Windows 10 Redstone: A guide to the Insider Preview builds

Microsoft never sleeps. Even before the Windows 10 November 2019 Update (version 1909) started to roll out, the company began working on upcoming feature updates to Windows 10.

As it did with version 1909, 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 for upcoming releases, Microsoft switched to a new format with version 1903, released in May 2019. The code names now 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 1909, which was released in November 2019, was code-named “19H2” (for second half of 2019). The next feature update, due in the spring of 2020, is code-named 20H1.

In December 2019, Microsoft also changed how its Insider rings work: Now the Fast ring is where new features are introduced for testing, regardless of which Windows 10 release they’ll eventually end up in. The Slow ring is where you’ll get more polished features that will be deployed in the next Windows 10 feature update; at the moment that’s Windows 10 20H1. And the Release Preview ring usually doesn’t see action until shortly before a new feature update is rolled out; it’s meant for final testing of an upcoming release.

Below you’ll find information about preview builds that have been released to the Fast ring, followed by preview builds specifically for 20H1. For each build, we’ve included the date of its release, which Insider 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 November 2019 Update (version 1909, code-named 19H2) 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 the Fast ring

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 20H1

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.172

Release date: March 26, 2020

Released to: Slow ring

This build fixes a single issue that prevented the Windows logo key + J keyboard shortcut from giving focus to certain Windows tips.

There is one known issue in this build, in which Narrator and NVDA users who seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.172.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.153

Release date: March 13, 2020

Released to: Slow ring

This Cumulative Update includes a variety of minor bug fixes and fixes security holes throughout Windows. Among the issues fixed are one that can cause Microsoft browsers to bypass proxy servers and another that might prevent ActiveX content from loading.

The build includes security updates for Windows Server, the Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Graphics, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Media, Windows Silicon Platform, Microsoft Edge, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Authentication, Windows Cryptography, Windows Kernel, Windows Core Networking, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Peripherals, Windows Network Security and Containers, and Windows Update Stack. For details, see the March 2020 Security Updates Release Notes.

There is one known issue in this build, in which Narrator and NVDA users that seek the latest release of Microsoft Edge based on Chromium may experience some difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.153.)

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.113

Release date: February 27, 2020

Released to: Slow ring

This build has a variety of minor updates and bug fixes, including fixing an issue that prevented some users from signing out because the user session stops responding, and another issue that caused some systems to stop responding at sign-in because several background services were being hosted in the same service host process.

(Get more info about Insider Preview Build 19041.113.)

On February 26, Microsoft released Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.84, detailed below, to Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). The build includes all updated features, fixes, and security updates previously announced for 20H1 and is designed to help organizations prepare for releasing Windows 10 version 2004 in their organizations. See below for more information on Build 19041.84.

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19041.84

Release date: February 11, 2020

Released to: Slow ring

This cumulative update includes security updates for Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Media, Windows Shell, the Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Management, Windows Virtualization, Windows Peripherals, Windows Network Security and Containers, Windows Storage and Filesystems, and Windows Server. For details, see the February 2020 Security Updates Release Notes.

The build also fixes an issue an issue in which in certain cases, after Windows runs a scheduled task during a maintenance window, a PC may get into an unbootable state after installing Build 19041.21.

There is one known issue in this build, in which Narrator and NVDA users that use the Chromium version Microsoft Edge may experience difficulty when navigating and reading certain web content.

(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.)