Microsoft is rolling out a new preview build of Windows 10 and, as expected, it adds support for new touchpad gestures for navigating between apps. But Windows 10 preview build 9879 also has user interface improvements, OneDrive improvements, and bug fixes.

w10 touchpad

If you’re using build 9879 or later on a notebook with a precision touchpad, you can now use 3-finger gestures to manage your currently-running apps. A 3-finger swipe up reveals Task View. Swipe down with 3 fingers and you’ll show the desktop.

Use 3 fingers to flick right or left and you can switch to the previous app. Or move your fingers more slowly to scroll through apps as if you were hitting Alt+Tab. Just lift your fingers to select the app you want to switch to.

You can also now use a 3-finger tap to open the Search app.

Speaking of the Search app, if you don’t want a permanent Search icon in your Windows taskbar, just right-click the taskbar and uncheck the new box that says “Show Search button.” You can also hide the Task View button.

Other changes in build 9879 include improved OneDrive sync so that you won’t see placeholders in File Explorer for files that aren’t actually downloaded to your device.

Microsoft has also improved native support for videos using the MKV format: you can play them in Windows Media Player as well as other apps, and when you view MKV files in the File Explorer you’ll be able to see thumbnail images and metadata.

Windows 10 also supports H.265/HEVC videos.

Microsoft is also testing the new Edge rendering engine for Internet Explorer — but will only make it available to about 10 percent of the people testing Windows 10 for now.

At this point Windows 10 is still very much a work in progress, but anyone who signs up for the Windows Insider Program can help test pre-release builds of the operating system. The latest build also includes a new Insider Hub app which provides the latest news about the Insider program.

Microsoft will also start offering ISO images of each new build of Windows 10. Up until now if you’ve wanted to install the Windows 10 preview you’ve needed to download and install an outdated version and then download updates on your PC.

 

But since Microsoft wants to gather feedback about its update process, the fastest way to get new builds will still be to use the Windows Update tools in your PC Settings app, because Microsoft will push new builds that way before making the ISO images available.

You can find out more about Windows 10 preview build 9879 at the Windows blog.

Support Liliputing

Liliputing's primary sources of revenue are advertising and affiliate links (if you click the "Shop" button at the top of the page and buy something on Amazon, for example, we'll get a small commission).

But there are several ways you can support the site directly even if you're using an ad blocker* and hate online shopping.

Contribute to our Patreon campaign

or...

Contribute via PayPal

* If you are using an ad blocker like uBlock Origin and seeing a pop-up message at the bottom of the screen, we have a guide that may help you disable it.

Subscribe to Liliputing via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 9,547 other subscribers

7 replies on “Latest Windows 10 preview brings new gestures, native MKV support, and more”

  1. I only need a 1 finger gesture to describe how I feel about the so-called “Modern UI” aka Metro Tiles.

  2. Doesn’t everyone just install VLC as part of their initial set up of a new computer? I have no idea what Windows Media Player even looks like since about Windows98SE.
    .
    More on point, I am testing Windows10DP and I must say while it is still very rough around the edges it is at least going in the right direction.

  3. Only getting around to MKV NOW?
    MS could have bought VLC by now and dispensed with tricking out support for stuff like this over… decades.

    1. What a horrible idea. Microsoft getting to control VLC player would be a nightmare. Ever noticed how Skype doesn’t get updated on any platform but windows anymore? The Linux version is years old and has issues now.

      If they *could* buy VLC, it would soon only support formats Microsoft likes on Microsoft’s platforms.
      But luckily for us, VLC is open source and hence not an option for the corporate schmucks at MS

Comments are closed.