Windows Insiders on the Dev Channel are getting a new Windows 10 Iron preview build (20279) this week. More specifically, this is likely to be the final build for the next major Windows update. From here on, Microsoft may issue some improvements and bug fixes but there will be no new features.
Windows 10 21H1 is previewing on the fe_release branch, relating to its codename “Windows 10 Iron”. However, it’s important to remember the “Iron” branch of 21H1 is not for desktop. Instead it is for Windows 10X and Windows Server 2021.
Microsoft has been quiet in recent weeks in terms of updates for this branch. It now seems clear the company was wrapping up the build.
It is worth noting Microsoft has not officially said this is the final update for fe_release. However, it makes sense because a lot of what is happening to Windows 10 21H1 is being in testing on other branches. That’s why fe_release has never had many features.
Windows 10 21H1 itself is not based on the same codebase, instead running on the same codebase as Windows 10 version 2004 and 20H2 (Vibranium). Yes, it’s all a little too complex for its own good and Microsoft is complicating it further by not really being clear about what purpose different Insider branches serve.
Changelog
In terms of the final fe_release update, Microsoft says there are no fixes, but there are several known issues:
- “We’re looking into reports of the update process hanging for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build.
- Live previews for pinned sites aren’t enabled for all Insiders yet, so you may see a grey window when hovering over the thumbnail in the taskbar. We’re continuing to work on polishing this experience.
- We’re working on enabling the new taskbar experience for existing pinned sites. In the meantime, you can unpin the site from the taskbar, remove it from the edge://apps page, and then re-pin the site.
- We’re working on a fix for an issue resulting in some users seeing error 0x80070426 when using their Microsoft account to sign into various apps. If you encounter it, rebooting your PC may resolve this.
We’re working on a fix for an issue where, in recent Dev Channel builds, no drives appear under Settings > System > Storage > Manage Disks and Volumes. As a workaround, you can manage your disks in the classic Disk Management tool.”
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