On March 4th, Microsoft began the rollout of Windows 10 build 14279 to the Fast Ring of updates. The new preview is the number eight the software maker is releasing as part of the Redstone update, which we’re expecting to roll in two waves, with the first update arriving in June and the second update landing in Spring 2017.
Windows 10 build 14279 is a significant preview as the company notes that Cortana is getting some great features, including support to more languages and new reminders capabilities. Microsoft is also updating the logon experience, and updating its Sway and Xbox app (beta).
As always, the preview comes with a number of fixes and known issues customers should be aware before installing.
What’s new in Windows 10 build 14279
Cortana
On build 14279, Microsoft is adding support for more languages, including Spanish (Mexico), and Portuguese (Brazil) or French (Canada). Microsoft explains that “for each new market and language, the Cortana Team works to develop a custom experience that is relevant in each individual market and language.”
Cortana now becomes a real assistant. In the new Redstone preview, Microsoft is introducing a new reminder feature for thoughts you want to remember later but don’t have the time to sit and write down.
For example, starting with build 14279, you can say things like “remind me to read [insert book name]” or a to-do item without a due date, such as “remind me to wash the car”. “You have the option to set specific details like location, time, and people at a later time so that Cortana will surface it when its most relevant. […] In future builds Cortana will be able to retrieve these upon request, just like a real personal assistant would.”
Logon experience
Windows 10 build 14279 brings a new logon experience. In the past, users needed to go through two different backgrounds (Lock screen and logon screen). Microsoft is now merging the experience to show only the Lock screen background on both screens. The new improvement will look familiar as it’s very similar to the Lock screen experience on Windows 10 Mobile.
Microsoft also says that it will brings more features for users using Spotlight. Additionally, the company notes that it’s working on some additional tweaks to make the transition between the Lock and logo screen much smoother.
Other Windows 10 changes
The preview also includes performance and candidate improvements in Japanese IME. Sway integration comes to the Photo app — you only need to click the “Tell your story with Sway” button to try it –. And there is a new updated version of the Xbox app (beta) for Windows 10 that brings few features, including a Gamerscore Leaderboard and an updated ‘Featured’ section.
Here’s what fixed on Windows 10 build 14279 for PC
- Fixed an issue where Microsoft Edge and Cortana were crashing for users with roaming profiles.
- Fixed an issue where Cortana would continue to show reminders that have been completed.
- Fixed an issue where items copied/moved to the desktop would not display until the desktop is manually refreshed by right-clicking on the desktop and choosing “Refresh” or pressing F5.
- Fixed an issue where downloading certain drivers from Windows Update was causing some PCs to bluescreen.
Here are the known issues for Windows 10 build 14279 for PC
As always, because the new build is releasing to the Fast ring of updates, it contains more bugs and less workaround. For build 14279, Microsoft is publishing four known issues users should consider before installing.
- Microsoft is investigating an issue in which some Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 4, and Surface Book devices experience a freeze or hang, and all input, such as keyboard/trackpad and touch, do not work. The workaround is to hold down the power button to force the device to hard reboot.
- The company continues to track several issues reported by insiders, such as some PCs freezing or bluescreening when resuming hibernation. Disabling hibernation is a workaround in some cases until this is fixed.
- If you have Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Internet Security, or the Kaspersky Total Security Suite installed on your PC there is a known driver bug that prevents these programs from working as expected in builds from the Development Branch. Microsoft is working with Kaspersky to fix the issue, but unfortunately, there are no known workarounds.
- Turning on the “always show all icons in the notification area” setting disrupts the layout of the notification area (“systray”). Your notification area will look out of alignment.
- Microsoft is also trying to fix crashes with apps such as QQ crashing due to an operating system reliability issue. This bug is also impacting older apps such as Windows Live Mail and Expression Encoder 4.
Windows 10 Insider Preview build 14279 is available immediately through the Fast Ring via Windows Update. The new build will install automatically, but you can always force it manually by going to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update and clicking the Check for updates button.
Source Windows Blog
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].