Windows 11 Beta adds Voice Isolation

Microsoft released new Windows 11 Insider builds on May 22 that add two accessibility-focused features to testing: Voice Isolation inside Voice Access, and a new Screen Tint setting for displays. The changes appeared in Beta build 26220.8491 and Experimental build 26300.8497 as Microsoft continues its revised Windows Insider channel rollout. (blogs.windows.com) The update matters because the two features target different everyday problems. (blogs.windows.com) Voice Isolation is aimed at people using voice controls in shared or noisy spaces, while Screen Tint is designed for users who find bright, saturated displays tiring over long sessions. Microsoft said both are now available for Insider testing, though Screen Tint is listed in the Experimental release notes rather than broadly across Beta. ### Which builds actually got the new features? Microsoft’s May 22 Windows Insider post said Beta build 26220.8491 and Experimental build 26300.8497 were the new releases for those channels. The same post listed Screen Tint under Accessibility and Voice Isolation in Voice Access as notable new features in the Experimental release. (blogs.windows.com) Pureinfotech reported on May 22 that build 26300.8497 includes Screen Tint, Voice Isolation for Voice Access and HID braille display plug-and-play support, and said Microsoft also released build 26220.8491 in the Beta track with similar changes. Microsoft’s own Beta release-notes page for build 26220.8491 specifically describes Voice Isolation in Voice Access. (blogs.windows.com) ### What does Voice Isolation do inside Voice Access? Microsoft said in the Beta release notes that Voice Isolation is “a new option in Voice Access” that helps the feature focus on the user’s voice even when other people are speaking nearby. The company said it is intended for places such as a shared office, open floor plan or a home environment with family around. (blogs.windows.com) Microsoft also said the feature filters out other voices and background noise so Voice Access can better understand commands, and that “all processing happens privately on your device.” That makes the feature distinct from Microsoft Teams’ separate voice-isolation system, which Microsoft documents as relying on a voice profile for calls and meetings. (pureinfotech.com) ### Why are some testers mentioning Teams Rooms? Microsoft’s documentation for Teams says voice isolation is already used in Teams calls and meetings, and the company’s message-center materials say a voice profile can support features including voice isolation, speaker recognition and identification in meeting rooms. That is the basis for some tester discussion linking the Windows change to Microsoft Teams Rooms use cases. (learn.microsoft.com) The May 22 Windows Insider notes, however, describe the new Windows feature as part of Voice Access, not Teams. Microsoft did not say in those release notes that the Windows 11 Insider change was being added specifically for Teams Rooms. (learn.microsoft.com) ### What is Screen Tint, and how is it different from Night Light? Microsoft said Screen Tint is a new accessibility setting that places a color overlay across the whole display to soften intensity. The company said the feature is meant to help users whose eyes feel tired or sensitive after long sessions with bright screens. Pureinfotech reported that Screen Tint can be enabled in Settings under Accessibility, with preset colors, a custom color option and a strength slider. (learn.microsoft.com) The site said the feature is not a replacement for Night Light, which reduces blue light, but is instead meant to lower overall screen intensity during the day. (blogs.windows.com) ### Where can testers track what comes next? Stephen Lines of the Windows Insider Program said on May 22 that Insiders can find release notes for their device based on Microsoft’s new channel system. Microsoft’s Insider blog links Beta build 26220.8491 and Experimental build 26300.8497 release notes from that post, and the company said users can provide feedback as testing continues. (pureinfotech.com) (blogs.windows.com)