Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Several updated apps ride in on the latest Windows Insider preview build wave

Kevin Parrish
By

windows 10 preview build 14931 feedback hub
Image used with permission by copyright holder
On Wednesday, Microsoft released the latest preview build for Windows 10 to Windows Insider participants in the Fast ring. Listed as Build 14931, the release is only for the PC and does not add anything new in features department. However, the Insider team updated several apps over the last several days that participants can now test, including a new version of Sticky Notes, Maps, and a new service injected into Skype Preview.

For starters, the Sticky Notes app moves up to version 1.1.40 and features performance improvements, making it faster than the current version served up on the Windows Store (1.1.30). The team fixed a bug causing Stock Prices from showing four significant figures and a bug related to rapidly toggling the “Don’t Ask Me Again” checkbox when deleting a note.

Recommended Videos

Next, the Feedback Hub is now at version 1.1608.2441.0. This app provides a new dark mode that turns the entire background black and the text white or yellow. To change this, simply go into the app’s new Settings page — via the Gear icon — click on “Dark” and then restart the app. The updated Feedback Hub also now shows the original feedback author in feedback details in addition to overall general bug fixes and stability improvements.

Related

The Maps app currently resides at version 5.1609.2580.0/5.1609.2581.0. With the update, users can hit the Traffic icon in the app bar to check out the traffic conditions surrounding their Home or Work locations. This information will be provided by the user’s most recently viewed traffic cameras. Another new feature is the ability to change the map theme, and to set Maps to follow the system setting for theme preference, such as light or dark modes.

On the Skype Preview front, Insiders running the latest Development Branch build of Windows 10 Mobile can set Skype Preview as their default messaging app and then send/receive SMS/MMS messages from a Windows 10 PC. On the phone, go into the Skype Preview app and set it as the default messaging app and then head into Skype Preview on the PC and select “Enable Skype on this device to sync my SMS messages.” Now everything received on the phone is piped into the PC, including photos and group messages.

Finally, the latest Preview Build includes native support for devices based on USB Audio 2.0. Not all features are supported just yet, such as recording (capture), which is scheduled to arrive in a later update. Right now, the driver only supports playback (render), so Insiders are encouraged to tool around with this new inbox-class driver and provide their opinions through the updated Feedback Hub.

Preview Build 14931 brings a small list of improvements and fixes for PC. The team squashed a bug that caused many built-in Windows 10 apps from working after updating to a new build. The team also addressed a bug that generated a black screen when logging out and switching to another user account. However, there is a short list of known issues for the PC version aswell, which can be viewed by reading Insider lead Dona Sarkar’s most recent post right here.

On the mobile front, there is no new build. Instead, the team is investigating two issues that appeared with the release of Build 14926 for mobile. Right now, some phones can no longer access their SIM card while others can no longer be unlocked because the PIN pad is not visible. Microsoft will release a new preview build for mobile once these two problems are addressed.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Kevin Parrish
Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
If you have an AMD GPU, stay away from the latest Windows Update
Two AMD Radeon RX 7000 graphics cards on a pink surface.

A quick PSA: If you own one of AMD's best graphics cards and you like to tweak the settings, now is not a good time to download the latest Windows Update. According to users on the AMD forums, the KB5030310 update really doesn't agree with AMD's Adrenalin Control Panel. While it's not the end of the world, this isn't the first Windows update in the last few months that has caused problems.

It appears that every time people restart their PCs, their Adrenalin settings are all reset back to default. This means that any changes made to things like AMD's Anti-Lag or Hyper RX will disappear upon every boot. Fortunately, the graphics driver itself is unaffected.

Read more
The best Windows apps for 2023
dell xps 13 2018 review version 1541544414 screen hero2

There are plenty of apps available in the Microsoft Store, but the best Windows apps can remain elusive. Calendar apps are a popular choice for those looking to improve productivity, and there are plenty of free apps you can choose from if you don't want to pay for the privilege.

To help you choose, we’ve put together a list of the best Windows 10 and Windows 11 apps for every user to try out, whether you want better productivity or just seek to be entertained.
Best Windows apps for productivity

Read more
The latest Windows Update is reportedly causing Starfield problems
A man walking into a dusty town on another planet in starfield.

If you've installed the latest Windows 11 update and you've been experiencing all sorts of issues ever since, you're not alone And if you're still yet to install it, it's probably best hold off on it for now. Many users have been reporting problems following the recent update, including crashes, slowdowns, and blue screens of death (BSOD). Gamers appear to be affected most of all, with some reporting stuttering in Starfield and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. 

Following the latest update released on Patch Tuesday, various reports of problems started pouring in across social media and Microsoft's Feedback Hub. Microsoft itself hasn't spoken up about this yet, but considering the number of reported issues, we could soon hear an official comment on the situation. If you've already installed the update and aren't experiencing problems, you have nothing to worry about. If you have installed and are encountering issues, it's best to revert to the previous version and reach out through the Feedback Hub.

Read more