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Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 28020.1673 (C…

by ailona•

Windows 11 Canary Build 28020.1673 adds Emoji 16.0, expanded Backup restore for Entra hybrid and Cloud PCs, automatic Quick Machine Recovery for many Pro devices, a taskbar network speed test, camera pan/tilt controls, full‑page Widget settings, RSAT on Arm64, and dark mode fixes.

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 28020.1673 reached the Canary Channel today. This release adds targeted features for enterprise and consumer scenarios and broadens hardware support.

Main feature/change and impact

Build 28020.1673 introduces several focused features, notably Quick Machine Recovery and expanded Windows Backup for Organizations. QMR now enables faster recovery on managed and non‑domain Windows Professional devices. The first sign‑in restore integrates Microsoft Store apps and user settings for Entra hybrid joined devices and Cloud PCs. These changes reduce manual provisioning time and improve consistency across refreshes, upgrades, and migrations.

Practical implications

IT teams gain RSAT support on Windows 11 Arm64, enhancing remote administration on diverse hardware. A built‑in taskbar network speed test aids basic diagnostics without additional tools. Camera pan and tilt controls and Widgets full‑page settings streamline device setup and user configuration. Control Feature Rollout remains in use, so feature availability will vary during phased deployment and requires monitoring via Flight Hub and Feedback Hub.
“Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 28020.1673 to the Canary Channel. (KB 5077240)”
These updates signal Microsoft’s focus on recovery, manageability, and parity across device types. IT should evaluate QMR and Backup for Organizations in lab environments, and monitor Canary telemetry before broader deployment.

Key points from the article:

  • Emoji 16.0 adds one curated emoji per major category.
  • Backup restores settings and Store apps at first sign‑in.
  • Quick Machine Recovery auto‑enables on many Windows Pro devices.
  • Taskbar network speed test opens in default browser for diagnostics.
  • RSAT support available for Windows 11 Arm64 devices.

    • Related Coverage:

    From the Windows Blog