Microsoft Releases Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15007 for PC and Mobile

Microsoft Releases Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15007 for PC and Mobile

Just three days after it delivered its biggest-ever Windows Insider build, Microsoft is back with a new build, 15007. And this time, it’s for both PC and Mobile.

As impressive, this build is also chock full o’ new features. One wonders what’s the water in Redmond these days. But whatever, here’s what’s new…

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Changes for PC only

Microsoft Edge improvements. Microsoft’s web browser picks up a number of interesting new features, including a “Share tabs” option that integrates with the newly-improved system Share feature, a revamped import favorites feature that is now called “Import from another browser” (and now includes browsing history, saved passwords, and other data in addition to just favorites), a new “Run” option for downloads, and improvements to Web Notes.

Windows Hello improvements. Windows Hello now supports improved facial recognition and some “exciting” changes to how this feature is discovered and configured. (Though there is no explanation about how that looks or works.)

Cortana improvements. Cortana is finally picking up cross-device support, meaning that you can begin a Cortana task on one PC and then complete it on another. “When you switch computers, Cortana will display quick links in the Action Center to help you easily get back into the Microsoft Edge websites and SharePoint (or other cloud-based) documents you used most recently,” Dona Sarkar writes. “Perhaps you’re browsing recipes in Microsoft Edge on your PC downstairs, and grab your laptop to go bake up a storm in the kitchen—Cortana will be there for you and have a link to that recipe ready to go.” Additionally, Cortana now supports notification grouping in Action Center.

Notifications improvements. In this build, notifications can now support inline progress bars. So when you’re downloading an app from the store, for example, you can see the progress right in the pop-up notification, for example. (Windows Store downloads don’t actually support this feature yet, but that is coming in a future build, Microsoft says.)

Snipping Tool improvements. The Snipping Tool now supports new keyboard support: ALT + N will trigger a new snip, and you can then use the keyboard to select a snip type, select an area, start the snip, and so on. This functionality also works with the new OneNote-based screen capture functionality, which you access by typing WINKEY + SHIFT + S.

Changes for PC and Mobile

Scrollbar improvements. Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps are getting an improved scrollbar design that takes up less space and is only visible when you need it. “With these changes, the panning indicator now appears when you move a mouse over a scrolling region and the full scrollbar appears when you want to directly interact with it,” Microsoft’s Dona Sarkar explains. “This improvement will be visible in any app that uses the Windows 10 Creators Update SDK.”

Rainbow flag emoji. Yes, one new emoji was called out as a new feature. Kind of like Apple does with shipping products. Yay diversity.

Support for new Bluetooth APIs. With this build, Windows 10 now supports new Bluetooth APIs that enable GATT Server, Bluetooth LE Peripheral role and unpaired Bluetooth LE device connectivity. A new SDK, coming this week, will let developers target these technologies in their own apps.

Changes for Mobile only

Microsoft Edge improvements. Microsoft’s web browser now lets you zoom into a web page separately from the zoom settings defined for the website, and up to 500 percent zoom.

App reset. This feature, added to Windows 10 for PCs with version 1607, lets you reset an app back to its original state. To do so, navigate to Settings > System > Storage, find the app, and access the new “Reset” option in advanced settings.

Cortana improvements. Cortana can now control music playback (US English only) with iHeartRadio and TuneIn Radio.

There’s a lot more. But, Mobile. Whatever.

Coming soon

Because you can see it in the UI, Microsoft is teasing that the Insider versions of Windows 10 will soon support the ability to download themes from the Windows Store (on PC only). “This isn’t working yet in today’s build and you’ll see a Store icon that does nothing at the bottom of the themes setting page,” Dona Sarkar explains. “However, you can go to the Store page for themes here to try out downloading themes from the Store.”

Other changes, improvements, and fixes

Both PC and Mobile have a number of other minor changes, improvements, and fixes for PC and Mobile, plus some known issues. Check out the Microsoft blog post for more information.

 

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Conversation 40 comments

  • 5592

    13 January, 2017 - 9:15 am

    <p><em>"One wonders what&rsquo;s the water in Redmond these days."</em></p>
    <p>What’s "in the water" is likely all the work done in December but that took until now to process and test when the release management process was on hold.</p>
    <p>And, as an FYI, this build is, again, for Fast Ring.</p>

  • 1488

    13 January, 2017 - 9:23 am

    <p>Paul, do you even download the mobile updates to your phones anymore? Maybe you should just leave the reporting of the mobile OS updates to people who care.</p>

    • 314

      13 January, 2017 - 10:12 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#36152">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/skborders">skborders</a><a href="#36152">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>Is there anyone left who cares? Nope.</p>

      • 124

        Premium Member
        13 January, 2017 - 10:55 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#36160">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/Dan">Dan</a><a href="#36160">:</a></em></blockquote>
        <p>YES!</p>
        <p>&nbsp;</p>
        <p>I know it is hard for some to believe but there are other inhabitants on this planet and some of them think independently of others.</p>

      • 125

        Premium Member
        13 January, 2017 - 11:39 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#36160">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/Dan">Dan</a><a href="#36160">:</a></em></blockquote>
        <p>YES! </p>
        <p>Even with no Apps I still prefer Windows. Despite Paul’s best efforts to convince me otherwise&nbsp;it is still a better phone than Android or IOS.</p>
        <p>&nbsp;</p>

      • 473

        13 January, 2017 - 3:15 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#36160">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/Dan">Dan</a><a href="#36160">:</a></em></blockquote>
        <p>I do, I much prefer Windows Phone to IOS or Android and I really did try for 6 months with Android but just can’t get on with it, it seems dated and stuck in Windows 3.1 era. Also it may have more apps than WIndows but so many of them (like 90%) are rubbish!</p>

        • 4964

          15 January, 2017 - 7:51 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#36270">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/Siv">Siv</a><a href="#36270">:</a></em></blockquote>
          <p>I’m now on Android (due to dropping my 950 : ( ) and actually find some of the ‘better’ apps worse. For example the droid Facebook app constantly suggests adding people, groups. people to groups in a way the WinPh one didn’t. I didn’t know what people were on about with promoted tweets because the 3rd party WinPh app I preferred never showed them. Sometimes better isn’t better</p>

    • 171

      13 January, 2017 - 11:20 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#36152">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/skborders">skborders</a><a href="#36152">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>Yeah, I kind of agree with this – I think he’s being a bit snarky with his passive-aggressive comments towards Windows Mobile. Either inform us about what’s new in Mobile or don’t – I’m not sure the attitude is required.</p>

  • 442

    13 January, 2017 - 9:57 am

    <p>Nice they are adding more downloadable features to the Store.&nbsp; That should help draw more attention there, so developers will stop shying away from that avenue.</p>

  • 5531

    13 January, 2017 - 9:57 am

    <p>So, is Edge now a browser you would consider switching to from Chrome yet? Why? Why Not?</p>

  • 5593

    13 January, 2017 - 10:32 am

    <p>Hmm.&nbsp; Mixed&nbsp;results&nbsp;on this build.&nbsp; The 950 I use to test loaded this build with no issues and I’m not seeing&nbsp;the growing list of problems many are reporting on Mobile.&nbsp; As for the PC version, I was only able to successfully load it on one test computer.&nbsp; The second test computer (more robust hardware) and tablet are both hanging at the download stage, even after deleting previous version of&nbsp;Windows storage files and running the Windows Update reset troubleshooter.&nbsp; Both have been sitting like that since 8pm last night.&nbsp; I may have to wait (again) until the ISO files are available.</p>

    • 5593

      14 January, 2017 - 2:28 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#36175">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/Rob_Wade">Rob_Wade</a><a href="#36175">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>Update: 24hrs later, still no change.&nbsp; Still can’t get the update to actually update.&nbsp; So, waiting doesn’t fix it. Killing the various suggested process doesn’t fix it.&nbsp; Rebooting several times doesn’t. Running the Windows Update Troubleshooter doesn’t.&nbsp; I’m pretty resigned, now, to waiting for the 15007 ISO files to come out.</p>

  • 2371

    13 January, 2017 - 10:50 am

    <p>Windows 10 is becoming more and more line Windows 10 Mobile with every release.&nbsp; I believe that W10M has been a way for Microsoft to experiment and see what works on mobile devices since they sold off the phone manufacturing last year.&nbsp; This in turn will be used in Windows 10 for ARM which will end up replacing W10M in the future.&nbsp; That is what I think Microsoft is doing with W10M and why it keeps adding some of the new PC features in mobile and mobile features into PC.&nbsp; They are getting them more and more the same until W10M is replaced by Win10 ARM.</p>
    <p>Of course if even longer term they may want to keep W10M around.&nbsp; Because if Win10 ARM catches on including the 6 inch screen devices (what will have the phone app installed on them), they will need a Windows OS that can run on lower end hardware, ie, not a full Win10 OS that requires more CPU, memory, and storage.</p>

  • 5394

    13 January, 2017 - 11:15 am

    <p>Minor improvements. Nothing about improving the Start&nbsp;Screen and cleaning out the discrepancies between old and new UI.</p>

  • 9201

    13 January, 2017 - 12:38 pm

    <p>Dona Sarkar writes. &ldquo;Perhaps you&rsquo;re browsing recipes in Microsoft Edge on your PC downstairs.</p>
    <p>Oh dear oh dear Dona still doesn’t get it does she.&nbsp; The domestic PC era died several years ago. Seriously out of touch in the modern era of tablets and Amazon Echos.</p>

    • 9562

      13 January, 2017 - 6:38 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#36216">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/Jules_Wombat">Jules_Wombat</a><a href="#36216">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>She’s so inept I wonder if she wasn’t just some winner in a "Win a job at Microsoft" contest.</p>

  • 8758

    13 January, 2017 - 1:33 pm

    <p>Oh, thank goodness for new emoji.</p>
    <p>No doubt this will make my desktop Windows 10 Preview PC so, so happy, &nbsp;because it identifies&nbsp;as Macbook Pro.</p>
    <p>&nbsp;</p>

  • 271

    Premium Member
    13 January, 2017 - 4:03 pm

    <p>No problems with 15007 on my desktop, Surface Pro 3 or MacAir Windows partition. Absolute ordure on my Lumia 950, in an endless reboot loop as I type. I have been on the Mobile insider program for ages and never had this problem before. The phone is&nbsp;unusable so I am about to use the Device Recovery Tool.</p>
    <p>&nbsp;</p>

    • 409

      15 January, 2017 - 10:47 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#36280">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/straker135">straker135</a><a href="#36280">:</a>&nbsp;My 950XL has random fits, rebooting, etc. Have you had any success with a workaround yet?</em></blockquote>
      <p>&nbsp;</p>

      • 214

        Premium Member
        16 January, 2017 - 9:43 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#36528">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/Steve757">Steve757</a><a href="#36528">:</a></em></blockquote>
        <p>Same here. My wife’s 950 and my 950xl are&nbsp;rebooting frequently; my wife would say "constantly" and she’s not quite wrong.</p>
        <p>I’ve heard many complaints about these devices and the updates over the last 14 months, but none really impacted before – this one is a real PITA.</p>

        • 2394

          Premium Member
          17 January, 2017 - 3:49 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#36717">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/chrisrut">chrisrut</a><a href="#36717">:</a></em></blockquote>
          <p>Yeah, I know there’s a lot of schadenfreude about being in the Fast Ring and taking what you get, but shouldn’t the builds get better, not worse over time?</p>

  • 5553

    13 January, 2017 - 5:18 pm

    <p>Wow.. Paul needs an editor.&nbsp;</p>
    <p>Words missing and out of order.</p>

  • 1066

    13 January, 2017 - 5:20 pm

    <p>I had several issues on my surface Pro 4.&nbsp; The camera doesn’t initialize during the hello login portion.&nbsp; Looks like there was an issue with .Net version 4.6.1 changing to 4.7.02020 which caused the Quicken launch issue and I get "Cannot edit Version:&nbsp; Error writing the value’s new contents."&nbsp; I haven’t seen the new updates Windows 10 Mobile on my Lumia 735 quite yet.&nbsp; Still on 14393.</p>

  • 5553

    13 January, 2017 - 5:22 pm

    <p>As impressive, this build is also chock full o&rsquo; new features.</p>
    <p>Missing AS after impressive.</p>
    <p>After IS there should be a comma then IT IS before also&nbsp;</p>

  • 276

    13 January, 2017 - 6:29 pm

    <p>Last night I got a notification on my PC running this latest build that my Lumia 930’s battery was critically low. Has that always been ‘a thing’, or is it a new feature in this build? (Yes, I’m the guy with the Windows phone. Hello everyone!)</p>

    • 999

      Premium Member
      13 January, 2017 - 6:57 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#36344">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/WayneRobinson">WayneRobinson</a><a href="#36344">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>yep, It’s been there. At least for the last few months, you’re just to good about charging ;). I on the other hand am horrible, so I see that a bunch.</p>

  • 250

    Premium Member
    13 January, 2017 - 10:13 pm

    <p>Mixed results: my 930, 950 and x3 updated without a hitch, so the mobile flavor of 15007 looks OK so far.</p>
    <p>The PC version is a different story. My Surface Studio appeared to update successfully, but audio and video are broken (i.e. YouTube and Netflix start to load and then freeze) and the notification pane couldn’t be opened from the taskbar icon until I rebooted a second time. My Surface Book has full AV and the notification pane works. My Surface Pro, now nearly four years old, is struggling to complete a download. A Dell XPS15 seemed to complete the update process successfully, but on restart puts up a black screen. My old HP Stream8 tablet, which handled 15002 successfully, has been struggling to complete a download and hasn’t even been able to start the installation.</p>
    <p>The problems I had on my Studio are not that device’s alone. The Feedback Hub has several reports of audio and video problems with 15007.</p>

  • 5562

    13 January, 2017 - 10:22 pm

    <p>"There&rsquo;s a lot more. But, Mobile. Whatever." Gosh…that stuff is kinda why I started reading you in the first place.</p>

  • 469

    14 January, 2017 - 5:36 am

    <p>A&nbsp;couple of minor IE changes too…&nbsp; The font on my Favourites Bar has changed and there is an icon to open Edge next to the New Tab icon… #ExcitingTimes</p>
    <p>Does the link to the Themes store page work for anyone else – Seems to be a broken link…</p>

  • 410

    Premium Member
    14 January, 2017 - 7:11 am

    <p>Update shows up on PC, but then fails to download (70Mb/s Fibre connection).</p>
    <p>This is happening on BOTH my Tablet &amp; desktop PCs….&nbsp; Weird.</p>

  • 250

    Premium Member
    14 January, 2017 - 8:32 am

    <p>Can’t find a way to edit my previous post, so I’ll add a new one.</p>
    <p>Gave up on 15007 on a Surface Studio, rolled back to 15002. Dell XPS15 finally got all the way to 15007, seems to work — SLOOOOOWLY. Surface Pro and Stream 8 still stuck on 15002, can’t seem to take the next step once they complete the download, and if you restart them they try to start the download all over again. Surface Book working fine on 15007.</p>

  • 409

    15 January, 2017 - 10:45 am

    <p>Anyone having problems with 15007 mobile? My 950XL keeps randomly soft rebooting/freezing. If you’re seeing this, is there a workaround?</p>

    • 2394

      Premium Member
      17 January, 2017 - 3:09 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#36527">In reply to </a><a href="../../../users/Steve757">Steve757</a><a href="#36527">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>Yep – welcome to my life. My workaround is going to be a Pixel on Google Fi.</p>

  • 4629

    16 January, 2017 - 9:21 am

    <p>Hi Paul. Are you experiencing problems with YouTube.com not loading Edge?&nbsp;It works fine in Firefox, Chrome etc,&nbsp;but not Edge. Even the YouTube content on your site is not working. This has only&nbsp;just started happening in Build 15007. Never an issue in prior builds.&nbsp;Cheers.</p>

  • 3093

    16 January, 2017 - 10:00 am

    <p>Windows alerted me to my Android phone battery being critically low. That’s cool. I miss my Windows Phone though and am really looking forward to the Surface Mobile devices when they come out.&nbsp;<br />I agree that Paul could be more supportive, but on the other hand, we all have to realize that Microsoft is gambling that cell phones are on the way out and instead of fighting for last place in a losing race, they’re taking time to retool and re-think to be first place in the next race. It just sucks to have to stand around waiting for that race to begin.&nbsp;</p>

  • 869

    16 January, 2017 - 5:37 pm

    <p>I had constant reboots on my 950XL. Removed the Facebook app and it’s been excellent since.</p>

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