14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has released a new Windows 10 preview build for insiders in the Fast and Skip Ahead rings, and the number of improvements this time is impressive, to say the least.
Windows 10 build 17704 comes with lots of goodies for Microsoft Edge browser, including a new beta icon that would be displayed as part of the Insider program. This is supposed to help differentiate between officially released versions of Edge and preview builds, Microsoft says.
Fluent Design is further improved in Microsoft Edge, and so is a redesigned settings menu, with options grouped in a more straightforward way. Users can also customize toolbar items, just like in other browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, and they can block auto-playing media on websites.
Microsoft also introduces new Diagnostic Data Viewer features as part of the company’s commitment to improving privacy in Windows 10. The application now lets users directly view Problem Reports, which according to Microsoft “help us identify crashes and other disruptions on your device.”
Known bugs and performance improvements
This build also introduces an improved video playback experience, with brightness adjusted automatically depending on the ambient light. Microsoft says this could help see your videos better outside, though it’s worth mentioning that this feature uses a light sensor on your device.
Windows 10 build 17704 also refined Task Manager, with two new columns in the Processes tab showing power usage and power usage trend, while the Snipping Tool is getting a notification that encourages users to try out Screen Ketch, the new snipping experience in the operating system.
The company has tweaked the post-update experience with new options that let you skip setup questions and get straight to the desktop if you no longer want to configure the OS from scratch.
As with every new build, there are tons of general changes and improvements, and you can check them out in full in the box after the jump. Also, make sure you have a look at the known issues, as there are many bugs that could impact your experience with this build.