Windows 11 Build 25145 Brings New Features To Dev Channel

Windows 11 Insider UpdateWindows 11 Insider Update

The last week has been full of updates from Microsoft. Today, they have released yet another update for the Insiders in the Dev channel for Windows 11. This is the Preview Build 25145 which brings along new features as well as other fixes for the operating system.

This flight includes updates for the Narrator Braille driver support, Microsoft OneDrive, and the Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS). The improvements have been discussed in detail down below. Furthermore, many other fixes have also been incorporated into this update.

Let us now continue to discuss these improvements, and then see how to install this update.

New in Windows 11 Build 25145

Narrator Braille Driver Solution

Microsoft believes that everyone should be able to use their operating systems, even people with disabilities. This is why the Windows operating system will now automatically switch Braille drivers and the Braille devices will continue to function when the user switches between Narrator and a third-party screen reader.

To use this functionality, the user must first remove the currently installed Narrator’s braille support (if installed) and then install the newer version. Here are the steps to do so after upgrading to build 25145:

Note: Skip steps 1 & 2 if you have not installed Narrator’s braille support before.

  1. Navigate to the following:

    Settings app >> Apps >> Optional Features
  2. Here, search for “Accessibility – Braille Support” under Installed Features. Then, expand the option and uninstall it.

  3. Once uninstalled, install the new Narrator Braille support by navigating to the following:

    Settings app >> Accessibility >> Narrator >> Use a braille display with Narrator
  4. Click Download and install Braille.

    Install Braille
    Install Braille
  5. Once installed, you will be back on the “Use a braille display with Narrator” Settings page. Here, select the braille display driver used by your third-party screen reader from the drop-down menu in front of “Braille display driver.”

    How to install Windows 11 with rede...
    How to install Windows 11 with redesigned UI

    Note: If the option is greyed out, it means that either the device is not connected or its driver is not properly installed.

    Select braille display driver
    Select braille display driver

To learn more about this feature, you can read this detailed post.

OneDrive Storage Alert and Subscription Management

Microsoft had previously introduced the Microsoft 365 Subscription Management settings on the Accounts Settings page where you could view your payment method. Now, users can view details on their OneDrive Standalone 100GB subscriptions on the very same page.

The details include your recurring billing, payment method, and storage consumption within Windows 11. Moreover, if you are near to or above the storage limit, you will be notified.

OneDrive details
New Accounts page

Note that this feature is just beginning to roll out, therefore you might not see the new improvements right away.

Local Administrator Password Solution

The Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) was already a part of Windows 11. It is now a native part of Windows with new improvements. You can now perform the following tasks on the devices that are joined to an Active Directory (AD):

  • You can extend your Active Directory schema by running the Update-LapsADSchema cmdlet in the new LAPS PowerShell module.
  • Add the necessary permissions to your computer’s Organizational Unit (OU) by running the Set-LapsADComputerSelfPermission cmdlet.
  • Add a new LAPS Group Policy Object (GPO) and enable the “Configure password backup directory” setting and configure it to backup the password to “Active Directory.”
  • The domain-joined client will process the policy at the next GPO refresh interval. Run “gpupdate /target:computer /force” to avoid waiting. (The Invoke-LapsPolicyProcessing cmdlet may be used for this same purpose.)
  • Once the domain-joined client has backed up a new password (look for the 10018 event ID in the event log), run the Get-LapsADPassword cmdlet to retrieve the newly stored password (by default you must be running as a domain administrator).

You can find this new Group Policy at the following location within the Group Policy editor:

Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> System >> LAPS
LAPS Group Policy
LAPS Group Policy

Other Improvements and Fixes

Other changes and fixes have also been made with this flight:

  • [General]
    • You now can find new information under Settings >> Privacy & security >> App permissions (click on one of the app permissions categories and look at “Recent activity”). Users can view a 7-day history of the resource access for Location, Camera, Microphone, Phone Calls, Messaging, Contacts, Pictures, Videos, Music library, Screenshots, and apps through this Settings experience.
    • An issue causing Windows Insiders on Surface Pro X devices to hit a black screen when attempting to resume from hibernation has been fixed.
    • A bugcheck that some Insiders were experiencing with SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED related to USBs has been fixed.
    • A bugcheck with error 0x1CA SYNTHETIC_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT that could happen sporadically on some PCs after being left idle for some time has been addressed.
    • An issue from the last two builds that was leading to InventorySvc consuming an unexpectedly high volume of memory has been fixed.
  • [Suggested Actions]
    • Suggested Actions, which began rolling out with Build 25115, is now available to all Windows Insiders in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
  • [File Explorer]
    • Middle-clicking a folder in the body of File Explorer will now open it in a new tab.
    • The row of tabs should now be included in the keyboard focus cycle when pressing Tab or F6. Once focus is in the tab row, you can use left or right arrow keys to navigate through them.
    • An issue where the tab order when using CTRL + Tab shortcut keys would be wrong if you rearranged the tabs in File Explorer has been addressed.
  • [Start Menu]
    • The Narrator will now read the dialog that opens when uninstalling an app from its context menu in Start and those options correctly.
    • The animation when selecting the More button in Start’s Recommended section in right-to-left (RTL) languages should now appear correctly.
  • [Taskbar]
    • When dismissing the notification center using your keyboard, its closing animation will now show correctly.
  • [Settings]
    • Typing a number in the Settings search box when using an Arabic display language should no longer show boxes.
    • An issue causing Settings to crash when going to Bluetooth & Devices >> Printers & Scanners in the last few builds has been addressed.
    • A couple of crashes that some Insiders were experiencing in the last few builds when opening the Wi-Fi section of Quick Settings, or after connecting or disconnecting from networks in the Wi-Fi section in Quick Settings, have been fixed.
    • An issue that was causing the Wi-Fi option in Quick Settings and the Wi-Fi section in Settings to sometimes take a few seconds to appear has been addressed.
    • Using touch to rearrange the items in Quick Settings when in edit mode should no longer lead to Quick Settings unexpectedly being dismissed.
  • [Input]
    • The SOM currency sign (U+20C0) has been added to the Courier New font family.
  • [Task Manager]
    • Pressing CTRL + Page Up and CTRL + Page Down should work again now to navigate through pages in the Task Manager.
  • [Other]
    • A rare issue that could lead to certain apps sporadically crashing on launch has been fixed.

With these new features, improvements, and fixes, there are also a few known issues we think you should know about before upgrading to this build.

Known Issues

  • [General]
    • There are reports that the Mica material and Acrylic blur effect is not rendering correctly on OS surfaces like the Start menu, Notification Center, and other areas.
    • There are reports that shutting down via the Start menu isn’t working for some Insiders and is unexpectedly rebooting instead.
    • Some games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bugcheck.
  • [File Explorer]
    • The up arrow is misaligned in the File Explorer tabs. This will be fixed in a future update.
    • There are reports that launching the File Explorer in a certain way when using dark mode (for example, from the command line) is showing the body of File Explorer unexpectedly in light mode.
  • [Widgets]
    • There is an issue that causes Widgets preferences (temperature units and pinned widgets) to unexpectedly get reset to default.
  • [Live captions]
    • Certain apps in full screen (e.g., video players) prevent live captions from being visible.
    • Certain apps positioned near the top of the screen and closed before live captions are run will re-launch behind the live captions window positioned at the top. Use the system menu (ALT + Spacebar) while the app has focus to move the app’s window further down.

Download and Install Windows 11 Build 25145

To install this update, you need to be running Windows 11 and subscribed to the Dev channel. If you have enabled Windows updates, you will automatically get a “New features are ready to install” prompt.

If not, follow these steps to install Preview Build 25145:

  1. Navigate to the Settings app and then click Windows Update on the left.

  2. Here, click Check for updates on the right side of the window.

    check for updates Windows 11
    Check for pending updates
  3. You will then see the following update available under Updates available to download:

    Windows 11 Insider Preview 25145.1000
    
    
    
     (rs_prerelease)
    

    Click Download & install in front of it.

    Download and install 2
    Download and install the Insider build
  4. The update will now begin to download and then install. Once complete, click Restart Now.

    Restart Now 5
    Restart computer

Once the computer restarts, you can verify that the OS has been updated by typing in winver in the Run Command box.

Updated 9
Windows 11 Dev updated

Rollback/Remove Windows 11 Insider Preview Update

If you do not wish to keep the installed preview update for some reason, you can always roll back to the previous build of the OS. However, this can only be performed within the next 10 days after installing the new update.

To roll back after 10 days, you will need to apply this trick.

Cleanup After Installing Windows Updates

If you want to save space after installing Windows updates, you can run the following commands one after the other in Command Prompt with administrative privileges:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup
dism cleanup
DISM cleanup

Windows 11 Insider Preview updates history

BuildRelease DateFeatures added
Windows 11 Build 2522719-Oct-22Improvements to Windows Update management, pop-up trailer preview in Microsoft Store, monoline icons in widgets board.
Windows 11 Build 252176-Oct-22Supports third-party widgets, new video calling experience in the taskbar, Simplified Chinese IME cloud suggestions, and Microsoft Store improvements
Windows 11 Build 2521129-Sep-22New Widget Settings and Widget Picker, New Outlook for Windows experience, Task Manager in the taskbar context menu
Windows 11 Build 2520621-Sep-22SMB authentication rate limiter and dynamic refresh rate
Windows 11 Build 2520114-Sep-22Expandable widgets board and sign-in option in Game Pass widget
Windows 11 Build 251978-Sep-22Tablet-optimized taskbar restored, animated icons introduced in the Settings app, system tray icons updated
Windows 11 Build 251931-Sep-22New Braille support for Narrator and Xbox subscription management from the Settings app
Windows 11 Build 2518824-Aug-22Intelligent touch keyboard when the physical keyboard detached
Windows 11 Build 2516928-Jul-22Added App lockdown feature
Windows 11 Build 2512625-May-22Improved account settings page
Windows 11 Build 2512018-May-22Added search widget on Desktop/
Windows 11 Build 2511511-May-22Added suggested actions feature
Windows 11 Build 226165-May-22Improved Xbox controller bar
Windows 11 Build 2259813-Apr-22Improved Windows Media Player, Windows Spotlight default background
Windows 11 Build 225936-Apr-22Homepage to Windows Explorer
Windows 11 Build 2257918-Mar-22Allows naming start menu folders
Windows 11 Build 225729-Mar-22Introducing Microsoft Family and Clipchamp
Windows 11 Build 225672-Mar-22Smart App Control, Focuses On Renewable Energy
Windows 11 Build 2255716-Feb-22Folders of pinned apps, DnD, Focus, Live captions, quick access to Android apps, pin files to Quick Access, and more.
Windows 11 Insider Preview dev channel updates history
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Subhan Zafar is an established IT professional with interests in Windows and Server infrastructure testing and research, and is currently working with Itechtics as a research consultant. He has studied Electrical Engineering and is also certified by Huawei (HCNA & HCNP Routing and Switching).

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