Windows 10’s New Game Bar Experience Arrives With Latest Insider Build

Microsoft is bringing a couple of new features to Windows 10 with the latest Redstone 4 build. The company today released build 17093 to Windows Insiders in the Fast Ring, and it brings some new features, including a new Game Bar experience in Windows 10.

  • Game Bar: As we reported earlier, Windows 10 is getting a new Game Bar design that makes it a whole lot easier for users to access all the core functionalities such as broadcasting and screen recording. It also now supports the light theme.
  • Advanced GPU options: Windows 10 now includes a new feature for systems with multiple GPUs, letting users control the graphics preference for games and even apps. You could, for example, set PUBG to use the GPU that provides the highest performance in your system while setting something like Minecraft to use the GPU that saves power.
  • Windows Security: Microsoft is renaming the Windows Defender option under Update & Security in Settings. Windows Defender will continue to exist, but the “Windows Security” branding is more than just about the features provided by Windows Defender. Windows Defender is not gone. I repeat: Windows Defender is not gone.
  • Streamlined Bluetooth Pairing: With build 17093, Microsoft is adding what seems to be the beginning of new Quick Pair features in Windows 10. This build includes a new feature for those with the Surface Precision Mouse which will allow users to pairthe mouse with a single click when the mouse in range. Microsoft says it’s working with its partners to add support for streamlined Bluetooth pairing, and I am hoping this includes wireless headphone makers like Bose, Jaybird, and…Beats (but that’s just a bit too optimistic).
  • Microsoft Edge: Edge now has an improved full-screen mode that lets you access the address bar without exiting the full-screen mode. Plus, there’s a new clutter-free mode for printing that automagically removes all the crappy ads and banners form websites when printing.

The latest Redstone 4 build surprisingly includes a lot of new features, even though they aren’t anything ground-breaking. Things like Streamlined Bluetooth Pairing and the improved full-screen mode within Edge were some much-needed additions, but build 17093 includes a lot of other minor new additions and improvements throughout the operating system. And if you want to know about all the tiny new additions, make sure to read the blog post here.

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Conversation 21 comments

  • Jim Lewis

    07 February, 2018 - 6:49 pm

    <p>Another nicely written and timely post! Thanks, Mehedi.</p>

    • Jansen

      21 March, 2021 - 5:00 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#244041"><em>In reply to Jim_Lewis:</em></a><em> </em>Windows 10 now includes a new feature for systems with multiple GPUs, letting users control the graphics preference for games and even apps. You could, for example, set PUBG to use the GPU that provides the highest performance in your system while setting something like Minecraft to use the GPU that saves power.</blockquote><p><br></p>

  • VancouverNinja

    Premium Member
    07 February, 2018 - 11:11 pm

    <p>Again Edge just keeps getting better. The full screen mode rocks; is there any reason to not operate in full screen mode all of the time now with the instant menu? </p><p><br></p><p>Super nice to see these types of improvements.</p>

  • hrlngrv

    Premium Member
    07 February, 2018 - 11:22 pm

    <p>POS build.</p><p>When I open Settings, then Personalize, then click on Themes, Settings crashes. Every time. If Settings is flaky, I may not be using this latest build much.</p>

    • Jacob Klein

      08 February, 2018 - 12:26 am

      <blockquote><a href="#244080"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>That is one tiny bug, and was even documented as a known issue already. You're an Insider – Help us find the rest of the bugs!</p>

      • hrlngrv

        Premium Member
        08 February, 2018 - 3:07 am

        <p><a href="#244109"><em>In reply to Jacob Klein:</em></a></p><p>I've posted a few bug reports. Not my full time job.</p><p>I have to wonder at releasing a build in which anything could crash Settings.</p>

        • rameshthanikodi

          08 February, 2018 - 8:54 am

          <blockquote><a href="#244117"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>Known issue. But also it's not really a showstopper bug (although pretty close to one), which is why I assume they flighted this into the fast ring.</p>

        • Jacob Klein

          11 February, 2018 - 7:00 pm

          <blockquote><a href="#244117"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>Yikes. I think you don't know what it means to be a Preview program tester. I also think you don't understand their bar of quality for Preview builds.</p><p><br></p><p>They've released Fast Ring Preview builds in the past, that had broken: USB Wi-Fi, broken Bluetooth, broken sound, broken game launching, broken installing, broken for certain CPU types, etc.</p><p><br></p><p>If you're in the Fast Ring, those are to be expected, and you should report any bugs you find. If those expectations don't match you, then maybe you might like a slower ring, like Slow, or Release Preview, or even Release.</p><p><br></p><p>Good luck!</p>

          • hrlngrv

            Premium Member
            11 February, 2018 - 8:52 pm

            <p><a href="#245008"><em>In reply to Jacob Klein:</em></a></p><p>I think anything crashing Settings, especially something which has been in Settings for over 2 years, means Settings is nowhere close to being as stable as Control Panel. That raises the question WTF is MSFT thinking replacing Control Panel with Settings.</p>

            • Jacob Klein

              12 February, 2018 - 1:43 pm

              <blockquote><a href="#245044"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>The themes page is broken. Maybe they added a link to go to a Store Themes section, and it temporarily broke the page, in a Fast Ring Preview build.</p><p><br></p><p>It's not broken on a Release build.</p><p><br></p><p>Good luck with whatever you choose to do. Just make sure your reasoning is grounded in reality.</p>

          • Anna 21

            17 May, 2018 - 6:38 am

            <p><a href="#245008"><em>In reply to Jacob Klein:</em></a><em> </em>The problem is that in Song of the Deep , compared to Aquaria or, for example, Ecco: The Tides of Time , there are less interesting details and variety. There we took different forms, received unique abilities, used special "songs" to communicate and overcome obstacles, in Ecco there was even an acoustic map built on the principle of real echolocation of dolphins. Well, in general, we were constantly surprised by something. Here, you'll shoot torpedoes all the way, grab hold of levers and objects, drag bombs and heads of some statues to put them in place and open the next door. Of course, there are really interesting situations, riddles and traps – we follow luminous fish, before which retreat hurt kusah, we play hide-and-seek with currents or we overcome them, grabbing at anchors and moving along them, as on the stairs, higher and higher higher. But all this is less than we would like.&nbsp;The world of Song of the Deep , its mythology is also not worked out so thoroughly – you believe less in them. Although I really want. Finally, the increased complexity inherent in most similar games (especially the first part of Ecco the Dolphin!), here it is often not connected with the work of game designers, but with uneasy control when using the keyboard and mouse – <a href="https://www.friv5online.com/es&quot; target="_blank">the</a> juegos friv gamepad is strictly recommended!</p><p><br></p>

    • jimchamplin

      Premium Member
      08 February, 2018 - 12:43 am

      <blockquote><a href="#244080"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>17074 had a similar issue with the Do Not Disturb settings page. It’ll get fixed. Faster if you report it!</p>

  • jimchamplin

    Premium Member
    08 February, 2018 - 12:46 am

    <p>I’m on slow ring 17074 and liking it, but the new goodies are coming faster now. Might have to shift gears back to fast ring!</p><p><br></p><p>I’m still hoping the full light theme will appear in RS4. White taskbar might be smooth.</p>

  • unfalln

    08 February, 2018 - 12:48 am

    <p>&gt; <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">allow users to pair the mouse with a single click</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Just to clarify: please tell me you don't need an existing, paired mouse to perform this click.</span></p>

    • Mehedi Hassan

      Premium Member
      08 February, 2018 - 9:12 am

      <blockquote><a href="#244113"><em>In reply to unfalln:</em></a></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Hm, I do not think Windows toast notifications are interact-able with keyboard </p>

  • Spineless

    08 February, 2018 - 9:01 am

    <p>Yawn… Edge full screen… Call me when they make Edge’s favorites work properly. It’s so half assed right now. IE5 had better favorites management. I do still think those who wrote the Edge shell never used a browser before.</p>

  • andrewtechhelp

    Premium Member
    08 February, 2018 - 9:22 am

    <p>The weirdest part to me was the section in the release notes titled "Go password-less with Windows 10 S!"</p><p><br></p><p>That feature actually seems pretty interesting, but why is it only available on Windows 10 S? That'd be something I'd be interested to find out more about. Surely that's not the final plan for this feature?</p>

  • BoItmanLives

    08 February, 2018 - 1:16 pm

    <p>Game Bar = more bloat I delete pre-install from the ISO with MSMG Toolkit</p>

  • NT6.1

    08 February, 2018 - 4:02 pm

    <p>Botched. Useless.</p>

  • benstat

    08 February, 2018 - 6:27 pm

    <p>"Game Bar = Useless"</p><p><br></p><p>So say a handful of vocal Thurrott.com readers who are, conspicuously, not PC gamers (ie. the target market). I'm not a PC gamer either, but by coincidence, I needed to capture some screen video earlier today. I found it extremely convenient that Win10 could handle it without having to download some third party crapware (try it – Win+G, then record away!).</p><p><br></p><p>"POS update – Settings crashes!!!"</p><p><br></p><p>You're aware that this is an insider build, right? And in this particular case, a FAST ring insider build no less (ie. it's updated frequently, and is potentially the least stable of all publicly available Windows beta builds)?! You know you can change to SLOW ring updates, which are less risky, or better yet, stick to stable public releases?! Settings never crashes for me (I'm on slow ring insider builds).</p><p><br></p><p>Oh, and it's documented as a known issue too.</p><p><br></p><p>You subscribe to insider builds. Stop whining here, and start submitting feedback to MS, which is the whole point of the insider program.</p><p><br></p><p>#entitled</p>

  • Viktor Pilevin

    17 May, 2018 - 6:10 am

    <p><a href="#276675"><em>In reply to Anna 21:</em></a><em> </em>All these cases are no less important than the content of the game. Because Pokemon GO not just offers you a walk, but changes the landscape around. This is not only a video game, but also a real thematic social network with all the main features Рfrom friends and various interaction options to the internal rating. And the side-effects go into real life Рin the United States there are already "professional coaches", paying you get a "pumped" character and a pack of new Pok̩mon.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p>

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