Microsoft updates Windows 10 preview weeks ahead of final release

With the Windows 10 launch just weeks away, Microsoft rolled out a new build Wednesday to Windows Insiders, the group that tests early versions of the software.

Officially, Microsoft has not specified whether the latest build is the same as the version expected to drop July 29, but multiple reports surfaced Wednesday suggesting Build 10240 will be the one designated as the „release to manufacturing” version.

The release to manufacturing (RTM) build is the version of Windows that Microsoft sends to hardware manufacturers so they can pre-install it on new devices. Even if Build 10240 is not officially the RTM build, a designation that’s becoming less defined as Microsoft revamps its update process, the latest build will likely be very similar to what Microsoft will send to manufacturers and what those who update from Windows 8.1 will see.

„Over the past few days we’ve been preparing our release pipelines and processes, and this build is one step closer to what customers will start to receive on 7/29,” Microsoft’s Gabe Aul writes on the Windows blog.

The newest build includes an updated version of Microsoft’s new browser, Edge. The latest version of Edge is significantly faster than Chrome and Safari, according to Aul. The Office suite was also be updated and Aul says the „preview” labels will be removed „in about one week.”

Windows 10 will begin to roll out later this month on July 29.