Microsoft could make getting new Windows 11 features easier – but would the risks be worth it?

Windows 11 could soon give users the option of getting new feature updates as soon as possible.

As highlighted by a regular provider of Microsoft-related leaks, PhantomOfEarth on Twitter, the new ability was spotted hidden in preview build 25314 of Windows 11 in the Canary channel (the earliest test builds, ones that might represent the initial development of Windows 12).

As the screenshot in the tweet shows, the option is labeled: “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re ready for your PC.”

Underneath that the text explains that turning on the option means you’re prioritizing your PC to get the latest updates as they roll out.

In other words, with one click on a simple slider, you can ensure that you’re first in line to receive feature updates – such as the new Moment 2 update for Windows 11 – when they appear.

Build 25314 was the first preview to be rolled out to Canary testers, and other hidden functionality has been spotted in this version. That includes the possible return of the ‘never combine’ option for the taskbar, a feature that some users have been clamoring for.

Analysis: A smart idea – but also a double-edged sword

Remember, this option is still in testing, and hidden in preview for that matter, so we don’t know if this change will come to fruition. Still, we think it’s a fair bet that it’s something that might make the cut for the release version of Windows 11, as it’d be a useful capability to have.

Most likely we’ve all been in a situation where a Windows update gets pushed out the door by Microsoft, and we read about it online, and wonder why it hasn’t appeared on our PC yet. Then we manually check for updates and there it is, ready to roll…

Using this option will mean that whatever the case, when a new feature update appears, you’ll be prioritized as one of the first to get it.

Of course, being in that batch of early adopters can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you’ll be the first to play with new features (outside of testing), but on the other hand, you’re still more likely to run into bugs.

Even when Windows updates are released as final versions, they sometimes hit trouble with gremlins that slipped under the radar on the PCs of testers, so bear that firmly in mind. Indeed, you only need to peruse our ever-growing catalog of Windows 11 problems and how to fix them in order to see just how many glitches can affect a sprawling desktop operating system in the long run.