Each of the devices displayed on this page now has a little volume meter next to it to show if there is audio actively playing. About time.

Owing to the nature of Windows feature enablement updates, it was distributed over Windows Update services as a complete system upgrade rather than as an ordinary cumulative update

Microsoft confirms Windows 11 26H2, urges IT admins to prepare for release by Usama Jawad Windows 11 typically follows an annual update cycle, but Microsoft recently broke that tradition a bit by releasing a "26H1" version in the first half of this year as a "scoped" build for select new silicon PCs only. This version was not available for customers using 24H2 and 25H2 builds, as Microsoft is busy preparing version 26H2 for them, confirmed officially for the first time. In a Windows IT Pro blog, Microsoft has urged IT admins to prepare for the upcoming release of Windows 11 version 26H2. The company has confirmed that this will be a small enablement package (eKB) that will simply light up certain disabled features that are already present in the operating system's code base. This means that the "refined" Windows update and deployment experience will be simpler and quicker, with minimal disruptions, as the feature update will simply toggle a few flags rather than performing a complete replacement. Microsoft has explained that this is all possible because the standard Windows 11 releases share the same servicing branch and hence, the same source code. However, this also means that Windows 11 26H1 users won't be able to upgrade to 26H2 as that is a different branch, but this is something we have known for a while now. Similar to previous annual feature updates, Windows 11 26H2 will offer the following support cycles: 24 months of support for Home, Pro, Pro EDU, and Pro for Workstations editions 36 months of support for Enterprise, Education, IoT Enterprise, and Enterprise Multi-session editions Microsoft has not confirmed a concrete release date for Windows 11 26H2, but noted that it is "coming soon". If we go by the ongoing release cadence, we can expect it to begin rolling out in early October 2026. As such, IT admins have been encouraged to begin validating Windows Insider releases in the Experimental Channel, plan rollout rings, and strategize the utilization of their existing deployment tools.

Windows 11 gets new audio improvements in the latest builds by Taras Buria Today's Experimental builds (26H1 and Future Platforms, formerly Canary) pack several audio-related improvements. If your device is enrolled in the Experimental Channel (26H1), you can download build 28120.2315, while those in the Future Platforms version have build 29613.1000 to try. Here is what is new in build 29613.1000: [Audio] Following up on our previous improvements, we’re making some more adjustments to Settings > System > Sounds based on your feedback. Namely, we’ve updated the “All sound devices” page so: You now have the ability to change default devices from this page. Each of the devices displayed on this page now has a little volume meter next to it to show if there is audio actively playing. We’ve adjusted the page design slightly so now you can filter whether you’re viewing input or output devices. We’ve added toggles so you can choose if you want to hide or show disabled, disconnected, and unplugged devices on this page. We’ve also updated the input and output audio properties page for devices in Settings to now include jack information for those that need it. And here is the changelog for build 28120.2315: This update includes a small number of minor bug fixes and improvements. [Accessibility] This update improves caption style responsiveness by redrawing captions immediately for caption style changes. If no current caption is visible, a sample caption string is displayed. [Audio] This update improves the reliability of the inbox HD Audio driver. You can find the official release notes for build 28120.2315 here and for build 29613.1000 here.