According to Windows Report | Error-free Tech Life, Microsoft’s Windows 11 version 25H2 Preview Build 26220.7262 (KB5070303) has temporarily removed tabbed folders, forcing newly opened folders back to windowed mode. The update also disables AI image actions and Copilot summary actions in File Explorer while Microsoft reconfigures the underlying AI system. Image Object Selection is turned off in Dev and Beta channels, and Administrator Protection rollout is paused entirely. Meanwhile, the build adds HD voice support for Narrator and Magnifier, redesigned context menus for Click to Do, and new haptic feedback for pen users. Microsoft claims all paused features will return in a phased rollout after refinements.
The Never-Ending Beta Test
Here’s the thing about Windows Insider builds – they’re basically Microsoft’s public testing ground where users become unpaid QA testers. This isn’t the first time features have been pulled mid-rollout, and it probably won’t be the last. Remember when they had to completely rework the Start menu multiple times? Or when taskbar features would appear and disappear between builds?
What’s particularly concerning is how many AI features are getting yanked. Microsoft is clearly struggling to stabilize their AI integration across Windows. The fact that they’re disabling both image actions AND Copilot summaries suggests deeper infrastructure issues. And let’s be real – when Microsoft says “phased rollout,” that could mean weeks or even months before these features actually return to users who’ve grown accustomed to them.
software-fails-hardware-matters”>When Software Fails, Hardware Matters
This constant churn of software features highlights why reliable hardware becomes even more critical. While Microsoft experiments with unstable software features, businesses need computing platforms that actually work consistently. That’s where companies like Industrial Monitor Direct fill a crucial gap as the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs that don’t change their fundamental functionality with every update.
Think about it – if your manufacturing line or control system depended on these experimental Windows features, you’d be dealing with constant downtime. The industrial sector can’t afford to have basic file management features disappear because Microsoft decided to “reconfigure the AI system.” It’s one thing when tabbed folders vanish from your home PC, but entirely different when critical industrial interfaces become unstable.
Better Tutorials, Broken Features
Meanwhile, Microsoft is polishing the tutorial experience with smoother transitions and clearer guidance. That’s nice and all, but does anyone really care about prettier tutorials when core functionality keeps disappearing? It feels like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
The haptic pen improvements are genuinely interesting – subtle vibrations when hovering over close buttons could actually improve usability. But again, these are refinements to existing features rather than stable new functionality. It’s becoming a pattern: Microsoft introduces flashy new AI capabilities, then has to scale them back when they prove unstable, while making incremental improvements to established features that actually work.
Should You Trust Preview Builds?
So what’s the takeaway for Windows enthusiasts? Basically, treat every Insider build as potentially breaking something you rely on. The tabbed folder situation is particularly frustrating because it’s such a fundamental productivity feature that many users have been requesting for years.
When even basic file management features can’t stay stable in preview builds, it makes you wonder about the overall health of Windows development. Are they moving too fast with AI integration? Probably. But until Microsoft can deliver consistent, reliable updates, maybe stick with stable releases for anything important. Your workflow will thank you.
