14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has released a new preview build of Windows 10 20H1 to users in the Fast ring, and the changelog includes several notable improvements.
First and foremost, the second-generation Windows Subsystem for Linux is getting support for ARM64 devices, which is truly good news especially as Microsoft is expanding at full speed in this direction.
And this isn’t all for WSL2. This new build also updates the Linux kernel to 4.19.67 and introduces a new option to allow unprivileged users to view kernel log. Support for battery and AC adapter passthrough has also been added.
“We’ve also added the ability to set your distribution’s default user using the /etc/wsl.conf file. This release also contains multiple bug fixes, including a long-standing issue for legacy Windows symlinks (for example those in the user profile directory),” Dona Sarkar, chief of the Windows Insider program, said.
Cortana fine-tuning
Windows 10 build 18980 also brings more changes for Cortana, as the digital assistant evolves to being offered as a separate app in Windows 10.
“In a future Cortana app update, customers will have the option to use Cortana if they speak a supported language, regardless of their OS display language. The new Cortana app currently supports English (United States)—because Cortana is service backed, we can and will continue to add new languages over the coming months outside the bounds of OS build updates,” Dona Sarkar noted.
Refinements to the Optional Features screen are also part of this release, including options to select multiple entries, search for optional features, and under-the-hood optimizations.
Other general changes and improvements, but also several known issues, are all details in the changelog embedded below.
Fast ring insiders can download the build right now from Windows Update on their devices enrolled in the Windows Insider program.