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A new Windows Insider build finally adds native WebP support for wallpapers, ending years of unnecessary file conversion headaches.
Your Windows 11 desktop could soon change, though it won't look any different. The latest Windows Insider build adds support for setting .webp images as your desktop background.
Windows 11 Build 26220.7653 is available through the Beta Channel. It's a relatively minor build, so I'll take the chance to explain what WebP files are and why you may want to use them.
You've likely viewed a WebP file this week, or even today. The file format, which was developed by Google, has many advantages that make it a good choice for websites.
The WebP format supports both lossy and lossless image compression, giving people options to reduce file size while maintaining visual quality or preserve perfect image quality. WebP files also support transparency, which is important on the web.
You can even use a .webp file to replace a GIF, since the format supports animations.
Generally speaking, WebP files are smaller than PNGs or JPGs, which helps with website performance. The most popular web browsers all support WebP files, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari.
Of course, no file format is perfect — that's why there are so many of them. Some legacy pieces of software do not play nicely with WebP files.
Even viewing WebP files on your PC can be tricky. The Peek feature in PowerToys only added WebP support in April 2024. More notably, Adobe Photoshop did not fully support WebP files natively until 2022. Older versions of Photoshop require a plugin.
As the name suggests, WebP files are designed for the web. Those printing images still often prefer TIFF or JPEG files.
So, why would you want to set a WebP file as your desktop background on Windows 11? Honestly, the main benefits of WebP as a file format won't help you much on your PC's desktop.
The biggest reason is compatibility. If you save an image from the web that renders fine in your browser, you may later realize it fails to load in other apps because it's a WebP file. Now, that won't be an issue with background images on Windows 11.
Below is the full change log for the recent build from Microsoft.
View the full changelog ↴
Build 26220.7653: Changes and Improvements
Account Settings
We’re updating the design of dialogs in “Accounts > Other Users” based on modern WinUI framework with support for dark mode:
Please note that the visibility of the above dialog option depends on whether a domain joined work or school account is configured on the device.
Click to Do
The Copilot prompt suggestions in Click to Do will now load instantly. This change is not yet rolling out to Windows Insiders in the EEA (European Economic Area) or China.
Desktop Background
You can now set .webp images for your desktop background in Settings > Personalization > Desktop Background.
Fixes gradually being rolled out with toggle on*
Taskbar and System Tray
- Fixed an issue in the latest builds where, when the taskbar was set to autohide, it might invoke before interacting with the bottom of the screen, blocking the use of apps in that area.
- Fixed a recent issue which was causing the Start menu, notification center, and quick settings to not open on click sometimes, although using the keyboard shortcuts for each of these still worked.
Start menu
- Fixed a memory leak when opening the Start menu, which could lead to performance issues over time.
- Fixed an issue for Arabic and Hebrew users, where Start menu was opening on the wrong side of the screen when the taskbar icons weren’t centered.
- Fixed an issue where if you opened a folder of pinned apps in Start menu and tried to pan it with touch, it would dismiss Start menu.
Bluetooth
Fixed an issue causing Bluetooth device battery level to not show for some Insiders after the latest builds, even though the devices supported it.
Xbox full screen experience for PC
This build fixes some unexpected app and game behavior when using FSE. We’re continuing to validate scenarios and as such keeping the known issue active for now. Thank you Insiders that have been sharing feedback!
Login and Lock Screens
Fixed an issue which could cause the password icon to appear blank on the login screen.
Settings
- Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash when interacting with audio devices in the last two builds.
- Fixed an issue where the keyboard character repeat delay in Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Keyboard was backwards from how it was set in the backend.
Other
- Fixed a few issues with clipped text in msinfo32 when using a high display scaling.
- Fixed an issue impacting some Insiders where clicking on .appinstaller files to install MSIX packages was unexpectedly failing with an invalid argument error.
- Fixed an underlying issue which was causing Notepad to not display an underscore in text with certain fonts when your display was set to 125%.
- Fixed an underlying issue which could cause explorer.exe to hang when first logging into your PC, if certain apps were configured as startup apps. This could make the taskbar not appear.
FAQ
How do I become a Windows Insider?
Anyone can enroll in the Windows Insider Program. Microsoft breaks down how to become a Windows Insider on its website. You can join using your Microsoft account and then elect to receive Insider builds through the Settings app on Windows 11.
Where do you get your Windows 11 background images from? Let us know in the comments!
Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.
Posted Thursday 22 January 2026 at 4:56 am AEST (my time).
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