Microsoft

Screenshots: What's new in the latest build of Windows 10

By // May 22, 2015, 3:40 AM PST // nickjheath

Image 1 of 6

  • As Windows 10 rolls nearer to its expected Summer release date, Microsoft continues to refine the OS.

    This week saw the release of Build 10122, and with it the arrival of new design features, tweaks to the new Microsoft Edge browser and the OS's adaptive Continuum interface.

    Here are the major changes to look out for.

    Reorganised Start screen

    The layout of the Start screen has been swapped around to create "better symmetry", with File Explorer and Settings moved to the bottom left of the menu next to Power and All Apps.

    The ability to toggle between Start menu and the display-filling Start screen has been moved to the new Start settings page under Personalization settings, as Microsoft felt most users will make this switch only once.

  • Refinements to Tablet mode

    When Tablet mode is selected the left-hand pane is now collapsed and can be brought back out by clicking the icon in the top left.

    The Start menu now also has larger tiles, so as to better use the available space, similar to the look in Windows 8.1.

    Another change is that both Classic Windows apps and Universal Windows apps will no longer show messages asking users if they want to change their default program for opening a specific file type or protocol. The change is aimed at ending the annoyance of frequent messages that pop up asking you to change your default photo editor every time you open a JPG with a new piece of software.

  • New tabs page in the Microsoft Edge browser

    Microsoft's Edge browser, also known as Project Spartan, gets a New Tab page with a different layout to in Internet Explorer. The page includes top sites, featured apps and content from MSN. The layout can be customised in Settings.

    It's appearance is subject to change, as Microsoft is testing different versions of the page and gathering feedback.

  • InPrivate mode

    The Edge browser also gains an InPrivate mode that, as with similar features in rival browsers, will delete the cache and not retain any browsing history after the window is closed.

  • Pin to start

    Websites can also be pinned to the Start menu by going into the menu in the Edge browser, selecting 'Tools' and then 'Pin site to Start'. Here you can see TechRepublic pinned in the top left of the menu.

    Other additions to the browser include a new history view, an animated Reading View icon and an audio indicator on tabs that have web pages making sound or playing music.

    The latest browser build also improves the Chakra JavaScript engine, changes that allow Micrsoft Edge to beat other major browsers, apart from Chrome, in JavaScript benchmarks.

  • New look for the Insider Hub

    Windows 10's Insider Hub has also been revamped, with a new homepage for Quests, the ability to see your profile page at a glance and announcements and alerts arranged more succinctly.

As Windows 10 rolls nearer to its expected Summer release date, Microsoft continues to refine the OS.

This week saw the release of Build 10122, and with it the arrival of new design features, tweaks to the new Microsoft Edge browser and the OS's adaptive Continuum interface.

Here are the major changes to look out for.

Reorganised Start screen

The layout of the Start screen has been swapped around to create "better symmetry", with File Explorer and Settings moved to the bottom left of the menu next to Power and All Apps.

The ability to toggle between Start menu and the display-filling Start screen has been moved to the new Start settings page under Personalization settings, as Microsoft felt most users will make this switch only once.

Related Topics:

Microsoft Enterprise Software Software Collaboration Mobility Cloud Hardware

By Nick Heath

Nick Heath is chief reporter for TechRepublic. He writes about the technology that IT decision makers need to know about, and the latest happenings in the European tech scene.