Articles about Windows Insider Preview

Microsoft has been introducing a few new and interesting features to its preview builds lately, including a new Start menu and improved alt-tab experience, which you can now also get on your non-Insider version of Windows 10, if you follow our instructions.

Today the software giant rolls out to Windows 10 Build 20185 to the Dev Channel (what used to be the Fast ring).

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It’s Windows 10’s 5th birthday, and to celebrate -- or just by happy coincidence -- Microsoft has released a new Insider build to the Dev Channel (what used to be the Fast ring).

Build 20180 enables all of the new features that were first mentioned in Build 20161, including theme-aware tiles on Start. Some of these features were only available to a sub-set of Insiders previously.

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Earlier in the week, Microsoft rolled out a new Windows 10 build for Insiders on the Dev Channel, introducing quick access to tabs on pinned sites, the ability to reset UWP apps via PowerShell, and more.

Today, the software giant delivers a new build to those on the Beta Channel (what used to be the Slow ring), with the main new change affecting the Start menu, but there's a lot more than just that.

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Last week, Microsoft rolled out Windows 10 Insider Build 20170 to the Dev Channel with sound and search improvements, but unfortunately the test build wasn’t available to those running PCs with AMD processors due to a bug affecting overall usability.

Today the software giant releases Build 20175 with a number of new features, and the good news is it’s available to everyone, including those on AMD systems.

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Yesterday, Microsoft rolled out a new Windows 10 Build to the Beta Channel (what used to be the Slow ring) and today the software giant follows that up with a new flight on the Dev Channel (previously the Fast ring).

Build 20170 introduces a couple of new features, but won’t be offered to Insiders running PCs with AMD processors due to a bug affecting overall usability.

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It’s been a month since Microsoft announced that it would be replacing its Insider ring system, sorting Windows 10 preview releases by quality rather than frequency, and today sees another new release on the Beta Channel -- what used to be the Slow ring.

Build 19042.388 (20H2) is all about fixing issues and making general improvements. Key changes in this build are:

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Two weeks ago, Microsoft began rolling out a refreshed Start menu and personalized taskbar for Windows 10 Insiders on the Dev Channel. The new menu, which removes the solid color backplates behind the logos and adds a translucent background to tiles, comes as part of Build 20161 but isn’t available to everyone. We’ve already shown you one way to force Windows 10 to display this menu, but if you're feeling adventurous we have a second, more powerful method for you to follow.

Microsoft uses a system called Feature Control to hide new and unfinished features from users -- including the new Start menu -- but it’s possible to find and enable these, giving you the chance to test them out before anyone else.

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Since the days of Windows 8, operating system settings have been split across the traditional Control Panel and the newer Settings. Over time, Microsoft has gradually tried to encourage people away from the Control Panel, burying it deeper and deeper in Windows.

Now the company has taken yet another step that signals the end of the line for the Control Panel you've come to know and love. In the latest builds of Windows 10, the System applet has been rendered all but redundant.

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Microsoft has been teasing users with images of its refreshed Windows 10 Start menu for a while now, and you can finally try it out for yourself.

But that’s not all the software giant is changing in Windows 10. In addition to a much nicer looking Start menu, it’s introducing a personalized taskbar, an improved notification experience, and also adding extra features to Alt+Tab.

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Last week, Microsoft changed how future Windows 10 builds are served up to Insiders, with the Slow ring becoming the Beta Channel, and the Fast ring turning into the Dev Channel.

Today, the software giant releases its second flight to the Dev Channel. Build 20152 doesn’t come with any new features, but rather focuses on making general improvements.

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Yesterday, Microsoft released the first build from the Windows 10 20H2 branch to the Beta Channel -- what was previously the Slow ring.

Today, the software giant rolls out Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20150 to the Dev Channel -- that’s what used to the Fast ring. This build comes with a number of changes, but the headline additions are to Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

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Change is coming to the Windows Insider Program. Yesterday Microsoft announced that it would be replacing its current ring system with channels, and today it rolls out the first build for the next big feature update of Windows 10, which it is officially calling 20H2.

Build 19042.330 (20H2) is arriving in the Beta Channel -- that’s what used to be the Slow ring -- but it won't be delivered to you automatically.

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Although it’s causing a bit of a trail of destruction in its wake for some users, the latest Windows 10 feature update -- version 2004, or the May 2020 Update -- is currently rolling out to compatible machines, and Microsoft is turning its attention to the follow up.

Windows 10, version 20H2 -- the next feature update’s official name -- will be released in the second half of this year, and Microsoft says it will be "delivered in an optimized way for anyone running the Windows 10 May 2020 Update". In other words, the next version will install like a monthly update for those on 2004.

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Windows Insiders currently have a choice of three test rings -- Fast, Slow, and Release Preview. The Fast ring sees the most releases -- typically one new build a week -- and these tend to be the least stable. Slow ring flights come out much less often, and are more reliable and less buggy. Release Preview is for those who want early access to servicing updates on released versions of Windows 10.

That’s how it’s been for years, but now Microsoft is gearing up to make a big change that focuses on the quality angle of builds and better supports parallel coding efforts.

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It’s been a couple of weeks since Microsoft began rolling out the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, and it’s fair to say progress has been slow, with more issues coming to light.

Still, it’s full steam ahead on Windows 10 development as the software giant today releases a new build for Insiders on the Fast ring.

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