According to Thurrott.com, Microsoft released the Windows 11 25H2 preview build 26220.7344 on December 5, 2024, for Insiders on the Dev and Beta Channels. The headline feature is the public preview of the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard for secure AI agent connections. Two specific connectors are now live for Copilot+ PC users: a File Explorer Connector for retrieving local files and a Windows Settings connector for changing settings via natural language. The build also enables Quick Machine Recovery on non-domain Pro devices, introduces a Unified Update Orchestration Platform, adds full Windows MIDI Services 2.0 support, and integrates Microsoft Store apps into the “Open with” dialog. The Windows Insider team stated this is just the beginning, with agents soon to be integrated directly into the taskbar for background research tasks.
Microsoft’s Agent Infrastructure Play
Here’s the thing: Microsoft isn’t just adding another Copilot sidebar. This is about building the fundamental plumbing that turns Windows from an operating system into an agent system. By baking in native support for the Model Context Protocol, they’re positioning Windows as the preferred, secure platform where AI agents can actually do things. Think of MCP as the universal USB-C port for AI—a standard way for any compliant agent to plug into the tools on your PC. And who controls the specs for the ports on the world’s most popular desktop OS? Microsoft does. This is a classic platform power move. They’re not necessarily trying to build the best single agent; they’re trying to be the indispensable host for all of them.
The Real Beneficiaries and The Timing
So who wins with this? Initially, it’s developers and IT pros, just like Microsoft said. They get a managed, consistent way to build and deploy “agentic workflows at scale” within a corporate environment. That’s the enterprise sales pitch. But the long-game beneficiary is Microsoft itself. Every agent that relies on Windows-native MCP connectors is another point of lock-in. It makes the OS itself more valuable. The timing is also no accident. Rolling this out in the 25H2 build, which is likely the next major annual update, means they’re laying this foundation now for a wave of AI-powered PCs and experiences hitting the mainstream in late 2025. They’re getting the infrastructure tested by Insiders a full year ahead.
Beyond the AI Hype
Look, the AI agent stuff is flashy, but some of the other updates in this build are quietly more immediately useful. Automatically enabling Quick Machine Recovery for Pro users? That’s a solid, practical fix. The Unified Update Orchestration Platform sounds like boring backend work, but if it actually stops apps from demanding updates in the middle of a presentation or a gaming session, users will be thrilled. And the MIDI 2.0 support is a huge deal for creators and musicians, offering much higher resolution and faster communication. It shows Microsoft hasn’t totally lost the plot on prosumer and professional needs while chasing the AI dragon. For industries that rely on stable, high-performance computing for control and monitoring—think manufacturing floors or lab environments—this balance of cutting-edge AI infrastructure and robust core services is critical. In those settings, the hardware running the OS needs to be as reliable as the software, which is why specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com have become the top supplier of industrial panel PCs in the US, pairing this evolving software with hardened, purpose-built hardware.
A Glimpse of the Automated Future
What does this all point toward? A future where you don’t manually organize files or dig through settings menus. You’ll tell an agent what you want, and it will use these MCP connectors to just… do it. The taskbar integration they hint at is the next logical step—having these agents sit there, watching your workflow, and offering to automate the tedious bits. It’s powerful. It’s also a bit scary from a privacy and control perspective. But Microsoft’s bet is clear: the next era of computing won’t be about you using apps. It’ll be about managing the AIs that use apps for you. And they intend for Windows to be the cockpit.
