Microsoft is rolling out a new Windows 11 Insider Preview build with several quality-of-life improvements, particularly for desktop personalization and Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) networking.
The update is being released to Windows Insiders in the Experimental 26H1 branch, with changes gradually rolling out to testers. While much of the update focuses on reliability fixes, one of the more notable additions makes it easier for WinRE to get online when a PC needs recovery.
Better Windows 11 Wallpaper and Personalization Experience
Microsoft has made several improvements to the Personalization > Background section of Windows 11 Settings.
The Background page should now be more reliable, while previews displayed when choosing a wallpaper have been improved. Microsoft has also increased the resolution of those previews, making it easier to see how an image will look before applying it.
Users with portrait-oriented monitors should also see a better desktop background preview inside Settings.
Another useful addition is support for DIB image files as desktop backgrounds, expanding the types of image files Windows can use for wallpaper customization.
Microsoft has also addressed several issues affecting desktop slideshows. Slideshow transitions should now be more reliable on newly created accounts, while rapid wallpaper changes should be processed more consistently.
Slideshow Wallpapers Work Better With Multiple Desktops
The update also improves how slideshow wallpapers behave when using multiple virtual desktops.
Previously, some configurations could cause Windows to automatically switch the wallpaper setting back to Picture. Microsoft says slideshow wallpapers can now be used across multiple desktops without that unwanted change.
The company has also fixed an issue from the previous Insider flight that could cause some users to find their desktop wallpaper turned completely black after every reboot.
WinRE Gets Smarter Wi-Fi Networking
One of the biggest changes in this preview is coming to the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
Microsoft is introducing a new networking capability that allows WinRE to automatically reuse eligible Wi-Fi profiles saved in the main Windows installation.
This includes supported certificate-based Wi-Fi networks.
Previously, WinRE could automatically connect to wired, unauthenticated Ethernet connections or Wi-Fi networks that had been separately configured for the recovery environment. For other WPA2 or WPA3 networks, users generally had to connect manually by entering the Wi-Fi password.
With the new capability, WinRE can use saved Wi-Fi profile information when a recovery process requires an internet connection.
That could be particularly useful during scenarios such as Quick Machine Recovery or cloud-based rebuilds, where having network access can be essential.
Less Wi-Fi Configuration During Recovery
The change could also make life easier for IT administrators managing Windows devices.
Instead of having to separately configure Wi-Fi credentials inside WinRE, eligible saved profiles from the main Windows installation can now be reused automatically.
Microsoft says the capability is enabled by default, although IT administrators can disable it if required.
Microsoft is also asking Insiders and IT professionals to test the functionality in their environments through its Test networking in WinRE guidance.
A Small Update With Some Useful Improvements
Although this Insider build doesn’t introduce a dramatic visual redesign, it addresses several areas that can noticeably affect the Windows 11 experience.
The Personalization improvements should make wallpaper management more dependable, particularly for users with multiple desktops, slideshow wallpapers, or portrait displays. Meanwhile, the WinRE networking enhancement could prove much more important when a Windows installation actually runs into trouble.
Being able to automatically get online using an existing Wi-Fi configuration could reduce friction during recovery and make cloud-based repair workflows more practical.
As with other Insider features, these changes are gradually rolling out, so not every tester will necessarily see everything immediately. Microsoft may also modify or remove features before they eventually reach stable versions of Windows 11.
Stay tuned to WinCentral’s Windows 11 coverage for further updates, patch releases, and fixes as Microsoft rolls out solutions for these issues.
