Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26320.9876 moves Beta to 26H2

Microsoft released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26320.9876 to the Beta Channel on November 6, 2026. The build moves Beta Insiders from version 25H2 to Windows 11, version 26H2, and brings a rebuilt Windows Search. Stephen Lines announced it on the Windows Insider Blog, and the full beta changelog sits on Microsoft Learn.

The move to 26H2

The jump to 26H2 arrives through an enablement package, so Microsoft says the higher build number should not bring significant changes by itself. Four other builds shipped alongside it: 26340.9882 for Experimental, 28020.3445 for Beta 26H1, 28120.3454 for Experimental 26H1, and 29704.1000 for Experimental Future Platforms.

A faster Windows Search

The headline feature is a new Windows Search built on WinUI 3, rolling out gradually. Microsoft calls it faster and more efficient, with better matching for typos and synonyms. Inline actions let you turn on dark mode or Bluetooth, adjust brightness, mute your device, or arrange windows from the results. English is the only supported language for now.

Gaming and File Explorer

In Xbox mode, the Gaming Task View navigation bar gains the full set of taskbar quick settings. File Explorer’s address bar now accepts the tilde as a shortcut to your user profile folder, so typing ~\AppData jumps straight to that subfolder.

Sign-in, accessibility, and settings

Web sign-in now works on Microsoft Entra hybrid-joined devices, previously limited to Entra-joined hardware. You can sign in at the lock screen with a FIDO2 security key, a phone passkey, or a Temporary Access Pass, and Windows then obtains a Kerberos ticket so on-premises file shares keep working.

Windows Hello facial recognition can brighten the screen in dim rooms. Enable it under Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Facial recognition (Windows Hello). Live Captions now transcribes system audio, your microphone, or both, and Sticky Keys and Filter Keys prompts now include an option to stop asking again.

Settings also shows shared Microsoft 365 Family storage under Settings > Accounts > Cloud storage. Subscriptions bought after October 8, 2026, will show now; older ones will appear after the first renewal on or after May 2, 2027.