windows insider
Latest
Microsoft’s AI-infused sidebar rolls out to Windows 11 beta testers
Microsoft is rolling out Windows Copilot in preview today. Windows 11 Insiders in the Beta Channel can install a preview build that offers the first semi-public availability for the AI-infused sidebar announced at Build 2023. “This first preview focuses on our integrated UI experience, with additional functionality coming down the road in future previews,” the company wrote in a blog post today.
Microsoft is testing a few ways to improve Windows 11's Start menu
Microsoft isn't ready to backtrack on Windows 11's major design changes yet, but at least it's testing out a few new ways to customize the OS.
Microsoft: Timeline is staying in Windows 10, but without free syncing
Timeline was the "star" of Microsoft's big 2018 update for Windows 10 and while it will still remember everything you did, it just won't save that information to the cloud anymore.
Windows on ARM can finally emulate x64 apps in latest preview
Microsoft has enabled x64 emulation on ARM in a new Windows 10 Insider preview, significantly expanding the rane of apps you can run.
Microsoft simplifies its Windows Insider testing program
Windows Insiders can now choose between Channels instead of rings.
Windows 10 preview brings Android phone calls to your PC
Windows 10's Your Phone calling support is finally here, provided you're willing to live life on the edge. Microsoft has released a Windows 10 Insider Preview for Fast ring testers that adds the ability to take and start calls from your PC. You'll need a handset running at least Android 7.0 Nougat or later (it doesn't have to be from Samsung), the Your Phone Android app as well as a PC with Bluetooth support, but after that it's simple. You can initiate a call through your contacts or an in-app dialer. If you'd rather not accept an incoming call, you can respond with a text or send the caller straight to voicemail.
Standalone Cortana app available to Windows Insiders
Microsoft has been distancing Cortana from Windows for months. First, it split the virtual assistant from search in Windows 10. Then, a beta version of a standalone Cortana app appeared on the Windows Store. And starting today, Windows 10 Insiders are able to test the new Cortana app beta in Windows.
Microsoft leak suggests hideous Windows Start menu could be coming
Today, Microsoft leaked what could be a new Windows Start menu. The company accidentally shared a Windows 10 internal build (18947) with its Insider Program, Windows Central reports. The most striking change is a completely redesigned Start menu that swaps live tiles for a grid of app icons.
Windows 10 preview links bugs you find to existing feedback
Microsoft is trying to make it easier for users to report bugs. The company has released a Windows 10 Insider Preview with an updated Feedback Hub that lets users find similar complaints. If you've stumbled upon a problem in a pre-release build, you're likely not alone. Instead of writing a completely new piece of feedback from scratch, users can easily link to an existing complaint under "Find Similar Feedback" in the Feedback Hub.
Windows 10 will get a built-in Linux kernel this summer
The suddenly-cozy relationship between Linux and Windows is taking another step forward, as Microsoft announced in a blog post that it's going to ship a full Linux kernel in Windows 10. It will arrive first with Insider preview builds by the end of June, underpinning the new Windows Subsystem for Linux 2. The first release will be based on version 4.19, the latest stable Linux release, and will keep up with each stable release going forward. According to Microsoft this isn't its first release of a Linux kernel -- that came last year on Azure Sphere -- but it is the first time on Windows. By making this switch as a "drop-in replacement" for the current emulator, it should speed up performance significantly, with faster bootup and more efficient use of memory. Users can interface with it either by installing a distribution from the Microsoft Store or sideloading. Also, the kernel itself will be open source, with instructions available to create your own, and Microsoft has pledged to contribute changes it makes open for others to use. All of this news also came after Microsoft earlier announced a new version of its Windows Terminal command line app.
Windows preview brings Android notifications to your PC
Microsoft has fulfilled one of the larger promises behind its Your Phone software -- if you're willing to experiment a bit. The developer has released a Windows Insider Preview that displays Android notifications on your PC. If you allow apps to display alerts, you can find out about an important message or status update without reaching for your handset. You can clear notifications one at a time or all at once, and anything you dismiss on your PC will be reflected on your phone.
