Windows 11 Build 25284 brings with it the first third-party widget "Messenger". The Widget is made by Meta, the company behind Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram. To try it out, go to the Microsoft Store, update the app to the latest version, open the widget panel, and pin the Messenger widget to it. Developers can create their own widgets with Windows App SDK 1.2.

Windows 11 will soon allow reinstalling the installed build from Windows Update. Currently, the feature is hidden. It is a work-in-progress, so Microsoft didn't include it in the official change log. Dubbed as "Fix problems using Windows Update", it will allow you to reinstall the currently installed build without an installation media. It will perform in-place upgrade using files from Windows Update.

You can activate the item shown in the screenshot with the following ViVeTool command:

c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:42550315

But the item itself does nothing as of now.

Screen recording in Snipping Tool is now available in the Beta channel of the Windows Insider program. With Build 22623.1245.
https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/01/26/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22621-1245-and-22623-1245/

Microsoft has released its a new optional "Preview" patch KB5022360 for stable Windows 11 version 22H2. The update raises the OS version to build 22621.1194 and comes with several fixes. It resolves issues with search indexer, including image search from the taskbar. Also, it fixes a bug that makes the PC enter sleep mode when a game controller is connected.

Windows 11 Build 25284 (Dev) allows creating ReFS partitions in the setup program. The installer supports partition format/creation, so it is no longer needed to create it in advance.

Commands to enable the feature:

c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id 42783107
c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id 42189933

Without a fanfare, Microsoft has added a dedicated Phone Link widget that casts updates from your phone to the Widgets pane. It appears after updating to the latest version of the Phone app from the Store (version 1.23011.73.0 is required).

The new widget can display notifications from the phone. They are interactive, so clicking them will open Phone Link. The header area includes various indicator icons, such as battery, Wi-Fi, network signal, Bluetooth, and so on. The user can resize it to make the notification area bigger or smaller.

Starting today, Microsoft is starting forced updates of the first version of Windows 11 (21H2) to the current Windows 11 2022 Update (22H2). It is noted that the update will be phased in, and those computers on which Windows 11 21H1 has been installed the longest will be updated first.

Support for Windows 11 version 21H2 will end only in October 2023, but the company has already begun automatically updating users. Microsoft's website does not indicate whether users can opt out of installing an update after it appears on Windows Update.

Full Screen Widgets is available on the Stable version of Windows 11 (22H2). Install the latest .NET framework Cumulative Update to get this feature.

Microsoft has finally made full screen Widgets available for stable Windows 11. The novelty comes with the latest Windows Web Experience Pack version 423.2300.0.0. Once you receive it, the Widgets pane will have a special button to maximize it.

You can quickly find what version of the component you have installed. It is shown right in the Widgets pane. For that, click on your profile icon and see the bottom right corner in the opened window. To update it right now, open the Microsoft Store app and go to Library item on the left. There, update Windows Web Experience Pack.

Microsoft Build 2023 developer event may be held from May 23 to 25. The source code of the main page of the https://register.build.microsoft.com website contains these estimated dates. There is still the chance that the dates are just placeholders. But the dates look very plausible, as last year the event took place from May 24 to 26. Of course, it's worth waiting for official confirmation from Microsoft.

Windows 11 Build 25290 finally allows you to undock a tab in File Explorer to turn it into a separate window. Sadly, it still doesn't allow dragging the tabs between open File Explorer windows.

But this feature is hidden. Traditionally for work-in-progress options, you need to use ViVeTool.

C:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:39661369

Microsoft is expected to issue the “Moment 2” update for Windows 11 in March 2023. It will become initially available as an optional update. All its features will be included in April Patch Tuesday, but they will be hidden.

Here's a detailed overview of features that will be included in Windows 11 "Moment 2" release