Microsoft announces first Windows 10 Beta build since 2021

Microsoft has reopened the Windows 10 beta channel and is asking Insiders to join or switch to receive a new beta build in the coming weeks.

The announcement comes three years after the last Windows 10 build was released for Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview channels.

Windows 10 Insiders eager to test new features as soon as they're available should join or switch to the Beta Channel. To do this, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program and choose the Beta Channel after clicking on the current Insider Channel selection to get to the settings page and the complete list of Insider Channels.

"To bring new features and more improvements to Windows 10 as needed, we need a place to do active feature development with Windows Insiders," the Windows Insider team said.

"So today, we are opening the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders who are currently on Windows 10. This will allow us to try out new features for Windows 10, version 22H2, with Insiders before releasing them to all Windows 10 customers."

Microsoft says it won't automatically upgrade Insider devices that join the Beta channel to Windows 11 even if they meet minimum system requirements—the Windows 11 upgrade remains an option.

Windows 11 upgrade on channel switch

​Switching to the Canary or Dev Channels will upgrade your PC to the latest Windows 11 build available for those channels.

While users have a brief period to roll back to Windows 10, returning to the Beta Channel or Windows 10 will require a clean install.

On the other hand, users who do not meet the Windows 11 system requirements will not be able to switch to the Canary or Dev Channels, as these channels are exclusively for Windows 11 Insider Preview builds.

"Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Updated & Security > Windows Update," Microsoft added.

"Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready."

Windows 10 22H2, the last version, will keep receiving monthly security update releases through October 14, 2025, when Windows 10 reaches the end of support.

Valve's May 2024 survey shows that over 50% of Windows computers still run Windows 10, while StatCounter's Windows market share stats show 68%.