Microsoft never sleeps. Even before the Windows 10 Anniversary Update was rolled out, the company began work on the next two major updates to Windows 10, code-named Redstone 2 and Redstone 3. (Redstone 1 was the code name for the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.) Redstone 2 will likely be fully ready in the spring of 2017. It's not yet clear when Redstone 3 will be finished.
If you want to test drive the upcoming updates, you don't have to wait until their final releases. As it did with the Anniversary Update, Microsoft has been releasing public preview builds, each a little bit closer to the final version. The updates are being tested and delivered the same way that those for the Windows 10 Anniversary Update were -- first to members of Microsoft's Insider Program via a series of public preview builds and then, when they are final, via Windows Update.
We're making it easy for you to keep track of when builds are available. What follows is a list of every preview build of Redstone 2, starting with the most recent. When Redstone 2 is finished and Redstone 3 builds become available, we'll list those as well.
For each build, we've included the date of its release and a link to Microsoft's announcement about it.
(Note: This covers only previews for the PC version of Windows 10, not the phone version.)
We'll update this page as new builds are rolled out so you'll always be up to date.
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14926
Release date: September 14
This minor build adds a “Snooze” feature to Edge so that you can set Cortana reminders on pages you’re viewing. The Cortana reminder appears as a notification and in Action Center, which lets you open that site in Edge. This is helpful for people who keep tabs open as a way to remind them to do something on a site.
Insiders will appreciate another change: If you’ve uninstalled an app, that app won’t be reinstalled when you upgrade to the newest Preview build. So, for example, if you uninstall the Amazon Kindle app, it won’t be re-installed when you go to a new Preview build.
There are also a number of bug fixes in the build as well.
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14915
Release date: August 31
This minor build has only one new feature: It enables Windows Insiders to download their Insider preview builds, OS updates and app updates from other PCs on their network and from PCs on the internet. This should lead to faster downloads and updates. It needs the Windows Update Delivery Optimization feature to be turned on (it's turned on by default). If you want, you can turn off the feature entirely and just download your updates the usual way, straight from Microsoft.
There are also a variety of bug fixes -- for example, to make the power button on the Start menu work and to correct an issue that had turned off Cortana's text-to-speech capabilities.
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14901
Release date: August 11
This first public preview build of Redstone 2 included no new significant features; instead, it focused on Windows 10's plumbing. An announcement about the preview build on Microsoft's Insider Hub (accessible only to those who are running Windows 10) noted that in the first Redstone 2 build, "You won't see any big noticeable changes or new features just yet...we are focusing on making some structural improvements to OneCore."
OneCore, the announcement went on to note, "is the shared core of Windows across PC, tablet, phone, IoT, Hololens and Xbox. It is essentially the heart of Windows."
The announcement warned that the build might be buggy.
