I never knew I needed this Windows 11 keyboard shortcut until Microsoft started testing it with Insiders

I never knew I needed this Windows 11 keyboard shortcut until Microsoft started testing it with Insiders

What you need to know

  • Microsoft shipped Windows 11 Build 26120.1542 to Insiders in the Dev Channel recently.
  • The update begins the rollout of a new position for the widgets entry point when taskbars are aligned to the left.
  • The build also adds a new behavior that lets you navigate between apps in the taskbar by pressing a letter key after pressing WIN + T.

As a seasoned researcher with years of experience tinkering with various operating systems, I must admit that the latest Windows 11 Build 26120.1542 has caught my attention. The subtle yet significant changes to the taskbar and widgets entry point are intriguing.


A fresh update (Build 26120.1542) has been released for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. This update introduces some new features and improvements, particularly focusing on the taskbar. From this build onwards, you’ll notice a change in the location of the Widgets shortcut when your taskbar is aligned to the left side. This adjustment allows for more detailed information to show up within taskbars that have this alignment enabled. Also, after pressing the WIN + T keys, you can now quickly navigate to specific apps on the taskbar by simply pressing the corresponding letter.

The latest addition to the Windows 11 taskbar allows for quick navigation to applications by simply pressing a corresponding letter key. This feature will then take you to an open or pinned app whose name begins with the same character you’ve pressed. If you repeatedly press the same letter, it will guide you through apps with matching initials. For those who don’t use an uncombined taskbar, it will instead consider the window title for navigation purposes. Additionally, the update enables jumping to the first and last items on the taskbar using the Home (for the start) and End (for the end) buttons respectively.

In a blog post, Microsoft details the latest additions, updates, and bug resolutions for the current version, which will be accessible to users via an optional switch-on feature.

Windows 11 Build 26120.1542: What’s new

New position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars 

We’re gradually introducing a change for the Widgets shortcut on taskbars that align to the left. The position of the taskbar shortcut will shift to the left of the system tray and become broader, offering a more expansive view of Widgets content on your taskbar. When you open the Widgets panel, it will now pop out from the right instead of the left.

Windows 11 Build 26120.1542: Changes and Improvements

Taskbar & System Tray

Input

  • Fixed an issue causing text suggestions for the hardware keyboard to not work properly (selecting one unexpectedly concatenated).
  • Fixed an issue causing the emoji panel to close when trying to switch to the kaomoji and symbols sections, or after selecting an emoji.

Other

  • Fixed an issue in Registry Editor where when editing a DWORD or QWORD if you pasted in a HEX value into the text box and saved it, the value saved might not be the one you had entered (for example, pasting 0x1 would become 0x411).

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2024-08-20 16:09