- Windows 11 has a new preview version in the development channel
- Features Proactive Memory Diagnostics, which aims to fix the issues causing your PC to crash.
- Microsoft has also closed a security hole in File Explorer, but not everyone is happy about it
Windows 11 just got some nifty new changes during testing, one of which could help make your PC more reliable, and Microsoft also fixed a security issue.
Let’s start with the new preview version released in the development channel, where Microsoft has incorporated a feature called Proactive Memory Diagnostics.
Here’s how it works: The idea is that if your PC suffers what Microsoft calls a ‘bug check’ – that is, a crash that causes the system to crash and reboot (usually with a black screen of death, the new color of this dreaded error) – you may receive a notification suggesting you run a quick memory scan after the next reboot.
This memory diagnostic process will run during the next reboot of your PC. The downside is that it can take about five minutes, but on average it’s less than that, Microsoft assures us. If the scan finds something related to a memory issue, Microsoft aims to fix it and you will receive a message informing you of any successful resolution.
With an underlying memory issue fixed this way, the hope is that your system will be more reliable in the future. But if you don’t want to wait for a scan to complete on your next PC reboot, you can always opt out of this functionality after a complete system crash.
Another useful change with preview 26220.6982 is the ability to “copy and search”, which does what it says. That is, if you copy any text within Windows 11, what’s called a paste glow (highlight) will appear in the taskbar search box; Click on the glow and the text you just copied will be automatically inserted into the search box.
So this is a shortcut to find something you just copied, saving you the action of having to paste it into the taskbar box. Sounds like a valuable time saver.
In this preview, Microsoft also restarts the implementation of fancy animations (transitions) for when you hover over groups of apps on the taskbar, a feature that was previously paused.
Windows Studio Effects can now also use an alternate camera, in addition to the main webcam, on Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon and AMD CPUs, whereas previously this was only allowed on Intel-powered laptops.
Another recent development, this time in the final version of Windows 11 (24H2 and 25H2), which is not being tested, is that, as Windows Latest reports, Microsoft has disabled the preview pane in File Explorer for files downloaded from the Internet.
So, if you click on a file downloaded as a document, instead of seeing a preview of the text within the document in the preview pane on the right, you will receive the following message: “The file you are trying to preview could damage your computer. If you trust the file and the source from which you received it, open it to see its contents.”
As Microsoft makes clear, the reason for the blocking is that the file could be potentially harmful. Because? This only applies to files you’ve downloaded from the Internet (as opposed to those created locally on the PC), and Microsoft took the action upon discovering a vulnerability that an attacker could exploit via the File Explorer preview pane.
So this is a defense against that, but Microsoft also told Windows Latest: “If you trust the security of both the file and its source, you can remove the Internet Security Block.”
Analysis: sure, not sorry
Windows Latest is not very impressed with the new block for downloaded files in Windows 11 File Explorer. This is because it practically ruins the convenience of quickly previewing a file, since you have to click three times to manually remove the security lock. (Right-click the file, select Properties, and then click the “Unlock” box.) This is more complicated than simply opening the file, so it’s best to do this instead.
However, I don’t think Microsoft had much choice here after a security flaw was discovered. It’s best not to take any risk of Windows 11 PCs being compromised, even though it’s unlikely. I think it’s wiser to be safe rather than sorry: just open the file if you’re sure about it.
Windows Latest shares a Powershell command so more advanced Windows 11 users can get around this security lock, but I wouldn’t recommend using it.
I’m looking forward to seeing the new Proactive Memory Diagnostics feature in action, assuming it’s not removed during testing. That could fall into one of two categories: it could be a really useful way to make a Windows 11 PC more stable (fingers crossed), or it could be one of those processes that very rarely changes anything. Obviously it’s too early to call, but I’m hopeful and it’s certainly a good idea in theory; Anyway, Windows 11 doesn’t crash much (in my experience, it’s extremely rare).
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