Windows 11 Insider Build Sets the Stage for New AI Automation Power

The newest Windows 11 Insider Preview build features a significant basis for future AI automation functions from Microsoft utilizing a new setting for experimental agentic functionalities. The new toggle will be located in Settings under System and then AI Components and is intended to prepare the OS for Agent Workspace, a protected session intended for AI agents specifically that will eventually run tasks in the background while the user continues to use their machine as intended. Although this feature is still currently not active in this preview, it signifies Microsoft's movement towards incorporating more AI automation directly in Windows.

What Agent Workspace is designed to do

Agent Workspace is meant to be a new Windows session that has its own user account, desktop, and runtime. AI agents will live inside this controlled space, rather than have direct access to the main user account. When properly authorized, inside the workspace, agents will be able to open applications, navigate menus, interact with content, and perform tasks that may be multistep. The interaction is limited to storing data in folders like Documents, Pictures, and Videos on the Desktop or in the Music folder depending on permissions, and Microsoft also logs all activity and content for transparency. Although this sounds similar to Windows Sandbox, this is being built as a trusted automation session for a Windows user, not an environment to isolate and block suspicious software.

Enabling Experimental Agent Capabilities

First off, enabling the toggle is a key part of figuring out how this feature works, so it fits right in here as part of the explanation.

How to Turn On Experimental Agent Capabilities

To get started, just follow these steps:

• Open up your Settings app.

• Scroll down to the System section.

• Choose AI Components from the list.

• Find the toggle for experimental agent capabilities and flip it on.

• Take a look at the warning that warns about privacy, security, and performance considerations and gives a little bit of a heads-up.

• Confirm that you're ready to go ahead with it.

• If you get a message telling you to restart your system, go ahead and do that.
  From there, the foundation for Agent Workspace will start getting active, although most of the actual functionality is still to come as Microsoft continues to work on it. This option is only available to Windows Insiders running build 26220.7262 or newer, by the way, and only in the Dev and Beta Channels.

Security, Privacy, and Performance Warnings

When you switch this feature on, you'll see a warning come up because the agent workspace might need to get access to your personal files and system apps. Some testers have been getting a little nervous about how well Microsoft will keep the agent environment separate from your actual user data if something goes wrong with the security. Microsoft says the workspace is running under its own authorization model, kind of like having a second local account, although they haven't gone into super detail about how the separation works beyond just folder restrictions.

And it's worth noting that nobody really knows for sure just yet how this will affect performance. Microsoft says these agents are designed to be lightweight and pretty efficient—they'll run in the background without using up a lot of CPU or memory. But they haven't given us a specific number to go on, so it's hard to say just what kind of difference this will make. Simple agents might not have much of an impact on your system's performance, but more complex ones could potentially cause some noticeable slowdown depending on what they're doing.

Accessibility Improvements

This latest build has some pretty significant accessibility improvements. The Narrator and Magnifier tools now come with new high-def voices that run right on your device, instead of going through the cloud. This means you get crisper, clearer sound and a lot less fatigue during long listening sessions.

 You can download these voices and mix-and-match them to suit your preferences. And while you're at it, the build also adds early support for reading out math expressions in Microsoft 365 apps. The Narrator will now read out equations in a nice, structured way that's a lot easier for students, researchers, and pros who rely on accessible reading tools.

User interface and input enhancements

This update includes some changes to the Windows interface. Click to Do will now trigger automatically for large images or large tables. The layout is newer and simpler. Teaching tips have been rewritten to be clearer, and a tutorial button has been added. Also, new haptic feedback may come to systems with haptic pens when hovering over elements in the interface, like a close button or edges of the window.

File Explorer is also changing with Microsoft reworking some of the AI-powered actions. Some image tools or Copilot summary actions may be unavailable for a bit but will be back soon. The update also paused a previously tested change to open new File Explorer windows in tabs instead of separate windows due to reliability issues.

Fixes and known issues

Build 26220.7262 fixes keyboard and mouse issues in the Windows Recovery Environment, the bug where Task Manager opens on boot, and issues with configuring the Virtual Workspace. But there are still some known issues. Some of you are still having Start menu reliability issues, system tray items are missing, the dark mode copy dialog is broken, and there is a .NET crash on ARM64 devices.

More For You

Windows 11 Introduces Dual Bluetooth Audio Streaming for Two Devices at Once

Windows 11 25H2 Sets the Stage for Microsoft’s AI-First PC Era

Microsoft reimagines Windows 11 as an AI-first platform

Best free alternatives to migrate to after Windows 10 support ends