Well, it’s a bit later than usual, but Microsoft accidentally on purpose released Windows 10 Insider Preview build 14342. Apparently a button was partially pressed that shouldn’t have been, and rather than try the impossible and pull the build back, King of the Big Red Button Gabe Aul decided to go ahead and push the button all the way down.
Here’s what’s new in build 14342:
Updates for Extensions in Microsoft Edge
First, all of the available Edge extensions can now be installed from the Windows Store. No more sideloading, but you’ll have to reinstall from the Store because your currently installed extensions will be removed.
Next there are some new ones to check out. Microsoft specifically makes note of AdBlock and Adblock Plus, which we’ve already reported on. That gives us Pin It Button, Mouse Gestures, Reddit Enhancement Suite, Microsoft Translator, and OneNote Web Clipper to go along with them as the officially available extensions.
Microsoft does want you to know about a specific bug in this build:
Important note: There is a bug in this build that occurs if you turn off all extensions without uninstalling them, you may not be able to close the browser or get context menus to work. To avoid this issue, uninstall any extensions you no longer want to use instead of turning them off. If you do hit this issue, to get out of this state you will need to turn on one or more extensions or uninstall all extensions, kill any Microsoft Edge processes running in Task Manager, and restart Microsoft Edge.
Real-time web notifications in Microsoft Edge
Just as it sounds, Edge will now provide real-time web notifications that will be accessible to websites and published in the Action Center–with permission, of course.
Swipe navigation in Microsoft Edge
As we reported on previously, the much-requested swipe gestures from the Windows 8.X version of mobile Internet Explorer have made their way to Edge.
Bash on Ubuntu on Windows improvements
- Symlinks within the Windows Subsystem for Linux are now functional on the mounted Windows directories. This fix helps support many scenarios including the npm installer.
- Users with non-Latin Windows usernames are now able to install Bash on Ubuntu on Windows.
- Many more improvements can be found in the WSL release notes here!
Skype UWP Preview Update
The Skype UWP Preview app has been updated with a dark theme and the ability to switch between Skype accounts. A mobile release is upcoming in the “next few weeks.”
Updated Windows Ink Workspace icon
The Windows Ink icon has been updated, with a “more expressive ink stroke” and more consistency with other notification area icons. The new icon sizes better as well.
Updated visuals for User Account Control dialog
The UAC dialog also now has its own dark mode. The header is blue instead of yellow.
Middle-click for dismiss in Action Center
You can now dismiss a individual notifications with a middle button click. An app’s name can be middle-clicked to dismiss all of its notifications.
Apps for websites
The ability to redirect websites to apps is coming soon. No apps support it, but a new page has been added at Settings > System > Apps to support the feature.
Feedback Hub improvements
You’ll get suggested categories and subcategories based on title and description when you create feedback. That should make it a bit more efficient in sending your feedback along.
That’s it, folks. Nothing major to report, but you’ll want to check out what’s fixed and the known issues to make sure this build is for you. Hit that update button, then let us know in the comments what you think of build 14342.
