Microsoft Ships Windows 26H2 Preview With 7 New Features Ahead of 2026 Release

Q: What caused Microsoft to temporarily halt testing on the highly anticipated Ask Copilot taskbar feature right before the 26H2 release?

Microsoft paused Ask Copilot because it is reworking the feature as part of a broader merger of the consumer Copilot app and Microsoft 365 Copilot into a single unified app experience, and says it also wants to incorporate user feedback before resuming testing. The halt came after changes to the Copilot app ecosystem disrupted the original rollout path. Ask Copilot had been tested in limited preview, mostly through the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, while a consumer version for the standard Copilot app was also in development. But Microsoft later removed consumer support for the feature, and with both Copilot experiences now being combined, the company said it needed to update Ask Copilot to fit the new setup. Microsoft confirmed the reason in its changelog, saying it was “temporarily disabling Ask Copilot on the taskbar to update the new experience and incorporate your feedback.” It did not specify what feedback drove the move or whether the interface will change significantly. For affected testers, recent updates to the Copilot apps automatically remove Ask Copilot from the taskbar and restore the standard Windows Search experience. The feature remains out of testing for now, with no new release date announced.

3 articles · Updated · digitalfoundry.net · Aug 28

Windows 26H2 has entered Microsoft’s Release Preview Channel, giving Insider users early access to seven additions before the broader rollout later this year.
The update advances Microsoft’s Windows K2 overhaul, centered on speed, simplicity and customization rather than a major visual break.
Top changes include taskbar customization with a returning top placement option, local-only search that drops web results, and optional Copilot taskbar integration for settings, files and apps.
Microsoft also added a leaner Start menu, a low-latency performance profile, update pauses of up to 35 days with fewer restarts, and a redesigned Run dialog with dark mode.