Windows Settings and Windows App Permissions get improved in build 17083

Microsoft today released Windows 10 Build 17083 to those in Skip Ahead and Fast Ring. This build comes with a laundry list of changes, fixes, and known issues, but it also brings some new options in Windows Settings, and in Windows App Permissions. Here is what you need to know.

Windows App Permissions:

Control access to your pictures, videos, or documents folders: With this build we’re giving you more control so you can now decide which UWP apps can access your pictures, videos, or documents folders. If a UWP app needs access to any of these, a consent dialog will pop up prompting you to accept or deny the request. If at any time you change your mind about the decision, you can go to Settings > Privacy where you’ll find 3 new Settings pages (one for each of the folders). If you deny access to a particular folder, to protect your privacy that UWP app will revert to only being able to access its local app folder.

Windows Settings Improvements:

• See your UWP app version numbers: We’ve heard your feedback, and in addition to the other work we’ve been doing on the UWP app settings pages in Settings we’ve also updated them to include the app version number for easy reference. As a reminder, the easiest way to get to the app settings page for a particular UWP app is to right-click the app in Start and select More > App settings
• New options for sorting your startup apps: Based on your feedback we’ve added a dropdown to the Settings > Apps > Startup settings page so you can choose to sort the apps listed by name, state, or startup impact.
• We’ve heard your feedback and have added a new setting for those who would prefer their scrollbars stay always visible. It’s available under Settings > Ease of Access > Display. Turning this setting off will result in the scroll bars in UWP (XAML) apps persisting as scrollbars in their full expanded size, even when not interacting with them.
• In order to help reduce accidental invocation of this hotkey, we’ve added a new checkbox for this under Settings > Ease of Access > Color filters settings page. The default state is disabled.
• We’ve added Narrator landmarks throughout Settings to quickly move between search, navigation list, and main landmarks. And for Narrator users, the page heading (shown visually at the top of each page) will no longer read out as being at the bottom of each page.

Microsoft is also making a number of changes to Ease of Access in Settings, including adding Narrator landmarks throughout Settings to help users with disabilities quickly move between options. They’ve also shortened the name of the “Cursor, pointer and touch feedback” page to “Cursor & pointer size.” See below for the new Ease of Access improvements in Settings.

• We’ve swapped the positions of Color Filters & High Contrast in the Settings > Ease of Access navigation list.
• In Settings > Ease of Access > High Contrast, we’ve switched the default theme to be “High Contrast Black”.
• We’ve added links to Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator Settings for learning how to use Narrator and for adding more voices. Also the cursor movement mode combo box in the “Use Narrator cursor” sub-section has been removed.
• We’ve updated the Settings > Ease of Access > Speech page to present information & settings about Dictation, Cortana, as well as Windows Speech Recognition.
• We fixed an issue where Settings > Ease of Access > Eye control was a blank page.
• We’ve updated the Ease of Access search terms & results to better align with the available settings.
• Duplicate search results have been removed.
• Throughout Settings > Ease of Access you’ll find new “Related settings” links.

This is shaping up to be a bit of the Privacy Update, so it’s great to see that you can further control the access apps have to photos, on your computer. Definitely a lot to look at in Settings with this latest build. Feel free to look at things yourself, and drop us a comment with your thoughts in the section below.