Windows 11: May 22 Insider builds and new accessibility features

On May 22, 2026, Microsoft announced four Windows 11 Insider builds. The updated notes for Beta 26220.8491 and Experimental 26300.8497 describe accessibility improvements. These are previews: features may roll out gradually and are not guaranteed to reach a public release.

Four builds in the announcement

Beta 26220.8491 and Experimental 26300.8497 are the builds relevant to the features below. The announcement also listed Experimental 26H1 28020.2149 and Experimental Future Platforms 29595.1000. Do not assume that every feature in the 26300.8497 notes is present in those other two builds.

Voice Access: focus on your voice

The updated release notes for both Beta 26220.8491 and Experimental 26300.8497 include Voice Isolation in Voice Access. It filters other speakers and background noise to help recognize your commands. The mode needs a short voice setup; Microsoft says processing and voice data remain on your device.

Under Improve speech recognition in Voice Access settings, you can select Voice Isolation, Remove background noise only, or No filtering. The background-noise-only mode needs no voice setup.

Narrator and HID braille displays

In Experimental 26300.8497, Narrator supports braille displays using the HID standard. Compatible devices can connect over USB or be paired through Bluetooth settings. Microsoft also notes USB support during Windows out-of-box setup. Input and output preferences are under Settings > Accessibility > Narrator > Braille.

Screen tint and Magnifier

Screen tint places an adjustable color overlay across the display. Choose from six presets or a custom color under Settings > Accessibility, in the Vision section; Win + U opens Accessibility settings. It can be combined with Night light, but turning on screen tint disables Color filters and vice versa.

In the same Experimental build, touch panning bars in Magnifier are off by default. On a touch device you can turn them back on under Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier.

Windows Ready Print

The Experimental build adds a toggle under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners for installing supported printers with Windows Ready Print by default. When enabled, Windows favors IPP; when disabled, it may use other available installation methods. This is a printing change rather than an accessibility feature.

Availability and sources

Microsoft gradually rolls out some Experimental features and cautions that Insider features may change or never reach a stable release. Check the channel, build number and settings on your device. Official notes: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-insider/release-notes/beta/preview-build-26220-8491 and https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-insider/release-notes/experimental/preview-build-26300-8497.