Microsoft has officially begun the Windows 10 Anniversary Update Bug Bash

Michael Cottuli

Windows 10 Sign Logo NYC

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update is being worked on fervently at Microsoft, and with all of the features it’s going to be giving to Windows 10 users, the company is struggling to find bugs at the right pace. It’s this problem that is inspiring the initiation of the Bug Bash program: an open sourced bug-finding event that is letting Windows Insiders in on part of the “internal engineering culture at Microsoft.”

Starting today, Windows Insiders will have four days to dig into Insider Build 14332 and find every single bug that they can get their hands on, scrambling to the Feedback app so they can report their findings to the programmers and make sure that these features are shiny and new when they come out in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update this summer.

Unlike any normal beta test, the Bug Bash features “quests” that are going to be pointing Windows Insiders in the right direction as they go through the update, telling them some of the places that need the most testing. Beyond normal quests, they’re adding in a few different types. “Limited time quests” expire after 24 hours and must be grabbed quickly, and “advanced quests” require you to change a few things in your computer in order to perform them–these should only be done by people who more technically inclined and ready to troubleshoot as the need arises in case something goes wrong.

The team at Microsoft is thrilled to have people join in on the Bug Bash fun, with Gabe Aul reporting “big smiles and lots of excitement as people talk about how awesome it is to include Insiders as part of our activities.” Knowing the passion that Windows Insiders all have to help Microsoft create the best products possible, there’s no doubt that this is the beginning of a great tradition.