Windows 11 Build 26040 Brings New Setup UI, Voice Clarity & More

On January 26, 2024, Microsoft released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26040 to the Canary Channel. This is a significant update that brings new features, various visual changes, and improvements. What’s new in this preview build? See the guide below.

Quick Access to Photos & Screenshots from Mobile Device

Whenever you capture a new photo or screenshot on your Android device, instant notifications appear on your PC. You can access and edit these photos in Snipping Tool on the PC.

To enable this feature, do as follows:

1. Navigate to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices.
2. Choose Manage devices and allow your PC to access the Android device.

New Windows Setup

Windows 11 Build 26040 updates Windows OS Media Setup and its user interface is much cleaner and more modern. You may notice this new Setup UI when using a bootable USB drive to clean install Windows 11 or perform a current upgrade.

Voice Clarity

Voice Clarity refers to a feature to enhance your audio experience on Windows. It uses a state-of-the-art AI technology to suppress background noise, cancel echo, and reduce reverberation in real time. By default, Voice Clarity is enabled and can be used by apps like Phone Link and WhatsApp, without additional hardware.

PC games using Communications Signal Processing Mode for online communications benefit from this feature. Besides, Voice Clarity guarantees a clean voice during online meetings and smoother online communication.

Other New Features & Improvements

In addition to these highlighted features, Build 26040 comes with additional features, as listed below:

1. The latest generation USB standard, USB 80Gbps is supported.
2. Enhanced image consumption experience in Narrator: a new keyboard command – press G or Shift + G for image navigation in Scan mode & use Narrator key + CTRL + D to experience enhanced text recognition on images.
3. Cast changes from Quick Settings.
4. Windows LAPS introduces several enhancements to improve security and manageability: new automatic account management, improved readability password dictionary, new passphrase feature, and new image rollback detection.
5. The Copilot icon is shown on the right side of the system tray.
6. A new compression wizard is added to File Explorer.
7. More…

How to Install Windows 11 Build 26040

If you want to experience these new features and improvements, you can install Build 26040 on your PC. Two ways are available for you to get this operating system.

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If you have been a member of Windows Insider Program, you can go to Windows Update to download and install the latest build. If not, enroll your PC in the Canary Channel via Windows Insider Program and then perform an update.

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Besides, you can clean install Windows 11 Build 26040 via an ISO file. (Remember to back up your files before proceeding with MiniTool ShadowMaker since this way erases your data).

Step 1: Visit https://aka.ms/wipISO in a web browser and sign in with a Microsoft account.

Step 2: Scroll down to the Select edition section, choose Windows 11 Insider Preview (Canary Channel) – Build 26040 and tap on Confirm.

Step 3: Choose a language and then tap on the 64-bit Download button to download Windows 11 Build 26040 ISO.

Step 4: Connect a USB drive to your PC, run Rufus, and create a bootable Windows 11 drive.

Step 5: Boot the PC from this USB drive and begin installing this new Build.