This was another busy week for Windows 11 development, with Microsoft rolling out the 25H2 update to the Release Preview Channel, and testing a few more improvements in the other Insider channels. Here’s everything Microsoft rolled out in Windows this past week.
You can join the Windows Insider program to try out experimental features, but some changes are on a gradual rollout and not yet available to all Insider program members. You should not install Windows Insider builds on an important computer.
Click to Do Updates
The Click to Do menu is a recent addition to Windows 11, giving Copilot+ PCs the ability to analyze what’s on the screen and perform certain actions, like copying text embedded in an image. Microsoft is adding a few more options that integrate with Office apps and other Microsoft 365 services.
Starting in the Dev and Beta Channels, Click to Do can recognize tables on your screen, even if they’re in an image or some other object that isn’t normally selectable as text. If a table is detected, as indicated by a gradient outline, you can convert it to a CSV file (for use with most spreadsheet applications) or send it straight to Microsoft Excel. I’ve used a chatbot custom prompt to do this with specifications tables when writing articles, and it’s cool to see Windows finally get a similar function.
Microsoft said in a blog post, “This is an early preview of this action in Click to Do and table detection may sometimes not work correctly. However, table detection quality will improve over time in subsequent flights to the Dev and Beta Channels.”
If you’re using a PC managed by a company or school, and Click to Do recognizes the email address for someone else in your organization, it will show the full profile card. It saves you the step of opening Outlook or Teams.
You can use Click to Do by pressing the Windows key and your mouse button at the same time, or Win+Q. It requires a Copilot+ PC, and table detection isn’t available yet for Intel or AMD PCs.
On-screen Braille and Text Output
There’s another cool accessibility upgrade coming to Windows 11: a viewer for Braille text. Starting in the Dev and Beta Channels, the Windows Narrator screen reader can display text in standard Braille dots, in either 40 or 80 cells wide. If there’s a Braille display connected to the PC, it will match the width of that screen.
Microsoft said in a blog post, “This is a helpful tool for sighted teachers, AT trainers, developers, and testers who do not read Braille or who have limited to no access to a Braille display. Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVIs) can use Braille viewer to help improve student’s Braille skills or follow along in classroom as the teachers can visually see the textual and Braille representation on the screen while the student reads it on their connected Braille display”
You can try out the Braille viewer by starting Narrator with the Win+Ctrl+Enter shortcut, then pressing the Narrator key with Alt+B to open the Braille window. You might need to download and install Braille support by opening the Settings app, then navigating to Accessibility > Narrator > Use a Braille display with Narrator.
Windows Share
Microsoft is testing another small update to the Windows Share dialog. A new ‘Find apps’ option will be visible when sharing a file, and clicking it will display results from your PC and the Microsoft Store.
This change is currently in the Dev Channel and Beta Channel.
Windows 11 version 25H2
We’re approaching this year’s big Windows 11 update, known as Windows 11 25H2. Last week, Microsoft officially pushed 25H2 to the Release Preview Channel, marking the start of a public testing period before it’s finally released to all PCs.
The company said in a blog post, “Windows 11, version 25H2 will be delivered as an enablement package (eKB). This means that Windows 11, version 24H2 and version 25H2 use a shared servicing branch. It also means that they also share the same new features and enhancements delivered through our continuous innovation efforts.”
There’s not an official list of new features in 25H2, but it should have at least some of the features that have appeared in Insider builds from the last few months. The full removal of PowerShell 2.0 is confirmed, though.
Source: Windows Insider Blog (1, 2, 3, 4)
