KB5077232

Microsoft released update KB5077232 for Windows Insider Program participants on the Dev channel. Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26300.7877 (KB5077232) refers to Windows 11 version 25H2. The update is delivered via the enabling package KB5073032 (build 26300.xxx) and includes many improvements to the interface, system settings, and built-in applications.

• Context menu. When right-clicking .exe, .bat, or .cmd files, the context menu now displays the icon of the default application used for that file type for the "Open" item. This makes the interface more visually clear and consistent.
• Device info card (Settings). On the main page of the Settings app, the "Device info" card, first introduced in June 2025, has been improved. The update simplifies the display of key device characteristics and makes the transition from the card on the main page to the "Settings > System > About" section smoother and more intuitive. This version of the interface is gradually being rolled out to program participants in the US, while a separate version of the card continues to be used for corporate devices managed by IT administrators.
• About system section (Settings). In the "Settings > System > About" section, the main hardware specifications have been moved back to the top of the page. Additional information, including graphics and storage details, is now gathered into a single block from which you can easily copy data for contacting support or sharing with other users. The frequently asked questions section is temporarily hidden — Microsoft continues to look for the optimal way to provide contextual help within the Settings app.
• Taskbar and system tray. The animation when hovering the cursor over application groups on the taskbar has been improved — the interaction is now smoother and more visually pleasing. The reliability of displaying application icons in the system tray has also been improved when the automatic taskbar hiding mode is enabled.
• File Explorer. Fixed an issue where all open File Explorer windows and tabs could unexpectedly switch to the desktop or the Home page.
• Nearby sharing. Improved reliability when sending large files using the Nearby sharing feature.
• Paint app. In Paint version 11.2601.391.0, the long-awaited Freeform Rotate feature has arrived. You can now rotate shapes, text, and selected areas to any angle. Simply select an object and drag the rotation handle that appears above it. In the Rotate menu, a "Freeform rotate" option is also available, where you can manually enter an exact angle value. This makes image editing more flexible and allows you to precisely position elements on the canvas.

To install this update, go to Settings → Windows Update and click Check for updates. A computer restart is required to complete the installation.

How the new features work:

Context menu: When invoking the context menu for exe, bat, or cmd files, Windows queries the system file association (via HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT). For the "Open" item, it extracts the icon of the registered handler application using IShellFolder::GetUIObjectOf and IExtractIcon. The icon is rendered dynamically into the menu, improving visual clarity.

Device info card (Settings): On the main page of the Settings app (SystemSettings.exe), the device info card now uses a simplified data model via Windows.System.Profile.SystemIdentification. Navigation to "Settings > System > About" is implemented through XAML navigation with context passing. For managed devices, a separate MDM policy retains the older card version.

About system section (Settings): Main specs (CPU, RAM) are moved to the top of the page by reordering XAML visual elements. Additional info (graphics, storage) is aggregated into a single block with copy functionality via Clipboard.SetText(). The FAQ section is temporarily hidden using x:Load="False" for A/B testing.

Taskbar and system tray: Hover animation over app groups uses hardware acceleration (DirectComposition) and a smooth Bezier curve for Opacity and Scale interpolation. The icon display fix when auto-hide is enabled resolves a crash in IVirtualDesktopManager during desktop switching, by correcting the Taskbar.TrayWindow visual buffer rebuild.

File Explorer: Fixed an issue where all open Explorer windows/tabs unexpectedly switched to the desktop or Home. The bug was caused by improper handling of DISPID_NAVIGATECOMPLETE in the BrowserMessageLoop thread. The fix forces validation of IShellBrowser::BrowseObject against the target PIDL, keeping navigation within the current container.

Nearby sharing: Improved reliability for large file transfers. The feature uses Bluetooth RFCOMM and Wi-Fi Direct. Improvements include a dynamic buffer size (increased to 64 KB) and retransmission of lost fragments (timeout raised from 5 to 15 seconds). Socket release after transfer interruption has been fixed.

Paint app: In version 11.2601.391.0, freeform rotation is added. A selected object (via GraphicsPath) gets a rotation handle that modifies the transformation matrix (Matrix::RotateAt) when dragged. The Rotate menu now has a manual angle input field (degrees to radians via Math::Tan). Rotation remains non‑destructive until finalization.

The last 10 Windows updates: