Microsoft has rolled out two new Windows 11 Insider Preview builds this week, targeting users on the Experimental Preview channel with refinements to File Explorer search and greater control over the right-click context menu.
The updates land in Experimental Preview build 26340.9482 and the newer Experimental (26H1) Preview build 28120.3002, according to Neowin’s coverage of the changelog. Both builds are aimed at advanced Insiders who want to test features before they reach the broader Windows 11 population.
While these aren’t headline-grabbing changes, they touch two of the most-used parts of the shell: the file-finding tools and the right-click menu that sits beneath them. Here is what actually changed and why it might matter to you.
#1 File Explorer search improvements
The first set of changes focuses on search inside File Explorer, one area where Windows 11 has faced criticism since launch. When the redesigned search bar arrived, many users reported results that felt slow, inconsistent, or hard to filter — complaints Microsoft has worked on addressing across successive builds.
According to the changelog details reported by Neowin, the latest build brings improvements to how File Explorer search behaves. Microsoft has been progressively rebuilding the search experience over recent years, testing a more modern interface that aims to surface matches faster and handle large folders and varied file types more reliably than the earlier approach.
In practice, better search means fewer moments spent waiting for results to populate and more accurate matches when you are hunting for a specific document, photo, or download. These tweaks typically roll out gradually, with Insiders on the Experimental channel being the first to notice them before they widen to the general public.
#2 More context menu controls
The second notable change gives users more control over the context menu — the menu that pops up when you right-click a file, folder, or desktop item.
Windows 11 replaced the long-standing classic right-click menu with a streamlined version, and for many users the most-requested feature was the ability to bring back the full menu. Microsoft addressed part of this by adding a “Show more options” entry, but the behavior and placement of that option have been a point of ongoing adjustment since the OS shipped.
The new build adds more controls around this area, giving Insiders additional ways to manage how the context menu behaves. This aligns with Microsoft’s broader effort to make the right-click experience more customizable and less frustrating for power users who lean on quick, direct actions.
From a design standpoint, context menu tuning is often about balance: keeping the interface clean for casual users while still offering depth for those who want faster access to advanced commands. Small changes like these accumulate over time into a noticeably more usable shell.
What this means for you
For the average Windows 11 user, these updates are the kind of behind-the-scenes polish that is easy to overlook but improves daily workflows. Better File Explorer search saves time when locating files, while finer context menu controls give you more say in how your right-click menu behaves.
These changes are still in the Experimental Preview channel, which means they are not yet ready for mainstream use. Insiders on this channel should expect occasional bugs and instability, since this is where Microsoft tests features earliest in their development lifecycle.
How to get it
To try these builds, you need to be enrolled in the Windows Insider Program and switched to the Experimental Preview channel. You can change your update channel in Settings under Windows Update, then check for the latest preview build. Keep in mind that Experimental Preview builds roll out in waves, so it may take some time before the update reaches your specific device.
If you are not ready to test cutting-edge builds, the changes will eventually filter down to the stable Windows 11 release once they have been validated across the Insider channels. For most users, that means simply keeping automatic updates turned on and waiting for the refinement to arrive in due course.
Source: Neowin
Over to you: Which would you value more in your daily Windows 11 use: faster File Explorer search or a fully customizable right-click context menu?
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