Microsoft Ships Windows 10 Build 10166

Microsoft announced that Windows 10 build 10166 is now available to Windows Insiders on the Fast ring. The firm has also released a corresponding version of the Windows SDK.

“We’re getting close to release now and the whole team here is working hard and incredibly excited,” Microsoft’s Gabe Aul wrote in a blog post announcing the release. “Be sure to keep using the Windows Feedback app to send us feedback on any problems you’re hitting to help us make sure Windows 10 is awesome when we release it on July 29th!”

As with last week’s three builds, there are no new features in build 10166. Instead, the new build is all about fit and finish and bug fixes, Microsoft says. My sources tell me that today was the original date for the RTM (final) version of Windows 10, but something has happened and build 10166 is not the final build.

If you’re in the Seattle area, however, you can test a new Microsoft paid Wi-Fi service via the new Microsoft Wi-Fi app. “You will know when you can purchase Wi-Fi when you see ‘Buy Wi-Fi from Windows Store’ in your list of networks when clicking on the network icon on the lower right in the Taskbar,” Aul notes. “The Microsoft Wi-Fi app provides the choice to pay with a credit or debit card, a Microsoft gift card, PayPal, or wireless carrier billing, and it helps keep your information secure since it uses the Windows Store payment system. Completing the purchase is simple as there is no need to enter additional personal or payment information if you’ve already registered in Windows Store. Right now, we’re testing this experience out in Seattle but it’ll soon open up to the rest of the U.S.”

Developers will want to check out the new release of the Windows SDK, which is available now from the Windows 10 Developer Tools site. No word yet on what’s new.

You can upgrade to build 10166 from Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or an existing Windows Insider build using Windows Update. Or, you can download build 10162 on ISO and do a clean install (and then upgrade in-place to 10166).