Windows 11 Beta build adds per-app privacy settings and accessibility options

Technology · First reported 30 Oct, 17:45 · Updated 17:51

Image: Wikimedia Commons · NASA Johnson Space Center · Public domain

Microsoft released Beta Channel build 26220.9836 on October 30, 2026, based on Windows 11 version 25H2. It adds controls for desktop apps’ camera, microphone and location permissions, plus accessibility updates and other fixes; Microsoft says some Insider features may change or never ship broadly.

Insiders can manage camera, microphone and location access for individual desktop apps in Settings; existing permission decisions carry over.
The build adds Narrator math reading for eight languages and a setting to disable the Windows-logo-key-plus-Plus Magnifier shortcut, which remains enabled by default.
Microsoft is temporarily rolling back solid donut spinners in several Windows scenarios while it works on a bug, and says rollout is expected to resume soon.

Summary written by Lux AI from 2 articles

Key facts

Build: Windows 11 Insider Preview 26220.9836, based on version 25H2.
Release date: October 30, 2026.
New privacy controls: Per-app camera, microphone and location permissions for desktop apps.
Narrator languages: Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Norwegian (Bokmål), Polish, Russian, Swedish and Vietnamese.
Other reported build: Future Platforms Preview build 29698.1000.