Microsoft never sleeps. Even before the Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903) started to roll out, the company began working on upcoming feature updates to Windows 10. As it did with version 1903, Microsoft has been releasing a series of public preview builds to members of Microsoft’s Windows Insider Program.
After years of using “Redstone” in its code names, Microsoft switched to a new format with the May 2019 Update. The new code names use a YYH1/YYH2 format, with the YY standing for the last two numbers of the year and H1 or H2 referring to the first or second half of the year. So Windows 10 version 1903, which was released in May 2019, was code-named “19H1” (for first half of 2019) rather than “Redstone 6.” The next feature update, due in the fall of this year, is code-named “19H2,” and the feature update that’s coming in the spring of 2020 is code-named 20H1.
To complicate matters, Microsoft earlier this year began releasing a number of early builds for Windows 10 20H1 before it released any 19H2 builds, first to its “Skip Ahead” Insiders, and subsequently to Insiders in the Fast ring. Then in July it began releasing 19H2 previews to Insiders in the Slow ring. From what we can tell, the company will continue to release 19H2 builds to the Slow ring and 20H1 builds to the Fast ring. (See “How to choose the right Windows 10 release channel” for an explanation of the rings and other Insider release options.)
What follows is a list of every preview build of Windows 10 19H2 and 20H1 that has been rolled out to Windows Insiders, starting with the most recent. For each build, we’ve included the date of its release, which ring it was released to, a summary of what’s in the build and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it.
After that you’ll find summaries of all the preview builds that led up to prior feature updates, from the Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903, code-named 19H1) on back to the Windows 10 Creators Update (version 1703, code-named Redstone 2).
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.”
Preview builds for Windows 10 19H2 and 20H1
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 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 Build 18965 for 20H1
Release date: August 21, 2019
Released to: Fast ring
This minor build lets you control which apps will be automatically restarted every time you sign into Windows 10. There are also a handful of bug fixes, including for one in which the taskbar sometimes unexpectedly hid when you launched the touch keyboard, and another that caused background tasks to stop working in certain apps.
There are several known issues in this build, including one in which some Realtek SD card readers are not functioning properly, and another in which text on Devices pages in Settings for “Bluetooth and Other Devices” and “Printers and Scanners” isn’t rendering correctly.
(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18965.)
Windows 10 Insider Preview 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.)
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 May 2018 Update (19H1, version 1903)
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18362
Release date: March 20, 2019
This minor build has a single fix, for an issue in which the Connect app crashed on launch for some Insiders.
There are fewer than a half-dozen known issues in this build, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which Creative X-Fi sound cards do not work properly.
(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18362.)
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18358
Release date: March 15, 2019
This minor build has only minor fixes. Among the bugs fixed are one in which Game Mode degraded game streaming and recording quality, and another in which some Insiders had green screens with the error KERNEL_SECURITY_VIOLATION.
There are fewer than a half-dozen known issues in this build, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which Creative X-Fi sound cards do not work properly.
Separate from this build, Microsoft also is releasing Windows Defender Application Guard extensions for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Get the Google Chrome extension here, and the Mozilla Firefox extension here.
(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18358.)
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18356
Release date: March 12, 2019
This minor build adds a new feature to Windows 10’s Your Phone app: the ability to mirror your Android phone’s screen directly to your PC. You’ll get access to your phone apps from your PC, such as for getting rides, checking social updates and so on. Note that it may take a few days for every Insider to get this feature.
There are also a variety of minor fixes and small improvements. Among the fixes is for a bug in which Microsoft Edge crashed when interacting with combo boxes in PDF forms, and another in which using the slider to adjust the night light strength could result in the night light getting stuck on.
There are fewer than a half-dozen known issues in this build, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which Creative X-Fi sound cards do not work properly.
(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18356.)
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18353
Release date: March 8, 2019
This minor build includes only small fixes and improvements. One fix is for an issue in which bug checks were launched when a laptop lid was closed or a monitor was plugged into a PC or unplugged from it. The small improvements are all related to Windows Sandbox, including one that turns on the Ctrl + Alt + Break key sequence in Windows Sandbox to allow a PC to enter or exit full-screen mode.
There are fewer than a half-dozen known issues in this build, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which Creative X-Fi sound cards do not work properly.
(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18353.)
Windows Insider Preview Build 18348
Release date: March 1, 2019
This minor build has only one new feature, a first look at Emoji 12.0 emoji. Press WIN+(period) or WIN+(semicolon), all and you’ll be able to search keywords to find the emoji you want. Keywords include otter, sloth, waffle, ballet shoes and many other.
In addition, there are a variety of fixes, including for a bug in which in Microsoft Edge sometimes crashed when users edited or tabbed through PDFs, and another in which if high contrast mode was enabled during Windows setup, that state wouldn’t persist after the first logon.
There are fewer than a dozen known issues in this build, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which the mouse pointer color might be incorrectly switched to white after signing out and signing back in.
(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18348.)
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18346
Release date: February 26, 2019
This extremely minor build offers only small fixes, including one for a bug in which the Bluetooth hands-free audio driver would hang and another in which the taskbar search box text became a black background.
There are fewer than a dozen known issues in this build, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which navigating to the Narrator settings in Windows Sandbox crashes the Settings app.
(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18346.)
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18343
Release date: February 22, 2019
This extremely minor build has only one notable feature: It allows PCs with Intel64 Family 6 Model 142 and Intel64 Family 6 Model 158 processors to get insider builds. PCs with those processors could not download the previous build, 18342.
The build also fixes an issue that required an additional reboot when performing Reset this PC and selecting Keep my files on a device that has Reserved Storage enabled.
There are fewer than a dozen known issues in this build, including one in which in which if you try to navigate to the Narrator settings In Windows Sandbox, the Settings app crashes.
(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 18343.)
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18342
Release date: February 20, 2019
This build fixes a variety of bugs in Windows gaming technology and offers fixes and workarounds for the game State of Decay. In addition, the build also lets people access Linux files in a WSL distro from Windows. The files can be accessed through the command line. Windows apps including File Explorer, VSCode and others can also interact with the Linux files.
The build includes an assortment of fixes and small changes, including fixing an issue in which Windows Sandbox would not start on localized builds, and another in which right-clicking the desktop would bring up a light-colored context menu in dark theme.
The build has fewer than a dozen known issues, including one in which launching games that use anti-cheat software may trigger a bug check (GSOD), and another in which if you try to navigate to the Narrator settings in Windows Sandbox, the Settings app crashes.
Microsoft also says that the features for what it calls inbox apps — the Windows 10 apps that ship with the next Windows 10 upgrade — are now set and will not change any further. So you may notice some differences in those apps compared to previous versions, notably that some features have disappeared.
Note that PCs with certain processor model numbers (Intel64 Family 6 Model 142 and Intel64 Family 6 Model 158) will not receive this build because of an issue with Connected Standby. To check the model number of your processor, take the following steps:
- 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.)