says Cipolla. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, VDI, point-of-sale, and kiosk devices. It offers unattended device access as well as multi-monitor support, chat, session recording, file transfer, event logs, and role-based access controls. Security features include TLS and 256-bit AES encryption and 2FA. An enterprise version adds SSO/SAML integration as well as integrations for ServiceNow and Salesforce. (See Splashtop’s security practices.)

TeamViewer Remote

TeamViewer supports remote control, file transfers, unattended access, session recording, and multi-user remote control sessions where a support analyst can bring in another technician to help Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android users. TeamViewer’s cloud-based enterprise-level plan, TeamViewer Tensor, includes mobile device management features and supports logging and reporting for auditing, SAML 2.0 for single sign-on, and rule- and expiration-based access permissions. Integrations for ServiceNow, Zendesk, Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, and other enterprise applications are also available. (See TeamViewer’s security practices.)

Zoho Assist

Zoho markets its Assist product as “enterprise grade,” and Cipolla categorizes it as a relatively low-price enterprise IT support tool that includes screen sharing, remote control, file transfers and remote rebooting of Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and ChromeOS devices. It includes security features such as single sign-on using SAML, MFA, 256-bit AES encryption, and permission-based access. Zoho Assist also offers session recording and session and audit reporting. Integrations are available for ServiceNow, Zendesk, Zoho Desk, Zoho CRM, Jira, and more, and Zoho Assist meets compliance requirements for HIPAA, GDPR, PCI, CCPA, ISO/IEC 27001, and several other industry standards. (See Zoho’s security practices.)

This article was originally published in May 2020 and updated in August 2024.

Enterprise buyer’s guide: Remote IT support software

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, fewer people than ever work from the office full time. That means demand for remote IT support for desktop, laptop, mobile, and other devices has strongly increased.

While the basics of what remote support tools can do hasn’t changed much in recent years, there are still some key differentiators among products, as well as opportunities for savings in licensing costs, depending on what features your organization really needs — and what you can live without.

[ Download our editors’ PDF remote IT support tools enterprise buyer’s guide today! ]

“These tools are very replaceable,” says Tom Cipolla, senior director analyst, end user services at Gartner. “There’s not a lot of stickiness because of the commoditized nature of the tools.”

And, he adds, licensing costs tend to go up sharply over time. Also, most vendors offer free trials or entry-level versions you can use before you commit.

So whether you’re looking for a new, dedicated remote support tool for the first time or shopping around for a better deal, it’s a good idea to assess your current situation and needs.

In this buyer’s guide:

  • Remote IT support software: What it is, why enterprises need it
  • Current trends in IT support software
  • What to look for in remote IT support software
  • Before you shop: Key questions to ask yourself and stakeholders
  • Key questions to ask vendors
  • 12 remote IT support tools to consider

Remote IT support software: What it is, why enterprises need it

Remote IT support software, also called PC remote control tools or remote desktop software, lets support professionals access a wide variety of remote devices — from Windows and Mac desktops and laptops to mobile devices, point-of-sale terminals, and kiosks — to review and resolve issues. With the increased reliance on technology for everything from personal computing to point-of-sale transactions, the ability to rapidly resolve problems on remote devices can boost profits as well as worker productivity.

Typically, a tech support professional initiates a session by sending an invitation to the end user device. The user then typically downloads software that enables screen sharing and remote control functions (although some don’t require that a persistent agent be installed). Once the session begins, the support tech can see the user’s screen, chat with them, remotely control the device, install programs, transfer files to and from the machine, log activity, and record the session, which may then be stored with the trouble ticket in the enterprise’s IT service management (ITSM) system by way of an integration or plug-in connector.

Some tools allow support technicians to exercise administrative-level privileges while working on the user’s device and to add one or more additional support analysts to a session. Others include auditing and reporting capabilities, and the ability to integrate with LDAP or Active Directory for authentication. Sessions are typically encrypted using Transport Layer Security (TLS) and 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), and some products will integrate with existing enterprise single sign-on (SSO) systems to allow for authentication prior to enabling a session.

Current trends in remote IT support software

While interest in remote IT support tools has increased in recent years due to the surge in remote and hybrid work, it’s an established market that hasn’t seen much in the way of new features recently, says Snow Tempest, research manager for IT service management at IDC.

Nonetheless, sales of the software have experienced double-digit growth over the past four years. “I expect it to reach $1.5 billion in revenue sometime this year,” she says.

One trend has been for some vendors to focus on the needs of specific verticals, such as education, healthcare, or retail. “For example, to focus on education, the vendor might support ChromeOS, because Chromebooks are popular for school use,” Tempest says. Others may support specialty devices such as point-of-sale terminals.

What to look for in remote IT support software

Here are some of the most commonly requested features to consider when shopping for remote IT support software, according to IDC and Gartner:

Basic features

  • Screen sharing
  • Remote control
  • Chat
  • Remote reboot and automatic reconnection to client device
  • Access to unattended devices
  • Screen session recording
  • Support for PCs, Macs, tablets, mobile devices, and point-of-sale devices running various versions of Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, etc.

Security

  • Session encryption with TLS and 256-bit AES
  • Integration with Active Directory, LDAP, and other enterprise SSO software for authentication purposes
  • Multifactor authentication (MFA)
  • Compliance with privacy and security standards such as:
    • Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS)
    • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
    • California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
    • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
    • Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS)
    • ISO 27001

Advanced features

  • Ability to operate over the internet (outside of the corporate network) with minimal network reconfiguration
  • Support for PCs running in Safe Mode
  • Remote reboot and reconnection to user’s device without user interaction
  • Remote viewing of all attached monitors on client’s PC
  • Screen capture for all monitors attached to client’s PC
  • Real-time access to diagnostic information on the user’s machine, including CPU usage, apps and services running, available storage, etc.
  • Integration with popular ITSM tools through plug-ins/connectors
  • Ability to save screen sessions with the associated trouble ticket in popular ITSM tools
  • Support technician can take action using administrator-level privileges on the client device
  • Transfer remote control sessions to another support analyst as needed to escalate
  • Additional support analysts can be added to session and share remote control of a device
  • Skills-based routing to triage support requests
  • Reporting, including session activity with audit trail of all actions taken and changes made
  • Ability to initiate a support session without the user having to install client software
  • Client software uninstalls automatically at end of session

Before you shop: Key questions to ask yourself and your stakeholders

How many techs need to use the software, how many need to use it concurrently, and how many users will they be supporting?

All three metrics are key to figuring out your licensing costs.

How many support techs, users, and devices do we anticipate needing to support in the future?

“There’s quite a bit of difference in licensing costs, so make sure the product you choose can accommodate your organization as your needs grow,” says Tempest at IDC. “Plan for a licensing model that delivers good value as your needs expand.”

What types of devices do we need to support?

Most products support Macs and Windows PCs, but do you need support for older versions of those OSes? For Chromebooks? For Linux? Point-of-sale terminals? Kiosks?

What are our core feature requirements?

 “Analyze your requirements,” says Cipolla. “Don’t overbuy.”

Most vendors offer tiered pricing. If you need screen sharing and remote control functions for PCs but you don’t need to store recordings or remotely control mobile devices, you may be able to save some money.

What are our security needs?

Know your requirements in terms of authentication and encryption, compliance standards that the remote IT support products must support for your industry, and the policies and configurations you’ll need to set up to ensure that the remote IT support tool is used properly.

Also note: “a tool may have the required security capabilities, but you have to train your people to use it in a secure way,” says Tempest.

Do we already have software that offers remote IT support functions?

If you have an ITSM or endpoint management tool, it may include a few basic features for remote support, says Cipolla. For organizations with modest remote support needs, those basic features may be enough.

In most cases, ITSM vendors don’t include remote support in their core product offering, but some may sell the capability separately, says Tempest. For example, “SolarWinds has ServiceDesk, but you also need to purchase Dameware, their remote desktop control software product,” she says.

“If there’s an offering available from your ITSM vendor, you may get a better package deal than with a standalone offering, and the integration may be more robust,” Tempest says. You might need only to press a button within the support ticket to open up a session, which is then automatically recorded and stored with the ticket.

In the endpoint management space, VMware’s Workspace ONE offers remote control as part of its core suite of tools, as does Zoho’s ManageEngine, IBM’s MaaS360, Ivanti Neurons for EUM, and Microsoft’s Remote Help. While these products allow support techs to share screens and remotely control PCs and some other devices, they typically don’t allow you to establish a remote control session with a mobile device, provide support from a mobile device, or record a session, Cipolla says.

Key questions to ask vendors

What is the cost for the configuration my organization needs, and how will it change over time?

Vendor pricing for remote IT support tools tends to be complex and difficult to calculate in advance, particularly after the first year, says Cipolla. One reason: Vendors typically quote a price based on three criteria: the number of support analysts who will be using the tool (named users), how many of those will be using the tool at the same time (concurrency), and the number of devices you need to support.

Another consideration: Licensing agreements typically offer a low cost in the first year but can be followed by increases of 25% to 50% or more in subsequent years, Cipolla says, so it’s best to lock in a multi-year contract price if you can. The opportunity cost that a better tool may come along in the meantime isn’t worth thinking about, he adds.

“Will there be a tool that comes along that’s cheaper? Maybe. But will there be a tool that’s better? Probably not.”

Bottom line: If you’re buying a new tool, longer-term contracts are better. And if you’ve already got a tool and you’ve seen those costs surge after the first year, it’s time to shop around, because it’s not difficult to swap out one tool with another in this market segment.

How scalable is the platform?

Can the product scale to meet your needs, and how will your licensing agreement change as you add administrator and client counts?

Does the product include integrations/connectors/plug-ins that work with my ITSM and other related software?

Most tools in this space have plug-ins to work with ServiceNow, which doesn’t offer its own remote IT support software, as well as other popular ITSM platforms. You may also want to ask about integrations with your asset management, knowledge management, directory, and endpoint management tools, Cipolla says.

Does the product’s functionality differ for different devices and OSes?

“The vendors don’t necessarily support all platforms,” says Tempest. “And even if they do support a specific OS version, the functionality may not be the same from OS to OS. It’s not just what they support but how they support it, so that’s something to ask about.”

Will the product work with my SSO system for authentication purposes?

“A remote control tool is inherently a security threat,” so it should provide two-factor authentication (2FA), integrate with enterprise authentication platforms, and be able to work with your SSL VPN or other secure access portals, says Cipolla.

Are remote sessions protected with enterprise-grade encryption?

What type of encryption is used on the transmission from end to end — does it meet your requirements, and can the vendor view unencrypted transmissions? “The answer to the latter should be no,” says Cipolla.

What experience do you have in my specific industry segment?

What can the vendor offer that may be targeted to the unique needs of your industry, such as education, healthcare, or retail? You may find some differentiation here, says Tempest.

Additionally, be sure to ask vendors questions about specific features you need, such as:

  • Can the support tech pass their credentials to a remotely controlled machine so they can take actions that user-level privileges don’t allow on the target machine?
  • Does the product support remote rebooting of the device with automatic reconnection to the support analyst?
  • Can the support tech remotely view and take screen captures of multiple monitors on a remote PC? (Likely to be important in businesses such as financial services, where many desktop users have extended screens.)
  • What sorts of triage, routing, and escalation capabilities does the product offer?
  • Does the product provide real-time information (such as available storage space and CPU use for running applications and services) on the remote device?
  • Can a remote control session be initiated without requiring the end user to install a persistent agent?
  • Does the product go beyond saving session data to include reporting, or can it integrate with ITSM platforms to provide reporting and an audit trail?

12 remote IT support tools to consider

While neither Gartner nor IDC break out the leaders in this space, Cipolla and Tempest mentioned a dozen companies as top of mind. All support remote screen viewing and remote control, but they can vary in terms of other features, platforms supported, security-related options, and integrations offered.

Note that this list is not comprehensive but represents a sampling of the many tools out there.

Acronis Cyber Protect Connect

This tool from cybersecurity vendor Acronis provides remote desktop connections and monitoring for Windows, macOS, and Linux machines. Support analysts can use a Windows, macOS, or mobile client to provide support using Acronis’ proprietary low-latency NEAR remote desktop protocol or via the Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), Apple Screen Sharing, or Virtual Network Computing (VNC) protocols. Security features include session encryption, keychain data protection, and master password protection. (See Acronis’ security practices.)

AnyDesk

AnyDesk Software’s eponymously named product provides secure remote desktop connections for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Raspberry Pi, and ChromeOS devices. Remote access features include chat, remote reboot, session recording, and file transfer, as well as compatibility with earlier versions of supported OSes (including Windows 7 or newer and macOS High Sierra or newer). AnyDesk security features include private key encryption and 2FA. (See AnyDesk’s security practices.)

BeyondTrust Remote Support

Remote Support’s features include unattended access, annotation, file sharing, and remote mobile device camera sharing for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices. Technicians can provide support using a client, a browser-based console, or a mobile app. Other features include integration with external directories, such as LDAP, ITSM systems, third-party authentication tools, and password managers. Roles, permissions, and audit and compliance features are supported, as are session logs and the ability to enable video session recordings. Other security features include TLS 1.2 encryption and native 2FA (using a one-time passcode), as well as support for existing 2FA systems. The product has received FedRAMP approval. (See BeyondTrust’s security practices.)

ConnectWise ScreenConnect

ScreenConnect supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices, including older versions of the desktop OSes. In addition to screen sharing and remote control, it offers session recording and reporting, file transfers, and access to unattended machines. Security features include role-based security, AES-256 encryption, 2FA, and compatibility with Active Directory and LDAP for user authentication. It also offers integrations with ITSM products from SolarWinds and Zendesk. (See ConnectWise’s security practices.)

EasyVista EV Reach

EasyVista’s EV Reach (formerly Goverlan Reach) offers screen sharing and remote control for on-demand and unattended access to desktops, audio and audio chat, and screen and video capture sessions across multiple monitors. It supports devices connected via virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), RDP, or Citrix. It also supports digital signage and kiosks; monitors CPU, disk, memory, and network activity levels; and technicians can create one-to-one or many-to-one support sessions. Enterprise-level features include Active Directory integration and management, global systems management via IT process automation, and support for IT compliance assessment and remediation. EV Reach supports 2FA, TLS 1.2, and AES 256-bit encryption for data in flight, and it’s HIPAA compliant. (Contact EasyVista for security practices.)

iDrive RemotePC

Key features of iDrive’s web-based RemotePC include remote control, reboot, file transfer, and printing; a whiteboard; chat; mobile access from iOS and Android devices; session recording; the ability to view multiple monitors the employee may be using; and the ability for multiple support analysts to remote into the same employee’s device. Employees don’t need to install remote client software to receive support. Sessions are protected by 2FA as well as TLS 1.2 and AES 256-bit encryption. Other features include session logging and reporting; compliance with FIPS, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI and other standards; Active Directory support; and the ability to set roles and access permissions for each user. (See iDrive’s security practices.)

LogMeIn Rescue

Rescue supports Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, Android, and iOS devices. In addition to remote control, it offers remote diagnostic capabilities; session recording, logging, and reporting; file transfers; multi-monitor navigation; and unattended access to employee devices. It offers out-of-the-box integrations and open APIs, including support for ServiceNow, Salesforce + Lightning, Microsoft Dynamics, Zendesk, and others. Administration features include session history and recording, as well as live reports of technician statistics and activity. Security features include Active Directory synchronization for user authentication, TLS 1.2 and AES 256-bit encryption, and 2FA. Technicians can establish support sessions from a web console and can host up to 15 concurrent sessions. (See LogMeIn’s security practices.)

Netop Remote Access

Netop’s enterprise-class Remote Access offers on-premises and cloud-based versions that support Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and embedded operating system users. Key features include remote screen view and control, chat, file transfer, and unattended access to remote PCs. It offers 256-bit AES encryption, MFA options including Microsoft Azure/Active Directory, and role-based access controls. It’s also compliant with the PCI-DSS, GDPR, HIPAA, FIPS, and ISO 27001 requirements for authentication and encryption. (See Netop’s security practices.)

RealVNC Connect

RealVNC’s entry doesn’t require supported users to install client software to receive support, and it allows technicians to have unlimited concurrent sessions. Connect features include remote screen viewing, remote control, file transfer and chat. Security features include MFA and SSO, as well as support for TLS 1.2 and 256-bit AES encryption. It’s also compliant with ISO/IEC 27001:2013, GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS, and includes session logging and auditing. (See RealVNC’s security practices.)

SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support

The Dameware remote support tool from service management software vendor SolarWinds is available in cloud and on-premises versions. It supports devices running Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS and has a mobile app for support analysts. Remote Support integrates with SolarWinds’ Help Desk Software and Service Desk products. In addition to remote screen viewing and remote control, key features include communication by voice or videoconference and the ability to access unattended devices. It’s compatible with Active Directory, supports MFA and smart card authentication, and uses RDP for session security. (See SolarWinds’ security practices.)

Splashtop Remote Support

This product, part of a suite of endpoint management tools available in on-premises and cloud versions, is on the lower end of the enterprise-scale tools, but is still very much relevant, says Cipolla. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, VDI, point-of-sale, and kiosk devices. It offers unattended device access as well as multi-monitor support, chat, session recording, file transfer, event logs, and role-based access controls. Security features include TLS and 256-bit AES encryption and 2FA. An enterprise version adds SSO/SAML integration as well as integrations for ServiceNow and Salesforce. (See Splashtop’s security practices.)

TeamViewer Remote

TeamViewer supports remote control, file transfers, unattended access, session recording, and multi-user remote control sessions where a support analyst can bring in another technician to help Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android users. TeamViewer’s cloud-based enterprise-level plan, TeamViewer Tensor, includes mobile device management features and supports logging and reporting for auditing, SAML 2.0 for single sign-on, and rule- and expiration-based access permissions. Integrations for ServiceNow, Zendesk, Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, and other enterprise applications are also available. (See TeamViewer’s security practices.)

Zoho Assist

Zoho markets its Assist product as “enterprise grade,” and Cipolla categorizes it as a relatively low-price enterprise IT support tool that includes screen sharing, remote control, file transfers and remote rebooting of Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and ChromeOS devices. It includes security features such as single sign-on using SAML, MFA, 256-bit AES encryption, and permission-based access. Zoho Assist also offers session recording and session and audit reporting. Integrations are available for ServiceNow, Zendesk, Zoho Desk, Zoho CRM, Jira, and more, and Zoho Assist meets compliance requirements for HIPAA, GDPR, PCI, CCPA, ISO/IEC 27001, and several other industry standards. (See Zoho’s security practices.)

This article was originally published in May 2020 and updated in August 2024.

For August, Patch Tuesday means patch now

Microsoft pushed out 90 updates this week in its August Patch Tuesday release, including fixes for five Windows zero-days (CVE-2024-38178, CVE-2024-38193, CVE-2024-38213, CVE-2024-38106, CVE-2024-38107) and one zero-day affecting Office (CVE-2024-38189). 

Unfortunately, this means a “Patch Now” recommendation for both Windows and Microsoft Office this month. Microsoft offered several (pretty useful) mitigations and recommendations to reduce the impact of these security issues; our testing guidance reflects this, with a focus on the networking related features of Windows. 

Minor updates for the Microsoft development platforms can be added to your standard patch release schedule, while Microsoft did not release any patches for Microsoft SQL Server or Exchange Server. And Adobe Reader updates are back, though we assume this will be included in your Windows desktop Patch Now release cycle. 

The team at Readiness has provided a helpful infographic that outlines the risks associated with each of these updates. (See our running list of recent Patch Tuesday updates here.)

Known issues 

Each month, Microsoft publishes a list of known issues affecting the operating system and platforms included in the latest update cycle, including these two reported minor issues:

  • After installing the Windows update released on or after July 9, 2024, Windows Servers might (intermittently) affect Remote Desktop Connectivity across an organization. This issue might occur if legacy protocol (Remote Procedure Call over HTTP) is used in Remote Desktop Gateway. Microsoft is working on a resolution. 
  • There’s an issue where “players” on Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows. This might be a good time to “block out” (sorry, not sorry) some time to look at potential compatibility issues on ARM platforms. Don’t forget to try to change your account profile photo — oh, wait!

Major revisions 

This Patch Tuesday saw the following major revisions to past Microsoft security and feature updates, including:

  • CVE-2024-29187: WiX Burn-based bundles are vulnerable to binary hijack when run as SYSTEM. Microsoft released updates on Tuesday for Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 version 15.9, Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 version 16.11, and Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 to address this GitHub-related issue. 
  • CVE-2024-35058: BitLocker Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability. Microsoft has added a FAQ to explain that because of firmware incompatibility issues, BitLocker would go into recovery mode on some devices; the fix for CVE-2024-38058 has been disabled with the release of this month’s updates. Customers who want to be protected can apply the mitigations described in KB5025885.

Mitigations and workarounds

Microsoft published the following vulnerability-related mitigations for this month’s release cycle:

  • CVE-2024-38199: Windows Line Printer Daemon (LPD) Service Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Microsoft recommended as part of their mitigation strategy that all corporate users no longer install the LPD utility. Given that this reported vulnerability has been publicly disclosed, the Readiness team highly recommends a scan of your environment to ensure that this service is not running (and preferably not installed).
  • CVE-2024-38159 and CVE-2024-38160: Windows Network Virtualization Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. To reduce exposure to this vulnerability, Microsoft recommends that Hyper-V be disabled on the target machine. 
  • CVE-2024-38140: Windows Reliable Multicast Transport Driver (RMCAST) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Microsoft offers solid advice here. This vulnerability is only exploitable if there is a program listening on a Pragmatic General Multicast (PGM) port. If PGM is installed or enabled, but no programs are actively listening, this vulnerability is not exploitable. 

Each month, the team at Readiness analyses the latest updates and provides detailed, actionable testing guidance based on a large application portfolio and a detailed analysis of the patches and their potential impact on Windows and app  installations. We have grouped the critical updates and required testing efforts into separate product and functional areas, including:

Microsoft Office

Due to the changes to Microsoft Outlook and .NET components, we recommend a full test of sending/receiving mails with HTML content.

Microsoft .NET and developer tools

Microsoft updated both Microsoft .NET (Version 8) and Visual Studio 2022 with the following testing recommendations

Windows

With the release of the Windows updates, Microsoft put a real focus on securing Windows networking features with updates to core system files such as AFD.SYS; these will require the following testing:

  • Network packets: try using a web browser to download and upload large files from both internal and external websites. Multicast senders will require validation on packet returns.
  • Network sockets: check that bind, connect and listen functions work as expected. Close socket functions will require testing this month, as well.
  • Smartcards: full logon/logoff testing will be required.
  • Network Bridges: This update will require testing across two or more network adapters. Try creating a bridge using IPv6 packets.
  • Bluetooth: Sending files across two Bluetooth adapters will require testing.
  • DNS: Recursive DNS queries will require a basic test. Have a look for any SERVFAIL returns or time-outs. We also suggest trying NETSH to configure proxy settings. 
  • Remote Desktop: Test remote configurations on RRAS platforms while using copy/paste functions over a VPN.

In addition to these networking-focused changes, Microsoft updated core features in the Windows desktop and server platforms, including:

  • Windows Error logs: a complete CRUD test (create, read, update and delete) will be required for Windows log files.
  • Kerberos: Logon and certificate workflows will require validation.
  • Codec and camera updates will require a basic test of camera (both still and video) features.
  • Hyper-V: With only minor changes to the Microsoft Hyper-V platform, a basic VM startup and shut-down test is recommended.

Microsoft made a number of significant changes to the Windows file system (NTFS) with changes to both the NtQueryEaFile and NtSetEaFile APIs. Unfortunately, a significant testing cycle is required that should include large file CRUD file tests — and remember to include a query component. The Readiness team suggests that a PowerShell test be included to assist with “pacing” rapid changes to the Windows file system.

Given recent challenges with CrowdStrike and BitLocker, Microsoft published changes that will require testing of the Microsoft BitLocker recovery environment.

Windows lifecycle update (now including enforcements)

This section contains important changes to servicing, significant feature deprecations and security-related enforcements across the Windows desktop and server platforms.

  • Enforcements: Now that we are past the July 2024 deadline for the enforcement phase, the Windows certificate “Windows Production PCA 2011” will be automatically revoked.
  • Lifecycle: Both Windows 11 Enterprise, Versions 21H2 and 22H2, have an end of servicing date of Oct. 8.

Each month, we break down the update cycle into product families (as defined by Microsoft) with the following basic groupings: 

  • Browsers (Microsoft IE and Edge).
  • Microsoft Windows (both desktop and server).
  • Microsoft Office.
  • Microsoft Exchange Server.
  • Microsoft Development platforms (ASP.NET Core, .NET Core and Chakra Core)
  • Adobe (if you get this far).

Browsers

Microsoft released 11 updates to the Edge browser platform. These low-profile changes have been rated as either important or moderate, reflecting their lower security and deployment risks. We recommend following the stable channel release of Microsoft Edge, as there will be mid-cycle releases at the end of this month. Add these browser updates to your standard release schedule.

Windows

Microsoft has released six critical and 60 updates rated as important by Microsoft with five zero-day patches (as already noted, they are: CVE-2024-38178, CVE-2024-38193, CVE-2024-38213, CVE-2024-38106, and CVE-2024-38107.

In addition to these updates, Microsoft released patches that affect the following Windows feature groups:

  • Windows DNS, broadband, routing, translation and multicast networking features.
  • Kernel mode and system drivers.
  • Line printer services (daemon).
  • Windows OLE.
  • Windows Kerberos.

Given the larger (and somewhat concerning) number of exploited and publicly disclosed vulnerabilities this month, we again recommend a “Patch Now” schedule for this update.

Microsoft Office 

Microsoft returns to form with one critical rated update to Copilot (CVE-2024-38206) and nine other updates to the Microsoft Office suite, all rated important. Unfortunately, one of the vulnerabilities (CVE-2024-38189) that affects the entire Office platform has been reported as exploited. Add Microsoft Office to the Patch Now release schedule.

Microsoft SQL (nee Exchange) Server 

Good news: no updates or patches for either SQL Server or Exchange Server. 

Microsoft development platforms 

Microsoft released four low-profile updates to the Microsoft .NET and Visual Studio 2022 platforms. We do not expect serious testing requirements for these lesser reported vulnerabilities. Add these updates to your standard developer release schedule.

Adobe Reader (and other third-party updates) 

Adobe Reader is back in the game with an important update, APSB24-57, which has addressed 12 memory and “use after free” (my favorite) security vulnerabilities; it can be added to your Windows update cycle. 

Germany’s BSI guns for better tech security

Every business using tech (which means every business) should now hope that the days of insecure platform design are numbered, as one of the most powerful cybersecurity agencies on the planet steps into the ring to demand tougher security.

Following the financial disaster of the Microsoft/CrowdStrike debacle, the BSI — Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security — is demanding that tech firms take swift steps to secure their products and prevent a repeat meltdown. 

No more designer insecurity

The BSI is summoning Big Tech companies to a conference later this year and will be pushing for kernel access to be restricted or abandoned. That’s almost certainly going to mean Microsoft will need to cease allowing kernel access in Windows, just as Apple already did years ago. What Apple understood is that the risks of providing such access are too high and the consequences too great.

While many in the industry seem to think it’s normal for a computer outage to generate billions of dollars of damage to global systems and businesses, those outside that bubble disagree. That’s why Apple doesn’t do that.

There is another way

Apple’s approach to platform security isn’t foolproof. Security is ephemeral; delivering it is an eternal dance — and sometimes errors take place.  But, at least in Apple’s case, it is an ongoing investment characterized by a high degree of proactive protection. Apple’s security teams identified the risks of kernel access and got rid of it — not without opposition. 

(Microsoft has claimed it can’t get follow suit because of a 2009 agreement with the European Commission, but perhaps it could have argued already for the need to do so. I don’t know if it did.)

Chalk and cheese, and it goes way back

The difference between these approaches is not new. Think back to the early days of Mac OS X, when Apple introduced a virus-safe browser called Safari even when other browsers remained full of security flaws. I won’t say who made the dominant browser then, but you might be able to guess where that insecurity by design came from. Watch this 2006 ad for some insight into this continued commitment to platform insecurity. 

It’s a commitment that seems to extend to the present day, given the TCO costs in terms of security and tech support when you compare Apples to Windows. (The University of Kentucky recently claimed its move to Apple devices cut IT costs by 50%.)

Perhaps it is unfair to expect Microsoft, still the world’s most widely used computing platform, to match Apple on security.

The argument is growing

Apple’s success in creating platforms developers can use while eradicating kernel access shows that it’s possible to create a secure platform without leaving the very heart of that platform exposed. The powerful cybersecurity regulator thinks so, too. 

Not only does BSI want Microsoft to take urgent steps to secure its platforms (which it should have done years ago), but it also wants security firms such as CrowdStrike to redesign their tools to make such access unnecessary.

CrowdStrike, however, has argued that products like firmware analysis or device control “would not be possible” without it. The regulator doesn’t agree, telling the WSJ that it is, “positive that robust technical solutions which also respect EU regulation can be found for the problem at hand.”

Financial liability

The nature of regulation is that events take time to unfold. But it seems clear one approach that would help focus the mind of tech firms would be to make them financially responsible for outages of this kind. 

We know business lost billions as a result of the CrowdStrike/Microsoft debacle; we also know the terms and conditions of the user agreements forced on those customers mean they’ll get little or none of that lost money back

How does that lack of liability foster a security-first culture? Why bother being proactive about security if you face no consequences for your own failure?

Ensuring every tech firm delivers solutions at least as secure and reliable as Apple’s has to be the goal of any regulation. It seems to me that making tech firms financially responsible for such errors should help make that happen. 

Of course, that means waiting for action. What if you can’t wait that long? 

There is an alternative

For many in business making purchasing decisions today, there is another approach: deploy Apple products, just like the German government has. After all, as well as plenty of solutions to help integrate those products into existing Microsoft infrastructure, the platform has a now-decades long track record for better securityregular updates, hardware-based encryption and data protection that is second to none in the business. 

More from Jonny Evans

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AI and AR can supercharge ‘ambient computing’

“Sal awakens; she smells coffee. A few minutes ago her alarm clock, alerted by her restless rolling before waking, had quietly asked ‘coffee?’ and she mumbled ‘yes.’ ‘Yes’ and ‘no’ are the only words it knows.” Then, the alarm clock tells the coffee maker to get busy — and Sal’s morning has begun.

This scenario was described by Mark Weiser, a computer scientist and the CTO  at Xerox PARC in 1991 when he wrote a piece for Scientific American about “ambient computing” and coined that phrase. (The concept and related ideas are also referred to as “ubiquitous computing” and “invisible computing.”)

Ambient computing is not a technology. Instead, it’s a broad usage pattern, akin to “desktop computing” and “mobile computing.”

The idea has been in the ether for decades, especially a few years ago with the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT). While IoT describes networks of low-power connected and sensor-based home and office appliances — along with  dedicated IoT devices — the “ambient computing” notion results in seamless and natural human interaction with those devices; the “user” doesn’t really “use” anything, but digital devices anticipate preferred action by people in the environment and respond accordingly.

And while most of us don’t have alarm clocks that tell the coffee maker to make coffee — and, of course, we could and should have that — we do have some ambient computing devices in our lives. For example, think about smart thermostats that adjust temperature based on time, history, and whether anyone is at home, or thermostats that communicate with lighting, blinds systems and home security systems. 

Nascent ambient computing systems have also emerged in workplaces: smart conference rooms with automated meeting setups, adaptive lighting systems that self-adjust based on occupancy and ambient light, voice-activated assistants providing proactive notifications, automated maintenance and monitoring in manufacturing, automated guided vehicles optimizing production routes and others. 

A surge, and retreat, in interest

During the three decades of the ambient computing concept, interest has surged or retreated based on new ideas in technology that support it — or the lack thereof. 

When low-cost components shed from the smartphone revolution supercharged IoT by making connected sensor-based devices faster, better, smaller and cheaper — components like microprocessors, memory chips, tiny cameras, touchscreen displays, batteries, sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, proximity sensors), miniaturized antennas and wireless communication modules (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC), microphones and speakers, power management ICs, LEDs and OLEDs, GPS modules, and others — everybody talked about ambient computing.

When Amazon released the Amazon Echo in 2014, and Apple, Google and other companies unveiled their smart speakers over the next few years, the act of talking to an assistant without specifically even looking at it or even knowing where it is become normalized. Chatter about ambient computing rose again. 

Some companies have exploited the ambient computing halo effect to promote bad ideas.

The Humane pin, for example, launched by former Apple engineers in April, was basically smartglasses without the glasses. The company markets the gadget as “ambient computing for the real world.” In addition to functional problems, Humane decided to pack the electronics into a form factor nobody uses or wants (a pin or magnet hanging on clothing) instead of glasses, already worn by 4 billion people. The product will be gone and forgotten in a year. 

Four years ago at Google I/O, Google beat the ambient computing drum mercilessly, mostly around Google Nest integration, Project Connected Home over IP (CHIP), Google Assistant enhancements, Ambient Mode for Android devices, Google Home app updates, AI and machine learning integration, Android Auto and Google Assistant Driving Mode.

Google also showcased research into hidden displays, which can put a digital display through wood or other material

That’s all interesting, but you don’t much hear about ambient computing from Google anymore.

Meanwhile, the automobile is gradually becoming a fully realized ambient computing space. New cars are increasingly integrating built-in voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for hands-free control, intelligent ambient lighting that adjusts for visual cues and aesthetics, and smart sensors that enable features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance. These technologies work together to create a cohesive and responsive driving experience, operating largely in the background.

For years, ambient computing has been slowly emerging and developing. And now, it seems a new set of technologies will drive a new surge of interest.

How AR and AI make computing more ambient

Historically, ambient computing aimed to make technology interactions natural and unobtrusive. With IoT and smart devices, we took steps in that direction. Now, with the fusion of AI and AR, the concept is fully realizable. 

Weiser called the effect of ambient computing and what we would later call IoT “embodiedvirtuality.” While virtual reality builds a world inside computers, embodied virtuality does the opposite: it builds a computer out of the world — it’s real life, peppered with the attributes of a digital, connected environment. 

That’s what AR does as well — it digitizes, connects and provides a digital layer upon real-world physical space. The best glimpse of the future of AR we’ve seen so far is, of course, Apple Vision Pro. The combination of looking at something and making a subtle gesture — for example, pinching the fingers together or pinching and dragging — to effect change in the presentation of holographic digital information seemingly hovering in space in the real world, is almost certainly how ordinary-looking glasses will operate some day.

AR glasses will tell sensors and devices in our living and working spaces who we are, where we are and what we’re looking at. And AI will tell them what we want to happen. In other words, AR glasses with AI complete the ambient computing picture by enabling humans to participate as connected electronic “devices,” rather than as just biological people. 

AI will both anticipate our needs based on past preferences and respond to our spoken requests. AI-based AR glasses will remember things for us. Multimodal AI, which combines inputs such as image recognition, text, and sound will prove crucial for ambient computing, where the goal is to anticipate and respond to human needs without explicit commands.

I also suspect the ambient computing idea changes our perception from Mark Zuckerberg’s “metaverse” misdirection, where AR and VR were seen as two sides of the same coin, rather than opposites (a fake world made in a computer rather than the real world made into a computer). 

Gene Munster recently suggested that Meta’s move from “closed Metaverse Quest” and toward Ray-Ban Meta glasses was a step toward ambient computing; I think he’s exactly right.  

Beyond that, while we can expect AR and AI to complete the ambient computing picture, it will also re-define it. This is already happening. 

Gartner Global Chief of Research Chris Howard defines ambient computing as computing that takes place in “ambient spaces,” where physical space and digital space interact “in interesting ways.” To Howard, the key enabling technologies will be edge computing, including SLMs (small language models) running close to the edge (instead of large language models running in the cloud). Edge computing will drive performance, innovation and efficiency in this new ambient computing world. 

Ambient computing offers us a whole new way of understanding the era of AI+AR, and what it means for our everyday lives. 

In the meantime, alarm clock: Tell that coffee pot to make us some coffee. We need to wake up to a new world.

Agentic RAG AI — more marketing hype than tech advance

Agentic RAG is getting a lot of attention these days as a practical way to reduce — or, depending on the audacity of the vendor, eliminate — hallucinations from generative AI (genAI) tools. Sadly, it might not decrease hallucinations — but it could open the door to other problems. 

To be clear, there’s nothing bad about Agentic RAG (which stands for retrieval augmented generation); it works fine for some users, but for others, it’s underwhelming, expensive, labor-intensive and doesn’t always deliver on its key promises.

Agentic RAG is designed to allow the integration of additional databases and data sources so a genAI algorithm has a broader range of information for its initial findings. But using AI to manage AI — in  short, adding even more AI into the equation — doesn’t always produce better results.

I spoke to two genAI experts who should know: Alan Nichol, CTO at Rasa, and agentic specialist Sandi Besen.

“Agentic RAG is an unnecessary buzzword,” said Nichol. “It simply means adding a loop around your [large language models] and retrieval calls. The market is in a strange place where adding an additional ‘while’ loop or ‘if’ statement to code is touted as a new, game-changing method. State-of-the-art web agents only achieve a 25% success rate, a figure unacceptable in any software context. 

“Companies and developers would be better off explicitly building some business logic in regular code,” he said. “They can use LLMs to convert user input into structured formats and paraphrase search results’ output, making it sound more natural.”

Nichol argued that Agentic RAG is often the wrong approach for enterprise data analytics needs.  “Agentic RAG is the wrong way to think of the problem,” he said. “Any good performing RAG is just a simple search engine on top of which you sprinkle some LLM magic.” 

While that tactic can work, IT should stop thinking that “the way to solve this (hallucination) issue is to slap on one more LLM call,” Nichol said. “People are hoping that this kind of approach is going to magically solve the root problem.”

And just what is the root problem? Data quality.

Nichol said he often sees enterprises that have “built a bad retrieval system, because they haven’t cleaned up their data. It is boring and unsexy to clean up out-of-date information, such as versioning and dealing with data conflicts. Instead, they add seven more LLM calls to paper over all of the data issues they have. It’s just going to put a lot of work on the LLM and it is not going to do very well. 

“It’s not going to solve your problem, but it is going to feel like it is.”

Besen, an applied AI researcher at IBM, argues that agentic can indeed reduce hallucinations, but agrees with Nichol that it might not always be the best enterprise approach.

Besen cautions that adding complexity to a genAI package — something that’s already complex — can deliver unexpected issues. 

“When you increase the (number) of agents, you inherently increase the variability of a solution,” she said. “However, with the proper architecture in place — meaning that the team of agents [is] constructed in an effective way — and adequate prompting, there should be a decreased chance of hallucinations because you can build in evaluation and reasoning. For instance, you can have one agent that retrieves the content and another that evaluates if the information retrieved is relevant to answer the original question. With traditional RAG, there was no natural language reasoning check on whether the information retrieved was relevant.”

Like anything else in programming, this might or might not deliver the desired results. “There is a way to make it very successful and a way to mess it up. The trick is to scope our expectations to the abilities of the technology,” Besen said. “An agent’s ability is only as good as the language model behind it. The reasoning ability is dependent on the language model.”

That said, Besen stressed that — despite what some AI vendors are claim — even the best deployment of agentic RAG will never make hallucinations disappear. “It is impossible to completely eliminate hallucinations at this time. But there could be a reduction in hallucinations.”

It’s up to IT executives to decide whether that uncertainty, and the risk of wrong answers from time to time, is something they can live with. “If you want the same outcome every time, don’t use genAI,” Besen said. As for accepting occasional hallucinations, Besen suggested IT consider how they would react to an employee or contractor doing it. 

“Are you OK with having an employee who is not right 10% of the time?”