New Windows 10 Dev Channel test build adds updated dictation and more input features

Microsoft rolled out a new Windows 10 Dev Channel test build, No. 20206, on September 2. The focus of this build is on input features, with a number of them going only to a subset of testers.

With this build, Microsoft is adding what it's calling "the new and improved version of Windows dictation," which it is now calling Voice Typing. Test build 20206 adds a "modern design," which is optimized for use with touch keyboards; auto-punctuation; and an updated back end.

In some Office apps, users may encounters random pauses with the voice typing feature, which can be fixed by clicking the microphone icon again to restart, the blog post says. Voice typing is available for a handful of languages, including various English versions, French, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, German, Italian and Japanese. The feature is only going to a subset of Insider testers at this time.

Build 20206 includes a revamped emoji picker which Microsoft officials said will be more aligned, appearance-wise, with its Fluent design principles. Microsoft is adding an inline search box and support for animated GIFs. Microsoft also is brining together input and clipboard history as a new option as part of this test build. This feature is rolling out only to a subset of Insiders at this time.

Today's test build also adds support for a new touch keyboard design for PCs with updated key sizes and layouts, plus improved discoverability and usability of features, officials said. The new keyboard can be invoked from any PC from the touch keyboard button on the taskbar. This feature also is only going to a subset of Insider testers at this time.

There are a bunch of fixes and known issues in today's Windows 10 feature update test build, which Microsoft itemizes in its blog post about Build 20206.

Just a reminder: The test builds in the Dev Channel ring do not necessarily correlate with a specific future feature update to Windows 10. Microsoft is not promising all or even some of these features will be in the next Windows 10 feature update.