Microsoft is releasing yet another Redstone 2 test update, and this time, we’re getting Windows 10 build 14951 for PC and Mobile devices enrolled in the Fast ring. The update doesn’t bring significant visual changes, but Insiders will see improvements around Windows Ink, camera, and Windows Subsystem for Linux, among other changes.
Windows 10 build 14951, according to the software giant, includes an updated Windows Ink experience with new pen settings, new protractor and compass, and now you can also add ink to pictures in the Photos app.
This new flight delivers a new version of the Camera app for PC and Mobile devices with a new redesign user interface and a lot of new features.
For developers, Microsoft is making it easier to enable Developer Mode without having to restart the PC. The new Windows Subsystem for Linux gets updated to Ubuntu 16.04.
Narrator gets a few new features, and there are a few new refinements in the customization experience for precision touchpad. Build 14951 also rolls out with a number of fixes and improvements for PC and Mobile. Below you’ll find what’s new, changed, and broken in more detail.
What’s new on Windows 10 build 14951
Touchpad settings refinements
In the new precision touchpad settings page, Windows 10 now adds a keyboard shortcut picker, so now if you choose that option on the Advanced gestures page, you’ll be presented a recorder to capture your key combo.
Then there is a new Change audio and volume option to the set of basic swipe gestures you can pick from, and the reset button now has a progress circle and display a check mark when it is finished.
Windows Ink improvements
On Windows 10 build 14951, the pen drop downs in Windows Ink Workspace lets you change both color and width without having to open it twice.
The updated ink experience also adds Stencils. Windows Ink protractor tool combines functions of both protractor and compass into one to draw arc or complete circles, and you can use two-finger pinch gesture to resize the protractor.
Finally, you can now also draw or annotate on pictures using Windows Ink in the Photos app. In addition, you can save and replay the ink as it if was a video. Just tap the Draw option to get to the Windows Ink toolbar, select your options, and draw away. In addition, the Photos app includes a new cropping experience and a lot of new filters.
Camera app update
This new flight introduces a new version of the Camera app for PC and Mobile with a new user interface and new features, including:
- Higher-contrast capture buttons.
- Set a photo timer right from the camera dashboard with our new toggle control.
- Open Settings directly from the camera interface.
- Access your camera roll with one hand from its new spot on the screen.
- Zoom more easily with the new zoom slider.
- More noticeable capture animation to make sure you take the photo correctly.
- Change between front- and rear-facing cameras with a more prominent button control.
- On PC, use the spacebar as a shortcut to take pictures.
The app also brings living images to Surface devices, and there are also a bunch of performance improvements, such as faster shot-to-shot support, improved feedback for saving large videos to SD cards, and improved camera startup time, among other changes.
Developer tools improvements
Microsoft added new changes to build 14951 so that you no longer need to reboot your computer after enabling Developer Mode.
The Windows Subsystem for Linux has been updated to Ubuntu 16.04, and you can open Windows binaries directly from the WSL command prompt.
Narrator improvements
In this new flight there are multiple fixes to continuous reading when used in tables and on web pages, a fix for the Caps Lock + W reading experience, and a fix so that reading hint text does not interrupt the reading of information by Narrator, but comes after the main information is read. In addition, the Narrator now properly indicates when it’s exiting.
Additional fixes and improvements for PC
- Fixed Connected Standby problem on Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 to sometimes bugcheck (bluescreen).
- Addressed an issue resulting on games installed from the Store to fail with error 0x80073cf9.
- Fixed issues for certain large games, such as ReCore, Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3, Killer Instinct and Rise of the Tomb Raider failing to launch.
- Addressed issue where the Add PIN button in Settings > Accounts > Sign-in Options was sometimes unexpectedly greyed out for domain-joined devices.
- Fixed issue resulting on certain apps crashing, such as Groove Music and Adobe Photoshop Express.
- Addressed an issue where the console window might not snap correctly between two monitors with different DPI scaling.
- Fixed some visual problem viewing the agenda in the taskbar’s Clock and Calendar flyout.
- Addressed an issue where enabling the RemoteFX adaptor for a Virtual Machine would result in it failing to power on with the error ‘Unspecified error’ (0x80004005).
- Updated migration to include custom scan code mappings, meaning that if you’ve used Registry Editor to remap certain keys (ex. Caps Lock key to null), that change will persist across upgrades.
Known issues for PC
- Singing issues using a Microsoft account with Feedback Hub, Groove, MSN News, and other apps.
- On Windows Ink the protractor may crash.
- Having installed a third-party antivirus may prevent to complete the install of this build.
Additional fixes and improvements Windows 10 Mobile
- Updated French keyboard.
- Fixed Camera shutter sounds entry missing from the Sounds Settings page via Settings > Personalization > Sounds.
Known issues for Windows 10 Mobile
- Signing issues using a Microsoft account with Feedback Hub, Groove, MSN News, and other apps.
- Rebooting a phone, the device appears to get “stuck” on the blue Windows logo screen during the boot cycle.
- Excel Mobile will freeze after adding sheets and eventually crashes.
- More than usual notifications of having exceeded data limit, if you have configured this option.
Microsoft is listing the complete set of the features, fixes, and known issues for build 14951 at the Windows Blog.
Windows 10 build 14951 is available immediately through the Fast ring. It’ll download and install automatically on your PC and Mobile device, but you can always force the update from Settings > Update & security > Windows Update and clicking the Check for updates button.
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].