Microsoft releases Windows 10 19H1 Build 18353 to the Fast ring, with multiple Sandbox improvements
Windows Insider builds for the next big feature update of Windows 10 are coming thick and fast now, with the focus on fixing bugs and improving performance.
Today Windows 10 19H1 Build 18353 arrives on the Fast ring with quite a long list of fixes -- including many for Windows Sandbox -- and a dwindling amount of known issues.
Confused about what Windows 10 test builds are in which Insider ring? There's an easy way to find out
The Windows Insider program is a mess. It used to be as an Insider you got to test just early versions of the next big OS feature update, but now -- depending on which ring you’re in -- you might be testing versions for the first Windows 10 update of 2020, due out over a year from now.
As if that’s not bad enough, Fast ring Insiders are currently receiving new builds at a rate of two a week -- which hardly provides enough time to install and test them -- while Slow ring Insiders get only very occasional updates. It’s no wonder some of Microsoft’s loyal legion of unpaid testers are confused.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 19H1 Build 18351 to the Fast ring
Not many Windows 10 users have upgraded to the October 2018 Update yet, but Microsoft is still hard at work on finishing the next big feature update, codenamed 19H1, which is due out next month.
New builds are coming out thick and fast, and today sees the release of Build 18351 to Fast ring Insiders.
Windows 10 loses share as Windows 7 makes significant gains
There are lots of ways to measure Windows share including StatCounter and Steam. Like most other tech sites, BetaNews has always focused on NetMarketShare, and at the start of the year the analyst firm finally reported that Windows 10 had overtaken its main rival, Windows 7 (a move that was a long time coming seeing as others had reported this happening months earlier).
In January, the new OS consolidated its lead, but in February things were far less rosy for Windows 10.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 19H1 Build 18348 to the Fast ring
The idea behind the Windows Insider program is members get to test out preview versions of forthcoming Windows 10 builds.
However, quite how much actual testing can get done when the builds are rolling out thick and fast is a matter for debate. Windows 10 Build 18348 is the second 19H1 build to be rolled out this week, and the fourth build in total, when you factor in Slow and Skip Ahead releases. If it's Microsoft's aim to confuse people, the software giant is doing a bang up job here.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 20H1 Build 18845 to the Skip Ahead ring
Being a Windows Insider can be very confusing these days. It used to be there was only one Windows 10 preview version to test -- the next feature update of the OS -- but now there are Skip Ahead flights rolling out which let users test versions of Windows 10 that won’t see the light of day for another year. Crazy.
On Tuesday Microsoft released Windows 10 19H1 Build 18346 to the Fast ring, and today we get Windows 10 20H1 Build 18845 for Skip Ahead Insiders. To access this build you will need to have opted in to Skip Ahead. That branch is now closed, but it's still possible to get access should you wish to. Follow the instructions here.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 19H1 Build 18346 to the Fast ring
The Windows 10 October 2018 Update has been a disaster for Microsoft. It caused all manner of problems for users, so much so that Microsoft had to pull it for a while, and even though the update has now been cleared for use on most systems, hardly any users have it.
The software giant will be hoping its follow up, Windows 10 19H1, due out in the spring, will be much more successful, and it has been rolling out new Insider builds at an accelerated rate this past week.
Most Windows 10 users still haven't installed the October 2018 Update
Microsoft is currently working to finish the next big feature update for Windows 10, codenamed 19H1, which is due to begin rolling out in April.
The trouble is, most users still haven’t installed its predecessor, the often problematic October 2018 Update (aka Windows 10 1809).
Give your Apple iPhone a Windows 95 makeover with iOS95
Nostalgia is a powerful thing. The 1990s are popular at the moment -- as the new 90s-set Captain Marvel movie shows -- and Windows 95 is suddenly making a comeback of sorts, partially fueled by people's interest in that decade.
If you’ve ever wondered what a modern version of the OS would look like, you can find out here, and you can now run an app version of the original Windows 95 on Windows 10, macOS and Linux. Own an iPhone? You can replace iOS 12 with iOS95 -- here's how.
Microsoft takes Insiders into next year, with the release of the first Windows 10 20H1 build
Microsoft is currently hard at work finishing off the next big feature update for Windows 10, codenamed 19H1. This is due out in a couple of months’ time, and will be followed by 19H2, out in the Fall.
Insiders who opted into the Skip Ahead branch (if you missed your chance to join the ring before it closed, follow these instructions to gain access) are likely expecting to receive builds from the 19H2 branch, but surprisingly today Microsoft is rolling out Build 18836 from the future 20H1 development branch.
Forget Linux -- Here's how to install Windows 10 on Raspberry Pi 3
The official way to install a version of Microsoft’s latest operating system on a Raspberry Pi is to use Windows 10 IoT, but that’s a stripped down version and a far cry from the Windows 10 we know and love/hate (delete as applicable).
Microsoft makes a version of Windows 10 that runs on ARM processors, and there’s now an unofficial Windows On ARM tool that lets you install that OS on the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B or B+.
Here's what's new in Kodi 18.1 'Leia' RC
Yesterday, the Kodi Foundation rolled out a release candidate for Kodi 18.1, the first update for the newest version of its popular home theater software.
If you’ve been having problems with Kodi 18, then you’ll want to grab this as it comes with a long list of fixes and improvements.
Kodi 18.1 'Leia' RC now available to download
It’s been two weeks since the Kodi Foundation rolled out the official stable release of Kodi 18 'Leia', the latest iteration of its hugely popular home theater software.
Kodi 18 offers lots of big changes, including a new Games area, updated and improved PVR backend clients, and a redesigned Music section. It's great, but if you’ve been having problems with the software, the latest update -- Kodi 18.1 RC -- might fix them for you.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 19H1 Build 18334, gives Insiders the chance to play State of Decay for free
Insider builds for the next feature update of Windows 10 are rolling out on a weekly basis, and while much of the emphasis is on usability and bug squashing, Microsoft is still adding functionality to the OS.
In Build 18334, released today, the focus is on gaming improvements, and Insiders get the chance to play State of Decay for free. There is a catch though.
Use this sneaky trick to get access to Windows 10 19H2 Skip Ahead builds
Most Windows Insiders choose to be on the Fast ring, as they get to test new features when they arrive. The more cautious Insiders might choose to be on the Slow or Release Preview rings.
For those who want to be on the bleeding edge, however, there’s the Skip Ahead ring, which lets Insiders go from the current preview (in this case 19H1 -- the April 2018 Update) to the next one (19H2 -- the October 2019 Update). Microsoft reopened the Skip Ahead ring a week ago, but as always there were limited places for it, and it closed a few days later. However, with a simple registry tweak you can ensure you receive Skip Ahead builds.
Wayne's Bio
Wayne Williams is BetaNews' managing editor. He has been writing about computers, technology, and the web for over 20 years now. He’s written for most of the UK’s PC magazines, and launched, edited and published a fair few of them in his time also. If you like what you read, you can Buy Me a Coffee!
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