Windows 11 Build 22621 is now rolling out to users in Beta Channel and will not include any new features as the focus is now fully on bug fixes. With Build 22621, Microsoft has taken another step toward launching the first major feature update and is evaluating the RTM (final build revision) for OEMs and consumers.
As we recently reported, Microsoft is about to finalize Windows 11 Version 22H2 and Build 22621 is one of the release candidates, according to sources familiar with the development and the fact that no new features or major improvements have been introduced.
This update has been pushed to beta channel testers and as we pointed out above, there are no new features or noticeable improvements at all. That’s because Windows 11 version 22H2 is pretty much done (without tabs in Explorer) and the builds now include some minor tweaks and tweaks to the operating system.
What’s New in Windows 11 Build 22621
As expected, this preview update includes a small set of fixes that will improve the overall experience. For example, Microsoft says it has improved the voice access activity detection so you’ll notice a better experience during live captioning and voice typing.
For Explorer, Microsoft says it has fixed an issue where the keyboard shortcut CTRL + ALT + DEL caused explorer.exe to crash. Fixed another issue where the Settings app stops working and users see loading icons instead of system tray icons in Personalization > Taskbar.
Microsoft believes that this particular settings issue may have caused explorer.exe to crash.
Microsoft also fixed an issue that prevented live captions from being visible in certain apps. This happens when certain apps that were at the top of the screen accidentally closed the live captions.
Other fixes and improvements in Windows 11 Build 22621:
- Microsoft has fixed an issue where Smart App Control unexpectedly blocked apps.
- Fixed an issue that caused error 0x800703E6 when copying files from Google Drive.
A potential RTM candidate
Microsoft is not talking about the final build of Windows 11 version 22H2 and still says that removing the watermark means nothing.
However, as mentioned at the outset, Build 22621 is actually one of the potential RTM candidates for Sun Valley 2. In other words, the work on the Anniversary Update is done and the feature is currently locked, and upcoming builds are expected to be a small bug contain fixes and improvements.
Build 22621 may be released to the manufacturer at the end of May, ignoring some last-minute changes.
As for tab support in File Explorer, Microsoft never promised it for version 22H2, but there’s always a chance it will ship to consumers through some experience packs or cumulative updates this year.