Shipments of augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) headsets dropped 67.4% year over year in the first quarter of 2024 as a result of an evolution in the market, new data from International Data Corp. (IDC) reveals.

“The decline in shipments was expected as the market transitions to include new categories such as Mixed Reality (MR) and Extended Reality (ER),” IDC noted Tuesday. “Despite the decline, the average selling price (ASP) rose to over $1,000 as Apple entered the market and incumbents such as Meta focused on premium headsets such as the Quest 3.”

The future of such products in the enterprise is in flux, with Microsoft pulling back and laying off workers from its HoloLens division last year, while Apple is clearly targeting the enterprise market with its Apple Vision Pro.

The research firm said that it recently revised its taxonomy of headsets to incorporate two new categories: “Mixed Reality which occludes the user’s vision but provides a view of the real world with outward facing cameras, and Extended Reality, which employs a see-though display but mirrors content from another device or offers a simplistic heads-up display.”

Headset market in flux

Meta again led the market in the first quarter in terms of share, while Apple’s recent entry into the market enabled it to capture the second position. ByteDance, Xreal, and HTC rounded out the top five, IDC said.

When online pre-sales of Apple’s Vision Pro AR/VR headsets began on Jan. 19 they sold out quickly, but as Computerworldnoted soon after, stable delivery dates could indicate limited demand for the $3,500 device.

Fast forward to April, and Apple said that it had cut Vision Pro production due to low demand, according to Ming-Chi Kuo, an Apple analyst at TF International Securities.

Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for worldwide mobile device trackers at IDC, said that with mixed reality on the rise, “expect strictly virtual reality headsets to fade in the coming years as brands and developers devise new hardware and experiences to help users eventually transition to augmented reality further down the line. Meanwhile, extended reality displays are set to garner consumer attention as they offer a big screen experience today while incorporating AI and heads-up displays in the near future.”

Meanwhile, Ramon T. Llamas, research director with IDC’s augmented and virtual reality team, said that although ASPs for the overall market crested above the $1,000 mark, this is not representative of all products.

“ASPs for augmented reality (AR) headsets have almost always been above this price point, but ASPs for VR, MR, and ER headsets have typically been lower,” he said. “Apple’s Vision Pro drove ASPs higher for MR headsets, but the addition of lower-cost devices from Meta and HTC have kept those ASPs from going much higher. Meanwhile, there were many devices for VR and ER priced below $500.”

Return to growth

Looking ahead, Llamas said that IDC is anticipating ASP erosion across all products: “Because the overall market is still in its early stages with more expensive first- and second-generation devices, prices will be high even as early adopters buy them. In order to reach scale in the mass market, vendors will need to reduce prices on later and upcoming devices.”

IDC is forecasting that “headset shipments will return to growth later this year with volume growing 7.5% over 2023. Newer headsets and lower price points will help with the turnaround expected later this year. Beyond that, headset shipment volume is expected to see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43.9% from 2024–2028.”

(Editor’s note: This column originally appeared on Computerworld Sweden on June 14, 2024.)

Just as everyone expected, and almost demanded, Apple finally started talking about artificial intelligence — in its own way, of course. The big keynote at WWDC on Monday might not have been the AI ​​event many had thought was coming. For example, the deal with Open AI, where Chat GPT will be used as an extension of Apple devices’ own AI capabilities, was negotiated in a matter of minutes.

Apple appears to be approaching AI with caution. Cautious, you might call it, but I actually think this strategy is the right one, and it aligns with what I called for earlier: AI that integrates seamlessly and easily into solutions we already know and use.

Apple Intelligence (of course Apple’s AI has been trademarked) is not a special app, or a special assistant or a “Copilot.” These are small, clever features, built on small, specialized models, sprinkled throughout the software. In Siri, in the photo app, as a writing aid, and so on, all in a seemingly non-intrusive way — an extra function, or help, that is there, if you want it.

The latter is important because it bothers me enormously is when AI is shoved down one’s throat. Just because an AI feature exists, maybe I don’t want to use it? No one but I knows what tasks I’m better at than AI, and it obviously varies from person to person.

For example, I am very good at writing and processing text. I definitely don’t want any AI getting in there (I even turn off the spell check in Word). On the other hand, sitting with transcriptions and translations is boring as hell, so I’m happy to take help there.

I’m a decent hobby photographer and don’t need an AI to make my photos “better” unsolicited. However, it can be fun or effective to take AI help to remove some ugly detail, play with the depth of field, or expose subjects.

I’m also a frequent user of chat, both privately and at work, but I think it feels a bit dirty to click on the suggested answers in Microsoft Teams chat (“Great”, “That sounds good.”) because it feels quite disrespectful to the person I’m communicating with.

BAbove all, I am seriously uninterested in Google’s new “AI Overviews,” which have now been rolled out, starting in the US. The AI ​​function in Google’s search engine takes the liberty of using AI to try to guess what you are looking for — and answer it.

I’m extremely good at Googling; it’s a skill I’ve developed over many years. And when I do research with the help of Google, it’s not one answer I’m looking for, but a balanced assessment that I make based on the information I google, thank you very much. Even if Google’s AI in the future gives “correct” answers instead of suggesting to glue the cheese on pizza, that’s just not what I want to use a search engine for.

So that’s why I think Apple is right here. It is through these kinds of simple, friendly and optional functions that do not require advanced “prompt engineering” that the masses will be introduced to and actually use AI tools. Because even though it might sound like it sometimes, most people don’t use Chat GPT at all.

Now Apple has the luxury, if you call it that, of not having to position itself as an “AI company” as a number of other tech giants want to do, although there has been pressure from investors to start delivering in this area. Apple sells mobile phones (and other hardware, but mainly phones). Therefore, it can be worthwhile to focus more on data protection and privacy, and on introducing features at a pace and in a way that makes mobile phone buyers see value in their presence.

Moreover, Apple isn’t charging extra for it, as most others do. Of course, Apple Intelligence is so far only available on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (and Mac computers with M-chip). And, presumably, that sprinkling of AI isn’t so sparkling yet as to warrant an immediate upgrade for most people.

But even if this particular iteration of Apple Intelligence will not become everyone’s everyday AI — anymore than the first iPhone became everyone’s smartphone — I believe, this is the way development will go. AI is fundamentally a commodity, a general-purpose technology.

It’s a feature, not a product.

This column is taken from CS Veckobrev, a personal newsletter with reading tips, link tips and analysis sent directly from Computerworld Sweden‘s editor-in-chief, Marcus Jerräng. Do you also want the newsletter on Fridays? Sign up for a free subscription here.

Varjo has unveiled an app that lets users scan physical spaces with their smartphone to create photorealistic 3D “scenes” for virtual reality (VR) devices. 

The VR headset maker on Tuesday announced the preview of its Teleport app, which it said will lower the barrier for 3D content creation — a time-consuming and costly process that typically involves high-endequipment and know-how. “One thing holding back VR and 3D applications is just how hard is to create content,” said Patrick Wyatt, chief product officer at Varjo. 

He described the Teleport app as “a self-serve way that anyone with a smartphone can start creating their own 3D scenes,” allowing them to share their surroundings with others. 

To create a 3D scene, users scan a physical space with their smartphone camera (an iPhone Pro 12 is the minimum requirement for Teleport) — a process that takes several minutes. It’s possible to film indoor or outdoor scenes  (anything up to the size of a small town square will work), though more dynamic environments with crowds of people or lots cars could result in blurred footage. 

The footage is uploaded to Varjo’s cloud servers to build a high-resolution 3D scene.  When accessed via a VR headset, users can then move around the virtual space and view a reproduction of the environment that was recorded. 

Given Varjo’s focus on enterprise mixed reality and VR, Wyatt said Teleport can be used for training, planning, and remote assistance. But he sees Teleport as “foundational tech” that could have broad applications. “We’re not too prescriptive on use cases,” he said. “We want to see all the cool things people will do with it.”

While VR environments are often created with computer graphics, photorealism is preferred for certain enterprise purposes. “Much of what businesses want and need has to be as close to the real thing as possible to use those assets for engineering, sales and marketing purposes,” said Anshel Sag, principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy. “Without photorealism, it becomes a lot less valuable and powerful.”

Until recently, photorealistic 3D content has been produced either with expensive Lidar scanners that can cost several thousand dollars, or photogrammetry techniques that are more accessible, but still require specialist skills. In both cases, there are limitations on quality, too, said Wyatt.

A key advantage of Teleport is the use of a machine learning technique called Gaussian splatting. This enables full 3D scenes to be produced from a set of photos, with more realistic lighting, textures, and reflections – ideal for immersive applications such as Teleport, said Wyatt.

Gaussian splatting simplifies the creation of photorealistic 3D environments, though the technology has its own limitations, said Sag. “The biggest challenge for creating 3D content has primarily been the cost and time it takes to generate the assets,” said Sag. “Gaussian splatting is a way to take some shortcuts in the creation of content to make it cheaper and faster with minimal tradeoffs in terms of quality.

“That said, it isn’t without its problems, as the Gaussian splats don’t always come out right or need very specific capture techniques to work right.”

Varjo isn’t the only company to use Gaussian splatting for 3D content creation. Others include Luma and Polycam. Wyatt said Teleport differs in its focus on the creation of 3D environments rather than smaller objects, as well as a need for a higher image resolution so that content can be viewed effectively on a VR headsets. 

Varjo plans to make Teleport commercially available towards the end of 2024. A waitlist for early access is available here.

Apple’s artificial/machine/generative AI research team seems to be opening up as it explores new frontiers in this research, publishing more than 20 new Core ML models for on-device AI through the popular AI community site Hugging Face.

It’s a real change in the company’s customary rectitude in being open about what it’s doing, and it seems likely the move comes in response to demands from its research teams to be a bit more transparent. 

Cutting-edge AI capabilities

As first reported by VentureBeat, Apple has released dozens of Core ML models, complementing them with extensive datasets. The company seems to be posting new collections at a rapid clip — the latest item appeared in the collection within the last 24 hours. The collection is extensive and highlights two of the main aims of Apple’s teams: to build models that will eventually run on the device, and to ensure these also preserve user privacy.

Some of the AI functions promised by all this code includs tools for image classification, depth segmentation, text analysis, translation, and more. 

What, who, why?

They cover a wide range of applications, including FastViT for image classification, DepthAnything for monocular depth estimation, and DETR for semantic segmentation. 

The models are not intended for mass market use and are aimed at developers, who can download them, convert them to CoreML format, and then deploy them in their own code. The process for this was explained at WWDC 2024 in a presentation that details how the models can be deployed once converted. It is also worth noting CoreML is much, much faster in iOS 18, as Apple said.

The models available on Hugging Face are also ready to run at the edge. In addition to better privacy and security, on-device LLM models should also run far more swiftly than cloud-based code.

Apple is also working with Hugging Face on other AI-related tasks, including via the MLX Community. All in all, the company seems to have become more visibly open to open-source contributions as it seeks to build Apple Intelligence.

Not the first time Apple’s been open

Except, that’s not exactly the case. Apple is an active player in open-source development, and while this isn’t always fully understood, a cursory glance through company history shows support for the FreeBSD project, a GitHub repository that offers up source code for operating systems, developer tools and more. It also plays an active part across multiple standards bodies, such as Bluetooth SIG.

In other words, some degree of openness already does exist, though it seems to have opened up more for AI.

There’s a reason for this, of course. AI researchers like to collaborate as they explore these new frontiers, and it’s thought Apple’s customary corporate secrecy might have frustrated attempts to put its own work in artificial intelligence on the fast track. This certainly seems to have changed in the last year, as multiple research notes and AI tools have emerged from the company. This latest batch then is completely in keeping with Apple’s new approach, at least, its new tactics related to this part of tech.

Apple is, therefore, learning from the wider industry. 

…And the industry is learning from it

Apple’s stance on privacy leads the industry, and as the potential pitfalls of AI systems become more widely understood it seems probable that more companies will follow its lead. 

That means an eventual multitude of small models capable of being run on edge devices to perform a variety of tasks. While the capabilities of such models will be limited by a ceiling comprised of processor speed, computational power, and on-device memory bandwidth, Apple’s approach also includes strategic use of highly secured private cloud services, itself a signal to others in the space to follow its example – particularly as increasingly authoritarian and ill-conceived legislation threatens to undermine the security of networked intelligence itself.

Please follow me on Mastodon, or join me in the AppleHolic’s bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe.

Remember former Google CEO Eric Schmidt? He now makes flying AI robots that target and kill autonomously. (Really!)

His robots are in high demand for one simple reason: GPS jamming.

I’ll explain more about Schmidt’s robots below. But first, it’s time to catch up on the rising trend of GPS, cell phone and other signal jamming, which is triggering a global arms race between jamming and anti-jamming technologies.

The FCC crackdown of 2012

All jamming devices in the United States were banned 90 years ago — long before jamming devices even existed. The Communications Act of 1934 explicitly prohibited deliberate interference with radio communications.

Both cell phone and GPS jamming works by “flooding the zone” with white noise in the same frequencies as phone and GPS receivers, basically a denial-of-service attack on the associated range of radio frequencies. But it was the rise in e-commerce that fueled an industry of online jammer sales. In 2012, a bus passenger in Philadelphia wanted some peace and quiet, so he used a cell phone jammer to jam all the phones on the bus. Later that year, the FCC took legal action against 20 online retailers in 12 states for illegally selling jamming devices. 

Despite the crackdown, the illegal use of jammers continued. In 2013, RNM Manufacturing in Houston, TX  used a jammer to block employees from using their phones at work and was fined $29,250. Not to be out-done by Houston, a Dallas company in 2022 called Ravi’s Import Warehouse also tried to jam employee calls and was also fined by the FCC, this time for $22,000.

Jammers are still available on the black market, which have led to calls for global enforcement of jamming bans. Signal jamming of every kind is illegal in the United States, which is why it might seem surprising to Americans to learn that thousands of commercial aircraft in Europe are put at risk every day by GPS jammers. 

The European jamming crisis

The current dramatic rise in GPS jamming is almost certainly done by the Russian military to protect its bases and assets from Ukrainian drone attacks. More than 46,000 aircraft GPS jamming incidents have been reported over the Baltic Sea, Kaliningrad, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean since August 2021. New incidents are reported every day. 

(The website GPSJAM tracks and displays GPS interference in Europe and the Middle East.)

Major airlines like Ryanair (more than 2,300 flights), Wizz Air (nearly 1,400 flights), British Airways (82 flights) and easyJet (4 flights) have been affected by jamming. The GPS jamming has forced some flight cancellations or diversions. Finnair had to temporarily suspend flights to Tartu, Estonia. And a British Royal Air Force plane carrying the UK defense secretary experienced GPS jamming near Kaliningrad in March 2023.

The Ukraine/Russia conflict is a proving ground and laboratory for all kinds of both military and malicious cyberattack technologies. 

Specifically, the conflict is the world’s first large-scale drone war. The Ukraine side alone reportedly loses more than 10,000 drones a month, and the country itself has produced more than 1 million drones since the start of the war; it’s also received an unknown number from abroad, including familiar consumer and business drones like the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom, DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise, Autel EVO II Pro, the Bayraktar TB2 and others. 

Both sides are using huge numbers of drones for surveillance, reconnaissance, espionage, explosives delivery, hacking, malware delivery, counter-hacking and signal jamming. And while the Ukraine side leads in the creative use of drones, the Russian side is more advanced in drone GPS and signal jamming innovations.

Nearly every effective drone and counter-drone action pioneered and tested in the Ukraine-Russia conflict will almost certainly be used against business and other targets in the years to come. Based on what’s happening in the war, cybersecurity professionals should be aware of the three main areas drones will be increasingly used by malicious actors: 

1. Bypassing physical security: Drones can fly over fences, down air ducts and land on roofs to observe security protocols and plan physical attacks using high-quality cameras.

2. Network sniffing and spoofing: Drones equipped with modifiable computers can mimic Wi-Fi networks to steal sensitive information.

3. Denial-of-Service attacks: Drones can perform de-authentication attacks and jam communications.

Another easy prediction is that businesses will be challenged by malicious drone use, given the illegality of jamming in the US.

The military industrial complex gets to work

As Western GPS-guided munitions are increasingly defeated by Russian jamming, the Pentagon is scrambling to innovate in countering the jamming threat. (This is somewhat ironic, given that the GPS system, the mobile cellular system and, in fact, the internet itself were all created by or founded upon Pentagon research programs.) 

One approach is to blow up the jammers. The US Air Force awarded a contract valued at around $23.5 million to Scientific Applications and Research Associates to enable guided bombs to home in on — and destroy — jamming equipment. 

The Air Force Research Lab is conducting research on using regular smartphones for real-time detection of jamming and spoofing. And while blowing up jamming devices is a short-term, immediate solution, the longer-term solution is to enable drones to work autonomously, without needing to phone home or be controlled remotely.

One fascinating project is the Pentagon’s Rapid Experimental Missionized Autonomy (REMA) program. The project is developing plug-ins or adaptors that can be fitted to ordinary commercial drones that would enable them to carry out their missions autonomously after being jammed. Contracts for the drone-autonomy adapter interface have been already awarded to companies like Anduril and RTX for the hardware and Leidos, Northrop Grumman and SoarTech for the software. 

Eric Schmidt’s flying killer robots

White Stork is a secretive startup founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. The company is building small, low-cost ($400) drones that use AI to target and fly into those targets, thus blowing them up with attached bombs. The drones don’t rely on remote control or GPS navigation, but instead use cameras and AI for navigation and targeting. And because they’re low cost, they can be manufactured and deployed on a massive scale. 

Schmidt has been actively involved in supporting Ukraine’s war efforts, and travels to Ukraine frequently to meet with Ukrainian generals about using drones in combat. White Stork drones will soon enter the conflict, if they haven’t already. 

The future of jamming and counter-jamming

The future of warfare, as well as industrial espionage, terrorism and cyberattacks in general will involve drones in increasing numbers. History tells us that everything the Pentagon builds and buys for the good guys eventually ends up in the hands of the bad guys. That means we’ll likely need not only jamming, but also defensive technologies to counter weaponized drones that don’t rely on radio signals, but instead use AI for autonomous targeting and attacking. Drones are cheap. AI is free. The autonomous drones are coming. We need defenses that are legal to use.

The Olympics this summer will be our first test run. The terrorist group ISIS has circulated detailed manuals on adapting commercially available drones to carry explosives. The idea is to get the how-to information into the hands of “lone wolf” terrorists operating autonomously. The group has also explicitly called on its followers in Europe to launch drone attacks on Paris landmarks like the Eiffel Tower during this year’s summer Olympics. 

France has established an anti-drone coordination center at a military base near Paris in light of the threat. And it’s planning to use antiquated technologies like special guns called SkyWall Patrol that shoot nets designed to capture drones mid-flight, and even laser beam devices. That might be sufficient for the low-tech drones they face today, but the AI drones of tomorrow will require more advanced defenses. 

While American businesses, enterprises, and law enforcement remain mostly oblivious to the coming threat from drone-based attacks, Europe is proving to be a laboratory for what’s possible there now, and what’s coming to the United States in the future.

Adobe Acrobat users can now generate and edit images in PDFs via text prompts with the addition of Adobe’s Firefly AI image model.

The update gives Acrobat and Reader users access to some of the same image creation and editing capabilities available in Adobe design apps such as Photoshop, without the need to switch tools. This means it’s possible to create new images from scratch using Adobe’s latest Firefly Image 3 model — which Adobe claims will enable greater realism and more control over the images produced compared to previous models — or manipulate existing content with Generative Fill and Remove Background tools.

The Firefly image feature, announced Monday, is available for Adobe Acrobat Standard and Pro customers; they will receive 250 “generative credits” to use with the Edit Image and Generate Image features each month at no additional cost through January 2025 an Adobe spokesperson said. The price after that date point has yet to be determined. 

“Adobe has done workers a service by building technologies like the generative capabilities of Adobe Firefly and working to integrate them across a range of their applications and tools,” said Matt Arcaro, IDC research director for computer vision and AI. By building Firefly into familiar apps such as Acrobat, the level of friction involved in accessing a new technology is reduced, he said. 

Adobe has also added new features to the AI Assistant for Acrobat and Reader apps announced in February. 

The generative AI (genAI) assistant can now summarize information from multiple documents — including PDF, Word, PowerPoint, and other file formats — at the same time. That lets users identify common trends and generate an overview summary with citations that point to the source of information, Adobe said. Users can then direct the AI assistant to format the content for a specific purpose, such as turning it into an email that can be sent to colleagues. 

The ability to query multiple documents adds value to Adobe’s “document chat” tool, said Arcaro. “This creates a significant speed up for gathering key insights, but also to put together a more comprehensive perspective across multiple similar or different documents,” he said.

The Acrobat AI assistant can also be used to summarize the transcription of a Microsoft Teams meeting or webinar, or upload a “VTT” transcript file generated in another meeting app. 

The Acrobat AI Assistant is available for free until June 28, after which it will cost an additional $4.99 each month for individual Acrobat Standard and Pro subscribers under Adobe’s “early access pricing.” This pricing is available up to Sept. 4. 

Adobe didn’t respond to a request for pricing details after this date. 

If you have an Apple ID, you can use iCloud with Windows, which means you can access your email, videos, photos, calendars, bookmarks, files and other iCloud data from your PC – useful when you’re at your desk or traveling without an Apple device, or if you are inside Boot Camp on your Mac.

How to use iCloud with Windows

There are two ways to use iCloud with Windows: via a browser or using a dedicated application called iCloud for Windows, but there are differences between the two:

The browser

On the surface, the most straightforward approach to using iCloud with Windows systems might appear to be accessing your iCloud account from your favorite web browser.

The app

That’s great up to a point, but to unlock the power of sync across all the devices you have logged into your iCloud account, including your Windows systems, it is far better to download and install Apple’s iCloud for Windows software on your PC. The software is available for free download directly from Microsoft’s app store.

Once installed and set up, you’ll be able to use iCloud to get to all your photos, documents and bookmarks on your Windows PC to update automatically across all your Apple devices, and vice versa, which is what you get when you use iCloud for Windows. 

Borrowed from One Drive

The most recently published version of iCloud for Windows uses Microsoft’s Cloud Files API, (One Drive’s Files On Demand feature) which makes the solution more robust and faster.

This means new assets will swiftly sync across all your devices, “enabling users to be more productive offline on mobile devices and quickly share files on iOS,” according to Microsoft Engineering General Manager Giorgio Sardo. In part, this is because the system is smart enough to just download a “breadcrumb” (around 1k in size) of each of your files, downloading the full item on request.

How does iCloud Drive work?

If you already use iCloud Drive, you’ll be familiar with what it does. If not, then the easiest way to understand the feature is as online storage for all the files and projects you are working on. Anything you save into any folder of the iCloud Drive will sync across all your Apple ID devices (it’s very like Dropbox in this). You will also be able to access items saved to iCloud Drive on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad within this folder on your PC using File Explorer. Fully searchable, the service also lets you share your files with others.

How do I access iCloud using a browser?

At those times when it makes sense to use the browser to access your iCloud data — such as when travelling and using a borrowed machine.  It’s easy: just navigate to iCloud.com using your browser and log in using your Apple ID and password. 

In a neat touch, any active Reminders you might have will appear at the top of the iCloud main page when you log in. You’ll also find an icon-based set of links to take you to your  iCloud apps and services, including your iCloud Drive.

• Mail
• Contacts
• Calendar
• Photos
• iCloud Drive
• Notes
• Reminders
• Find iPhone
• Account Settings

You’ll also find fully functional online versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote, which you can use to create documents compatible with both Mac and PC. You may also find News Publisher, if you have enabled that app.

NB: There are a small number of useful tasks you can only achieve using iCloud via your browser, such as creating rules to help improve email management across all your systems.

Accessing iCloud using a browser is especially useful on borrowed machines, during emergencies, while visiting Internet cafes or even using a machine you don’t own that you happen to have access to. Just remember to log out.

Of course, the beauty of iCloud is its ability to sync across all your devices, but to sync from a Windows system you need to install iCloud for Windows.

How to set up iCloud for Windows

Apple’s iCloud for Windows software should install automatically once downloaded. If it does not, open File Explorer, launch iCloud Setup and restart your PC. 

Setting up the app will create iCloud Photos and iCloud Drive folders on your Windows 10 device. These will sync with your iCloud account and connected devices, and should automatically appear in File Explorer’s Quick Access menu.

What are the system requirements?

The current iteration of iCloud for Windows requires that you are running at least Windows 10 and that you re signed into your Microsoft account. You’ll also need Outlook and a web browser (Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Chrome).

If you use Windows 7 or Windows 8, you can download compatible versions of iCloud for Windows directly from the Apple website. (Some iCloud services might work differently, as detailed here.)

Once the software is installed and open, you’ll be asked to enter your Apple ID to sign into iCloud, and you’ll then need to choose which iCloud features you want to use. To do this, you’ll be shown a window in which you check or uncheck each feature:

• iCloud Drive,
• Photos & videos, including sharing albums of images and videos.
• Mail, Contacts, Calendars, Tasks
• Bookmarks.

As you enable each of these categories, iCloud for Windows will create folders for those categories in File Explorer, so you can dive in to access or add to your iCloud content. You can also share and collaborate on files held in your iCloud Drive from within File Explorer, with edits synced across your devices.

Here is how to use each of these features:

How does iCloud Photos work?

When enabled, iCloud for Windows creates an iCloud Photos folder in File Explorer. Any images of videos you add to this folder will then be synced across all the devices you own that logged into this Apple ID. You can share galleries of images using iCloud Photo Sharing.

iCloud for Windows will keep lightweight copies of your images on your PC, only downloading full-res versions on request.

When you set yourself up with iCloud for Windows you’ll see an ‘Options’ item appear beside Photos. Tap this and you’ll find the following choices:

• iCloud Photo Library: Enable this and any images/videos saved to the iCloud Photos folder on your Windows device will be stored in iCloud. You can also change which folders are used for photo and video sync.
• My Photo Stream: Downloads all your most recent images from your devices to your Windows system.
• Download new photos and videos to my PC: This option appears when you enable iCloud Photo Library, and is self explanatory.
• Keep high-efficiency originals if available: Check this if you have plenty of drive space.
• Upload new photos and videos from my PC: Disable this if you only want to view items captured by your other iCloud devices.
• iCloud Photo Sharing: You can view items shared with you by others.

Mail, Contacts, Calendars, Tasks and Bookmarks

The final selection of iCloud items you can access using Windows. Once you enable this all your iCloud mail (typically sent to yourname@icloud.com) will be made available in the folder pane on Outlook. You’ll also find all your other calendaring data there, and bookmarks will be made available through your browser.

Apple recently made an extension available for the Chrome browser on Windows to ensure it remains compatible with iCloud and iCloud for Windows. Once the new version is installed, users should find a new “Passwords” section in the app with an iCloud Keychain logo.

Everything else

If you have any problems with these features, please refer to Apple’s extensive Support pages that should help you resolve them. (Don’t forget, you won’t receive email if you failed to create an iCloud email address when setting up your Apple ID).

There are some iCloud services that just don’t work on Windows: Find My iPhone, Back to My Mac, Backup, Notes and Reading List. All these require deeper OS integration, though in the case of Find My iPhone you will be able to track lost devices using iCloud in your browser.

However, if you have valuable data that you want to sync between your Macs, iOS devices and Windows PC, iCloud for Windows should help – though that 5GB of storage Apple supplies remains miserly at best.

(Find out more on how to synchronize iCloud — and what to do when it won’t sync.)

Can I use a Managed Apple ID?

Unfortunately, iCloud for Windows isn’t yet supported if you use a Managed Apple ID.

More useful iCloud tips

Here is a short collection of what may be useful tips for iCloud users on any platform, not just Windows:

• Even more useful iCloud storage tips
• How to fix iCloud when it stops working
• 5 clever little iCloud tips you’ll probably use
• 10 Mac tips for Windows users
• How and why to use Rules in iCloud Mail
• How to fix iCloud sync in seconds

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Never underestimate the extent to which Apple technology is gaining ground across industries once seen as closed to it. Things have changed — even grocery stores use Apple products today (and not just to take your money). 

If you shop at big US food retailers such as Albertsons, Safeway, or Shaw’s, you may already have been close to an Apple product. That’s because these chains rely on an AI-augmented store-ordering solution from a company called Afresh to minimize food waste across meat and seafood departments. Grocery Dive informs us that the tech is being deployed at more than 2,200 stores.

Apple at a grocery store near you

What Afresh does is provide an ordering interface supplemented by AI-powered recommendations and guidance to manage specific food products. The idea is that by combining better product care with AI-supported ordering systems, food is kept fresher, less is unprofitably wasted, and ordering systems become streamlined. The system runs, of course, on iPads, and while it doesn’t replace high standards of food storage and hygiene, if those two things are in place, it can help optimize results.

Thousands of iPads and iPhones are also used at more than 400 supermarkets from top US grocery retailer H-E-B, (hat tip to Brian Wayman for noting this). Equipped with custom apps, these are used to improve how food is sold and stored and to help reduce waste.  

The implementation is interesting

When orders are put in, store employees gather the items, scanning them with the iPhone camera as they go; drivers are provided with optimized delivery routes, while iPads are linked to essential sensors, such as temperature sensors, using Bluetooth.

This lets one iPad be used as a mobile control monitoring system to track product storage temperatures across a store, including on shelves or rotisserie; the system also alerts staff when something needs to be put in the fridge to extend its storage. Finally, the Apple system is used with software from Salesforce to help optimize management functions, such as shift schedules, and for maintenance requests, product feedback and more.

Cupertino’s retail wave

UK retailer John Lewis and Partners is another recognized store brand that uses Apple products within its operations. All its staffers have iPhones equipped with the John Lewis app, which helps in terms of inventory management, customer guidance, and customer communication. Back in the US,  independent grocers DeCicco & Sons, Cardiff Seaside Market, Village Market, Fruit Center Marketplace and Caraluzzi’s Markets use FoodStorm’s iOS compatible system to manage their own produce.

Elsewhere in the retail sector, Rituals, Hästens, Laura, and many other stores now use Apple devices at point of sale, as inventory management tools, for pick and collect services, deliveries, warehousing, and more.

Apple, the mobile company

There’s a simple reason Apple’s hardware has picked up more presence in retail; it’s the combination of a powerful and highly secure development ecosystem along with mobile devices available in a myriad of formats. The Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch — even visionOS systems — might be suitable to handle some back-end functions across multiple enterprises. 

Speaking during Apple’s Q1 FY24 financial call, Apple CFO Luca Maestri confirmed that the company’s reach into industries it might never have made a dent in before has become an opportunity for the Vision Pro.  “We are seeing strong excitement in enterprise. Leading organizations across many industries, such as Walmart, Nike, Vanguard, Striker, Bloomberg and SAP, have started leveraging and investing in Apple Vision Pro as the new platform to bring innovative spatial computing experiences to their customers and employees.”

Now I don’t anticipate we’ll be meeting customer service representatives wearing Vision Pro headsets anytime soon. But as the cost of visionOS devices falls over time and more discreet headsets appear, it’s entirely possible that experiences of that kind will become normalized. And at the current pace of change, this aspect of the digital transformation might not be terribly far away.

The transformations will continue until morale improves

Apple Intelligence could form another string to the company’s bow, as developers of narrow domain-focused AI systems will want to ensure they build in support as seamlessly as possible for enterprise-focused apps on Apple devices. That means thinking about App Intents on the shop floor, or AI as a service in the same way as OpenAI is to be supported on iOS 18.

Such systems could provide contextually relevant information in the moment to optimize store management functions. And, at the current trajectory, they might well carry an Apple logo as they do.

This simply would not have been thought even plausibly possible just a decade ago.

Please follow me on Mastodon, or join me in the AppleHolic’s bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe.

Though it’s a relatively new title, the role of chief artificial intelligence officer (CAIO) is gaining prominence at organizations deploying generative AI (genAI) technology — whether they’re moving deliberately or plowing ahead quickly.

By last October, 11% of midsize and large organizations had already filled a CAIO role, according to research firm IDC — and another 21% were actively seeking one. Just over half of 97 CIOs surveyed last fall said their organization had plans to have an individual leader responsible for AI and about half of those CIOs expect that person to be part of the C-Suite, IDC said.

Newly hired or appointed CAIOs “are not only part of an organization’s C-suite, but they are expected to be one of the most strategic members of the organization,” IDC said in its report.

As organizations chase efficiency and the productivity promise of AI, the CAIO title is expected to emerge on LinkedIn and other social media feeds, according to Forrester Research Analyst Zeid Khater. In fact, the role could soon surface in one out of eight executive leadership teams. 

In a recent Forrester survey, 12% of companies said their CAIO is primarily responsible for the overall enterprise AI strategy; only 2% attributed that responsibility to a chief data officer (CDO). “This doesn’t mean that CDOs are on the verge of extinction,” Khater wrote in a blog post. “Data is still a vital and often unleveraged resource within organizations due to challenges around quality, governance, and access.”

He urged companies to “ensure your AI and data leaders are in lockstep to spin data straw into insights gold. The CAIO brings technical knowledge, while the CDO provides quality data. It’s a powerful partnership for AI success.”

One big factor every CAIO will have to consider is cost; deploying AI models is expensive because cloud providers and proprietary genAI use cases require a lot of computing power — high-end, expensive computing power. And the chips that power learning and inference processes in large language models can cost thousands of dollars. (Nvidia makes most of the GPUs for the AI industry, and its primary data center workhorse chip costs $10,000; the company’s lock on the AI chip market is, however, being challenged by others who hope to undercut it with lower chip prices.)

All federal agencies will have CAIOs

It’s not just private companies looking to hire. In March, US President Joseph R. Biden Jr. gave all federal agencies two months to appoint CAIOs who be responsible for promoting AI innovation, coordinating with other agencies, and managing risks associated with the technology. The 60-day deadline highlighted the urgent need for governance as AI continues its meteoric adoption.

“While AI is improving operations and service delivery across the Federal Government, agencies must effectively manage its use,” Biden’s memo said. “The risks… result from any reliance on AI outputs to inform, influence, decide, or execute agency decisions or actions, which could undermine the efficacy, safety, equitableness, fairness, transparency, accountability, appropriateness, or lawfulness of such decisions or actions.”

Twenty-four federal agencies had appointed CAIOs by the May 30 deadline. In all, the Biden administration plans to hire 100 AI professionals by this summer and is requiring all federal agencies to establish AI governance boards to coordinate adoption efforts and establish rules for the use of AI and genAI.

“The decision to institutionalize the role of CAIOs demonstrates a clear acknowledgment of AI’s strategic significance,” Joel Meyer, former deputy assistant secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security, said in a recent Fedscoop article. (Meyer led the creation of DHS’s AI Task Force.)

Lt. Gen. John Shanahan, who co-authored the article with Meyer and was the nation’s first director of the Department of Defense Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, said one CAIO responsibility “is to identify low-hanging fruit. AI pilots can be chosen thoughtfully to demonstrate hypotheses that can then be affirmed in each department’s AI strategy. These quick wins can build momentum for broader AI strategy implementation.”

Because federal agencies were given latitude to define the organization under CAIOs, there’s a lot of variety between them in terms of authority, budgets, and what how the role would be executed, according to Amy Jones, US Public Sector AI Market Lead with Ernst & Young.

“Day to day responsibilities [are] pretty varied,” she said. “I think a CAIO’s success would be agency literacy. We all use the internet and email every day, and that requires literacy on both how to use them safely and securely and also how to use them optimally.”

The same is true for genAI technology.

Data quality matters

One known hurdle for genAI rollouts is the quality of data used to train LLMs. As the saying goes: garbage in, garbage out. It’s both challenging and costly to obtain high-quality, unbiased, and representative data, according to Andrew Rabinovich, who recently took the new position as Head of AI at freelance job platform Upwork.

According Rabinovich, key considerations for new CAIOs looking to deploy AI include:

• Careful planning and consideration for how the technology will deliver real customer impact rather than moving forward just for the sake of it or to keep pace with the hype cycle.

• A clear understanding of business objectives and specific customer pain points to solve with AI before launch. 

• Evaluating and ensuring the quality and reliability of the AI models being created, whether home-grown or by a third-party provider.

• Ensuring that LLMs are trained on diverse and representative datasets to avoid bias, while consistently monitoring for iterative improvements.

“Ensuring data cleanliness and accuracy often requires extensive pre-processing, which is both time-consuming and resource-intensive — and that’s if you even have access to the right datasets,” Rabinovich said.

CAIOs and others tasked with overseeing AI deployments play an essential role in “shaping an organization’s strategic, informed and responsible use of AI,” he said. “There are many responsibilities baked into the role, but at its core, it’s about steering the direction of AI initiatives and innovation to align with company goals. AI leads must also create a culture of collaboration and continuous learning.”

“All teams across all functions within an organization should be thinking about how they can collaborate on AI projects, experiment with the technology and explore how to equip their teams with the right knowledge, skills and tools to harness AI,” he said.

At Upwork, Rabinovich is overseeing the company’s use of the GPT-4 LLM to create an AI-powered platform Best Match insights a feature that helps businesses find the best potential person for their job by identifying relevant insights like top proposals, client reviews, and skill alignment with the job post.

For genAI to function reliably, CAIOs will need to figure out how to utilize AI and data optimization techniques for improved efficiency, data quality, and ethical considerations. “On paper, [you need] baseline compliance — making sure they [LLMs and genAI] are within regulatory and policies, creating [your] own policy within the agency that’s specific to the mission, [and] identification of inventory of use cases,” Jones said.

Rabinovich agreed. The quality of data used to train AI models is an important aspect of the development process, but it can be hard to obtain high-quality, unbiased, and representative data, he noted.

“Ensuring data cleanliness and accuracy often requires extensive pre-processing, which is both time-consuming and resource-intensive — and that’s if you even have access to the right datasets,” Rabinovich said.

A dedicated CAIO or one with shared duties?

Jenn Kosar, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), said while most organizations have not yet designated CAIOs as an official C-suite role and title, from a functional perspective a significant number of organizations are filling the role today without the title. Most often, the position is one notch below a CIO, she said.

“Today, we often seen CTOs and CISOs taking this [genAI responsibility] on,” Kosar said. “And that may be OK for where we are today. But the strategic [planning], the change management, the innovation, the ability to take an organization through a transformation — these are really critical skills to the success of this role.

“Unfortunately, what we’re seeing in most instances it’s not a full-time job. In other words, they [CAIOs] have other roles. We believe it should be a dedicated role. They’re being held accountable for how an organization is moving forward with AI.”

While CAIOs might not always be seated at the C-suite table, those who are there are keenly focused on genAI and its potential to drive efficiencies and profits. Without an executive guiding those deployments, achieving the performance and ROI organizations seek will be tough, she said.

“It’s hard to imagine how pieces come together and how you’d bring together so many players,” Kosar said, noting that PwC has more than a dozen LLM-backed tools running internally to power AI tools and products in virtually every business unit.

“You have to have the ability to do short-term and long-term planning and balance the two and stay focused on innovation,” she continued. “At the same time, you need to recognize the pace of change while not getting distracted by the latest shiny object.”

Getting AI right is important because of how much it will be a part of everyday life by the end of the decade, Rabinovich said. By 2030, he believes virtually everyone will interact with AI and the tech will perform in roles varying from personal assistants and tutors to therapists and accountants — even lawyers.

“AI will help humans uplevel and enhance societies, because it’ll enable humans to focus on solving ever more complex problems,” Rabinovich said.

Microsoft this week released 49 updates (including two recent additions) on Patch Tuesday with no reported zero-day flaws, public disclosures, or newly released working exploits for the Microsoft ecosystem. This came as welcome news and is paired with low-risk changes to Microsoft Office. The company’s development platforms saw minor updates to Visual Studio, and both SQL Server and Microsoft Exchange were patch free for the month.

The team at Readiness has provided a useful infographic outlining the risks associated with each of the updates. 

Known issues 

Each month, Microsoft publishes a list of known issues that are part of the latest update cycle, including the following reported minor issues:

• After you install KB5034203 (dated 01/23/2024) or later updates, some Windows devices that use the DHCP Option 235 to discover Microsoft Connected Cache (MCC) nodes in their network might be unable to use those nodes. Microsoft is still working on this one. In the meantime there is a workaround that involves setting the Cache Hostname to 1. 

We recognize and respect Microsoft’s recent efforts with artificial intelligence (note, I did not say “AI” as that is an Apple thing now) but it would be nice if Microsoft resolved the profile picture (that you can’t change) known issue soon. 

Major revisions 

Microsoft published the following major revisions to past security and feature updates including:

• CVE-2024-30080: (see below for mitigations). This patch was updated late in the June release cycle. As this was an information update, no further action is required, unless you want to action the Microsoft recommended mitigations.

Mitigations and workarounds

Microsoft published the following vulnerability-related mitigations:

• CVE-2024-30070: DHCP Server Service Denial of Service Vulnerability. Microsoft (helpfully) notes that if you’re not using DHCP, you are not affected by this potential vector for DDOS attacks. 
• CVE-2024-30080: Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Message Queuing security issues are tough to find, mitigate and test, so this might need some careful attention from your internal developers. At the very least, ensure that you have changed your ports from the MSMQ listening default (1801) to help reduce your attack surface. Microsoft also recommends you check to see whether the MSMQ HTTP-Support feature is enabled.

The team at Readiness analyzed the latest Patch Tuesday updates to provide detailed, actionable testing guidance based on assessing a large application portfolio and a detailed analysis of the Microsoft patches and their potential impact.

For this cycle, we have grouped the critical updates and required testing efforts into different functional areas including:

Microsoft Office

• Microsoft SharePoint will require basic document opening and multi-user access tests this month.

Microsoft .NET and Developer Tools

• There are no updates to Microsoft .NET requiring application portfolio testing this month.

Windows

The following core Microsoft features have been updated:

• Changes to Secure Boot will require testing of all third-party drivers.
• Code integrity policies need to be verified for Windows Lockdown (WLDP), Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG) and the Windows Driver Policy for Intune deployments. We recommend you test your Windows desktop sandbox and ensure that it boots correctly.
• Changes to Windows networking will require testing at least two DHCP servers.
• Remote desktop-related updates will require VPN connection tests. Try some administrative commands from the Microsoft Management console (MMC) such as adding, connecting and disconnecting VPN connections.

This month’s update also affects several core systems such as Kernel32 and Win32K.SYS sub-systems. Unfortunately, these changes affect how applications behave at a fundamental level, which makes testing not just hard, but broad and expansive across your application portfolio. The Readiness team suggests that the following general application tests be performed against all of your core line-of-business applications.

• Test as many windows and pop-ups as possible.
• Check window title bars for errors, or poorly formatted text.
• Check for unusual items in the Windows taskbar.
• Thoroughly test File explorer (sorry about that).
• Test multiple applications, with multiple windows.

Automated testing will help with these scenarios (especially a testing platform that offers a “delta” or comparison between builds). However, for your line-of-business apps, getting the application owner (doing UAT) to test and approve the results is essential. 

Windows lifecycle update 

This section contains important changes to servicing (and most security updates) to Windows desktop and server platforms.

• Windows 10 Enterprise and Education, Version 21H2 will no longer be serviced as of June 11, 2024

For those planning ahead, Oct. 8, 2024, is a big day as Microsoft will no longer offer general servicing for the following desktop platforms:

• Windows 11 Enterprise and Education, Version 21H2
• Windows 11 Home and Pro, Version 22H2
• Windows 11 IoT Enterprise, Version 21H2

Each month, we break down the update cycle into product families (as defined by Microsoft) with the following basic groupings: 

• Browsers (Microsoft IE and Edge)
• Microsoft Windows (both desktop and server) 
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Exchange Server 
• Microsoft Development platforms (ASP.NET Core, .NET Core and Chakra Core)
• Adobe (if you get this far) 

Browsers

Microsoft has released seven minor updates to the Chromium-based browser (Edge), while the Chromium project has added six additional updates this week. These updates should have minor to negligible impact on applications that integrate and operate on Chromium. Add these updates to your standard patch release schedule. 

Windows

This month, Microsoft released one critical update (CVE-2024-30080) and 32 patches rated as important for Windows, covering the following key components: 

• Windows Win32 Kernel Subsystem, GRFX and drivers
• Networking (Wii-fi) and DHCP
• Storage and Error Reporting
• Crypto and BitLocker

The critical-rated patch relates to the core, but not often used, Message Queuing service (MSMQ) that could affect internal applications. Unusually, this patch has already been updated since the main release on Tuesday. That said, the Readiness team believes all these Windows patches can be added to your standard release schedule.

Microsoft Office 

There were no critical updates for Office this month, and only five patches rated as important. All five have low potential for exploitability (no worms, add-in vulnerabilities or Word macro issues) and should be added to your regular Microsoft Office update schedule.

Microsoft Exchange Server 

No updates for Microsoft Exchange Server or SQL Server this month, which, of course, is a good thing. 

Microsoft development platforms 

Microsoft released just three updates to Microsoft Visual Studio. These patches affect versions of the Microsoft developer platform from 2017 to 2022. All of the proposed changes are low risk and application specific. Add these updates to your standard developer release schedule.

Adobe Reader (if you get this far) 

We are back to the usual state of things, and Microsoft has not chosen to include any Adobe products this release cycle. This is a very good thing.

While the arrangement between OpenAI and Apple is attracting a lot of attention, Apple has put together a sizable number of its own large language model (LLM) tools that will run on a compatible device or in its secure cloud, Private Cloud Compute. 

Apple Vice President Craig Federighi calls Apple Intelligence, “the personal intelligence system that puts powerful generative models right at the core of your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.”

To achieve this, it draws on what your device knows about you and on-device intelligence, or, where necessary, in the cloud via the highly secure Private Cloud Compute system. At all times, Apple says it’s working to protect user privacy, which means your data is protected unless you choose to use a third-party AI, such as ChatGPT. 

In making these solutions, Apple has paid particular heed to creating tools that offer truly useful help. The critical idea is that they get things done for you without getting in the way of the easy user interaction you usually enjoy with your Apple product. 

Tools to help you write better

To help you write, Apple Intelligence can proofread and rewrite your text anywhere across your system, including within third-party apps. Apple Intelligence will also summarize a meeting transcript, long email, and website content; pretty much any large block of text can be made bite-sized.

Be warned, for some of these functions Apple Intelligence might need to use ChatGPT, but you’ll be told if that is the case and can cancel the request rather than sharing your information with a third-party service provider.

Mail is getting better

We wrote a little more to explain how Mail works here.

• The system works to figure out which of your incoming emails are most essential and places those emails at the top of your Inbox.
• AI will also create what it thinks are appropriate replies for you — you don’t have to use them and do get to approve them before they are despatched.

Meetings, now with AI assistants

Tap record when making a call or when inside a Note to capture audio recordings and transcripts. Once the call or meeting ends, Apple Intelligence will quickly generate a summary of the transcript.

Tools to help you stay focused

There’s a new automated Focus mode that reduces interruptions but is also intelligent enough to let important notifications break through. Apple Intelligence will also get to know which of your notifications matter to you most and make sure those are at the top of your notifications list. The idea is to optimize your attention so you can stay on top of the things.

Making images

Apple’s on-device LLM engine will create original images for you based on a typed request. Usefully, it will also remove unwanted objects in an image on request. And a new Image Playground app lets you experiment with ideas and try different image styles to create your own images.

Photos gets better at helping you find your stuff

AI features in Photos include far more powerful and contextually-aware Search results and the ability to create a Memories video based on such a search.

Introducing, Genmoji

If like me you have problems finding precisely the right emoji or aren’t really certain if any that you do choose to have a double meaning, then salvation is at hand! Genmoji makes it possible to create completely original emoji on demand; just tell your Apple device what you want and up it will pop.

Wave your Image Wand

This feature needs an Apple Pencil. It works like this: Open a Note, draw a circle where you want your generated image to appear in that Note, and Apple’s intelligence will make you a custom image that reflects the contents of it.

Siri gets serious attention

We’re being promised lots of improvements in Siri; not only will it be able to better understand more complex or poorly articulated requests, but it also gains the kind of contextual understanding you need to figure out answers to complex questions such as “Show me the recipe Sacha sent me the other day.” 

That has several implications, including:

• Siri knows what you are looking at and you can make requests that reference that, such as adding an address to your Contacts, or adding something to a note in a different app.
• The assistant can also now answer questions about any of your Apple devices or operating system features, like an Apple Genius in your pocket.
• Siri also now understands typed requests — double tap the bottom of the display and a keyboard pops up.
• Sometimes your device might need to use ChatGPT to fulfill some requests; you will be told if that is the case and can cancel the request.
• Apple has also given asking Siri questions a new vibe; when you do so, your device now will show a glowing light all around the borders of the screen. 

Is there more to come? Probably

It is likely there will be additional features in place by the time Apple Intelligence is made available in the fall product software updates. This is because developers can use App Intents to make features available within their apps also available across the system. Meanwhile, developers get to use Xcode Complete to work smarter.

Apple is also thought to be pushing other genAI firms beyond OpenAI to offer their services on its platforms, while the company hopes to generate new income streams as developers build and make available additional LLMs on its platforms.

Please follow me on Mastodon, or join me in the AppleHolic’s bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe.

From the editors of Computerworld, this enterprise buyer’s guide helps IT staff understand what the various AI-as-a-service (AIaaS) options can do for their organizations and how to choose the right solution.

Microsoft has decided to delay the full launch of its controversial Recall feature following criticism over data privacy and security, with access given to a smaller group of Windows users first.

The generative AI (genAI) powered Recall feature records “snapshots” of a user’s screen every five seconds to provide a searchable log of actions going back three months. It is one of the flagship features for a range of Copilot+ PCs that promise to bring new genAI features to Windows. The PCs are set to launch next week.

While some have noted the potential benefits of the feature, security and privacy experts called Recall a “privacy nightmare” and likened it to keylogger malware. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office, a privacy watchdog, said it had written to Microsoft to “understand the safeguards in place to protect user privacy.”

Microsoft has acknowledged the criticisms and recently outlined several privacy enhancements: Recall will now be switched off by default, and users are required to first enroll with Microsoft’s Windows Hello authentication system. 

In an update to a previous blog post on Thursday, Microsoft outlined plans to delay the full launch, which was due to be made available in preview on all Copilot+ devices next week. Instead, it will be made available in preview via the Windows Insider Program in the “coming weeks,” the company said. 

It’s an indication that the company wants more time to test security and privacy features before a wider rollout. “We are adjusting the release model for Recall to leverage the expertise of the Windows Insider community to ensure the experience meets our high standards for quality and security,” Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft’s corporate vice president for Windows and devices, said in the blog post. “This decision is rooted in our commitment to providing a trusted, secure and robust experience for all customers and to seek additional feedback prior to making the feature available to all Copilot+ PC users.”

Details about how to access the Windows Insider preview will be made public in a blog post, Microsoft said. 

Jeff Pollard, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester, called the move, “a significant decision, given the prominence of this feature in the PR leading up to its planned release. The design and development work necessary in this proximity to a launch is not minimal, so it’s impactful to Microsoft in multiple ways.”

He pointed to a security concept that features in his research: “securing what you sell.”

“One consequence of not securing what you sell: news of the major security flaws will overtake the launch of the product. That happened here, and as a result Microsoft has forfeited the marketing momentum it wanted from this feature,” he said.

The delayed Recall rollout should help address some the controversy surrounding the feature, he said. “The right move is not embedding a screenshotting, keylogging, full monitoring spyware into an operating system,” said Pollard. “But, given that Microsoft already elected to build such a feature…, this is a good move to clean up the mess it already made.”

I’ve no problem with porn per se. After all, as the musical Avenue Q pointed out, “The Internet is for Porn.” But, when X/Twitter decided it would let people “share consensually produced and distributed adult nudity or sexual behavior,” I wonder if company execs really thought it out. 

We know why the company is doing this — it’s been losing money hand over fist. No matter how owner Elon Musk and CEO Linda Yaccarino try to twist the numbers, the social network is still bleeding money. It’s hard to make a profit when you’re paying $300 million a quarter to stay on top of your debt.

A flood of political ads in this election year is helping X’s bottom line, but it’s not enough. Neither has X’s right-wing swing since Musk’s 2022 takeover. According to Edison Research’s Infinite Dial survey, the site has seen a 30% decrease in the number of US users in the last two years, with only 19% of the US population using the platform now compared to 27% in previous years. Sensor Tower data also indicated a 23% decline in daily app users in the US since Musk’s acquisition. 

Musk, who’s embraced the right wing with moves such as reinviting Donald Trump and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones back to the social network, hasn’t done his finances any favors. The site continues to host tweets promoting and glorifying antisemitism, anti-Black racism, neo-Nazism, white supremacy, and on and on. The Israeli-Hamas conflict has only made things worse. Ironically enough, the hate seems to be evenly distributed, with posts left up that promote bigotry and incite violence against Jews, Muslims, and Palestinians.

Maybe you support some of these positions. But is this really the kind of place you want to use for brand recognition, marketing and advertising? I really don’t think so.

This is not just my view. Meta’s Threads has had a significant impact on X’s advertising revenue. Threads doesn’t even have ads — yet — but that hasn’t stopped advertisers from shifting their focus from X to Threads due to concerns about brand safety on the former. Threads, part of Meta’s ecosystem, is seen as offering a more controlled environment, which is appealing to advertisers.

In addition, since companies can leverage Meta’s existing advertising infrastructure and tools, they’re drawn to the potential for seamless integration with their existing Facebook and Instagram campaigns. Put it all together, and in many circles, Threads is seen as a much more attractive option for ad budgets. 

What’s a social network owner to do? Embrace porn, of course!

Porn makes money. It’s as simple as that. According to Gitnux, a market research site, “In the United States alone, the pornography industry generates $12-14 billion in annual revenue.” Globally, it generates about $97 billion. That’s real money. Better still from where X sits, the platform doesn’t need to play a penny for content. How porn creators make and pay for their content isn’t their problem. X is just providing the funnel.

Mind you, the platform has long opened its doors to porn. Back in 2022, Dyson, Mazda, Forbes, and PBS Kids suspended their marketing campaigns and removed ads because they were appearing alongside tweets soliciting child pornography.

I myself have seen more than my fair share of vanilla porn ads featuring young women with blue checkmarks offering me love at reasonable prices. Really, I’m just there for tech and chess conversations, dad jokes, cute cat and dog photos, and to promote stories I find interesting. If I were looking for love in all the wrong places, I wouldn’t be looking for it on X.

I’m far from the only one. As one Redditor put it recently, “Is Twitter just porn and porn bots now?” That, mind you, was before the company officially welcomed “Adult Content … any consensually produced and distributed material depicting adult nudity or sexual behavior that is pornographic or intended to cause sexual arousal.” (By the way, the consensus on that Reddit thread was that yes, X is little more than porn and right-wing rants these days.)

So, what’s different now? Well, by welcoming porn content, X is doing more than offering posts masquerading as ads — it’s actually becoming a porn site. And that could land it in a lot of legal hot water.

As of March, nine states — Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Virginia — had all passed laws mandating age verification for accessing adult content every time they visit such a site. Florida, Idaho, and South Dakota will soon join them. 

These laws require anyone visiting a website hosting substantial adult content to verify that users are over 18 years old. Usually, that means you must provide the site with a digital copy of a government-issued ID. 

As you might imagine, people have been reluctant to send porn sites their IDs. Indeed, after PornHub threw up its virtual hands and barred anyone from states with age-verification laws from visiting its sites, searches for Virtual Private Network (VPN)s shot up by over 400%.  

In addition, some states, including Arkansas, Florida, and Utah, have passed bills that require IDs to access social networking sites. By explicitly adding porn to its content mix, X is just asking to be banned.

Musk certainly doesn’t seem to understand what’s coming. It’s simple: Twitter will be blocked unless users agree to show their IDs. (I can’t see many of them doing that.) Or they could use a VPN to get to X from, say, Canada. Either way, the platform will lose even more users, and its value to advertisers will drop even more. 

The thread holding the sword of Damocles over Twitter’s head is fraying and might soon snap. Wise businesses will drop X now and get out before the once-popular social network dies and takes your business reputation with it.

The Windows 11 2023 Update has been released, but behind the scenes, Microsoft is constantly working to improve the newest version of Windows. The company frequently rolls out public preview builds to members of its Windows Insider Program, allowing them to test out — and even help shape — upcoming features.

Skip to the builds

The Windows Insider program is divided into four channels:

• The Canary Channel is where platform changes (such as major updates to the Windows kernel and new APIs) are previewed. These changes are not tied to a particular Windows release and may never ship at all. Little documentation is provided, and builds are likely to be very unstable. This channel is best for highly technical users.
• The Dev Channel is where new features are introduced for initial testing, regardless of which Windows release they’ll eventually end up in. This channel is best for technical users and developers and builds in it may be unstable and buggy.
• In the Beta Channel, you’ll get more polished features that will be deployed in the next major Windows release. This channel is best for early adopters, and Microsoft says your feedback in this channel will have the most impact.
• The Release Preview Channel typically doesn’t see action until shortly before a new feature update is rolled out. It’s meant for final testing of an upcoming release and is best for those who want the most stable builds.

The Beta and Release Preview Channels also receive bug-fix builds for the currently shipping version of Windows 11. See “How to preview and deploy Windows 10 and 11 updates” for more details about the four channels and how to switch to a different channel.

Not everyone can participate in the Windows 11 Insider program, because the new operating system has more stringent system requirements than Windows 10. If your PC fails to meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11, you cannot join the Windows 11 Insider Program. (See “How to check if your PC can run Windows 11.”)

Below you’ll find information about the Windows 11 preview builds that have been announced by Microsoft. (For the Release Preview Channel, we cover builds released for the most recent version of Windows 11 — currently 23H2 — not for earlier versions.) For each build, we’ve included the date of its release, which Insider channel it was released to, a summary of what’s in the build, and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it.

Note: If you’re looking for information about updates being rolled out to all Windows 11 users, not previews for Windows Insiders, see “Windows 11: A guide to the updates.”

The latest Windows 11 Insider preview builds

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3785

Release date: June 14, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can right-click on apps pinned to the Start menu to see jump lists for apps that have them, such as PowerPoint. They can also more easily share content to an Android device from the Windows share window. Note that these and other new features are being gradually rolled out so are not yet available for everyone.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates also get a number of bug fixes, including for a bug in which clicking your profile icon on the Start menu and choosing Change account settings did not open account settings.

Everyone in the Beta Channel get a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which your system might have not been able to resume from hibernate after you turned on BitLocker.

There are seven known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3785.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.961

Release date: June 14, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience of running Windows.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.961.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3807 and 22631.3807

Release date: June 13, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

In this update, Copilot will be pinned to the taskbar and will behave like an app so you can do things like resize, move, and snap the window. The build also lets you create 7-Zip and Tape Archive (TAR) files using the File Explorer context menu and adds support for Emoji 15.1. Note that those and other features are gradually rolling out and are not yet available for everyone. The Copilot features have not yet begun to roll out.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3807 and 22631.3807.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26236

Release date: June 12, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build starts the rollout of the new account manager on Start menu. When you sign in with a Microsoft account, the new design gives you a quick glanceable view of your account benefits and makes it easy to manage account settings. In addition, it includes a small set of general updates and fixes that Microsoft says improves the overall experience of running Windows.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one that caused the preferred audio volume (under Settings > System > Sound > Volume Mixer) for Microsoft Edge to not persist across after restarting the app.

There are two known issues with this build, one in which some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620, and another in which colors in the Performance section aren’t displaying correctly in dark mode.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26236.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3720

Release date: June 7, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can now use voice access to dictate text hands-free using Narrator. In addition, they get a new feature, auto restart for voice access in Windows 11, which automatically restarts voice access if it encounters any issues.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a number of bugs fixed, including one in which pressing Ctrl + F would sometimes not start a search in File Explorer.

There are seven known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3720.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.770

Release date: June 7, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience of running Windows. They also get an update of the Snipping Tool that introduces automatic save for screen recordings. Your recordings will automatically be saved to the Screen Recordings folder (inside your Videos folder). You can choose to turn this off in Snipping Tool settings.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.770.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26231

Release date: June 6, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, Narrator users can now use voice access to dictate text hands-free. In addition, a new feature called auto restart for voice access in Windows 11 automatically restarts voice access if it encounters any issues so that individuals with limited mobility can get back to using voice access as quickly as possible.

The build also includes a variety of bug fixes and improvements, including several that increase Task Manager reliability.

There is one known issue with this build, in which some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26231.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.751

Release date: May 31, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get the latest version of Copilot, which is pinned to the taskbar and runs like a traditional app, allowing you to resize, move, and snap the window. In addition, a new Linked devices page under Settings > Accounts allows you to manage PCs and Xbox consoles that you are signed into with your Microsoft account.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets several bug fixes, including for a bug in which the Win + W keyboard shortcut did not work correctly to open the Widgets board, and another in which installation of Windows update failed to complete when you had to restart your device more than once.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.751.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26227

Release date: May 30, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, Copilot for Windows runs as a traditional app pinned to the taskbar, allowing you to resize, move, and snap the window. The build also adds support for Emoji 15.1 and introduces a new Linked devices page under Settings > Accounts that allows you to manage PCs and Xbox consoles that you are signed in to with your Microsoft account.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which some apps didn’t run on startup even though they were enabled as startup apps in Settings, and another in which the Win + W keyboard shortcut did not work correctly and open the Widgets board.

There is one known issue with this build, in which some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26227.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3646

Release date: May 23, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get, in Microsoft’s words, “a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience” of using Windows.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets a number of bug fixes, including for a bug in which File Explorer stopped responding when you swiped from a screen edge after you turned off edge swiping, and another in which TWAIN drivers stopped responding when used in a virtual environment.

There are six known issues in this build, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3646.)

Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100.712)

Release date: May 22, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build is a preview of the annual Windows 11 feature update to be released later this year. It includes a variety of new features, including HDR background support, energy saver, Sudo for Windows, Rust in the Windows kernel, support for Wi-Fi 7, and voice clarity, among others. In it, Copilot will also become a traditional app that can be pinned to the taskbar. Microsoft will be sharing details about all its features in the coming months.

Note that new AI features such as Recall announced by Microsoft earlier this week will not be available on your PC after installing this update, as they require a Copilot+ PC. For more information on those new AI features and Copilot+ PCs, see Microsoft’s blog post.

(Get more info about Windows 11, version 24H2.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.670

Release date: May 17, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of unspecified “improvements and fixes that improve the overall Windows experience.”

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets several bug fixes including for a bug in which the Network Locations header was missing in the This PC section of File Explorer, and another in which NTLM authentication traffic might have increased in domain controllers (DC).

There is one known issue in this build, in which the Windows key + W keyboard shortcut may not work correctly to open the Widgets board.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.670.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3640

Release date: May 17, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get support for Emoji 15.1, which introduces a small number of new emoji, and support for creating 7-zip and TAR archives in addition to ZIP via the context menu in File Explorer. The build also fixes several bugs for those who have the toggle turned on, including a few accessibility issues in File Explorer’s Common File Dialog.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets several bug fixes, including for the underlying cause of the Start menu crashing on launch or the All apps list not displaying.

There are five known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3640.)

Windows 11 Insider Builds 22621.3668 and 22631.3668

Release date: May 17, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build for Windows version 22H2 (Build 22621) and version 23H2 (Build 22631) adds several new features, including one that lets you directly share to specific Microsoft Teams channels and group chats in the Windows share window, if you sign in using a Microsoft Entra ID.

It also starts the rollout of the new account manager on the Start menu, which shows you your account benefits a glance and makes it easier to manage your account settings when you use a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows.

These features might not be available to all users yet, because they will roll out gradually.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which File Explorer stopped responding when you swiped from a screen edge after turning off edge swiping.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Builds 22621.3668 and 22631.3668.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26217

Release date: May 15, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

This build includes, in Microsoft’s words, “a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders.”

It also fixes two bugs, including one in which after using the Disable button for a camera under Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Cameras, the Enable button wouldn’t work; and the other in which the text showing the color filters keyboard shortcut was missing from Settings > Accessibility > Color filters.

Microsoft is investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. If that happened to you and you want to get the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel, download the latest ISO, do a clean install, and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26217.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3575

Release date: May 10, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can copy files from the Windows share window by clicking the new copy button. The build also fixes several bugs for those who have the toggle turned on, including one in which the address bar dropdown appeared unexpectedly on its own, because focus moved to the address bar.

There are five known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3575)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.470

Release date: May 10, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings homepage. The card will be shown to you if you actively play games on your PC.

Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a wide variety of bug fixes, including one in which IT admins can now use mobile device management (MDM) to turn off the prompt that appears when users sign in to an Entra-joined machine. To do this, they can turn on the “DisablePostLogonProvisioning” policy setting. After a user signs in, provisioning is off for Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.470.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26212

Release date: May 8, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, you can now generate QR codes for URLs and cloud file links through the Windows share window in order to share web pages across your devices. To do it in Microsoft Edge, click the share button in the Edge toolbar and choose “Windows share options.”

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which File Explorer sporadically crashed when using path suggestions in the address bar.

Microsoft is investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. If that happened to you and you want to get the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel, download the latest ISO, do a clean install, and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26212.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3570

Release date: May 3, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can duplicate a tab by right-clicking on a tab in File Explorer and also receive a wide variety of bug fixes, including one in which the address bar dropdown might appear unexpectedly while using File Explorer.

The build fixes several bugs for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Copilot auto-launched unexpectedly after PCs restarted.

There are five known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3570)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.461

Release date: May 3, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, those in the Dev Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience of Windows. Everyone in the Dev Channel gets a bug fixed in which one in which Copilot auto-launched unexpectedly after PCs restarted.

There is one known issue with this build: some Insiders experience an install error 0x8007371B when trying to install Build 26120.461

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.461.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3566

Release date: April 26, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates can now drag-and-drop files with a mouse between breadcrumbs in the File Explorer Address Bar. For everyone in the Beta Channel, widgets are no longer pixelated or fuzzy. In addition, widgets on the lock screen are more reliable.

The build fixes an assortment of bugs for everyone in the Beta Channel, including a memory allocation issue in the Host Networking Service (HNS) that caused high memory consumption. The bug also affected service and pod deployment and scaling.

There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3566.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3500

Release date: April 19, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

This build begins the rollout of a new account manager on the Start menu for those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates. When you sign in with a Microsoft account, the new design gives you a quick glanceable view of your account benefits and makes it easier to manage account settings.

In the build, everyone in the Beta Channel gets new navigation bar on the left allowing one to switch between a dedicated widgets dashboard and other integrated dashboards like Discover.  

There are several known issues in this build for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3500.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200

Release date: April 19, 2024

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build there are several improvements to the Widgets button on the taskbar so that the icons on the taskbar are clearer. There are also a larger set of animated icons.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one that caused RemoteApp windows to get cut off when using 200% scaling.

There are four known issues with this build, including one in which using Windows Ink to write in Copilot will not work with the updated Copilot in Windows feature that allows Copilot to act like a normal application window.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3495

Release date: April 12, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will get recommendations for apps from the Microsoft Store under Recommended on the Start menu. This will appear only for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel in the US and will not apply to commercial devices (devices managed by organizations). This can be turned off by going to Settings > Personalization > Start and turning off the toggle for “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more.”

In the build, everyone in the Beta Channel can switch between two ways of using Copilot for Windows: The existing “docked” behavior that attaches Copilot to the side of your desktop, and a new mode where it acts like a normal application window that you can resize and move around your screen.

There are several known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3495.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3520 and 22631.3520

Release date: April 11, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update adds a new mobile device management (MDM) policy called “AllowScreenRecorder” for the Snipping Tool. With it, IT admins can turn off screen recording in the app. The build also adds support for Arm64 .msi files using a Group Policy Object (GPO).

There are a wide variety of bug fixes in this build, including for a bug in which Settings stopped responding when you dismissed a flyout menu, and another in which the Windows Local Administrator Password Solution’s (LAPS) Post Authentication Actions (PAA) did not happen at the end of the grace period. Instead, they occurred at restart.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3520 and 22631.3520.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3430

Release date: April 5, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a Copilot feature in which when you copy text or image files, the Copilot icon will change appearance and animate to indicate that Copilot can help. When you hover your mouse over the Copilot icon, it will provide a menu of actions that you can take, such as creating a similar image or analyzing an image. If you select an action on the menu, it will launch the action with Copilot.

There are several known issues for everyone in the Beta Channel, including one in which Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3430.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100

Release date: April 3, 2024

Released to: Canary and Dev Channels

This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one that prevented bringing focus to the “…” or refresh buttons within Copilot when using a keyboard (for example, by using tab to cycle through buttons).

There are four known issues with this build, including one in which Copilot in Windows does not always fill the width of the panel when docked and resized to a large width. Resizing Copilot to less than half of the width of your screen usually fixes this issue.

Note: The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the period in which they are on the same builds, Insiders in the Canary Channel can switch to switch to the Dev Channel. Soon, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed for switching.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26100.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3420

Release date: March 29, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will get a new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars. The taskbar entry-point will move to the left of the systems tray and will be wider so you can see richer content from Widgets on your taskbar. When you launch the Widgets board, it will fly out from the right side instead of the left side.

Those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates will also get a variety of bug fixes, including for one in which no app results showed in search, and another in which Task Manager was holding onto process handles sometimes, leading to processes not stopping when you closed apps if you’d had Task Manager open.

Everyone in the Beta Channel can ask Copilot in Windows for help 10 times when they sign in to Windows using a local account. After that, they must sign in using a Microsoft account (MSA) or a Microsoft Entra ID account. To sign in, use the link in the dialog that appears in Copilot in Windows. If you do not sign in, some Copilot features might not work.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets a variety of bug fixes, including one in which IT admins can now use mobile device management (MDM) to turn off the prompt that appears when users sign in to an Entra-joined machine. To do this, they can turn on the “DisablePostLogonProvisioning” policy setting. After a user signs in, provisioning is off for Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3420.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26090

Release date: March 28, 2024

Released to: Canary and Dev Channels

In this build, the Widget board gets a new navigation bar on the left allowing you to switch between a dedicated widgets dashboard and other integrated dashboards like Discover. In addition, the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol gets many changes, including one in which Administrators can now disable the SMB over QUIC client with Group Policy and PowerShell.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which Task Manager was sometimes holding onto process handles, leading to processes not stopping when you closed apps if you’d had Task Manager open.

There are six known issues with this build, including one in which when Copilot in Windows is docked and resized to a large width, Copilot does not always fill the width of the panel. Resizing Copilot to less than half of the width of your screen usually fixes this issue.

Note: The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the period in which they are on the same builds, Insiders in the Canary Channel can switch to the Dev Channel. Soon, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed for switching.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26090.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3371 and 22631.3371

Release date: March 21, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

In this build, IT admins can now use mobile device management to turn off the prompt that appears when users sign in to an Entra-joined machine when using Windows Hello for Business. To do this, they can turn on the “DisablePostLogonProvisioning” policy setting. After a user signs in, provisioning is off for Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.

The build also improves the Remote Desktop Session Host. You can now set up its “clipboard redirection” policy to work in a single direction from the local computer to the remote computer. You can also reverse that order.

There are a wide variety of bug fixes in this build, including for a bug in which the existing AppLocker rule collection enforcement mode was not overwritten when rules merged with a collection that had no rules. This occurred when the enforcement mode was set to “Not Configured.” It also fixed a bug in which the Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ) PowerShell module did not load.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3371 and 22631.3371.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26085

Release date: March 20, 2024

Released to: Canary and Dev Channels

In this build, users with Bluetooth LE Audio capable assistive hearing devices can now set up and manage their devices via Settings > Accessibility > Hearing aids. Also, a pointer indicator accessibility setting for low-vision users that was introduced in Build 26052 has been disabled. Microsoft plans to reinstate it after fixing some bugs.

The release also fixes several bugs, including one that was causing Settings to freeze and another that caused Insiders in the Dev Channel to see error 0x80070002 when trying to install cumulative updates.

Note: The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the period in which they are on the same builds, Insiders in the Canary Channel can switch to the Dev Channel. Soon, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed for switching.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26085.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3350

Release date: March 13, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get a fix for a bug in which taskbar icons were cutting off the title instead of adjusting with the title length.

Everyone in the Beta Channel will now see their most frequently used app listed in the Recommended section in the Start menu. This applies for most frequently used apps that are not already pinned to the Start menu or taskbar. In addition, everyone in the Beta Channel gets a bug fixed in File Explorer in which hovering over the first picture in Gallery would make a tooltip appear that would never dismiss.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3350.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26080

Release date: March 13, 2024

Released to: Canary and Dev Channels

In this build, Microsoft Teams is available as a single application for every type of Teams account (work, school, and personal), offering users seamless switching among accounts. To add or access additional accounts, select your profile picture at the upper right corner of Teams when you sign into Teams.

In addition, there is a new runtime for Copilot in Windows that allows you to manage more settings via Copilot, including accessibility-focused settings, and use Power Automate Desktop through Copilot. Copilot in Windows also gets the ability to switch between the existing “docked” behavior that attaches Copilot to the side of your desktop, and a new mode where it acts like a normal application window that you can resize and move around your screen.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which when you turned the Copilot icon off and back on in Settings, it never reappeared on your taskbar, another in which your GPU showed as -1 in Task Manager, and a third in which a Display Connection section was showing up under Settings > System > Display > Graphics and when clicked, it crashed Settings.

There are nine known issues with this build, including one in which context menu icons in File Explorer may appear out of place and with overlapping text. In another, when Copilot in Windows is docked and resized to a large width, Copilot does not always fill the width of the panel. Resizing Copilot to less than half of the width of your screen usually fixes this issue.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26080.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3286

Release date: March 8, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, for those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates, when you copy text, the Copilot icon will change appearance and animate to indicate that Copilot can help. When you hover your mouse over the Copilot icon, it will provide a menu of actions that you can take, such as summarizing or explaining the copied text. If you select an action on the menu, it will launch Copilot with the action ready to go.

You can now also open Copilot by dragging an image file onto the Copilot icon in the taskbar. Then drop the image into the text box in Copilot and type an action that you would like to take on the image.

A single bug has been fixed for those who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates: Settings will no longer crash for some Insiders when going to System > Nearby Sharing. And everyone in the Beta channel gets a fix for a bug that increased of explorer.exe crashes in the last two flights.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3286.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3276

Release date: March 4, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get three bug fixes, including for a bug in which devices with long names weren’t shown in nearby sharing, and another that made Task Manager less reliable.

A new feature is being slowly rolled out in the next few weeks to all Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel: When they move their mouse cursors over the Copilot icon on the taskbar, it opens the Copilot pane. The Copilot pane will close unless interacted with after it opens.

In addition, a bug was fixed for all Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel — search highlights icon in the taskbar could get out of sync with the search highlights for the day.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which Microsoft Defender Application Guard (MDAG) for Microsoft Edge users may hit a no network connection issue when browsing inside MDAG. The workaround is to disable the MDAG enterprise policy or uninstall MDAG via “Turn Windows Features on and off” and reboot. Note that MDAG for Edge is a deprecated feature.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3276.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3212

Release date: February 26, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have turned the toggle on to receive the latest updates get two bugs fixed, one in which the taskbar was sometimes very slow to appear after booting up and logging in for the first time, and another in which taskbar search would open and immediately close if the taskbar had a great many app icons.

Everyone in the Beta Channel will now get notifications when they miss an important notification on their taskbars.

There is one known issue in this build, in which Microsoft Defender Application Guard (MDAG) for Microsoft Edge users may hit a no network connection issue when browsing inside MDAG. The workaround is to disable the MDAG enterprise policy or uninstall MDAG via “Turn Windows Features on and off” and reboot. Note that MDAG for Edge is a deprecated feature.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3212.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26063

Release date: February 22, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build supports the new Wi-Fi 7 standard, which offers higher speed, improved video streaming and videoconferencing compared to previous standards — up to four times as fast as Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, and close to six times faster than Wi-Fi 5. To take advantage of it, you’ll need a Wi-Fi 7 capable consumer access point and PC.

In addition, Copilot in Windows can perform 16 new actions, including Power Automate Desktop, which lets you automate Windows tasks.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which typing too quickly in the Settings search box could result in the results not loading completely, and another in which if you were using multiple monitors, opening a minimized window sometimes resulted in the window appearing on the wrong monitor.

There are nine known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which a Display Connection section is incorrectly showing up under Settings > System > Display > Graphics that when clicked, will crash Settings.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26063.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3209

Release date: February 16, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, you can now access and edit your most recent photos and screenshots from your Android mobile device in Snipping Tool on your PC. It sends instant notifications on your PC whenever a new photo or screenshot is captured on your Android device. To turn it on, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices, choose Manage devices, and allow your PC to access your Android phone. Note that this feature is being gradually rolled out.

The build also fixes a number of bugs, including one in which devices didn’t make the automatic switch from cellular to Wi-Fi when they could use Wi-Fi, and another in which you could not connect to sovereign cloud endpoints in Remote Desktop Web Authentication.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3209.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3227 and 22631.3227

Release date: February 15, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

In this build, you can use the Snipping Tool on your PC to edit the most recent photos and screenshots from your Android device. You will get an instant notification on your PC when your Android device captures a new photo or screenshot. To turn this on, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices. Choose Manage devices and allow your PC to access your Android device. In addition, the Copilot in Windows icon appears on the right side of the system tray on the taskbar.

A wide variety of bugs have been fixed in this build, including one in which Notepad did not open for the standard user account when you use Command Prompt to open it based on file type association.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3227 and 22631.3227.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26058

Release date: February 14, 2023

Released to: Dev and Canary Channels

In this build, a new pointer indicator helps low-vision users to more easily locate and use their cursors. To turn it on, go to Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch and enable the Pointer indicator setting. The widget board also gets a new navigation pane.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which focus sessions continued to show as running in the notification center after they had ended, and another in which the last checked time showing for Windows Update in Settings was wrong.

There are nine known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which a Display Connection section is incorrectly showing up under Settings > System > Display > Graphics that when clicked, will crash Settings.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26058.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26052

Release date: February 8, 2024

Released to: Canary and Dev Channels

With this build, Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel are being moved from receiving 23000 series builds to receiving 26000 series builds. The Canary and Dev Channels receiving the same builds is only temporary. During the times in which the Canary and Dev Channels are on the same builds, the window is open for Insiders in the Canary Channel to switch to the Dev Channel. At some point, the Canary Channel will jump to higher build numbers and the window will be closed.

The build includes Sudo for Windows, a new way for users to run elevated commands directly from an unelevated console session. The build also has a new Copilot in Windows feature that springs into action when you copy text. The Copilot icon will change appearance and animate to indicate that Copilot can help (there are several different treatments, so you may notice a different visual effect). When you hover your mouse over the Copilot icon, it will provide a menu of actions that you can take, such as summarizing or explaining the copied text.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the print queue did not open and another in which in some multi-monitor configurations, a display appeared as frozen.

There are five known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which some video streaming apps from the Microsoft Store may not play. As a workaround, you can try streaming from a browser.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26052.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3140

Release date: February 8, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, the Copilot icon has been moved to the right side of the system tray on the taskbar for everyone in the Beta Channel. This is just beginning to roll out, so not everyone will see this change right away. In addition, people logged into Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise editions with a Microsoft Entra ID account will be able to view and join upcoming Microsoft Teams meetings directly from the Start menu.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3140.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3139

Release date: February 1, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features get several bug fixes, including some that improve overall Windows 11 reliability, one that addresses Task Manager unreliability, and one that fixes a dwm.exe crash.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3139.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26040

Release date: January 26, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build gradually rolls out a feature that gives Windows users the ability to access and edit their most recent photos and screenshots from their Android mobile devices in Snipping Tool on their PC. They can receive instant notifications on their PCs whenever a new photo or screenshot is captured on their Android devices.

The build also supports the latest generation USB standard, USB 80Gbps. USB 80Gbps support will initially launch on select devices based on the Intel Core 14th Gen HX-series mobile processors, such as the new Razer Blade 18.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which hovering over the system tray area wasn’t bringing up the taskbar when set to autohide, and another in which spacing and fonts used in some settings pages for Widgets were incorrect.

There are five known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which the print queue shows messaging saying it can’t find the app when opened. As a workaround, you can launch the print queue from the Run dialog (Win key + R) and enter: explorer.exe shell:appsFolder\Microsoft.Windows.PrintQueueActionCenter_cw5n1h2txyewy!App.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26040.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23620

Release date: January 25, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

This build fixes several bugs, including one that was causing labels like System in the Start menu’s all apps list to be cut off if text scaling was above 100%, and another that harmed Task Manager’s reliability.

The build has two known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23620.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3130

Release date: January 25, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features will see suggestions in Snap Layouts that help you instantly snap multiple app windows together. When hovering over the Minimize or Maximize button on an app (or Win key + Z) to launch the layout box, you will see app icons displayed in various layout options to help recommend the best layout option that works best.

Everyone in the Beta Channel who has turned on the toggle to unenroll their device under Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program > Stop getting preview builds will begin receiving an in-place upgrade that removes their device from flighting. This in-place upgrade will install Windows 11, version 23H2 with the most recent servicing updates available to retail customers. Please note that unenrolling a device from flighting in the Beta Channel will result in a loss of some features that are not yet available for retail customers. However, your personal data will still be there.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets a number of bug fixes, including one for a bug that caused your device to shut down after 60 seconds when you used a smart card to authenticate on a remote system, and another in which search stopped working on the Start menu for some users because of a deadlock.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3130.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3066

Release date: January 19, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, four bugs have been fixed for Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features, including one in which dragging the Task Manager window didn’t work if your mouse pointer was on the search box, and another in which voice access crashed when setting up new languages.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets support for the latest generation USB standard, USB 80Gbps. USB 80Gbps support will initially launch on select devices based on the Intel Core 14th Gen HX-series mobile processors, such as the new Razer Blade 18.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3066.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23619

Release date: January 18, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

This build starts a gradual rollout of a feature that lets Windows users access and edit their most recent photos and screenshots from their Android mobile devices in Snipping Tool on their PCs. They will receive instant notifications on their PCs whenever a new photo or screenshot is captured on their Android devices. To turn on the feature, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices, choose Manage devices, and allow your PC to access your Android phone.

Two bugs have also been fixed, one in which dragging the Task Manager window wouldn’t work if your mouse was on the search box, and another that hurt the launch performance of File Explorer.

The build has four known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23619.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23615

Release date: January 11, 2024

Released to: Dev Channel

This build supports the latest-generation USB standard, USB 80Gbps. In addition, for Microsoft Edge and other browsers that invoke the Windows share window, the Windows share window now supports the ability to share URLs directly to WhatsApp, Gmail, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn. In Microsoft Edge, launch the Windows share window by clicking the share icon at the top right in the toolbar and choosing the Windows share options.

Two bugs have also been fixed, one that made Task Manager unreliable for some Insiders, and another that made the Windows share window unreliable for some Insiders.

The build has four known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23615.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3061

Release date: January 11, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, for Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features, the Windows share window for Microsoft Edge and other browsers that invoke the Windows share window now supports the ability to share URLs directly to WhatsApp, Gmail, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn. In Microsoft Edge, launch the Windows share window by clicking the share icon at the top right in the toolbar and choosing the Windows share options.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets dynamic, interactive weather updates on their lock screens. Everyone also gets two bug fixes, one for the spellchecker, and the other for ActiveX scroll bar.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3061.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3078 and 22631.3078

Release date: January 11, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build adds eye control system settings. You can back up these settings from the former device while you set up a new device. Then those settings will install automatically on the new device so you can use them when you reach the desktop.

There are a wide variety of bug fixed in this build, including one in which search stopped working on the Start menu for some users because of a deadlock, and another that stopped WMI from working in certain scenarios with mobile device management providers, such as Microsoft Intune.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.3078 and 22631.3078.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2921

Release date: January 4, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features get a handful of fixes to improve overall reliability. One bug was fixed for those who get new features, in which a tabtip.exe crash impacted the ability for some Windows Insiders to input text.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2921.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23612

Release date: January 3, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build offers dynamic, interactive weather updates on the lockscreen. It also lets you use all voice access features on multiple displays, including number and grid overlays, which were previously unavailable on any display other than the primary one. It also introduces voice shortcuts or custom commands to enable you to create your own commands. This is currently available if you use voice access in English.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which the text input indicator appeared to be floating when you opened Start menu, and another that caused explorer.exe to crash when opening the context menu in File Explorer if multiple files were selected.

The build has five known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23612.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26020

Release date: January 3, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build lets you use all voice access features on multiple displays, including number and grid overlays, which were previously unavailable on any display other than the primary one. It also introduces voice shortcuts or custom commands to enable you to create your own commands. This is currently available if you use voice access in English. In addition, the WordPad and People apps will no longer be installed after doing a clean install of the OS. In a future flight, WordPad will be removed on upgrade and will not be reinstallable.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which Settings crashed when navigating to Power & Battery, and another in which the details pane in File Explorer unexpectedly took keyboard focus sometimes.

There are six known issues in this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which the print queue shows a messaging saying it can’t find the app when opened. As a workaround, you can launch the print queue from the Run dialog (Windows key + R) and entering:

explorer.exe shell:appsFolder\Microsoft.Windows.PrintQueueActionCenter_cw5n1h2txyewy!App.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26020.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2915

Release date: December 14, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features get extended language support for languages such as French (France or Canada), German, and Spanish (Spain or Mexico).

In addition, there is a new dedicated mode for Windows 365 boot. With it, you can boot to your Windows 365 Cloud PC from your designated company-owned device. You will be able to seamlessly login to your Windows 365 Cloud PC from Windows 11 login screen using passwordless authentication methods like Windows Hello for Business. In Windows 365 Switch, you can now disconnect from Cloud PC directly from a local PC. This can be done by going to Local PC > Task view > Right click on the Cloud PC button > Disconnect.

This build also marks a transition from  Windows Speech Recognition (WSR), which is being deprecated, to voice access, a new assistive technology that uses on-device speech recognition, enabling control of your PC and authoring text without an internet connection. When WSR is opened, a dialog will pop up directing you to try voice access.

All Insiders, even those who haven’t selected the option to receive new features, get an updated Notepad that includes displaying character count in the status bar.

Insiders who have opted to receive new features get two bug fixes, one in which when you create a dump file for a process, the dump file location is selectable now so you can copy it out, and another that eliminates the background jumping when switching between desktops.

This is the last Beta Channel release for 2023.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2915.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23606

Release date: December 13, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build marks a transition from Windows Speech Recognition (WSR), which is being deprecated, to voice access, a new assistive technology that uses on-device speech recognition, enabling control of your PC and authoring text without an internet connection. When WSR is opened, a dialog will pop up directing you to try voice access.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one that caused the details pane in File Explorer to unexpectedly take keyboard focus sometimes.

The build has six known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

Microsoft is releasing ISOs for this build, which can be downloaded here. This is the last Dev Channel release for 2023.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23606.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26016

Release date: December 13, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build introduces Windows Protected Print Mode, which lets your PC print using Mopria-certified printers only. These printers eliminate third-party printer drivers and instead rely on Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) with built-in encryption for safer and more streamlined printing operations.

A variety of bugs have been fixed in this build, including one that caused keyboard shortcuts to not work on the desktop, and another that caused the details pane in File Explorer to unexpectedly take keyboard focus sometimes.

There are four known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which attempting to reboot into safe mode hangs on the boot logo.

This is the last Canary Channel release for 2023.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26016.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2850

Release date: December 8, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features can use WhatsApp in Windows Share.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2850.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23601

Release date: December 7, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build includes many new features for Windows 365 Boot, which lets sys admins configure Windows 11 physical devices so that users can sign in directly to their Windows 365 Cloud PC on them. Among the new capabilities is a dedicated mode that lets you seamlessly log in to your Windows 365 Cloud PC from the Windows 11 login screen using passwordless authentication methods like Windows Hello for Business.

Windows 365 Switch, which lets users move between their local device and one of their Cloud PCs using multiple desktops with the Windows 11 Task view, also gets new features, including an easier way to disconnect from their Cloud PC directly from their local PC.

In addition, screen casting gets improved discoverability, and there are new widgets board settings, including more ways to customize it.

The build also includes a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in Copilot in Windows that was causing full-screen apps to minimize on secondary monitors when launching Copilot, and another on the Start menu that caused the Recommended section to appear blank for some users.

The build has seven known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23601.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26010

Release date: December 7, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build introduces new settings to customize how the widget board works, including one that makes it easier for you to discover how to personalize your feed content.

Six bugs have been fixed, including one that caused the restart button to be missing in Settings > Windows Update or for that settings page to not load at all, and another that caused some users to experience an increase in bug checks.

There are four known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which attempting to reboot into safe mode hangs on the boot logo.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26010.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2841

Release date: December 4, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel                                  

In this build, when Insiders who have selected the option to receive new features turn on nearby sharing via quick settings or directly in Settings and have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off, it will turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, so nearby sharing will work as expected. If they turn off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, it will also turn off nearby sharing.

There are several bug fixes for those who have toggled the option on, including one in which Task Manager crashed when changing Always on Top mode, and one in which the dropdowns in settings would float up the screen if you scrolled.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets new widget board settings, including one that makes it easier for you to discover how to personalize your feed content.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets a variety of bug fixes, including one in which Copilot in Windows can be used across multiple displays, and another that fixed an issue with Remote Desktop web authentication.

There are six known issues, including one in which the Microsoft 365, Outlook Calendar, and To Do widgets get stuck in an error state when the Microsoft Start feed is disabled.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2841.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26002

Release date: November 29, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build introduces energy saver, which enhances Windows’s battery saver feature by reducing system performance to improve battery life. It can be toggled on and off via Quick Settings in the system tray or configured to run automatically whenever the device reaches a certain battery percentage.

Four bugs have been fixed, including one that caused the installation of some apps, including Phone Link, to fail with error 0x87AF0813, and another that caused Settings to crash when navigating to Bluetooth & Devices > Touchpad.

There are three known issues with this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly, and another in which attempting to reboot into safe mode hangs on the boot logo.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26002.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23595

Release date: November 29, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build shows the Copilot icon on the right side of the system tray on the taskbar so the entry point to Copilot is closer to where the Copilot pane opens. And if you’re signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID, in addition to being able to share to your Microsoft Teams (work or school) contacts, you can also now share directly to specific Microsoft Teams Channels and groups chats directly within the Windows share window.

One bug was fixed; it caused custom wallpapers to shift when switching desktops.

The build has two known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23595.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2776

Release date: November 28, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those Insiders who have toggled on the option to receive new features as soon as they are released and are signed into Windows with a Microsoft Entra ID can now directly share Teams contacts to specific Microsoft Teams Channels and groups chats as well directly within the Windows share window.

There are several bug fixes for those who have toggled the option on, including for a bug in which when dragging and dropping windows in Task View to different desktops, the windows might unexpectedly be placed in the background of other windows.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets account-related notifications for Microsoft accounts on the Settings homepage. Notifications are displayed across the Start menu and Settings. You can manage Settings notifications in Settings > Privacy & security > General.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2776.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22631.2787

Release date: November 16, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

In this build, you can use Copilot in Windows across multiple displays. Press the Copilot in Windows taskbar button on the taskbar of the display where you want Copilot in Windows to appear. You can also ask Copilot in Windows for help ten times when you sign in to Windows using a local account.

There are a variety of bug fixes in this build, including for an issue in which remote direct memory access (RDMA) performance counters did not return networking data on VMs in the right way, and another in which the Systems Settings application stopped responding after you turned off Device Encryption.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22631.2787.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2771

Release date: November 16, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, those Insiders who have toggled on the option to receive new features as soon as they are released will get previews for natural voices in Narrator for 10 new locales launched in September 2023. They will also get improvements in how Narrator handles images, such as improved recognition of text in images, including handwriting, and improvements to overall image descriptions.

There are also a variety of bug fixes for those who have toggled the option on, including one in which Narrator was announcing old dialog names even after users navigated to new dialogs on a few web pages, and another in which Settings Home was unexpectedly showing some users that there was NaN% storage left.

Everyone in the Beta Channel gets several bug fixes, including for one in which Settings Home showed a prompt to sign into your Microsoft account and failed to sign in if you tried to use it, even though Settings itself showed you were already signed in.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2771.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23590

Release date: November 15, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build includes previews for natural voices in Narrator for 10 new locales launched in September 2023. Narrator also gets improvements in how it handles images, such as improved recognition of text in images, including handwriting, and improvements to overall image descriptions.

A variety of bugs were fixed, including one in which opening the context menu on the desktop crashed explorer.exe and another in which the share window in Windows Share crashed.

The build has one known issue: when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23590.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25997

Release date: November 15, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, if you’re signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID, your Microsoft Teams (work or school) contacts will appear in the Windows share window to make it easier to share. In addition, a new option under Settings > Bluetooth & devices will prevent Phone Link from communicating with your mobile devices.

Five bugs have been fixed, including one that caused taskbar icons to disappear after switching desktops, and another in which Settings Home showed a prompt to sign into your Microsoft account and failed to sign you in if you tried to use it, even though Settings itself showed you were already signed in.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which attempting to navigate to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touchpad will crash Settings.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25997.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25992

Release date: November 8, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build includes a number of Server Message Block (SMB) protocol changes, including firewall changes; the ability to connect to an SMB server over TCP, QUIC, or RDMA using alternative network ports to the hardcoded defaults; and changes to SMB over QUIC client access control certificates.

Five bugs have been fixed, including one that caused taskbar icons to disappear after switching desktops, and another in which Settings Home showed a prompt to sign into your Microsoft account and failed to sign you in if you tried to use it, even though Settings itself showed you were already signed in.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which attempting to navigate to Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Touchpad will crash Settings.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25992.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23585

Release date: November 8, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, the Camera app, Cortana app, Photos app, People app, and Remote Desktop (MSTSC) client can now be uninstalled.

Several bugs were fixed, including one in which the context menu drew off screen when invoked using touch or pen on the side of your desktop.

The build has one known issue, in when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23585.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2700

Release date: Nov. 2, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

This build fixes a bug in which the setting to turn off the use of drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop did not work. Microsoft is also looking into an issue in which Snipping Tool may crash when taking a capture on Arm devices.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2700.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23580

Release date: Nov. 1, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, users with local accounts can access Copilot in Windows for a limited number of queries before needing to sign in.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in File Explorer in which using mouse back and forward buttons didn’t react when hovering over the Recommended Files section of Home, and another in which if your taskbar was nearly full of icons — and you used the search box — clicking the search box would open search, which would immediately close.

The build has two known issues, one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23580.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25987

Release date: Nov. 1, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, PNG files now support viewing and editing metadata — you can set a star rating in Properties, edit the description, or add keywords. In addition, the settings page for Delivery Optimization under Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization now matches the Windows 11 design principles.

One bug has been fixed, to stop File Explorer from crashing in Windows Sandbox when using a non-English display language.

There are three known issues, including one in which some popular games might not work correctly on Preview builds in the Canary Channel.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25987.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23575

Release date: Oct. 27, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build tests out grouping recently added apps into a folder under the Recommended section of Start with some Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. It also fixes a number of bugs, including one in which some Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel using the Home edition of Windows 11 Insider Preview builds to find Copilot in Windows has disappeared from the taskbar.

The build has one known issue: when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23575.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2552

Release date: Oct. 26, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, system Components currently listed in Settings > Apps > Installed Apps page, have moved to their own page under Settings > System > System Components.

There are also a variety of bug fixes, including one in which the Widgets notification badge was on the wrong place ion the taskbar, and another in which touchscreens did not work properly when more than one display is used.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2552)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25982

Release date: Oct. 25, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build gradually rolls out the Copilot in Windows preview. Some Insiders will immediately see it, and others will have to wait. In addition, SMB now supports requiring encryption of all outbound SMB client connections.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one that led to hangs when launching File Explorer, and another that caused the print queue to be inaccessible and show an error if you tried to open it.

There is one known issue in this build, in which some popular games might not work correctly on Preview builds in the Canary Channel.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25982.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2486

Release date: October 19, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

In this build, under “All apps” in the Start menu, Windows 11 system components will now show a “system” label. Also, the Xbox Game Bar will now show as just Game Bar under the Start menu and under Settings > System > Apps > Installed apps. This change will come through a Game Bar update via the Microsoft Store.

The build fixes two bugs, one that caused the Start menu to crash on launch if the display language was set to Czech or Slovak, and another in which the search icon in the taskbar wasn’t appearing correctly for people using search icon and label.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2486.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23570

Release date: October 18, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, Copilot in Windows can now be used across multiple monitors. The build fixes a variety of bugs, including some that could have led to hangs when launching File Explorer, and one in Settings in which Home was unexpectedly showing some users that there was NaN% storage left.

The build has two known issues, both in Copilot in Windows. In one, while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time. In the other, Copilot in Windows has disappeared from the taskbars of some Insiders who use the Home edition of Windows 11 Insider Preview builds.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23570.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25977

Release date: October 18, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, new controls have been added to help manage which apps have access to the list of Wi-Fi networks around you, which could be used to determine your location.  You can view and modify which apps can access the list of Wi-Fi networks by navigating to Settings > Privacy & security > Location.

In addition, in the build, Windows supports the use of hearing aids equipped with the latest Bluetooth Low Energy Audio (LE Audio) technology. Customers who use these new hearing aids are now able to directly pair, stream audio, and take calls on their Windows PCs with LE Audio support.

Several bugs have been fixed, including one in which certain .rar files would open blank or with an unexpected message saying there was insufficient memory to open the file.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly on Preview builds in the Canary Channel.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25977.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2483

Release date: October 13, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

This build disables the update of the color font format to COLRv1 (first introduced in Build 22631.2265) that displayed richer emoji with a 3D like appearance to fix some bugs. It will be re-enabled in a future build.

The build fixes one bug, which was causing search to crash on launch for some Insiders.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2483.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621. 2500

Release date: October 12, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

In this update, when you select the gleam in the search box, a Bing.com page will appear for the daily search highlight. This is available to a small audience initially and will be made available more widely in the coming months.

The update also addresses a wide variety of bugs, including fixing memory leaks in ctfmon.exe and TextInputHost.exem and fixing a bug that blocked external connections when you set up a Kubernetes load balanced service and turned on session affinity.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2500.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23565

Release date: October 11, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build Copilot in Windows shows its new icon on the taskbar. Several bugs have also been fixed, including one that could have caused File Explorer windows to hang for OneDrive users.

The build has three known issues, including one in which some apps under “All apps” on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components, and another in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23565.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2419

Release date: October 10, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

With this build, there will no longer be a build split number in the Beta channel — everyone in the channel will now get the same build. If you want to get the newest features from the build, go to Settings > Windows Update and turn the toggle below “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” to On. If you don’t do that, the features will be rolled out to you more gradually.

This build includes improvements to Windows Ink, which will be rolled out to everyone regardless of whether they asked to receive the latest features. It also includes a new Copilot in Windows icon on the taskbar, which will only be immediately available to those who want the newest features.

The build fixes several bugs, including one in which explorer.exe was crashing when you tried to open File Explorer by using Open File Location in an app.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2419.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25967

Release date: October 5, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build introduces a new Settings homepage that provides an overview of your device, gives quick access to key settings, and helps manage your Microsoft account. It includes interactive cards that represent various device and account related settings, grouped by commonly accessed functions. Each card is optimized to offer the most relevant information and controls. This release has seven cards, with more coming soon.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused Insiders to see bug checks (green screens) in recent Canary Channel builds when shutting down, logging out, or restarting, and another in which File Explorer sorting changes wouldn’t persist in folders after you navigated away and back.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which some popular games may not work correctly on Preview builds in the Canary Channel.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25967.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23560

Release date: October 4, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, Using the Alt + Tab hotkey displays the thumbnail preview for Copilot in Windows among with the other thumbnail previews of open windows, which you can switch between by pressing Tab. The build also fixes several bugs, including one that sometimes made File Explorer dropdowns and context menus unexpectedly have a transparent background and another in which the search box wasn’t showing the correct folder name when you were in Gallery.

The build has four known issues, including one in which when first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time, and another in which some apps under All apps on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23560.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23555

Release date: September 28, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused a Task Manager crash when changing Always on Top mode, and another that caused explorer.exe to crash when trying to open Copilot from the taskbar.

The build has five known issues, including one which the Windows Copilot Preview is not available in some regions and another in which some apps under All apps on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23555.)

Windows 11 version 23H2

Release date: September 26, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update is being released to Release Preview Channel for Windows Insider Program for Business participants to validate on devices in their organizations. This update is delivered as an enablement package with the same servicing branch and code base as Windows 11 version 22H2. It includes Copilot in Windows (in preview) and Windows Backup for Microsoft Accounts.

(Get more info about Windows 11 version 23H2.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2361

Release date: September 22, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update introduces a preview of Windows Copilot, which Microsoft says uses AI to make it easier to use Windows 11 and get more out of it. You can launch the Copilot preview by clicking its icon on the taskbar or pressing Window key + C.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2361.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23550

Release date: September 22, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, you can enable voice access for users to set up new Windows devices and navigate through the out of box experience. To enable it, launch the accessibility flyout on the bottom right corner of their screens and click on voice access.

The update also rolls out the September 2023 update for the Windows Subsystem for Linux and fixes a number of bugs, including one that caused sporadic explorer.exe and Start menu crashes, and another that sometimes caused thumbnails in the File Explorer Gallery to flash when scrolling.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23550.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2359

Release date: September 14, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update introduces websites to the Recommended section of the Start menu. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Microsoft Defender stopped some USB printers from printing, and another in which the display of some elements of Remote Apps were not aligned correctly.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2359.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25951

Release date: September 13, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, the SMB client now supports blocking NTLM for remote outbound connections, and the SMB server also supports controlling which SMB 2 and 3 dialects it will negotiate. The build also adjusts the network flyout on the Lock screen to better match the UI of the network flyout from quick settings in system tray on the taskbar.

There is one known issue in this build, in which some popular games may not work correctly on Preview builds in the Canary Channel.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25951.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23545

Release date: September 13, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build lets you quickly give your device a more friendly name for use with nearby share under Settings > System > Nearby sharing.

It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which icons on the desktop showed as generic white pages rather than their proper icons, and another in which rapidly opening two File Explorer windows made explorer.exe crash.

The build has four known issues, including one in which some apps under All apps on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components, and another in which you can use Alt + Tab to switch out of Windows Copilot, but not back into it. Windows + C will move focus back to Windows Copilot.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23545.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2338 and 22631.2338

Release date: September 12, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2338 and 22631.2338.

Build 22631.2338 gets a variety of fixes, including for a bug that caused some Insiders to see untranslated text in some areas across the system, including in File Explorer and Settings, and another in which after changing between dark and light mode in File Explorer, the icons in the command bar and context menu became very difficult to see.

In both Build 22621.2338 and Build 22631.2338, the Camera app, Cortana, Photos app, and People app can now be uninstalled, and a bug was fixed in which Microsoft Defender stopped some USB printers from printing.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.2338, you can check for updates and install 22631.2338.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2338 and 22631.2338.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23541

Release date: September 8, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which dragging app icons in the taskbar sometimes led to an explorer.exe crash, and another in search on the taskbar in which sometimes the tooltip when mousing over the search box wouldn’t match the current search highlight.

The build has nine known issues, including one in which icons on the desktop may show as generic white pages rather than their proper icons, and another in which some apps under All apps on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23541.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25947

Release date: September 7, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which File Explorer could crash when navigating to Gallery, and another in which explorer.exe would not work in safe mode.

There is one known issue in this build, in which some popular games may not work correctly on Preview builds in the Canary Channel.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25947.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2271 and 22631. 2271

Release date: September 6, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2271 and 22631.2271.

In Build 22631.2271, the Windows Ink improvements introduced with Build 22631.2050 that enabled inking directly onto edit fields are being temporarily disabled for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel while bugs impacting its usability are fixed.

Build 22631.2271 fixes a variety of bugs, including one that could make explorer.exe crash when navigating away from Home, and another that caused the Windows Copilot icon in the taskbar to be flipped backwards for right-to-left languages.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.2271, you can check for updates and install 22631.2271.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2271 and 22631.2271.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23536

Release date: August 31, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one that impacted the taskbar appearing correctly after powering on your device, and another that caused Task Manager to crash when using the end task option in the Details page.

The build has five known issues, including one which sometimes the tooltip when mousing over the search box does not match the current search highlight, and another in which some apps under “All apps” on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23536.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25941

Release date: August 31, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, the graph at the top of the Power & Battery page in Settings has been removed. Insiders can continue to see a graph of battery usage in the battery usage section further down the page. The Power & Battery settings page is also no longer broken up by “Power” and “Battery” sections.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Settings crashed when you looked at detailed battery usage, and another in which File Explorer context menu and command bar dropdowns became transparent and did not work with touch.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25941.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2265 and 22631.2265

Release date: August 31, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2265 and 22631.2265.

In Build 22631.2265, Windows can now display richer emoji with a 3D like appearance with support coming soon to some apps and browsers.

Build 22631.2265 gets a variety of fixes, including for a bug in which apps in the taskbar appeared to be cut off without a rounded corner on the end when you had a lot of app windows open and the taskbar was set to not combine.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.2265, you can check for updates and install 22631.2265.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2265 and 22631.2265.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25936

Release date: August 25, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, the Task Manager settings page has been changed to match the design principles of Windows 11. The design has a similar look and feel to the Settings in Windows 11 and provides a cleaner UI separating categories into different sections. In addition, the underlying crash which was causing .NET updates to get stuck requesting restart in Windows Update Settings in recent Canary Channel builds has been fixed.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25936.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23531

Release date: August 25, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build reintroduces the search experience for invoking the search flyout when you hover over the search box gleam. This behavior can be adjusted by right-clicking on the taskbar, choosing Taskbar settings, and adjusting your preferred search box experience.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which explorer.exe crashed when File Explorer was closed, and another in which Task Manager crashed sporadically, including when ending tasks.

The build has four known issues, including one which sometimes the tooltip when mousing over the search box does not match the current search highlight, and another in which some apps under All apps on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as system components.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23531.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2262 and 22631.2262

Release date: August 24, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2262 and 22631.2262.

Build 22631.2262 adds a new Settings home page that provides an overview of your device, adds quick access to key settings, and helps manage your Microsoft account. In addition, new backup and restore features make it easier to move apps to a new PC.

Build 22631.2262 fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which in some cases, the context menu background in File Explorer appeared transparent. This also impacted the command bar dropdown menus.

Builds 22621.2262 and 22631.2262 get two bug fixes, for one in which the “Check for updates” button did not appear as expected under Settings > Windows Update, and another in which removing a monitor while connected to a Cloud PC could result in a black screen with only a mouse visible.

Build 22631.2262 has three known issues, including one in which explorer.exe crashes on the login screen when attempting to enter safe mode.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.2262, you can check for updates and install 22631.2262.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2262 and 22631.2262.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23526

Release date: August 18, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, which is being released via ISOs, files that do not have rich thumbnail previews will no longer show a blank preview area in File Explorer. In addition, a variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which the System label in the Start menu’s “All apps” list was the wrong color in high-contrast themes, and another in which if you attempted to uninstall certain apps from Start, it would just open Settings and not navigate to the Installed Apps page.

The build has six known issues, including one which explorer.exe crashed on the login screen when attempting to enter safe mode, and another in which some apps under “All apps” on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as a system component.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23526.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2199 and 22631.2199

Release date: August 18, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2199 and 22631.2199.

Build 22631.2199 adds native support for reading additional archive file formats using the libarchive open-source project, such as .tar, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.zst,.tar.xz, and many others. In addition, files that do not have rich thumbnail previews will no longer show a blank preview area in File Explorer.

Build 22631.2199 fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the “safely remove hardware” icon did not appear when expected in the system tray, and another in which using End Task on certain apps caused other unrelated apps to close.

Build 22621.2199 has five known issues, including one in which the context menu background in File Explorer sometimes appears transparent.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.2199, you can check for updates and install 22631.2199.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2199 and 22631.2199.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25931

Release date: August 16, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

In this build, DC (domain controller) location will no longer use NetBIOS\WINS\mailslot-based discovery by default. In addition, the build includes new features previously released to the Dev Channel, such as Unicode Emoji 15 support, and voice is available for use on more areas in Windows such as the Lock screen. There are also more fields in the File Explorer Details pane, including image dimensions for pictures, number of pages for .docx, space used and free information for drives, and many others.

There’s one fix for a bug in which you weren’t able to connect over SMB to a third-party storage device using guest (no username or password) credentials.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25931.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23521

Release date: August 10, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel can participate in the public preview of Windows 365 Switch, which provides the ability to easily move between a Windows 365 Cloud PC and the local desktop using the familiar keyboard commands, as well as a mouse-click or a swipe gesture through Task View on the Windows 11 taskbar. Go here for details about how to participate.

In addition, Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who log in and are managed by AAD (soon to be Microsoft Entra ID) will see Windows Copilot enabled for them without the need to enable it via Group Policy Editor. Windows Search now also uses the Microsoft Bing Search app to return web content and search results.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one that prevented users from dragging a file out of an archived folder to extract it with one of the newly supported archive formats, and another that had removed the USB icon and its options from the system tray.

The build has six known issues, including one in which explorer.exe crashes on the login screen when attempting to enter safe mode, and another in which some apps under All apps on the Start menu may incorrectly be labeled as a system component.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23521.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2191 and 22631.2191

Release date: August 10, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2191 and 22631.2191.

Build 22631.2191 lets you set JXR files to be your desktop background, and if you have an HDR display, they will render in full HDR. In addition, you can now participate in the public preview of Windows 365 Switch, which provides the ability to easily move between a Windows 365 Cloud PC and the local desktop using the familiar keyboard commands, as well as a mouse-click or a swipe gesture through Task View on the Windows 11 taskbar. Go here for details about how to participate.

Build 22631.2191 gets a variety of fixes, including for a bug in which File Explorer crashed when you went to its Home, and another in which the image in the File Explorer Details pane might get blurry after resizing the File Explorer window.

Build 22621.has six known issues, including one in which the context menu background in File Explorer sometimes appeared transparent.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.2191, you can check for updates and install 22631.2191.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2191 and 22631.2191.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2213

Release date: August 10, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update adds a new hover behavior to the search box gleam. When you hover over it, the search flyout box appears. To can adjust this behavior, right-click the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings to change your search box experience.

The build also adds a new policy called “Enable optional updates” in which administrators can use it to configure the monthly, optional cumulative updates for commercial devices. You can also use this policy for the gradual Controlled Feature Rollouts (CFRs).

The update also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Group Policy Service did not wait for 30 seconds, the default wait time, for the network to be available. Because of this, policies were not correctly processed.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2213.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25926

Release date: August 9, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build includes new features first released in the Dev Channel, including improvements for Windows Ink, improved screen casting, and local file-sharing improvements. The Snipping Tool has also been upgraded, with new buttons to edit in Paint for screenshots and edit in Clipchamp for screen recordings.

In addition, Notifications now show as a bell in the system tray, and when new notifications come through, the bell will colorize based on your system accent color. When there are no notifications and the clock is visible, the bell will be empty. Notification counts are no longer shown.

There’s one bug fix in which using devices with mobile broadband connectivity could not connect to a wireless network due to an issue with the APN configuration.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25926.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25921

Release date: August 4, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build lets you set JXR files to be your desktop background. If you have an HDR display, they will render in full HDR. In addition, for people logged into a Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise editions with an AAD account (soon to be Microsoft Entra ID), there is a richer thumbnail preview (tooltips) when hovering over cloud files such as Word documents under Recommended on the Start menu. For this initial release, richer thumbnail previews will not be available for all files. An update will enable the experience for more files and for Microsoft account users.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25921.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23516

Release date: August 2, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build offers improvements to Windows screen casting, which lets you wirelessly extend your display to a nearby PC, TV, or other external display. The way in which you connect has been simplified and streamlined, and it’s easier to find nearby devices and displays to which you can cast.

The build also increases the ways in which you can use voice access, including to log into your PC and access other areas of the lock screen. You can turn on voice access from the accessibility flyout on the Lock screen or have it on automatically by checking the setting Start voice access before you sign in to your PC via Settings > Accessibility > Speech.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which the icons displayed in the tabs in File Explorer could have become out of sync with the current folder after navigating, and another in which multiple explorer.exe crashes harmed taskbar reliability.

The build has nine issues, including one in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process, and another in which search boxes in Microsoft 365 applications (such as Microsoft Word) might not work correctly.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23516.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2129 and 22631.2129

Release date: July 26, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2129 and 22631.2129.

Build 22631.2129 includes a preview of Windows Copilot for Windows 11. The preview focuses solely on the user interface. Later builds will have new features. Click the New button on the taskbar (or use the keyboard shortcut Windows key + C) to launch Windows Copilot. Windows Copilot will use the same Microsoft account or Azure Active Directory (AAD) account used to sign in to Windows.

In addition, voice access can now use “correction” commands to correct words that have been misrecognized. The build also increases the ways in which you can use voice access, including to log into your PC and access other areas of the lock screen. You can turn on voice access from the accessibility flyout on the Lock screen or have it on automatically by checking the setting Start voice access before you sign in to your PC via Settings > Accessibility > Speech.

This build also offers improvements to Windows screen casting, which lets you wirelessly extend your display to a nearby PC, TV, or other external display. The way in which you connect has been simplified and streamlined, and it’s easier to find nearby devices and displays to which you can cast.

In the build, enterprise customers can now set the EnablePasswordlessExperience policy that promotes a user experience on AAD-joined machines for core authentication scenarios without requiring a password. This hides passwords from certain Windows authentication scenarios and leverages passwordless recovery mechanisms, such as WHFB PIN reset, if necessary.

Build 22631.2129 gets a variety of fixes, including one in which the dropdown in the address bar appeared totally blank, and another in which some of the app icons in the Startup Apps section of Task Manager were very tiny.

Both Build 22621.2129 and 22631.2129 have seven known issues, including one in which File Explorer crashes when you go to its Home, and another in which the context menu background in File Explorer sometimes appears transparent.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.2129, you can check for updates and install 22631.2129.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2129 and 22631.2129.)

Insider Preview Builds 22621.2115 and 22631.2115

Release date: July 26, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2115 and 22631.2115.

In Build 22631.2115, Narrator users who interact with Traditional Chinese characters are now able to do this with confidence while using Narrator and the IME candidate window in Windows.

Both Build 22621.2115 and 22631.2115 get a variety of fixes, including one that makes brightness settings more accurate. It also fixes a bug in which you could not sign into hybrid joined devices if they were not connected to the internet. This occurred when you used a Windows Hello for Business PIN or biometric credentials.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.2115, you can check for updates and install 22631.2115.

Both Build 22621.2115 and 22631.2115 have eight known issues, one in which File Explorer crashed when you went to its Home, and another in which the context menu background in File Explorer sometimes appeared transparent.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Builds 22621.2115 and 22631.2115.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2050 and 22631.2050

Release date: July 21, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2050 and 22631.2050.

Build 22631.2050 gets a modernized File Explorer Home, Address Bar, and Details Pane. Windows Ink has also been improved, allowing you to ink directly onto edit fields. Quick Settings gets a redesigned volume mixer. Improvements have been made in using passkeys rather than passwords when signing into websites. In addition, Enhanced Phishing Protection in Microsoft Defender SmartScreen helps protect Microsoft school or work passwords against phishing and unsafe usage on sites and apps.

Build 22631.2050 gets bug fixes, including for a bug that was causing the context menu in File Explorer or on the desktop to draw in the wrong position (off screen or on the other monitor).

Build 22621.2050 received no changes. Note that if you receive Build 22621.2050, you can check for updates and install 22631.2050.

Build 22631.2050 has two known issues, one in which the “safely remove hardware” icon isn’t appearing when expected in the system tray, and another in Narrator in which you may see some of the strings are not localized to the selected language.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2050 and 22631.2050.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23506

Release date: July 19, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build offers, in the words of Microsoft, “a strong, phish-resistant credential” that will help organizations that use Windows Hello for Business (WHFB) move to a secure, passwordless future. Enterprise customers can now set the EnablePasswordlessExperience policy that lets users on AAD joined machines authenticate without requiring a password. It hides passwords from certain Windows authentication scenarios and leverages passwordless recovery mechanisms, such as WHFB PIN reset, if necessary.

In addition, Enhanced Phishing Protection in Microsoft Defender SmartScreen helps protect Microsoft school or work passwords against phishing and unsafe usage on sites and apps. Improvements have also been made to local file sharing, including a redesign of the sharing windows, and the ability to share files faster using Wi-Fi Direct.

The Windows Copilot preview, which began rolling out with Build 23493, is now available to all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Insiders may need to reboot to have it show up.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which explorer.exe might crash when dragging tabs, and another in which opening Home was crashing for some Insiders.

The build has more than a dozen issues, including one in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process, and another in which the context menu background in File Explorer may appear transparent. 

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23506.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2066

Release date: July 13, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update makes brightness settings more accurate and fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which certain display and audio devices were missing after your system resumed from sleep and another that caused deadlock in Internet Protocol Security (IPsec). When you configured servers with IPsec rules, they stopped responding. This issue affected virtual and physical servers.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2066.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2048 and 22631.2048

Release date: July 13, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.2048 and 22631.2048.

Build 22631.2048 gets the new Gallery feature in File Explorer to make it easier to access your photos. The content shown in Gallery is the same as what you’ll see in the All Photos view in the Photos app. It’s optimized for accessing your most recently taken photos. If you have OneDrive Camera Roll Backup set up on your phone, photos you take will show up automatically at the top of the view.

In addition, Build 22631.2048 displays the versioning updated under Settings > System > About (and winver) to version 23H2. This indicates that Windows 11, version 23H2 will be this year’s annual feature update, which will be delivered to customers similar to the most recent Windows 10 feature updates. Windows 11 will have an annual feature update cadence that releases in the second half of the calendar year.

Build 22631.2048 gets a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in Windows Explorer that led to explorer.exe crashes when opening a folder containing .WEBP files, and another that caused the taskbar to hang during initialization and not complete loading.

Build 22621.2048 received no changes. Note that if you receive Build 22621.2048, you can check for updates and install 22631.2048.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.2048 and 22631.2048.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25905

Release date: July 12, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build includes new features first released in the Dev Channel, including Dev Drive, Backup and Restore improvements (Windows Backup), Dynamic Lighting, the Windows App SDK version of File Explorer and Gallery, and others. Support for Arm32 UWP applications from Windows on Arm has been removed. There’s also New PostAuthenticationAction support for terminating individual processes in Windows LAPS.

This build is not being offered to Asus devices or PCs with Asus motherboards. There is one known issue, in which Ethernet-connected devices may lose network connectivity after updating to this build. Unplugging the Ethernet cable and re-plugging the cable in should resolve the issue.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25905.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23493

Release date: June 29, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build has an early look at Windows Copilot for Windows 11 that focuses on the integrated UI experience and doesn’t have all of Copilot’s future capabilities, which will be released in future previews. To use Copilot in this flight, you must have Windows Build 23493 or higher in the Dev Channel, and Microsoft Edge version 115.0.1901.150 or higher. 

Copilot appears as sidebar docked to the right side of the screen and stays open so you can access it while using applications. It lets you perform tasks such as:

• “Change to dark mode.” 
• “Turn on do not disturb.” 
• “Take a screenshot.” 
• “Summarize this website” (the active tab in Microsoft Edge).
• “Write a story about a dog who lives on the moon.” 
• “Make me a picture of a serene koi fishpond with lily pads.” 

Many features are still missing, and not all of what was shown at Microsoft’s Build conference is available in this early version of Copilot. Copilot is not yet available for all Insiders, and will gradually be rolled out over time to them.

The build also has a new Settings home page which provides an overview of your device and quick access to key settings; it also helps manage your Microsoft account. It includes interactive cards that represent various device and account related settings, grouped by commonly accessed functions.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including improving the performance of archive functionality during compression on Windows, and fixing multiple explorer.exe crashes that were impacting taskbar reliability.

The build has more than two dozen known issues, including one in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process, and another in which the context menu background in File Explorer may appear transparent. 

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23493.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1972 and 22631.1972

Release date: June 29, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1972 and 22631.1972.

Build 22631.1972 previews the Windows App SDK version of File Explorer. Functionality in File Explorer remains unchanged; it just switches from using WinUI 2 to using WinUI 3. The build also fixes a single bug: the “Hide date and time in the System tray” switch is no longer backwards.

Both 22621.1972 and Build 22631.1972 get several new features, including additional capabilities and improvements to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. For more information, see Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Both builds also let you authenticate across Microsoft clouds. This feature satisfies Conditional Access checks if they are needed.

Both 22621.1972 and Build 22631.1972 also get a variety of bug fixes, including for one that stopped Narrator from retaining your scan mode when you switched between browsers, and another in which Teams stopped alerting you about missed calls or messages.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.1972, you can check for updates and install 22631.1972.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1972 and 22631.1972.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23486

Release date: June 22, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build improves the use of passkeys, which can replace passwords when you sign into a website or application that supports them. You can now go to any app or website that supports passkeys to create and sign in using passkeys using Windows Hello. You can also manage passkeys stored on a Windows 11 device.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which the login screen was crashing when trying to connect to certain types of networks, and another in which Task Manager crashed for some people.

The build has more than two dozen known issues, including one in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process, and another in which the count shown for selected files in the File Explorer details pane may be extremely large.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23486.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1906 and 22631.1906

Release date: June 22, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1906 and 22631.1906. The former receives new features; the latter doesn’t.

In 22631.1906, you can now hide the time and date in the system tray. You can also view Wi-Fi passwords for your known networks via Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi and Manage known networks. Support has been added for bridging adapters via command line via netsh.

Both Build 22621.1906 and Build 22631.1906 fix a compatibility issue that occurs because of unsupported use of the registry. The builds also have one known issue, in which toggling on the Hide date and time in the System tray option will show the System Tray clock, while toggling it off will hide it. (In other words, it’s backwards.)

Note that if you receive Build 22621.1906, you can check for updates and install 22631.1906.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1906 and 22631.1906.)

Windows 11 Build 22621.1926 (KB5027303)

Release date: June 20, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build introduces a wide variety of new features, including improved sharing of local files in File Explorer with Microsoft Outlook contacts, expanded rollout of notification badging for Microsoft accounts on the Start menu, and a variety of improvements to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.

It also fixes a number of bugs, including one that stopped Narrator from retaining your scan mode when you switched between browsers, and another in which Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 users were not always seeing the right location for a Remote Desktop session on their virtual machine or Cloud PC.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1926.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1900 and 22631.1900

Release date: June 15, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1900 and 22631.1900.

In 22631.1900, to minimize distractions from notification toasts, Windows 11 now detects if the user is interacting with notification toasts or not and provides a suggestion to turn the toast banners off for such apps. In addition, Passpoint Wi-Fi networks now support enhanced connection performance and will display a URL in Quick Settings to provide information to users about the venue or event.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.1900, you can check for updates and install 22631.1900.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1900 and 22631.1900.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23481

Release date: June 14, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build improves Windows Ink by allowing users to enable inking directly onto edit fields. In addition, Microsoft says it has improved the accuracy of the recognition technology and a scratch-out gesture for when users need to make edits. It also removes a number of legacy settings under Folder Options in File Explorer, such as displaying file icons on thumbnails and using a sharing wizard.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one that caused a bugcheck when using Dev Drive, and another in which navigating the search flyout on the taskbar with the keyboard arrow keys did not work correctly.

The build has nearly two dozen known issues, including one in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process, and another in which the count shown for selected files in the File Explorer details pane may be extremely large.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23481.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1835 and 22631.1835

Release date: June 8, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1835 and 22631.1835.

In 22631.1835, there are new natural voices in Chinese and Spanish (Spain and Mexico) that allow Narrator users to comfortably browse the web, read, and write mail, and do more. It is also now easier to control whether to use cellular when Wi-Fi is available but poor, via a new toggle in Settings > Network & Internet > Cellular.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.1835, you can check for updates and install 22631.1835.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1835 and 22631.1835.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23475

Release date: June 7, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces several new features, including one in which File Explorer gets a new address bar and search box that recognizes local versus cloud folders and displays their status. For OneDrive, the address bar now contains OneDrive sync status and quota flyout.

The Unicode Emoji 15 is also beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Users will now be able to see, search for, and insert new emoji from the emoji panel, including more hearts, animals, and one new smiley face.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which the taskbar didn’t always show the correct apps when using multiple desktops, and another in which some notifications caused explorer.exe crashes.

The build has 19 known issues, including one in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scrollbar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process, and another in which navigating the search flyout on the taskbar with the keyboard arrow keys does not work as expected.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23475.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25381

Release date: June 2, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

Beginning with Enterprise editions of this build, SMB signing is required by default for all connections. This changes the legacy behavior of Windows 10 and 11, which required SMB signing by default only when connecting to shares named SYSVOL and NETLOGON and where Active Directory domain controllers required SMB signing when any client connected to them. The move was made to improve security of Windows and Windows Server.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25381.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23471

Release date: June 1, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build lets you access your phone’s camera roll from the File Explorer Gallery. In addition, some Insiders will be able to tear out and merge tabs in File Explorer. The feature is just starting to roll out, so isn’t yet available to all Insiders.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which pressing Shift + F10 wasn’t opening the context menu in File Explorer, and another that was causing the taskbar to get cut off when switching to and from the tablet-optimized taskbar.

The build has 12 known issues, including one in which Insiders who have the new hover behavior for the search box and search highlight gleam will see an empty tooltip displayed momentarily while the gleam is hovered, and another in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23471.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1830 and 22631.1830

Release date: June 1, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1830 and 22631.1830.

In 22631.1830, WPA3 support has been added to the Phone Link instant hotspot feature for more secure connections to a phone’s hotspot. Fixes were also made to respect metered connection settings, reduce duplicate profiles, and show the phone’s display name in the network list.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.1830, you can check for updates and install 22631.1830.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1830 and 22631.1830.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25375

Release date: May 25, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build extends Microsoft Endpoint Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies and actions to endpoints running Windows on Arm (Arm64), which allows you to detect and protect sensitive data in files part of your digital ecosystem. This lets you introduce policy controls for scenarios such as when an information worker using a Windows endpoint powered by an Arm chipset from accessing sensitive files and trying an egress action such as copying to a USB or copying to clipboard, notepad, etc.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25375.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1825 and 22631.1825

Release date: May 25, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1825 and 22624.1825.

In both builds, users will see the full amount of storage capacity of all their OneDrive subscriptions. The total storage is now also visible on the Accounts page in the Settings app.

Both builds get a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which the Server Message Block (SMB) shared folder could not be accessed, instead displaying the error messages “Not enough memory resources” or “Insufficient system resources.” Also fixed was an issue affecting devices with multiple, discrete GPUs in which you were not able to choose the high-performance GPUs.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1825 and 22631.1825.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23466

Release date: May 24, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces Dev Drive, a new kind of storage volume that improves performance for key developer workloads. It’s built upon Resilient File System (ReFS) technology and has file system optimizations and features that enable developers to better manage their performance and security profile.

The build also adds new backup and restore capabilities to make moving to a new PC easier, and gets users quickly to a familiar desktop so they can become productive faster on their new PC. There are also a wide range of other, more minor features in this build, including the addition of links to advanced properties for network adapters and internet properties under Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which the taskbar in multi-monitor setups showed the indicator for an app window having focus on your screen when it actually didn’t, and another that caused search to crash on launch.

The build has 17 known issues, including one in which Insiders who have the new hover behavior for the search box and search highlight gleam will see an empty tooltip displayed momentarily while the gleam is hovered, and another in which File Explorer may crash when dragging the scroll bar or attempting to close the window during an extended file-loading process.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23466.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25370

Release date: May 22, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build adds links to advanced properties for network adapters and internet properties under Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings, and includes support for vTPM (virtual Trusted Platform Module) in Hyper-V on Windows on Arm (Arm64) builds.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25370.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1776

Release date: May 11, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update adds a wide variety of new features to Windows 11, including access key shortcuts in File Explorer that let you run a command in a context menu with a single keystroke. New voice-related features include live captions for several languages and voice access commands for a number of English dialects.

The build also improves the performance of search within Settings and adds a Settings page for USB4 hubs and devices. You can find it at Settings > Bluetooth & devices > USB > USB4 Hubs and Devices. This new page provides information about the system’s USB4 capabilities and the attached peripherals on a system that supports USB4.

These and many other new features will roll out slowly. To get them as soon as possible, open Settings > Windows Update and turn on the Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available toggle and check for updates. (The toggle is not enabled for devices managed by Windows Update for Business or WSUS.)

The update also fixes numerous bugs, including one in which the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) stopped working when you used Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), and another in which the Windows Firewall could not apply the correct domain and profile for devices joined to Azure Active Directory (Azure AD).

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1776.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1755 and 22624.1755

Release date: May 9, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1755 and 22624.1755.

Build 22624.1755 fixes two bugs, one in which Settings crashed when attempting to uninstall an app while using grid view, and another in which the Pinyin IME’s insert text button wasn’t displaying correctly in some cases.

Builds 22621.1755 and 22624.1755 get a bug fix in which in the Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) might stop responding.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which when you launch the widgets board for the first time, you may see momentarily placeholders of the widgets/feed cards of the old 2-column layout even if your device supports three columns.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.1755, you can check for updates and install 22624.1755.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1755 and 22624.1755.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23451

Release date: May 4, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces a details pane in File Explorer that displays contextual information about files including file thumbnails, share status and button, file activity, related files and emails, and other information. It also adds a Facebook widget. To use the widget, you’ll first have to download the Facebook app from the Microsoft Store.

The widget picker has been redesigned with an image that gives a visual preview of the widget before pinning, a deep linking ability that allows users to jump directly to the picker from the provider app/service, and a link to the widgets collection page in the Microsoft Store where users can discover more apps with widgets.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including an explorer.exe crash that made the taskbar unreliable, and another one that caused the Recommended section in Start to be blank the first time it was opened.

The build has 11 known issues, including one in which some people may not see the search box on the taskbar and/or the settings to adjust the search box experience on the taskbar after updating to Build 23403, and another in which when you open the search flyout, you may see the content flicker before the content finishes loading.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23451.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1690 and 22624.1690

Release date: May 4, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1690 and 22624.1690. Both builds get a Facebook widget. To use it you’ll first have to download the Facebook app from the Microsoft Store.

Those who get Build 22624.1690 get a variety of bug fixes, including for a Task Manager bug in which random processes sometimes were grouped under Microsoft Edge even though they weren’t related, and another in which resizing Task Manager from the top of the window didn’t work properly.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which when you launch the widgets board for the first time, you may see momentarily placeholders of the widgets/feed cards of the old 2-column layout even if your device supports three columns.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.1690, you can check for updates and install 22624.1690.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1690 and 22624.1690.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25357

Release date: May 4, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build adds a Facebook widget and a new volume mixer design in Quick Settings. To use the Facebook widget you’ll first have to download the Facebook app from the Microsoft Store.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25357.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25352

Release date: April 28, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build rolls out a new widget picker that gives a visual preview of the widget before pinning, as well as a linking ability that allows users to jump directly to the picker from the provider app/service as well as a link to the widgets Store collection page where users can discover more apps with widgets.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25352.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1680 and 22624.1680

Release date: April 27, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1680 and 22624.1680. Those in both builds get a revamped widgets board with a larger canvas (three-column if supported by the device) and new zones to provide users access to glanceable widgets from their apps and services and their personalized feeds.

Build 22624.1680 fixes a number of bugs, including one in which the touch keyboard and PIN entry wasn’t appearing on the login screen for touch-capable PCs, and another in which searching for service host in the Processes section didn’t return any results.

Both 22621.1680 and 22624.1680 get a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which endpoints in SMB Direct weren’t always available on systems that use multi-byte character sets, and another in which signed Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policies were not applied to the Secure Kernel when you enabled Secure Boot.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which when you launch the widgets board for the first time, you may see momentarily placeholders of the widgets/feed cards of the old 2-column layout even if your device supports 3 column.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.1680, you can check for updates and install 22624.1680, which has the new features.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1680 and 22624.1680.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1616 and 22624.1616

Release date: April 20, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1616 and 22624.1616. Those in 22624.1616 get new language support for Danish, English (Ireland), French (Canada), Korean, and Portuguese (Portugal).

Build 22624.1616 fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which the touch keyboard didn’t correctly recognize that a hardware keyboard was available in some cases, and another in which live captions crashed on first launch due to an issue impacting registry data retrieval.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which a Shift + right-click on a file or folder is not opening “Show more options.”

Note that if you receive Build 22621.1616, you can check for updates and install 22624.1616, which has the new features and bug fixes.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1616 and 22624.1616.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23440

Release date: April 19, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, you can now hide the time and date in the system tray. Turn the feature on by right-clicking on the system tray clock and choosing “Adjust date and time.” The desktop icon for Windows Spotlight has also been updated.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including several explorer.exe crashes that were impacting taskbar reliability, and an issue in Language & region settings that caused language feature installation progress to be hidden.

The build has 10 known issues, including one in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions, and another in which some people may not see the search box on the taskbar and/or the settings to adjust the search box experience on the taskbar after updating to Build 23403.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23440.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25346

Release date: April 19, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build lets Content Adaptive Brightness Control (CABC) run on devices such as laptops and 2-in-1’s that are plugged into a charger. CABC dims or brighten areas of a display or monitor based on the content being displayed, with the goal of striking a balance between reduced power consumption with visual experience to save battery life.

Other changes include new presence sensor privacy settings and APIs. If you have a device with compatible presence sensors, you can now manage your privacy and block/allow certain apps from accessing these sensors.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25346.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23435

Release date: April 14, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces the new Gallery feature of File Explorer, which shows what you see in the All Photos view in the Photos app, while giving you the file-management capabilities and navigation of File Explorer. Note that it isn’t yet available to all Dev Channel Insiders.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including several in explorer.exe that made the taskbar less reliable. The build also improves the performance of the expand all / collapse all view options on the Task Manager’s Processes page.

The build has a dozen known issues, including one in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions, and another in which some people may not see the search box on the taskbar and/or the settings to adjust the search box experience on the taskbar after updating to Build 23403.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23435.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1610 and 22624.1610

Release date: April 13, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1610 and 22624.1610. Those in 22624.1610 get new presence sensor privacy settings and APIs. If you have a device with compatible presence sensors, you can now manage your privacy and block/allow certain apps from accessing these sensors. No images or metadata is collected by Microsoft, and all processing is done locally on the device hardware to maximize privacy.

Both 22621.1610 and 22624.1610 get a new toggle under Settings > Windows Update for “getting the latest updates as soon as they are available.” This new toggle is meant to be used in the Beta Channel to allow Insiders to switch more seamlessly to the enablement package.

Build 22624.1610 fixes a bug that caused a noticeable increase in explorer.exe crashes in the last flight for some Insiders.

Both 22621.1610 and 22624.1610 fix a compatibility issue that occurred because of unsupported use of the registry.

There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which certain languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.1610, you can check for updates and install 22624.1610, which has the new features.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1610 and 22624.1610.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1631

Release date: April 13, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update adds a new toggle control on the Settings > Windows Update page. When you turn it on, your device will opt in to receive future non-security updates as soon as they are available. For commercial customers, the toggle is disabled by default. It also changes firewall settings. You can now configure application group rules.

The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Microsoft Edge IE mode in which the Tab Window Manager stopped responding, and another that affects the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) process. It might stop responding. Because of this, the machine restarts. The error is 0xc0000005 (STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION).

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1631.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1546 and 22624.1546

Release date: April 7, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1546 and 22624.1546. Those in the 22624.1546 group will see several new features, including one in which search performance has been improved in Settings, and another in which pressing the print screen key will now open Snipping Tool by default. This setting can be turned off via Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard.

Build 22624.1546 also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which text input features like the touch keyboard, voice typing, and emoji panel didn’t always launch, and another in which  some of the details in the Performance page wouldn’t display properly until you resized the window or changed pages back and forth.

There are six known issues in this build, including one in which certain languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.

Note that if you receive Build 22621.1546, you can check for updates and install 22624.1546, which has the new features.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1546 and 22624.1546.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23430

Release date: April 7, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build, urgent or important notifications that appear when “do not disturb” is turned on while using apps at full screen will now display a “View notification” button, instead of showing the notification itself, to protect your privacy.

In addition, for developers, there is a new setting under Settings > Privacy & security > For developers to enable “end task” when right-clicking an app on the taskbar. Although the setting is included in this build, it does not currently work. It will be fixed in a future build.

There are also several bug fixes, including for a bug in which text input features like the touch keyboard, voice typing, and emoji panel might not have launched. In addition, the Task Manager search box is no longer cropped at the top when a window is maximized.

The build has nine known issues, including one in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions, and another in which if you have the Bing button in the search box on the taskbar and you restart your computer, you may see the daily rotating search highlight for some time before getting the Bing button back.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23430.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25336

Release date: April 7, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build improves search performance in Settings. In addition, people with two or more discrete graphics adapters with no integrated graphics can now choose which of the discrete graphics adapters is considered high-performance. To do it, navigate to Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Default graphics settings and select which of the discrete graphics adapters you would like to be designated as the default high-performance GPU.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25336 .)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1537 and 22624.1537

Release date: March 31, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1537 and 22624.1537. Those in 22624.1537 will see several new features, including one in which access key shortcuts have been added into the XAML context menu in File Explorer. An access key is a one keystroke shortcut that allows a keyboard user to quickly execute a command in a context menu. The build also has a new set of features to aid the collection of live kernel memory dumps (LKDs).

In builds 22621.1537 and 22624.1537, once you have access to the new Bing, the search box on the taskbar will include a button that opens the Bing chat experience in Edge. If you don’t have access, the search box on the taskbar will feature a dynamic search highlight button. The change is being rolled out, and not everyone will see it yet.

Build 22624.1537 fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which an unexpected error message appeared when opening Group Policy Editor.

Builds 22621.1537 and Build 22624.1537 both get a number of bugs fixed, including one in which audio glitching or screeching may have occurred when the system was under a heavy load or woke from sleep, and another in which Clustered Shared Volume (CSV) failed to come online if you enabled BitLocker and local CSV managed protectors, and the system recently rotated the BitLocker keys.

There are five issues in this build, including one in which certain languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1537 and 22624.1537.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23424

Release date: March 30, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build revamps the widget board with a larger canvas (3 columns if supported by the device) and new zones to provide users quick access to glanceable widgets from their apps and services as well as enable users to take a break with their personalized feed.

It also fixes a number of bugs, including one in Task Manager in which the search icon could end up overlapping the Task Manager icon in the title bar, and another in which voice access was taking some time to turn on after using the wake-up command.

The build has eight known issues, including one in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions, and another in which if you have the Bing button in the search box on the taskbar and you restart your computer, you may see the daily rotating search highlight for some time before getting the Bing button back.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23424.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25330

Release date: March 30, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build introduces several changes to the Microsoft Store, including new purchase dialog styles that align better with Windows 11, and a new interface for the in-app ratings dialogue.

In addition, the Remote Desktop Connection setup window (mstsc.exe) now follows the text scaling settings under Settings > Accessibility > Text Size. In cases where the text scaling is very large, it will show a scrollbar. The print screen key will now open the Snipping Tool by default.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25330.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25324

Release date: March 23, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

This build offers a revamped widgets board, with a larger canvas (3 columns if supported by the device) and dedicated sections for widgets and feed content with a clear separation between them. There is also a new USB4 hubs and devices Settings page for users under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > USB > USB4 Hubs and Devices. USB4 enables new productivity scenarios for docking, high performance peripherals, displays and charging.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25324.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1470 and 22624.1470

Release date: March 23, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22624.1470 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.1470 update that fewer new features and bug fixes.

In Build 22624.1470 there is a new USB4 hubs and devices Settings page for users under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > USB > USB4 Hubs and Devices. USB4 enables new productivity scenarios for docking, high performance peripherals, displays and charging.

In both builds, the search box on the taskbar will be lighter when Windows is set to a custom color mode. When Windows 11 mode is set to dark, and the app mode is set to light under Settings > Personalization > Colors, and you will see a lighter search box on taskbar.

Builds 22621.1470 and 22624.1470 have a number of new bug fixes, including for an issue in which double-clicking the search highlight glyph in the search box made it disappear. Build 22624.1470 fixes an additional bug, in which live captions did not work for Chinese Traditional on Arm64 devices.

There are several known issues in this build, including one in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1470 and 22624.1470.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23419

Release date: March 22, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build offers a number of new features, including several developer-focused ones that aid the collection of live kernel memory dumps (LKDs). This is in addition to the existing “Memory dump” for user mode processes.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Narrator read the position before the name on system tray icons, and another which caused explorer.exe to crash when opening Home if certain content was visible in the Recent section.

The build has nine known issues, including one in which clicking on the “Remove from list”
 command in File Explorer doesn’t work, and another in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23419.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1483

Release date: March 21, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build includes several new features, including one in which notifications for Microsoft accounts are now on the Start menu. (Note that this feature is available to only a small number of people and will roll out to more in the next several months.)

The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which Windows classified USB printers as multimedia devices even though they are not, and another in which Windows Search failed inside of Windows container images.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1483.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1465 and 22624.1465

Release date: March 16, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1465 and 22624.1465. Those in the 22624.1465 group will see a variety of new features, including live captions in more languages, updated touch keyboard settings, and the multi-app kiosk mode, a lockdown feature that allows an IT administrator to select a set of allowable apps to run on the device, while all other functionalities are blocked.

Builds 22621.1465 and 22624.1465 both get phase three of Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) hardening. (See KB5004442 for details.) They also get a fix for a bug that affects a computer account and Active Directory, in which when you reuse an existing computer account to join an Active Directory domain, joining fails.

There are five issues in this build, including one in which certain languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1465 and 22624.1465.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.1757

Release date: March 16, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which Microsoft PowerPoint stopped responding when you used accessibility tools, and another in which the command line failed when you set the system locale to Japanese and cmd.exe was configured in legacy mode.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.1757.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25314

Release date: March 8, 2023

Released to: Canary Channel

The first build to be released to the new Canary Channel offers a number of new features, including one in which File Explorer recommends files that are most relevant to what people are currently working on. It is available to users signed into Windows with an Azure Active Directory (AAD) account. Files that are recommended are cloud files associated with that account, either owned by the user or shared with the user. (Note that this feature has not yet rolled out to all insiders in the Canary Channel. Microsoft is gathering feedback about it before introducing it more widely.)

The build also adds access key shortcuts into the XAML context menu in File Explorer. An access key is a one-keystroke shortcut that allows a keyboard user to quickly execute a command in a context menu. Each access key corresponds with a letter in the display name.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25314.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23403

Release date: March 8, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build offers a number of new features, including one in which File Explorer recommends files that are most relevant to what people are currently working on. It is available to users signed into Windows with an Azure Active Directory (AAD) account. Files that are recommended are cloud files associated with that account, either owned by the user or shared with the user. (Note that this feature has not yet rolled out to all insiders in the Dev Channel. Microsoft is gathering feedback about it before introducing it more widely.)

The build also adds access key shortcuts into the XAML context menu in File Explorer. An access key is a one-keystroke shortcut that allows a keyboard user to quickly execute a command in context menu. Each access key corresponds with a letter in the display name.

Live captioning is also now available in more languages, and touch keyboard settings have been updated with new options that control how tapping an edit control should launch the touch keyboard.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the search box randomly disappeared, and another in which File Explorer sometimes unexpectedly jumped into the foreground.

The build has 10 known issues, including one in which clicking on the “Remove from list”
 command in File Explorer doesn’t work, and another in which some languages shown on the Language & Region settings page will indicate speech recognition support (e.g., Korean) but don’t yet have support for live captions.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23403.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25309

Release date: March 2, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build lets you customize audio settings on a per-app basis using the volume mixer in Quick Settings. In addition, the in-app command help page for voice access has been redesigned so you can more quickly find the settings you want. New voice commands have also been added, including selecting a range of text in a text box and deleting all text in a text box.

It fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which some USB devices (including keyboards and mice) weren’t working in builds 25295 and above, another that could have caused the taskbar to appear duplicated when making resolution changes, and another in which under certain circumstances third-party widgets weren’t loading as expected.

The build has 10 known issues, including one in which launching Group Policy Editor may show an error about a displayName attribute not being found, and another in which some AAD (Azure Active Directory) joined users are seeing “Getting ready for you” screens when signing into Windows after updating the latest builds.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25309.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1391 and 22624.1391

Release date: March 2, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1391 and 22624.1391. Those in 22624.1391 will see a redesigned in-app command help page for voice access so you can more quickly find the settings you want. New voice commands have also been added, including selecting a range of text in a text box and deleting all text in a text box.

Builds 22621.1391 and 22624.1391 both get two bug fixes, one that improves the reliability of Windows after you install an update, and another that fixes an issue in which Notification Center, Quick Settings, and taskbar jump lists were not working for some Insiders.

There is one known issue in this build – the redesigned in-app help page in voice access may not include all commands and the supplementary information may be inaccurate.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1391 and 22624.1391.)

Windows 11 Build 22621.1343

Release date: February 21, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build includes a variety of new features, including one that shows search results in a flyout box as you type them in the taskbar’s search box. For devices joined to Azure Active Directory (AAD), this update provides AI-powered recommended content on the Start menu.

You can now also get recommendations to help to improve the energy efficiency of your PC and reduce your carbon footprint. Go to Settings > System > Power & Battery > Energy Recommendations for them. In the Task Manager, you can now filter processes using the binary name, PID, or publisher name. The filter also applies when you switch between pages. The keyboard shortcut is Alt-F.

The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which using a provisioning package for bulk provisioning for Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) failed, and another in which after you ran Sysprep on a domain-joined, the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) might have stopped responding.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Build 22621.1343.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1325 and 22623.1325

Release date: February 16, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1325 and 22623.1325. Both builds get support for new preview widgets for Messenger, Spotify, Phone Link, and Xbox (Game Pass). In 22623.1325, devices that are Azure Active Directory (AAD) joined now receive AI-powered recommended, personalized content on the Start menu.

Both builds get a wide variety of bug fixes, including one in which lsass.exe sometimes stopped responding when it sent a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query to a domain controller that had a very large LDAP filter. In Build 22623.1325 a bug that caused the taskbar to be cut off after resolution change was fixed.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1325 and 22623.1325.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25300

Release date: February 15, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build adds live captioning in several new languages, including Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, and other English dialects. In addition, it adds several different treatments for snap layouts and is looking for feedback on them.

It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which some people experienced issues authenticating to enterprise websites that require windows integrated authentication, and another in which the “Find more widgets” feature in the widgets picker didn’t work.

The build has 17 known issues, including one in which Launching Group Policy Editor may show an error about a displayName attribute not being found, and another in which under certain circumstances third-party widgets may not load as expected.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25300.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25295

Release date: February 9, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces a copy button for quickly copying two-factor authentication (2FA) codes in notifications from apps installed on a PC or from phones linked to the PC. In addition, the new search design for the taskbar that began rolling out with Build 25252 is now available for all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. You can change the treatment of search on the taskbar by going to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Items.

The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which the update history page under Settings > Windows Update > Update history was blank for some users after installing Build 25290, and another in which the Add a Device dialog had an unexpectedly big border.

The build has 14 known issues, including one in which some users are experiencing issues authenticating to enterprise websites that require windows integrated authentication, and another in which the “Find more widgets” option in the widgets picker doesn’t work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25295.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1255 and 22623.1255

Release date: February 9, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

In both builds, tabs in Notepad are beginning to be rolled out. Build 22623.1255 also has several bug fixes, including for a bug in which results disappeared when using search on the App History page, and another in which Process names typed into the search box were unexpectedly getting spellchecked.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1255 and 22623.1255.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1250 and 22623.1250

Release date: February 2, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1250 and 22623.1250. Both updates get a new policy for IT administrators to manage how the search box on the taskbar appears in their organizations. This blog post has details.

Build 22623.1250 also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the search box would randomly disappear sometimes when you clicked it, leaving a blank space on the taskbar, and another in which ending processes in the Task Manager’s Details tab wasn’t showing a confirmation dialog.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1250 and 22623.1250.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25290

Release date: February 1, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces two new widgets, one for Spotify and one for the Phone Link app. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one which an explorer.exe crash which could cause the taskbar not to load for some people, and another in which some dialogs did not render in the correct theme when applied from the Task Manager Settings page.

The build has 14 known issues, including one in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which “Find more widgets” in the widgets picker doesn’t work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25290.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1245 and 22623.1245

Release date: January 26, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel, 22621.1245 and 22623.1245. Builds 22621.1245 and 22623.1245 both fix a wide variety of bugs, including one in which copying from a network to a local drive was slower than expected for some users, and another that affected searchindexer.exe, which randomly stopped you from signing in or signing out.

Build 22623.1245 gets several additional bug fixes, including for several issues that caused Task Manager to crash, and one in which certain parts of its title bar couldn’t be used to drag the window.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1245 and 22623.1245.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25284

Release date: January 25, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces a new widget for the Messenger app. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused some apps to hang or crash when saving files as PDF, and another in the taskbar and system tray in which right-clicking on some icons in the hidden icons flyout would make the flyout dismiss rather than bringing up the context menu for that icon.

The build has 15 known issues, including one in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which some Task Manager dialogs may not render in the correct theme when applied from Task Manager Settings page. Note that the build is not being offered to Arm64 devices due to an issue that causes the devices to get stuck at the OS boot logo.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25284.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25281

Release date: January 19, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build marks the beginning of Microsoft trying different treatments for how Windows Spotlight looks, using what Microsoft calls a “richer UI around displaying the title and description and learning more information about the image displayed on your desktop via Spotlight.” To enable Windows Spotlight on your PC, right-click your desktop and choose “Personalize,” then choose the new Spotlight theme.

It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which explorer.exe would crash when closing File Explorer, and another in which SSID wasn’t being populated on the properties page for Wi-Fi in Network & Internet Settings.

The build has seven known issues, including one in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which some Task Manager dialogs may not render in the correct theme when applied from Task Manager Settings page.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build  25281.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1180 and 22623.1180

Release date: January 19, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.1180 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.1180 update that has new features but no bug fixes.

Both builds update the Settings app with new cloud storage visuals on the Accounts page, including a bar that shows your storage usage for each product and lets you know if you’re running low on storage. Outlook attachment data is also shown. (This change will roll out gradually to Insiders.)

Build 22623.1180 has a variety of bug fixes, including one in which explorer.exe crashed when trying to load certain app icons, and another which prevented the taskbar from showing in Safe Mode when using the new search box option.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1180 and 22623.1180.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1192

Release date: January 17, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build changes the way in which preview .NET Framework updates are shown. From now on, future preview (optional) .NET Framework updates will be displayed on the Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates page. On that page, you can control which optional updates you want to install.

It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including an issue that affected searchindexer.exe and randomly stopped you from signing in or signing out. It also fixed one that affected the Domain Name System (DNS) suffix search list. When you configured it, the parent domain might have been missing.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.1192.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25276

Release date: January 12, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces developer-focused features in Task Manager to help collecting live kernel memory dumps (LKDs). This is in addition to the existing “Memory dump” for user mode processes. The build also adds new information to the visual overview of cloud storage usage in Settings app — it now shows Outlook attachment data.

It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which switching windows through taskbar previews wasn’t working, and another in which explorer.exe would crash when opening File Explorer.

The build has eight known issues, including one in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which some Task Manager dialogs may not render in the correct theme when applied from Task Manager Settings page.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25276.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25272

Release date: January 5, 2023

Released to: Dev Channel

This build moves Quick Assist out of Windows Tools so it displays directly in the Start menu’s All apps list and is easier to find. It also adds a refresh button to the Windows print queue.

The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in the Task Manger in which filtering by publisher name did not match correctly on the Processes page, and another in which the Task Manager did not display light and dark content correctly, rendering potentially unreadable text.

The build has eight known issues, including one in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which some Task Manager dialogs may not render in the correct theme when applied from Task Manager Settings page.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25272.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1095 and 22623.1095

Release date: January 5, 2023

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.1095 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.1095 update with fewer new features and bug fixes.

In Build 22623.1095, Quick Assist has been moved out of Windows Tools, so it displays directly in the Start menu’s All apps list and is easier to find.

In Builds 22621.1095 and 22623.1095, the search box design in the Start menu has been updated with more rounded corners to reflect the design of the search box on the taskbar.

Build 22623.1095 has a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in Task Manager in which filtering by publisher name did not match correctly on the Processes page.

Builds 22621.1095 and 22623.1095 fix a number of bugs, including one that affected how fast you could copy items from a network to a local computer. For some users, the copy speed was slower than expected.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1095 and 22623.1095.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1037 and 22623.1037

Release date: December 15, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.1037 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.1037 update that has fewer new features and bug fixes.

Build 22623.1037 gets a wide variety of voice access improvements, including many new commands, such as for opening and closing applications, releasing a held down key, and showing a grid overlay on the screen.

Builds 22621.1037 and 22623.1037 both get several new treatments for how search looks on the taskbar. They can be found by going to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Items.

Build 22623.1037 has a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug that caused Task Manager to become unresponsive when using its search box, and another that caused explorer.exe crashes.

Builds 22621.1037 and 22623.1037 have two bug fixes, one for a bug that caused Task Manager to display certain elements in the user interface (UI) in unexpected colors, and another in which the decryption of a certificate private key failed in Data Protection Application Programming Interface (DPAPI) decryption.

Both builds have seven known issues, including one in which some services may not show in the Task Manager’s Services page after filtering is applied, and another in which the search box on the taskbar does not render correctly and displays visual artifact

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1037 and 22623.1037.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25267

Release date: December 14, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build makes two minor changes: Search on the taskbar now has rounded corners, and the Windows Security (firewall) notification dialogs now match Windows 11 visuals.

It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused the Bluetooth section of Quick Settings to crash for some people, and another in which using “Browse for Folder” from an app was only showing Desktop (and no other folders) for some people.

The build has 17 known issues, including one in which various UI elements in apps are disappearing and reappearing, another in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which filtering by publisher name does not match correctly on the Processes page.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25267.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25262

Release date: December 9, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build removes the sign-in requirement for using the widgets board and adds a link to Quick Assist at the bottom of Settings > System > Troubleshooters, to help if you’re having issues with your PC. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused secondary drives or other PCI devices to not be viewable for some Insiders, another in which auto-hiding the taskbar would stop working after you had interacted with the hidden icons flyout, and another in which explorer.exe would crash when opening certain items from the Recent section in File Explorer.

The build has 18 known issues, including one in which various UI elements in apps disappear and reappear, another in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which filtering by publisher name does not match correctly on the Processes page.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25262.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1028 and 22623.1028

Release date: December 6, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.1028 update that has multiple new bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.1028 update that has only one bug fix.

There are several bug fixes for 22623.1028, including for an issue in which auto-hiding the taskbar would stop working after you had interacted with the hidden icons flyout in the system tray, and another in which the sleep recommendation on the Energy Recommendations page and Battery & Power page were sometimes inconsistent.

One bug was fixed in both Build 22621.1028 and 22623.1028, in which GPU performance debugging features lowered the performance of games.

Both builds have eight known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which some services may not show in the Task Manager’s Services page after filtering is applied.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1028 and 22623.1028.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25252

Release date: November 28, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build adds a VPN status icon into the system tray when connected to a recognized VPN profile. The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including multiple explorer.exe crashes that impacted system tray performance, another that caused folders in Start menu to not open on the first try, and another that could put your PC to sleep although it was configured to not sleep.

The build has 21 known issues, including one in which various UI elements in apps are disappearing and reappearing, another in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which filtering by publisher name does not match correctly on the Processes page.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build  25252.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1020 and 22623.1020

Release date: November 28, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get Build 22623.1020, which has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive Build 22621.1020, which has only bug fixes.

In Build 22623.1020, there is support for new Braille displays and new Braille input and output languages in Narrator.

There are several bug fixes for 22623.1020, including for one that crashed explorer.exe in safe mode, another that caused certain third-party app icons in the system tray to be unresponsive, and another in which the Delete key didn’t work in the search box.

A number of bugs were fixed in both Build 22621.1020 and 22623.1020, including one in which the Settings app failed to open a page under the Accounts category, and another that caused File Explorer to stop working when you closed context menus and menu items.

Both builds have ten known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet posture

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.1020 and 22623.1020.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25247

Release date: November 18, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build lets you access Windows Studio effects directly from Quick Settings on the taskbar, for devices that have a supported Neural Processing Unit (NPU). The build also begins the rollout of Energy Recommendations under Settings > System > Power & Battery > Energy Recommendations. Following the recommendations may improve the energy efficiency of your PC and reduce your carbon footprint.

In addition, Task Manager lets you use process filtering, letting you filter the binary name, PID or publisher name. The Settings app now has new visuals on the Accounts page to provide a visual overview of your cloud storage usage across Microsoft products.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that didn’t allow you to input text using the touch keyboard/PIN entry keyboard on the login screen, another that caused the NVIDIA icon in the system tray to show empty notifications, and several that led to multiple explorer.exe crashes that harmed taskbar performance.

The build has 15 known issues, including one in which various UI elements in apps are disappearing and reappearing, another in which the taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which filtering by publisher name does not match correctly on the Processes page.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25247.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.898

Release date: November 17, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

In this build, Microsoft OneDrive subscribers will get storage alerts on the Systems page in the Settings app when they are close to their storage limits. The full amount of storage capacity from all of someone’s OneDrive subscriptions will also be displayed.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that stopped modern applications from opening, another that affected transparency in layered windows when you were in High Definition remote applications integrated locally (RAIL) mode, and another that caused File Explorer to stop working when you closed context menus and menu items.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.898.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.891 and 22623.891

Release date: November 10, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.891 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.891 update that has only bug fixes.

In Build 22623.891, the Task Manager gets several improvements, including filtering processes using the binary name, PID, or publisher name. You can now also use your preferred theme in Task Manager regardless of the active Windows theme.

There are several bug fixes for 22623.891, including for a bug that caused the do not disturb icon to disappear while in do not disturb mode, and multiple issues that caused explorer.exe crashes, impacting the performance of the taskbar.

A number of bugs were fixed in both Build 22621.891 and 22623.891, including one in which File Explorer failed to localize folders, and another that affected the Windows Firewall service when the Override block rules option was turned on.

Both builds have 10 known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet posture.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Builds 22621.891 and 22623.891.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.885 and 22623.885

Release date: November 7, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.885 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.885 update that has fewer features and bug fixes.

In Build 22623.885, Windows Studio effects can now be accessed directly from Quick Settings on the taskbar, for devices that have a supported Neural Processing Unit (NPU). The build also has several minor changes, including support for the use of clipboard history (Windows key + V) on password fields.

In both 22623.885 and 22621.885, you can now expand the size of your widgets board.

There are several bug fixes for 22623.885, including several related to the taskbar and system tray. The performance of deleting files via File Explorer when emptying the recycle bin or using Shift + Delete has been improved when there are a large number of files being deleted at once.

In both 22623.885 and 22621.885, an issue in which modern applications couldn’t open has been fixed.

Both builds have four known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet posture.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Builds 22621.885 and 22623.885.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25236

Release date: November 2, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build fixes a variety of bugs, including issues related to the taskbar that were impacting explorer.exe reliability, and another in which natural voices such as Guy or Jenny were not speaking in Narrator.

The build has 13 known issues, including one in which the taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which various UI elements in apps are disappearing and reappearing.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25236.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.875 and 22623.875

Release date: October 27, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.875 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.875 update that has only bug fixes.

In Build 22623.875, the tablet-optimized taskbar that began rolling out with Build 22623.730 is now available.

There are several bug fixes for both 22623.875 and 22621.875, including one that affected transparency in layered windows. This occurs when you are in High-Definition remote applications integrated locally (RAIL) mode.

Both builds have four known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet posture.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.875 and 22623.875.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25231

Release date: October 27, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build fixes a variety of bugs, including one that prevented some users from using FIDO to unlock a PC if it was connected to an external display with the laptop lid closed, and another in which certain network cameras were not being added when selected under Bluetooth & Devices > Cameras.

The build has 14 known issues, including one in which the taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which various UI elements in apps are disappearing and reappearing.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25231.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.870 and 22623.870

Release date: October 20, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.870 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.870 update, which has only some new bug fixes.

In Build 22623.870, Task Manager has been added to the context menu when right-clicking on the taskbar. It also has a new Narrator braille driver solution that automatically changes Braille drivers when switching between Narrator and third-party screen readers.

Build 22623.870 also has a number of bug fixes, including one that improves how touch gestures and their animations with the tablet-optimized taskbar work with the touch keyboard, and another that fixes an issue which caused explorer.exe to crash when dragging icons in the system tray,

There are several bug fixes for both 22623.870 and 22621.870, including one that caused vertical and horizontal line artifacts to appear on the screen, and another that did not allow the Microsoft Azure Active Directory (AAD) Application Proxy connector to retrieve a Kerberos ticket on behalf of the user. The error message was, “The handle specified is invalid (0x80090301).

Both builds have four known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet posture

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.870 and 22623.870.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.754

Release date: October 19, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build includes a variety of small improvements, including new choices for biometric data for Windows Hello Face and Fingerprint, new settings for your Microsoft account, and the addition of Task Manager to the context menu when you right-click the taskbar.

It fixes a variety of bugs, including one that slowed down the Windows Search Service, and another that affected the Microsoft Azure Active Directory (AAD) Application Proxy connector, in which it cannot retrieve a Kerberos ticket on behalf of the user. The error message was, “The handle specified is invalid (0x80090301).”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.754.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25227

Release date: October 19, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build includes improvements for update management for IT administrators by making a variety of changes to the Update Stack Orchestrator. It also introduces some very small changes to the Start menu, widgets, Settings, voice typing, and input.

It fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused explorer.exe to crash while switching between apps on the tablet-optimized taskbar, and another in which dragging content across an open Start menu folder could cause a crash.

The build has seven known issues, including one in which the taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet postures, and another in which various UI elements in apps are disappearing and reappearing.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25227.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.1163

Release date: October 18, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

The build improves Windows search results and performance, and adds Task Manager to the context menu when you right-click the taskbar. It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which in Microsoft Direct3D 9 games the graphics hardware stopped working if the hardware did not have a native Direct3D 9 driver.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.1163.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.746 and 22623.746

Release date: October 13, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get Build 22623.746 with new features. The other group will receive Build 22621.746 with the new features turned off by default.

Those who get Build 22623.746 will get preliminary support to rearrange System Tray icons. System Tray updates are still rolling out and are not available to all Insiders yet. If your PC does not have these changes, your System Tray experience will remain the same as before.

A number of bugs have been fixed only in Build 22623.746, including one for the tablet-optimized taskbar, in which the gesture to slide the Start menu open from the bottom of the screen using touch might have stopped following your finger.

In both Build 22621.746 and Build 22623.746, the ms-appinstaller Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) has been enabled to work for the DesktopAppInstaller.

Both builds have five known issues, including one in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture, and another in which dragging the system tray icons may cause explorer.exe to crash.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.746 and 22623.746.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.675

Release date: October 11, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

The build enables a variety of new features that began rolling out to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2 last week, including tabs for File Explorer; Suggested Actions, which suggests actions you might want to take on items you copy, such as recommending making a call with Skype if you copy a phone number;  the taskbar overflow menu, which shows you all your overflowed apps in one space; and the ability to share to more devices.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.675.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.741 and 22623.741

Release date: October 10, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.741 update that has new bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.741 update that has only some new bug fixes.

In Build 22623.741, the bug fixes include several for the tablet-optimized taskbar, including one in which it sometimes collapsed when it should have been expanded if there were no running windows on the desktop, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar would crash explorer.exe if you entered the overflow flyout.

There are two bug fixes for both 22621.741 and 22623.741: one in which Server Manager could reset the wrong disk when several disks have the same UniqueId, and another in which localization issues for some setup files stopped you from creating installation media for non-English languages.

Both builds have four known issues, including one in which audio has stopped working for some Insiders, and another in which the tablet-optimized taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.741 and 22623.741.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25217

Release date: October 6, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the taskbar sometimes collapsed when it should be expanded if there are no running windows on the desktop, and another in which when switching between windows, the entire window flashed black for a frame while rendering.

The build has eight known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which the taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet postures.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25217.)

October 2022 feature rollout

Release date: October 4, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

Insiders in the Release Preview Channel who have upgraded to Windows 11 22H2 and installed the KB5017389 build will begin to see several new features, including one of the most significant ones left out of Windows 11 22H2 — tabs in File Explorer like those in browsers. Among other File Explorer improvements are the ability to pin important files on its home page for easy access to them. You’ll also be able to see actions that colleagues take on your shared files.

In addition, with a new feature called Suggested Actions, when you copy phone numbers or future dates, Windows provides suggestions for what you might want to do with them, such as making a call with Teams or Skype or adding an event in the Calendar app.

The new taskbar overflow menu shows all of your taskbar apps on a single menu entry. Also, there are new sharing features, letting you discover and share to more devices.

Note that initially not all Insiders will get these new features. They’ll be gradually rolled out.

(Get more info about the October 2022 feature rollout.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25211

Release date: September 29, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces new settings to the Widgets pane and makes them easier to access than previous settings. It also adds Task Manager to the context menu that appears on the taskbar when you right-click it.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which command bar items like copy, paste, and empty recycle bin may unexpectedly not be enabled when they should be, and another in which Settings would crash when changing your mobile hotspot name.

The build has 10 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which the taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop and tablet postures.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25211.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.730 and 22623.730

Release date: September 29, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22623.730 update that has new features and bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.730 update that has new features and some new bug fixes turned off by default.

In Build 22623.730, the tablet-optimized taskbar has been reintroduced. In addition, File Explorer search will show results as you type. Among the bugs fixed are one that caused parts of the taskbar or its icons to get stuck in the wrong theme’s colors when switching between light and dark themes.

There are a wide variety of bug fixes for both 22621.730 and 22623.730, including for one that stopped you from signing in to various Microsoft 365 apps, and another that caused updates to the Microsoft Store to fail.

Both builds have six known issues, including one in which audio has stopped working for some Insiders, and another in which when there are no running windows on the desktop, the taskbar can sometimes collapse, when it should be expanded.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.730 and 22623.730.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.607

Release date: September 22, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build for Windows 11 22H2 fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that that caused updates to the Microsoft Store to fail, another that stopped you from signing into various Microsoft Office 365 apps, and another in which Task Manager stopped working when you switched between light and dark mode or changed the accent color.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.607.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25206

Release date: September 21, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build improves the security of the SMB server service by implementing a delay between each failed NTLM authentication in the SMB authentication rate limiter. This means, for example, if an attacker previously sent 300 brute force attempts per second from a client for 5 minutes (90,000 passwords), the same number of attempts would now take at least 50 hours.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which OneDrive setup unexpectedly asked for permission to set up every time your PC rebooted, and another in which the Windows Sandbox window resized incorrectly when you snapped it to the side of the screen.

The build has 13 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which command bar items like Copy, Paste, and Empty Recycle Bin may unexpectedly not be enabled when they should be.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25206.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.601 and 22622.601

Release date: September 21, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22622.601 update, which would normally have new bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.601 update, which would normally have most new bug fixes turned off by default. In this instance, however, the builds are identical.

The build fixes four bugs, including one in which clicking the network icon on the Lock screen crashed the Lock screen, and another that affected Dual SIM calling. If you selected no SIM on your phone and initiated a call on your device, Dual SIM functionality would not work.

Both builds have one known issue, in which audio stops working for some Insiders.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.601 and 22622.601.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.598 and 22622.598

Release date: September 12, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22622.598 update that has new bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.598 update that has most new bug fixes turned off by default.

For those who get Build 22622.598, among the bugs fixed are one that wouldn’t allow you to interact with the top part of File Explorer (with the address bar) when File Explorer was full screen, and another in which File Explorer command bar items like copy, paste, and empty recycle bin were not enabled when they should have been.

There are several bug fixes for both Build 22621.598 and 22622.598, including one that created a duplicate print queue, and another in Roaming User Profiles in which after you signed in or out, some of your settings were not restored.

Both builds have one known issue, in which clicking the network icon on the Lock screen does not work, may crash the Lock screen, and may require you to reboot to log in.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.598 and 22622.598.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25197

Release date: September 8, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

The build reintroduces the touch-optimized taskbar for using your device as a tablet. Your taskbar will automatically transition to the optimized version when you disconnect or fold back the keyboard on your 2-in-1 device. In addition, animated icons are being rolled out in the Settings app.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused parts of the taskbar or its icons like search to get stuck in the wrong theme’s colors when switching between light and dark theme, and another that led to Settings crashing when removing devices.

The build has 13 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which command bar items like copy, paste, and empty recycle bin may unexpectedly not be enabled when they should be.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25197.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25193

Release date: September 1, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces new Xbox subscription management details in the Windows 11 Settings app. If you are a member of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Xbox Game Pass for Console or Xbox Live Gold, you can now see your subscription details via Settings > Accounts.

It also fixes a variety of bugs, including several that were leading to sporadic explorer.exe crashes related to the taskbar overflow, one that caused the Start menu to crash on launch for some people when Search Highlights was enabled, and one in File Explorer in which certain files couldn’t be unpinned from the Favorites section of Home after you’d pinned them.

The build has 10 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25193.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.590 and 22622.590

Release date: September 1, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22622.590 update that has new bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.590 update that has most new bug fixes turned off by default.

For those who get Build 22622.590, among the bugs fixed are one in which the Control Panel could not launch from the Start menu search or if pinned to the taskbar, one in which there was a memory leak when closing File Explorer windows, and several that made the taskbar overflow cause sporadic explorer.exe crashes.

There are several bug fixes in both builds, including for one in which cldflt.sys caused a bug check when it used with Microsoft OneDrive.

Both builds have three known issues, including one in which audio has stopped working for some Insiders, and another in which command bar items like copy, paste, and empty recycle bin may unexpectedly not be enabled when they should be.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.590 and 22622.590.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25188

Release date: August 24, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

The build updates touch keyboard settings to replace the “Show the touch keyboard when there’s no keyboard attached” checkbox under Settings > Time & language > Typing > Touch keyboard with a new dropdown menu with three options to control whether tapping an edit control should launch the touch keyboard.

It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the taskbar overflow was impacting explorer.exe reliability and another that caused Start’s recommendations to show one column instead of two.

The build has 10 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25188.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.586 and 22622.586

Release date: August 24, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22622.586 update that has new bug fixes. The other group will receive the Build 22621.586 update that has most new bug fixes turned off by default.

In Build 22622.586, among the bugs fixed are one that caused the left half of the File Explorer title bar to not be draggable via mouse or touch, and another that caused the taskbar overflow flyout to unexpectedly appear on the opposite side of the screen.

There are several bug fixes for both Build 22621.586 and 22622.586, including one that caused domain credentials to not work for some Insiders, and another that forced the IE mode tabs in a session to reload.

Both builds have four known issues, including one in which audio has stopped working for some Insiders, and another in which the taskbar isn’t able to display if File Explorer is maximized and you have the taskbar set to auto-hide.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.586 and 22622.586.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.457 (KB5016695)

Release date: August 23, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

The build introduces several new minor features and fixes a variety of bugs for Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 22H2. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint’s ability to identify and intercept ransomware and advanced attacks has been enhanced, and files can be compressed regardless of its size if you have configured Server Message Block (SMB) Compression.

Bugs fixed include one that caused Windows to display tablet mode features for some devices that do not have touchscreens, and another that caused Microsoft Edge to stop responding when you use IE mode.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.457.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25182

Release date: August 17, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the taskbar overflow flyout unexpectedly appeared on the opposite side of the screen, another in which a Start menu crash prevented apps from launching from Start, and another in which the camera light on laptops became stuck after people logged into their PCs.

The build has 11 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bugcheck.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25182.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview 22000.917 (KB5016691)

Release date: August 16, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

The build enhances Microsoft Defender for Endpoint’s ability to identify and intercept ransomware and advanced attacks, and gives IT admins the ability to remotely add languages and language-related features.

It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that caused ServerAssignedConfigurations to be null in a few full-configuration scenarios, another that degraded BitLocker performance, and another that prevented virtualized App-V Microsoft Office applications from opening or causes them to stop working.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview 22000.917.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25179

Release date: August 10, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

The File Explorer tabs and navigation updates which began rolling out to some people in the Dev Channel with Build 25136 are rolling out to everyone in this build. If you don’t see them, reboot your PC.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the min/max/ close buttons were not visible in File Explorer when using a contrast theme, and another in which the taskbar overflow flyout unexpectedly appeared on the opposite side of the screen.

The build has 13 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bugcheck.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25179.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.575 and 22622.575

Release date: August 10, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get the Build 22622.575 update that has new features. The other group will receive the Build 22621.575 update that has new features turned off by default.

In those who get Build 22622.575, middle clicking a folder in the navigation pane of File Explorer will now open it in a new tab, like clicking a folder in the body of File Explorer already does.

A number of bugs have been fixed only in Build 22622.575, including two in File Explorer, one in which the dividers in the navigation pane were overlapping or drawing too close to text, and another in which the left/right arrows were in light mode when you were using dark mode, causing them to not have enough contrast to show when they were enabled

There are several bug fixes for both 22621.575 and 22622.575, including one that prevented you from opening a URL if the URL’s length is more than 2084 characters. The update supports a URL of up to 8192 characters.

Both builds have 10 known issues, including one in which the up arrow is misaligned in File Explorer tabs, and another in which the left-half of the File Explorer title bar may not be draggable via mouse or touch.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.575 and 22622.575.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25174

Release date: August 3, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

The build introduces the Game Pass Widget, which shows you the latest additions, games leaving soon, and games from highlighted categories in the PC Game Pass Library. You can use the widget to go to the Xbox app to see game reviews and install games.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which explorer.exe crashed when opening new File Explorer windows, and another in which some PCs were crashing when going to System > Storage > Disks & Volumes.

The build has 14 known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number appeared misaligned on the taskbar and another in which the Delete key doesn’t work to delete files in File Explorer.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25174.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.450 and 22622.450

Release date: August 2, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. As a general rule, one group gets build updates that have new features, while the other receives build updates that have most new features turned off by default.

In this instance, however, the builds are identical and include several minor changes and fixes. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint’s ability to identify and intercept ransomware and advanced attacks has been improved, and storage replication that occurs over low bandwidth or congested wide area networks (WAN) is being done more efficiently.

Among the bugs fixed are one that caused Windows to display tablet mode features for some devices that do not have touchscreens, one that caused some application windows to have blank sections in the Task View preview, and one that caused Microsoft Edge to stop responding when you use IE mode.

The builds have five known issues, including one in which the up arrow is misaligned in File Explorer tabs and another in which the left half of the File Explorer title bar may not be draggable via mouse or touch.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.450 and 22622.450.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.317 

Release date: July 28, 2022 

Released to: Release Preview Channel 

The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in that prevented troubleshooters from opening, another that caused the Smart App Control to block catalog-signed files, and another that distorted photos taken with the Camera app when using certain cameras under certain low light conditions. 

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.317.) 

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25169 

Release date: July 28, 2022 

Released to: Dev Channel 

The build introduces kiosk mode, a lockdown Windows 11 feature that allows an IT administrator to select a set of allowable apps to run on the device, while all other functionalities are blocked. Several other new features have been introduced as well, including an update to the US English (EN-US) handwriting model that makes it faster and more accurate. 

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which an explorer.exe crash sometimes prevented taskbar from loading when launching Microsoft Teams meetings, and another in which after using the reveal password button in the Wi-Fi section of Quick Settings, the text unexpectedly lost focus. 

The build has seven known issues, including one in which the Widgets notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check. 

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build  25169.) 

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.440 and 22622.440 

Release date: July 28, 2022 

Released to: Beta Channel 

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get Build 22622.440 with new features. The other group will get receive Build 22621.440 with most new features turned off by default. 

Those who get Build 22622.440 will get the new taskbar overflow feature, in which when the taskbar goes over its maximum capacity for notifications and icons, you’ll be able to click an icon which will launch an overflow menu showing the taskbar icons that aren’t being displayed. 

In both 22621.440 and Build 22622.440, the weather, news, and finance widgets offer live updates.  

A number of bugs have been fixed only in Build 22622.440, including one that caused explorer.exe crashes when docking and undocking monitors, and another caused a memory leak when using tabs with File Explorer. 

Both builds have five known issues, including one in which the up arrow is misaligned in File Explorer tabs, and another in which left half of the File Explorer title bar may not be draggable via mouse or touch. 

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.440 and 22622.440.) 

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25163

Release date: July 20, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

The build introduces the new taskbar overflow feature: When the taskbar goes over its maximum capacity for notifications and icons, you’ll be able to click an icon that will launch an overflow menu showing the taskbar icons that aren’t being displayed.

The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which explorer.exe crashed when tabs were dragged around, and another in which the File Explorer “Add new tab” button wasn’t clearly visible when using Aquatic or Desert contrast themes.

The build has nine known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible; another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they will relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top; and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25163.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.436 and 22622.436

Release date: July 19, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get Build 22622.436 with new features. The other group will receive Build 22621.436 with new features turned off by default.

Those who get Build 22622.436 will be able to use UDP and Bluetooth to discover and share files with more devices. In addition, Windows Terminal is being made the default terminal in Windows 11, so all command line applications will open in it, including Command Prompt and PowerShell.

A number of bugs have been fixed in both Build 22621.436 and Build 22622.436, including one that prevented troubleshooters from opening, and another that led to a loss of network connectivity after turning on mobile hotspots.

Build 22622.436 fixes several additional bugs, including an explorer.exe crash when dragging tabs around.

Both builds have one known issue, in which the up arrow is misaligned in File Explorer tabs.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build  22621.436 and 22622.436.)

Windows 11 Build 22000.829 (KB5015882)

Release date: July 14, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build lets you receive urgent notifications when focus assist is on. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that prevented troubleshooters from opening, one that caused port mapping conflicts for containers, and another that caused Windows to stop working when you enabled Windows Defender Application Control with the Intelligent Security Graph feature turned on.

The build has one known issue: On some devices, Widgets may crash in the background upon logging in and show the static default icon instead of populating and updating to show the weather.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Build 22000.829.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25158

Release date: July 13, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

The build introduces notification badging for Widgets. When a Widget has new content, it displays a small notification on the bottom left of the taskbar. When you open the Widget board, you’ll get more information about the notification.

There are also a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which explorer.exe would crash when navigating OneDrive in File Explorer, and another in which the Start menu would crash when it loaded.

The build has nine known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible; another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they will relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top; and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25158.)

Update to Windows Subsystem for Android on Windows 11 (version 2205.40000.14.0)

Release date: July 6, 2022

Released to: All Insider channels

This update for Windows Subsystem for Android on Windows 11 includes advanced networking, which enables app access to local network devices for ARM computers. IPv6 and VPN connectivity has also been turned on. The Windows Subsystem for Android Settings app has been updated accordingly: the IP address has been removed from the Developer section in the Settings app because the subsystem no longer has a different IP from your computer.

Note that some VPNs may not work with advanced networking. If you use a VPN and find Android apps do not have network connectivity, disable Advanced Networking in the Windows Subsystem for Android Settings app.

(Get more info about Update to Windows Subsystem for Android (version 2205.40000.14.0).)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.290 and 22622.290

Release date: July 5, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

These updates are being released to two groups in the Beta Channel. One group will get Build 22622.xxx updates that have new features. The other group will get receive Build 22621.xxx updates that have new features turned off by default.

Those who get Build 22622.290 will have a new feature in to make everyday tasks quicker in Windows 11 through inline suggested actions. When you copy a date, time, or phone number, Windows will suggest actions relevant to you such as creating calendar events or making phone calls with your favorite apps. The build also displays OneDrive storage alert and subscription management in Settings. Those who get Build 22621.290 do not get the new features.

A number of bugs have been fixed in both Build 22621.290 and Build 22622.290, including one that caused the Take Photo button to disappear when you use a common file dialog to open the camera, and another that prevented Microsoft Edge from being available in Windows Sandbox.

Build 22622.290 fixes several additional bugs, including fixing a scaling issue that could result in the tabs being unexpectedly large.

Both builds have two known issues, one of which causes cyclical crashes in Windows UI components (like explorer.exe), making it appear that the screen is flashing. If you are impacted, running the following command from an elevated PowerShell window should resolve it:

Add-AppxPackage -Register -Path C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.UI.Xaml.CBS_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AppxManifest.xml -DisableDevelopmentMode -ForceApplicationShutdown

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 22621.290 and 22622.290.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 222621.169

Release date: June 30, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build adds minor improvements, such as support for Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3 in Windows client and server Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) implementation, and Server Message Block (SMB) redirector (RDR) specific public File System Control (FSCTL) code FSCTL_LMR_QUERY_INFO. In addition, a number of bugs were fixed, including one that prevented Microsoft Edge from being available in Windows Sandbox, and another that caused install from media (IFM) creation for Active Directory to fail with the error “2101 JET_errCallbackFailed.”

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 222621.169.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25151

Release date: June 29, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

The build fixes several bugs, including one in File Explorer in which a scaling issue caused tabs to be unexpectedly large.

The build has eight known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, another in which some Widgets preferences unexpectedly get reset to default, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25151.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25145

Release date: June 22, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

The build incorporates the legacy Local Administrator Password Solution product (LAPS) directly into Windows and adds new features, including extending Active Directory schema by running the Update-LapsADSchema cmdlet in the new LAPS PowerShell module. The build also displays OneDrive Standalone 100GB subscriptions in the Accounts page within Settings, letting you see your recurring billing, payment method, and OneDrive storage usage.

The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which tab order when using Ctrl-Tab was wrong if you had rearranged the tabs in File Explorer, and another that caused Settings to crash when going to Bluetooth & Devices > Printers & Scanners.

The build has nine known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, another in which some Widgets preferences unexpectedly get reset to default, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25145.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.776

Release date: June 16, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build introduces search highlights, which display notable moments about each day, including holidays, anniversaries, and other events globally and in your region. To see more details at a glance, hover or click on the illustration in the search box.

There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug that prevented the use of Encrypted File System files over a WebDAV connection, another that sometimes caused Windows 11 to stop working when installing an application without network connectivity, and another that prevented Bluetooth from reconnecting to some audio devices after restarting the devices.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.776.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25140

Release date: June 15, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

The build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in File Explorer where the active tab color didn’t match the command bar below it, one in Task Manager that caused a crash when switching modes in pages other than the Processes page, and one that caused audio to stop playing in certain apps after a minute.

The build has nine known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (such as video players) prevent live captions from being visible, another in which the up arrow is misaligned in File Explorer tabs, and another in which shutting down via the Start is unexpectedly rebooting instead.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25140.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.160 (KB5014770)

Release date: June 13, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

This build introduces tabs in File Explorer and a redesigned layout in File Explorer’s left navigation pane to make it easier to navigate to folders you use frequently.

The build has one known issue, in which the up arrow is misaligned in File Explorer tabs.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.160.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25136

Release date: June 9, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces tabs in File Explorer and a redesigned layout in File Explorer’s left navigation pane to make it easier to navigate to folders you use frequently. Some dynamic widgets in the taskbar have gotten new features, including live content from the weather widget, live updates from the sports and finance widgets, and breaking news alerts.

There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including one that caused Start to only show one column of recommended items, and another in which Windows Update unexpectedly showed error 0x00000000 when there wasn’t anything wrong.

The build has seven known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they will relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top, and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25136.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621

Release date: June 7, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

Microsoft has now released Build 22621, which was previously released to the Beta Channel, to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel. This signifies that the build is the shipping version of Windows 11 22H2 (more or less) and is ready for final testing by corporate IT departments.

Commercial devices enrolled in the Windows Insider Program for Business within the Release Preview Channel will automatically be offered Windows 11 22H2 as an optional update (as long as they meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11). Noncommercial Windows Insider devices can seek out Build 22621 via Settings > Windows Update.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25131

Release date: June 2, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build fixes several bugs, including one that caused File Explorer to hang when browsing folders with lots of .mkv files, and another in Settings in which the “Listen to this device” audio option would stop working after a reboot until being unchecked and rechecked.

The build has five known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible; another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they will relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top; and another in which games that use Easy Anti-Cheat may crash or cause your PC to bug check.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25131.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.706

Release date: May 19, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build introduces Windows spotlight, which displays new photos on your desktop background every day. To turn it on, go to Settings > Personalization > Background > Personalize your background, and choose Windows spotlight.

The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that failed to display the Application Counters section in the performance reports of the Performance Monitor tool, one that failed to maintain the display brightness after you change the display mode, and another that caused some users to see a black screen when they signed in and out of Windows.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.706.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25120

Release date: May 18, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces a new widget that lets you search the web directly from your desktop. It also fixes several bugs, including one in Task Manager that caused unreadable text to appear in the Performance page when a contrast theme was enabled, and another that could crash Settings when opening and looking at the battery usage graph.

The build has three known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, and another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they will relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25120.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25115

Release date: May 11, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build has a new feature called suggested actions. With it, when you copy a date, time, or phone number, Windows will suggest related actions such as creating a calendar event or making a phone call with an app. The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in File Explorer that displayed the error 0x800703E6 when copying files from Google Drive, and another that caused the Task Manager to become unreadable in dark mode when the CPU reached 100%.

The build has three known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, and another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25115.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621

Release date: May 11, 2022

Released to: Beta Channel

This build fixes several bugs, including one in File Explorer that displayed the error 0x800703E6 when copying files from Google Drive, and another that caused Smart App Control to block correctly signed applications.

The build has two known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, and another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions is run, they relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22616

Release date: May 5, 2022

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

This build fixes a wide variety of bug fixes, including one in which the widgets board did not open successfully when using the opening gesture from the side of the screen, another in which performance and reliability of explorer.exe degraded over time, eventually resulting in a bug check, and another in which using the 3-finger on-screen touch gesture for minimizing windows could cause animations to stop working across the system.

The build has two known issues, including one in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, and another in which when certain apps positioned near the top of the screen are closed before live captions are run will relaunch behind the live captions window positioned at top.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22616.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22610

Release date: April 29, 2022

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

This build adds the following new MDM and group policies for IT administrators:

• Disable Quick Settings flyout
• Disable Notification Center and calendar flyouts
• Disable all taskbar settings
• Disable search (across Start and taskbar)
• Hide Task View from taskbar
• Block customization of ‘Pinned’ in Start
• Hide ‘Recommended’ in Start
• Disable Start context menus
• Hide ‘All apps’ in Start

It also updates the Family Safety widget that includes a new location sharing view that shows where your family members are using the Family Safety app.

There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which an Administrative Template error no longer popped up when opening Group Policy editor, another that prevented Shift + Right-click on a taskbar icon from opening the expected context menu, and another in which app icons like Microsoft Edge were cut off on the bottom in Start’s all apps list.

The build has five known issues, including one in which the widgets board may not open successfully when using the gesture from the side of the screen, and another in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22610.)

Windows 11 Preview Build 22000.651 (KB5012643)

Release date: April 14, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which a memory leak affected Windows systems that are in use 24 hours each day of the week, another that caused video subtitles to be partially cut off, and another in which mobile device management (MDM) policies were not allowed on Windows Enterprise editions that were upgraded to Enterprise using Azure AD-joined subscription entitlement.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Preview Build 22000.651.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22598

Release date: April 13, 2022

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which File Explorer’s context menu sometimes did not render completely and was sometimes transparent, and another in which the Task Manager’s memory composition graph was blank instead of filled in with the appropriate color.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which the widgets board may not open successfully when using the gesture from the side of the screen, another in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible, and another in which the taskbar doesn’t always automatically collapse after launching an app or tapping outside of the expanded taskbar on 2-in-1 devices.  

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22598.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22593

Release date: April 6, 2022

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

In this build, recent and pinned files displayed in Home are now searchable using the search box in File Explorer, even if they are not local files, so you can find Office files recently shared with you.

There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which app icons were unexpectedly animating in from the upper left of the taskbar when launching a new app, another that caused Windows Spotlight to unexpectedly stop updating for a prolonged period of time, and another that caused Narrator to read dialog buttons incorrectly in scan mode.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which the widgets board may not open successfully when using the gesture from the side of the screen, and another in which some apps in full screen (for example, video players) prevent live captions from being visible.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22593.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22581

Release date: March 23, 2022

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

This build includes several minor changes to the taskbar, including having the top border line extend across the entire taskbar regardless of device type. There are also a wide variety of bugs thar have been fixed, including one in which the Search box at the top of the Start menu would flicker, and another in which Task Manager wasn’t populating the details of the Status column in the Startup Apps page.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which when you enter search terms in File Explorer’s search box, suggested results may not show, and another in which after rearranging widgets in the widgets board, widgets in the pinned section may render incorrectly.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22581.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22579

Release date: March 18, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build allows IT administrators to exclude USB removable drives from BitLocker encryption. This solves the problem of automatic or accidental encryption of storage built into specialized devices like video cameras, voice recorders, conferencing systems, and medical devices.

There are also a variety of minor changes, including one that lets you name your app folders in the Start menu, and another that puts the new Run New Task button on all pages of Task Manager.

The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which Start’s folders were still showing animations even if you had animation effects disabled, and another in which explorer.exe crashed when dragging certain windows across snap layouts at the top of the screen.

The build has a dozen known issues, including one in which opening suggested results shown while entering search terms in File Explorer’s search box may not work, and another in which when rearranging widgets in the widgets board, you may experience problems with widgets in the pinned section rendering incorrectly.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22579.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.588

Release date: March 15, 2022

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build allows Windows to display up to three high priority “toast” (popup) notifications simultaneously for apps that send notifications for calls, reminders, or alarms using Windows notifications. It also fixes more than two dozen bugs, including one that crashed SystemSettings.exe, and another that affected searchindexer.exe and prevented Microsoft Outlook’s offline search from returning recent emails.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.588.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22572

Release date: March 9, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build lets you set family controls for browsing in Microsoft Edge, and introduces a video editor called Clipchamp that offers tools like trimming, splitting, transitions, and animated text. For real-time content capture, Clipchamp has a built-in webcam and screen recorders.

There are a variety of small changes, including a Print Queue with an updated design to align with Windows 11 design principles. In addition, Shift + right-clicking in File Explorer and the desktop will now open the “Show more options” context menu.

The build also fixes several dozen bugs, including one in which scroll bars didn’t render appropriately on some Win32 applications, and another in which custom mouse pointers reverted to the default Windows one after rebooting.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which opening suggested results shown while entering search terms in File Explorer’s search box may not work, and another in which when rearranging widgets in the widgets board, you may experience problems with widgets in the pinned section rendering incorrectly.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22572.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22567

Release date: March 2, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build attempts to increase the use of renewable energy by installing Windows 11 updates at times of the day that are more likely to have higher availability of renewable energy such as solar, wind, and hydro. This feature will only be enabled when your PC is plugged in and regional carbon intensity data is available to Microsoft.

The build also allows you to link your Android phone to your PC during setup. It also introduces a new security feature, Smart App Control (SAC), that blocks untrusted or potentially dangerous applications.

There are a variety of small changes, including an updated “Open with” dialog box that better aligns with Windows 11 design principles.

The build also fixes several dozen bugs, including one in which the Windows startup sound didn’t play, and another in which explorer.exe would sometimes crash when opening the context menu.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which scroll bars are not rendering appropriately on some Win32 applications, and another in which opening suggested results shown while entering search terms in File Explorer’s search box may not work.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22567.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22563

Release date: February 24, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build includes a new taskbar feature in which it automatically adjusts to an optimized version when it detects a device is being used as a tablet. The taskbar can then either be collapsed or expanded. When collapsed, it disappears, giving you more screen space. When expanded, the taskbar is optimized to use with touch. You can easily switch between the two states by swiping up or down on the bottom of the tablet.

In this build, widgets and news feeds are mixed into the same feed, so you can more easily see changing information at a glance. There’s also a new feature for IT admins in education: the ability to use group policy to turn off all Windows Update notifications so as not to distract students.

A variety of smaller improvements have also been made, including an expanded search from Quick Access that includes content from OneDrive, Downloads, and any indexed location.

The build also fixes several dozen bugs, including one in which pop-up dialogs (for example, when adding an optional feature) in Settings were launching left aligned instead of centered, and another in which the navigation bar in Task Manager was showing black glitches when you launched Task Manager from a minimized state. Also fixed was a long-standing bug in which the taskbar sometimes flickered when switching input methods.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which the File Explorer search box may not work when typing and clicking a suggestion, and another in the Task Manager in which the Efficiency mode icon is missing on some child processes.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22563.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22557

Release date: February 16, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build includes many new features, including the ability to group pinned apps into folders in the Start menu; the Do not disturb feature, which lets you silence notifications; and the Focus feature, which turns off a variety of Windows actions that may be distracting.

Also new is integration of OneDrive and File Explorer, which will let you see your OneDrive sync status and quota usage without having to leave File Explorer. There are also a variety of new touch gestures. A new way of snapping windows into Snap Layouts has been introduced as well.

Default battery settings have been changed in order to reduce energy consumption. Task Manager has been redesigned to be in more in keeping with Windows 11 design principles, including a new hamburger-style navigation bar and a new settings page.

A variety of smaller improvements has also been made, including drag-and-drop support on the taskbar and a faster and more accurate search.  

The build also fixes several dozen bugs, including one in which Task View crashed if you held down the Ctrl key while hovering over it, and another in which explorer.exe crashed when you clicked on More Keyboard Settings in the input switcher.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22557.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.526

Release date: February 10, 2022

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which the Startup impact values didn’t display in Task Manager, another that caused a mismatch between a Remote Desktop session’s keyboard and the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) client when signing in, and another that that disconnected Offline Files on the network drive after you restarted Windows and signed in. This occurred if the Distributed File System (DFS) path was mapped to the network drive.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.526.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22543

Release date: January 27, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces more “natural”-sounding voices for Narrator along with new Narrator keyboard shortcuts, and also updates the media controls that appear on the Lock screen when playing music in a supported app.

The build also fixes many bugs, including one in which Task Manager crashed when switching to the Performance tab, another that caused explorer.exe to crash when dragging and dropping a file out of a zipped folder in File Explorer, and another that caused the cursor to disappear in certain apps.

The build has five known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22543.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22538

Release date: January 19, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build gives new capabilities to voice access, including spelling words and entering numbers, punctuation marks, and symbols and emojis. There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug in which pressing the hardware buttons for volume up/down caused explorer.exe to crash, and another in which Settings sometimes crashed when viewing the properties of a Wi-Fi network.

The build has five known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22538.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.466

Release date: January 14, 2022

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that prevented some image editing programs from rendering colors correctly on certain high dynamic range (HDR) displays, another that incorrectly showed the volume icon in the taskbar as muted, and another that prevented the touch keyboard from appearing on the lock screen when a device has a Microsoft account (MSA).

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.466.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22533

Release date: January 12, 2022

Released to: Dev Channel

This build updates the flyout design for hardware indicators for brightness, volume, camera privacy, camera on/off, and airplane mode to follow what Microsoft calls “Windows 11 design principles.” The new flyouts appear when you press the volume or brightness keys on a laptop.

The build also fixes 16 bugs, including one that wouldn’t allow you to import photos from certain cameras and mobile phones into the Photos app, and another in which holding the Ctrl key and hovering your mouse over the Task View icon in the taskbar crashed explorer.exe.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22533.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22526

Release date: January 6, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build fixes nine bugs, including one in which the Search flyout became stuck on the screen and appeared transparent except for its border, and another in which the Widgets panel would temporarily become blank, showing only an Add Widgets button, which when clicked on opened to a blank dialog box.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22526.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22523

Release date: December 15, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build brings the snap groups feature to Alt-Tab and Task View, allowing you to easily choose from a number of pre-set ways to automatically arrange your open windows. The build also squashes a wide variety of bugs, including the battery icon tooltip unexpectedly showing a percent above 100, and Settings content getting truncated when the Settings window is made small.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which the Search panel may not open after the Search icon on the taskbar is clicked.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22523.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22518

Release date: December 8, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build includes a new set of photos that can be used as desktop backgrounds, plus a new widget that delivers live weather content on the widget panel. It also introduces Voice Access, which lets you control your PC and create and edit text using your voice.

A wide variety of bugs have been squashed, including an explorer.exe crash related to having websites pinned to the taskbar, and another in which Snap Group thumbnails weren’t updating in real time in Task View after you moved a group window to a different desktop.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22518.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22509

Release date: December 1, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build improves the way that Narrator can control Microsoft Edge. In addition, it lets you right-click on Start to quickly access Start settings and customize the “More pins” or “More recommendations” layout options. It also brings a variety of settings from Control Panel into the Settings app, including moving the advanced sharing settings (such as Network discovery, File and printer sharing, and public folder sharing) to a new page in the Settings app under Advanced Network Settings.

There are a wide variety of bug fixes, including one in which the Start, Search, Task View, Widgets, and Chat icons in the taskbar no longer unexpectedly enlarge when the system scaling is set to 125%, and another in which hovering your mouse back and forth between different desktops in Task View will no longer result in the displayed thumbnails and content area unexpectedly shrinking.

The build has four known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22509.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.348

Release date: November 19, 2021

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

The build includes all the features and bug fixes of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.346, and also fixes a bug that prevented apps, such as Kaspersky apps, from opening after you attempt to repair or update the apps using the Microsoft Installer (MSI).

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.348.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22504

Release date: November 17, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build applies the 13 themes for the touch keyboard to other input methods, including IMEs, the emoji panel, and voice typing. It also lets you use the Windows key + Alt + K keyboard shortcut to toggle the new mute icon in the taskbar when it’s showing.

There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for one in which snap layout options randomly put windows on other monitors, and another in which text was duplicated if the caret was moved while using voice typing.

The build has seven known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22504.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.346

Release date: November 12, 2021

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that caused the system to stop working after you enabled Hyper-V, one that affected the System Memory Management Unit’s (SMMU) fault handling after hibernation, and another that caused some USB Print installers to report that they didn’t detect the printer after the printer was plugged in.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.346.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22499

Release date: November 10, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build lets you quickly share content from open app windows directly from your taskbar to your Teams meeting calls. In addition, a wide variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which Clipboard history wasn’t working properly, and another in which explorer.exe crashed when using the touch keyboard.

The build has 10 known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods and the Search panel sometimes not opening when the Search icon on the taskbar is clicked.

On November 12 Microsoft noted that it is starting to roll out Cumulative Update Build 22499.1010 (KB5008400) to test the servicing pipeline for builds in the Dev Channel; the update does not include anything new.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22499.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview KB5008295

Release date: November 4, 2021

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build fixes a bug that prevented some users from opening or using certain built-in Windows apps or parts of some built-in apps, including the Snipping Tool, Touch Keyboard, Voice Typing, and Emoji Panel, Input Method Editor user interface (IME UI), and Getting Started and Tips.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview KB5008295.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22494

Release date: November 3, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

With this build you can mute and unmute your microphone from the taskbar during a Microsoft Teams call. In addition, a wide variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which context menus crashed when you tried to scroll through them, and another in which some devices had a black screen when coming out of sleep.

The build has eight known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22494.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22489

Release date: October 27, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build includes a new settings page that displays information about your Microsoft account, including your subscriptions for Microsoft 365, links to order history, payment details, and Microsoft Rewards. Note that it’s only being rolled out to a small group of Insiders at first.

A wide variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which explorer.exe crashed sometimes when using the Desktops flyout context menu, and another in which Settings crashed in certain cases after going to Windows Update.

The build has nine known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which the Search panel may not open after the Search icon on the taskbar is clicked.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22489.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22483

Release date: October 20, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build includes a new feature that lets you right-click on either “Recommended” or the “More” button in Start to refresh the items shown there. In addition, it has a number of bug fixes, including one that caused Search to appear black and not display any content below the search box, and another that caused cellular data to not work on certain devices.

The build has 10 known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which the Search panel may not open after the Search icon on the taskbar is clicked.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22483.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.282

Release date: October 15, 2021

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including an L3 caching issue that affected performance on devices with AMD Ryzen processors, another that caused distortion in the audio captured by voice assistants, and another in Windows Defender Exploit Protection that prevented some Microsoft Office applications from working on machines with certain processors.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.282.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22478

Release date: October 14, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build includes new emojis that conform to Microsoft’s Fluent design standards. It also lets you log in to a closed laptop using Windows Hello facial recognition on a connected external monitor if it has a camera attached that supports it.

The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which the Notification Center refused to launch, and another in File Explorer in which the “Show hidden items” option was out of sync when multiple File Explorer windows were open.

The build has eight known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and another in which after the Search icon on the taskbar is clicked, the Search panel may not open.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22478.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22471

Release date: October 4, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build has more than a dozen bug fixes, including for a bug that sometimes caused the taskbar’s hidden icons flyout to have sharp corners instead of rounded corners, and another that caused explorer.exe to crash sometimes when closing File Explorer windows.

The build also has 10 known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and widgets displaying in the wrong size on external monitors.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22471.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22468

Release date: September 29, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

The build has two minor new features. When you click a VPN connection in VPN Settings, you can now see some statistics about the connection. And you can now turn off recent searches when hovering over the Search icon in the taskbar.

There are also more than a dozen bug fixes, including for a bug in which some drives did not display in Defragment and Optimize Drives, and another that caused unexpected flickering in certain apps such as Microsoft Edge when using multiple monitors with different refresh rates.

The build has nine known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and widgets displaying in the wrong size on external monitors.

Microsoft also announced that the redesigned Paint app for Windows 11 is beginning to roll out to Insiders in the Dev Channel.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22468.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22463

Release date: September 22, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

The build has several minor new features, including one in which when you have a file or folder selected in File Explorer, you can now use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the path to your clipboard. The build also fixes several dozen bugs, including one in which pressing F1 in File Explorer opened Windows 10 help instead of Windows 11 help, and another that caused File Explorer to hang when doing a search.

The build also has several dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and widgets displaying in the wrong size on external monitors.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22463.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.194

Release date: September 16, 2021

Released to: Beta Channel and commercial PCs in the Release Preview Channel

This build includes updates to the Snipping Tool, Calculator, and Clock with Focus Sessions apps.

The build also fixes several small issues, including one that caused some PCs to bug check during modern standby, and another that caused PowerShell to create an infinite number of child directories.

There are more than a dozen issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

 (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.194.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22458

Release date: September 15, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

The build has more than a dozen bug fixes, including for one in which Settings sometimes crashed when trying to open the Display page, and another that made Start unreliable.

The build also has several dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and widgets displaying in the wrong size on external monitors.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22458.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22454

Release date: September 9, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build has a few extremely minor changes, including in which right-clicking on Recycle Bin on the desktop brings up the new modern context menu.

The build also has several dozen bug fixes, including for a bug in which PCs with Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG) enabled bug-check continuously, and another in which taskbar icons flickered when you moused over them while using a contrast theme.

The build also has several dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and widgets displaying in the wrong size on external monitors.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22454.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.184

Release date: September 9, 2021

Released to: Beta Channel and commercial PCs in the Release Preview Channel

This build fixes two small issues, including one in which a small set of languages were missing translations across the user interface, and another in which the “learn more info” about Windows Hello in the out-of-box experience (OOBE) wasn’t translated for non-English languages.

There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

 (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.184.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22449

Release date: September 2, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

With this build, the Dev Channel moves back to receiving only builds from the active development branch (RS_PRERELEASE). This means the Dev Channel builds no longer match the version of Windows 11 that will be released on October 5th. Dev Channel builds represent the newest works in progress and are not always stable.

The build changes the way SMB compression (compression of files as they’re sent over a network) works. From now on, algorithms will not determine whether to compress files — files will always be compressed if a user asks for it.

Additionally, there are several minor changes in the build, including notifications now having acrylic backgrounds. There are also many bug fixes, including for one that caused the font in the taskbar previews to incorrect and another that crashed explorer.exe when using Alt-Tab.

The build also has more than a dozen known issues, including the taskbar sometimes flickering when switching input methods, and widgets displaying in the wrong size on external monitors.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22449.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.176

Release date: September 2, 2021

Released to: Beta Channel

This build introduces a “Taskbar settings” page, which lets you hide and unhide icons on the taskbar. It also includes a small number of bug fixes, including one that caused some users to  get an unexpected error when trying to take pictures with certain USB cameras, and another in which ratings and reviews weren’t available for some Microsoft Store apps.

There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

 (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.176.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.168

Release date: August 27, 2021

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

This build introduces a Microsoft 365 widget that displays relevant documents, news, and meeting recordings to enterprise users. It only works if you’re signed into your Azure Active Directory (AAD) account on Windows 11. And Chat with Microsoft Teams now supports more than 50 languages.

The build also includes five bug fixes, including for a bug in which typing certain phrases into the search box in Settings sometimes crashed Settings, and another in Microsoft Teams in which videos sometimes froze or displayed a black image during video calls.

There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

 (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.168.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.160

Release date: August 19, 2021

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

This build fixes a bug in which the taskbar sometimes showed the “location in use” icon even when it had been blocked in preferences.

For Insiders in the Dev Channel, this build also includes the revamped Windows Clock app, with a new feature called Focus Sessions that lets you do things such as set timers, automatically play music from Spotify, and work directly with Microsoft’s To Do app. Go here for details.

The build is also available as an ISO from the Windows Insider Preview Downloads page for those who want to install it from media rather than online. Using this method, users experience the full Windows 11 setup process.

There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

 (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.160.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.132

Release date: August 12, 2021

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

With this build, Insiders in the Beta Channel now have access to Chat from Microsoft Teams. The feature, which was previously rolled out to Insiders in the Dev Channel, includes one-to-one and group audio and video calling. You can create and join meetings, toggle your microphone and camera on or off, and choose your preferred speakers, mic, and camera. You can also share your screen, see the roster of participants, admit meeting participants from the lobby, chat, and see people’s video in a gallery view. For more details, see “First Preview of Chat from Microsoft Teams begins rolling out to Windows Insiders.”

The build also rolls out the new Snipping Tool for Windows 11, and updated Calculator, Mail, and Calendar apps for Insiders in the Dev Channel. For details, see “First set of Windows app updates rolling out to Windows Insiders for Windows 11.”

There are seven fixes in this build, including for a bug in which the taskbar repeatedly crashed inside the Windows Sandbox, and another in which the “location in use” indicator icon wasn’t showing up in the taskbar when it should have been.

There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which the Search panel may not open when you click the Search icon on the taskbar.

 (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.132.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.120

Release date: August 5, 2021

Released to: Dev and Beta Channels

This build introduces a new family widget for MSA accounts (a single sign-on Microsoft account). It lets people see recent activity of members of their Microsoft family group. The build also fixes several dozen bugs, including one in which File Explorer didn’t show an updated scroll bar in dark mode; another that caused search in Settings to be in a permanently broken state, saying “No result” for every search; and one in which explorer.exe crashed when the Task View button was clicked.

There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which after clicking the Search icon on the taskbar, the Search panel may not open.

 (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.120.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.100

Release date: July 22, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces Microsoft Teams integration into Windows 11, including a Teams Chat flyout on the taskbar. For more details, see Microsoft’s blog post, “First Preview of Chat from Microsoft Teams begins rolling out to Windows Insiders.” Note that not every Insider will see the feature right away.

There are also a variety of minor new features, including making the taskbar calendar flyout fully collapse when clicking the chevron in the top corner to give more room for notifications.

Several dozen bugs have been fixed, including one in which when you right-clicked the desktop or File Explorer, the resulting context menu and submenus appeared partially off screen, and another in which sign-in wasn’t working for widgets in some scenarios due to authentication hanging.

There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which the taskbar sometimes flickers when switching input methods.

 (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.100.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.71

Release date: July 15, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces a new entertainment widget that displays new and featured movie titles in the Microsoft Store. There are also many bug fixes, including for one in which the new command bar didn’t appear when the “Open folders in a separate process” is enabled under File Explorer Options > View, and another that made Settings periodically crash when it launched.

There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which the right-click menu and submenus from the desktop or File Explorer may appear partially off-screen.

 (Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000. 71.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.65

Release date: July 8, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

Among other changes in this build, the Start menu now includes a search box, Power mode settings are now available on the Power & battery page in Settings, and several system alert dialog boxes, such as the alert for when your battery is running low or when you change your display settings, now adhere to the new Windows 11 visual design.

The build includes a wide variety of bug fixes, including one in which Settings could not be launched, another in which you could not pin and unpin apps from Start, another in which the command bar in File Explorer disappeared, and another in which the snap layouts did not appear until you rebooted your PC.

In addition, a remote code execution exploit in the Windows Print Spooler service, known as “PrintNightmare,” has been closed. For details, see CVE-2021-34527.

There are many known issues in this build, including one in which you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar, and another in which the new command bar may not appear when “Open folders in a separate process” is enabled under File Explorer Options > View.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.65.)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.51

Release date: June 28, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This first Insider Preview for Windows 11 is a big one and offers many of the new features expected to be part of the shipping version of the new operating system.

General interface changes: The Start menu is now centered, rather than pinned to the left of the screen. It includes a set of pinned apps as well as recently opened files in OneDrive on all your cloud-connected devices, including PCs and smartphones. The taskbar is centered as well and offers new animations. It includes a button on the lower-right corner for notifications and for making quick changes to your settings.

File Explorer has a new command bar and new overall look, including new context menus. New themes have been added to the overall interface, and Windows sounds have been redesigned.

Widgets: Windows 11 comes with a set of resizable informational widgets for things such as news, the weather, your calendar, local traffic, a to-do list, photos from OneDrive, news, sports, and more.

Multitasking: Windows 10’s “Snap” feature that gives you control over how you can arrange your open windows gets a makeover. You can choose from pre-built Snap layouts and arrange them into predesigned Snap groups. Desktops available via Task View can now be reordered and have custom backgrounds.

Touch, inking, and voice input: The touch keyboard gets 13 new themes and can be resized. There’s also a voice typing launcher, and several new touch gestures. The build lets you quickly switch between additional languages and keyboards via a switcher that appears at the lower right on the taskbar next to Quick Settings. There’s also now a menu for customizing digital pens.

Other changes include:

• The Microsoft Store has been redesigned. Eventually Android mobile games and apps will be housed there, and be able to work on Windows 11.
• When you undock your laptop, the windows on your external monitor will be minimized. When you re-dock your computer to your monitor, Windows puts everything back where it was before.
• With Windows 11’s Dynamic Refresh Rate, your PC can automatically boost the refresh rate when you’re inking or scrolling to give you a smoother experience, and lower the refresh rate when you don’t need it to save power on your laptop.
• Settings has been redesigned, including left-hand navigation that persists between pages. There are also breadcrumbs to help you know exactly where you are in Settings.
• Windows 11 offers Wi-Fi 6E.

Known issues: There are more than two dozen known issues in this build across a wide variety of features, including the taskbar, Settings, Start, Search, Widgets and the Store. For example, when upgrading a device with multiple user accounts to Windows 11, Settings will fail to launch; after clicking the Search icon taskbar, the Search panel may not open; and when upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10 or when installing an update to Windows 11, some features may be deprecated or removed.

Get more info about Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.51.

Every now and then, I stumble onto an Android enhancement so cool, so clever, so frickin’ useful that I just can’t help but smile.

Today, my fellow Android-appreciating aardvark, is one of those days.

This latest revelation stems from the launch of a new connected-device control widget Google announced last month and then started making available to the masses last week, as we discussed in my Android Intelligence newsletter on Friday. But while that widget’s arrival sparked this thinking in my warped and water-logged mammal-noggin, it’s a setup you could apply just as easily to any Android widget you find yourself interacting with regularly.

I won’t keep you waiting: The trick of which we speak is a way to create a floating, on-demand widget that you can then summon with a simple long-press of one of your phone’s physical volume buttons. And good golly, is it one of the smartest and most sensible productivity upgrades you’ll give yourself all year.

It’s also surprisingly easy to accomplish — once you know how to do it.

And, suffice it to say, it’s yet another one of those bits of advanced efficiency-enhancing magic that’d only be possible on Android.

[Psst: Love efficiency-enhancers as much as I do? My Android Shortcut Supercourse will teach you tons of time-saving tricks for your phone. Sign up now for free!]

The wonderful floating Android widget

Before we dive into the specific steps, let me give you a closer look at exactly how this wild widget wonder works.

Right now, from anywhere on my Pixel 8 Pro phone, I can press and hold the volume-up key on the side of the device for about a second — aaaaaand, boom:

That aforementioned connected-device control widget pops up for instant access, no matter what app I’ve got open or what else I’m doing on my device.

I’ve set up a similar mechanism for my two-factor authentication widget, via Authy, only connected to my device’s volume-down button in that instance. Whenever I press and hold that key for a sec, my Authy widget pops up for easy on-demand access to copying any code I need for signing into a site or service — without interrupting what I’m doing or forcing me to futz my way back to my home screen and waste endless seconds first.

You can use this same setup to make any widget available in an on-demand, floating form with the press of your phone’s physical buttons. And it should work on any Android device, too, no matter who made it or what Android version it’s running.

Ready for your custom efficiency upgrade?

How to unleash any Android widget

All right — to make this Android widget sorcery happen, we need two separate ingredients.

It may sound like a lot, but stick with me. It shouldn’t take you more than five minutes max to set this up, and the two tools involved are some of my absolute favorite Android power-user tools and apps that are well worth having around even beyond this specific purpose.

1️⃣ First, we need to create your floating widget. For that, we need an excellent app called Popup Widget. It’ll set you back two bucks to download.

Once you’ve got Popup Widget on your phone:

• Open it up and tap the plus icon in the app’s lower-right corner.
• Find and select the widget you want from the list that pops up.
• And that’s it: You can ignore everything else there, which should be fine in its default state, and simply hit the left-facing arrow in the upper-left corner of the screen to save and exit.

2️⃣ Now, for the second piece of this puzzle, you need a powerful app I’ve mentioned before called Key Mapper. It’s completely free, and while it does require some deep system permissions in order to do what it needs to do, it doesn’t share, sell, or do anything shady with data — and it’s open source, too, so anyone can look at the underlying code and confirm that it’s telling the truth.

Once you have Key Mapper installed:

• Open up the app and follow the prompts to allow it the necessary forms of access (which, again, are genuinely needed in order for the app to be able to detect your physical button presses and map ’em to different actions).
• On the app’s main screen, tap the plus icon in the bottom-center area.
• Then tap the red Record Trigger button and press either the volume-up or volume-down button on the side of your phone.
• On the next screen, change the option toward the bottom from “Short press” to “Long press.” You could also go with “Double press,” if you’d rather.
• Next, tap “Actions” at the top of the screen, then tap the Add Action button and select “Launch app shortcut” (within the “Apps” section).
• Tap “Popup Widget,” then find and select the widget you just created a minute ago.

If you really want to get fancy, you can tap “Constraints” at the top of the screen and create specific limitations for when your widget-summoning action will be recognized. For instance, you might want to create a constraint that says the long-press action will work only when you aren’t actively playing media on your device — to avoid any potential conflicts with actual volume adjustments you might be trying to make during such moments.

But the basics are now in place, and once you’re ready to get your rule active, you can just tap the floppy disk icon in the lower-right corner of the screen to save and exit.

And that’s it: All that’s left is to press and hold whichever volume key you selected and watch your wonderful new on-demand floating widget appear out of thin air. You can move or resize it by pressing and holding anywhere on the widget. And when you’re ready to dismiss it, you can tap anywhere on the screen outside of the widget area — or swipe in any direction on the widget itself to send it a-scurryin’ away.

Remember, too: You could conceivably keep numerous widgets available on-demand with this same setup — one with a long-press of your volume-up key, another with a long-press of volume-down, another with a double-press of volume-up, and so on.

The power is in your hands. Use it wisely — and try not to make your iPhone-totin’ colleagues too jealous, all right?!

Why stop here? Get six full days of advanced Android knowledge with my free Android Shortcut Supercourse. You’ll learn tons of time-saving tricks for your phone!

Microsoft never sleeps. In addition to its steady releases of major and minor updates to the current version of Windows 10, the company frequently rolls out public preview builds to members of its Windows Insider Program, allowing them to test out — and even help shape — upcoming features.

Windows Insiders can choose to receive preview builds in one of four channels: the Canary, Dev, Beta, or Release Preview Channel. Insiders in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels are now testing Windows 11 builds.

The Release Preview Channel typically doesn’t see action until shortly before a new feature update is rolled out; it’s meant for final testing of an upcoming release and is best for those who want the most stable builds. This is the only Insider channel that is currently receiving Windows 10 builds.

Below you’ll find information about recent Windows 10 preview builds. For each build, we’ve included the date of its release, which Insider channel it was released to, a summary of what’s in the build, and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it.

Note: If you’re looking for information about updates being rolled out to all Windows 10 users, not previews for Windows Insiders, see “Windows 10: A guide to the updates.”

Releases for Windows 10 version 22H2

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4593

Release date: June 13, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel

In this build, Insiders in the Beta Channel get bug fixes for Windows Backup. Insiders in both the Beta and Release Preview Channels get a new feature for mobile device management in which when you enroll a device, the MDM client sends more details about the device. The MDM service uses those details to identify the device model and the company that made it.

Insiders in the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel also get a variety of bug fixes, including for a bug that could have stopped systems from resuming from hibernation after BitLocker was turned on.

(Get more info about  Windows 10 22H2 19045.4593.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4472 (KB5037849)

Release date: May 20, 2024

Released to: Release Preview ChannelThis build fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which TWAIN drivers stopped responding when you used them in a virtual environment, and another in which the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) app stopped responding.

(Get more info about  Windows 10 22H2 19045.4472.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4353 (KB5036979)

Release date: April 15, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build introduces account-related notifications for Microsoft accounts in Settings > Home. A Microsoft account connects Windows to your Microsoft apps. This feature displays notifications across the Start menu and Settings. You can manage your Settings notifications in Settings > Privacy & security > General.

A wide variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which when your device resumed from Modern Standby you might have gotten the stop error, “0x9f DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE, and another in which the Windows Local Administrator Password Solution’s (LAPS) Post Authentication Actions (PAA) did not happen at the end of the grace period. Instead, they occurred at restart.

(Get more info about  Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4353.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4233 (KB5035941)

Release date: March 14, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build adds Windows Spotlight, which displays new images as your desktop wallpaper. If you want to know more about an image, click or tap the Learn More button, which takes you to Bing. To turn on this feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Background > Personalize your background and choose Windows spotlight. The update also adds sports, traffic, and finance content to the lock screen. To turn it on, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. Note that these two features will roll out to users gradually.

In addition, in Windows Hello for Business IT admins can now use mobile device management (MDM) to turn off the prompt that appears when users sign in to an Entra-joined machine. To do it, turn on the “DisablePostLogonProvisioning” policy setting. After a user signs in, provisioning is off for Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.

A wide variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which some applications that depend on COM+ component had stopped responding. Also fixed was a deadlock issue in CloudAP that occurred when different users signed in and signed out at the same time on virtual machines.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4233.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4116 (KB5034843)

Release date: February 15, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

In this build, using Windows share, you can now directly share URLs to apps like WhatsApp, Gmail, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Sharing to X (formerly Twitter) is coming soon.

The build fixes several bugs, including one in which you weren’t able to use Windows Hello for Business to authenticate to Microsoft Entra ID on certain apps when using Web Access Management (WAM).

(Get more info about  Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4116.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3992 (KB5034203)

Release date: January 11, 2024

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update adds eye control system settings. You can back up these settings from the former device while you set up a new device. Then those settings will install automatically on the new device so you can use them when you reach the desktop.

The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which an MDM service such as Microsoft Intune might not get the right data from BitLocker data-only encryption, and another in which some single-function printers are installed as scanners.

(Get more info about  Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3992 (KB5034203).)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3757 (KB5032278)

Release date: November 20, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update begins the rollout of the preview version of AI-powered Copilot in Windows 10. Windows Insiders in Release Preview with eligible devices running Windows 10, version 22H2 who are interested in installing it Windows as soon as possible can  change their settings so that it will automatically install on their PCs. To do it, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available, and then check for updates. It will be a phased launch via controlled feature rollout (CFR) in the coming months.

There are three known issues in this build. In one, if you install Copilot for Windows you may see some instability after clicking the Refresh button in Copilot. Clicking links inside Copilot or closing Microsoft Edge or Copilot may cause Copilot and Edge to crash.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3757.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3754 (KB5032278)

Release date: November 16, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

In this update, you can change your settings so that when the preview version of AI-powered Copilot in Windows is ready for Windows 10, it will automatically install on your PC. To do it go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available and then check for updates. It will be a phased launch via controlled feature rollout (CFR) in the coming months.

The update also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which the cursor’s movement lagged in some screen capture scenarios, and another in which the Windows LAPS PasswordExpirationProtectionEnabled policy failed to turn on the setting.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3754.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3391 (KB5029331)

Release date: August 10, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update improves how Windows detects your location to give you better weather, news, and traffic information. It also expands the rollout of notification badging for Microsoft accounts on the Start menu, which gives you quick access to important account-related notifications. You can also add extra security steps to keep from being locked out of your account.

The update also fixes a variety of bugs, including one in which Group Policy Service did not wait for 30 seconds, the default wait time, for the network to be available. Because of this, policies were not correctly processed.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3391.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3269 (KB5028244)

Release date: July 13, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which certain display and audio devices were missing after your system resumed from sleep, another in which some VPN clients were unable to make connections, and one in which Windows failed when you used BitLocker on a storage medium with a large sector size.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3269.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3154 (KB5027293)

Release date: June 22, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update adds many new features and improvements to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. For details, see Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. It also lets you authenticate across Microsoft clouds. This feature satisfies Conditional Access checks if they are needed.

It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that stopped the onscreen keyboard from opening after you lock the machine, and another that could have deleted all the registry settings under the Policies paths when you did not rename the local temporary user policy file during Group Policy processing.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3154.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3030 (KB5026435)

Release date: May 11, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This update brings back a redesigned search box on the taskbar. If you have a top, bottom, regular, or small icons taskbar, you will see the search box. It offers access to apps, files, settings, and more from Windows and the web. You will also have access to the latest search updates, such as search highlights. To restore the previous search box, use the taskbar context menu or respond to a dialog that appears when you use search.

The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that stopped you from accessing the Server Message Block (SMB) shared folder, and another that did not let you apply signed Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policies to the Secure Kernel when you enabled Secure Boot.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.3030.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.2908 (KB5025297)

Release date: April 13, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build lets you change firewall settings by configuring application group rules and adds the ability to sync language and region settings when you change your Microsoft account display language or regional format.

It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in Microsoft Edge IE mode in which the Tab Window Manager stopped responding, and another that caused rendering issues that affected the search box gleam (an animated icon). The issue occurred in wide, narrow, or small taskbar mode.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.2908.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.2670 (KB5022906)

Release date: March 16, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which lsass.exe stopped responding when it sent a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query to a domain controller that had a very large LDAP filter, and another in which Windows classified USB printers as multimedia devices even though they are not.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.2670 (KB5022906).)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.2670 (KB5022906)

Release date: February 16, 2023

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that stopped hyperlinks from working in Microsoft Excel, another in which using a provisioning package for bulk provisioning Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) failed, and another in which virtual machines (VMs) stopped responding when you added a new disk to a storage pool in thin provisioning scenarios.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.2670.)

Windows 10 Build 19045.2301 (KB5020030)

Release date: November 10, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

In this build, the search box now appears by default on the taskbar when the taskbar is at the top of your screen or when you turn on small taskbar button mode. The build also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that affected the reliability of app installation on some devices installed by enterprises, and another that caused some applications that run on the Windows Lock Down Policy (WLDP) to stop working.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Build 19045.2301.)

Releases for Windows 10 version 21H2

Windows 10 Insider Build 19044.2192

Release date: October 18, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which applications stopped responding due to input queue overflows, and another in which Microsoft Azure Active Directory (AAD) Application Proxy connector was unable to retrieve a Kerberos ticket on behalf of the user. It returned the error message, “The handle specified is invalid (0x80090301).”

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Build 19044.2192.)

Windows 10 Build 19044.1947

Release date: August 15, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

The build enhances Microsoft Defender for Endpoint’s ability to identify and intercept ransomware and advanced attacks, and gives IT admins the ability to remotely add languages and language-related features.

It also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that generated error 0x1E when shutting down or restarting a device, another that degraded BitLocker performance, and another that prevented virtualized App-V Microsoft Office applications from opening or causes them to stop working.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview 21H2 Build 19044.1947.)

Windows 10 Build 19045.1865 (KB5015878) 

Release date: July 28, 2022 

Released to: Release Preview Channel 

Microsoft has now released Build 19045.1865 (KB5015878) to the Release Preview Channel. The company says it is the first preview build of Windows 10 22H2 and is ready for testing by corporate IT departments. (Note that KB5016878 has been previously released via the regular Windows 10 Update channel, labeled as a Windows 10 Preview.) 

Commercial devices configured for the Release Preview Channel via the Windows Insider Program Settings page or via  Windows Update for Business  policy, whether through Microsoft Intune or through Group Policy, will automatically be offered Windows 10, version 22H2 as an optional update. Windows 10, version 22H2 is also now available via Windows Server Update Service and Azure Marketplace. 

(Get more info about KB5015878.) 

Windows 10 Build 19044.1862 (21H2)

Release date: July 18, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build lets you agree to receive urgent notifications when focus assist is on. It also fixes a variety of bugs, including one that caused certain docking stations to lose internet connectivity when waking from Sleep mode, and another that could have caused Windows to stop working when you enabled Windows Defender Application Control with the Intelligent Security Graph feature turned on.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Build 19044.1862.)

Windows 10 Build 19044.1806 (21H2)

Release date: June 24, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build adds IP address auditing for incoming Windows Remote Management (WinRM) connections in security event 4262 and WinRM event 91. This addresses an issue that fails to log the source IP address and machine name for a remote PowerShell connection. The build also introduces a wide variety of Print and Scan features, including IPP over USB support.

The build also fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that affected the Cloud Clipboard service and prevented syncing between machines after a period of inactivity.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Build 19044.1806.)

Windows 10 Build 19044.1741 (21H2)

Release date: June 2, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

The build fixes one bug, which prevented the file system control code (FSCTL_SET_INTEGRITY_INFORMATION_EX) from handling its input parameter correctly.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Build 19044.1741.)

Windows 10 Build 19044.1739 (21H2)

Release date: May 23, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that failed to display the Application Counters section in the performance reports of the Performance Monitor tool, a memory leak issue that affected Windows systems that are in use 24 hours each day of the week, and one that caused file copying to be slower.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Build 19044.1739.)

Windows 10 Build 19044.1679 (21H2)

Release date: April 14, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

The build adds improvements for servicing the Secure Boot component of Windows and fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that caused a remote desktop session to close or a reconnection to stop responding while waiting on the accessibility shortcut handler (sethc.exe); another that caused the news and interest panel to appear when you haven’t clicked, tapped, or moused over it; and another that caused Windows to stop working when you applied a Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policy that doesn’t require a restart.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Build 19044.1679.)

Windows 10 Build 19044.1618 (21H2)

Release date: March 14, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build introduces search highlights, which display notable moments about each day, including holidays, anniversaries, and other events globally and in your region. To see more details at a glance, hover or click on the illustration in the search box.

There are also a variety of small new features, including a new policy that expands an app’s top three notifications by default in the Action Center for apps that send notifications using Windows notifications. It displays multiple notifications that you can interact with simultaneously.

In addition, there are a wide variety of bug fixes, including for one that stopped Microsoft Outlook’s offline search from returning recent emails, and another that prevented the User Account Control (UAC) dialog from correctly showing the application that is requesting elevated privileges

(Get more info about Windows 10 Build 19044.1618.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1499 (21H2)

Release date: January 14, 2022

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that prevented the Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2) localhost relay from starting when Fast Startup is enabled, another that prevented certain surround sound audio from playing in Microsoft Edge, and another in Microsoft UI Automation that could cause Microsoft Outlook to stop working.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1499.)

Windows 10 Build 19044.1381 (21H2)

Release date: November 18, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build includes all the changes in Windows 10 Build 19044.1379 (21H2) and also fixes an additional bug that affected devices that use Windows Hello for Business and are joined to Azure Active Directory (AD). These devices had issues when they accessed on-premises resources, such as file shares or websites.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Build 19044.1381.)

Windows 10 Build 19044.1379 (21H2)

Release date: November 16, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that failed to apply machine Group Policy objects automatically at startup or in the background to devices on a domain that have certain processors, and another that incorrectly renders some variable fonts.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Build 19044.1379.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1320 (21H2)

Release date: October 26, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build includes all the features from Build 19044.1319 and also fixes a bug that prevented the successful installation of printers using the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP).

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1320.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1288 (21H2)

Release date: October 21, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel and via ISO

Microsoft says that it believes “Build 19044.1288 is the final build for the November 2021 Update.” Insiders in the Release Preview Channel can go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and choose to download and install Windows 10, version 21H2. It can also be downloaded via ISO. Microsoft didn’t announce any new features or bug fixes in this build.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1288.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1319 (21H2)

Release date: October 19, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that prevented subtitles from displaying for certain video apps and streaming video sites, and another in which the use of App-V intermittently caused black screens to appear when signing in on the credentials page.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1319.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1263 (21H2)

Release date: September 23, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes several dozen bugs, including one that caused News and Interests to appear in the context menu even when you have disabled it on a device, and another that caused distortion in the audio that Cortana and other voice assistants capture.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1263.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1202 (21H2)

Release date: August 31, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes a bug that caused the Windows Update settings page to stop responding after you download an optional update.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1202.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1200 (21H2)

Release date: August 18, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel (only for Insiders who were moved from the Beta Channel to the Release Preview Channel because their PC did not meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11)

Note: This build is only available for those who seek it out by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and choosing to download and install 21H2.

This build adds WPA3 H2E standards support for enhanced Wi-Fi security, and a new deployment method, cloud trust, which supports simplified passwordless deployments for a deploy-to-run state within a few minutes.

It includes a wide variety of bug fixes, including for one that caused an external monitor to display a black screen after hibernation and another in Windows Defender Exploit Protection that prevented some Microsoft Office applications from working on machines that have certain processors.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1200.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1147 (21H2)

Release date: July 15, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel (only for Insiders who were moved from the Beta Channel to the Release Preview Channel because their PC did not meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11)

Note: This build is only available for those who seek it out by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and choosing to download and install 21H2.

This build focuses almost solely on a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug that caused  File Explorer to stop working after reaching 99% completion when deleting many files on a mapped network drive, and another that caused System Integrity to leak memory.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1147.)

Releases for Windows 10 version 21H1

Windows 10 Build 19043.1381 (21H1)

Release date: November 18, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build includes all the changes in Windows 10 Build 19043.1379 (21H1) and also fixes an additional bug that affected devices that use Windows Hello for Business and are joined to Azure Active Directory (AD). These devices had issues when they accessed on-premises resources, such as file shares or websites.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Build 19043.1381.)

Windows 10 Build 19043.1379 (21H1)

Release date: November 16, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that failed to apply machine Group Policy objects automatically at startup or in the background to devices on a domain that have certain processors, and another that incorrectly renders some variable fonts.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Build 19043.1379.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1320 (21H1)

Release date: October 26, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build includes all the features from Build 19043.1319 and also fixes a bug that prevented the successful installation of printers using the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP).

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.1320.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.1319 (21H1)

Release date: October 19, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that prevented subtitles from displaying for certain video apps and streaming video sites, and another in which the use of App-V intermittently caused black screens to appear when signing in on the credentials page.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.1319.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.1263 (21H1)

Release date: September 23, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes several dozen bugs, including one that caused News and Interests to appear in the context menu even when you have disabled it on a device, and another that caused distortion in the audio that Cortana and other voice assistants capture.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.1263.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.1202 (21H1)

Release date: August 31, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build fixes a bug that caused the Windows Update settings page to stop responding after you download an optional update.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.1202.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.1200 (21H1)

Release date: August 18, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build includes a wide variety of bug fixes, including for one that caused an external monitor to display a black screen after hibernation and another in Windows Defender Exploit Protection that prevented some Microsoft Office applications from working on machines that have certain processors.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.1200.)

Windows 10 Build 19043.1147 (21H1)

Release date: July 15, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

Note: Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel on 21H1 will not receive this update. Microsoft says they will soon receive Windows 11 Insider Preview builds.

This build focuses almost solely on a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug that caused  File Explorer to stop working after reaching 99% completion when deleting many files on a mapped network drive, and another that caused System Integrity to leak memory.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Build 19043.1147.)

Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3740.0

Release date: June 22, 2021

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build has a single change: It fixed a bug that didn’t allow the touch keyboard to be displayed when invoked.

Microsoft is releasing only very minor changes to its Windows Feature Experience Packs for now, because it’s testing the process of distributing them. Over time, more features will be released more frequently. Eventually the packs will be delivered via Windows update the way all other updates are delivered.

(Get more info about Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3740.0.)

Windows 10 Build 19043.1081 (21H1)

Release date: June 17, 2021

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build offers a wide variety of bug fixes, including for one that caused blurry text on the news and interests button on the Windows taskbar for some display configurations, and another in which signing into Windows using a PIN failed.

(Get more info about Build 19043.1081.)

Windows 10 Build 19043.1052 (21H1)

Release date: June 8, 2021

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build includes a variety of security updates for the Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Management, Windows Cloud Infrastructure, Windows Authentication, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Virtualization, Windows Kernel, Windows HTML Platform and Windows Storage and Filesystems.

For more details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about 21H1 Build 19043.1052.)

Windows 10 Build 19043.1023 (21H1)

Release date: May 21, 2021

Released to: Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel

This build includes a wide variety of small bug fixes, including one that displayed items on the desktop after they have been deleted from the desktop, and another that caused configuration problems with devices configured using mobile device management (MDM) RestrictedGroups, LocalUsersAndGroups, or UserRights policies.

(Get more info about 21H1 Build 19043.1023.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.985 (21H1)

Release date: May 11, 2021

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build includes a variety of security updates for Windows App Platform and Frameworks, the Windows Kernel, Windows Media, the Microsoft Scripting Engine, and the Windows Silicon Platform. For more details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19043.985.)

Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3740.0

Release date: April 28, 2021

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build has a single change: It removes nonfunctional hyperlinks from being displayed in the Input Method Editor (IME) candidate window.

Microsoft is releasing only very minor changes to its Windows Feature Experience Packs for now, because it’s testing the process of distributing them. Over time, more features will be released more frequently. Eventually the packs will be delivered via Windows update the way all other updates are delivered.

(Get more info about Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3740.0.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.962 (21H1)

Release date: April 19, 2021

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build offers new personalization options for news and interests on the taskbar. A new button links to a page that lets you choose specific topics that you’re interested in. You can search for topics or publishers you want to follow, and also browse through more than a dozen categories, including different types of news, entertainment, and sports.

There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for one that caused blank tiles to appear on the Start menu with names such as “ms-resource:AppName” or “ms-resource:appDisplayName,” and another that caused Azure Active Directory authentication to fail after signing in on Windows Virtual Desktop machines.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19043.962.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.928 (21H1)

Release date: April 13, 2021

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build includes a variety of security updates for Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Apps, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Office Media, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Cryptography, the Windows AI Platform, Windows Kernel, Windows Virtualization, Internet Explorer, and Windows Media. For more details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide website.

There are several security updates in addition to those, including fixing a potential elevation of privilege vulnerability in the way Azure Active Directory web sign-in allows arbitrary browsing from the third-party endpoints used for federated authentication.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19043.928.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.899 (21H1)

Release date: March 15, 2021

Released to: Beta Channel

This update fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that caused Remote Desktop sessions to end unexpectedly, another that caused systems to stop working when no Trusted Platform Module (TPM) was present, and another that froze devices if files or folders that OneDrive syncs were deleted.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19043.899.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.867 (21H1)

Release date: March 9, 2021

Released to: Beta Channel

This update includes a wide variety of security updates for the Windows Shell, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Management, Windows Apps, Windows User Account Control (UAC), Windows Virtualization, the Windows Kernel, the Microsoft Graphics Component, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge Legacy, and Windows Media. For details, see the Microsoft Security Update Guide.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19043.867.)

Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3030.0

Release date: February 23, 2021

Released to: Beta Channel

This build has a single change: It improves the reliability of the handwriting input panel.

Windows Feature Experience Pack updates are delivered to Insiders in the Beta Channel via Windows Update just like builds and cumulative updates. If you want to install one, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and check for updates. You’ll have to reboot to enable it. To check your Windows Feature Experience Pack version, go to Settings > System > About.

(Get more info about Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3030.0.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19043.844 (21H1)

Release date: February 17, 2021

Released to: Beta Channel

This build is the first version of the next Windows 10 feature update, version 21H1. In order to get it, Insiders in the Beta Channel need to go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and choose to download and install 21H1. Once you’ve installed 21H1, you’ll receive preview builds for 21H1 moving forward; those who don’t install it will continue to receive 20H2 builds for the time being.

The build includes all the fixes in Insider Build 19042.844 for version 20H2 as well as several minor bug fixes and tweaks. Bug fixes include resolving an issue that caused a one-minute or more delay when you opened a Microsoft Defender Application Guard (WDAG) Office document. Feature tweaks include having Windows Hello multicamera support set the default as the external camera when both external and internal Windows Hello cameras are present.

For more details about 21H1, see this blog post from John Cable, Vice President, Program Management, Windows Servicing and Delivery.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19043.844.)

Releases for Windows 10 version 20H2

Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3740.0

Release date: June 22, 2021

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build has a single change: It fixed a bug that didn’t allow the touch keyboard to be displayed when invoked.

Microsoft is releasing only very minor changes to its Windows Feature Experience Packs for now, because it’s testing the process of distributing them. Over time, more features will be released more frequently. Eventually the packs will be delivered via Windows update the way all other updates are delivered.

(Get more info about Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3740.0.)

Windows 10 Build 19042.1081 (20H2)

Release date: June 17, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build offers a wide variety of bug fixes, including for one that caused blurry text on the news and interests button on the Windows taskbar for some display configurations, and another in which signing into Windows using a PIN failed.

(Get more info about Build 19042.1081.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build (20H2) Build 19042.1023

Release date: May 21, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build, for Insiders on 20H2, includes a wide variety of small bug fixes, including one that displayed items on the desktop after they have been deleted from the desktop, and another that caused configuration problems with devices that were configured using mobile device management (MDM) RestrictedGroups, LocalUsersAndGroups, or UserRights policies.

(Get more info about (20H2) Build 19043.1023 (KB5003214).

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.962 (20H2)

Release date: April 19, 2021

Released to: Release Preview Channel

This build offers new personalization options for news and interests on the taskbar. A new button links to a page that lets you choose specific topics that you’re interested in. You can search for topics or publishers you want to follow, and also browse through more than a dozen categories, including different types of news, entertainment, and sports.

There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for one that caused blank tiles to appear on the Start menu with names such as “ms-resource:AppName” or “ms-resource:appDisplayName,” and another that caused Azure Active Directory authentication to fail after signing in on Windows Virtual Desktop machines.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.962.)

Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3030.0

Release date: February 23, 2021

Released to: Beta Channel

This build has a single change: It improves the reliability of the handwriting input panel.

Windows Feature Experience Pack updates are delivered to Insiders in the Beta Channel via Windows Update just like builds and cumulative updates. If you want to install one, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and check for updates. You’ll have to reboot to enable it. To check your Windows Feature Experience Pack version, go to Settings > System > About.

(Get more info about Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3030.0.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.844 (20H2)

Release date: February 17, 2021

Released to: Release Preview and Beta Channels

This update fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one that caused video playback to flicker when rendering on certain low-latency capable monitors, and another that prevented certain Win32 apps from opening as a different user when you use the runas command.

There are also a few minor feature tweaks, including enabling Windows to retrieve updated printer capabilities to ensure that users have the proper set of selectable print options.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.844.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.804 (20H2)

Release date: February 9, 2021

Released to: Release Preview and Beta Channels

This release fixes a bug and includes a variety of security updates. The bug fixed could damage the file system of some devices and prevent them from starting up after running chkdsk /f.

Security updates are provided for Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Apps, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Cloud Infrastructure, Windows Management, Windows Authentication, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Cryptography, Windows Virtualization, Windows Core Networking, and Windows Hybrid Cloud Networking. For details, see the Microsoft Security Update Guide.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.804.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.789 (20H2)

Release date: February 2, 2021

Released to: Release Preview and Beta Channels

This update includes all the fixes in Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.782 (20H2), plus three additional ones:

• One fixes an issue with Microsoft Exchange accounts and some Surface Hub devices that occurred after updating to Windows 10 version 20H2. The message “Something went wrong” appeared, with error code 0x80131500.
• Another fixes an issue with Windows Update scans that occurred when an authenticated proxy was used as a fallback for the sync service after the previous proxy setting fails.
• The third fixes an issue that caused an update from Windows 10, version 1703 to Windows 10, version 20H2 to fail on a Surface Hub device. The message “Getting ready…” remained on the screen indefinitely.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.789.)

Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.2020.0

Release date: January 26, 2021

Released to: Beta Channel

Microsoft says this build improves the reliability of screen snipping, particularly for apps that often access the clipboard. It also removes the ability to copy and paste a screen snip directly into a folder in File Explorer. That feature was removed because of a bug. Microsoft plans to turn the feature back on in a future update.

Windows Feature Experience Pack updates are delivered to Insiders via Windows Update just like builds and cumulative updates. If you want to install one, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and check for updates. Note that Insiders in the Beta Channel will need to have 20H2 Build 19042.662 or higher installed if they want to get it. You’ll have to reboot to enable it. To check your Windows Feature Experience Pack version, go to Settings > System > About.

This Experience Pack build contains barely any new features because Microsoft is still testing out the process of delivering new features outside of major Windows 10 feature updates. Microsoft expects to expand the scope and the frequency of releases in the future. Eventually, Windows Feature Experience Pack updates will be folded into the existing servicing process for Windows 10 and delivered through Windows Update.

(Get more info about Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.2020.0.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.782 (20H2)

Release date: January 21, 2021

Released to: Release Preview and Beta Channels

This update includes fixes for a wide variety of bugs, including one that prevented you from opening a document on the Windows desktop and generates the error “The directory name is invalid,” another that sometimes caused Alt-Tab to switch to the wrong window, and another that caused the upload of diagnostic logs to a management service, such as Microsoft Intune, to fail.

It also includes a few minor new features, including one that allows administrators to disable standalone Internet Explorer using a Group Policy while continuing to use Microsoft Edge’s IE Mode, and another that lets you configure certain policies that support Microsoft Edge IE Mode using mobile device management (MDM).

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.782.)

Windows 10 Build 19042.746 (20H2)

Release date: January 12, 2021

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build fixes a variety of security vulnerabilities, including one with HTTPS-based intranet servers, and a security bypass vulnerability in the way the Printer Remote Procedure Call (RPC) binding handles authentication for the remote Winspool interface.

There are also security updates to Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Media, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Kernel, Windows Cryptography, Windows Virtualization, Windows Peripherals, and Windows Hybrid Storage Services. For details, see the Microsoft Security Update Guide.

There are two known issues in this update, including one in which system and user certificates might be lost when updating a device from Windows 10 version 1809.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Build 19042.746.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.685 (20H2)

Release date: December 8, 2020

Released to: Release Preview and Beta Channels

This build fixes a security vulnerability by preventing applications that run as a SYSTEM account from printing to “FILE:” ports. It also has security updates for the legacy version of Microsoft Edge, the Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Media, Windows Fundamentals, and Windows Virtualization. For details, see the Microsoft Security Update Guide.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.685.)

Windows 10 Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.1070.0

Release date: November 30, 2020

Released to: Beta Channel

This is the first build of a Microsoft Experience Pack, which offers a set of new features to Windows users outside the normal twice-yearly Windows 10 feature updates. This first early build was done more to test the process of releasing experience packs than to add any significant new features. Microsoft notes, “By testing this process first with Windows Insiders, we hope to expand the scope and the frequency of releases in the future.”

There are only two, minor new features in the build:

• You can now use Windows 10’s built-in screen snipping tool (press Windows key + Shift + S) to create a screenshot and save it in the folder you choose in File Explorer.
• Split keyboard mode is now supported when you use the touch keyboard in portrait orientation on a 2-in-1 touch device.

To receive this update, Insiders in the Beta Channel must have 20H2 Build 19042.662 installed. To get the update, they’ll have to go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and check for updates. Once they’ve installed the update, they’ll have to reboot to turn on the new features. They can check their Windows Feature Experience Pack version by going to Settings > System > About.

(Get more info about Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.1070.0.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.662 (20H2)

Release date: November 23, 2020

Released to: Release Preview and Beta Channels

This build has a wide variety of minor bug fixes and updates, including fixing an issue that caused a system to stop working during startup when the CrashOnAuditFail policy is set to 1 and command-line argument auditing is turned on, and fixing another issue that caused the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Group Policy application to stop working when you are editing the Group Policy Security settings.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.662.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.630 (20H2)

Release date: November 10, 2020

Released to: Release Preview and Beta Channels

This build updates the 2020 DST start date for the Fiji Islands to December 20, 2020 and includes security updates to the Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Input and Composition, Microsoft Graphics Component, the Windows Wallet Service, Windows Fundamentals, and the Windows Kernel. For details see the release notes for November 2020 Security Updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.630.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.610 (20H2)

Release date: October 29, 2020

Released to: Release Preview and Beta Channels

This update for insiders on the 20H2 Windows 10 October 2020 Update includes all the fixes in the 20H2 Build 19042.608 build, plus one minor additional fix. It fixes a bug that caused the Docker pull operation to fail due to a Code Integrity (CI) Policy that blocks the import of a Windows container image.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.610.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.608 (20H2)

Release date: October 22, 2020

Released to: Release Preview and Beta Channels

This update makes it easier to connect to others in Skype, using Meet Now from the taskbar. In addition, there are a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug that displayed the incorrect CPU frequency for certain processors, and another that displayed nothing on the screen for five minutes or more during a Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) session.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.608.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.572 (20H2)

Release date: October 13, 2020

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build for Insiders who are on version 20H2 (the October 2020 Update) fixes a few minor bugs and includes a variety of security updates. Among the items fixed are an issue with creating null ports using the user interface, and another issue with a possible elevation of privilege in win32k.

Security updates were issued for Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Media, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Authentication, Windows Virtualization, and Windows Kernel. For details, see the Release Notes for October 2020 Security Updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.572.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.546 (20H2)

Release date: September 30, 2020

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build for Insiders who are on version 20H2 (the Windows 10 October 2020 Update) includes all of the fixes included as part of 20H2 Build 19042.541, plus two minor bug fixes, one that had prevented a device from entering Modern Standby, and the other a reliability issue in Microsoft Edge that occurs when you open multiple windows or tabs.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.546.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.541 (20H2)

Release date: September 22, 2020

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

This build for Insiders who are on Windows 10 20H2 (the October 2020 Update) fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) failed to start with an “Element not found” error, another that caused random line breaks when you redirected PowerShell console error output, and another that prevented Microsoft Intune from syncing on a device using the virtual private network version 2 (VPNv2) configuration service provider (CSP).

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.541.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.508 (20H2)

Release date: September 18, 2020

Released to: Release Preview Channel

Microsoft says this build, previously released to the Beta Channel on Sept. 8., will be the final build for the Windows 10 October 2020 Update, barring unforeseen consequences. To get it, Insiders in the Release Preview Channel need to go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and choose to download and install 20H2.

(Get more info about Build 19042.508.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.508 (20H2)

Release date: September 8, 2020

Released to: Beta Channel

This build includes security updates for Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Media, Windows Shell, Windows Cloud Infrastructure, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Management, Windows Kernel, Windows Virtualization, Windows Storage and Filesystems, the Microsoft Scripting Engine, and the Microsoft JET Database Engine.

For details, see the Release Notes for September 2020 Security Updates.

The build also fixes a security vulnerability issue with user proxies and HTTP-based intranet servers, and addresses an issue with a possible elevation of privileges in windowmanagement.dll.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Note: Microsoft is releasing 20H2 to commercial customers in the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for pre-release validation. Get details in this blog post.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.508.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.487 (20H2)

Release date: August 26, 2020

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channel (commercial customers)

The build fixes a wide variety of bugs, including one in which add-ins caused Microsoft Outlook to become unresponsive, another in which a black screen was displayed to Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) users when they attempted to sign in, and another in which Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) caused a memory leak when multiple clients connected to the same server.

Note: Microsoft is releasing this build to commercial customers in the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel for pre-release validation. Get details in this blog post.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.487.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.450 (20H2)

Release date: August 11, 2020

Released to: Beta Channel

This build includes security updates for the Microsoft Scripting Engine, Internet Explorer, Windows Graphics, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Kernel, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Media, Windows Shell, the Windows Wallet Service, Microsoft Edge Legacy, Windows Cloud Infrastructure, Windows Authentication, the Windows AI Platform, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Update Stack, Windows File Server and Clustering, Windows Hybrid Storage Services, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, the Microsoft JET Database Engine, and Windows SQL components.

For details, see the Release Notes for August 2020 Security Updates.

The build also fixes an issue in Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps that allows single sign-on authentication when an app does not have the Enterprise Authentication capability.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.450.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.423 (20H2)

Release date: August 5, 2020

Released to: Beta Channel

This build is a re-release of 20H2 19042.421 (see below), released on July 24 to the Beta Channel. It was released in order to bring it to parity with the KB4568831 update for Windows 10 version 2004.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.423.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.421 (20H2)

Release date: July 24, 2020

Released to: Beta Channel

The update includes a minor change to the look of the Start menu, removing the solid color backplates behind the logos in the apps list and giving a partially transparent background to the tiles. In addition, all of your open tabs in Microsoft Edge will appear when you use Alt-Tab, not just the active one in each browser window.

The update also includes a new feature for Microsoft Edge, in which when you pin a web site to the taskbar, when you click it, all the open tabs for the site will display in Edge. Note that existing sites on your taskbar will not use this new behavior until you remove and re-pin them.

New users of Windows will also get a more personalized, less cluttered taskbar. The taskbar will automatically adjust itself to the way in which you use Windows. You can also now more easily dismiss notifications, by clicking the X at the upper right of their screens.

More settings information has been moved from Control Panel into the Settings app. Links that used to open the System page in Control Panel now direct you to About in Settings.

There are also many bug fixes, including one that could cause Microsoft browsers to incorrectly bypass proxy servers, and another that caused the Settings page to close unexpectedly, preventing default applications from being set up properly.

There are no known issues in this build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.421.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.388 (20H2)

Release date: July 14, 2020

Released to: Beta Channel

This update offers a few minor bug fixes and multiple security updates. It fixes an issue that can cause certain games and applications to have visual distortions when resizing in windowed mode or switching from full screen to window mode, and another that might prevent some older devices with older apps and legacy file system drivers from connecting to OneDrive using the OneDrive app.

This build has security updates for Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, the Microsoft Store, Windows Graphics, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Media, Windows Shell, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Management, Windows Kernel, Windows Hybrid Cloud Networking, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Update Stack, Windows MSXML, Windows File Server and Clustering, Windows Remote Desktop, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge Legacy, and the Microsoft JET Database Engine. For details, see this page about the July 2020 Security Updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.388.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19042.330 for 20H2

Release date: June 16, 2020

Released to: Beta Channel (formerly called the Slow ring)

This is the first Windows Insider Preview build for the next Windows 10 upgrade, code-named 20H2. It includes fixes from the KB4557957 (OS Build 19041.329) build for the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, as well as the new Microsoft Edge based on Chromium.

In order to get the build, you’ll have to go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and choose to download and install 20H2. Once you’ve updated your PC to 20H2, you will continue to receive 20H2 updates through Windows Update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19042.330.)

Preview builds for the Dev Channel

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21390

Release date: May 26, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build primarily fixes a number of minor issues, including one in which when using dark mode, the text in the File Explorer search box was black on a black background, and another in which Task Manager showed the incorrect icon for some processes.

There are several known issues in this build, including one in which the Windows Camera App does not respect the default brightness setting set via the new Camera Settings page, and another in which search results are no longer following the dark theme.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21390.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21387

Release date: May 21, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build has more than a dozen bug fixes, including one that caused the Windows Update page becoming unresponsive after Pause Updates was clicked, and two that caused problems when printing to USB printers.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in whichthe  Windows Camera App does not use the default brightness setting set via the new Camera Settings page, and another in which elements of Search (including the search box in File Explorer) are no longer displaying correctly in the dark theme.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21387.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21382

Release date: May 14, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build includes a feature that lets creative and artistic apps that use International Color Consortium (ICC) display color profiles, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom Classic, and CorelDraw, get accurate color and access the full gamut of HDR displays.

There are more than a dozen fixes, including one that caused pixilation when a colored mouse pointer was set to be a large size, and another that caused some devices to be listed twice on the Printers and Scanners page in Settings.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in which Windows Camera App does not use the default brightness setting set via the new Camera Settings page, and another in which elements of search (including the search box in File Explorer) no longer display correctly in the dark theme.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21382.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21376

Release date: May 6, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build makes several small updates to improve the drag-and-drop default cursor design in scenarios like dragging and dropping into Outlook, among other minor tweaks.

There are more than two dozen fixes, including for a bug in which the Windows Update icon would not display in the notification area when an update was pending reboot, and another that could result in apps hanging after the user pressed Alt-Shift.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in which Windows Camera App does not use the default brightness setting set via the new Camera Settings page, and another in which elements of Search (including the search box in File Explorer) are no longer displaying correctly in the dark theme.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21376.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21370

Release date: April 29, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build makes Bluetooth audio streaming easier, tweaks icons in File Explorer’s address bar, and improves the touch keyboard launch animation to make it smoother.

There are more than a dozen fixes, including for a bug in which broken characters appeared in text across Settings, and another in which Cortana didn’t launch from the taskbar after its icon was clicked.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which elements of Search (including the search box in File Explorer) are no longer displaying correctly in dark theme.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21370.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21364

Release date: April 21, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build offers the first preview of support for GUI applications in the Windows Subsystem for Linux. You’ll be able to run GUI editors, tools, and applications in order to develop, test, build, and run Linux apps.

Task Manager now supports process classification to identify resource consumption under Microsoft Edge. Task Manager also gets a new, experimental Eco mode that lets you throttle apps that use high system resources so you can give priority to other apps, leading to faster foreground responsiveness and better energy efficiency.

There are more than two dozen fixes, including for a bug in which the About page in Settings sometimes appeared blank, and another in which Windows Firewall unexpectedly reported an error when updating existing rules to Block.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which elements of Search (including the search box in File Explorer) no longer display correctly in the dark theme.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21364.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21359

Release date: April 14, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build has a new option under the Start menu’s Power menu to restart apps after signing in when you reboot your device.

There are more than two dozen bug fixes, including one in which Windows Update Settings might unexpectedly display two separate strings saying that updates are managed by your organization, and another in which after upgrading to recent builds you couldn’t connect using remote desktop until you rebooted your PC.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which the Windows Camera App does not use the default brightness setting set via the new Camera Settings page.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21359.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21354

Release date: April 7, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build offers new personalization options for news and interests on the taskbar. A new button links to a page that lets you choose specific topics that you’re interested in. You can search for topics or publishers you want to follow, and also browse through more than a dozen categories, including different types of news, entertainment, and sports.

In addition, you can now turn off content adaptive brightness control (CABC), which improves battery performance but decreases image quality. There’s also a new camera settings page so you can easily add and remove cameras and configure the default image settings of each one.

There are also more than two dozen bug fixes, including for one in which all folders pinned to Quick Access in File Explorer disappeared, and another in which the tooltip text for items in Start’s Power button menu wasn’t displaying correctly.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which elements of Search (including the search box in File Explorer) are no longer displaying correctly in the dark theme.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21354.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21343

Release date: March 24, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces colorful new icons for File Explorer and improves Windows Sandbox and Microsoft Defender Application Guard (MDAG).

There are also a half dozen bug fixes, including for an issue that caused some devices with Realtek network adapters running driver version 1.0.0.4 to experience an intermittent loss of network connectivity, and another that caused a memory leak when interacting with the Recycle Bin.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which all folders pinned to Quick Access in File Explorer disappear.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21343.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21337

Release date: March 17, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build includes new capabilities for controlling virtual desktops, including reordering and customizing the backgrounds for each virtual desktop. File Explorer also gets some minor design changes.

There are also nearly two dozen bug fixes, including for one that caused the Windows Security icon in the taskbar to become unresponsive, and another in which Search didn’t open after clicking the search box in the taskbar.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which some devices with Realtek network adapters running driver version 1.0.0.4 may experience intermittent loss of network connectivity.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21337.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21332

Release date: March 10, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build has nearly two dozen bug fixes, including fixing an issue in which clipboard history did not update to display the latest entries, and another in which some Settings search results were missing.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which some devices with Realtek network adapters running driver version 1.0.0.4 may experience intermittent loss of network connectivity.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21332.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21327

Release date: March 3, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

With this build, the news and interest feature on the taskbar gets a new design. It includes more color and more frequent updates, as well as “cards” that let you see article text at a glance.

There are more than a dozen bug fixes, including fixing an issue that made Start and certain apps less reliable, and another that caused some upgrades to get stuck at 88%.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which “up to date” status is not displayed under Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21327.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21322

Release date: February 24, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build has only a few minor changes, including one in which the 3D Objects folder will no longer be shown as a special folder in File Explorer. If you need to access this folder, you can do so by typing %userprofile% in File Explorer or through the navigation pane option Show all folders.

There are ten bug fixes, including for a bug that caused your PC to bug check when switching between users, and another that caused deleted files to unexpectedly remain visible on the desktop until the desktop was refreshed.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which the Start menu layout may reset.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21322.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21318

Release date: February 19, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

With this build, you can copy text-based entries in your clipboard history in plain text, without formatting such as font, color, or size. That will allow an entry to match the formatting of the destination document.

In addition, the notification when pairing supported Bluetooth devices will now stay on the screen a little longer, giving you the chance to interact with it before it goes away.

There are also a wide range of bug fixes, including for one in which the right side of the quick actions area of the Action Center was truncated, and another in which Reset my PC with the “Keep my files” option selected was failing.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which domain networks appear with the wrong firewall profile, which may block some local network services.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21318.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21313

Release date: February 12, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

In this build the Chromium version of Microsoft Edge replaces the previous version of the browser (which Microsoft calls Microsoft Edge Legacy). All future Windows 10 Insider builds will come with the Chromium version of Edge rather than Microsoft Edge Legacy. Those who are interested in trying out new features in the Chromium version of Edge before they are officially released can sign up for it in the Microsoft Edge Insider website.

The build includes a wide variety of bug fixes, including for one in which some Insiders experienced an IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL bug check when attempting to upgrade to a newer build, and another in which the text on the taskbar button could look pixelated on high-resolution screens.

The build has a number of known issues, including one in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which Domain networks appear with the wrong firewall profile, which may block some local network services.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21313.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21301

Release date: January 27, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build improves the touch keyboard in several minor ways. When the keyboard is undocked, it now switches to the Small keyboard layout, making it easier to move the keyboard around using the gripper region at the top of the keyboard. Small and split layouts now feature an updated symbol’s view based on the default layout. And the settings menu now has a nested structure for improved clarity and less clutter.

Note that this feature is being rolled out initially only to a subset of Insiders in the Dev Channel, to test it for performance and reliability. Eventually, it will be rolled out to all Insiders in the Dev channel.

In addition, there are several small overall changes, including one in which when you right-click locally saved files displayed in jump lists, you now have an Open File Location option, in addition to Open.

There are also more than a dozen bug fixes, including for one that could result in VPN repeatedly connecting and disconnecting in a loop, and another that caused Task Manager to crash when switching to the Details tab.

There are more than a dozen known issues, including one in which Miracast users may experience very low frame rates, and another in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21301.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21296

Release date: January 21, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build rolls out changes to clipboard history first detailed in Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20206 and the ability to manage and create Storage Spaces from Settings described in Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21286.

In addition, there are nine bug fixes, including for a bug that caused the Program Compatibility Assistant to unexpectedly use up a large amount of CPU resources, and another in which the Windows Security app showed both a “check for updates” button and link at the same time.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including the update process hanging for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build and another in which some 32-bit systems may lose network connection after installing the build. If you are running a 32-bit version of Windows, Microsoft says you may wish to pause updates until the issue is resolved.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21296.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21292 (RS_PRERELEASE)

Release date: January 13, 2021

Released to: Dev Channel

This build adds fixes a wide variety of bugs in a feature introduced in Build 21286 that lets you get a customizable feed of news, weather and other updates via the taskbar.

In addition, there are several other bug fixes, including for an issue in which explorer.exe was hanging and or crashing, particularly after interacting with audio/video, and another in which it wasn’t possible to sort processes in Task Manager by status.

The build has nearly two dozen known issues, including rendering and graphic issues after resizing certain app windows, and the update process hanging for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21292.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21286 (RS_PRERELEASE)

Release date: January 6, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This build introduces a feature that lets you get a customizable feed of news, weather, and other updates via the taskbar. In addition, you can now manage all of your storage locations via the Settings app. There’s also a new tool named DiskUsage that lets you get information about your disk usage via the command line.

The build has a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug that caused some printers to get stuck when connecting via Settings, and another that could unexpectedly sign you out of apps and websites after rebooting your PC.

The build has more than two dozen known issues, including rendering and graphic issues after resizing certain app windows, as well as the update process hanging for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21286.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20279 (FE_RELEASE)

Release date: December 14, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This build is, in the words of Microsoft, is “largely the same as Build 20277” (see below). Microsoft released it in order to test its ability to quickly follow one build with another. Windows Insiders who updated to Build 21277 (RS_PRERELEASE) are not being offered this build because they are on a newer build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20279.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21277 (RS_PRERELEASE)

Release date: December 10, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

For now, Microsoft is automatically pushing FE_RELEASE builds to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Build 20277 (see below) is an FE_RELEASE. All Dev Channel Insiders will be moved to the RS_PRERELEASE branch sometime after the holidays.

If you want to move to the RS_PRERELEASE branch now, however, you can choose to install Build 21277, which is being offered as an optional update through the “seeker” experience in Windows Update. Once you install Build 21277, you will continue to receive RS_PRERELEASE builds.

Note that once you to install a RS_PRERELEASE build, you cannot move back to the FE_RELEASE branch. However, you will still have the option to roll back to a previous version for up to 10 days or until you take another build.

Build 21277 introduces x64 emulation in preview for Windows 10 on ARM PCs and adds support for Unicode Emoji 12.1 and 13.0. There are also a wide variety of bug fixes, including for a bug that caused Microsoft Edge windows to be unexpectedly grouped with File Explorer in the taskbar, and another in which limiting a search in File Explorer to a specific folder was unexpectedly returning results from the subfolders.

There are also a number of minor changes and improvements, including a smoother animation when opening or closing a window and the ability to uninstall the Snipping Tool.

There are five known issues in the build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which no drives appear under Settings > System > Storage > Manage Disks and Volumes. As a workaround, you can manage your disks using the classic Disk Management tool.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 21277.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20277 (FE_RELEASE)

Release date: December 10, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

Build 20277 is being offered to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel as part of the FE_RELEASE branch. You may alternatively seek out and install Build 21277 (see above), which is from the RS_PRERELEASE branch. If you do, you will continue to receive RS_PRERELEASE builds. If you choose to remain in the FE_RELEASE branch, you will continue to receive automatic FE_RELEASE updates until sometime after the holidays, when all Dev Channel Insiders will be moved to the RS_PRERELEASE branch.

The build fixes two issues, one that could result in the WinRE volume label being lost after multiple upgrades and another that could result in apps failing to update with error code 0x80073D02.

There are five known issues in the build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which no drives appear under Settings > System > Storage > Manage Disks and Volumes. As a workaround, you can manage your disks using the classic Disk Management tool.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20277.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20270

Release date: December 3, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This build lets those who sign into Cortana with their corporate credentials use Cortana to open and search for files by natural-language spoken and typed queries, such as “Hey Cortana, find my recent PDFs.”

The build also fixes several minor issues, including one in which some dialog boxes, such as Properties, displayed black text on dark backgrounds, and another in which certain apps unexpectedly closed when clicking the Maximize button.

There are five known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which no drives appear under Settings > System > Storage > Manage Disks and Volumes. As a workaround, you can manage your disks using the classic Disk Management tool.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20270.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20262

Release date: November 18, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This build has 10 minor bug fixes, including for a bug in which certain apps unexpectedly launched transparently, with no content visible, and another in which Settings could crash when navigating to Storage Sense.

There are six known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which no drives appear under Settings > System > Storage > Manage Disks and Volumes. As a workaround, you can manage your disks using the classic Disk Management tool.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20262.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20257

Release date: November 11, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This build makes changes to the Your Phone app, which now lets you run multiple Android mobile apps side by side on your Windows 10 PC on supported Samsung devices. Apps launch in separate windows, allowing you to interact with multiple apps at the same time even if the Your Phone app is not open. You can pin your apps to Favorites, the Windows 10 taskbar, or the Start menu for easy access to them. You can also search for your previously pinned apps via Windows search from within your Start app list.

There are also a variety of minor bug fixes, including for a bug in which the windows.old folder was not completely deleted when performing disk cleanup, and another in which apps wouldn’t launch from browser links.

There are six known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which no drives appear under Settings > System > Storage > Manage Disks and Volumes. As a workaround, you can manage your disks using the classic Disk Management tool.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20257.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20251

Release date: November 4, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update has nine minor bug fixes, including for one that caused the background of some dialogs to unexpectedly appear gray instead of white, another that could cause the Settings app to hang when checking for updates right after an upgrade, and another that sometimes caused the Settings app to send a notification that just said “new notification.”

There are eight known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which Arm PCs such as the Surface Pro X won’t allow Windows PowerShell to launch. As a workaround, you can use “Windows PowerShell (x86)” or “Windows PowerShell ISE (x86)” from the Start menu, or else download the new PowerShell 7, which runs natively on Arm.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20251.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20246

Release date: October 29, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update temporarily removes several features that debuted in earlier Dev Channel builds, including an emoji picker, a redesigned touch keyboard, and voice typing. The update adds a new automatic Linux distro installation to the wsl.exe –install command; typing wsl.exe –install into the command line now installs a fully set-up Windows Subsystem for Linux instance ready to go, including a Linux distro of choice.

The build includes a variety of bug fixes, including for one that caused Settings to crash sometimes when clicking the Update and Security category, another that caused Storage Settings to unexpectedly show incorrect category sizes (a higher number than what was visible in File Explorer), and another in which some devices experienced a KMODE_EXCEPTION bugcheck when using certain virtualization technologies.

There are seven known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another that could cause a crash when disconnecting certain audio devices while playing audio.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20246.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20241

Release date: October 21, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update introduces theme-aware splash screens for Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps. When an app is launched, the splash screen color will match your default app mode. So if you have the light theme turned on, you’ll see a light theme splash screen, and if you have the dark theme turned on, you’ll see a dark theme splash screen.

In addition, when you defragment your hard drives (Settings > System > Storage > Optimize Drives), there are several new options, including the ability to see all volumes, including hidden ones.  

There are also a variety of bug fixes, including for one in which robocopy wouldn’t preserve the directory dates when using the move command, and another in which the System Information window (msinfo32) crashed on launch.

There are 10 known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which some devices experience a KMODE_EXCEPTION bug check when using certain virtualization technologies.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20241.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20236

Release date: October 14, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update lets you change the refresh rate of your display, via Settings > System > Display > Advanced display settings. It also tweaks the Windows Search Box in several ways, including showing the last four items that you’ve searched for and opened, including apps, files, settings, and direct-nav URLs (for example, “computerworld.com”).

There are also many bug fixes, including for an issue in which some Office applications were crashing or missing after updating to a new build, and another in which File Explorer sometimes crashed when renaming a file.

There are 11 known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which some devices experience a KMODE_EXCEPTION bug check when using certain virtualization technologies.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20236.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20231

Release date: October 7, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update gives enterprise customers the ability to modify file associations on a per-user or per-device basis. That means IT administrators can use Group Policy to set which apps will automatically open various file types or links. The feature is first being rolled out to a subset of Insiders in the Dev Channel, to help Microsoft identify issues that may impact performance and reliability. It will gradually roll out to everyone in the Dev Channel.

The update also has a wide variety of fixes, including for a bug that caused Action Center and notification buttons to vanish after switching between High Contrast Black and High Contrast White, and another in which Settings hung at launch for some Insiders.

There are 10 known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which some Office applications crashed or were missing after updating to a new build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20231.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20226

Release date: September 30, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update adds a new feature, Storage health monitoring, which is designed to detect hardware abnormalities for NVMe SSDs and notify users with enough time for them to act on them. Click the notification or go to the drive properties page in Storage Settings (Settings > System > Storage > Manage disks and volumes > Properties) for more details about any issue.

There is also a new settings page for the Your Phone app that lets you link a new device, remove an old device, and switch between active devices.

There are also a variety of small changes, including one in which in File Explorer if you right-click on a zipped OneDrive file set to online-only, you’ll now see an Extract All option, the same as if the file was available locally on the PC. In addition, there are several bug fixes, including for one that impacted taskbar performance and reliability on 2-in-1 convertible devices.

There are eight known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which some Office applications crash or go missing after updating to a new build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20226.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20221

Release date: September 23, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update adds a “Meet Now” feature to the taskbar, allowing you to quickly connect to others via Skype. The Your Phone app also lets you pin notifications from your phone to Windows 10.

There are also a variety of bug fixes, including for one in which the new Manage Disks and Volumes section in Settings wasn’t blocking the ability to change the drive letter of the system volume, and another in which the Start menu and Action Center became transparent when certain apps were open in the background.

There are eight known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which some Office applications crashed or were missing after updating to a new build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20221.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20215

Release date: September 16, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update adds dark theme search results to Windows 10 search. It also has a small number of bug fixes, including for one that could cause the Windows Security app to hang, and another that impacted voice typing reliability.

There are 10 known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which some Office applications crash or are missing after updating to a new build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20215.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20211

Release date: September 10, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update allows you to search the lists of file types, protocols, and apps when setting a default app for a certain task — a feature that was previously made available to some Windows Insiders and is now rolling out to all Insiders in the Dev Channel.

The update also allows users of the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) to attach and mount a physical disk inside of a WSL 2 distro. This enables them to access file systems that aren’t natively supported by Windows (such as ext4). And the update also lets the Your Phone app to drag and drop files between your PC and Samsung smartphones that include the smart screen feature.

The build fixes several bugs, including one that could result in Start menu tiles continuing to display an “app update in progress” progress bar after an app had already finished updating, and another that could result in the lock screen hanging.

There are 11 known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which some Office applications crashed or were missing after updating to a new build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20211.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20206

Release date: September 2, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update makes changes to the Windows Emoji Picker by introducing an updated design in keeping with Fluent Design principles, improving searching for emojis, and offering animated GIF support.

The update also introduces voice typing, an enhanced version of Windows dictation. It’s optimized for touch keyboards and has an updated back end that Microsoft says will improve accuracy. Some people will also get a new design of Windows’ touch keyboard with new animations and sounds, more labels and an easy way to use voice typing.

The build also fixes several bugs, including one that sometimes resulted in the Narrator Home crashing when using the back button, and another that could cause Task Manager to erroneously indicate that a non-UWP app had been suspended.

There are seven known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which some Office applications crashed or were missing after updating to a new build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20206.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20201

Release date: August 26, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This minor update has several bug fixes, including for a bug in which the min/max/close buttons were stuck in their original positions after resizing a UWP app, and another in which HDR monitors appeared black when HDR was enabled.

There are 10 known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which pinned sites don’t show all open tabs for a domain.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20201.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20197

Release date: August 21, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

With this update, you can now manage your hard disks in the Settings app. You’ll be able to view disk information, create and format volumes, and assign drive letters. To do it, go to Settings > System > Storage and click Manage Disks and Volumes.

There are also a variety of very small changes, including the way Alt + Tab works with Microsoft Edge tabs. It now has a default of displaying at most five tabs. You can change that by going to Settings > System > Multitasking.

There are also a number of bug fixes, including one in which pinned File Explorer folders in Start appeared with a darker background than other tiles in light mode, and another in which Font Settings and Themes Settings were displaying the old style of Microsoft Store icon.

There are seven known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which pinned sites don’t show all open tabs for a domain.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20197.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20190

Release date: August 12, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update tweaks the Graphics section of Settings to let you specify a default high-performance GPU and to pick a specific GPU on a per-application basis.

In addition, there are eight bug fixes, including for one that could result in explorer.exe being unresponsive on touch-capable devices after resuming from hibernation, and another in which when Narrator was enabled it could result in the on-screen PIN pad unexpectedly appearing when focus was set to the login screen.

There are nine known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which some Microsoft Store games protected with Easy Anti-Cheat may fail to launch.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20190.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20185

Release date: August 5, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

The build makes several changes to the Network section in Settings, including making DNS settings more accessible and letting you configure encrypting DNS controls in Settings. In addition, the Your Phone app can now run your Android applications on your PC from your phone.

The build also includes a wide variety of bug fixes, including for one in which the “close all windows” action in the taskbar didn’t always close all of the open tabs for pinned sites, and another in which dragging and dropping an app from Start menu’s “all apps” list over to the tile grid to pin it wasn’t working for certain apps.

There are nine known issues in this build, including one in which some Microsoft Store games protected with Easy Anti-Cheat may fail to launch, and another in which Alt + Tabbing to a browser tab sometimes moves the previously active browser tab to the front of the Alt + Tab list.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20185.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20180

Release date: July 29, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update turns on new features first announced in the 20161 Insider build on July 1, including theme-aware tiles on the Start menu. Until now, only a small subset of Insiders have received those features.

Aside from that, the build it has only a few fixes and changes, including one that shrinks the new folder icon in the Start menu’s “All apps” list so it better aligns with the size of the other icons, another that fixes issues that could cause crashes when using Alt-Tab to switch to browser tabs.

There are ten known issues in this build, including one in which some Microsoft Store games protected with Easy Anti-Cheat may fail to launch, and another in which Alt-Tabbing to a browser tab sometimes moves the previously active browser tab to the front of the Alt-Tab list.

Note: Insider Preview Builds 20161 and below will expire on July 31st. To avoid the expiration, update to Insider Preview Build 20170 or newer.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20180.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20175

Release date: July 22, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update includes a new feature for Microsoft Edge, in which when you pin a web site to the taskbar, clicking it displays all the open tabs for the site in Edge. Note that existing sites pinned to your taskbar will not use this new behavior until you remove and re-pin them. The build also includes new icons for Sticky Notes and Snip & Sketch.

There are also a number of bug fixes, including for one in which tiles sometimes flashed unexpectedly in the Start menu when animating, and another in which Search didn’t close after selecting certain items in the search results.

There are ten known issues in this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which live preview doesn’t work for pinned site tabs.

Note: Insider Preview Build 20161 and earlier builds will expire on July 31st. To avoid the expiration, update to Insider Preview Build 20170 or newer.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20175.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20170

Release date: July 15, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update makes changes to the Windows search bar. There’s a new two-column layout that lets you do searches more quickly and offers easier access to Quick Searches, which display local weather, top news, and other information.

In addition, you can now manage your sound devices in Settings, rather than in Control Panel. Go to Settings > System > Sound > Manage sound devices to see which sound device is the default and to set up a new default device or default communication device.

There are also a number of bug fixes, including for one in which the master volume slider in Sound Settings wouldn’t work after removing and re-pairing certain Bluetooth devices, and another in which modifier keys like Shift and Ctrl sometimes were dropped over a remote desktop connection.

There are six known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which Task Manager reports 0.00 GHz CPU usage in the Performance tab.

The notes about the build also include a link to the just-released Microsoft Launcher v6, a launcher app for Android phones. Download it here.

Note: Windows Insiders with PCs that have AMD processors are not being offered this build because of a bug that affects the overall usability of these PCs. Microsoft expects the issue will be resolved by the time the next build is released.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20170.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20161

Release date: July 1, 2020

Released to: Dev Channel

This update offers a variety of new features, including what Microsoft calls “freshening up the Start menu.” The colors behind app logos in the apps list have been removed, and tiles now have partially transparent backgrounds. In addition, in Microsoft Edge all open tabs will now appear when you use Alt + Tab. Microsoft is also taking information previously shown only in the Control Panel and displaying it in System > Settings > About.

There are a variety of bug fixes, including for one that caused some games and applications to crash at launch or fail to install, and another that caused some Bluetooth devices to no longer show their battery level in Settings.

There are seven known issues with this build, including one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which Task Manager reports 0.00 GHz CPU usage in the Performance tab.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 20161.)

Preview builds prior to June 2020

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19645

Release date: June 10, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This minor update fixes seven very minor bugs, including one in which some devices booting from eMMC storage bug checked when resuming from hibernate, another in which taskbar preview thumbnails weren’t rendering consistently (showing a blank area), and another in which Windows Hello Setup would crash if facial recognition was already set up and you chose the Improve Recognition button.

There are two known issues with this build, one in which the update process may hang for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and the other in which under Settings > Privacy, the Documents and Downloads sections show a broken icon next to their page name.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19645.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19640

Release date: June 3, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This extremely minor update disables the option to have Storage Sense automatically clear out your Downloads folder on a cycle if your Downloads folder is synced to a cloud provider. It also updates Windows’ login logic, so if your PC is set up so you need to type in your username when logging in, accidentally starting your username with a space will no longer result in an error.

There are several known issues with this build, including one in some devices booting from eMMC storage may bug check when resuming from hibernate, and another in which under Settings > Privacy the Documents and Downloads sections show a broken icon next to their page name.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19640.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19635

Release date: May 28, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This extremely minor update fixes several issues, including one that caused constant display flashing on certain devices, and another that caused Settings to crash when changing the display orientation or resolution.

There are several known issues with this build, including one in which some devices booting from eMMC storage may bug check when resuming from hibernate, and another in which under Settings > Privacy, the Documents and Downloads sections show a broken icon next to their page name.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19635.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19631

Release date: May 21, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This extremely minor update fixes several issues, including one that caused a device’s IIS configuration to be set to default after installing a new build, and another that made Remote Desktop less reliable.

There are several known issues with this build, including one in which some devices booting from eMMC storage may bug check when resuming from hibernate, and another in which in Settings > Privacy, the Documents and Downloads sections show a broken icon next to their page name.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19631.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19628

Release date: May 13, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This extremely minor update adds a new feature that lets you opt in to have Windows use encryption when making DNS queries. It also fixed an issue that caused some devices to fail to update with error code 0xc0000409.

There are several known issues with this build, including one in which Narrator and NVDA users who seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content, and another in which the update process may hang when a new build is installed.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19628.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19624

Release date: May 6, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This minor build offers a variety of small changes and bug fixes, including fixing an issue that caused unexpected flickering across Windows shell surfaces and apps in the last two builds, and another that resulted in certain Bluetooth mice being very slow to reconnect to devices after they have been asleep.

There are several known issues in this build, including one in which Narrator and NVDA users who seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content, and another in which Windows Security’s Core Isolation doesn’t work on some devices.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19624.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19619

Release date: April 29, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This minor build lets you control your music and audio from inside the Your Phone app and makes it easy to keep up with the latest news about the coronavirus pandemic using Windows Search. To do keep updated, select “View interactive map” or “See headlines” to get local, national and international news about the pandemic.

The build also offers a variety of fixes, including for a bug that had caused Insiders to have bug checks with the error DPC WATCHDOG VIOLATION, and another that resulted in some unexpected characters showing up in the text strings of intl.cpl’s Additional Settings > Currency.

There are six known issues in this build, including one in which Narrator and NVDA users that seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content, and another in which the Documents and Downloads sections under Privacy show a broken icon next to their page name.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19619.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19613

Release date: April 22, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This minor build turns on Bing Answers in Cortana for a wide variety of regions and languages. It also has nine fixes, including for a bug that caused app icons in the taskbar to display incorrectly, including defaulting to the .exe icon. This issue also caused some Insiders to have more reliability issues with explorer.exe.

There are six known issues in this build, including one in which Narrator and NVDA users that seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content, and another in which Settings crashes when installing a font.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19613.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19608

Release date: April 15, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This build includes a new feature for the Your Phone app that lets your drag and drop files between a PC and a phone. For now, it only works on certain Samsung smartphones.

In addition, when you’re setting default apps for your PC, you can now search by file types, protocols, and apps.

There are half a dozen bug fixes in the build, including for one in which Sticky Notes windows couldn’t be moved, and another that caused the Snip & Sketch App to launch in the background instead of the foreground (and be on top of all windows) when the app was invoked via pen click.

There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which Narrator and NVDA users that seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content, and another in which the Documents and Downloads sections under Privacy show a broken icon next to their page name.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19608.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19603

Release date: April 8, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This build integrates File Explorer with the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). When you launch File Explorer, you’ll see a Linux folder, which you can browse. There’s also a new feature in Storage Settings that displays your unused files and apps, so you can more easily clean your hard disk.

The build also introduces the beta of a new Windows 10 app, Microsoft News Bar, which displays the latest news and stock information. Eventually, weather and sports information will be added as well.

A wide variety of bugs were fixed, including one in which some devices experienced a bug check (GSOD) during the reboot to install an update, and another in which files could not be dragged and dropped onto the root of a network share folder.

There are nine known issue in this build, including one in which the Documents section under Privacy has a broken icon and another in which Narrator and NVDA users that seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19603.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19592

Release date: March 25, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

The primary improvement in this build gives people with 2-in-1 convertibles a tweaked desktop interface, primarily designed for touch. It includes these changes:

• The taskbar icons are spaced out
• The Search box on the taskbar is collapsed into icon-only mode
• The touch keyboard auto invokes when you tap a text field
• File Explorer elements have a little more padding, to make them comfortable to interact with using touch

There are also eight bug fixes in the release, including for one that could have resulted in the Optional Features page in Settings appearing blank, and another in which the corruption repair (DISM) process stopped at 84.9%.

There are several known issue in this build, including one in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, another in which the Documents section under Privacy has a broken icon, and another in which Narrator and NVDA users that seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19592.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19587

Release date: March 18, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This build has a small number of minor bug fixes and changes. Your PC’s volume now won’t unmute when using the hardware keyboard volume keys until you raise the volume (or manually unmute). Among the bugs fixed are one in which the new icon next to “Scan with Microsoft Defender” in File Explorer’s context menu didn’t have a transparent background, and another that could result in the search box being missing from some apps.

There are several known issue in this build, including one in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build, and another in which Narrator and NVDA users that seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19587.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19582

Release date: March 12, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This build has new settings pages for Eye Control, which lets you control Windows with eye movements. In addition, a variety of features have been added to the Your Phone app for Samsung Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Z Flip, including Rich Communication Service messaging and copying and pasting text and images between devices.

There are also a variety of fixes, including for an issue caused some attempts to update to a build to result in error 0x8007042, and another that caused Task Manager to show “Unavailable” DPI Awareness for all processes.

There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which Narrator and NVDA users who use the Chromium version Microsoft Edge may experience difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19582.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19577

Release date: March 5, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This build makes a minor change to how commercial customers can customize any diagnostic Windows data they opt to send Microsoft. They now have more granular controls over the data they can choose to share. The build also includes an updated version of PowerToys with minor changes, including almost 300 additional unit tests to increase stability and prevent regressions.

There are also a wide variety of fixes, including for an issue in which input stopped working in some places if clipboard history was dismissed without pasting anything, and another in which when using Storage Sense to clean up Windows.old, not all of the data was removed.

There are 10 known issues in this build, including one in which Narrator and NVDA users that use the Chromium version Microsoft Edge may experience difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content, and another in which the Documents section under Privacy has a broken icon.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19577.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19569

Release date: February 20, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This build updates the icons for built-in apps including Alarms & Clock, Calculator, Mail, and Calendar, an initial step toward updating all Windows icons. For more details, see this post from the Microsoft Design Team.

The build also fixes several issues and bugs, including one that affected Start menu reliability, and another that stopped OneDrive from working and also using an unexpectedly high amount of CPU for some users.

There are a number of known issues in this build, including one in which Narrator and NVDA users may experience difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content in the new Chromium version of Microsoft Edge, and another in which the Documents section under Privacy has a broken icon.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19569.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19564

Release date: February 12, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This build offers a preview of a new version of the Windows 10 Calendar app. The app has more than 30 new themes; adds an agenda pane to the month view, letting you see a day’s events at a glance; a simpler way to create a new event; and a smaller account navigation pane, so there’s more room to see a day’s events. To see the new app preview, go to the Calendar app and toggle it on. You can toggle it off when you want to go back to the old version of the app.

The build also has an updated Graphics settings page, giving you more control over which GPU apps run on.

There are also nearly two dozen bug fixes, including for one that caused some devices to not sleep on idle and another that could result in a deadlock (in which everything freezes) when using your PC.

There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which the Documents section under Privacy has a broken icon (just a rectangle), and another in which the update process hangs for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19564.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19559

Release date: February 5, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This minor build has only small bug fixes, including for one that resulted in explorer.exe crashing when backing out of folders containing .heic or RAW files, and another that caused some people to get a green screen with the error message KMODE EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED.

There are 10 known issues in this build, including one in which the Documents section under Privacy has a broken icon (just a rectangle), and another in which some devices are no longer sleeping on idle.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19559.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19555

Release date: January 30, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This minor build has only small bug fixes, including for one in which when certain external USB 3.0 drives are attached, they stopped responding with Start Code 10, and another that resulted in the Start menu and apps not opening until explorer.exe had been restarted after locking and then unlocking a computer while listening to music.

There are eight known issues in this build, including one in which the Documents section under Privacy has a broken icon and another in which some devices are no longer sleeping on idle.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19555.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19551

Release date: January 23, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This minor build has only small bug fixes, including for one in which snipping was not working on secondary monitors, one in which Remote Desktop Connection was crashing when attempting to connect to multiple sessions, and another in which the Optimize Drives Control Panel was incorrectly showing that optimization hadn’t run on some devices.

There are nine known issues in this build, including one in which when certain external USB 3.0 drives are attached, they stop responding with Start Code 10, and another in which the Documents section under Privacy has a broken icon (just a rectangle).

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19551.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19546

Release date: January 16, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This build introduces graphing mode for Windows Calculator. Previously, the calculator didn’t have the ability to create graphs. Graphing mode allows one or more equations to be plotted on a graph, lets you add equations with secondary variables, and allows you to analyze graphs.

There are also four minor bug fixes in the build, including for a bug that had resulted in Timeline not showing any activities, and another in which Outlook wasn’t working for some people.

There are nearly a dozen known issues in this build, including one in which when certain external USB 3.0 drives are attached, they stop responding with Start Code 10, and another in which Remote Desktop Connection crashes when attempting to connect to multiple sessions.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19546.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19541

Release date: January 8, 2020

Released to: Fast ring

This build lets you set timers with Cortana and adds Bing’s Instant Answers capabilities to Cortana; for instance, you can ask when Seattle’s Space Needle was built and receive an answer instantly in Cortana without being taken to a web search. In addition, an icon now appears in the Notification Area when an app is using your location.

The build also fixes a number of problems, including one that made Systems Settings less reliable and another that could cause the update speed in Task Manager to unexpectedly be set to Paused.

There are nine known issues in this build, including one in which when certain external USB 3.0 drives are attached, they stop responding with Start Code 10, and another that doesn’t allow Timeline to show any activities.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19541.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19536

Release date: December 16, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build lets those with Android phones see all of their phone’s pictures on their Windows 10 PCs. You can now also more easily find new hardware drivers and update them. Instead of having to go the Device Manager, you can ask Windows Update to keep your drivers up to date.

The build also introduces a consumer-oriented feature called “People in my family” that makes it easier to set up devices that can be used by multiple family members. Not everyone who gets the build will have the feature enabled.

The build also offers a variety of bug fixes, changes and improvements. It fixed an issue that resulted in Task Manager’s icon not appearing in the notification area of the taskbar even though if it had been enabled in Settings. In addition, an issue was fixed that caused the Bluetooth battery level displayed in Settings to get stuck, reducing its accuracy.

There are five known issues in this build, including one in which when certain external USB 3.0 drives are attached, they stop responding with Start Code 10.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19536.)

Preview builds for Windows 10 May 2020 Update (20H1, version 2004)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.264

Release date: May 12, 2020

Released to: Slow and Release Preview rings

This cumulative update fixes several minor bugs and includes many security updates. It fixes a performance issue in Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) that prevented it from working correctly for many users, and another issue that prevented cleaning tools, such as Disk Cleanup, from removing previously installed updates.

The security updates are for Internet Explorer, the Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Media, Windows Shell, Microsoft Xbox, Microsoft Edge, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Cryptography, Windows Authentication, Windows Kernel, Windows Virtualization, Windows Update Stack, Windows Core Networking, Internet Information Services, Windows Network Security and Containers, Windows Active Directory, Windows Server, and the Microsoft JET Database Engine. For details, see the Release Notes for May 2020 Security Updates.

There is one known issue in this build, in which Narrator and NVDA users who seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.264.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.208

Release date: April 30, 2020

Released to: Release Preview ring

This is the same build that Microsoft released to the Slow ring last week; the company expects it will be the final build of the Windows 10 May 2020 Update. Previously, Microsoft had thought that 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.207 would be the final, but it decided to make one more fix. The only change from the previous build is the fix of an issue that failed to send NPLogonNotify API notifications from the credential provider framework.

There are several known issue in this build, including one in which Windows Mixed Reality may not work correctly for many users. Because of that, Microsoft recommends that people who regularly use Mixed Reality should hold off installing this build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.208.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.208

Release date: April 22, 2020

Released to: Slow ring

This cumulative update includes all the fixes from Build 19041.207, plus one additional fix, an issue that failed to send NPLogonNotify API notifications from the credential provider framework.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.208.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.20

Release date: April 17, 2020

Released to: Release Preview ring

This build is likely the final one for the Windows 10 May 2020 Update. The cumulative update includes all the new features in that update, as well as a variety of small fixes and security updates, including fixing an issue that caused the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service (rpcss.exe) to close unexpectedly and stop the device from working, and an issue that might prevent the rear camera flash from functioning as expected on devices that have a rear camera.

There are also security updates for the Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Kernel, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Media, Windows Shell, Windows Management, Windows Cloud Infrastructure, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Authentication, Windows Virtualization, Windows Core Networking, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Update Stack, and the Microsoft JET Database Engine. For details, see the Release Notes for April 2020 Security Updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.20.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.207

Release date: April 14, 2020

Released to: Slow ring

This cumulative update includes several small bug fixes and security updates, including for a bug that caused the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service (rpcss.exe) to close unexpectedly and stopped your device from working, and another that could prevent the rear camera flash from functioning as expected.

The security updates are for the Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Kernel, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Media, Windows Shell, Windows Management, Windows Cloud Infrastructure, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Authentication, Windows Virtualization, Windows Core Networking, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Update Stack, and the Microsoft JET Database Engine. For more details, see the April 2020 Security Updates Release Notes.

There is one known issue in this build, in which Narrator and NVDA users who seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.207.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.173

Release date: April 9, 2020

Released to: Slow ring

This build includes the fix previously released in Build 19041.172 (see below) plus several other fixes, including for a bug that failed to allocate resources during device initialization, which caused some USB mass storage devices to stop working, and another that prevented the mute button from working on certain devices with the Your Phone app.

There is one known issue in this build, in which Narrator and NVDA users who seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.173.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.172

Release date: March 26, 2020

Released to: Slow ring

This build fixes a single issue that prevented the Windows logo key + J keyboard shortcut from giving focus to certain Windows tips.

There is one known issue in this build, in which Narrator and NVDA users who seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.172.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.153

Release date: March 13, 2020

Released to: Slow ring

This Cumulative Update includes a variety of minor bug fixes and fixes security holes throughout Windows. Among the issues fixed are one that can cause Microsoft browsers to bypass proxy servers and another that might prevent ActiveX content from loading.

The build includes security updates for Windows Server, the Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Graphics, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Media, Windows Silicon Platform, Microsoft Edge, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Authentication, Windows Cryptography, Windows Kernel, Windows Core Networking, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Peripherals, Windows Network Security and Containers, and Windows Update Stack. For details, see the March 2020 Security Updates Release Notes.

There is one known issue in this build, in which Narrator and NVDA users that seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.153.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.113

Release date: February 27, 2020

Released to: Slow ring

This build has a variety of minor updates and bug fixes, including fixing an issue that prevented some users from signing out because the user session stops responding, and another issue that caused some systems to stop responding at sign-in because several background services were being hosted in the same service host process.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.113.)

On February 26, Microsoft released Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.84, detailed below, to Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). The build includes all updated features, fixes, and security updates previously announced for 20H1 and is designed to help organizations prepare for releasing Windows 10 version 2004 in their organizations. See below for more information on Build 19041.84.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.84

Release date: February 11, 2020

Released to: Slow ring

This cumulative update includes security updates for Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Media, Windows Shell, the Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Management, Windows Virtualization, Windows Peripherals, Windows Network Security and Containers, Windows Storage and Filesystems, and Windows Server. For details, see the February 2020 Security Updates Release Notes.

The build also fixes an issue an issue in which in certain cases, after Windows runs a scheduled task during a maintenance window, a PC may get into an unbootable state after installing Build 19041.21.

There is one known issue in this build, in which Narrator and NVDA users that use the Chromium version Microsoft Edge may experience difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.84.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.21

Release date: January 14, 2020

Released to: Slow ring

This build includes security updates to Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Graphics, Microsoft Scripting Engine, .NET Framework, Windows Cryptography, Windows Subsystem for Linux, Windows Peripherals, Windows Storage and Filesystems, and Windows Server. For details, see the January 2020 Security Updates Release Notes.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.21.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041 for 20H1

Release date: December 10, 2019

Released to: Fast and Slow rings

This minor build brings the Fast Search feature from Build 19018 to multiple countries (not just the U.S.), including Australia, China, India and others. It also includes a handful of minor bug fixes, including fixing an issue that caused some win32 apps to cause an unexpected increase in CPU usage if left idle after having opened the Common File Dialog.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which when certain external USB 3.0 drives are attached, they stop responding with Start Code 10.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19037 for 20H1

Release date: December 6, 2019

Released to: Fast and Slow rings

This minor build includes only one change — Windows PowerShell ISE is now a Feature on Demand and installed by default.

There are five known issues in this build, including one in which when certain external USB 3.0 drives are attached, they stop responding with Start Code 10.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19037.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19035 for 20H1

Release date: December 4, 2019

Released to: Fast and Slow rings

This minor build fixes a variety of issues, including one that prevented some apps from starting the first time you tried to launch them after resetting the app via Settings, and another that prevented Fingerprint from being offered as a sign-in option after waking a fingerprint-enabled device from sleep.

There are five known issues in this build, including one in which when certain external USB 3.0 drives are attached, they stop responding with Start Code 10.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19035.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19033 for 20H1

Release date: November 27, 2019

Released to: Fast and Slow rings

This minor build fixes a variety of minor issues, including one that caused the Start menu to crash on launch if a Windows update was pending restart, and another in which some paired Bluetooth audio devices unexpectedly displayed a cellphone icon in Bluetooth Settings.

In the notes for this build, Microsoft confirmed that the 20H1 Windows update will be officially known as version 2004.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which when certain external USB 3.0 drives are attached, they stop responding with Start Code 10.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19033.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19030 for 20H1

Release date: November 22, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build introduces several changes to Cortana. The beta of the Cortana app has now been undocked from the taskbar and can be moved or resized like any other app, and has several new skills, including better ways to create and query about meetings. Go here for more details about the Cortana beta.

There are also a handful of small changes and fixes, including fixing an issue that caused certain apps to not fully fill the screen.

There are five known issues in this build, including one in which when certain external USB 3.0 drives are attached, they stop responding with Start Code 10 or 38.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19030.)

Editor’s note: On Nov. 20, Microsoft released Insider Preview Build 19025 for 20H1 to Insiders in the Slow ring; it had previously released the same build to the Fast ring. See our writeup below for more information on Build 19025.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19028 for 20H1

Release date: November 19, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This minor build includes only a handful of small bug fixes, including for a bug in which Settings crashed when docking or undocking a device and another in which Windows Update history in Settings reported a Cumulative Update required a reboot, despite it already being installed.

There are five known issues in this build, including one in which when certain external USB 3.0 drives are attached, they stop responding with Start Code 10 or 38.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19028.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19025 for 20H1

Release date: November 15, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build was also released to the Slow ring on Nov. 20, 2019.

This build improves search by cut down on its disk and CPU usage and speeding it up. The build also has a variety of minor bug fixes, including for one that could cause could cause VPN Settings to hang and another that caused certain modern UI components (including notifications and the network flyout) to scale either too large or too small after attaching an external monitor or remoting into the machine from a monitor with a different DPI.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which when certain external USB 3.0 drives are attached, they stop responding with Start Code 10 or 38.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19025.)

Editor’s note: On Nov. 11, Microsoft released Insider Preview Build 19013 for 20H1 to Insiders in the Slow ring; it had previously released the same build to the Fast ring. See our writeup below for more information on Build 19013.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19018 for 20H1

Release date: November 5, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build introduces four pre-built, quick searches into Windows Search: Weather, Top News, Today in History, and New Movies, which shows movies playing near your location. Search also gets a slightly tweaked web preview in search results.

The build also has a variety of bug fixes, including for one in which Cortana didn’t respond to “Hey, Cortana,” another in which the Settings app was hanging or crashing when accessing the System or Ease of Access sections, and another in which if a new account profile picture synced from the cloud, your old one might not be listed in the picture history in Accounts Settings.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which Settings isn’t available outside of being launched via the URI (ms-settings:) for some Insiders, and another in which after some people successfully install printer drivers from the Optional Updates section, the same driver is still showing as being available for installation.

Note that with this build, Windows Insiders who have opted into Skip Ahead are being migrated back into the Fast ring. So Skip Ahead will no longer be reflected under Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program. Going forward, Microsoft will not for the time being offer Skip Ahead as an option for Insiders.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19018.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19013 for 20H1

Release date: October 29, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build was also released to the Slow ring on Nov. 11, 2019.

This build introduces more kaomoji and special characters, which you can get to by pressing either the Windows key + . or Windows key + ; keyboard shortcuts. It also tweaks the Your Phone app for Android phones by removing the dependency the Phone screen has on Bluetooth connectivity.

The build also has a variety of minor bug fixes, including for an issue in which some Bluetooth devices didn’t reconnect after closing and then reopening their lids, and another in which Wi-Fi Settings got stuck saying “Connecting,” even though the network flyout (correctly) indicated that the user was connected.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which if you use the remote desktop connection and the target PC is on this build, within about an hour or sooner, DWM may start crashing and the session window will go black or experience black flashes, or you may get signed out of the remote desktop session altogether.

Microsoft also announced that PowerToys v0.12 is now available on GitHub.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19013.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19008 for 20H1

Release date: October 22, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build fixes several minor bugs, including one in which when optional updates were available, Insiders with the Settings header might see the Windows Update indicator in a warning state, even though the main page of Windows Update Settings showed that everything was up to date.

There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which Bluetooth devices may not reconnect as expected after closing the device lid for certain devices, and another in which initiating “Reset this PC” with the cloud download option isn’t working on this build or the previous one when started from Windows RE.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19008.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19002 for 20H1

Release date: October 17, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This minor build has only small changes, improvements and bug fixes, including fixing an issue that could result in the brightness getting stuck at 0% or 100% and requiring a reboot before it can be changed, and another that could result in upgrades failing with error 0x8007042b.

There seven known issues in this build, including one in which older versions of anti-cheat software used with games may crash some PCs after updating to the latest 19H1 Insider Preview build, and another in which when using the dark theme, the hardware keyboard text prediction candidate window is unreadable due to black text on a dark gray background.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19002.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18999 for 20H1

Release date: October 8, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build introduces the new Calls feature to the Your Phone app for Android phones. Calls lets you answer incoming calls on your PC, initiate calls on your PC, decline calls on your PC, access your recent call history on your PC and transfer calls between your phone and PC.

There are two dozen bug fixes and minor changes in the build, including improving the reliability of the VPN, fixing an issue in the Search bar in either Control Panel or File Explorer where the box becomes grey and prevents input, and fixing another in which the text cursor indicator did not adjust to show in the correct location after content was scrolled.

There is one known issue in this build, in which older versions of anti-cheat software used with games may crash some PCs after updating to the latest 19H1 Insider Preview build.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18999.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18995 for 20H1

Release date: October 3, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build adds Windows Hello PIN sign-in support to Safe mode, so that you no longer have to use a password when troubleshooting your device. It also includes several minor improvements to the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). And it introduces several new features to users of some Samsung Galaxy phones and Samsung Fold devices, including Link to Windows, which lets you easily send messages, manage notifications, sync photos, and mirror your phone on your PC.

There are several dozen bug fixes and minor changes, including for an issue in which some users frequently saw a notification saying their account needed to be fixed, but the Settings page that opened showed no action was necessary, and another in which calendar events created from the taskbar clock and calendar flyout didn’t have a default 15-minute reminder set.

There are nine known issues in this build, including one in which certain 2D apps (like Feedback Hub, Microsoft Store, 3D Viewer) are incorrectly being treated as having protected content within Windows Mixed Reality, and another in which when using the Search bar in either Control Panel or File Explorer, its box becomes gray and prevents input.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18995.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18990 for 20H1

Release date: September 24, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This minor build allows you to have Universal Windows Platform apps (a.k.a. Metro apps) automatically restart from the previous session when you log into Windows. Minor improvements have also been made to the Xbox Game Bar and the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

There are also several dozen bug fixes and minor changes, including fixing an issue in which right-clicking on File Explorer’s search box didn’t bring up a context menu that could be used to paste clipboard contents, and a change that improves the legibility of Magnifier’s reading highlighting rectangle.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which certain 2D apps (like Feedback Hub, Microsoft Store, and 3D Viewer) are incorrectly treated as having protected content within Windows Mixed Reality, and another in which when you view optional drivers in the new section on the Windows Update page, older drivers show as being available for download. If you choose to update to them, they will attempt to install and fail to do so.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18990.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18985 for 20H1

Release date: September 19, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build makes Bluetooth pairing simpler and faster by cutting down on the number of notifications during the pairing process and eliminating the need to go to the Settings app to finish pairing. You can now also see all of your Windows 10 updates, including driver updates, in one place. Previously, in order to see driver updates, you had to browse the Device Manager.

In addition, there are a nine bug fixes, including one in which the Reset this PC cloud download option did not calculate the correct amount of space you needed to free up if you did not have enough disk space to proceed, and another in which Task Manger unexpectedly showed 0% CPU usage in the Performance tab.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which certain 2D apps (like Feedback Hub, Microsoft Store, 3D Viewer) are incorrectly being treated as having protected content within Windows Mixed Reality, and another in which when you view optional drivers in the new section on the Windows Update page, older drivers show as being available for download. If you choose to update to them, they will attempt to install and fail to do so.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18985.)

Also note: Separately from Build 18985, version 10.1907 of the Snip & Sketch app is being rolled out to Insiders in the Release Preview ring. It lets you zoom in on screenshots so you can annotate them and closes the previous snip when you click New.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18980 for 20H1

Release date: September 11, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This minor build introduces a new Cortana icon and adds small changes to the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). In addition, there are a wide variety of bug fixes, including fixing an issue that could result in certain app thumbnails going unexpectedly blank when you right-clicked them in Task View, and another fix that helps improve performance of the Apps & Features page in Settings when searching.

There are seven known issues in this build, including one in which some Realtek SD card readers are not functioning properly, and another in which the Reset this PC cloud download option doesn’t calculate the correct amount of space you need to free up if you do not have enough disk space to proceed. To work around it until a fix is available, Microsoft says you should free up an extra 5GB beyond what is prompted.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18980.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18975 for 20H1

Release date: September 6, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build introduces PowerToys for Windows 10, a version of the utility suite that was popular with power users of Windows 95 through Windows XP. In this early version, there are only two utilities, one that gives you a set of new keyboard shortcuts that are suited for open windows and the desktop, and another called FancyZones that makes it easy to arrange open windows into pre-set layouts, and snap them into place — for example, arranging multiple windows into columns, rows, grids and so on. Get more details about PowerToys here.

The build also lets you move the Cortana window wherever you’d like (previously, it was only in one specific location). You can also now rename virtual desktops. And there are a variety of reliability improvements for the Windows Subsystem for Linux.

The build also has a long list of bug fixes and minor changes, including fixing an issue that caused the minimize, maximize, and close title bar buttons to not work for certain apps, and another in which the “Bluetooth and Other Devices” and “Printers and Scanners” didn’t render correctly in the last two builds.

There are nine known issues in this build, including one in which some Realtek SD card readers are not functioning properly, and another in which the Reset this PC cloud download option doesn’t calculate the correct amount of space you need to free up if you do not have enough disk space to proceed. To work around it until a fix is available, Microsoft says you should free up an extra 5GB beyond what is prompted.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18975.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18970 for 20H1

Release date: August 29, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build introduces some changes in the tablet interface for 2-in-1 convertible PCs. In the new interface, the Search box on the taskbar has been collapsed into an icon, there is greater spacing between taskbar icons, File Explorer switches to a touch-optimized layout, and when you tap a text field, the touch keyboard launches. Also, when you fold back your keyboard, the device automatically launches into tablet mode.

There’s also a new option for resetting your PC. You can now choose to speed up the reset process by downloading Windows from the cloud and installing it that way, rather than using a compressed backup Windows copy in a hidden partition on your PC.

The build also has a number of bug fixes and minor changes, including fixing two issues that could result in Settings crashing when interacting with options on the Search page, and fixing a DWM memory leak that affected the previous two builds.

There are several known issues in this build, including one in which some Realtek SD card readers are not functioning properly, and another in which text on Devices pages in Settings for “Bluetooth and Other Devices” and “Printers and Scanners” isn’t rendering correctly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18970.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18965 for 20H1

Release date: August 21, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This minor build lets you control which apps will be automatically restarted every time you sign into Windows 10. There are also a handful of bug fixes, including for one in which the taskbar sometimes unexpectedly hid when you launched the touch keyboard, and another that caused background tasks to stop working in certain apps.

There are several known issues in this build, including one in which some Realtek SD card readers are not functioning properly, and another in which text on Devices pages in Settings for “Bluetooth and Other Devices” and “Printers and Scanners” isn’t rendering correctly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18965.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18963 for 20H1

Release date: August 16, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build introduces several new features, including giving Task Manager the ability to monitor and display the temperature of a dedicated GPU card. Other new features include letting you rename virtual desktops, and minor improvements to the Optional Features page in Settings.

You can also now set your mouse cursor speed from inside Settings. The spell checker in Windows Search can now detect and fix more typing errors when you type in a search —

for example, “powerpiont” or “exce.”

There are also more than a dozen bug fixes, including one in which the Network status would show that some users connected via cellular or ethernet were not connected, even though they were.

There are several known issues in this build, including one in which some Realtek SD card readers are not functioning properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18963.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18956 for 20H1

Release date: August 7, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build introduces a new Network Status page in Settings, which offers more information at a glance about your device’s connectivity in a single location rather than being spread out over several pages. All available connections are shown on the page. It shows how much data is being used by a network, and other important details.

In addition, the Calculator app has been updated, notably with a new ability to put the calculator in Always on Top mode.

There are also a variety of minor fixes, changes and improvements, including fixing an issue that caused the taskbar search to crash right after login for some users. Also, Tamper Protection is being turned on by default for all Insiders. This change will take several weeks to roll out for everyone.

There are four known issues with the build, including one in which Some Realtek SD card readers are not functioning properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18956.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18950 for 20H1

Release date: July 31, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build includes minor improvements to the Snip & Sketch screen capture and markup program. When you retake snips multiple times to get the right one, you can now save them in your current window, instead of opening each in its own separate window, making it easier to manage them. You still have the choice to have each snip in its own window. And you can also now zoom in on snips. Note that these features won’t be immediately available to everyone; they’re being implemented in a phased rollout.

There are also a few minor bug fixes, including for one that that caused the OneNote app to intermittently act as if the Ctrl key was pressed when it wasn’t. There are several known issues, including one in which Tamper Protection may be turned off for some people in Windows Security after updating to this build. It can be turned back on.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18950.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18945 for 20H1

Release date: July 26, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build includes a beta of a new Cortana chat-based interface that lets you speak or type natural language when asking Cortana questions. Cortana now also has both light and dark themes, and sports a smaller, less-intrusive screen than previously. Microsoft also claims that Cortana’s new speech and language models have improved their performance and reliability.

Also in the build are accessibility improvements, including one that makes it easier for Narrator to read newsletters and marketing content. File Explorer gets a new search interface in which a drop-down box appears with suggestions as you type.

There are also more than a dozen bug fixes, including for one in which the Performance tab of Task Manager wouldn’t expand from a collapsed state if you double-clicked on the text, and another that could cause Windows to hang after resuming from hibernation.

There are several known issues in the build, including one in which Tamper Protection may be turned off for some people in Windows Security after updating to this build. It can be turned back on.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18945.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18941 for 20H1

Release date: July 18, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This extremely minor build updates the Korean and Chinese Input Method Editors (IMEs), and has only few minor bug fixes, including one in which explorer.exe crashed if you started a File Explorer search while in a OneDrive folder, and another in which some users experienced a great deal of lag when using the previous build.

There are five known issues in the build, including one in which people experience installation failures with the error code c1900101 when trying to install Build 18936 or Build 18941, and another in which Tamper Protection may be turned off for some people in Windows Security after updating to this build. It can be turned back on.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18941.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18936 for 20H1

Release date: July 10, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

With this build, you can turn on passwordless sign-in on your Microsoft accounts, using Windows Hello face, fingerprint, or PIN. (Note that this feature is being rolled out slowly to Insiders, so may not be available yet on your PC.)

You can also now create an event quickly from the taskbar. Clicking the date in the taskbar brings up a form that lets you create the event.

And this build makes the phone screen feature of the Your Phone app, in which a PC mirrors the display of an Android phone, available to more PCs via a driver update. The feature is now available for Microsoft’s Surface Laptop, Surface Laptop 2, Surface Pro 4, Surface Pro 5, Surface Pro 6, Surface Book, and Surface Book 2.

There are a variety of bug fixes, including for an issue that caused failures when installing games via the Xbox app, and another in which the emoji panel crashed when high contrast was enabled.

There are several known issues in the build, including one in which older versions of anti-cheat software used with games may cause some PCs to crash, and another in which some Realtek SD card readers do not function properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18936.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18932 for 20H1

Release date: July 3, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build has a variety of minor improvements and new features, including for Eye Control accessibility capabilities. You can now perform drag-and-drop operations using Eye Control, and the Pause feature has been improved. New settings let you customize more Eye Control features.

In addition, the build makes it easier to turn off and fine-tune Windows notifications. Also, the Your Phone app now lets you interact with your phone using a single tap and a long press if you have a touch-enabled Windows 10 device. Windows notifications now also integrate with Your Phone.

The build also has a wide variety of fixes and small changes, including fixing an issue that caused Task Manager to show 0% CPU usage in the Performance tab, and another that could result in a black remote desktop window for a few seconds when disconnecting from a remote desktop session.

There are four known issues in the build, including one in which older versions of anti-cheat software used with games may cause some PCs to crash, and another in which some Realtek SD card readers do not function properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18932.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18922 for 20H1

Release date: June 19, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build includes only minor changes and bug fixes. Changes to Language Settings makes it easier to see the state of your language settings in a single glance. The interface of Windows Ink Workspace also gets tweaked slightly.

There are also a variety of bug fixes and small improvements, including fixing an issue in which the Action Center background was unexpectedly opaque in the quick action section, and another in which some Insiders received Windows Update error 0x80010105 when updating to recent builds.

There are half-a-dozen known issues in this build, including one in which in the Home edition, some devices might not be able to see the “download progress %” change on the Windows Update page. In addition, some Realtek SD card readers don’t work properly, and there’s also a noticeable lag when dragging the emoji and dictation panes. In addition, you may get an error code when you download this build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18922.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18917 for 20H1

Release date: June 12, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build includes several new features, notably new control over download throttling options for delivery optimization, which allows you to control the bandwidth used to download Windows builds in order to reduce the impact on a network. The throttling options are already available for IT Pros who use Group Policies or MDM policies to configure Delivery Optimization. Now, though, they can be more easily set, using Settings > Update & Security > Delivery Optimization > Advanced Options.

A new version of the architecture that powers the Windows Subsystem for Linux has been released, Windows Subsystem for Linux 2. And Windows Ink Workspaces has been slightly revamped to take up less screen real estate, and to have a direct link to the Microsoft Whiteboard app.

There are also a variety of bug fixes and small improvements, including fixing an issue where some users experienced a 0x8007000E error code while downloading the build due to high RAM consumption, and updating the new File Explorer search to be dark when used in dark theme.

There are eight known issues in this build, including one in which in the Home edition, some devices might not be able to see the “download progress %” change on the Windows Update page. In addition, some Realtek SD card readers don’t work properly, and there’s also a noticeable lag when dragging the emoji and dictation panes. In addition, you may get an error code when you download this build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18917.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18912 for 20H1

Release date: June 5, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build includes only one extremely minor improvement: The Narrator can now read out the title of the page to which a hyperlink goes, so that you can know the page’s title before deciding whether to visit it.

In addition, there are a dozen Windows bug fixes, including for a bug in which the Settings application crashed when you navigate to the Graphics Setting page, and another in which double-clicking the update icon in the taskbar launched Settings, which would then immediately crash.

There are eight known issues in this build, including one in which in the Home edition, some devices might not be able to see the “download progress %” change on the Windows Update page. In addition, some Realtek SD card readers don’t work properly and there’s also a noticeable lag when dragging the emoji and dictation panes. In addition, you may get an error code when you download this build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18912.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18908 for 20H1

Release date: May 29, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build brings a variety of new features to the Your Phone app. Included are new accessibility capabilities for screen reading and keyboard and mouse input. You can now also send and receive MMS messages, as well as sync mobile data with your PC – including photos, messages, and notifications – without having to connect your Android phone to your Wi-Fi network.

There are also several Windows bug fixes, including one in which certain devices with fast startup enabled color profiles/gamma wouldn’t turn on until after a restart, and another in which Microsoft Paint selection moved in unexpectedly large steps per keypress when using the arrow keys.

There are 11 known issues in this build, including one in which in the Home edition some devices might not be able to see the “download progress %” change on the Windows Update page. In addition, some Realtek SD card readers don’t work properly, and there’s also a noticeable lag when dragging the emoji and dictation panes.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18908.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18898 for 20H1

Release date: May 15, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build includes a minor new feature: You can now see the disk type (SSD, for example) for each disk listed in Task Manager’s performance tab. In addition, there are several minor bug fixes, including one in which a pcshell.dll issue in recent builds resulted in explorer.exe crashing.

There are ten known issues in this build, including one in which some Realtek SD card readers don’t work properly and another in which there’s a noticeable lag when dragging the emoji and dictation panes.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18898.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18895 for 20H1

Release date: May 10, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build includes only one minor fix: The Your Phone app now works. There are nearly a dozen known issues in this build, including one in which some Realtek SD card readers don’t work properly and another in which there’s a noticeable lag when dragging the emoji and dictation panes.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18895.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18894 for 20H1

Release date: May 8, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build introduces improvements to File Explorer, including integrating it with Windows Search and OneDrive online files. When you type into File Explorer’s search box, you’ll see a drop-down list with files you might be looking for. Click any to open it.

There are also a variety of bug fixes, including for one in which Narrator read at a low volume that could not be increased, and another in which the mouse wheel and touchpad were not working reliably.

There are more than half a dozen known issues in this build, including one in which the Your Phone app won’t work, and another in which there’s a noticeable lag when dragging the emoji and dictation panes.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18894.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18890 for 20H1

Release date: May 1, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build has only minor bug fixes, including one that could cause the desktop to refresh slowly, and another in which you would not be able to access network shares if you booted into Safe Mode with Networking.

There are more than half a dozen known issues in this build, including one in which scrolling with the mouse wheel or touchpad may stop working in certain places, and another in which on certain devices with fast startup enabled, night light doesn’t turn on until after a restart.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18890.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18885 for 20H1

Release date: April 26, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

This build includes changes to the Your Phone app that links Windows 10 to Android devices. A new Notifications feature has been added to it that will allow Android notifications to appear on Windows devices. Additionally, the dictation feature has been expanded to support more languages and regions.

There are also a variety of changes, improvements and bug fixes, including for a bug in which USBs and SD cards were assigned a different drive letter after upgrading. There are more than half a dozen known issues with this build, including one in which some Realtek SD card readers don’t function properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18885.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18875 for 20H1

Release date: April 10, 2019

Released to: Fast ring

With this build, Microsoft merged the Skip Ahead group back in with the Fast ring and began releasing 20H1 previews to Insiders in the Fast ring.

This build only has minor changes and bug fixes, including fixing an issue that could result in a freeze on the lock screen if you interacted with the touch keyboard and then switched keyboard layouts, and another in which Settings sporadically crashed. There are more than half a dozen known issues, including one in which some Realtek SD card readers don’t function properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18875.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18865 for 20H1

Release date: March 27, 2019

Released to: Skip Ahead group

The build only has minor changes and bug fixes, including for an issue in which duplicate empty copies of certain folders were created for some users, and another in which Narrator read “has finished loading” multiple times when loading a new page in Chrome. There are three known issues, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD).

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18865.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18860 for 20H1

Release date: March 20, 2019

Released to: Skip Ahead group

The build expands support for SwiftKey to 39 languages. It also has a variety of minor changes and bug fixes, including one in which Microsoft Edge crashed when interacting with combo boxes in PDF forms, and another in which night light was skipping the fade transition when it was turned off.

It has four known issues, including one in which when performing Reset this PC and selecting Keep my files on a device that has Reserved Storage enabled, you will need to initiate an extra reboot to ensure Reserved Storage is again working properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18860.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18855 for 20H1

Release date: March 13, 2019

Released to: Skip Ahead group

The build only has a handful of minor changes and bug fixes, including enabling the microphone in Windows Sandbox and fixing an issue that caused Explorer.exe to crash for some Insiders when Jump list content was updated. It has half a dozen known issues, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD).

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18855.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18850 for 20H1

Release date: March 6, 2019

Released to: Skip Ahead group

The build tweaks and fixes bugs in the Snip & Sketch screen capture and markup app, including fixing an issue that could result in snips being blurry after saving or copying to the clipboard, and adding Narrator (screen reader) confirmations when a snip is copied to the clipboard.

The build also fixes more than dozen bugs, including one in which Microsoft Edge sometimes crashed when editing or tabbing through PDFs. The build has more than half a dozen known issues, including one in which the mouse pointer color was switched to white after signing out and signing back in.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18850.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18845 for 20H1

Release date: February 28, 2019

Released to: Skip Ahead group

The build hooks up keywords to Emoji 12.0 emoji. It also fixes more than dozen bugs, including one that caused the Bluetooth Hands-Free audio driver to hang, and another that caused DWM to crash after enabling high contrast. The build also has more than half a dozen known issues, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD).

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18845.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18836 for 20H1

Release date: February 14, 2019

Released to: Skip Ahead group

The build fixes than dozen bugs, including one in which turning off Location from the Action Center might take multiple clicks to react, and another in which newly installed apps might not show up in search results.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18836.)

Preview builds for the Windows 10 November 2019 Update (19H2, version 1909)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18363.418 for 19H2

Release date: October 8, 2019

Released to: Release Preview ring  

Microsoft says in an announcement that this is the final build for the upcoming November 2019 Update (version 1909) for Windows 10. The build combines the security updates in KB4517389 (OS Build 18362.418) for the Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903) with the changes that have already been released to Insiders for the November 2019 Update.

Microsoft notes that if you are in the Insider Slow ring, you will soon start receiving builds for 20H1 instead of 19H2. If you’d like to remain on 19H2, switch to the Release Preview ring now, and you will be moved to Build 18363.418 “in the coming weeks.”

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18363.418.)

Windows 10 Preview Build 18362.10022 for 19H2

Release date: September 25, 2019

Released to: Slow ring

This build has the improvements and fixes from KB4515384 (OS Build 18362.356), which was released to users of Windows 10, version 1903 (also called 19H1). It also has, in Microsoft’s words, “general improvements to the overall quality of 19H2.”

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18362.10022.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18362.385 for 19H1 and 18363.385 for 19H2

Release date: September 23, 2019

Released to: Release Preview ring

This build is being used to test Microsoft’s throttled approach for rolling out 19H2 once it’s ready; it contains no new features. It will be automatically installed on 10% of PCs in the Release Preview ring. Windows Insiders in the Release Preview ring who are on 19H1 Build 18362.329 will get 19H1 Build 18362.385, and Windows Insiders in the Release Preview ring who are on 19H2 Build 18363.329 will get 19H2 Build 18363.385.

Those in the Release Preview ring who do not get it automatically installed can go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and see if the update is available for them to install.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18362.385 and 18363.385.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18362.10019 for 19H2

Release date: September 5, 2019

Released to: Slow ring

This build contains a variety of minor features, including allowing third-party digital assistants to voice activate above the Lock screen, the ability to create an event straight from the Calendar flyout on the taskbar, and a new “Manage notifications” button at the top of the Action Center that launches the main “Notifications & actions” Settings page.

Those who received Build 18362.10014 with 19H2 features turned off by default will receive Build 18362.10019 with all 19H2 features turned on. Those who received Build 18362.10015 with 19H2 features turned on by default will also receive Build 18362.10019 with all 19H2 features turned on. And those on the Windows 10 May 2019 Update just joining their PCs into the Slow ring to take 19H2 updates will also receive Build 18362.10019 with all 19H2 features turned on.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18362.10019.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18363.327 for 19H2

Release date: August 26, 2019

Released to: Release Preview ring

This build is available only for about 10% of the Windows Insiders in the Release Preview ring, and is being used only to test out Microsoft’s throttled approach for rolling out 19H2 once it’s ready. Insiders in the Release Preview ring can go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update to see if there is a Windows 10, version 1909 update available. They can then choose to install it or ignore it. If they install it, they will be on 19H2 Build 18363.327.

19H2 Build 18363.327 contains no new features, and in fact has fewer features than the current latest version of 19H2 in the Slow ring.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18363.327.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Builds 18362.10014 & 18362.10015 for 19H2

Release date: August 19, 2019

Released to: Slow ring

These two builds are nearly identical, except that 18362.10014 has new features turned off and 18362.10015 has them turned on. Microsoft did that because it’s testing its ability to turn on features via a controlled feature rollout. So over time, users who download 18362.10014 will eventually see the new features. Whether you’ll download 18362.10014 or 18362.10015 depends on your current build. Those on 19H2 Build 18362.10012 will receive 18362.10014 (which has the features turned off) and those on 19H2 Build 18362.100013 will get 18362.10015, which has them turned on.

There are only a few very minor changes in these builds. The search box in File Explorer is now powered by Windows Search. Enterprises can supplement the Windows 10 in S Mode policy to allow traditional Win32 (desktop) apps from Microsoft Intune. Windows Defender Credential Guard for ARM64 devices now has additional protection against credential theft for enterprises deploying ARM64 devices in their organizations.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Builds 18362.10014 and 18362.10015.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Builds 18362.10012 and 18362.10013 for 19H2

Release date: August 8, 2019

Released to: Slow ring

These two builds are nearly identical, except that 18362.10012 has new features turned off and 18362.10013 has them turned on. Microsoft did that because it’s testing its ability to turn on features via a controlled feature rollout. So over time, users who download 18362.10012 will eventually see the new features. Whether you’ll download 18362.10012 or 18362.10013 depends on your current build. Those on 19H2 Build 18362.10005 will receive 18362.10012 (which has the features turned off) and those on 19H2 Build 18362.10006 will get 18362.10013, which has them turned on.

The primary new feature is the ability to create an event straight from the Calendar flyout on the taskbar.  There are other minor changes as well, including that the navigation pane on the Start menu now expands when you hover over it with your mouse, so you can better see where clicking goes. In addition, general battery life and power efficiency improvements have been made for PCs with certain processors.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Builds 18362.10012 and 18362.10013.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18362.10005 for 19H2

Release date: July 15, 2019

Released to: Slow ring

This build includes all the fixes released in KB4507453 for the Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903) as well as a handful of very minor changes, including a new feature called Key-rolling or Key-rotation for MDM-managed AAD devices that will help prevent accidental recovery password disclosures as part of manual BitLocker drive unlocks done by users. There is also a change that will let third-party digital assistants voice-activate above the lock screen.

Note that the changes in this build are turned off by default, so users will not see them immediately. Microsoft will turn them on in controlled rollouts at some point.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18362.10005.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18362.10000 for 19H2

Release date: July 1, 2019

Released to: Slow ring

This first build for the 19H2 version of Windows 10, the update due sometime this fall, is being released only to the Insider Slow ring. (Those in the Fast ring will continue to get builds for 20H1, due the first half of 2020.)

Insiders will see no changes in this build. Instead, the update contains what Microsoft calls “two behind-the-scenes changes designed for OEMs.” It is being used, according to Microsoft, “to test our process and servicing pipeline for delivering these updates to customers.”

Although Insiders won’t see changes, there is significant news in the Microsoft announcement. Reading between the lines of the Microsoft description of the build and a blog post about 19H2 in general, it appears that the upcoming fall update will contain very few new features, and will be more like what Microsoft used to call a Service Pack — a rollup of multiple changes, delivered in a single build rather than in multiple ones.

In addition, the update won’t be delivered as the company’s twice-annual feature updates have been up until now. Instead, it will be delivered in the same way as a Windows 10 monthly update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18362.10000.)

Preview builds for the Windows 10 May 2019 Update (19H1, version 1903)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18362

Release date: March 20, 2019

This minor build has a single fix, for an issue in which the Connect app crashed on launch for some Insiders.

There are fewer than a half-dozen known issues in this build, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which Creative X-Fi sound cards do not work properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18362.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18358

Release date: March 15, 2019

This minor build has only minor fixes. Among the bugs fixed are one in which Game Mode degraded game streaming and recording quality, and another in which some Insiders had green screens with the error KERNEL_SECURITY_VIOLATION.

There are fewer than a half-dozen known issues in this build, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which Creative X-Fi sound cards do not work properly.

Separate from this build, Microsoft also is releasing Windows Defender Application Guard extensions for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Get the Google Chrome extension here,  and the Mozilla Firefox extension here.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18358.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18356

Release date: March 12, 2019

This minor build adds a new feature to Windows 10’s Your Phone app: the ability to mirror your Android phone’s screen directly to your PC. You’ll get access to your phone apps from your PC, such as for getting rides, checking social updates and so on. Note that it may take a few days for every Insider to get this feature.

There are also a variety of minor fixes and small improvements. Among the fixes is for a bug in which Microsoft Edge crashed when interacting with combo boxes in PDF forms, and another in which using the slider to adjust the night light strength could result in the night light getting stuck on.

There are fewer than a half-dozen known issues in this build, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which Creative X-Fi sound cards do not work properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18356.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18353

Release date: March 8, 2019

This minor build includes only small fixes and improvements. One fix is for an issue in which bug checks were launched when a laptop lid was closed or a monitor was plugged into a PC or unplugged from it. The small improvements are all related to Windows Sandbox, including one that turns on the Ctrl + Alt + Break key sequence in Windows Sandbox to allow a PC to enter or exit full-screen mode.

There are fewer than a half-dozen known issues in this build, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which Creative X-Fi sound cards do not work properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18353.)

Windows Insider Preview Build 18348

Release date: March 1, 2019

This minor build has only one new feature, a first look at Emoji 12.0 emoji. Press WIN+(period) or WIN+(semicolon), all and you’ll be able to search keywords to find the emoji you want. Keywords include otter, sloth, waffle, ballet shoes and many other.

In addition, there are a variety of fixes, including for a bug in which in Microsoft Edge sometimes crashed when users edited or tabbed through PDFs, and another in which if high contrast mode was enabled during Windows setup, that state wouldn’t persist after the first logon.

There are fewer than a dozen known issues in this build, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which the mouse pointer color might be incorrectly switched to white after signing out and signing back in.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18348.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18346

Release date: February 26, 2019

This extremely minor build offers only small fixes, including one for a bug in which the Bluetooth hands-free audio driver would hang and another in which the taskbar search box text became a black background.

There are fewer than a dozen known issues in this build, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which navigating to the Narrator settings in Windows Sandbox crashes the Settings app.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18346.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18343

Release date: February 22, 2019

This extremely minor build has only one notable feature: It allows PCs with Intel64 Family 6 Model 142 and Intel64 Family 6 Model 158 processors to get insider builds. PCs with those processors could not download the previous build, 18342.

The build also fixes an issue that required an additional reboot when performing Reset this PC and selecting Keep my files on a device that has Reserved Storage enabled.

There are fewer than a dozen known issues in this build, including one in which in which if you try to navigate to the Narrator settings In Windows Sandbox, the Settings app crashes.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18343.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18342

Release date: February 20, 2019

This build fixes a variety of bugs in Windows gaming technology and offers fixes and workarounds for the game State of Decay. In addition, the build also lets people access Linux files in a WSL distro from Windows. The files can be accessed through the command line. Windows apps including File Explorer, VSCode and others can also interact with the Linux files.

The build includes an assortment of fixes and small changes, including fixing an issue in which Windows Sandbox would not start on localized builds, and another in which right-clicking the desktop would bring up a light-colored context menu in dark theme.

The build has fewer than a dozen known issues, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which if you try to navigate to the Narrator settings in Windows Sandbox, the Settings app crashes.

Microsoft also says that the features for what it calls inbox apps — the Windows 10 apps that ship with the next Windows 10 upgrade — are now set and will not change any further. So you may notice some differences in those apps compared to previous versions, notably that some features have disappeared.

Note that PCs with certain processor model numbers (Intel64 Family 6 Model 142 and Intel64 Family 6 Model 158) will not receive this build because of an issue with Connected Standby. To check the model number of your processor, take the following steps:

1. Open Device Manager by right-clicking on the Start button on your taskbar.
2. Open the Processors group and right-click on one of the processors listed. (You will see “multiple” for each core of the processor in your PC.)
3. Click Properties and go to the Details tab.
4. Choose “Hardware Ids” in the property drop-down. This will give you the model number of your processor.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18342.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18329

Release date: February 1, 2019

This minor build allows desktop (Win32) applications run in Windows Mixed Reality in the same way that Microsoft Store apps can, although the feature is likely to be buggy. Also included are small changes to Mail and Calendar, including the ability to run in dark mode. And when you open Search Home on the Start screen, you’ll find icons for the apps you run most frequently.

There are also an assortment of fixes and small changes and improvements, including fixing an issue in which video playback went black after rotating a device from landscape to portrait, and fixing another issue in which Win32 apps had unexpectedly long launch times.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which the Windows Security app shows an unknown status for the “Virus & threat protection” area or doesn’t refresh properly and others in which Windows Sandbox may launch to a black screen and in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18329.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18323

Release date: January 24, 2019

This minor build improves Windows 10’s support for the RAW image format used by digital cameras. You’ll now be able to view RAW image thumbnails, previews and camera metadata of previously unsupported RAW files from inside File Explorer. You can also view your RAW images at full resolution in any Windows app that uses Windows Imaging Component framework to decode raw images, such as the built-in Photo app.

Windows 10’s Light Theme gets a variety of fixes and small tweaks, including solving an issue in which the text in the battery flyout can become unreadable in the Light Theme because the text is white.

There’s also the usual assortment of fixes and small changes and improvements, including fixing an issue in which closing an open Excel window from the taskbar might cause Excel to become non-responsive, and another in which the quick actions section of Action Center was sometimes missing.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheating software may trigger a bug check, another in which the Windows Security app shows an unknown status for the “Virus & threat protection” area, or doesn’t refresh properly, and another in which Windows Sandbox may launch to a black screen.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18323.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18317

Release date: January 16, 2019

This build makes one major change to Windows 10 — Cortana and Windows’ search capabilities have now been separated. When you do a search by typing into the search box, it no longer activates and uses Cortana. Instead, it uses Windows’ basic search. If you want to use Cortana, you instead click a new Cortana button to the right of the search bar.

The build also improves font handling with new options in Settings, including the ability to drag and drop font files from File Explorer to Settings > Fonts in order to install them. Microsoft also claims it has improved Start reliability. And Windows Console has received a variety of small fixes, including fixing an issue in which consoles grow in height if scroll-forward is disabled.

There are also a variety of other fixes, including for a bug in which Windows Sandbox wouldn’t launch on PCs with multiple GPUs, and another in which File Explorer locked USB drives when trying to safely eject them.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which the quick actions section may be missing from Action Center, another in which launching games that use anti-cheating software may trigger a bug check, and another in which the Windows Security app shows an unknown status for the “Virus & threat protection” area, or doesn’t refresh properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18317.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18312

Release date: January 9, 2019

This build makes a significant change in how Windows 10 manages disk space — a move Microsoft says it’s making to improve Windows performance and reliability. With this build, Windows sets aside reserved storage space to be exclusively used by updates, apps, temporary files, and system caches. Without enough disk space, when a PC’s storage is used up, applications and Windows itself can be unreliable. (For more information about PC performance and disk space, see the Microsoft blog post, “Reserving disk space to keep Windows 10 up to date.”)

Note that this feature will only be turned automatically on in PCs that come with the next version of Windows 10 (which Microsoft refers to as 19H1) pre-installed or on PCs in which 19H1 was clean installed. However, Windows Insiders can go here and follow the instructions, and reserved storage will be turned on in the next insider preview build.

Apart from that, there are only very minor changes in this build, including improvements to the Windows Subsystem for Linux command line such as importing a distribution for easy sideloading including to non-system drives.

There are also a variety of fixes, including for a bug that made the Edge browser unreliable and another in which the Network shares page in File Explorer used black text in dark theme.

The build has more than a dozen known issues, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheating software may trigger a bug check, and another in which the Windows Security app shows an unknown status for the Virus & threat protection area or doesn’t refresh properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18312.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18309

Release date: January 3, 2019

This minor build has only a few new features. It’s now easier to reset your Windows Hello PIN, and you can sign into Windows with a phone number rather than a password. Both of these features were in the previous build for Windows 10 Home users only, but now work with all Windows 10 editions. In addition, the Narrator has gotten a few small improvements, including additional voices.

There are also a variety of small improvements and fixes, including fixing an issue that caused explorer.exe to crash when right-clicking a network printer, and fixing another in which changes to Mouse Keys settings in Settings would not persist.

Known issues in this build include the Windows Security app showing an unknown status for the Virus & threat protection area, or not refreshing properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18309.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18305

Release date: December 19, 2018

This build includes a wide variety of new features and changes. The biggest change to the interface is a new, simplified default Start layout for new devices, new user accounts, and clean installs. It’s now a one-column design with fewer top-level tiles and is sleeker-looking than the existing layout. Note that the new layout won’t immediately appear when updating to this build. Instead, it will default to whatever you’ve already been using.

Windows Clipboard also gets a facelift, notably making it far more compact than the version introduced in the October 2018 Windows 10 Update.

This build also introduces a new security feature, Windows Sandbox, which can run desktop applications in isolation so they can’t harm your PC if they’re malicious or have been infected with malware. Microsoft describes it as “an isolated desktop environment where you can run untrusted software without the fear of lasting impact to your device. Any software installed in Windows Sandbox stays only in the sandbox and cannot affect your host. Once Windows Sandbox is closed, all the software with all of its files and state are permanently deleted.”

The Windows Security app has also gotten a tweak, mainly by revamping its protection history listings, offering more details about each action, as well as new information such as controlled folder access blocks.

Windows will now automatically recommend troubleshooting to keep your PC running more smoothly, for example by recommending turning off a setting than can cause an app to crash. And symbols and Kaomoji (faces created with only text characters) can now be inserted with a hotkey.

With this build, Microsoft continues to work on eliminating passwords and using other means of account verification. In this build, if your Microsoft account has a phone number, you’ll be able to use an SMS code to sign in and set up your Windows 10 account. You can then use a variety of ways to sign into Windows 10, including using Windows Hello facial recognition, a fingerprint, or a PIN.

For enterprises, Microsoft introduces Automatic Restart and Sign On (ARSO), which automatically signs in a user after an update to finish setting up and then locks the PC. It’s only available on PCs that have these security requirements:

• BitLocker enabled and is not suspended during the upgrade
• TPM 2.0
• SecureBoot

Cortana also gets a little bit smarter in this build: It can add your reminders and tasks to your Microsoft To-Do lists. All lists and reminders in Microsoft To-Do, Cortana, and tasks in Outlook are now available in the Microsoft To-Do app. The app can be accessed on Android phones, iPhones, Cortana, the web and your PC.

The build also introduces a new Office app that lets you see all of your Microsoft Office files and launch any Office application. Check out this Office 365 blog post for more details.

There are also a wide variety of small improvements and fixes, including adding shadows throughout the user interface following Microsoft’s Fluent Design guidelines, a slightly revamped Settings homepage, and a new default date format in Windows Explorer.

Known issues in this build include Windows Security showing an unknown status for the Virus & threat protection area, or not refreshing properly, and USB printers appearing twice in the Devices and Printers under Control Panel. Reinstalling the printer resolves the issue.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18305.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18298

Release date: December 10, 2018

This build includes a variety of minor additions throughout Windows. You can now set up a security key for signing into Windows in the Settings app, and the default sorting display for downloaded files has been changed to the most recently downloaded. There’s also a new context menu choice for unpinning groups and folders on the Start menu.

The touch keyboard received several improvements, including one that those with errant fingers will appreciate: The “hit target” of each key (where the key is typically pressed) will change based on prediction of what letter will most likely be typed next. This is expected to result in more accurate typing.

The Notepad gets several small changes, including one in which it shows an asterisk in the title bar in front of the document’s name to indicate that the document has unsaved changes. The Narrator has also seen several improvements, including the new Narrator Home, a one-stop shop for Narrator instructions, tips and settings. Users are sent to Narrator Home every time Narrator is started. And Snip & Sketch gets several bug fixes and reliability improvements, including fixing an issue in which the bottom of a snip gets truncated.

There are also a wide variety of small improvements and fixes, including fixing an issue in which Settings crashed when clicking “Check for Updates,” and another in which the handwriting panel might crash when a pen was used for input into win32 apps.

Known issues in this build include the Settings page crashing when users click on the “View storage usage on other drives” option under System > Storage, and another in which USB printers may appear twice in the Devices and Printers under Control Panel. Reinstalling the printer resolves the issue.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18298.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18290

Release date: November 28, 2018

This build includes only relatively minor additions, such as incorporating Microsoft’s Fluent design guidelines into the Start menu with the use of new icons. You can now also tell which app is using your microphone by hovering your mouse over the microphone icon in the taskbar. There’s also a new landing page for when you perform searches. Microsoft To-Do has also been added to Mail & Calendar.

There are also a wide variety of small improvements and fixes, including fixing an issue in which PDFs opened in Microsoft Edge did not display correctly, and making Narrator more compatible with Chrome.

Known issues in this build include the Settings page crashing after the account password or PIN is changed. Settings will also crash when opening Speech Settings or clicking on the “View storage usage on other drives” option under System > Storage.

Note that the builds previous to this one have a built-in expiration date that Microsoft calls a “timebomb.” The timebomb is set to go off on December 14, after which those builds will no longer work. Insiders need to update to Build 18290 or later before then to avoid that.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18290.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18282

Release date: November 14, 2018

This build adds a new light theme, created to provide more contrast to the Windows dark theme. In the new light theme, the taskbar, Start menu, Action Center, touch keyboard and other interface elements are light instead of dark. Additionally, the OneDrive flyout now supports the Windows dark theme.

There are also new features added to the Snip & Sketch screen capture tool, including a delayed mode and the ability to capture individual windows. Windows Update has received minor improvements, including making it easier to pause updates and having Windows detect the best hours to perform updates. And Narrator has gotten a variety of additions, including making read-by-sentence commands available via a braille display.

There are also a variety of small improvements and fixes, including fixing an issue that caused File Explorer to freeze when interacting with video files, and another in which x86 apps and games had blurry text rendering.

Known issues in this build include the Settings page crashing after changing the account password or PIN, and PDFs opened in Microsoft Edge not displaying correctly – they’re too small, instead of using the entire space.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18282.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18277

Release date: November 7, 2018

This build includes only minor changes, including the ability to customize the way Action Center works from directly within it instead of having to go through Settings, and the ability to use Focus Assist, which lets you turn off alerts, while you’re in full screen mode. The build also shows off the emoji Microsoft has designed so far in preparation for the release of Emoji 12.

There are also a variety of small improvements and fixes, including fixing an issue that resulted in Timeline crashing explorer.exe if you pressed Alt-F4 while it was visible, and another that affected Emoji Panel reliability.

Known issues in this build include the Settings page crashing after changing the account password or PIN, and PDFs opened in Microsoft Edge not displaying correctly — they’re too small, instead of using the entire space.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18277.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18272

Release date: October 31, 2018

This build will please fans of Windows Hello, a feature that lets people sign into Windows using a fingerprint, facial recognition or a PIN instead of a password. Microsoft admits in its note on the build that the sign-in screen for Windows Hello had been cluttered and confusing. So it’s redesigned it, by condensing sign-in options into a list that explains what each option does, and its next step for setup.

The Snip & Sketch screen capture and markup tool has been improved in a variety of ways, including an option to add borders to a screenshot so that it stands out when copied into a document. You can also now print screenshots, and you can save screenshots in .jpg and .gif formats.

There are also several small improvements and fixes, including for an issue that could result in Settings crashing when navigating to Data Usage, and one in which enhancements selected under Speaker Properties > Enhancements wouldn’t persist on upgrade.

Known issues in this build include Task View failing to show the + button under New Desktop after creating two Virtual Desktops, and PDFs opened in Microsoft Edge not displaying correctly — they’re too small instead of using the entire space.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18272.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18267

Release date: October 24, 2018

This minor build adds a new enhanced mode for the search indexer. You can now tell Windows to search all your folders and drives, instead of limiting the search to Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Desktop by default. Beyond that, there are a few small accessibility improvements, including Narrator working better with Chrome. In addition, there are several small improvements and fixes, including for an issue that caused Settings to crash when invoking actions in certain places, including under Windows Security.

There are a handful of known issues in this build, including one in which when you change Task Manager settings, the next time Task Manager is opened it will revert to the default.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18267.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18262

Release date: October 17, 2018

This minor build adds a new optional column to the Details tab of Task Manager so you can find out the DPI awareness per process. DPI awareness properly displays fonts and applications when the resolution of a monitor changes. The build also allows users to easily uninstall some preinstalled Windows applications such as Calendar, Mail and Calculator via the context menu.

There are a variety of other changes, improvements and fixes, including a fix for a bug in which Task Manager’s icon in the notification area of the taskbar did not stay visible while Task Manager was open. There are several known issues with the build, including one in which Settings crashes when taking actions on certain pages.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18262.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18252

Release date: October 3, 2018

This minor build has only a few small changes. For instance, you can now configure advanced Ethernet IP settings in the Settings app, including support for a static IP address and configuring a preferred DNS server. Previously, you could only make these changes in Control Panel. It’s part of Microsoft’s ongoing effort to consolidate settings in one location rather than several.

There’s also the usual variety of fixes, including for a bug that caused Task Manager to report inaccurate CPU usage, and another where the arrows to expand “Background processes” in Task Manager used to “blink constantly and weirdly,” in Microsoft’s words.

In its description of the build, Microsoft warned, “As is normal with builds early in the development cycle, builds may contain bugs that might be painful for some…If this makes you uncomfortable, you may want to consider switching to the Slow ring.”

Among the known issues with this build are one in which Settings crashes when invoking actions on certain pages.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18252.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18247

Release date: September 26, 2018

This build has only a handful of small fixes, including one for a bug in which app icons sometimes became invisible in the taskbar and another in which WebView controls did not respond to the keyboard.

There are also several known issues, including one in which File Explorer’s context menu has an unexpectedly thick white border. The problem in the previous build with arrows that expand “Background processes” in Task Manager “blinking constantly and weirdly” remains in this build as well.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18247.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18242

Release date: September 18, 2018

This build has only small fixes, including for a bug in which the back button in Settings and other apps became white text on a white background if you hovered over it, and another that caused some apps to crash when you tried to save a file from the app.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which Task Manager is not reporting accurate CPU usage, and another in which the arrows used to expand “Background processes” in Task Manager “are blinking constantly and weirdly,” in Microsoft’s words.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18242.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18237

Release date: September 12, 2018

This build adds the acrylic translucent texture from Microsoft’s Fluent Design to the Windows sign-in screen. There’s also a wide variety of fixes, including for an issue where Task Manager couldn’t be resized, and another where if you opened one of the taskbar flyouts (like network or volume), and then quickly tried to open another, it wouldn’t work.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which Narrator sometimes does not read in the Settings app when you navigate using Tab and arrow keys.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18237.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18234

Release date: September 6, 2018

This build adds support for handwritten input into the Microsoft To-Do app. There’s also an update to the Sticky Notes app, which syncs notes across devices, among other improvements. The Snip & Sketch screen capture and annotation tool gets new options, including the ability to delay screen capture a certain amount of time.

Aside from that, there are several dozen fixes and changes, including for an issue in which logging out of your user profile or shutting down your PC would cause the PC to perform a bug check (GSOD), and another that caused Start to be unreliable.

There are half-a-dozen known issues in this build, including one in which the background of notifications and the Action Center lose color and become transparent, and another in which when you use the Ease of Access Make Text bigger setting, you might see text clipping issues or find that text is not increasing in size everywhere.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18234.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18219

Release date: August 16, 2018

This build includes improvements to the Narrator, including increased reliability and improved Braille usage. There’s also a variety of changes and fixes, including for an issue in which the icons in the Microsoft Edge extension pane were drawing unexpectedly close to the toggles and one in which minimized apps had squished thumbnails in Task View.

There are 11 known issues in this build, including one in which the taskbar flyouts (network, volume, etc.) no longer have an acrylic background.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18219.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18214

Release date: August 10, 2018

This build includes the Your Phone app introduced with the Windows 10 October 2018 update. Aside from that, it only has minor fixes, such as fixing an issue in which Timeline’s scrollbar didn’t work with touch and one in which the Windows Security icon in the taskbar system tray would become a little bit blurrier every time there was a resolution change.

There are more than a dozen known issues in this build, including one in which in Narrator’s automatic dialog reading the title of the dialog is spoken more than once.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18214.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18204

Release date: July 25, 2018

This is the first preview for 19H1. It includes no new features — it’s the same as the Preview Build 17723 for Redstone 5.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18204.)

Preview builds for the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (Redstone 5, version 1809)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17763

Release date: September 18, 2018

This minor build has no new features and offers fixes for a half-dozen small issues. Among them are one in which touching a Flash element in Microsoft Edge with two or more fingers may result in the tab crashing, and another where thumbnails and icons might not be rendered if there were any video files saved to the desktop.

There are two known issues in this build: Task Manager does not report accurate CPU usage, and the arrows that expand “Background processes” in Task Manager are, in Microsoft’s words, “blinking constantly and weirdly.”

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17763.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17760

Release date: September 14, 2018

This minor build has no new features and offers fixes for a half-dozen small issues. Among them are rendering issues in certain types of PDFs in Microsoft Edge, crashes that occurred when using swipe to navigate back in Microsoft Edge, and apps that use .NET 4.7.1 not working correctly.

There are no known issues in this build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17760.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17758

Release date: September 11, 2018

This minor build has no new features; it offers fixes for a handful of small issues. Among them are an issue that caused the back button in Settings and other apps to become white text on a white background if you hovered over it, and another in which certain apps crashed when you tried to save a file from the app.

In the description of this build, Microsoft announced that starting with Build 17720, it updated the Storage Sense feature by letting it automatically free up disk space by turning older, unused, locally available files in OneDrive into online-only files. The “What’s new in Storage Sense?” blog post has more details.

There is one known issue in this build, in which Narrator sometimes does not read in the Settings app when you navigate using Tab and arrow keys.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider 17758.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17755

Release date: September 7, 2018

This minor build has no new features and only three fixes for problems: One that had resulted in slower resume from hibernation on some devices, another that had caused HDR video being unexpectedly clipped in certain situations, and a third in which Windows Hello spent more time in the “Getting Ready” state in recent builds.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which when you use the Ease of Access Make Text bigger setting, you might see text clipping issues or find that text is not increasing in size everywhere. The two issues are the same as in the previous build, 17754.

(Get more info about Insider Preview 17755.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17754

Release date: September 5, 2018

This minor build has a variety of fixes for small problems, another sign that the Windows 10 October 2018 Update is close to being done. Among the issues fixed are one that caused the Action Center to work with reduced reliability, another in which clicking on web links in progressive web apps such as Twitter didn’t open the browser, and a third in which using the pen to ink in Microsoft Edge’s web notes caused crashes.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which when you use the Ease of Access Make Text bigger setting, you might see text clipping issues or find that text is not increasing in size everywhere.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17754.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17751

Release date: August 31, 2018

This build is a minor one and shows that Microsoft is coming closer to finalizing the code for the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, as the upcoming release is now officially named. The main thing you’ll notice is that there’s no longer a watermark on the lower right-hand corner of the desktop. That doesn’t mean it’s the final build, but it does mean that Microsoft is “beginning the phase of checking in final code to prepare for the final release,” in Microsoft’s words.

Apart from that, the build has only minor fixes and changes. Among the issues fixed are one in which you would get an error saying no supported app is installed after clicking some activities in Timeline, even though a supported app was installed, and another in which explorer.exe crashed if you were in Tablet Mode and opened Task View while in portrait orientation.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which clicking on web links in progressive web apps such as Twitter doesn’t open the browser.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17751.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17746

Release date: August 24, 2018

This build, as is the case with the last several builds, is a very minor one with only a handful of small changes, improvements and fixes. Expect it to be that way for most, if not all, of the remaining builds before final release of Redstone 5. There are only five small changes and fixes in this build, including for a bug in which Narrator would incorrectly report some standard combo boxes as “editable combo box” instead of “combo box,” and another in which Windows Mixed Reality caused motion controllers to need to be re-paired after the initial setup before appearing in the headset.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which you may experience a bug check (GSOD) when logging out of your user profile or shutting down your PC.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17746.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17744

Release date: August 21, 2018

This very minor build includes only a handful of small changes, improvements and fixes, including resolving an issue in which the contents of the Microsoft Edge window became offset from its window frame, and another in which certain apps crashed when they sent their Timeline activities.

There are four known issues in this build, including one in which you may experience a bug check (GSOD) when logging out of your user profile or shutting down your PC, and another in which after setting up a Windows Mixed Reality headset for the first time with motion controllers, the controllers may need to be paired a second time before appearing in the headset.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17744.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17741

Release date: August 17, 2018

This very minor build includes a new desktop icon that, when clicked, launches the Your Phone app for Android phones, which lets people see and copy photos from Android phones to their PCs. The app was introduced back in build 17730; only the desktop icon for launching it is new in this build.

Apart from that, there are more than a dozen minor changes, improvements and bug fixes, including fixing an issue which caused PCs to bug check (GSOD) when deleting a local folder that was synced to OneDrive, and another issue in which when Settings was open to “Bluetooth & Other Devices” and then minimized to the taskbar, when you tried to resume the app, Settings would crash.

There are three known issues in this build, including one in which after setting up a Windows Mixed Reality headset for the first time with motion controllers, the controllers may need to be re-paired before appearing in the headset.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17741.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17738

Release date: August 14, 2018

This very minor build introduces no new features. It has more than a dozen bug fixes and minor changes and improvements, including fixing an issue that hurt the Start menu’s performance and reliability, and another in which Microsoft Edge’s Settings and More menu became truncated when the option to increase text size was enabled in Settings.

There are a half-dozen known issues in this build, including one in which a PC will perform a bug check (GSOD) when deleting a local folder that is synced to OneDrive, and another in which after setting up a Windows Mixed Reality headset for the first time with motion controllers, the controllers may need to be paired a second time before appearing in the headset.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17738.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17735

Release date: Aug. 10, 2018

This very minor build introduces no new features, and has fewer than a dozen bug fixes and minor changes and improvements, including fixing an issue in which links that launched one app from another app were not working, and another in which in Windows Mixed Reality the voice command, “Flashlight on,” would fail to activate the flashlight feature.

There are a number of known issues in this build, including your PC performing a bugcheck (GSOD) when deleting a local folder that is synced to OneDrive, and another in which the taskbar flyouts (network, volume, etc.) no longer have an acrylic background.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17735.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17733

Release date: Aug. 8, 2018

This very minor build introduces only one very small feature, a dark theme in File Explorer. In addition, Narrator received more than a dozen fixes, including one in which Narrator couldn’t access all the emoji in the Touch Keyboard’s emoji panel, and another in which Narrator couldn’t read the label of the Word document recovery dialog.  A few overall fixes were also made for Windows 10 itself, including one in which the touch keyboard became invisible on the screen, and another in which – if you reset certain devices and chose to keep files – the Sound Settings page would be unresponsive after logging back into Windows.

There are a number of known issues in this build, including potential Start reliability and performance issues, and one in which after setting up a Windows Mixed Reality headset for the first time with motion controllers, the controllers may need to be re-paired a second time before appearing in the headset.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17733.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17730

Release date: Aug. 3, 2018

This build introduces the new Your Phone App that will let people with Android phones see and copy photos from those phones to their PCs. To install it, click the Your Phone app icon, and you’ll then get an app that has to be installed on the phone. The iOS version links an iPhone to a PC, so that when you surf the web on your phone, you’ll be able to send the webpage to your PC and pick up where you left off on the phone.

The build also lets the Edge browser take advantage of HTTP/2 as supported in Windows Server 2019. For details, see Top 10 Networking Features in Windows Server 2019: #8 A Faster, Safer Internet.

In addition, there are the usual small changes and fixes, including resolving an issue that caused the volume slider in certain apps to perform poorly with touch, and another in which in certain apps, including Twitter, stopped rendering content when navigating after a while.

There are a number of known issues in this build, including one in which clicking a link to launch one app from another app may not work, and potential Start reliability and performance issues.

(Get more info about Insider Preview 17730.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17728

Release date: July 31, 2018

This minor build makes a number of changes to the Narrator, including better reading and navigating in Scan mode, improved reliability, and better use of Braille commanding when using the Narrator key from the Braille display.

Microsoft also announced that in the next few weeks, Windows Insiders will be able to use the new Your Phone App to let people with Android devices see content from those devices on their PCs. It will do things such as let someone take pictures on an Android phone and then view the photos on a PC. The app will let users with iOS devices link their phones to their PCs to do things such as surf the web on their phones, then send the webpage to their PCs so they can pick up where they left off.

In addition, there are the usual small changes and fixes, including an issue in which the Clock & Calendar flyout sometimes did not appear until the Start or the Action Center was clicked, and another in which Find on Page in Microsoft Edge would stop working for open PDFs once the PDF was refreshed.

There are a number of known issues in this build, including one that affects WDAG, Remote Desktop and Hyper-V. In it, Remote Desktop Client (mstsc.exe) users will see a misleading error dialog warning about low virtual memory when a connection is being established.

(Get more info about Insider Preview 17728.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Builds 17723 and 18204

Release date: July 25, 2018

This build serves double-duty. It’s both a preview (17723) for Redstone 5 as well as the first build for testers (18204) who have opted into Skip Ahead for Redstone 6.

Emoji fans will be pleased to see that there are now 157 new emoji, including superheroes, redheads, a softball, a pirate flag and a llama. That’s because Unicode 11 has been incorporated into the build. Access them via the Emoji Panel (WIN + .) or the touch keyboard.

Also new is what Microsoft is calling a mixed reality flashlight, which lets you easily bypass the mixed reality world when you’re wearing a mixed reality headset, and instead look at the real world. So no longer will you have to remove your headset when you want to peek at something nearby or reach for a drink or phone, for example. You’ll be able to do it via the Start menu, a button shortcut or a voice command.

Microsoft Edge has gotten a few tweaks, including new Group Policies and MDM settings for IT administrators to manage it. There’s also an easier way for device administrators to set up their PCs as a kiosk or digital sign.

In addition, there are a variety of small changes and fixes, including one in which some laptops underwent a CRITICAL PROCESS DIED bug check when the PC was put to sleep by closing the lid and the connected power disconnected. There are also a variety of known issues, including one in which the clock & calendar flyout may not appear until bringing up Start or Action Center, and they will then both appear at the same time. The same issue may result in notifications not appearing until Start or Action Center is opened.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17723 and 18204.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17711

Release date: July 6, 2018

No big news in this build. Microsoft Edge gets a few minor additions, including new themes and a new consent box for saving autofill data. Microsoft also continues to add new Fluent design elements throughout Windows, including shadows for popup controls. There’s also a new Windows HD Color page, available under Display Settings. The Registry Editor has been improved with more useful input tools.

There is also a wide variety of very small fixes, including for a bug in which attempting to pin Settings categories to the Start menu would either crash Settings or do nothing, and another in which creating a system image from backup and restore in the control panel would fail on x86 machines.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17711.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17704

Release date: June 27, 2018

The big news in this build is that the Sets feature, which lets you group documents, web pages, files and apps in tabs, and then work with them, has been pulled — with no word about when it might be reinstated. This means that it may not ship with Redstone 5.

Sets was originally scheduled to be released as part of the Windows 10 April 2018 Update (Redstone 4), but Microsoft pulled it due to a variety of problems. The company included Sets in Redstone 5 builds starting with Build 17618 on March 7, 2018 — even before the Windows 10 April 2018 Update was released. And now, in Build 17704, Microsoft has pulled it again.

Microsoft explained the decision this way in its description of this latest build: “Starting with this build, we’re taking Sets offline to continue making it great. Based on your feedback, some of the things we’re focusing on include improvements to the visual design and continuing to better integrate Office and Microsoft Edge into Sets to enhance workflow. If you have been testing Sets, you will no longer see it as of today’s build, however, Sets will return in a future WIP flight.”

No date was set for the feature’s return, so there’s no guarantee it will be included in Redstone 5, due this fall. If you’ve been following the build notes for Redstone 5, you might not be that surprised about what Microsoft has done, because Microsoft has continually reported issues with the feature in its notes about each build.

Aside from pulling Sets, Microsoft has done a fair amount of work on Microsoft Edge in this build, including incorporating more Fluent Design elements into it, adding redesigned settings and the ability to customize the toolbar, as well as giving users control over whether media should automatically play on web pages.

The Skype for Windows 10 app gets a serious update with a variety of new features, including easier screen sharing, a new layout making it easier to find contacts, customizable themes and more. Check here for more details from Microsoft.

The Diagnostic Data Viewer, available as a separate download, has gotten tweaks, including the ability to view problem reports that have been or will be sent to Microsoft. However, it remains an extremely difficult-to-use tool that even programmers will struggle to understand.

There have also been a several improvements to Windows Security, including new protections and settings such as to block suspicious behaviors and to manage the various types of anti-malware, firewall and other security software running on your PC.

Other changes include allowing non-admin users to install fonts, and new columns for Task Manager that show power usage and power trends. There is also a long list of fixes, including for a bug that caused the lock screen to crash in a loop when Picture Password was selected, and another in which when Cortana search results were clicked, nothing would happen.

And there are a small number of known issues, including one in which Windows Mixed Reality might get stuck after going to sleep and display an error message in Mixed Reality Portal or a “Wake up” button that doesn’t work.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17704.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17692

Release date: June 14, 2018

This build introduces an easier way to use the Windows 10 touchscreen keyboard with the addition of SwiftKey, which lets you enter text by dragging your fingers. SwiftKey, previously available only for iOS and Android, also improves the accuracy of autocorrections and text-input predictions.

In addition, there have been improvements to a number of Windows features. You can now search for text using Narrator’s new Find feature, and Narrator will also automatically read the contents of a dialog box when brought to the foreground, among other additions. New audio controls have been added to the Game Bar that let you change your default audio output device and mute or adjust the volume of games and apps running. Windows Mixed Reality has gotten several improvements, including the ability to stream audio to both a headset and PC speakers simultaneously.

There are the usual variety of minor changes and fixes, including for a bug that resulted in audio glitching on systems with lots of firewall rules, and another in Microsoft Edge where if both images and text were selected, right-clicking on the image and selecting copy wouldn’t work.

There is a long list of known issues with this release, including one in which launching Start causes reliability and performance issues, and another in which some settings in Settings may be unexpectedly missing and/or missing their labels. The Game Bar may also crash on x86 machines.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17692.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17686

Release date: June 6, 2018

This minor build makes several minor improvements to Windows Mixed Reality, including adjustments to the mixed reality video capture experience to make it easier to stop videos from the Start menu. Also, the Windows Settings app gets a new Region page that lets you override default regional format settings such as Calendar, First day of the week, Dates, Times, and Currency. To use it, go to Settings > Time & Language > Region.

There are the usual variety of minor changes and fixes, including one in which Paint and WordPad settings and recent files weren’t migrated during upgrades, and another in which taskbar flyouts (network, volume, etc.) didn’t have a shadow. There are also a number of known issues that haven’t been fixed, including increased reliability and performance issues when launching Start. The new Sets feature continues to have problems working with Microsoft Office; for instance, there’s a bug in which tiling and cascading windows, including features like “View Side by Side” in Word, will not work for inactive tabs.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17686.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17682

Release date: May 31, 2018

This build includes several minor changes, notably to the new Sets feature. Microsoft has tweaked Sets’ tab page to make it more obvious that apps can be launched from it. Now, when you click the plus button in a Sets window, apps will be included in the frequent destinations list. The “all apps” list has also been integrated into the page so you can browse your apps, instead of having to use the search box.

Microsoft Edge now includes a preview of the new Web Authentication API for developers, which  provides an open, scalable and interoperable solution for authentication, and replaces passwords.

Wireless projection gets some tweaks designed to help you know when you’re wirelessly projecting and how to disconnect, particularly if your session was begun in File Explorer or an app. A new control banner at the top of the screen tells you the state of your connection and allows you to quickly disconnect or reconnect. You can also use it to tune the connection based on what you are doing.

There’s the usual variety of minor changes and fixes, including fixing an issue that resulted in some apps missing pinned and recent items when you right-clicked their icons in the taskbar. There are also a number of known issues that have yet to be fixed, including reliability and performance issues when launching Start. The new Sets feature continues to have a variety of problems working with Microsoft Office, many of which have also been present in past builds, including one in which the top of some Win32 desktop app windows may appear slightly underneath the tab bar when maximized. To work around the issue, restore and re-maximize the window.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17682.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17677

Release date: May 24, 2018

This build includes a variety of minor changes. Microsoft Edge’s “Settings and more” menu has been reorganized into groups to make options easier to find, and with icons placed next to each menu option. You can now also see your most visited sites on the Windows taskbar or Start menu. Right-click the Microsoft Edge icon to see a list of most visited sites and pin any you want. Right-click on an entry to remove it from the list. You can also more easily organize groups of tabs. In addition, new options (“Show in folder” and “Copy link”) have been added to the right-click menu for downloads in the “Downloads” pane.

The Windows Narrator has been improved and supports selecting content in Edge, Word, Outlook, Mail and most text applications. Mobile Broadband (LTE) connectivity on Windows gets a makeover in this build, and includes a new, more reliable network driver model. In addition, Task Manager’s memory reporting has been improved, and the Windows kernel now has support for IPv6 to KDNET.

There are several minor fixes, including for a bug in which the Home and End keys did not work in Edge. The build also has a variety of known issues, including one in which if you right-click apps in the taskbar, you might find that the jump list is missing pinned and recent items. And the new Sets feature has a variety of problems working with Microsoft Office, including one in which the top of some Win32 desktop app windows may appear slightly underneath the tab bar when maximized. To work around the issue, restore and re-maximize the window.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17677.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17672

Release date: May 16, 2018

This build has only very minor changes and fixes. In it, the Windows Security Center (WSC) service now requires that third-party antivirus programs run as protected processes, or else they won’t show up in the Windows Security interface, and Windows Defender Antivirus will run side by side with them. You can, however, disable the behavior by creating the following registry key and rebooting:

HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftSecurity CenterFeature DisableAvCheck (DWORD) = 1

Note that the key won’t work when the next version of Windows 10 is closer to being released.

There’s also a variety of minor changes and fixes, including one in which PCs appeared to be stuck at “Preparing to install…” between 80% and 100% in Windows Update when attempting to install a new build.

The build has a variety of known issues, including one in which Narrator reads extra text when Alt + Tab is pressed. And the new Sets feature has a variety of problems working with Microsoft Office, including one in which tiling and cascading windows will not work for inactive tabs.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17672.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17666

Release date: May 9, 2018

This build adds a variety of new features, including additions to the Sets feature. Sets now uses more Fluent Design standards, including an acrylic title bar. You can also mute web pages in Sets that play audio. And using Alt -Tab will show all recent Edge tabs when you switch between apps, not just the active one.

Windows Clipboard has been powered up. You can now paste previous items from the Clipboard’s history. And your Clipboard will roam across all of your devices, so you can clip items from a device other than the one you’re currently using.

There are a variety of other improvements, including the addition of a dark theme to File Explorer and improved search. A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which the VPN wasn’t working, and another in which a .dll would cause explorer.exe to crash every few minutes. There are, however, a number of known issues, including one in which your PC appears to be stuck on “Preparing to install” when it gets to 80% to 100% of updating. It will take 30 minutes or more to complete the installation from that point.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17666.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17661

Release date: May 3, 2018

This build adds a variety of new features, including tweaks to screen capture in Windows 10. Screen Sketch, which lets you annotate screen captures and was originally part of Windows Ink, is now its own app. In addition, pressing WIN + Shift + S brings up a toolbar that lets you capture a rectangle, free-form snip or the entire screen. (In the current version of Windows, that key combination only lets you capture a rectangle.) You’ll also get a notification that, when clicked on, lets you open the snip in Screen Sketch for annotation and sharing.

There are a number of other minor improvements, including one in which Microsoft’s Fluent Design is being extended to Task View, whose background gets a new soft blur look. This build also adds to support for the High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF), introduced in Build 17623, and lets you do things such as rotate HEIF images.

There’s also the usual assortment of changes and fixes, including fixing an issue in which using arrow and Page Up / Page Down keys didn’t work to scroll webpages in Microsoft Edge. There are a number of known issues with this build, including one in which some notifications from Action Center may cause regular Explorer.exe crashes.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17661.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17655

Release date: April 25, 2018

This extremely minor build has only one new feature: Mobile Broadband (LTE) connectivity on Windows is getting a makeover. Microsoft says that its new Net Adapter framework “introduces a new, more reliable, network driver model that inherits the goodness of the Windows driver framework while bringing an accelerated data path.” Only PCs that support Mobile Broadband — that is, use cellular networks — will use the new framework.

Aside from that, there are only two changes and fixes. The brightness toggle in the Battery flyout in the Notification Area of the taskbar has been removed. Microsoft says that will make for an improved user experience. The build also fixes in issue in which Microsoft Edge didn’t work when dragging a favorite from one folder to another.

There are a variety of known issues in this build, including one in which the mouse cursor may disappear when hovering over certain user interface elements and text fields, and another in which the arrow and Page Up / Page Down keys don’t work to scroll web pages in Microsoft Edge. There are also a variety of issues with the new Sets feature, and with Microsoft Office working properly with this build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17655.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17650

Release date: April 19, 2018

This very minor build gives the Windows Defender Security Center a design refresh using Microsoft’s Fluent Design elements, including adjusting the spacing and padding around it and dynamically sizing the categories on the main page if more room is needed for extra info. In addition, the Windows Defender Firewall now supports Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) processes.

There’s also the usual assortment of changes and fixes, including an issue in which File Explorer would always open with the Ribbon minimized, rather than remembering how you’d left it. There are a number of known issues with this build, including one in which when a PC resumes from sleep, the desktop may be momentarily visible before the lock screen displays as expected.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17650.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17643

Release date: April 12, 2018

This minor build introduces integration between the Microsoft Office and the new Sets feature that lets you group documents, web pages, files and apps in tabs, and then work with them. In addition, if you use a SIM on a mobile device, it will tell you how much data you use while you’re roaming. There are also the usual improvements and fixes, including fixing an issue in which Reveal would sometimes not appear if you moved your mouse over and off an element repeatedly, and another in which there was noticeable screen flicker when the screen adjusts after a device is rotated.

There are number of known issues with this build, including one in which if you open Settings and click on any links to the Microsoft Store or links in tips, Settings will crash, and another in which when a computer resumes from sleep, the desktop may be momentarily visible before the Lock screen displays as expected.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17643.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17639

Release date: April 4, 2018

The big news in this build is the new features added to the Sets tool that let you group documents, web pages, files and apps in tabs, and then work with them. You can now drag and drop apps between tabs and use Alt + Tab to switch between tabs. Sets also gets its own section in Settings, available via Settings > System > Multitasking. There are also new context menu options when you right-click on a tab set, including “close other tabs,” “move to new window” and “close tabs to the right.”

Beyond that there’s an assortment of changes, improvements and fixes, including a fix for an issue that caused duplicate entries in Disk Management, and one in which some Windows apps silently terminated when minimized.

There are several known issues with this build, including one in which if you open the Settings app and click any links to the Microsoft Store or links in tips, Settings will crash.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17639.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17634

Release date: March 29, 2018

In this build, search is now available in the Windows 10 calendar. You can search by name, location, people included, or words in the event body. It works for Outlook, Hotmail, Live and Office 365 accounts, but not yet Exchange Server, Gmail, Yahoo or other IMAP calendars. In the build, Cortana Show Me supports voice commands, such as for updating Windows, uninstalling an app, discovering Bluetooth devices and more. There is also an assortment of minor fixes and improvements, including for a bug in which Microsoft Edge could crash when certain extensions were turned off, and another in which typing in the Microsoft Edge URL bar immediately after opening a new tab sometimes resulted in the letters appearing out of order.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17634.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17627

Release date: March 21, 2018

This very minor build includes only small bug fixes, including for one in which an emoji panel wasn’t working, and another where if you tried to open an online-only file from OneDrive that hadn’t been previously downloaded to your PC, your PC might perform a bug check.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17627.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17623

Release date: March 16, 2018

This build rolls out the High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF), a container that uses modern codecs like HEVC to improve image quality, compression and capabilities compared to earlier formats like JPEG, GIF and PNG. In addition to single images, HEIF supports encoding image sequences, image collections, auxiliary images like alpha or depth maps, live images and video, audio, and HDR. The Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG) also gets performance improvements.

There are also the usual minor changes and fixes, including for an issue that crashed the touch keyboard when focus was moved to certain password fields, and another in which touch couldn’t be used to interact with the Timeline scrollbar.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17623.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17618

Release date: March 7, 2018

This preview reintroduces a major new Windows 10 feature, Sets, that lets you group webpages, documents, files and applications on individual tabs in Windows Explorer. (Sets made a brief appearance in the preview builds for the April 2018 Update but was pulled because it wasn’t ready for general release.) Apps such as Mail, Calendar, OneNote, MSN News, Windows and Microsoft Edge can be grouped. Microsoft says support for more apps will come in the future.

Windows Mixed Reality is buggy in this build. Microsoft notes that it “runs at a very low frame rate (8-10fps) that could result in some physical discomfort. And there are multiple crashes at startup that will cause Windows Mixed Reality to not work.”

There are also the usual minor changes, improvements and fixes, including for a bug in which three- and four-finger gestures on the touchpad were unresponsive, and another in which navigating to Themes Settings crashed Settings.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17618.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17604

Release date: February 14, 2018

This is the first preview for Redstone 5, and includes no new features — it’s essentially the same as the Preview Build 17101 for Redstone 4. However, Microsoft warns that this and other early Redstone 5 builds may be buggy, and adds, “So, things will likely be a little rough as they normally are at the beginning of the development cycle for a new Windows 10 release. If this concerns you or makes you uncomfortable, you may want to consider opting out of Skip Ahead.”

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17604.)

Preview builds for the Windows 10 April 2018 Update (Redstone 4, version 1803)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17134

Release date: April 16, 2018

This build fixes problems Microsoft discovered just prior to its planned rollout of Redstone 4. According to Dona Sarkar, head of the Windows Insider Program, the company discovered reliablity issues that could have led to Blue Screens of Death in some cases. “Instead of creating a Cumulative Update package to service these issues, we decided to create a new build with the fixes included,” Sarkar wrote in a blog post.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17134.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17133

Release date: March 27, 2018; updated April 10, 2018

Note: The final version of Redstone 4 was expected to begin rolling out to the public on April 10, but that didn’t happen. Industry watchers believe the company discovered a bug severe enough to prevent the release.

Instead, Microsoft on April 10 released an update to 17133, called Insider Preview Build 17133.73, to Insiders in the Fast, Slow, and Release Preview rings. The build issues security updates to Internet Explorer, Edge, Microsoft scripting engine, Windows kernel, Microsoft graphics component, Windows Server, Windows cryptography, and Windows datacenter networking and squashes a final few bugs, including a PDF security issue in Edge and a glitch in IE’s identification of custom controls, before the spring feature update is released.

The scarcity of changes in this latest build shows that the release of Redstone 4 is likely very close. It has fixes for only three small issues: One in which certain devices with BitLocker enabled unexpectedly booted into BitLocker recovery; another in which the display resolution couldn’t be changed when there were four or more monitors connected; and another in which clicking suggested search terms when typing in the Microsoft Edge URL bar didn’t do anything. There are no known issues in this build. Microsoft notes: “We are in the phase of checking in final code to prepare for the final release.”

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17133.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17128

Release date: March 23, 2018

With this build, Microsoft seems to be getting exceedingly close to the final version of the next major update to Windows 10. The only difference between it and the previous build, 17127, is that the watermark at the lower right-hand corner of the desktop has disappeared. This is frequently a sign that a build is the final one, but Microsoft says that’s not the case this time, noting that “This does not mean this is the final build as we are not done yet…we’ve got more fixes being checked in for the next flight.” However, Microsoft also writes that “We’re just now beginning the phase of checking in final code to prepare for the final release.”

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17128.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17127

Release date: March 20, 2018

The main additions in this build are some minor changes to Cortana. It now has a profile page where you can add and edit your favorite places. When you add a place, you’ll get traffic updates for your commutes, and be able to quickly set reminders for when you arrive at or leave places. Microsoft also claims that Cortana’s notebook feature has been sped up. Also, when you want to add new skills to Cortana, you’ll get suggested questions on the best ways to add them.

There are also the usual variety of changes, improvements and fixes, although this time around it’s a small list. Included is fixing a problem that caused Microsoft Edge to crash when turning off certain extensions, and another in which the page up and page down keys weren’t working when using Microsoft Edge in Reading View.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17127.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17123

Release date: March 16, 2018

Little has changed with this latest build, as the release of the next major update to Windows 10 gets closer. The Windows 10 Photos app now supports the High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF), which uses new codecs such as HEVC and which Microsoft says offers superior compression and features than older formats such as JPEG, GIF and PNG. To see it in action, you’ll have to join the Windows App Preview Program for the Photos app and be running the March release of the Photos app (Version 2018.18022.13740.0 or newer).

Microsoft continues to squash bugs with Windows Mixed Reality, including making sure that launching the Microsoft Store from Movies & TV no longer crashes either app. It’s also trying to fix other problems with Windows Mixed Reality, including looking into whether it experiences a performance regression on hybrid laptops.

In addition, there are a few very minor changes and fixes, including for a bug in which some older drives didn’t load properly.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17123.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17120

Release date: March 13, 2018

The march towards the release of the Windows 10 Spring Creators Update (the likely name for the next big Windows 10 upgrade) continues with another minor build. It includes some small changes to Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG). Microsoft says its performance has been significantly improved, including faster loading times. It also now allows enterprise users to download files when using the Edge browser in a WDAG browsing session.

The notes for the release also point out that new Windows Mixed Reality features added in the previous build, 17115, have a variety of bugs, including poor performance on hybrid laptops and the 360 viewer failing to launch from the Store app when you click on the “Launch” button after installing the 360 Viewer Edge extension.

In addition, there are a variety of very minor changes and bug fixes, including for one in which the UAC dialog did not render correctly in the last several builds, and another in which the touch keyboard crashed when focus was moved to certain password fields.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17120.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17115

Release date: March 6, 2018

This minor build includes a redesign of the privacy settings screen, including two new settings for Inking & Typing and Find my device. For details about the changes, see the blog post “Windows Insiders get first look at new privacy screen settings layout coming to Windows 10.”

In addition, there are a variety of very minor changes and bug fixes, including for one in which the Microsoft Store might be completely broken or gone after upgrading, and another in which at the first user-prompted reboot or shut-down after installation, in a small number of devices Windows 10 didn’t load properly and entered a reboot loop state.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17115.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17112

Release date: March 2, 2018

This build is another in Microsoft’s sprint towards the final release of the next major Windows update. It includes no new features, only a variety of minor bug fixes, including for one in which you got a permanently black window if you dragged a tab out of a Microsoft Edge window, pulled it to the top edge of the screen, moved it back down and then released it.

Be warned, however: The build introduces serious problems with running Windows Mixed Reality. Microsoft reports that in this build, “Windows Mixed Reality runs at a very low frame rate (8-10fps) that could result in some physical discomfort. And there are multiple crashes at startup that will cause Windows Mixed Reality to not work.” Microsoft suggests that those who want to pause Insider Builds until the issues are fixed should go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program, click the “Stop Insider Preview builds” button and choose “Pause updates for a bit.”

Other known issues with this build include one in which the Microsoft Store may disappear or be completely broken. Microsoft has posted a workaround to fix the problem.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17112.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17110

Release date: February 27, 2018

This build focuses primarily on minor improvements for enterprise customers. In it, enterprises can now run custom actions during Windows 10 feature updates, allowing them to customize installations. Setup allows the actions to be run during the pre-install phase, which happens before all the system and device compatibility scans run, and also during the pre-commit phase, just before the system reboots into the offline phase. Setup will also migrate the scripts for future updates.

In addition, in this build /postrollback scripts can be run in an admin context or a system context. This is useful because in some enterprises most employees don’t have admin privileges. So users can now run /postrollback scripts, even if they don’t have admin privileges.

There are also the usual minor changes, improvements and fixes, including one in which pressing and holding on a card in the new Timeline feature would open the corresponding app, rather than bringing up a context menu.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17110.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17107

Release date: February 23, 2018

As Microsoft continues its sprint to release the next big Windows upgrade, it has stopped introducing new features, and new builds include mainly bug fixes. So this update is a minor one. It tweaks Windows Update behavior so that when an update is being installed on a PC with AC power, it stops the PC from going to sleep when not being used actively for up to 2 hours when receiving an update, so that the update proceeds more smoothly.

Beyond that are a variety of minor changes, improvements and fixes, including for a bug in which Settings crashed when users tried to open Themes, and another in which the Windows Defender offline scan had stopped working in recent builds. This update has a number of known issues, including the buttons on the Game bar not being properly centered.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17107.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17101

Release date: February 14, 2018

The big news with this build is that it marks that the next upgrade to Windows 10 is likely now largely feature-complete. As Microsoft explains in its announcement about the build: “Right now our focus is on stabilization … we intend to release new RS4 builds [previews of the next upgrade to Windows, code-named Redstone 4] to Insiders more quickly to both the Fast and Slow rings as these builds include mostly bug fixes.”

Microsoft is also “forking” its Windows Insider builds with this release — one fork is the one for the next upgrade to Windows 10, due to be released this spring, and the other fork is for what Microsoft calls “Skip Ahead” builds, previews of the Windows upgrade that will be released approximately six months after that, codenamed Redstone 5. This 17101 build serves double duty — it’s both for previews of Redstone 4 and the first Skip Ahead build for Redstone 5. However, the Skip Ahead build gets the build number 17604 instead of 17101.

Note that the Skip Ahead queue for accepting users is closed. People who signed up for the Skip Ahead RS4 builds starting in July 2017 and have remained in the Skip Ahead ring will get the Skip Ahead builds. But no new signups will get them at this point.

As for what’s in the build, it’s a relatively minor one. Some emojis have been updated and some Windows apps are being given broad file access permissions, although you’ll be able to turn that off if you want. In addition, the new edition of Windows called Windows 10 Pro for Workstations that in Microsoft’s words is “designed for demanding mission-critical scenarios targeting advanced users,” gets a few new features. The most important is a new power scheme called Ultimate Performance that gives as much power to PCs as possible but uses more power than other power schemes. Because of that, it’s not yet available on battery-powered PCs.

There’s also the usual assortment of tweaks, improvements and bug fixes, including an issue in which three- and four-finger touchpad gestures were unresponsive, and another in which Start didn’t work for Insiders who had added HomeGroup as a folder to appear on Start.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17101.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17093

Release date: February 7, 2018

This build offers a wide variety of relatively minor new features. If you have a multi-GPU PC, you’ll be able to fine-tune how the GPUs are used, for example, to assign “power saving” GPUs to simple tasks like running your browser and using high-performance processing to run games. To do it, go to Settings > System > Display and scroll down to the “Advanced graphics settings” link. The build also lets more PCs play HDR video.

The build also tweaks the Diagnostic Data Viewer released in the previous build — Microsoft says it will now allow you to delete all the diagnostic data associated with a device. However, if you read closely enough, you’ll find that’s not the case. You’ll be able to navigate to a Delete button, but Microsoft notes that, “The backend cloud system is currently under development and will be available to complete the Delete requests prior to public release of RS4.” In other words, click all you want, but for now, the data won’t actually be deleted.

The “eye control” feature released in the Windows 10 Fall Creator’s Update gets some tweaks, so you’ll be able to use it more easily to scroll through content, navigate more quickly, pause and so on. Also improved is Windows 10’s Bluetooth capabilities, so you can pair with Bluetooth devices in a single click.

The build also tweaks the Edge browser a bit, so that in full-screen mode you can use the address bar, navigate to other sites, add favorites and more. New security features have been added to Windows, including account protection when signing into Windows. And the Game Bar has been given a makeover to make it easier to access all of its features, including new icons for muting a microphone, toggling recording and more.

In addition, users of Windows S, the stripped-down version of Windows designed for schools but available for everyone, will be able to log into the operating system without using passwords.

Aside from that are the usual assortment of tweaks, improvements and bug fixes, including updating the Windows Subsystem for Linux, redoing the Privacy Settings page and fixing an issue in which the Advanced display settings link was missing from Display Settings.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17093.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17083

Release date: January 24, 2018

The big news in this release is a new set of privacy tools that let people see all the diagnostic data their devices send to Microsoft. The new Diagnostic Data Viewer lists all of the diagnostic information gathered, including Windows version, the ID of the device, connectivity information, performance and reliability data, app usage, installed software and more. You can scroll through each “diagnostic” event, as Microsoft calls them, or else search through them and filter them. You’ll also be able to fine-tune the level of data that Microsoft gathers.

To use the viewer, go to Settings > Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback. Turn on the Diagnostic Data Viewer toggle and click the button below it to launch the app. One warning about the viewer: The information it shows is extremely difficult to decipher and will be difficult for anyone other than programmers to understand. So the tool sounds more impressive than it really is. For a full description, check out the blog post “Microsoft introduces new privacy tools ahead of Data Privacy Day” from Marisa Rogers, the Windows Device Group’s Privacy Officer.

There’s a variety of other improvements as well, including a new Fonts page in Settings that makes it easier to choose and use fonts. You’ll be able to see previews of each font, get more details about each font, fine-tune and uninstall them. Web developers and typographers get a variety of tools for tweaking fonts. In addition, in this build, you’ll be able to get new fonts from the Microsoft Store.

The Timeline feature has been changed as well. In this build, you can more easily delete activities from your Timeline. And Windows 10’s ease of access features get a variety of changes, including the ability to automatically turn on or turn off scrollbars.

Beyond that is an assortment of tweaks, improvements and bug fixes, including fixing an issue that could cause Windows to get stuck on the rebooting screen for a long time, and another in which Settings would crash if you tried to change the state of the microphone or camera permissions in Privacy Settings.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17803.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17074

Release date: January 11, 2018

This build offers a variety of new features. Most of them focus on Microsoft Edge. Edge’s ebook reader gets a number of improvements, including a new look and feel based on Microsoft’s Fluent Design guidelines. The reader now provides a consistent interface whether you’re reading a PDF, EPUB book, or web content in Reading View. There’s also a new full-screen view. New grammar tools can highlight different parts of speech as well as break words down into individual syllables. And if you’re reading books purchased from the Microsoft Store, your reading progress, notes, bookmarks and annotations will more quickly sync across the devices on which you read them. If you’re having Edge read a book to you, it highlights words as they’re read.

Edge now stores credit card information and can autofill information on payment forms on the web. It also now supports CSS extensions for OpenType Font Variations, among other new features.

Windows 10’s Quiet Hours feature has been slightly tweaked. In the current version of Windows 10, Quiet Hours lets you turn off notifications between the hours of 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. In this build, you can customize the hours it works. Quiet Hours will also automatically turn on when you play games.

The Windows Settings app has been updated. In an attempt to consolidate settings of different kinds, the Disk Cleanup feature now can be found in Storage Settings, and the Sound Settings page has gotten a variety of minor tweaks.

Microsoft continues to work on better integrating pen input into Windows 10. In this update, you can tap a pen on any text field, and you’ll be able to input text using the pen. What you write is converted to text via handwriting recognition.

Beyond that are the usual assortment of tweaks, improvements and bug fixes, including fixing an issue where Settings sometimes crashed if the window was too small, and one in which Microsoft Edge sometimes crashed when deleting favorites.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17074.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17063

Release date: December 19, 2017

This is a major build with significant new features. The main one is Timeline, which was supposed to be part of the Fall Creators Update but which Microsoft delayed because it couldn’t get it working properly in time. Timeline is a kind of time machine that lets you see what apps and work you’ve been doing in the past, then jump back to them at the point you left off. It will work across devices, so that if you start work on a desktop PC, when you move to your laptop, you’ll be able resume work without missing a beat. Eventually it will work with iOS and Android devices as well, according to Microsoft.

Timeline works as an extension of Task View, with past tasks shown onscreen in addition to your current ones. You’ll be able to switch among them by clicking on the appropriate thumbnails. You can look at past tasks from the current day or previous days, and move through them all with a scrollbar on the right side of the screen. You can also search for a particular activity. To control how Timeline works, go to the new activity history page in the Settings app. Cortana also works hand in glove with Timeline, recommending activities you can resume using the feature.

All of Timeline’s features aren’t yet enabled. For now, it works with activities done in Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, and updated versions of Maps, News, Money, Sports and Weather. It likely works with other apps as well, although not necessarily all of them, and Microsoft hasn’t provided a list of which work with Timeline and which don’t. To use Timeline, click a new Task View icon on the task bar, or else press the Windows logo key + Tab, which is how your normally run Task View.

Developers can customize how their apps work with Timeline, including how the thumbnails work. (For details, see this blog post from Microsoft.)

Microsoft has been busy in this build; there’s more than just Timeline on tap. Also new is Sets, which add tabs to applications as a way for you to have various pieces of information in one place directly in the application itself. For example, if you’re in Excel, you could have a tab for your worksheet, another for a web page that has data you want to copy into the spreadsheet, and so on. Microsoft’s Dona Sakar describes it this way: “The concept behind Sets is to make sure that everything related to your task: relevant webpages, research documents, necessary files and applications, is connected and available to you in one click.”

Sets isn’t being delivered to all Insiders who get this update. Microsoft says it’s being released as a “controlled study,” but doesn’t provide details about how many people will receive it. Also, the name of the feature may change, and the way it works may change as well.

Microsoft Edge also gets improvements. Using Microsoft’s Fluent Design guidelines, it now supports a dark theme and has a variety of other minor user interface changes. Edge also supports the new Service Workers and the Push and Cache APIs Web standards, which let web pages send push notifications to the Action Center and refresh data in the background, even when Edge is closed.

Cortana, meanwhile, has gotten a few changes. The Notebook gets a new look, including a feature called Organizer that easily find your lists and reminders. Cortana now also lets you control Spotify using “natural language” to do things such as playing your weekly Spotify playlist, play specific tracks and more.

Fluent Design is being incorporated into more places throughout the Windows Shell, by applying its acrylic feature to the taskbar, Share UI, Clock & Calendar flyout, Network flyout, Volume flyout, and Input flyout. Acrylic lets developers add physical texture and depth to apps. Fluent Design also has been used to tweak the Settings app.

My People gets a variety of new features, including the ability to drag and drop contacts and rearrange them on the taskbar. You can also now decide how many contacts you want displayed on the taskbar — any number between one and ten. In the Fall Creators Update, you were limited to three.

There have also been a number of other minor changes throughout Windows, including the ability to use Paint 3D on screens you capture with the Snipping Tool. Emoji lovers will be pleased to know they can use the Emoji Panel in more languages. There are new privacy settings as well, notably one that lets you set global options for every privacy-related setting for microphone, camera and location access. That will let you disable apps and Windows from accessing these features on a device.

What IT needs to know: The build also has additions aimed at enterprises. The Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG) will be included in Windows 10 Professional when the next version of Redstone ships. Currently, it’s available only in the Windows 10 Enterprise version.

IT will get some new features for optimizing the delivery of Windows 10, including new policies for Group Policy and MDM to let system administrators throttle bandwidth at specific times of the day, as well as being able to “restrict peer selection to the same subnet, automatically join devices into peer groups by using a DHCP server’s User option or the connection’s DNS suffix as well as the ability to increase the usage of peers by delaying the use of the HTTP source,” in Microsoft’s words.

The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) gets a number of updates, including the ability to run background tasks and run when connected via OpenSSH, VPN, Enter-PSSession and/or other similar Windows remote tools.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17063.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17046

Release date: November 22, 2017

This build includes minor feature changes, primarily improvements to the Windows Shell, including a simpler way to get to advanced options in Settings and an update to the way emojis are handled so that more of them appear when you type words related to them on the touch keyboard. In addition, Microsoft Edge can now save and automatically fill in preferred information in addresses and related forms. There are also many bug fixes, including restoring the Properties dialog for This PC in File Explorer to functionality.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17046.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17040

Release date: November 16, 2017

This minor build includes only a few new features. Additions to Settings include one that lets you adjust the brightness of SDR content on an HDR display. Also new is the ability to use shape-writing input on the wide virtual keyboard. (Shape-writing for the one-handed keyboard was introduced in the Fall Creators Update.) The handwriting panel has also been improved, with a change to the insertion gesture and a new commit gesture. There’s also a long list of bug fixes, including an issue where network profiles had changed from Private to Public after upgrading to the previous build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17040.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17035

Release date: November 8, 2017

This build is the first in Redstone 4 to introduce a variety of new features. There’s a new sharing feature called Near Share, which lets you share URLs and files with nearby PCs via Bluetooth. Both PCs need to have Build 17035 or above, and both the Near Share setting and Bluetooth need to be turned on in both PCs. Microsoft Edge also gets several new features, including the ability to mute tabs playing audio, and new context-menus options for EPUB books. The touch keyboard now uses Microsoft’s Acrylic design standards, and there are also more than 190 new kinds of keyboards, including more languages and keyboard layouts. The handwriting panel can now better recognize words.

Included are also many bug fixes and minor additions, including updating Cortana collections to support light themes, and fixing an issue in which Store download errors were displaying on the Windows Update history page.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17035.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17025

Release date: October 25, 2017

This minor build, an early one in the Redstone 4 release cycle, includes very few new features and changes. Ease of Access settings, such as for the Narrator, which reads onscreen text, have been regrouped and made simpler. Microsoft has also made changes to the Microsoft Yahei font used to display Windows user interface text in the Chinese (Simplified) Language so that it’s easier to read. Beyond that are the usual wide-ranging fixes, including one for not being able to scroll to the very bottom of the Start menu using touch when you are in tablet mode on small devices.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17025.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17017

Release date: October 13, 2017

Because this is an early build in the Redstone 4 release cycle, there aren’t many new features or changes. Cortana gets a few new tricks, including what Microsoft calls Cortana Collections, which are things you’ve already expressed interest in, including restaurants, recipes, things you shop for, movies, TV shows and more. Cortana puts them into organized lists so you can choose any of them easily. The build also simplifies actions taken between Cortana and Action Center. There is also a wide variety of fixes, including an issue where changing time zones made the lock screen clock incorrect until logging out and back in.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17017.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17004

Release date: September 27, 2017

This build is the first one to feature the 17xxx numbering system. Microsoft notes that the jump forward “is what we do normally at the beginning of development of a new feature update for Windows 10.” The build was done while Microsoft was getting the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update ready, so there are very few changes or new features. It shows off some of Microsoft’s Fluent Design look-and-feel, including Reveal, a lighting effect which is supposed to “bring depth and focus” to interactive elements. You’ll see it on the Start Menu.

Beyond that, there are a variety of minor improvements and bug fixes, including for one in Microsoft Edge where the tab previews for PDFs were black with a white bar on each side.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17004.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16362

Release date: September 13, 2017

This build, as with the previous one, was created while Microsoft was getting the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update ready, so there are very few changes or new features. Bootup has been changed slightly, so you can see lock-screen customizations, such as whether you get status information from Cortana, before you log in. There have also been the usual miscellaneous bug fixes and minor improvements.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 17362.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16353

Release date: August 31, 2017

This build, the first en route to the Redstone 4 version of Windows 10, is an exceedingly minor one, with no new features. It fixes a very small number of minor bugs, including one in which the taskbar is unexpectedly thick if you booted up the PC while plugged in to an external monitor with a different DPI.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16353.)

Preview builds for the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (Redstone 3, version 1709)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16299

Release date: September 26, 2017; updated October 2, 2017

Note: On October 2, Microsoft released an update to 16299, called Insider Preview Build 16299.15, that appears to be the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) version of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. From this point on, updates will be made via Cumulative Updates with Windows Update, rather than through the Windows Insider program.

As with all the builds over the last several weeks, 16299 focuses on bug fixes. In this case they’re all minor. They include one in which Microsoft Edge might crash when scrolling embedded PDFs, and another in which some Insiders’ optical drive wouldn’t be listed under This PC after upgrading to a recent build.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16299.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16296

Release date: September 22, 2017

The bug-fix builds are coming fast and furious before the release of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. As with all the builds over the last several weeks, and all Redstone updates until the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is released, this build focuses on bug fixes. This one is the smallest yet: It has only three very minor fixes.

One takes care of a problem in which Hyper-V couldn’t create a VM on third-party network storage. Another fixes an issue in which for the first few minutes after clean installing a non-English build, many inbox app names might unexpectedly appear with English app names. And the third fixed a problem in which gaming apps using WebView with heavy use of HTML canvas might have unexpectedly had very low frame-per-second (FPS) rates.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16296.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16291

Release date: Sept. 19, 2017

Here’s yet another bug-fix build in preparation for the release to the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. Note that there’s a serious bug with this build and a previous release, Build 16288.1, in which a Surface Pro 3 becomes essentially “bricked” — it gets stuck on a “spinning dots” screen with no apparent way to get out of it. Microsoft has posted a fairly complex workaround, which the company claims will fix the problem. Microsoft also claims, “We will have a permanent fix with no required workaround steps in our next flighted build that is 16294 or greater.”

As with the last several builds over the last few weeks, and all Redstone updates until the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is released, this build focuses mainly on minor bug fixes. One small new feature has been added: Cortana users can now resume articles [and] news from their iPhones and Android phones to their PCs from within the Cortana app.

Aside from that, there are very few bug fixes, including one in which Microsoft Edge crashes if you add a Favorite to a Favorites folder and then immediately sort that folder by name.

What IT needs to know: Given the serious issue with this build on Surface Pro 3 devices, you may want to skip installing it and wait for Build 16294 or later.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 162891.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16288

Release date: Sept. 12, 2017

Here’s yet another small, incremental build in preparation for the release to the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. As with the last several builds and all Redstone updates until the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is released, this build only has minor bug fixes, with no new features introduced. You may notice that the usual watermark in the lower-right-hand corner of the desktop has vanished. That usually indicates a build is a final one. But don’t be fooled: In this case it isn’t.

Microsoft notes: “This is NOT the final build as we’re not done yet. We’re just now beginning the phase of checking in final code to prepare for the final release. So we will have more builds to release to Windows Insiders between now and then. And the desktop watermark may re-appear in these builds.”

The fixes include a variety of improvements to Edge, including an issue where the tab preview for PDFs was just black with two white stripes, and another in which website tooltips could end up displaying behind the Microsoft Edge window after opening a link in new tab in the background. A variety of other minor changes were made to input, the Windows shell, gaming, devices, and a host of other unrelated ones.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16288.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16281

Release date: Sept. 1, 2017

Here’s one more minor build en route to the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. As with the last several builds – and all Redstone updates until the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is released – this build focuses only on bug fixes, with no new features introduced. Those bug fixes are all minor, including one in which the Train Simulator 2017 game wouldn’t launch and another in which you couldn’t use your mouse because of sudden, brief CPU spikes.

 (Get more info about Insider Preview Build 162781.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16278

Release date: Aug. 29, 2017

Microsoft is accelerating its sprint to release the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update — this newest build is the third in less than a week. As with the previous builds in the last week, and with all Redstone updates until the release of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, this build is all about, and only about, bug fixes. The fixes in this build are all relatively minor, such as one in which Microsoft Edge crashed after you pinned certain websites to Start, and another in which the battery flyout sometimes incorrectly displayed “PC not charging” while the device was, in fact, charging.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16278.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16275

Release date: Aug. 25, 2017

The pace of updates is being picked up, with some coming as soon as two days after another. As with all Redstone 3 updates from now until the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is released, this build focuses on bug fixes. No new features are in it.

There are no major fixes, either, only very minor ones, including taking care of an issue that caused minimized per-monitor DPI-aware windows to miss DPI changes and end up with a mix of DPI scaling upon restoring. Also fixed was an issue that caused in the taskbar to be unexpectedly thick if you booted up the PC while plugged in to an external monitor with a different DPI.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16275.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16273

Release date: Aug. 23, 2017

With this build, Microsoft starts to make a sprint toward releasing the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. The builds have been branched into their own “fork,” called RS3_RELEASE — the exact same thing Microsoft did when it began to get close to releasing the Windows 10 Creators Update, when it branched into RS2_RELEASE.

Dona Sarkar, software engineer with Microsoft’s Windows and Devices Group, explains, “We are now at the point of the development cycle for the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update where our focus is now on stabilization for release to the world. This means that we intend to release these builds to Insiders more quickly to both the Fast and Slow rings as these builds [will] include mostly bug fixes.”

So don’t expect many feature changes, and expect those that are released to be minor. This build shows that. It has a new font called Bahnschrift, but apart from that, it’s mainly bug fixes, including one in which the Action Center icon showed it had a number of notifications that weren’t really there. Quite a few bugs were squashed in the Edge browser, including one in which some websites did not render correctly in inPrivate mode.

What IT should know: If you want to get a peek at what the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will look like, this is a good build to try, although of course it can be buggy. Also see our story “Windows 10 Fall Creators Update: 9 key enterprise features.”

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16273.)

Install Windows S: In other Redstone news, you can now install a preview version of Windows S, Microsoft’s stripped-down version of Windows. To do it, download the setup tool — but you should check out the information at the following links before installing:

• Windows 10 S FAQ
• Supported Devices and Drivers
• Installing Office
• Office on Windows 10 S FAQ

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16237

Release date: July 7, 2017

This build makes a variety of miscellaneous changes throughout Windows, including Microsoft Edge, the Windows shell, gaming, the Task Manager, and improvements to input. Microsoft Edge gets a read-aloud feature, which will read the contents of a web page. It can also read PDFs out loud. Edge also gets a variety of bug fixes and very minor interface tweaks.

In the Windows shell, you no longer have to log out and back into Windows to fix the problem of blurry desktop applications after docking, undocking or using remote access. In addition, the Action Center gets a variety of small improvements. Notification buttons now span the entire bottom of the notification, instead of being justified to the right. You can also expand the first notification in each notification group in the Action Center, so you can easily eyeball emails, snooze reminders, and accomplish other tasks without having to individually expand every notification.

As for input improvements, Microsoft continues its devotion to emojis by supporting Emoji 5.0. You can also hover your mouse over any emoji in the Emoji Panel and see its exact Unicode character name. The touch keyboard gets minor fixes, notably several that make it more accurate.

In this build, Microsoft updates the Task Manager yet again, this time with very minor changes to the layout of the new GPU performance tracker introduced in Build 16226. More Task Manager changes are on the way in future builds.

There have also been the usual bug fixes and exceedingly minor changes, including correcting a bug that sometimes caused the Network & Internet Status Settings page to indicate that a network was public even though it had been set to be private in the Control Panel.

What IT needs to know: IT staff who like to participate in the regular Bug Bashes that Microsoft holds will be pleased to know that the next one will start at 12:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time on Friday, July 14th and end a little over a week later at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on Sunday, July 23rd.

This build offers the first hands-on look at some of the new end-to-end security features to be officially released in the Windows 10 Fall Creators update, and so is well worth examining. To get a fuller picture of the security changes in store, go to “Announcing end-to-end security features in Windows 10” on Microsoft’s Windows 10 blog.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16237.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16232

Release date: June 28, 2017

This build is all about security, and includes a host of new features designed to harden Windows against attack. Many of them were previously announced by Microsoft in a blog post outlining the new security features it will build into Windows 10 in the upcoming Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.

Windows Defender Application Guard, which integrates with the Microsoft Edge browser to protect against online malicious attacks and malware, has been updated so that favorites, cookies and saved passwords will be carried across Application Guard sessions.

With this build, you can also audit, configure and manage Windows system and application exploit mitigation settings from inside Windows Defender Security Center. Expect there to be potential issues with this right now; as Microsoft warns, “remember that Exploit Protection is a work-in-progress and might not be fully functional just yet.”

The build also has a new feature called “Controlled folder access” in Windows Defender, which protects data against attacks, including ransomware. This feature monitors changes that applications make to files in protected folders. When an application tries to make a change to the files, and the application has been blacklisted by the feature, you’ll get a notification about the attempt, and the files won’t be allowed to be modified.

In addition to the security changes, there are a variety of bug fixes in this build, including one that caused Word 2016 to crash if you attempted to ink in it, and one where auto-complete in the URL bar of Microsoft Edge failed on some devices.

What IT needs to know: This build offers the first hands-on look at some of the new end-to-end security features to be officially released in the Windows 10 Fall Creators update, and so is well worth examining. To get a fuller picture of more security changes in store, go to “Announcing end-to-end security features in Windows 10” in Microsoft’s Windows blog.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16232.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16226

Release date: June 21, 2017

This build offers a variety of changes throughout Windows, particularly in Microsoft Edge. You can now more easily close tabs in Edge, because the X for closing them is always available, even if a JavaScript dialog such as an alert is showing. There are also a host of changes to Edge’s EPUB reader, including better integration with Cortana so that you can, for example, do research while reading an EPUB book. If you have a touch device, you can write notes in a book. The build also tweaks Edge’s Favorites feature in several ways, including letting you view favorites as a directory tree.

Emoji fans will be pleased to see that the build support the latest Unicode updates, including new snacks, actions, dinosaurs and fantasy characters like genies, fairies and zombies. All are accessible from the touch keyboard and Emoji Panel.

The touch keyboard now supports “shape writing” for more languages. In shape writing, you can swipe your fingers across letters instead of tapping them, which makes for faster text input. The keyboard also adds text predictions for more languages.

Those who use Task Manager to track the performance of their PC get a new feature to obsess over: It tracks your GPU use. Find it on the Performance tab, where you’ll see GPU utilization information for each GPU component (such as 3D and Video encode/decode) and graphics memory usage statistics. If you head over to the Details tab, you’ll see GPU utilization information for each process. (Note: Microsoft warns that this feature might be buggy, so expect some problems with it.)

The overall Windows shell gets a few tweaks, including the ability to share a file in File Explorer via the right-click context menu. Beyond that, there are small tweaks in the Calculator, Settings, ease of access and other places. There is also a long list of bug fixes, including for one that prevented PDFs from opening in Microsoft Edge on some devices with enterprise configurations.

What IT needs to know: IT admins can now configure Edge favorites by using group policy and mobile device management, including defining and locking preconfigured favorites in addition to the user’s favorites.

For security reasons, Microsoft is continuing its several-year process of removing the SMB1 networking protocol from Windows by default, in order to reduce the “attack surface” of Windows 10. All Enterprise and Education editions now have SMB1 uninstalled by default. In Home and Professional editions, though, only the SMB1 server component is uninstalled by default, but the SMB1 client remains installed. Note that the removal of SMB1 means the legacy Computer Browser service is being removed as well, because it cannot function without SMB1.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16226.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16215

Release date: June 8, 2017

Addendum: As of June 13, a new feature called OneDrive Files On-Demand is being made available to Windows Insiders in the Fast Ring who are on Build 16215. With Files On-Demand, OneDrive users can see and access all of their files in the cloud, even if those files aren’t on their local computers. The online files can be opened in the same way as any local file, by using desktop applications, Windows Store apps or File Explorer.  

OneDrive Files On-Demand is being rolled out in waves over several days to Windows Insiders in the Fast Ring who are on Build 16215. It can also be downloaded and installed from Microsoft.

June 8 release: This build offers many minor changes throughout Windows. It shows off a new user interface for the Start menu and the Action Center, which use some elements of Microsoft’s new Fluent Design System, a design language which the company announced at its Build 2017 event in May. The Start menu can now be resized diagonally, and it’s easier to resize it because you can more easily “grip” the edge of the frame. The Action Center’s new interface separates information more clearly and better differentiates categories of information.

Microsoft Edge has received minor improvements. Favorite websites can be pinned to the taskbar, e-books can be annotated in Microsoft Edge, and PDFs get more highlight colors. Cortana has received small improvements as well, including the ability to use your computer’s camera to perform actions such as taking a picture of a flier for an upcoming event and creating a reminder based on it.

In addition, improvements to the touchscreen handwriting recognition feature make it easier to write longer pieces of text and correct handwritten mistakes within the handwriting panel. And anyone who has ever misplaced a pen for their touchscreen will welcome the new Find my Pen feature, which shows you where you were the last time you used it on your computer.

It’s also now easier to enter emoji on your keyboard. And a new touch keyboard was introduced on the Desktop, which offers improved text prediction and a new settings menu.

The Windows shell has seen new work as well, including making it easier to share links in the Share user interface. Settings gets several deeper features, notably new video playback settings and a new context menu for Wi-Fi networks.

A host of other overall improvements focus on Narrator, the Gaming bar, ease of access, and fonts. There are also the usual assortment of minor changes, improvements and fixes to bugs, such as Microsoft Edge crashing when enabling or disabling extensions.

What IT needs to know: This build improves the ability of Task Manager to accurately show resource attribution, resource management, and fault tolerance. You can now run Bash on Windows without having to use Developer Mode. And when you’re using Hyper-V, you can now see your machine’s battery status.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16215.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16199

Release date: May 17, 2017

This minor build includes several new features for the My People app. You can pin your favorite contacts to the taskbar and see emoji from your pinned contacts. Pinned contacts also display counters for messages you haven’t yet read from them. And you can now share files with contacts by dragging and dropping files onto pinned contacts, which creates an email message to the contact with the file attached.

The build also includes several minor changes to settings, notably the addition of a health section that pulls information from the Windows Defender Security Center, making it easier to see the overall health of your PC in a quick glance.

Beyond that are the usual assortment of minor changes, improvements and bug fixes, such as Windows Defender Security Center not flagging disabled drivers as issues.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16199.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16193

Release date: May 11, 2017

The big news in this build is the release of Story Remix, a major upgrade for the Windows 10 Photos app. It lets you mix together photos, videos, music, transitions, inking and 3D objects to create “stories” — essentially, screen shows on steroids. It does more than that, though: It also will create these stories itself, at your bidding. So, for example, you can click the Remix button for a collection of photos or videos, and Remix will put together a suitable soundtrack, transitions, and so on. You can then edit what Remix has done.

Story Remix uses what Microsoft says is “deep learning and AI” to tag people, places and things, so they’re easier to find via search.

Beyond that, this release offers the usual assortment of minor changes, improvements and bug fixes, such as making the Settings app more stable so it doesn’t crash when navigating to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16193.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16188

Release date: May 4, 2017

This build features several improvements for Microsoft Edge’s PDF reader. The reader now lets you fill in PDF forms and annotate PDFs. The app’s navigation has also been improved, and you can also finally rotate PDFs.

Edge also gets a security improvement: The Windows Defender Application Guard, which offers increased protection against malware and Zero Day attacks. There’s also a related change that anyone who has ever been confused about Cortana’s settings will be pleased to see: Cortana settings are now available in the Settings app, rather than separately.

This build also includes a variety of minor changes, improvements and bug fixes.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16188.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16184

Release date: April 28, 2017

This build introduces a new feature called My People that Microsoft promised was on the way last October, but that was delayed until after the Creators Update. My People is a social app that lets you pin your favorite people to the taskbar, and makes it easy to contact them in a variety of ways, including the ability to share files and photos, chat, and include emojis. The app remembers the way you’ve shared with each person previously and uses that method each time afterwards, unless you decide to change it.

There are also a variety of minor changes, improvements and bug fixes for the OS, including the ability to disable the Night Light feature (which reduces the amount of blue light produced by your display).

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16184.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16179

Release date: April 19, 2017

This early build has few changes in it. A new feature introduces automatic checkpoints to Hyper-V for developers so that they can easily undo mistakes by being able to always revert to the last time they started a virtual machine. Power throttling, which can save up to 11% in CPU power consumption, has been turned on. There are also a variety of minor changes, improvements and bug fixes.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16179.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16176

Release date: April 14, 2017

Because this is an extremely early build of the next upgrade to Windows, there are no noticeable new features. Microsoft has mainly worked on OneCore, which is the heart of the operating system that works not just on the PC version of Windows 10, but also on Windows 10 Mobile, Windows Server, Xbox 10, Windows 10 IoT and the HoloLens operating system. There are some very minor changes and bug fixes. The Narrator, which had been broken in the build 16170, now works, for example.

(Get more info about Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16176.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16170

Release date: April 7, 2017

Well, that didn’t take long, did it? Even before the official rollout of Windows Creators Update, Microsoft released the first preview build update for the next upgrade to Windows 10, due out by the end of the year.

Given that it’s the earliest public build of the next upgrade, there’s very little new here, only the most minor of bug fixes, such as an update to the share icon in File Explorer. However, there are a number of known issues with the build. Narrator doesn’t work in it, for example, and some apps and games may crash. So if you decide to try it, proceed with caution.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 16170.)

Preview builds for the Windows 10 Creators Update (Redstone 2, version 1703)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15063

Release date: March 20, 2017

This build offers only two minor changes and bug fixes: one in which Edge would become unresponsive and another that affected language packs.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15061

Release date: March 17, 2017

This build offers only a few minor changes and bug fixes, including one in which some VPN connections don’t show up in Network Connections.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15060

Release date: March 16, 2017

This build offers only a few minor changes and bug fixes, including one in which Microsoft Edge would not launch several minutes after it crashed.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15058

Release date: March 14, 2017

This build offers a few minor changes and bug fixes, including one that caused some Windows apps such as the Windows Store to fail to launch, and one in which people could not get to the Wi-Fi settings page.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15055

Release date: March 10, 2017

This build offers only minor changes and bug fixes. There are 10 fixes for Microsoft Edge, including one for circumstances in which touchpad and keyboard input periodically stops working for a few seconds at a time when using an Edge window.

For the first time, the Windows version number displayed is 1703, which likely indicates the next update to Windows — called Creator’s Update — is close to final. The version number usually indicates when the final build will be compiled, which in the case of “1703” would mean March 2017. If that’s the case here, it would mean that the Creator’s Update would likely be compiled some time this month.

It has been reported that the official availability date of the Creators Update will be April 11. Not uncommonly, it takes several weeks between when an update is compiled and when it’s generally available to the public, so the time frame seems right.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15048

Release date: March 3, 2017

This build offers only very minor changes and fixes for bugs such as: LastPass password manager extension for Microsoft Edge sometimes failed to show autofill buttons; the mouse wheel would not work properly; some games minimized to the taskbar as soon as they were launched.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15046

Release date: Feb. 28, 2017

This build offers a variety of minor changes that will be released to the general public in the Creators Update, which is expected in April. Windows Defender Security Center has several modifications, including the addition of an icon in the notification area so you can easily see your protection status. Cortana now displays apps, files and websites that appeared in Microsoft Edge when you last used it. There are also a variety of small changes, improvements and bug fixes.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15042

Release date: Feb. 24, 2017

This minor build offers new animation for Cortana, a new animation for the Edge URL bar which shows when Flash content is being blocked, and a few minor improvements to Edge’s ebook-reading capabilities. There are also various small changes, improvements and bug fixes.

Note: This build only works with PCs running 64-bit versions of Windows, not 32-bit versions.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15031

Release date: Feb. 8, 2017

The main feature of this minor build is the introduction of the Compact Overlay window feature, which lets developers write apps that display in a thumbnail above other windows so they’re always visible — for example, for watching a video. The Windows 10 Movies & TV app and Skype Preview app will eventually make use of it. There’s also a new Share icon, and a variety of minor bug fixes and changes.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15025

Release date: Feb. 1, 2017

The main new feature in this minor build is braille support for the Narrator screen reader. There are also several small improvements and bug fixes. The build is aimed primarily at the upcoming Windows 10 Creators Update and is the primary build for the second Windows 10 Creator’s Update Bug Bash, during which users and developers identify as many bugs as possible; it started on Feb. 3 and will end on Feb. 11.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15019

Release date: Jan. 27, 2017

This minor build focuses in large part on adding features to Xbox gaming. Included is the ability to broadcast your gaming play by streaming it over the internet, as well as a new Game Mode that optimizes your PC for gaming. Scott Henson, Xbox Partner Group Program Manager, has provided a list of all new gaming features on his blog. Even though this build is, to a great extent, targeted at gamers, Dona Sarkar, Software Engineer, Windows and Devices Group, noted in the announcement that, “This build does have some platform-related bugs that will impact the ability to play popular games on your PC.”

There are a variety of other minor changes, such as giving Microsoft Edge the ability to read e-books aloud, and being able to stop app and game download progress in the Action Center. There are also several small improvements and bug fixes.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15014

Release date: Jan. 19, 2017

This build adds a handful of minor new features, and fixes a variety of bugs, many of which have been pointed out by users in Microsoft’s Feedback Hub. With it, you can now buy e-books from the Windows Store and read them in Microsoft Edge. There’s also a new custom color option in the Color settings, the Wi-Fi settings have been simplified, and there is a new Storage setting for letting you automatically delete files you don’t need any longer.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15007

Release date: Jan. 12, 2017

This minor build focuses on several small improvements to the Edge browser. You can now share tabs with other apps on your PC; you can also more easily import favorites, browsing history and passwords from other browsers. Microsoft has updated the web notes feature so it uses Windows Ink, among other features.

There are also non-Edge improvements; for example, when you switch from one PC to another, Cortana will display (in the Action Center) links to the Edge websites and the SharePoint or OneDrive documents you most recently used on the original PC. There are several other small changes and a variety of bug fixes.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15002

Release date: Jan. 9, 2017

This build makes a fair number of changes to the Edge browser and adds a few tweaks to the overall interface.

Edge now features a useful tab preview bar that pops up at the top of the screen when you click a small down arrow to the right of the + next to your tabs. You can then scroll through the tab preview bar by clicking an arrow on its right side, or by using a mousewheel, touchpad, or swiping on a touch screen.

Edge also gets two new buttons for managing tabs: one of them closes all your tabs; the other one thumbnails the tabs you’ve closed and lets you restore them all, or each individually. Edge also blocks untrusted Flash content and gives you the choice of whether you play it or not. The Microsoft Edge changelog lists all the changes to Edge.

People who are fans of the Start menu will welcome a new feature that lets you group Start tiles into folders. This build also addresses a complaint that some people have had about windows resizing not being smooth enough — according to Microsoft, it’s now smoother on both desktop applications and Windows apps.

The build also includes minor improvements to Windows Ink, Cortana, Windows Defender, accessibility features and the Settings app. And, as always, there are a variety of bug fixes.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14986

Release date: Dec. 7

This build focuses on several system changes, including improvements to Cortana. By speaking to Cortana, you can now turn off, restart, lock, or put your PC to sleep, and raise and lower your system volume. You can also control the iHeartRadio and TuneIn Radio music apps using voice commands.

Windows Ink has gotten some new features — for example, it’s more difficult to accidentally delete sketches. There are several new Microsoft Edge extensions, including for the Ebates cash-back service. There are lesser improvements, such as the addition of a Windows Defender dashboard and improvements to Narrator. And, as always, there are a variety of bug fixes.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14971

Release date: Nov.17

This minor build adds several minor features. You can now read unprotected e-books in the EPUB file format with Microsoft Edge. The Paint 3D Preview app is included as part of Windows for the first time — previously it was a separate download. PowerShell becomes the default command line for Windows. There are also a variety of minor bug fixes, such as improving the reliability of the protractor and inking in Sketchpad, and fixing an issue with the Magnifier’s keyboard shortcuts.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14965

Release date: Nov. 9

This minor build adds minor features. The Sticky Notes app has been updated to include more languages, improved text input while typing and a few bug fixes. Windows Ink Workspace gets some minor improvements, including an upgraded protractor and faster loading of Sketchpad. It’s also now easier to connect to an external monitor from a tablet —  you can do it from the virtual touchpad instead of a mouse. There are also the usual host of bug fixes and small improvements, including one that stops Internet Explorer from crashing right after loading.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14955

Release date: Nov. 3

This minor build is the first to use a new Microsoft platform for publishing updates, called the Unified Update Platform (UUP), although only the mobile build is delivered with UUP — it will still be a while before PC updates will be delivered using it. Microsoft says that UUP will lead to smaller update download sizes — 35% smaller from one major update to another. Aside from that, build 14959 can support an app that runs on just-announced Microsoft hardware, including the Surface Studio: Paint 3D Preview, which adds 3D modelling tools to Microsoft Paint. (The app isn’t in the new build; it has to be downloaded separately.)

The build also includes a variety of bug fixes and small improvements, such as better controlling of scaling of virtual machines in Hyper-V Virtual Machines, and squashing a bug related to Windows’ automatic brightness setting.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14955

Release date: Oct. 25

This minor build includes updates to Windows’ built-in Mail and Calendar apps. You can now open mail messages in a new window. You can also use @mentions: When you type the @ symbol in the body of an email and follow it with your contact’s name, Windows pulls the contact’s email address from your contact list and adds it to the To: field. The build also includes a variety of fixes. For example, it fixes a bug which wouldn’t allow people to sign into some apps — such as MSN News and Groove — with their Microsoft account.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14951

Release date: Oct. 19

This minor build adds new features for users who have a precision touchpad. It allows you to record your favorite keyboard combinations and assign them to gestures; you can also change the audio volume with a gesture. Windows Ink gets some improvements as well, including the addition of stencils and the ability to use Windows Ink in the Photos app. The camera interface has been simplified and there are a variety of bug fixes and minor improvements.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14946

Release date: Oct. 13

This minor build lets you customize how your touchpad works, notably by letting you customize three- and four-finger gestures and taps. To do it, go to Settings > Devices > Touchpad and look for the “Other gestures” section. The Wi-Fi settings page has been redesigned, and includes a new setting that lets you have a turned-off Wi-Fi turn back on automatically after a certain amount of time elapses. The build also includes a variety of bug fixes.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14942

Release date: Oct. 7

This minor build updates the Photos app, including a horizontal bar that makes it easier to navigate and view photos. The build also lets you collapse the app list on the Start menu by going to Settings > Personalization > Start and turning on “Hide app list in Start menu.” Windows Update gets a new icon. There are also a variety of bug fixes and minor improvements.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14936

Release date: Sept. 28

This minor build adds several new extensions to Microsoft Edge, including the Microsoft Personal Shopping Assistant, which lets you save products from several web sites in one location, along with price alerts and comparison shopping. Also new is the Turn off the Lights extension that lets you turn a web page black around a video you’re watching, so you can more easily focus on the video. The build also includes a variety of bug fixes for problems such as Explorer.exe crashing frequently.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14931

Release date: Sept. 21

This minor build focuses mainly on small bug fixes. In addition, you can now track traffic in the Maps app by tapping the traffic icon in the app bar. You can also send SMS and MMS messages using Skype on a Windows 10 PC if you have a Windows 10 phone with Skype and Skype is set as the default messaging app.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14926

Release date: Sept. 14

This minor build adds a “Snooze” feature to Edge so that you can set Cortana reminders on pages you’re viewing. The Cortana reminder appears as a notification and in Action Center, which lets you open that site in Edge. This is helpful for people who keep tabs open as a way to remind them to do something on a site.

Insiders will appreciate another change: If you’ve uninstalled an app, that app won’t be reinstalled when you upgrade to the newest Preview build. So, for example, if you uninstall the Amazon Kindle app, it won’t be re-installed when you go to a new Preview build.

There are also a number of bug fixes in the build as well.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14915

Release date: Aug. 31

This minor build has only one new feature: It enables Windows Insiders to download their Insider preview builds, OS updates and app updates from other PCs on their network and from PCs on the internet. This should lead to faster downloads and updates. It needs the Windows Update Delivery Optimization feature to be turned on (it’s turned on by default). If you want, you can turn off the feature entirely and just download your updates the usual way, straight from Microsoft.

There are also a variety of bug fixes — for example, to make the power button on the Start menu work and to correct an issue that had turned off Cortana’s text-to-speech capabilities.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14901

Release date: Aug. 11

This first public preview build of Redstone 2 included no new significant features; instead, it focused on Windows 10’s plumbing. An announcement about the preview build on Microsoft’s Insider Hub (accessible only to those who are running Windows 10) noted that in the first Redstone 2 build, “You won’t see any big noticeable changes or new features just yet…we are focusing on making some structural improvements to OneCore.”

OneCore, the announcement went on to note, “is the shared core of Windows across PC, tablet, phone, IoT, Hololens and Xbox. It is essentially the heart of Windows.”

The announcement warned that the build might be buggy.

Tor Browser definition

The Tor Browser is a web browser that anonymizes your web traffic using the Tor network, making it easy to protect your identity online.

If you’re investigating a competitor, researching an opposing litigant in a legal dispute, or just think it’s creepy for your ISP or the government to know what websites you visit, then the Tor Browser might be the right solution for you.

A few caveats: Browsing the web over Tor is slower than the clearnet, and some major web services block Tor users. Tor Browser is also illegal in authoritarian regimes that want to prevent citizens from reading, publishing, and communicating anonymously. Journalists and dissidents around the world have embraced Tor as a cornerstone of democracy online today, and researchers are hard at work improving Tor’s anonymity properties.

Advantages of using Tor Browser

Tor Browser offers users many advantages, including the following:

• Anonymity: By routing your web traffic through a series of nodes, Tor Browser separates your IP address, making it difficult for other entities to track your activity or unmask your identity online.
• Privacy: Tor’s protocols encrypt your traffic at each node, making it additionally challenging to monitor your activity online.
• Free and open source: Code for the Tor Browser is open source and freely available for inspection and modification. It is also free of the kinds of compromises commercial browser vendors make in developing and maintaining their products.
• Access to the .onion sites and the dark web: Tor enables users to navigate to certain websites not available on the clearnet.

When you think back to the heady days of last week, it’s hard to ignore that the introduction of Apple Intelligence on Monday now means the company formerly known as “behind on AI” just overtook Microsoft to bring home the world’s biggest and most trusted platform for generative AI (genAI).

The reason it’s hard to ignore is because it is true. Sure, Microsoft Copilot does lots of things already and once you can actually spend cash on Surface devices that run Copilot, Microsoft will be a powerful AI platform.  But Apple will be, too. (You can understand why Microsoft was unhappy about Apple’s deal with OpenAI.)

Mac, mobile, tablet, cloud

But I’d argue that Apple might be more powerful, because Apple Intelligence (the name Apple has given its own genAI models, served up both on device and in the cloud) will run on PCs (Macs), tablets, and mobile devices. 

I imagine it will in the future be supported on visionOS, and suspect it is only a viable usage case away from running on any other Apple device equipped with a capable processor. 

Millions of users on day one

Once Apple Intelligence is released, it will be available on hundreds of millions of devices on day one. Those devices won’t need to be new, either — those are the ones that are already being used. Apple says any Mac or iPad running an M1 or later chip will run it. It also says any iPhone 15 Pro series model will be able to handle it.

That’s a huge market, and no one needs to spend a dime to get into it. Those who do plan to upgrade or want to invest in exploring what’s available have plenty to look forward to on the journey to fall when the upgrade ships.

After all, if you squint, you can just about see M4 Macs appearing at the top of that nearby hill now the iPad Pro has that chip. We also think new iPhones are very likely to be already rolling off production lines, and both the iPad Air and iPad Pro already host compatible chips.  So, if you’re in the market for new hardware, it’s on the way, but tens of millions of people won’t need to upgrade to try Apple’s new genAI shiny.

Competitors are gasping

When it comes to Apple Silicon — the fire horse on which AI rides in the newly rebirthed Apple universe — take note that it has taken competitors, even those working with Arm reference designs, literally years to even begin to catch up with the computational power and energy efficiency Apple’s designers achieved. 

With a road map to M4 and beyond already in place, Apple is quite evidently telling us that when it comes to processors the speed argument is done, dusted, and won. And don’t get me started on privacy after the Microsoft Recall farce.

The power of consent

We can see Apple becoming the world’s leading provider of genAI-wielding devices for the mass market. Not only that, but because it is building a system that is private by design, consumers get the best of both worlds: complete data privacy for some tasks and the option of using AI from other vendors for other tasks, if they choose to do so.

That’s an alluring combination of privacy and consent, and that choice — that sense of personal AI-boosted empowerment — is coming to literally hundreds of millions of devices in real time. (Though that number is dented by the fact that we believe only US devices will get these features in the first draft, which is a shame.)

Consumers don’t have to use AI, but they will be happy that they can.

But it’s also about making 

Apple Intelligence can handle a huge number of tasks. Boosted by developers working with their own AI models and App Intents, the number of tasks it can do will only grow. 

I mentioned that developers will be able to use their own AI models in apps. What do you think they will build those models on? Well, they are Apple developers and will very likely build them using a Mac. 

That won’t just be because you need a Mac to build Apple apps, but also part because the M-series chips inside Apple’s computers demonstrate excellent training performance using most AI training tools. That’s why developers building AI models for other platforms also use Macs.

Now, I don’t know if the MacBook Pro is the most popular system on which to build AI models among data scientists — you have to be cautious about cause and effect — but I think it’s probably close.

Controlling the means of production

You see, Apple doesn’t just build fantastic machines to build AI models on, but now also offers a vast global ecosystem of devices on which to run those AI models.

Ever since the genAI bubble blew up, Apple has flexed its innovative power to jump from somewhere at the back to head of the pack when it comes to the technology. It is not the first time it has made a leap like that — it didn’t build the first music player, smart mobile device, netbook (it skipped them for tablets), or music streaming service, either.

But despite the impressive way in which Apple has jumped from zero to hero, the inconvenient question remains: Are humans ready for AI and the gigantic leaps in machine intelligence it will bring? Particularly when you look ahead to when we will run AI on quantum processors, as we eventually will — what have we unleashed?

Please follow me on Mastodon, or join me in the AppleHolic’s bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe.

More on Apple AI:

• When it comes to AI, Apple is opening up for intelligence
• Apple’s cautious AI strategy is absolutely right

Adobe will change language in the terms of use for its software, as it seeks to clarify its position on content ownership and the use of customer data to train generative AI (genAI) models. 

The move comes in response to a customer backlash over an update to Adobe’s terms of use for Creative Cloud and Document Cloud software earlier this month. Some customers had interpreted the language to mean Adobe would gain access to their work for training purposes. 

The updated terms include several changes, including a statement that Adobe “may access your content through both automated and manual methods, such as for content review.”

Subscribers were required to re-accept the updated terms or lose access to Adobe’s apps and services. 

Customers raised concerns over Adobe’s ability to view and access content, highlighting concerns aboutcontent protected by a non-disclosure agreement.

Adobe attempted to explain the changes to its terms in a blog post June 6, stating the intention was to clarify updates to its moderation processes. Adobe said that it does not train its Firefly genAI model on customer content, and will “never assume ownerships of a customer’s work.”

On Monday, the company published another post, this time acknowledging the need to clarify the language in its terms of service after customer pushback. Adobe said it would consult with customers before changes are made on June 18. 

Adobe said that while its stance around the use of customer content is unchanged, it should have “modernized” and updated the terms of use sooner to explain legal language more clearly to customers. 

“Our updated Terms of Use, which we will be releasing next week, will be more precise, will be limited to only the activities we know we need to do now and in the immediate future, and uses more plain language and examples to help customers understand what they mean and why we have them,” Adobe said in the latest  blog post.