Microsoft details upcoming changes to Windows 10 Insider Preview builds

Microsoft is set to release Windows 10 for PCs on July 29, and has published a new blog post detailing some of the upcoming changes for Windows Insiders in future Windows Insider Preview builds.

Within the blog post, the Microsoft’s Gabriel Aul revealed a new Windows Insider Program Agreement that will requires your Microsoft Account connected with your PC to keep getting future updates. He also explains how upgrading to the Windows 10 RTM will work for Insiders and how Insiders will continue to get Insider builds of Windows 10.

This change is for only for Windows Insider Preview users. If you are upgrading your existing Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 PC to Windows 10 when it launches on July 29, you will not need a Microsoft Account. However, some features in Windows 10 do require an MSA to use, such as downloading apps in the Windows Store.

Changes to Insider Hub and Windows Feedback apps

The Insider team will be removing the Insider Hub starting with the next build. However, Windows Insiders can reinstall the Insider Hub app through the following steps:

• Go to Settings, System, Apps & features
• Click Manage optional features then Add a feature
• Select the Insider Hub entry (the list is in alphabetical order) and click Install.

The team notes that ‘Windows Feedback app will continue to be included in builds and in the final release. But the app will have functionality specific to Windows Insiders who are registered for the program with their MSA connected to their PC.

How to continue as a Windows Insider

As announced before, the Windows Insider Program will continue even after Windows 10 is released to the public on July 29th - Microsoft says testers will receive future builds as it continues to work on the next Windows release "immediately after Windows 10 ships." They further notes that Insiders will have an option to leave the program and stay on the final build after they get updated to final Windows 10.

Project Spartan will become Microsoft Edge

Lastly, Windows Insider on fast ring will finally see the name change of Project Spartan officially change over to Microsoft Edge. With the name change the app comes a new app ID. This will cause any favorites, cookies, history and Reading list items that you had saved in the Project Spartan app to be lost after upgrading from a previous Windows 10 Insider Preview build. If you want to keep these, you will need to backup your favorites before the next flight!

To save your favorites, follow these steps before upgrading to the next build we release (do it now):

• Copy your favorites from
  %localappdata%/Packages/Microsoft.Windows.Spartan_cw5n1h2txyewy/AC/Spartan/User/Default/Favorites.
• Save them to %userprofile%/Favorites.
• After upgrading to the next build open Microsoft Edge, choose Settings, and you’ll see an option to import favorites from another browser. Choose Internet Explorer to import the favorites you saved in your %userprofile% directory into Microsoft Edge.

It’s worth noting that if you’re running the Enterprise edition of Windows 10 Insider Preview, you’ll be required to install Microsoft’s Volume Licensing Service Center and activate Windows 10 from there. However, keep in mind that the Enterprise edition of the Windows 10 Insider Preview is not eligible for a free upgrade offer, but users will be able to activate Windows 10 through an active Software Assurance agreement.