Microsoft is apparently developing another version of Windows 10 called "Lean," and as the name suggests, it's a trimmed-down variant of the operating system that removes a bunch of preloaded software to save on disk space.
A Twitter user named Lucas first spotted the edition, Windows 10 Lean appears to be a new installation option when doing a clean install of the OS. It's currently available in build 17650, which can be downloaded by Windows Insiders who have chosen the "Skip Ahead" feature.
Smaller Than Windows 10 Pro
Windows 10 Lean will be a 64-bit version of the OS that's 2 GB smaller than a standard Windows 10 Pro edition. As mentioned, a number of features appear to have been cut to keep it small, including wallpapers, drivers for CD and DVD drives, and a bunch of apps. This is most apparent in the Start window, where app tiles have been replaced a download option. This means that Windows 10 Lean is only lean from the start, as the user may choose to download and install all the missing apps and tools.
What Is Microsoft Going To Do With Windows 10 Lean?
It's not clear what Microsoft is planning to do with Windows 10 Lean. It being stripped down to the bare essentials implies that it could be a good fit for low-powered devices, but the lack of user-friendly features, such as wallpapers, indicate that it might be targeted at enterprise users.
Exactly what it is and who it's for are nothing but big mysteries for now, but there's a strong implication that it will most likely run devices with more restrictions, almost akin to Windows 10 S. In fact, Windows 10 Lean is registered as "Windows Cloud E" and "Windows 10 S." So while Microsoft has done away with Windows 10 S, perhaps it's paving the way for Lean to become the de facto slimmed-down variant of its OS.
Windows 10 April Update
Microsoft is currently preparing for the Windows 10 April Update, previously named the Spring Creators Update. It's big on design changes first and foremost, especially with the company's transition into a new design language called Fluent, featuring more gloss and transparency, among other things. Big changes are also coming to the Game Bar, Cortana, and Edge, among others.
Thoughts about Windows 10 Lean? Pumped for the April Update? As always, if you have anything to share, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
