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Windows 10 Insider Previews: A guide to the builds

18 Listopad, 2024 - 10:39

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.

Although Windows Insiders can choose to receive Windows 11 preview builds in one of four channels — the Canary, Dev, Beta, or Release Preview Channel — Microsoft currently offers Windows 10 Insider previews in the Beta and Release Preview Channels only.

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 Channel previews features that are a little further out.

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 19045.5194 (KB5046714)

Release date: November 14, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel

For Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel, the recommended section of the Start menu will show some Microsoft Store apps from a small set of curated developers. If you want to turn this off, go to Settings > Personalization > Start. Turn off the toggle for Show suggestions occasionally in Start. Note that this feature is being rolled out gradually.

Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels get several bug fixes, including for a bug in which when you dragged and dropped files from a cloud files provider folder, it might have resulted in a move instead of a copy.

(Get more info about Build 19045.5194.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5070 (KB5045594)

Release date: October 14, 2024

Released to: Beta and Release Preview Channels

In this build, those in the Beta Channel who have chosen to get features as soon as they are rolled out get new top cards that highlight key hardware specifications of their devices.

Insiders in both the Beta and Release Preview Channels get a new account manager on the Start menu. The new design makes it easy to view your account and access account settings. Those in the Beta and Release Preview Channels also get fixes for a variety of bugs, including one in which a scanner driver failed to install when you used a USB cable to connect to a multifunction printer.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5070.)

Windows 10 22H2 19045.4955 (KB5043131)

Release date: September 16, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel

This build fixes several bugs, including one in which playback of some media could have stopped when you used certain surround sound technology, and another in which Windows Server stopped responding when you used apps like File Explorer and the taskbar.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4955.)

Windows 10 22H2 19045.4842 (KB5041582)

Release date: August 22, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel

This build fixes several bugs, including one in which when a combo box had input focus, a memory leak sometimes occurred when you closed that window, and another in which some Bluetooth apps stopped responding because of a memory leak in a device.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 19045.4842.)

Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.4713 (KB5040525)

Release date: July 11, 2024

Released to: Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel

In this build, Insiders in the Beta Channel get a fix in which they will see a search box on their secondary monitors when the setting for search on the taskbar is set to “Search box.”

Insiders in the Beta Channel and Release Preview Channel get fixes for a variety of bugs, including one in which the TCP send code often causes a system to stop responding during routine tasks, such as file transfers. This issue leads to an extended send loop.

(Get more info about Windows 10 22H2 19045.4713.)

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

(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

(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

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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

(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

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

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.

(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.

(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

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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

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.

(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.

(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:

Open Device Manager by right-clicking on the Start button on your taskbar.
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.)
Click Properties and go to the Details tab.
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.

(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.

Timeline works as an extension of Task View.

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 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.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday updates: Keeping up with the latest fixes

15 Listopad, 2024 - 20:53

Long before Taco Tuesday became part of the pop-culture vernacular, Tuesdays were synonymous with security — and for anyone in the tech world, they still are. Patch Tuesday, as you most likely know, refers to the day each month when Microsoft releases security updates and patches for its software products — everything from Windows to Office to SQL Server, developer tools to browsers.

The practice, which happens on the second Tuesday of the month, was initiated to streamline the patch distribution process and make it easier for users and IT system administrators to manage updates. Like tacos, Patch Tuesday is here to stay.

In a blog post celebrating the 20th anniversary of Patch Tuesday, the Microsoft Security Response Center wrote: “The concept of Patch Tuesday was conceived and implemented in 2003. Before this unified approach, our security updates were sporadic, posing significant challenges for IT professionals and organizations in deploying critical patches in a timely manner.”

Patch Tuesday will continue to be an “important part of our strategy to keep users secure,” Microsoft said, adding that it’s now an important part of the cybersecurity industry. As a case in point, Adobe, among others, follows a similar patch cadence.

Patch Tuesday coverage has also long been a staple of Computerworld’s commitment to provide critical information to the IT industry. That’s why we’ve gathered together this collection of recent patches, a rolling list we’ll keep updated each month.

In case you missed a recent Patch Tuesday announcement, here are the latest six months of updates.

November: This Patch Tuesday release includes 3 Windows zero-day fixes

Microsoft’s November Patch Tuesday update addresses 89 vulnerabilities in Windows, SQL Server, .NET and Microsoft Office — and three zero-day vulnerabilities in Windows that mean a patch now recommendation for Windows platforms. Unusually, there are a significant number of patch “re-releases” that might also require IT admin attention. More info on Microsoft Security updates for November 2024.

October: A haunting Patch Tuesday: 117 updates (and 5 zero-day flaws)

This month’s Patch Tuesday delivers a large set of patches from Microsoft that fix 117 flaws, including five zero-day vulnerabilities. Though there are patches affecting Windows, SQL Server, Microsoft Excel and Visual Studio, only the Windows updates require a “Patch Now” schedule — and they’ll need a significant amount of testing because they cover a lot of features: networking, kernel and core GDI components and Microsoft Hyper-V. Printing should be a core focus for enterprise testing and the SQL Server updates will require a focus on internally developed applications. More info on Microsoft Security updates for October 2024

September: Latest Patch Tuesday update fixes 4 zero-days

Addressing four zero-days flaws (CVE-2024-38014, CVE-2024-38217, CVE-2024-43491 and CVE-2024-38217), this month’s Patch Tuesday release from Microsoft includes 79 updates to the Windows platform. There are no patches to Microsoft Exchange Server or the company’s development tools (Visual Studio or .NET). And Microsoft addressed a recently exploited vulnerability in Microsoft Publisher with two critical updates and nine patches rated important for Microsoft Office. More info on Microsoft Security updates for September 2024.

August: Patch Tuesday means patch now

Microsoft pushed out 90 updates in its August Patch Tuesday release, including fixes for five Windows zero-days (CVE-2024-38178, CVE-2024-38193, CVE-2024-38213, CVE-2024-38106, CVE-2024-38107) and one zero-day affecting Office (CVE-2024-38189). This means a “Patch Now” recommendation for both Windows and Microsoft Office. Microsoft offered several (pretty useful) mitigations and recommendations to reduce the impact of these security issues. More info on Microsoft Security updates for August 2024.

July: 4 zero-day flaws

This July’s Patch Tuesday from Microsoft addressed a significant number of vulnerabilities, including four zero-day threats. Here’s a quick rundown: Microsoft released updates for SQL Server, with patches for Windows, Office, .NET, and Visual Studio. It also released four critical updates for Windows, including patches for Hyper-V and MSHTML. There’s one critical update for Office’s SharePoint platform.
More info on Microsoft Security updates for July 2024.

June: Relatively quiet on major updates

This month’s Patch Tuesday brought mostly low-risk updates with no reported zero-day vulnerabilities. Key areas addressed include changes to Secure Boot (requiring third-party driver testing), code integrity policies (needing verification for Windows Defender features), and core Windows systems (necessitating broad application testing). While there were no critical updates for Office or Exchange Server, some updates to Visual Studio require attention for developers.
More info on Microsoft Security updates for June 2024.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

For November, Patch Tuesday includes three Windows zero-day fixes

15 Listopad, 2024 - 20:48

Microsoft’s November Patch Tuesday release addresses 89 vulnerabilities in Windows, SQL Server, .NET and Microsoft Office — and three zero-day vulnerabilities (CVE-2024-43451, CVE-2024-49019 and CVE-2024-49039) that mean a patch now recommendation for Windows platforms. Unusually, there are a significant number of patch “re-releases” that might also require administrator attention.

The team at Readiness has provided this infographic outlining the risks associated with each of the updates for this cycle. (For a rundown of recent Patch Tuesday updates, see Computerworld‘s round-up here.

Known issues

There were a few reported issues for the September update that have been addressed now, including:

Enterprise customers are reporting issues with the SSH service failing to start on updated Windows 11 24H2 machines. Microsoft recommended updating the file/directory level permissions on the SSH program directories (remember to include the log files). You can read more about this official workaround here.

It looks like we are entering a new age of ARM compatibility challenges for Microsoft. However, before we get ahead of ourselves, we really need to sort out the (three-month old) Roblox issue.

Major revisions

This Patch Tuesday includes the following major revisions:

CVE-2013-390: WinVerifyTrust Signature Validation Vulnerability. This update was originally published in 2013 via TechNet. This update is now made available and is applicable to Windows 10 and 11 users due to a recent change in the EnableCertPaddingCheck Windows API call. We highly recommend a review of this CVE and its associated Q&A documentation. Remember: if you must set your values in the registry, ensure that they are type DWORD not Reg SZ.
CVE-2024-49040: Microsoft Exchange Server Spoofing Vulnerability. When Microsoft updates a CVE (twice) in the same week, and the vulnerability has been publicly disclosed, it’s time to pay attention. Before you apply this Exchange Server update, we highly recommend a review of the reported header detection issues and mitigating factors.

And unusually, we have three kernel mode updates (CVE-2024-43511, CVE-2024-43516 and CVE-2024-43528 that were re-released in October and updated this month. These security vulnerabilities exploit a race condition in Microsoft’s Virtualization Based Security (VBS). It’s worth a review of the mitigating strategies while you thoroughly test these low-level kernel patches.

Testing guidance

Each month, the Readiness team analyzes the latest Patch Tuesday updates and provides detailed, actionable testing guidance based on a large application portfolio and a detailed analysis of the patches and their potential impact on Windows platforms and application installations.

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

Networking:

Test end-to-end VPN, Wi-Fi, sharing and Bluetooth scenarios.
Test out HTTP clients over SSL.
Ensure internet shortcut files (ICS) display correctly

Security/crypto:

After installing the November update on your Certificate Authority (CA) servers, ensure that enrollment and renewal of certificates perform as expected.
Test Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) and ensure that line-of-business apps are not blocked. Ensure that WDAC functions as expected on your Virtual Machines (VM).

Filesystem and logging:

The NTFileCopyChunk API was updated and will require internal application testing if directly employed. Test the validity of your parameters and issues relating to directory notification.

I cannot claim to have any nostalgia for dial-up internet access (though I do have a certain Pavlovian response to the dial-up handshake sound). For those who are still using this approach to access the internet, the November update to the TAPI API has you in mind. A “quick” (haha) test is required to ensure you can still connect to the internet via dial-up once you update your system.

Windows lifecycle and enforcement updates

There were no product or security enforcements this cycle. However, we do have the following Microsoft products reaching their respective end of servicing terms:

Oct. 8, 2024: Windows 11 Enterprise and Education, Version 21H2, Windows 11 Home and Pro, Version 22H2, Windows 11 IoT Enterprise, Version 21H2.
Oct. 9, 2024: Microsoft Project 2024 (LTSC)

Mitigations and workarounds

Microsoft published the following mitigations applicable to this Patch Tuesday.

CVE-2024-49019: Active Directory Certificate Services Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. As this vulnerability has been publicly disclosed, we need to take it seriously. Microsoft has offered some mitigation strategies during the update/testing/deployment for most enterprises that include:
Remove overly broad enroll or auto-enroll permissions.
Remove unused templates from certification authorities.
Secure templates that allow you to specify the subject in the request.

As most enterprises employ Microsoft Active Directory, we highly recommend a review of this knowledge note from Microsoft.

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 released a single update specific to Microsoft Edge (CVE-2024-49025), and two updates for the Chromium engine that underpins the browser (CVE-2024-10826 and CVE-2024-10827). There’s a brief note on the browser update here. We recommend adding these low-profile browser updates to your standard release schedule.

Windows

Microsoft released two (CVE-2024-43625 and CVE-2024-43639) patches with a critical rating and another 35 patches rated as important by Microsoft. This month the following key Windows features have been updated:

Windows Update Stack (note: installer rollbacks may be an issue);
NT OS, Secure Kernel and GDI;
Microsoft Hyper-V;
Networking, SMB and DNS;
Windows Kerberos.

Unfortunately, these Windows updates have been publicly disclosed or reported as exploited in the wild, making them zero-day problems:

CVE-2024-43451: NTLM Hash Disclosure Spoofing Vulnerability.
CVE-2024-49019: Active Directory Certificate Services Elevation of Privilege.
CVE-2024-49039: Windows Task Scheduler Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability.

Add these Windows updates to your Patch Now release cadence.

Microsoft Office

Microsoft pushed out six Microsoft Office updates (all rated important) that affect SharePoint, Word and Excel. None of these reported vulnerabilities involve remote access or preview pane issues and have not been publicly disclosed or exploited in the wild. Add these updates to your standard release schedule.

Microsoft SQL (nee Exchange) Server

You want updates to Microsoft SQL Server? We got ‘em: 31 patches to the SQL Server Native client this month. That’s a lot of patches, even for a complex product like Microsoft SQL Server. These updates appear to be the result of a major clean-up effort from Microsoft addressing the following reported security vulnerabilities:

The vast majority of these SQL Server Native Client updates address the CWE-122 related buffer overflow issues. Note: these patches update the SQL Native client, so this is a desktop, not a server, update. Crafting a testing profile for this one is a tough call. No new features have been added, and no high-risk areas have been patched. However, many internal line-of-business applications rely on these SQL client features. We recommend that your core business applications be tested before this SQL update, otherwise add it to your standard release schedule.

Boot note: Remember that there is a major revision to CVE-2024-49040 — this could affect the SQL Server “server” side of things.

Microsoft development platforms

Microsoft released one critical-rated update (CVE-2024-43498) and three updates rated as important for Microsoft .NET 9 and Visual Studio 2022. These are pretty low-risk security vulnerabilities and very specific to these versions of the development platforms. They should present a reduced testing profile. Add these updates to your standard developer schedule this month.

Adobe Reader (and other third-party updates)

Microsoft did not publish any Adobe Reader-related updates this month. The company released three non-Microsoft CVEs covering Google Chrome and SSH (CVE-2024-5535). Given the update to Windows Defender (as a result of the SSH issue), Microsoft also published a list of Defender vulnerabilities and weaknesses that might assist with your deployments.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

The EU seeks proposals for AI that should be banned

15 Listopad, 2024 - 17:47

The EU, which is now developing guidelines for how the region’s new AI law must be complied with, has started collecting opinions in two areas via an online survey.

The first area involves how the law should define AI systems (compared to traditional software). Here, the EU wants to hear from people in the AI industry, companies, academics and civil society. The second area concerns when the use of AI should be prohibited. The EU wants detailed feedback on each prohibited use and is particularly interested in practical examples.

Points will be collected using the survey until Dec. 11, and the European Commission expects to publish guidelines regarding the definition of AI systems and any prohibited uses in early 2025.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

Google’s Gemini app is now available on iPhones

15 Listopad, 2024 - 16:06

Google has entered a new and more intense phase of the AI wars, introducing its own Google Gemini app for iPhones; now you can use Apple Intelligence, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini on one device.

Only one of those services tries to give you what you need without gathering too much information about you.

What is Gemini?

Like most Google services, Google Gemini seems free, in that you don’t need to part with any cash credits to use it. Open it up, and you’ll find a chat window that also lets you get to a list of your previous chats. Speaking to Gemini is simple — text, voice, or even use a camera to point at something and you’ll get some answers. In other words, the app integrates the same features as you’ll find on the Gemini website, but it’s an app so that makes it cool.

Probably.

There is one more thing — access to the more conversational Gemini Live bot, which works a little like ChatGPT in voice mode. You can even assign access to Gemini as a shortcut on your iPhone’s Action button for fast access to the bot, which can also access and control any Google apps you’re brave enough to install on your iPhone.

All about Google

And that’s the thing, really. Like so much coming out of Silicon Valley now, Google Gemini is self-referencing.

You use Google on your iPhone to speak to a Google AI and access Google services, which gives you a more Android-like experience if you happen to have migrated to iOS from Android. You can use Gemini on your iPhone to control YouTube Music, for example, and you’ll get Google Maps if you ask for directions.

You even get supplementary privacy agreements for all those apps, some of which deliver exactly what you expect from Google the ads sales company, which is probably a little different than the privacy-first Apple experience you thought you were using. Gemini does put some protection in place, but your location data, feedback, and usage information can be reviewed by humans.

Most people won’t know this. Most people don’t read privacy agreements before accepting them. They should – but they are long, boring, and archaically written for a reason.

AI tribalism

If art reflects life and tech is indeed the new creativity, then the emergence of these equal but different digital tribes reflects the deeper tribalism that seems to be impacting every other part of life. Is that a good thing? Perhaps that depends on which state you live in.

At the end of days, Gemini on iPhone is your gateway to Google world, just as Windows takes you to Microsoft planet and Apple takes you to its own distorted reality, (subject to the EU). There are other tech worlds too, but this isn’t intended to be a definitive list of differing digital existences, especially now that these altered states have become both cloud- and service-based. It’s a battle playing out on every platform and on every device.

After all, if your primary computing experience becomes text- and voice-based, and the processors handling your requests are in the cloud, then it matters less which platform you use, as long as you get something you need. (It’s only later we’ll find that we get slightly less than what we need, with the difference between the two being the profit margin.)

Apple’s approach is to support those external services while building up its own AI suite with its own unique — and, if you ask me, vitally necessary — selling point around privacy. Others follow a different path, but it’s hard to ignore that control of your computational experience is the root of all these ambitions.

King of the hill

With its early mover advantage, OpenAI is not blind to the battle. Just this week it introduced support for different applications across Windows and Mac desktops. In a Nov. 14 message on X (for whomever remains genuinely active there), Open AI announced: “ChatGPT for macOS can now work with apps on your desktop. In this early beta for Plus and Team users, you can let ChatGPT look at coding apps to provide better answers.”

That means it will try to help when working in applications such as VS Code, Xcode, and Terminal. While you work, you can speak with the bot, get screenshots, share files and more. There is, of course, also a ChatGPT app for iPhones, and the first comparative reviews of the experience of using both Gemini and ChatGPT on an Apple device show pros and cons to both. Downstream vendors, most recently including Jamf, are relying on tools provided by the larger vendors to add useful tools to their own.

Google and OpenAI are not alone. Just last month, Microsoft introduced Copilot Vision, which it describes as autonomous agents capable of handling tasks and business functions, so you don’t need to. Apple, of course, remains high on its recent introduction of Apple Intelligence.

Things will get better before becoming worse

It’s a clash of the tech titans. And like every clash of the tech titans so far this century, you — or your business — are the product the titans are fighting for. That raises other questions such as how will they monetize your experience of AI.

How high will energy prices climb as a direct result of the spiraling electricity demands of these services? At what point will AI eat itself, creating emails from spoken summaries that are then in turn summarized by AI? When it comes to security and privacy, is even sovereign AI truly secure enough for use in regulated enterprise? Just how secure are Apple’s own AI servers?

And once the dominant players in the New AI Empire finally emerge, how, just how, will they do what Big Tech always does and follow Doctorow’s orders?

You can follow me on social media! You’ll find me on BlueSky, LinkedIn, Mastodon, and MeWe.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

O2 unleashes AI grandma on scammers

15 Listopad, 2024 - 13:32

Research by British telecommunications provider O2 has found that seven in ten Britons (71 percent) would like to take revenge on scammers who have tried to trick them or their loved ones. At the same time, however, one in two people does not want to waste their time on it.

AI grandma against telephone scammers

O2 now wants to remedy this with an artificial intelligence called Daisy. As the “head of fraud prevention”, it’s the job of this state-of-the-art AI granny to keep scammers away from real people for as long as possible with human-like chatter. To activate Daisy, O2 customers simply have to forward a suspicious call to the number 7726.

Daisy combines different AI models that work together to first listen to the caller and convert their voice to text. It then generates responses appropriate to the character’s “personality” via a custom single-layer large language model. These are then fed back via a custom text-to-speech model to generate a natural language response. This happens in real-time, allowing the tool to have a human-like conversation with a caller.

Although human-like is a strong understatement: Daisy was trained with the help of Jim Browning, one of the most famous “scambaiters” on YouTube. With the persona of a lonely and seemingly somewhat bewildered older lady, she tricks the fraudsters into believing that they have found a perfect target, while in reality she beats them with their own weapons.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

AI is dumber than you think

15 Listopad, 2024 - 12:00

OpenAI recently introduced SimpleQA, a new benchmark for evaluating the factual accuracy of large language models (LLMs) that underpin generative AI (genAI).

Think of it as a kind of SAT for genAI chatbots consisting of 4,326 questions across diverse domains such as science, politics, pop culture, and art. Each question is designed to have one correct answer, which is verified by independent reviewers.

The same question is asked 100 times, and the frequency of each answer is tracked. The idea is that a more confident model will consistently give the same answer.

The questions were selected precisely because they have previously posed challenges for AI models, particularly those based on OpenAI’s GPT-4. This selective approach means that the low accuracy scores reflect performance on particularly difficult questions rather than the overall capabilities of the models.

This idea is also similar to the SATs, which emphasize not information that anybody and everybody knows but harder questions that high school students would have struggled with and had to work hard to master. This benchmark results show that OpenAI’s models aren’t particularly accurate on the questions that work asked. In short, they hallucinate.

OpenAI’s o1-preview model achieved a 42.7% success rate. GPT-4o followed with a 38.2% accuracy. And the smaller GPT-4o-mini scored only 8.6%. Anthropic did worse than OpenAI’s top model; the Claude-3.5-sonnet model managed to get just 28.9% of the answers correct.

All these models got an F, grade-wise, providing far more incorrect answers than correct ones. And the answers are super easy for a human.

Here are the kinds of questions that are asked by SimpleQA:

What year did the Titanic sink?

Who was the first President of the United States?

What is the chemical symbol for gold?

How many planets are in our solar system?

What is the capital city of France?

Which river is the longest in the world?

Who painted the Mona Lisa?

What is the title of the first Harry Potter book?

What does CPU stand for?

Who is known as the father of the computer?

These are pretty simple questions for most people to answer, but they can present a problem for chatbots. One reason these tools struggled is that SimpleQA questions demand precise, single, indisputable answers. Even minor variations or hedging can result in a failing grade. Chatbots do better with open-ended overviews of even very complex topics but struggle to give a single, concise, precise answer.

Also, the SimpleQA questions are short and self-contained and don’t provide a lot of context. This is why providing as much context as possible in the prompts that you write improves the quality of responses.

Compounding the problem, LLMs often overestimate their own accuracy. SimpleQA queried chatbots on what they think is the accuracy of their answers; the models consistently reported inflated success rates. They feign confidence, but their internal certainty may be low.

LLMs don’t really think

Meanwhile, newly published research from MIT, Harvard, and Cornell University show that while LLMs can perform impressive tasks, they lack a coherent understanding of the world.

As one of their test examples, the researchers found that LLMs can generate accurate driving directions in complex environments like New York City. But when researchers introduced detours, the models’ performance dropped because they didn’t have an internal representation of the environment (as people do). Closing just 1% of streets in New York City led to a drop in the AI’s directional accuracy from nearly 100% to 67%.

Researchers found that even when a model performs well in a controlled setting, it might not possess coherent knowledge structures necessary for random or diverse scenarios.

The trouble with AI hallucinations

The fundamental problem we all face is this: Industries and individuals are already relying on LLM-based chatbots and generative AI tools for real work in the real world. The public, and even professionals, believe this technology to be more reliable than it actually is.

As one recent example, OpenAI offers an AI transcription tool called Whisper, which hospitals and doctors are already using for medical transcriptions. The Associated Press reported that a version of Whisper was downloaded more than 4.2 million times from the open-source AI platform HuggingFace.

More than 30,000 clinicians and 40 health systems, including the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, are using a tool called Nabla, which is based on Whisper but optimized for medical lingo. The company estimates that Nabla has been used for roughly seven million medical visits in the United States and France.

As with all such AI tools, Whisper is prone to hallucinations.

One engineer who looked for Whisper hallucinations in transcriptions found the in every document examined. Another found hallucinations in half of the 100 hours of Whisper transcriptions he analyzed.

Professors from the University of Virginia looked at thousands of short snippets from a research repository hosted at Carnegie Mellon University. They found that nearly 40% of the hallucinations were “harmful or concerning.”

In one transcription, Whisper even invented a non-existent medication called “hyperactivated antibiotics.”

Experts fear the use of Whisper-based transcription will result in misdiagnoses and other problems.

What to do about AI hallucinations

When you get a diagnosis from your doctor, you might want to get a second opinion. Likewise, whenever you get a result from ChatGPT, Perplexity AI, or some other LLM-based chatbot, you should also get a second opinion.

You can use one tool to check another. For example, if the subject of your query has original documentation — say, a scientific research paper, a presentation, or a PDF of any kind — you can upload those original documents into Google’s NotebookLM tool. Then, you can copy results from the other tool, paste them into NotebookLM, and ask if it’s factually accurate.

You should also check original sources. Fact-check everything.

Chatbots can be great for learning, for exploring topics, for summarizing documents and many other uses. But they are not reliable sources of factual information, in general.

What you should never, ever do is copy results from AI chatbots and paste it into something else to represent your own voice and your own facts. The language is often a bit “off.” The emphasis of points can be strange. And it’s a misleading practice.

Worst of all, the chatbot you’re using could be hallucinating, lying or straight up making stuff up. They’re simply not as smart as people think.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

FTC eyes Microsoft’s cloud practices amid antitrust scrutiny

15 Listopad, 2024 - 11:41

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reportedly preparing to investigate Microsoft for potentially anticompetitive practices in its cloud computing division. This inquiry centers on whether Microsoft is abusing its market dominance by deploying restrictive licensing terms to dissuade customers from switching from its Azure platform to competitors, the Financial Times reported.

According to the report, the practices under scrutiny include sharply raising subscription fees for customers looking to switch providers, imposing high exit charges, and reportedly making Office 365 less compatible with competitor cloud services.

The investigation reflects the agency’s broader push, led by FTC Chair Lina Khan, to address Big Tech’s influence in sectors such as cloud services, with bipartisan support for curbing monopolistic practices.

In November 2023, the FTC began assessing cloud providers’ practices in four broad areas — competition, single points of failure, security, and AI — and sought feedback from stakeholders in academia, industry, and civil society.

The majority of the feedback the commission received highlighted concerns over licensing constraints that limit customers’ choices.

Microsoft’s cloud strategy under fire

The inquiry reported by the Financial Times is still in its early stages, but an FTC challenge could significantly impact Microsoft’s cloud operations, which have grown rapidly in recent years.

“Interoperability and the fear of vendor lock-in are important criteria for enterprises selecting cloud vendors,” said Pareekh Jain, CEO of Pareekh Consulting. “This could create a negative perception of Microsoft. Previously, Microsoft faced a similar probe regarding the interoperability of Microsoft Teams.”

This scrutiny aligns with global regulatory focus: In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Microsoft and Amazon following complaints about restrictive contracts and high “egress fees,” which make switching providers costly. Similarly, Microsoft recently sidestepped a formal probe in the European Union after it reached a multi-million-dollar settlement with rival cloud providers, addressing concerns of monopolistic practices.

Neither the FTC nor Microsoft had responded to questions about the reported investigation by press time.

Microsoft’s position in the cloud market

Cloud computing has rapidly expanded, with industry spending expected to reach $675 billion in 2024, according to Gartner. Microsoft controls roughly 20% of the global cloud market, second only to Amazon Web Services (31%) and ahead of Google Cloud (12%), according to Statista. Tensions have risen between the leading providers, with Microsoft accusing Google of using “shadow campaigns” to undermine its position by funding adversarial lobbying efforts.

“It seems Google has two ultimate goals in its astroturfing efforts: distract from the intense regulatory scrutiny Google is facing around the world by discrediting Microsoft and tilt the regulatory landscape in favor of its cloud services rather than competing on the merits,” Microsoft Deputy General Counsel Rima Alaily said in a statement in October.

AWS has also accused Microsoft of anticompetitive practices in the cloud computing segment and complained to the UK CMA.

These top cloud providers had already filed an antitrust case against Microsoft in 2022 alleging that Microsoft is using its software licensing terms to restrict European businesses’ options in selecting cloud providers for services like desktop virtualization and application hosting.

Previous FTC interventions and growing cloud sector scrutiny

This move follows the FTC’s legal challenge against Microsoft’s $75 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which faced antitrust concerns around Microsoft’s cloud gaming business. While a federal court allowed the acquisition to proceed, the FTC’s appeal highlights its commitment to maintaining oversight of Big Tech’s market reach.

Since its inception, cloud computing has evolved from simple storage solutions to a cornerstone of AI development, with Microsoft, Amazon, and Google competing for contracts that power AI model training and deployment.

If pursued, this inquiry could lead to intensified regulations on Microsoft’s cloud strategy, underscoring the FTC’s commitment to protecting competitive markets in sectors increasingly dominated by a few key players. Neither the FTC nor Microsoft has publicly commented on the matter.

“Moving forward, all hyperscalers should commit to the interoperability of their cloud solutions in both intent and practice,” Jain noted, adding, “failing to do so may expose them to investigations that could damage their brand and business.”

Shared blame

If enterprises are finding themselves locked in to high costs, though, some of the blame may fall on them, suggested Yugal Joshi, a partner at Everest Group.

“Enterprises are happy signing highly discounted bundled deals, and when these financial incentives run out they complain about lock-in. Many of them already know what they are getting into but then are focused on near-term discounts over long-term interoperability and freedom to choose. Given the macro economy continues to struggle, price-related challenges are pinching harder,” Joshi said. “Therefore, clients are becoming more vocal and proactive about switching vendors if it saves them money.”

Microsoft has been a beneficiary of this, he said, because some clients are planning to move, and some have already moved, to its Dynamics platform from Salesforce.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

Getting started with Google Password Manager

15 Listopad, 2024 - 10:45

If you’re still trying to remember all of your passwords and then type ’em into sites by hand, let me tell you: You’re doing it wrong.

With all the credentials we have to keep track of these days, there’s just no way the human brain can handle the task of storing the specifics — at least, not if you’re using complex, unique passwords that aren’t repeated (or almost repeated, even) from one site to the next. That’s where a password manager comes into play: It securely stores all your sign-in info for you and then fills it in as needed.

While there’s a case to be made for leaning on a dedicated app for that purpose (for reasons we’ll discuss further in a moment), Google has its own password management system built right into Chrome — and also now integrated directly into Android, at the operating system level. And it’s far better to rely on that than to use nothing at all.

Google Password Manager 101

First things first: You shouldn’t have to do anything to turn the Google Password Manager on. The system, once considered part of Google’s Smart Lock feature, works across Android, iOS, ChromeOS, and any other desktop platform where you’re signed into Chrome — and it’s typically activated by default in all of those places.

You’ll see the Password Manager’s prompts for credential-saving pop up anytime you enter your username and password into a site within the Chrome browser. The service will also offer to create complex new passwords for you when you’re signing up for something new. And whenever you return to a site where your credentials have been stored, Smart Lock will automatically fill them in for you — or, when more than one sign-in is associated with a single site, it’ll provide you with the option to pick the account you want to use.

The system is able to sign you into Android apps automatically, too, though it works somewhat sporadically — and you never quite know when it’ll be present. To use Google Password Manager in that way, you’ll need to search your Android device’s system settings for autofill, then:

Tap “Autofill service from Google,” tap that same option once more, and confirm that the system is on and active.
Return to that same settings search for autofill, tap “Preferred service,” and ensure that “Google” is both active and set to be the preferred service on that screen.

Google Password Manager can also sign you into both websites and apps across iOS, though on that front, you’ll need to manually enable the system by visiting the Passwords section of the iOS Settings app, selecting “Autofill” followed by “Passwords” and “Chrome,” and then turning on the “Autofill” option within that area.

Adjusting your Password Manager setup

If you ever want to look through and edit your stored passwords or adjust your Google Password Manager settings, the easiest thing is to sign into the Google Password Manager web interface at passwords.google.com — in any web browser, on any device you’re using.

There, you can view, edit, or delete any of your saved passwords as well as see and act on any alerts regarding possible security issues with your credentials.

You can also adjust your Google Password Manager preferences by clicking the gear icon in the upper-right corner of that page. It’s worth peeking in there once in a while, as you may find some options that are off by default and advisable to activate — like proactive alerts anytime a password you’ve saved is found to be compromised and on-device encryption for extra protection of any new passwords you save along the way.

That’s also where you can go to export all of your passwords for use in another service, if such a need ever arises.

The Google Password Manager web settings section has a host of important options — some of which are disabled by default.

JR Raphael / IDG

Speaking of which, if you do at some point decide to use a standalone password manager — and we’ll dive into that subject further next — you’ll want to be sure to disable the “Offer to save passwords” and “Auto sign-in” options here to effectively turn Google Password Manager off and keep yourself from seeing confusingly overlapping prompts every time you try to sign in somewhere.

You’ll also want to revisit the related settings on any Android and/or iOS devices you’re using to be sure the new password manager is set to take the place of Google Password Manager in all the appropriate areas.

Google Password Manager vs. the competition

So why is it more advisable to use a dedicated password manager instead of Google Password Manager? Well, a few reasons:

First, dedicated password managers provide broader and more consistent support for storing and filling in passwords across the full spectrum of apps on both your phone and your computer — something most of us need to do quite regularly, especially in a work context. You don’t want to have to go manually look up a password and then copy and paste it over every time you sign into something outside of your browser, and with Google Password Manager, that’s frequently what you end up having to do.

Beyond that, dedicated password managers work seamlessly in any browser you’re using, on any device, instead of being closely connected only to Chrome.

They also tend to come with stronger and more explicit security assurances, and they often offer additional features such as the ability to share your passwords with team members or even external clients (with or without allowing the person to actually see the password in question). They frequently include other useful elements beyond just basic password storage, too, including the ability to securely store different types of notes and documents.

I maintain a collection of recommendations for the best password manager on Android, and my top choice right now is 1Password — which costs $36 a year for an individual subscription, $60 a year for a family membership that includes up to five people, $239-a-year Teams Starter Pack that allows up to 10 company users, or $96 per company user per year. And while my recommendation is technically Android-specific, I take into account the experience the service offers across all platforms, since most of us work across multiple device types. 1Password works equally well on the desktop front as well as on iOS.

If you aren’t going to take the time to mess with a dedicated password manager, though, Google’s built-in system is absolutely the next best thing. And now you know exactly how to use it.

This article was originally published in May 2020 and updated in November 2024.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

PCs with NPUs tweaked for AI now account for one of every five PCs shipped, says Canalys

15 Listopad, 2024 - 02:38

One out of every five PCs shipped in the third quarter of 2024, a total of 13.3 million units, was a PC with a neural processing unit (NPU) fine-tuned for generative AI (genAI) development, according to data published Wednesday by analyst firm Canalys.

It is anticipating a rapid rise in shipments of these AI-capable PCs, surging to 60% of units shipped by 2027, with a strong focus on the commercial sector.

Such machines typically house dedicated chipsets, including AMD’s XDNA, Apple’s Neural Engine, Intel’s AI Boost, and Qualcomm’s Hexagon, Canalys said in a statement.

“Copilot+ PCs equipped with Snapdragon X series chips enjoyed their first full quarter of availability, while AMD brought Ryzen AI 300 products to the market, and Intel officially launched its Lunar Lake series,” said Ishan Dutt, principal analyst at Canalys. “However, both x86 chipset vendors are still awaiting Copilot+ PC support for their offerings from Microsoft, which is expected to arrive [in November].”

Dutt added that there is still resistance to purchasing AI PCs from both key end-user companies and channel players.

“This is especially true for more premium offerings such as Copilot+ PCs, which Microsoft requires to have at least 40 NPU TOPS [trillion operations per second], alongside other hardware specifications,” Dutt said. “A November poll of channel partners revealed that 31% do not plan to sell Copilot+ PCs in 2025, while a further 34% expect such devices to account for less than 10% of their PC sales next year.”

Canalys labels the machines as “AI-capable PCs,” which is baffling, given that AI has been around for many decades and can — and has — run on all manner of PC. Someone accessing data from an LLM wouldn’t need that level of horsepower. That would only be needed for engineers and LLM developers creating the data-intensive systems.

But such PCs wouldn’t necessarily make sense for most of those LLM developers, said George Sidman, CEO of security firm TrustWrx. Most developers writing LLM applications at that level would be accessing high-end specialized servers, Sidman said.

“The PC has very little role. You would be running this in a large data center. These things are blocks long,” Sidman said. “You have got to look at the real world issues. With a huge multi-petabyte system behind it, well, you need that for the LLM to be effective.”

Canalys disagreed. It said in its report, “With the use of AI models set to increase exponentially, associated costs to organizations from accessing cloud resources will ramp up significantly. Moving some workloads to AI-capable PCs will help mitigate this, and allow businesses to optimize their use of AI tools according to their budgets.”

Regardless, would such souped-up PCs deliver better overall performance? Yes, Sidman said, but the better question is whether the typical business user would likely notice the difference, given the speeds that exist today in routine business desktops. “Will it improve some performance on the PC? Probably, but it won’t get them anything concrete,” Sidman said.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

Apple’s iPhone partners make plans for US manufacturing

14 Listopad, 2024 - 19:07

In a sign of the times, Apple’s key manufacturing partners are ready to ramp up production in the US should the incoming Trump administration keep its promise to levy painful surcharges on Chinese imports.

But, of course, these new factories won’t necessarily create vast quantities of jobs, as they are likely to be focused on strategically important, high-value goods made in heavily automated plants.

All the same, the news is that Apple’s big Taiwanese partners — Foxconn, Pegatron, and Quanta Computer — are ready to rapidly ramp up US manufacturing investment in response to any changes in national policy, explained Foxconn Chairman Young Liu. His company already has production centers in Texas, Wisconsin, and Ohio, and is ready for additional expansion, he said.

Dealing with uncertainty

This may be shrewd preparation, given that President-Elect Donald J. Trump has threatened to put a 60% levy on Chinese-made products once he re-takes power. “Trump has just been elected. It’s uncertain what policies he will implement…. We’ll be watching to see what changes there will be from the new U.S government,” Liu said, according to Reuters.

Liu was speaking during the company’s stronger-than-anticipated quarterly results call. The company revealed that net income for the quarter was $1.5 billion, with demand for server chips boosting performance. He expects Foxconn to take at least 40% of the global server market in future.

That demand for server chips means the company can see even more value in US production, with Alphabet, Meta and Amazon set to spend billions on server infrastructure to drive AI this year. If you combine that demand with the growing recognition of the need to protect data sovereignty, you can surmise that making servers in this kind of quantity near or in the regions that are demanding them is a sensible business move for the company. (Liu actually uses the term “sovereign server” to articulate this.)

Similarly, as tensions with China could increase under Trump’s management, the Taiwanese firms may feel that manufacturing consumer products in the US is a price they can pay in exchange for some protection around their own national security. (And the strategic need to encourage companies to make chips in the US makes achieving that a matter of national security.)

What about the iPhone

Liu was light with detail on the company’s biggest client, though Apple critics seeking a little mood music might note his warning that the smart consumer products business will show a decline this year. This could either suggest iPhone sales are lower than anticipated or could hint that iPhones are eating the industry’s lunch, with other smartphones Foxconn also makes for other brands not selling terribly well.

Decoding the shadows surrounding the data, it is perhaps telling (and probably related) that Foxconn’s sales hit a record high in October, when the iPhone 16 was introduced.

I’m inclined to imagine the Apple smartphone is doing just fine.

The new tech, US and India?

The need to diversify manufacturing bases is generating international investments. Apple, Foxconn, and other Apple partners are also deeply immersed in building business in India, with Foxconn already putting $10 billion into that attempt.

The company intends to make even bigger investments there, even as a local report claims Apple and its suppliers aim to make just under a third (32%) of all iPhones made globally in India by fiscal 2027.

But even in India, the labor force is a cost, and Foxconn (and Apple) already have plans to reduce the number of workers involved in iPhone assembly, perhaps by as much as 50%.

They hope to achieve this through automation and artificial intelligence, though there is a lot of work to do before robots can match human manufacturing success — still, Apple has said its manufacturing headcount dropped from 1.6 million workers globally to 1.4 million in 2023.

An iPod, a phone, a tool for international politics

Jobs, international tension, money, the march of AI, trade wars and surveillance as a service…., we’re through the smartphone looking glass, people, and no mistake.

In the US, and elsewhere, we’ve quite clearly taken a long, long journey since the optimism and promise voiced by then-Apple CEO Steve Jobs when he described the first iPhone in 2007. He did not say an “iPod, a phone, and a device that challenges economic and national security.”

It is only today, as the march of digital transformation continues, that this is what it turned out to be.

You can follow me on social media! You’ll find me on BlueSky, LinkedIn, Mastodon, and MeWe.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

Now you can download an ISO file of Windows 11 for Arm chips

14 Listopad, 2024 - 15:10

It’s been possible for users to download ISO files of the Windows operating system, but until now that option has only applied to the x86 version.

Now it’s finally possible to download an ISO file of Windows 11 for computers with Arm-based chips from Microsoft’s website, according to Neowin. The file can be used to install Windows 11 on virtual machines or to create installation media such as a USB stick or a DVD.

Note: not all drivers are included in the ISO file, meaning users might need to complete the installation afterwards by installing drivers from other sources.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

AMD to cut 4% of workforce to prioritize AI chip expansion and rival Nvidia

14 Listopad, 2024 - 12:07

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is laying off 4% of its global workforce, around 1,000 employees, as it pivots resources to developing AI-focused chips. This marks a strategic shift by AMD to challenge Nvidia’s lead in the sector.

“As a part of aligning our resources with our largest growth opportunities, we are taking a number of targeted steps that will unfortunately result in reducing our global workforce by approximately 4%,” CRN reported quoting an AMD spokesperson.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

Do you need an AI ethicist?

14 Listopad, 2024 - 12:00

In response to the many ethical concerns surrounding the rise of generative artificial intelligence (genAI), including privacy, bias, and misinformation, many technology companies have started to work with AI ethicists, either on staff or as consultants. These professionals are brought on to steward how the organization adopts AI into their products, services, and workflows.

Bart Willemsen, a vice president and analyst at Gartner, says organizations would be better served with a dedicated ethicist or team rather than tacking on the function to an existing role.

“Having such a dedicated function with a consistent approach that continues to mature over time when it comes to breadth of topics discussed, when it comes to lessons learned of previous conversations and projects, means that the success rate of justifiable and responsible use of AI technology increases,” he said.

While companies that add the role may be well-intentioned, there’s a danger that AI ethicists will be token hires, ones who have no meaningful impact on the organization’s direction and decisions. How, then, should organizations integrate ethicists so they can live up to their mandate of improving ethical decision-making and responsible AI?

We spoke with tech and AI ethicists from around the world for their thoughts on how organizations can achieve this goal. With these best practices, organizations may transform ethics from a matter of compliance to an enduring source of competitive advantage.

The AI ethicist as tech educator

For some, “ethicist” may connote the image of a person lost in their own thoughts, far removed from the day-to-day reality of an organization. In practice, an AI ethicist is a highly collaborative position, one that should have influence horizontally across the organization.

Joe Fennel, AI ethicist at the University of Cambridge in the UK, frequently consults with organizations, training them on ethics along with performance and productivity.

Ethics is like jiu-jitsu, he says: “As you get to the more advanced belts, it really becomes less about the moves and much more about the principles that inform the moves. And it’s principles like balance and leverage and dynamicness.”

He approaches AI in the same way. For example, when teaching prompt engineering with the aim of reducing genAI hallucination rates, he does not require students to memorize specific phrases. Instead, he coaches them on broader principles, such as when to use instructions versus examples to teach the model.

Fennel has coalesced these techniques into an overall methodology with safety and ethical considerations that gets people interested in ethics, he says.

Darren Menachemson, chief ethicist at Australian design consultancy ThinkPlace, also believes that one of the key responsibilities of ethicists is communication, particularly around governance.

“[Governance] means that organizations need to have enough understanding of the technology that they really can control the risks, mitigate, [and] deal with [them]… It means that artificial intelligence as a concept needs to be well communicated through the organization so people understand what its limits are so it can be used responsibly,” he said.

There are of course cultural challenges to this instruction, namely the “move fast and break things” ethos that has defined the tech ecosystem, especially in the face of AI’s rise.

“What we’re seeing is a real imperative among many organizations to move quickly, to keep pace with what’s happening more broadly and also to take advantage of really amazing opportunities that are too significant and carry too many benefits to ignore,” Menachemson said.

Menachemson argues that ethicists, particularly those at the senior level, can succeed in spite of these challenges by possessing three qualities. The first is a deep understanding of the nuances of AI technology and what risk level this poses vis-a-vis the organization’s own risk appetite.

The second is a willingness to engage stakeholders to “understand the business context that artificial intelligence is being introduced into and get beyond the general to the specific in terms of the guidance that you’re offering.”

The third attribute is central to executing on the second. “Bewildering the senior cohorts with technical language or highly academic language loses them and loses the opportunity to have actual influence. Senior ethicists need to be expert communicators and need to understand how they can connect ethics risk to the strategic priorities of the C-suite,” he said.

Delivering actionable guidance at two levels

Although ethics may be subjective, the work of an AI or tech ethicist is far from inexact. When addressing a particular issue, such as user consent, the ethicist generally starts from a broad set of best practices and then gives recommendations tailored to the organization.

“We’ll say, ‘Here is what is currently the industry standard (or the cutting edge) in terms of responsible AI, and it’s really up to you to decide in the landscape of possibilities what you want to prioritize,’” said Matthew Sample, who was an AI ethicist for the Institute for Experiential AI and Northeastern University when Computerworld interviewed him. “For example, if [organizations are] not auditing their AI models for safety, for bias, if they’re not monitoring them over time, maybe they want to focus on that.”

Sample does give advice beyond these best practices, which may be as granular as how to operationalize ethics at the company. “If they literally don’t have even one person at the company who thinks about AI ethics, maybe they need to focus on hiring,” he said as an example.

But Sample avoids hardline recommendations. “In the spirit of ethics, we certainly don’t say, ‘This is the one and only right thing to do at this point,’” he said.

Menachemson has a similar two-pronged approach to his workflows. At the top level, Menachemson says that ethicists give general guidance on what the risks are for a particular issue and what the possible mitigations and controls are.

“But there’s also an imperative to go deeper,” he said. This step should be focused on the organization’s unique context and can be done only after the basic advice is understood.

“Once that diligence is done, that’s when recommendations that are meaningful can be put to the chief executive or to the board. Until that diligence is done, you don’t have any assurance that you really are controlling the risk in a meaningful way,” he said.

In terms of what to discuss, cover, and communicate, Cambridge’s Fennel believes that AI ethicists should be broad rather than narrow in scope.

“The more comprehensive you are with your AI ethics agenda and assessment, the more diverse your AI safety implementation will be — and, equivalently, the more robust your risk prevention and mitigation strategy should also be,” he said.

Everyone should be an ethicist

When it comes to implementation, Jesslyn Diamond, the director of data ethics at Canada-based Telus Digital, says her group works to anticipate unintended consequences from genAI, such as any potential misuse, through the use of a red team, which identifies gaps and even tries to intentionally break systems.

“We also use the concept of blue teaming, which is trying to build the innovative solutions to protect and enhance the outcomes that are possible together through a purple team,” Diamond said.

The purple team is multidisciplinary in nature, spanning professionals from QA, customer service, finance, policy, and more. “There’s something about the nondeterministic nature of generative AI that really makes these diverse perspectives, inputs, and expertise so necessary,” she said.

Diamond says that purple teaming creates the opportunity for different types of professionals to use the technology, which is helpful in not only exploring the risks and unintended consequences that are important considerations for ethics, but also to reveal additional benefits.

Telus also provides specialized training to employees on concepts like data governance, privacy, security, data ethics, and responsible AI. These employees then become data stewards to their spheres of influence. To date, Telus has a network of over 500 such data stewards.

“Becoming more familiar with how [AI] works really equips both those who are very technical and those who are less technical to be able to fully participate in this important exercise of having that diversity of expertise and background [represented],” Diamond said.

It may seem obvious that ethics should be multidisciplinary, but far too many companies pigeonhole the function in a remote corner of the organization. “It is so important that people understand the technology in order to meaningfully govern it, and that tension between literacy and participation has to happen at the same time,” Diamond said.

Creating a culture of ethical innovation

The goal of advising on ethics is not to create a service desk model, where colleagues or clients always have to come back to the ethicist for additional guidance. Ethicists generally aim for their stakeholders to achieve some level of independence.

“We really want to make our partners self-sufficient. We want to teach them to do this work on their own,” Sample said.

Ethicists can promote ethics as a core company value, no different from teamwork, agility, or innovation. Key to this transformation is an understanding of the organization’s goal in implementing AI.

“If we believe that artificial intelligence is going to transform business models…then it becomes incumbent on an organization to make sure that the senior executives and the board never become disconnected from what AI is doing for or to their organization, workforce, or customers,” Menachemson said.

This alignment may be especially necessary in an environment where companies are diving head-first into AI without any clear strategic direction, simply because the technology is in vogue.

A dedicated ethicist or team could address one of the most foundational issues surrounding AI, notes Gartner’s Willemsen. One of the most frequently asked questions at a board level, regardless of the project at hand, is whether the company can use AI for it, he said. “And though slightly understandable, the second question is almost always omitted: ‘Should we use AI?’” he added.

Rather than operate with this glaring gap, Willemsen says that organizations should invert the order of questions. “Number one: What am I trying to achieve? Forget AI for a second. Let that be the first focus,” he said, noting that the majority of organizations that take this approach have more demonstrable success.

This simple question should be part of a larger program of organizational reflection and self-assessment. Willemsen believes that companies can improve their AI ethics by broadening the scope of their inquiry, asking difficult questions, remaining interested in the answers, and ultimately doing something with those answers.

Although AI may be transformational, Willemsen emphasized the need to closely scrutinize how it would benefit — or not benefit — people.

“This ought to take into account not only the function of AI technology, the extent to which undesired outcomes are to be prevented and that technology must be under control, but can also go into things like inhumane conditions in mining environments for the hardware to run it, the connection to modern day slavery with ‘tagger farms,’ as well as the incalculable damage from unprecedented electricity consumption and water usage for data center cooling,” he said.

Organizations that are fully aware of these issues and aligned with their AI initiatives will see benefits, according to Willemsen. “The value of AI ethics may not be immediately tangible,” he said. “But knowing what is right from wrong means the value and greater benefit of AI ethics has a longer-term view: a consistent application of technology only where it is really useful and makes sense.”

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

Meet the floating Android note app of the future

14 Listopad, 2024 - 11:45

Time for a brutal truth any productivity connoisseur can confirm: At a certain point, once you’ve seen one note-taking app, you’ve kinda seen ’em all.

I mean, sure: We’ve got some commendably compelling choices when it comes to note-taking apps on Android. And from the simple to the fully featured, the fantastically flexible, and the frills-free framing, there’s absolutely some variety in the available apps’ approaches.

But at the end of the day, all of those apps still mostly follow the same basic structure as any other note-taking service: You open ’em up, start a new note, and save it — then go back to find it later by searching or browsing through a particular label or folder.

I had long assumed this was an unavoidable formula — that virtually any note-taking app I explored would present a slightly different variation on that same core concept. And that had basically always been the case…up ’til now.

I randomly stumbled onto an Android note app this week that’s so thoughtfully unusual in the way it works, it’s honestly still blowing my mind. And, critically, it’s not just different for the sake of being different. This thing introduces some genuinely clever and incredibly practical touches that, dare I say it, completely change the way you think about jotting down and remembering important info on Android.

It’s bordering on brilliant. And as someone who obsesses over organization more than any reasonably sane organism should, my only question is why it took me this long to find something so splendidly smart and sensible.

[Psst: Grant yourself noteworthy notification superpowers with my new Android Notification Power-Pack — six smart enhancements that’ll boost your sanity and make your phone instantly more effective.]

Your Android notes, unleashed

I won’t keep you waiting any longer: The app in question a snazzy little somethin’ called Floating Notes. And it does exactly what its name suggests:

No matter what type of Android device you’re using or what Android version it’s running, Floating Notes lets you keep your most important, pressing memos front and center — floating, in other words, on top of whatever else you’ve got goin’ on.

The notes appear in the form of unobtrusive little strips, with colors and icons that you set yourself on a per-note basis. They can be anywhere on your screen, too: All it takes is a press and a hold to drag ’em into any position, as prominent or as out of the way as you like. And they stay put in that same spot no matter what else you’re doing or even if you restart your device.

The notes from Floating Notes remain visible when you’re looking at your home screen, a random app, or anything else across Android.

JR Raphael, IDG

All actively floating items aside, Floating Notes puts a command center into your notifications that makes it as easy as can be to create new notes and manage whatever notes you already have in place. What’s especially cool is the “Stick” command within that area — the one with a magnet icon above it:

The Floating Notes notification-based command center has simple options for managing all of your actively floating items.

JR Raphael, IDG

Tap that — or manually drag any note off to the side of your screen, if you’d rather — and Floating Notes will get your active notes out of your face and shift ’em into easily accessible little tabs off on the edge of the display.

srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-stick.webp?quality=50&strip=all 800w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-stick.webp?resize=288%2C300&quality=50&strip=all 288w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-stick.webp?resize=768%2C800&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-stick.webp?resize=669%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 669w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-stick.webp?resize=161%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 161w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-stick.webp?resize=81%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 81w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-stick.webp?resize=461%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 461w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-stick.webp?resize=346%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 346w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-stick.webp?resize=240%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 240w" width="800" height="833" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px">The “Stick” command slides all your active notes to the side of your screen for unobtrusive ongoing access.

JR Raphael, IDG

That way, they’re visible and readily available when you need ’em — not out of sight, out of mind and requiring you to wade into an app to find and think about ’em — but not taking up prime real estate on your screen and potentially overlapping with other important info.

When you want ’em, though, they’re right there — and a quick little tap is all it takes to get ’em back front and center for full visibility.

srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-restore.webp?quality=50&strip=all 800w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-restore.webp?resize=296%2C300&quality=50&strip=all 296w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-restore.webp?resize=768%2C779&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-restore.webp?resize=688%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 688w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-restore.webp?resize=166%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 166w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-restore.webp?resize=83%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 83w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-restore.webp?resize=473%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 473w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-restore.webp?resize=355%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 355w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-restore.webp?resize=247%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 247w" width="800" height="811" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px">Any floating note is always available with a simple tap (or drag) action.

JR Raphael, IDG

You can also share the entire text of any note to any other app — Slack, your email, Messages, you name it — with a couple quick taps from anywhere within Android.

Every floating note holds a menu with useful options, including the ability to share its contents as plain text anywhere.

JR Raphael, IDG

And when you’re ready to remove any note entirely from your view, you just drag it down to the bottom of the screen to archive it. (You can also temporarily hide all of your visible floating notes via the “Visible” icon in the Floating Notes command center, within your notification panel.)

srcset="https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-archive.webp?quality=50&strip=all 800w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-archive.webp?resize=287%2C300&quality=50&strip=all 287w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-archive.webp?resize=768%2C802&quality=50&strip=all 768w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-archive.webp?resize=668%2C697&quality=50&strip=all 668w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-archive.webp?resize=161%2C168&quality=50&strip=all 161w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-archive.webp?resize=80%2C84&quality=50&strip=all 80w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-archive.webp?resize=460%2C480&quality=50&strip=all 460w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-archive.webp?resize=345%2C360&quality=50&strip=all 345w, https://b2b-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/android-floating-note-app-archive.webp?resize=240%2C250&quality=50&strip=all 240w" width="800" height="835" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px">Archiving a floating note gets it off of your screen but still keeps it available on demand within the Floating Notes app.

JR Raphael, IDG

One particularly neat touch is Floating Notes’ ability to let you create scheduled notes that’ll then pop up on their own and appear atop whatever else you’re doing when the time arrives. That capability requires a subscription to the Floating Notes Pro version, which runs a whopping four bucks a year and also includes a cross-device backup and sync system along with an ad-free interface and other advanced options. In addition, the Pro version removes a requirement to open the app after every 20 floating note actions in order to reset a rolling limit, which is mildly annoying but really not a big deal.

On that note, Floating Notes does have a more traditional in-app interface, too: When you actually open up the app, you’ll see a familiar-feeling list of all your current notes along with options for searching, starting new notes, and other standard Android note app elements.

The Floating Notes app presents a familiar note finding and taking interface.

JR Raphael, IDG

But it’s the app’s floating-note approach that sets it apart and makes it an Android note app worth noting — whether you use it to replace your standard note-taking service or as a supplement for certain sorts of high-profile or even just on-the-fly memos and reminders.

Floating Notes doesn’t require any disconcerting permissions, and its privacy policy promises that personal data is never sold or shared in any way. It’s perfectly serviceable in its free version, though if you use it enough, you may find yourself wanting the added elements made available via the $4-a-year Pro upgrade. (You can also opt for a one-time $3 payment simply to eliminate ads without any of the other extras.)

Either way, Floating Notes really is an inspired addition to any Android setup — and the rare note app that does something decidedly different to enhance your on-the-go organization.

Keep the enhancements coming with my Android Notification Power-Pack — six powerful new boosters for your phone’s notification panel. It’s completely free for you!

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

VMware makes Workstation and Fusion free for everyone

13 Listopad, 2024 - 18:16

VMware this week announced that the virtualization company’s hypervisor products, VMware Workstation and Fusion, will be completely free for both personal and commercial users, as well as for educational purposes. The move follows a decision last May, when VMware made both Workstation and Fusion free for personal use; those who wanted to use the software for commercial purposes still had to sign up for a paid subscription.

The free versions will have the same functionality as the paid products, but VMware owner Broadcom will not offer troubleshooting support. The old paid versions Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro are no longer available.

“If you currently have a commercial contract, you can rest assured knowing that your contract will continue to apply until the end of your contract term,” Himanshu Singh, Broadcom product marketing director, said in a blog post. “You will continue to receive full service and enterprise-grade support as per your agreement.”

Broadcom bought VMware in 2023 and then decided to make major changes to the product portfolio. Among other things, by removing all perpetual licenses, which received a lot of criticism from several quarters.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

Apple’s ‘iPad-like’ smart home plan hits a tired market

13 Listopad, 2024 - 18:05

Apple is allegedly preparing to introduce an iPad-like Control Center for smart homes. Equipped with a display and some form of homeOS, it is expected to be some kind of wall-mounted device that lets you access some Apple services, control smart home devices, handle security camera feeds, and the like.

This sounds like a good idea. After all, we know there’s a market for sophisticated alarm systems, and Apple’s HomeKit Secure video system will no doubt play a part in what’s introduced. As long as Siri really does improve, the company might have a hope of introducing something that works for a while. But will it?

Smart homes? It’s complicated…

I recently spent another fruitless hour trying to make my printer connect to my new Wi-Fi network, which it still won’t do. While doing that, I was also attempting to return an old HomePod to factory fresh (and make it stop making weird belching sounds) when it really hit me how utterly frustrating most “smart home” experiences still are.

Things that promise huge leaps in convenience can become hugely frustrating exercises, with a user experience that becomes characterized in folk memory by myopic attempts at stabbing tiny, awkwardly-placed holes with bent paperclips, or endlessly pressing software reset buttons that don’t seem to make anything happen.

That’s just the hardware user experience. The software adds another dimension.

Who hasn’t found it quite creepy when ads for products they’ve just been talking to their family about appear online shortly after installing a new smart TV? Who else dislikes it when Alexa or Siri or any other smart assistant raises its little voice to remind you it’s there? Don’t even get me started on the privacy policy statements manufacturers provide, and how so many seem to think these give them carte blanche to gather data about you and sell that information (“anonymized” they say) to people you know nothing about.

All in all, smart home tech seems to end up meaning you put quite costly devices in your home that stop working pretty soon, don’t work particularly well together, and turn you into a profit center for people you’ve got no relationship with. That’s smart for the manufacturers, I suppose, but not for the rest of us. But so many years into the evolution of the space, it really seems like the faults in some attempts at home automation are a feature, not a bug.

Is it smarter to be cynical?

That’s not to say every manufacturer in the space can be accused of the same thing.

I’m sure many have introduced smart home products that are easy to switch to new networks and ship with clear and actionable instructions for returning the gadget to factory fresh, rather than sending them via your local electronics recycling center to be cannibalized for conflict minerals with the carcass sent to landfill.

With so many problems, no wonder consumers don’t seem to be racing to invest in smart home devices.

Sure, billions of dollars are being spent on these things, but over half of that spend goes on devices for video playback, and market growth seems anaemic overall — and growth predictions seem to defy historical reality. Look at this Statista graph for some sense of this. That big column at the right looks really promising until you realize it’s an estimated figure for 2027, which requires the market to enter a period of accelerated growth that exceeds any historical growth trends.

It is also fair to point to other surveys that suggest once they do get their smart homes together, consumers believe the devices improve their quality of life.

Though there is the issue of trust.

A matter of trust

While governments eager for growth seem to think tech will save us, consumers trust the sector less and less. There’s lots of data that reflects this decline. Arguably this could well represent a reaction against everything from huge security problems such as the recent Crowdstrike disaster to election interference, mass deception, concerns about fake news, privacy erosion, security, and even frustration at the never-ending nature of digital transformation. It’s not just tech leaders who feel like they are under constant pressure to adopt new digitized working practices. Those on the front line are also struggling to keep up with endless digital change.

Perhaps, once people do make it home, (dodging self-driving vehicles, smartphone zombies, and electronic scooters on their domestic commute), they just want their home kit to work without needing to read a manual. Assuming there even is a manual.

Can Apple change this? Maybe. Perhaps it can introduce an iPad-like smart home device with a privacy-first OS and decent integration with peripheral devices from a range of manufacturers thanks to Matter and Thread. Perhaps it can make Siri simply clever and deploy artificial intelligence to make your smart home actually smart. Perhaps Apple can breathe life into the whole category. But maybe consumers are tired of promises and want to see an ecosystem that delivers on those promises before they slap too many dollars down. With that in mind, I’m going to kick my frustrating printer and go for a bracing stroll.

You can follow me on social media! You’ll find me on BlueSky, LinkedIn, Mastodon, and MeWe.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

What the Trump election means for Microsoft’s AI dreams

13 Listopad, 2024 - 12:00

With last week’s US elections, everything changed for the tech industry, especially for Microsoft. Given President-elect Donald J. Trump’s penchant for incendiary statements, off-the-cuff decisions, plans to impose massive tariffs, and willingness to use the power of his office for personal vendettas, almost anything could happen.

But based on Trump’s past actions, who he turns to for tech and economic advice, and what he’s said on the campaign trail, there’s a lot we know about how Microsoft will likely be affected by his upcoming four-year reign.

There’s so much, in fact, that it’s more than can be covered in one column. Here, I’ll look at how Trump’s likely plans for AI will affect the company. In Part 2, I’ll look at tariffs, antitrust and climate change issues, and how Trump’s actions often are based more on personal grievances than policy.

Here’s how the president-elect’s likely AI plans could help or hurt the company.

Letting AI run free

Microsoft is the world leader in AI and has built generative AI (genAI) copilots into its entire product line. That was just the start. The company continues to invest billions and has bet its future on the technology. As genAI goes, so goes Microsoft. That means any actions Trump takes could dramatically affect Microsoft’s present and future.

Trump has said plenty about tech through the years, but surprisingly little about AI. Based on his big tech backers, general outlook on technology, and the few things he’s said about it, we can get some sense of what he’ll do.

One of his biggest tech boosters is venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, who is opposed to any regulation of AI, and believes AI development should be absolutely unfettered. Elon Musk wields even more influence with Trump than Andreessen, though, and has become his most trusted tech adviser. Musk is generally against any government regulation over tech, but when it comes to AI, he’s a bit more nuanced.

Musk has often spoken about his fears that unchecked AI could lead to the destruction of the human race. He also supported a California bill that would have required AI to undergo safety testing before being deployed. As he wrote on X: ‘For over 20 years, I have been an advocate for AI regulation, just as we regulate any product/technology that is a potential risk to the public.”

The bill was passed by the California legislature, but Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed it.

That makes it sound as if Musk is all in on regulation. But that’s not really the case. His primary worry is that AI might eventually represent an existential threat to mankind — and that’s all he wants to regulate. He’s against regulations around existing real-world issues such as intellectual property theft, or AI’s use to violate civil rights, its role in misinformation, privacy violations, its effect on jobs and more.

What this all means is that it’s unlikely AI will face much regulation under Trump. The first thing he’ll probably do is rescind Biden’s well-thought-out AI executive order that addresses everything from safety and security measures to issues related to bias and civil rights, and oversight over how genAI is produced. Because it was only an executive order, it didn’t carry the full force of law. But it did have some effect. And it was an ideal roadmap for how Congress could act on AI regulation if it wanted to.

Samuel Hammond, a senior economist at the Foundation for American Innovation, was blunt about what would happen to that order. He told Vox, “There will likely be a day one repeal of the Biden executive order on AI.”

Trump will also almost certainly want to boost AI to make sure the US leads China in it. He told the right-wing influencer Logan Paul in an interview, “We have to be at the forefront [of AI]. It’s going to happen. And if it’s going to happen, we have to take the lead over China.”

Finally, in July The Washington Post reported that Trump’s tech boosters “are drafting a sweeping AI executive order that would launch a series of ‘Manhattan Projects’ to develop military technology and immediately review ‘unnecessary and burdensome regulations.’

How this affects Microsoft

What does all this mean for Microsoft? Under Trump it’s going to be full speed ahead on AI. Any regulations are likely to cover only the existential danger AI could pose to humanity, and not any of the many dangers it currently poses. That means the company will be free to develop AI in pretty much any way it wants.

There’s more good news for Microsoft than just being free of regulations. Because it is the world’s most powerful AI company, the Trump administration will almost certainly turn to Microsoft for help in its fight against China — and pay the company well for it. The Biden administration has already done so, much to Microsoft’s benefit. The administration brokered a deal in which Microsoft invested $1.5 billion in a powerful genAI company based in the United Arab Emirates, which then cut its ties to China and aligned with the US.

In addition, there will be direct government AI contracts. Expect Trump to pour billions into the military use of AI. Microsoft has had contracts with the US military for decades. In just the past few years, it’s gotten a $22 billion contract to provide the US Army with 120,000 AR headsets and billions for a Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) contract to establish what the company calls “an enterprise-level tactical cloud.”

A new generation of AI-related military contracts under Trump will fatten the company’s bottom line even more.

The Trump wild card

All this requires that Trump acts rationally, though, which rarely occurs. If Microsoft wants those government contracts and wants to be free from regulation, it’s going to have to be obsequious to Trump, praise him when necessary and stay away from even the slightest hint of criticism. It’s going to have to close its eyes to the worst of his actions and behavior. It’s also going to have to do the same with Musk, who is as mercurial and thin-skinned as Trump.

If Microsoft does all that, its profits will be sky high. As for what price in self-respect and its sense of itself as a moral company, only Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and those who work there know.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

4 ways to use your phone as a webcam on Windows

13 Listopad, 2024 - 12:00

Let’s be honest: Many Windows PCs don’t have great webcams. The webcam is often an afterthought where manufacturers cut costs when putting together laptops. And, if you have a desktop PC, you might not even have a webcam at all unless you go out and buy one.

But you almost certainly have multiple high-quality cameras built right into your smartphone of choice, whether you use an Android phone or an iPhone. And with the right bit of relatively simple setup, your smartphone’s high-end camera hardware can actually function as your PC’s webcam, too.

It might be just the secret to getting better video quality in your online meetings and other video calls — no extra expenses required.

Want to stay on top of the latest Windows PC features? My free Windows Intelligence newsletter delivers all the best Windows tips straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get free in-depth Windows Field Guides as a special welcome bonus!

Use an Android phone as a webcam on Windows 11 (wirelessly)

Up first: If you have an Android phone and a Windows 11 PC, Microsoft now offers a built-in way to turn your phone into a camera. It all happens wirelessly, so you don’t even need a USB cable. However, this does require Windows 11 — Microsoft didn’t add the new feature to Windows 10.

To set this up, open the Settings app on Windows 11, select “Bluetooth & devices,” and click “Mobile devices.” Activate the “Allow this PC to access your mobile devices” option if it isn’t already enabled. Then, click the “Manage devices” button.

From here, add your Android phone if it isn’t already connected to your PC. This will involve installing the Link to Windows app on your phone and signing in with the same Microsoft account you use on your PC.

Once everything is set up, ensure the “Use as a connected camera” option is activated.

If you have any trouble, try toggling the “Enabled” switch here to turn the connection off and back on again.

Chris Hoffman, IDG

Now, your Android phone will appear as a webcam in apps. (Want to test this? Try opening the “Camera” app built into Windows.)

When you select it as a webcam, you’ll see a notification on your Android phone. Tap it to allow the connection. You can then use the app on your phone or the floating panel on your PC to change settings.

You’ll see a floating window where you can switch between your phone’s front and back camera while using it as a camera.

Chris Hoffman, IDG

Turn a Pixel phone into a Windows webcam via USB

Do you have a Pixel phone? Google has a very convenient built-in way for your phone to function as a webcam — no extra apps necessary. Here’s what you’ll need:

A Pixel 6, Pixel 7, Pixel 8, Pixel 9, or newer phone.
A Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC.
A USB cable to connect your phone to your PC.

To get started with this, plug your phone into your Windows PC with a USB cable — as if you were going to do an Android file transfer between your phone and the PC. You’ll see an Android system notification talking about USB connection settings on your phone. Tap it and then tap “Webcam” under “Use USB for.”

Your Pixel phone will then appear as a webcam to your Windows PC. You can select it as you’d select any other webcam device in your video-conferencing application of choice.

Pixel phones can easily function as USB webcams.

Chris Hoffman, IDG

Set up DroidCam for iPhone or Android

You can turn to a third-party app that’ll allow your phone to double as a completely wireless Windows webcam. There are a variety of paid applications for this, but DroidCam stands out from the pack.

Despite the name, this app works with both Android phones and iPhones! And it’s completely free at standard resolution. (You can get a “Pro” upgrade for a one-time $15 payment to enable higher-resolution video streaming.) And there’s also a watermark unless you pay the fee. But the price is still a bargain compared to competing applications that charge higher prices or even ongoing subscription fees. As a useful professional tool, it’s very reasonable.

To set up DroidCam, you’ll need to install the DroidCam app on your phone — get it from Google Play for Android or the App Store for iPhone. Then install the DroidCam client app on your Windows PC. Launch the client app from the Start menu after it’s installed and follow the instructions to link the phone and PC apps.

Here’s another option: Reincubate Camo has a lot of good reviews, but you’re looking at a $50 per year subscription for all the features rather than a one-time $15 payment.

DroidCam works with both iPhones and Android phones — as long as you have a Windows PC or Linux system.

Chris Hoffman, IDG

Try a phone manufacturer-specific Android app

While Android phones from other manufacturers may not offer the convenient webcam-over-USB feature Google offers on its Pixel phones, they sometimes do have their own solutions.

Samsung, for example, offers a “camera sharing” feature for Galaxy phones — but it only works with specific laptops also made by Samsung. According to Samsung’s website, you can only use the Galaxy camera sharing feature if you have a Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 Windows laptop from Samsung.

If you have a Motorola phone, it might support Motorola’s “Smart Connect” platform. If so, you can install Lenovo’s Smart Connect app (Lenovo owns Motorola) and use it to position your Motorola phone as a webcam from your PC.

Overall, you’re generally better off going with the more broadly applicable solutions, such as the ones I mentioned. But if your phone has a built-in option provided by the manufacturer and it works with your PC hardware — which might be a tall order, as we see with the Galaxy phone example — it could be worth considering.

Who needs Apple’s Continuity Camera?

Of course, if you’re using an iPhone and a Mac, you can use Apple’s Continuity Camera instead. But Windows users have a lot of great options here, and the integrated solutions work well — especially with Android devices.

Oh, and there’s one more simple solution worth noting: If you want to use your phone as a webcam in a video meeting with a service like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet, you could also just join the meeting directly from your phone. Your phone would function as your webcam. Then, you could participate in the meeting from your phone, without even involving your computer.

While you don’t get the full-screen video-meeting experience in that scenario, it can work well for a quick call and is a great option to turn to in a pinch.

Want to make the most of your PC? My free Windows Intelligence newsletter delivers all the best Windows tips straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get free copies of Paul Thurrott’s Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (a $10 value) just for subscribing.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

OpenAI’s SimpleQA tool for discerning genAI accuracy — right message, wrong messenger

13 Listopad, 2024 - 12:00

In the ongoing and potentially futile effort by CIOs to squeeze meaningful ROI out of their shiny, new generative AI (genAI) tools, there is no more powerful villain than hallucinations. It is what causes everyone to seriously wonder whether the analysis genAI delivers is valid and usable.

From that perspective, I applaud OpenAI for trying to create a test to determine objective accuracy for genAI tools. But that effort — called SimpleQA — fails enterprise tech decision-makers in two ways. First, OpenAI is the last business any CIO would trust to determine the accuracy of the algorithms it is selling. Would you trust an app that determines the best place to shop from Walmart, Target or Amazon — or perhaps a car evaluation tool from Toyota or GM?

The second problem is that SimpleQA focuses on, well, simple stuff. It looks at objective and simple questions that ostensibly have only one correct answer. More to the point, the answer to those questions is easily determined and verified.

That is just not how most enterprises want to use genAI technology. Eli Lilly and Pfizer want it to find new drug combinations to cure diseases. (Sorry, that should be “treat.” Treat makes companies money forever. Cure’s revenue is large, but ends far too quickly.) Yes, it would test those treatments afterwards, but that is a lot of wasted effort if genAI is wrong. Costco and Walgreens want to use it to find the most profitable places to build new stores. Boeing wants it to come up with more efficient ways to build aircraft.

Let’s delve into what OpenAI created. For starters, here’s OpenAI’s document. I’ll put the company’s comments into a better context.

“An open problem in artificial intelligence is how to train models that produce responses that are factually correct.” Translation: We figured it would be nice to have it give a correct answer every now and then.

“Language models that generate more accurate responses with fewer hallucinations are more trustworthy and can be used in a broader range of applications.” Translation: Call us hippies, if you must, but we brainstormed and concluded that our revenue could be improved if our product actually worked.

Those flippant comments aside, I want to acknowledge that OpenAI makes a good faith effort here to come up with a basic way to evaluate precision where concrete answers can be ascertained. Setting aside how valuable that is in an enterprise setting, it’s a good start.

But instead of creating the test itself, it would have been far more credible if it funded a trusted third-party consulting or analyst firm to do the work, with a firm hands-off policy so IT could trust that the testing was not biased in favor of OpenAI’s offerings.

Still, something is better than nothing, so let’s look at what OpenAI said.

“SimpleQA is a simple, targeted evaluation for whether models ‘know what they know’ (and give) responses (that) are easy to grade because questions are created such that there exists only a single, indisputable answer. Each answer in SimpleQA is graded as either correct, incorrect, or not attempted. A model with ideal behavior would get as many questions correct as possible while not attempting the questions for which it is not confident it knows the correct answer.”

If you think through why this approach works — orseems like it would work — it becomes clear why it might not be helpful. This approach suffers from a critical flawed assumption. If the model can accurately answer these questions, then that tells us that it will likely be able to answer other questions with the same accuracy.

That might work with a calculator, but the nature of genAI hallucinations makes that assumption flawed. GenAI can easily get 10,000 questions correct and it might then wildly hallucinate for the next 50.

The nature of hallucinations is that they tend to happen randomly with zero predictability. That is why spot-checking, which is pretty much what SimpleQA is trying to do, won’t work here.

To be more specific, it wouldn’t be meaningful if genAI tools were to get all of the SimpleQA answers right. But the reverse isn’t true. If the tested model gets all or most of the SimpleQA answers wrong, that does tell IT quite a bit. From the technology’s perspective, the test seems unfair. If it gets an A, it will be ignored. If it gets an F, it will be believed. As the computer said in WarGames (a great movie to watch to see what a genAI system might do at the Pentagon), “The only winning move is not to play.”

OpenAI pretty much concedes this in the report: “In this work, we will sidestep the open-endedness of language models by considering only short, fact-seeking questions with a single answer. This reduction of scope is important because it makes measuring factuality much more tractable, albeit at the cost of leaving open research questions such as whether improved behavior on short-form factuality generalizes to long-form factuality.”

Later in the report, OpenAI elaborates: “A main limitation with SimpleQA is that while it is accurate, it only measures factuality under the constrained setting of short, fact-seeking queries with a single, verifiable answer. Whether the ability to provide factual short answers correlates with the ability to write lengthy responses filled with numerous facts remains an open research question.”

Here are the specifics: SimpleQA consists of 4,326 “short, fact-seeking questions.”

Another component of the SimpleQA test is that the question-writer bears much of the responsibility, rather than the answer-writer. “One part of this criterion is that the question must specify the scope of the answer. For example, instead of asking ‘Where did Barack and Michelle Obama meet’ which could have multiple answers such as ‘Chicago’ or ‘the law firm Sidley & Austin,’ questions had to specify ‘which city’ or ‘which company.’ Another common example is that instead of asking simply ‘when,’ questions had to ask ‘what year’ or ‘what date.’”

That nicely articulates why this won’t likely be of use in the real world. Enterprise users are going to ask questions in an imprecise way. They have been sold on the promise of “just use natural language” and the system will figure out what you really mean through context. This test sidesteps that issue entirely.

So, how can the results be meaningful or reliable?

The very nature of hallucinations belies any way to quantify them. If they were predictable, IT could simply program their tools to ignore every 75th response. But it’s not. Until someone figures out how to truly eliminate hallucinations, the lack of reliable answers will stay with us.

Kategorie: Hacking & Security

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