How to Start or Stop Getting Insider Preview Builds on a Windows 10 PC
Windows Insider Preview is here today, and Microsoft is already working on the next version to bring you more great features. Join the Windows Insider Program to make sure you get all the new features that are on the way. If you're okay with a moving target and don't want to miss out on the latest stuff, keep reading. Insider Preview could be just your thing.
Get Insider preview builds only if you
- Want to try out software that's still in development and like sharing your opinion about it.
- Don't mind lots of updates or a UI design that might change significantly over time.
- Really know your way around a PC and feel comfortable troubleshooting problems, backing up data, formatting a hard drive, installing an operating system from scratch, or restoring your old one if necessary.
- Know what an ISO file is and how to use it.
- Aren't installing it on your everyday computer.
See also:
- Deeper look at flighting | Microsoft Docs
- Windows Insider Program
- How can I tell if I’m flighting? | Windows Insider Articles
- Welcome to Windows Insider Program | Windows Insider Program
- How to get started with Windows 10 Insider Preview builds | Microsoft Windows Insider
- Windows Insider Program User Guide | Windows Insider Program
- Getting started with Windows 10 Insider Preview Builds - Microsoft Docs
- Explore and validate Windows 10 builds with Windows Insider Channels | Windows IT Pro Blog
Starting with Windows 10 build 18312, Microsoft simplified the Windows Insider Program Settings page. The goal is to make the end-to-end experience of signing up for the Windows Insider Program and setting up your PC to take new builds much easier by simplifying the experience and removing some of the clutter. You'll find that all the same functionality is still there.
Starting with Windows 10 build 19018, Microsoft will not be offering Skip Ahead as an option for Insiders to sign-up for.
This tutorial will show you how to start or stop getting Insider Preview builds on a Windows 10 PC.
You must be signed in as an administrator to start or stop Insider builds.
It is required to have the diagnostic data privacy settings set to Full to get preview builds.
New Insider builds will be available through Windows Update.
Installing Windows 10 Insider Preview on a device that never had an activated copy of Windows 10 on it will require using a Windows 10 product key or buying genuine Windows from the Windows Store. This also applies if the new installation is for an edition of Windows 10 that wasn't previously activated on the device.
If you're reinstalling Windows 10 Insider Preview, automatic activation occurs by digital entitlement if the same edition of Windows 10 or Windows 10 Insider Preview (builds newer than 10240) was already activated on the device.
Contents
- Option One: Start Getting Insider Preview Builds on your Windows 10 PC in Settings
- Option Two: Stop Getting Insider Preview Builds on your Windows 10 PC in Settings
- Option Three: Enable or Disable Insider Preview Builds on your Windows 10 PC using Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Four: Enable or Disable Insider Preview Builds on your Windows 10 PC using a REG file
This option will register you as a Windows Insider by having you join the Windows Insider Program.
1 While signed in to Windows 10 with your Microsoft account, open Settings, and click/tap on the Update & Security icon.
2 Click/tap on Windows Insider Program on the left side, and click/tap on the Get started button on the right side. (see screenshot below)
3 Click/tap on Link an account. (see screenshot below)
4 Select your Microsoft account, and click/tap on Continue. (see screenshot below)
If your Microsoft account is not listed, then you can click/tap on the Microsoft account option instead under Use a different account to add it.
5 Select the Dev Channel, Beta Channel, or Release Preview Channel you want to join, and click/tap on Confirm. (see screenshots below)
Channel Description Dev Channel (Fast) Builds are released approximately every week and provide Insiders with the earliest access to new features. Be prepared for issues that might block key activities or might require workarounds. Beta Channel (Slow) Builds also contain new preview features and updates but are more stable than Fast ring builds and are released less frequently, approximately every month. Release Preview Channel If you want to be on the current public release of Windows 10 but still get early access to updates, applications, and drivers without taking the risk of moving to the Development Branch, the Release Preview ring is your best option.
6 Click/tap on Confirm. (see screenshot below)
7 Click/tap on Restart now to apply. (see screenshot below)
Be sure to save and close anything you have open first.
8 Check for updates to see if you have a new Insider Preview build available to download and install.
9 When finished, you can close Settings if you like.
After you've been an Insider for a while and tried out the latest builds, you might find that you need to opt your PC out of receiving Insider builds. There are a few reasons why you might want to opt out:
1) You're running a production build, meaning a general public release, and you really like it. The build is stable enough for you, and you want to stay with it and not get a potentially risky update.
2) The builds are making it too hard to use your device, you're running into too many problems, and simply are no longer enjoying the experience. You want to return your PC to the operating system you were using before you became an Insider.
3) You've been receiving builds on a PC that you now need for important tasks, and you need it to be stable and not taking updates.
1 While signed in to Windows 10 with your Microsoft account, open Settings, and click/tap on the Update & Security icon.
2 Click/tap on Windows Insider Program on the left side, and turn on Stop getting preview builds on the right side. (see screenshot below)
This will opt this device out of flighting when the next major release of Windows 10 is installed.
3 You can now close Settings if you like.
This option will override Option One and Option Two above.
The Local Group Policy Editor will only be available in the Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Four below.
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2 In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update\Windows Update for Business
3. In the right pane of Windows Update for Business in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Manage preview builds policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured is the default setting.
A) Select (dot) Enabled. (see screenshot below)
B) Under Options, select Disable preview builds or Disable preview builds once next release is public in the drop menu for what you want.
Selecting Disable preview builds will prevent preview builds from installing on the device. This will prevent users from opting into the Windows Insider Program, through Settings -> Update and Security.
Selecting Disable preview builds once next release is public will prevent preview builds from installing once the next Windows release is public. This option is useful when your device is set up to install preview and you want to gracefully opt out the device for flighting. This option will provide preview builds until devices reaches the next public release.
C) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below.
7 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
This option will override Option One and Option Two above.
The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD values in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
ManagePreviewBuilds DWORD
(delete) = Enable
1 = Disable
ManagePreviewBuildsPolicyValue DWORD
(delete) = Enable
0 = Disable preview builds
1 = Disable preview builds once next release is public
1 Do step 2 (enable), step 3 (disable), or step 4 (disable next release) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Enable_Insider_preview_builds.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Disable_Insider_preview_builds.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Disable_Insider_preview_builds_once_next_release_is_public.reg
Download
5 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Join Windows Insider Program to Register Account
- How to Leave Windows Insider Program to Unregister Account
- How to Change Account Used for Insider Builds in Windows 10
- How to Change Windows Insider Program Channel in Windows 10
- How to Choose to Skip Ahead to Next Release for Windows 10 Insiders in Fast Ring
- How to Enable or Disable Insider Build Settings in Windows 10
- How to Add or Remove Windows Insider Program Settings Page in Windows 10
- How to Check for and Install Windows Updates in Windows 10
- How to Go Back to the Previous Windows from Windows 10
- How to Send Feedback to Microsoft in Windows 10
- How to Defer Feature and Quality Updates in Windows 10
- How to Change Diagnostic and Usage Data Settings in Windows 10
- Turn On or Off Use sign in info to auto finish setting up device after update in Windows 10
- How to clean install latest Fast Ring Insider build in supported way
- How to Join or Leave Windows App Preview Program for Apps in Windows 10
- How to Check Expiry Date of Windows 10 Insider Preview Build
- How to Get Windows Insider Fast Ring ISO image for latest build
How to Start or Stop Getting Insider Preview Builds on Windows 10 PC
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New #1
You can tell those screens are different from the one you would see now when opting to get Insider builds. When hearing about the 10525 build I couldn't anything on it at the Insider site except for the Windows Blog.
The last part about selecting the download speed can only apply to an existing Insider build you have on as you can see from the 7/29 download. I changed the updates from automatic to schedule an update since I haven't been getting notified that new ones have gone on until going to manually check to see when the latest did go on and then see the prompting to schedule or restart the system immediately.
I certainly won't have to worry about not being prepared as well as any need to get any ISO downloads at this time having both editions in both flavors waiting to see when others will be wanting their machines upgraded to 10. :)
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New #2
I can't get the latest build to show in my updates. When I go to advanced options, the button to "Get Started" is greyed out.
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New #5
In that case, check your "Diagnostic and usage data" settings below to make sure it's set to "Full (Recommended)".
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/7032-feedback-options-change-windows-10-a.html
Afterwards, see of "Get started" is no longer grayed out.
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New #6
I have mine set to full and when I click on get started, I get an error message from the website to try again to sign in.
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New #7
By default the "Feedback Frequency should also be set for automatic on the setting above that. When clicking on the Get started here I will immediately see the three screen shown in Steps 4, 5, and 6 under Option One without any problem when signed in by the MS account here.
Did you create an MS account when setting 10 up or have already to use in order to sign in with? If you are only signing in on the desktop with the local account option that will result in seeing errors since you are providing the site with any credentials to allow access. You may just have to resign in with your account to proceed any further if you do have an existing account but used the local account option to arrive at the desktop automatically not having a password or pin code assigned. I have to log out here at times when using that in order to access either the Mail app or Windows Live essentials.
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New #8
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New #9
TON,
If you wanted to, keep trying off an on to see if you may be able "Get started" for the builds.
You could use the tutorial below for how to switch to a local account to sign in to Windows with. Just remember, that in a local account you will not be able to use any Windows apps that use a Microsoft service unless you sign in to the Store with a Microsoft account.
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5...dows-10-a.html
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4...dows-10-a.html
How to Start or Stop Getting Insider Preview Builds on Windows 10 PC
Published by Shawn BrinkCategory: Windows Update & Activation31 Jul 2021
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