Microsoft has now rolled out a significant Windows 10 update to testers. Insiders in the Fast Ring can now download Windows 10 build 17063, which comes with the previously announced Timeline feature, plus a new tabs system the company revealed last month.
The much-hyped Timeline feature didn't make the cut in time for the release of the Fall Creators Update, but thankfully, Microsoft was able to push it out before the end of the year.
Windows 10 Timeline
Timeline gives users a visual history of tabs, files, and windows so they can get back to what they were previously working on if ever they accidentally closed a tab, forgot where they saved a file, and so on. With Cortana functionality, Timeline is also a way for users to continue their work when they switch to iOS and Android devices if need be. Simply put, it's not just a visual history of one's activity in Windows 10, but also a quick way of jumping from one platform to another, kind of similar to Apple's continuity feature in iOS and macOS.
Windows 10 Sets
Meanwhile, there's also a new feature called Sets, which Microsoft already previewed a while back, though it might be called something else once officially released. It enables a tabbed interface so that users can perform different activities in a single window, which makes workflows easier and less cluttered. It's similar to tabbed browsing, but for every Windows 10 app. Right now, only Universal Windows Apps support it, but Office and win32 programs will also get Sets functionalities next year.
Other Improvements
Microsoft has also added a ton of new features in the latest build. As for Cortana, it will now suggest activities users might want to resume to help them stay productive, which goes hand-in-hand with Timeline.
As for the Edge browser, it's now slowly transitioning into a new design language Microsoft calls "Fluent," complete with an updated Dark theme, which makes the user interface more visually pleasing. The bookmark and flyout button has been merged, providing a consistent experience across books, bookmarks, and other documents.
Microsoft says it's also beginning to align Windows 10 programs with its new Fluent design language, starting with the Action Center and the Start menu, which now look, as Microsoft puts it, "acrylic."
There are a ton of changes and improvements in Windows 10 build 17063. Microsoft has listed everything in its blog, so make sure to check that out.
Are you on the Windows 10 Insider Fast Ring? Thoughts on the new build so far? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
