Get the Latest Version of Windows Forever With the Windows Insider Program

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update comes later this summer, but you can try out all the new features like Bash and notifications from your Android phone right now using the Windows Insider Program.

Stay on the front line with Windows Insider

The Windows Insider Program is designed to empower courageous users to try the latest version of Windows before anyone else. For example, the Anniversary update offers a full Bash client, smarter Cortana, a darker color scheme, and more . Insiders are the first to receive such feature updates, but they also carry a lot of risk associated with untested software (since you are testing it). However, with a few tweaks, you can avoid most of these risks.

To register, you need Windows 10. Then follow these steps:

1. Open the Start menu and search for “Insider”.
2. Click Advanced Windows Update Options.
3. In the Get Insider Assemblies section, click Get Started.
4. Restart your computer to apply the updates.

From now on, you will be on the Insider channel and will be notified of new updates as they become available. If you used the trick above to guarantee your Windows 10 license even after July 29th, then not only will you get Windows 10 for free, but you can also check out any new features without paying a penny for updates. At least until Microsoft changes its policy.

What can you do as an insider

Being an insider does not mean that you are the first on the list of free updates. Microsoft uses insiders to get feedback on what’s working and what’s not, and to tweak features before they go public. If you would like to participate in the feedback process, you need to install the Insider Hub by following these steps:

1. Find “Apps and Features” in the Start Menu.
2. Click on “Manage Additional Features”.
3. Click Add Function.
4. Find Insider Hub in the list and click Install.

Unless you plan on actively submitting reviews, this app can be safely ignored most of the time, but it has several useful purposes:

• Get a preview of build announcements: Click the newspaper icon on the left side of the Insider app to read announcement messages. They are often much more detailed than what you find on the Windows blog . You will find information about updated previews of applications, known bugs, and release notes for new preview builds.
• Complete Quests to Explore New Features: Whenever Microsoft adds new features to preview builds, you can find Insider Quests that tell you how to use some of them. No, you don’t actually need to complete these quests, but they are a handy place to discover new features that you might not have realized have been added.
• Give Feedback and Vote for Changes: The Insider Program also comes with the Windows Feedback app, which you can find by searching the Start menu or clicking a shortcut in the Insider Hub. Here you can view feedback from other Insiders. If you’re having a problem with Windows, or just annoyed by the change, you can probably find someone else here who has the same problem, or add it yourself.

Of course, if you’d rather ignore the Insider features and use the program to live on the cutting edge of Windows, you can. The worst thing you’ll get is a very rare nagging that asks how you like a certain feature. Other than that, Insider Builds work just like regular Windows. I’ve been using pre-builds for over a year now and my computer hasn’t melted. If you really don’t want to pay for Windows and don’t mind living on the edge for a bit, this method should give you free Windows as long as Microsoft maintains the Insider Program.

First, you need Windows 10 to participate in the program.

To enroll in the Insider Program, you need a copy of Windows 10 on your computer. Right now, you can still get Windows 10 for free if you have a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 license. After July 29, the price will rise to $ 119 (although the OEM version can be obtained for $ 100 ). However, if you upgrade right now, you can “reserve” a license that you can use again in the future, as the How-To Geek points out . When you upgrade to Windows 10, your computer is given a “device permission”, which looks like an invisible hardware-dependent activation key. This allows this equipment to be upgraded again in the future. You can protect your rights in one of two ways:

• Refresh your computer as usual and roll it back. The Microsoft grunt icon makes sure you don’t forget how easy it is to upgrade to Windows 10. Once you’ve done that, the Settings app gives you the option to revert to the version of Windows you upgraded from. You have a month for this. Even if you downgrade to an older version of Windows, you still have the rights to the device and can update it again for free in the future. This method can remove some of your apps, so if you want to keep things exactly as you left them, you can try the next method.
• Clone your system and then restore after the upgrade. With this method, you will want to create a full clone or disk image of your system before upgrading to Windows 10. After upgrading, you can restore your system from the backup you made to make sure everything is where you left it. and you will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 again in the future.

For now, you can still use Windows 10 even if you don’t pay for it. Unlike previous versions, Windows 10 doesn’t stop working completely if you don’t activate it. You will just be sawing the watermark, and some of the personalization features won’t work until you pay. Moving to Insider builds can take some of the hassle out of it, as each periodic update resets the clock on messages Microsoft sends you.

Adjust your settings as an insider to limit your risk

Microsoft does not recommend using Insider previews as a daily driver, but you can tweak a few settings to limit the risk to your computer.

Change your insider level

There are three different levels of Insider builds depending on the risk you are willing to take. The Fast Level will provide you with the most advanced, potentially non-working updates released by Microsoft. It will be easier at a slower level, minimizing risk while still giving you fairly early updates. Finally, the Release Preview level (which should be set by default on first registration) is the most secure update channel. These are builds ready for final testing before being released to the general public.

To change these settings, search for “Insider” in the Start menu and select “Advanced Windows Update Options.” At the bottom of the window that opens, adjust the “Insider Level” slider. We recommend staying on Release Preview if you plan on using this computer regularly.

Postpone updates

You can also slow down the update process even further by postponing updates. This feature exists in Windows 10 Professional, Enterprise, and Education, but Windows 10 Home users usually don’t have this option. Ironically, becoming an insider allows you to ” postpone updates for months .” This is especially useful if you want to get into the Insider program without risk.

You can find this feature in the same menu where you set up your Insider level. At the top of the window, select the Defer Updates check box. Unfortunately, you can’t tell how long updates are delayed (and security patches will continue to roll out no matter what), but it at least gives you plenty of time to make sure Microsoft fixes any critical crashing your computer. errors.

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