Windows 10 Build 18956 adds visual changes and a new Cortana

Microsoft released Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18956 to Insiders in the Fast Ring.

Unlike build 18950, the new Preview build comes with some significant changes and improvements.

Windows 10 build 18950 brings visual changes

Some of the changes that were previously leaked, like the new Calculator features, make their appearance in the latest build along with a revamped Network Status page and Notifications settings improvements.

Check out the full set of changes in Windows 10 build 18956:

• A redesigned Network Status page in Settings with new view of active connections and integrated Data Usage
• Traditional Chinese IME Improvements
• Notification settings improvements:

If you hover your mouse over an incoming notification, you’ll now see a settings icon to make it easy to adjust that app’s notification settings.

We’ve updated the design of the per-app notification settings for visual clarity.

There’s now a direct link to notification settings at the top of the Action Center.

Notifications & Action Settings now has a checkbox for muting the sound of all notifications.

By default, the senders in Notifications & Action Settings are now sorted by “most recently sent a notification.”

• A new Cortana experience for 50% of Insiders in the United States
• Calculator app updates
• We’re in the process of returning Tamper Protection to being on by default for all Insiders. You’ll see this change reflected on your PC across the next few weeks.
• We fixed an issue where, if snipping via Print Screen was enabled, certain UI would unexpectedly dismiss before it could be captured in the snip.
• We fixed an issue resulting in the touch keyboard button not launching the touch keyboard on certain devices.
• We fixed an issue where, if you dragged File Explorer while the search dropdown was visible, the dropdown could end up disconnected from the search box.
• We fixed an issue where, if a search was in progress in File Explorer, then it’d take two clicks on the X to clear the search results.
• We fixed an issue where using the “Automatically type into Search Box” view setting would result in the first letter of your File Explorer search being dropped.
• We fixed an issue where File Explorer recent searches weren’t disabled when the group policy “Turn off display of recent search entries in the File Explorer search box” was enabled.
• We fixed an issue where explorer.exe would crash when searching File Explorer starting in a OneDrive folder if OneDrive was not running.
• We fixed an issue where Homegroup options might still appear in the “Give access to” File Explorer context menu entry, despite the Homegroup feature no longer being available.
• We fixed an issue resulting in some Insiders experiencing a taskbar search crash right after log-in.

There are also some known issues:

• Anti-cheat software used with games may cause PC crashes
• Some Realtek SD card readers are not functioning properly
• Minor problems with Japanese IME
• When connected via cellular, the Network status will be incorrect, but the device is able to use the connection.

These new changes in Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18956 (20H1) sound promising. Let’s hope that Microsoft also solved most of the major problems from previous versions and things will run smoothly.

And now, back to you: what’s your take on the new improvements in build 18956?