Windows 11 is rolling out the biggest update to MIDI since the musical communication format was first released in 1983. Microsoft announced that its latest Windows 11 Canary test build includes a public preview of Windows MIDI Services, which supports MIDI 2.0 and updates allowing MIDI 1.0 to run on Windows on Arm.

Many applications rely on MIDI for music synthesis, but much of the MIDI support in Windows has been unchanged for decades. Now, Microsoft is finally addressing this with a robust new framework. Microsoft has just announced the release of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27788 to the Canary Channel.

Microsoft released today the first public preview of Windows MIDI Services, which adds support for the MIDI 2.0 protocol on Windows 11 and more.

For many, MIDI means SoundBlaster cards, chiptunes, and WAD files played to the sound of a killer synth score. But Microsoft Windows has begun previewing MIDI 2.0, the first update to the MIDI protocol since 1983.

Microsoft has finally previewed MIDI 2.0 in the new update for the Windows 11 Canary channel. Here's what you need to know.