A huge Microsoft leak has revealed a big design change that could be on its way to Windows 10.
An internal build that was accidentally pushed out to public testers boasts a brand new Start menu with a Launchpad-style design. It makes it easier to access apps but doesn’t include Live Tiles.
Microsoft invites users to test new versions of its software before they go public as part of its Insiders program. But not even Insiders are supposed to get their hands on internal Windows builds.
This particular version of Windows 10, rolled out to 32-bit devices this week with build number 18947, was intended to be used only for internal Xbox development.
Microsoft slips up
The most exciting element of the release is a brand new Start menu. It presents all of your apps in a grid like the Launchpad in macOS, so you can get to what you need in just a couple of clicks.
The new Start menu does away with Live Tiles, which were a staple of Windows 10. But it’s not clear if that’s just because this is an early build that’s still very much in development.
Start in tablet mode. Meh. pic.twitter.com/Ou7o7ol5g2
— NTAuthority (@NTAuthority) July 24, 2019
This build also came with a built-in GIF search tool within Windows 10’s emoji picker, and a redesigned Control Center.
https://twitter.com/WithinRafael/status/1154102131130920960
‘This was an error’
Microsoft confirmed to The Verge that this release wasn’t intended to be rolled out to Insiders. “This was an error and we’ve since pulled the build,” said Windows Insider chief Dona Sarkar.
It’s not the first time Microsoft has made this mistake. Internal versions of Windows 10 for PC and mobile were accidentally rolled out to testers in 2017, causing some devices to enter a boot loop.
Fortunately, this inadvertent release doesn’t appear to break anything.
