Windows 11 Insider Preview: Microsoft integrates Facebook Messenger into the widgets

Microsoft has released a new Windows 11 Insider Preview in the Dev Channel and thus integrates Facebook Messenger, an instant messaging app from Meta, which is simply called Messenger, directly into the operating system’s widgets. 3rd party widgets should be tested with it.

Third-party widgets for Windows 11

dead dem 10.0.25284.1000 rs_prereleaseThis is the full name of the new Windows 11 Insider Preview with Build 25284 from the primary Dev Channel intended for developers and particularly experienced users, Microsoft is testing miniature applications, so-called widgets, from third-party providers.

Since the release of the Windows App SDK 1.2, developer tool for WinUI 3, in November 2022, developers of third-party apps can now offer their own widget for Windows 11. However, only a few are currently making use of this.

Meta Messenger is the beginning

The formalities are now starting with the Messenger application from Meta, known as Facebook chat or Facebook Messenger, which is integrated directly into the widgets or dashboard of the operating system.

• With the release of Windows App SDK 1.2, developers can now create widgets for their apps.
• Users can access these experiences on their Windows 11 widget board in recent Dev Channel Insider Preview builds.
• Ready to try a new widget? The Messenger app now has a preview version of its widget available. To give it a try, go to the Microsoft Store and update to the latest version of Messenger.

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25284 Release Notes

In order to be able to use Messenger properly in the widgets, Windows Insiders must update the app to the latest version via the Windows Store, otherwise the widget dashboard will only show a corresponding placeholder of the new 3rd party widget. Functions such as messages and video chats can be started via the widget in the Windows 11 taskbar dashboard.

Optimizations and bug fixes

In addition, you can once again hear the release notes from the developers in a post on the Windows 11 Insider Blog, numerous optimizations and bug fixes that come with every new release.

In particular, the taskbar and its information area, the search as well as the input and window behavior have received adjustments and corresponding corrections.

• Taskbar and system: Fixed an issue where right-clicking certain icons in the closed flyout for hidden icons would result in the.. flyout instead of bringing up the. context menu for that icon.
• Search in the task bar: Fixed an explorer.exe crash affecting some Insiders that was related to the search box in the taskbar.
• Input: When triggering search suggestions when using the pinyin IME, the keyboard focus now stays on the current candidate. To move the focus to the search suggestions, press Tab.
• window behavior: Fixed an issue for PCs with touch where it was not possible to swipe down from the top of the screen to display the title bar when using certain applications in full screen mode.
• Miscellaneous: Fixed an issue that in recent builds caused certain applications to hang or crash when saving files in PDF format.
• Miscellaneous: Fixed an issue where using the cast option in an app unexpectedly didn’t show any devices in recent builds.

The developer’s specification sheet is also still well filled and with the third-party widgets now has another construction site that needs to be fixed.

• NEW: Third-party widgets may occasionally disappear from the widgets board. They can be added back by clicking refresh or re-pinning from the widgets chooser.
• NEW: Third-party widgets may become unpinned when using Microsoft account to sign in multiple Windows 11 devices.
• NEW: Undo button in toast notification for pinned/unpinned widgets sometimes not working.

The taskbar as well as the search in the taskbar, the new task manager and Windows Spotlight still have some bugs.

Windows 11 to download from ComputerBase

As the overview of all preview versions via the Microsoft Flight Hub reveals, Insider Preview Build 25281 takes the place of Insider Preview Build 25276 in the Dev Channel, while consumers in the Beta Channel have been receiving the latest build 22623.1180 as the official beta since January 19th. Microsoft has released build 22621.525 as a system image (ISO), which is linked as a download under this message.