- Windows 11 has a new preview build in the Dev channel
- It introduces Proactive Memory Diagnostics, which aims to fix problems that cause your PC to crash
- Microsoft has also closed a security hole in File Explorer, but not everyone is happy about it
Windows 11 just got some nifty new changes in testing—one of which could help make your PC more reliable—and Microsoft also fixed a security issue.
Let’s start with the new preview build released in the Dev channel where Microsoft has brought a feature called Proactive Memory Diagnostics.
Here’s how this one works: The idea is that if your PC suffers from what Microsoft calls a ‘bugcheck’ – meaning a bug that causes the system to crash and reboot (usually with a Black Screen of Death, the new color for this dreaded bug) – you can get a message suggesting running a quick memory scan after the next reboot.
This memory diagnostic process will run during the next restart of your PC. The downside is that it can take five minutes or so, but it’s less than that on average, Microsoft assures us. If the scan finds something like a memory problem, Microsoft aims to fix it – and you’ll get a message informing you of a successful fix.
With an underlying memory problem fixed in this way, the hope is that your system will be more reliable going forward. However, if you don’t want to wait for a scan to complete on your next PC restart, you can always decline this functionality after a system crash.
Another useful change with preview build 26220.6982 is a ‘copy and search’ ability which does what it says on the tin. This means that if you copy some text in Windows 11, what’s called a paste blip (highlight) will appear in the search box on the taskbar – click the blip and the text you just copied will automatically be pasted into the search box.
So this is a shortcut to search for something you just copied and saves you the action of having to paste it into the taskbar box. That sounds like a valuable time saver.
This preview release has also seen Microsoft restart the rollout of smart animations (transitions) for when you move your mouse over groups of apps on the taskbar, a feature that was previously paused.
Windows Studio Effects can now also use an alternate camera, apart from the main webcam, on Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon and AMD CPUs, whereas this was previously only allowed on Intel-powered laptops.
Another recent development – this time in the finished version of Windows 11 (24H2 and 25H2), which is not being tested – is that, as Windows Latest reports, Microsoft has turned off the preview pane in File Explorer for files downloaded from the Internet.
So if you click on a downloaded file as a document, instead of seeing a sneak preview of the text inside the document in the preview panel on the right, you’ll get the following message: “The file you’re trying to view may harm your computer. If you trust the file and the source you received it from, open it to see its contents.”
As Microsoft makes clear, the reason for the block is that the file is potentially harmful. Why? This only applies to files you’ve downloaded from the Internet (as opposed to created locally on the PC), and Microsoft took the step when it discovered a vulnerability that an attacker could potentially exploit via File Explorer’s preview pane.
So this is a defense against that, but Microsoft also told Windows Latest: “If you’re confident about the security of both the file and its source, you can remove the Internet security block.”
Analysis: probably not sorry
Windows Latest isn’t too impressed with the new block for downloaded files in Windows 11’s File Explorer. This is because it pretty much destroys the convenience of quickly viewing a file, since you have to click three times to manually remove the security block. (Right-click the file, select Properties, then click the ‘Unblock’ box). It’s more involved than just opening the file, so you might as well just do that instead.
However, I don’t think Microsoft had much choice here once a security flaw had been discovered. It’s better not to run any risk of Windows 11 PCs being compromised, even if it’s unlikely. I think the wisest course of action is to be safe rather than sorry – just open the file if you’re sure.
Windows Latest shares a Powershell command so more advanced Windows 11 users can get around this security block, but I wouldn’t recommend using it.
I’m eager to see the new Proactive Memory Diagnostics feature in action, provided it’s not dropped during testing. It can fall into one of two categories: It can be a really useful way to make a Windows 11 PC more stable (fingers crossed), or it can be one of those processes that very rarely actually changes anything. It’s too early to call, of course, but I’m hopeful, and it’s certainly a good idea in theory – not that Windows 11 crashes much anyway (in my experience, it’s extremely rare).
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