Windows 11's KB5041876 Beta update moves media controls on lock screen

It’s that time of the week for Windows 11 insiders. Microsoft has just released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4082, or the KB5041876 update, for Beta channel insiders with a few documented changes here and there.  

One of them is how the update moves media controls on lock screen on Windows 11. Previously, you could control whatever you play on Spotify or other media streaming services on the right side of your lock screen but now, it’s all centered with a bit of blurry effects, just like how widgets look on Windows 11 lock screens.

Here’s what it looks like after the update, as seen on Microsoft’s documentation:

Here’s what it looks like before the update, as seen on the Stable and other channels:

The Redmond tech giant has been making a few interesting changes here and there to Windows 11’s lock screen, perhaps to move away from the Windows 10-esque aesthetics because the right-side media control was a thing of the past.

But, as previously reported, we’ve also been seeing “Category” views on the Start menu’s All apps that somehow remind the live tiles back in Windows 10 days. Microsoft first made this change a while ago in the KB5040550 update for Windows 11’s Beta channel back in July.

Microsoft also mentions that the KB5041876 update has a few key updates for notification management and delivery optimization settings. Besides, several bugs have been identified and addressed, such as issues with the taskbar, the Start menu, and memory leaks.