X
Tech

Microsoft delivers second update to Windows 10 tech preview

Windows 10 testers are getting a second update to the tech preview in less than two months. Here's what's in it.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor

Microsoft is keeping to its word and is continuing to deliver regular updates to the Windows 10 tech preview it launched on October 1.

win10techpreviewupdate2

On November 12, the company made available to those who've downloaded the preview Build 9879. This is the second update Microsoft has pushed to Technical Preview testers. The first was about three weeks ago, and was Build 9860.

With today's new update, Microsoft is tweaking the user interface a bit, allowing Windows 10 users to hide the Search and Task View buttons on the taskbar by right clicking on bar. Users also can pin items to the Home area of the File Explorer. The app settings menu on the top left has changed from three dots to the so-called "hamburger-style" button (as it looks something like a hamburger).

A number of these new features leaked over the past weekend. WinBeta had a good post summarizing the leaks.

Microsoft also provided in the new build a number of new touchpad gestures -- something officials said would be coming a couple of weeks ago during Tech Ed Barcelona -- in today's update. The Snap Assist feature to help with snapping apps across multiple monitors, also shown in Barcelona, is in the update, as well.

Native MKV file support, new ways to use OneDrive and more are part of today's update, too.

Microsoft outlined the changes and how to get today's update in a November 12 Windows blog post.

Update: Officials noted that 9879 is the last substantial update to the Windows 10 Tech Preview for calendar 2014. There will be a couple of minor fixes before the year is out, they said. 

Microsoft is expected to make a consumer preview of Windows 10 and a new preview for ARM- and Intel-based small tablets in early 2015, possibly January 2015. 

Editorial standards