Before Microsoft can add new functionality to Windows, it relies on people to test these new features through the Windows Insider program. This free program allows you to install preview builds of Windows before they’re released to the general user base and be among the first to play with cool new features and offer feedback.
In the past few years, the program naturally focused on updates and new releases for Windows 10. However, now that Windows 11 has been unveiled, Microsoft is also offering a preview build for this next generation of Windows. Whether you want to stick with Windows 10 or would like to take Windows 11 for a test drive, the sign-up process is the same.
Register for the Windows Insider Program
To join the Windows Insider program, you first need a Microsoft account. If you don’t already have one, browse to the Microsoft Account page and click Create a Microsoft account. Follow the steps to set up your account. You can use an existing email address from Google, Yahoo, Outlook, or another mail service, or create a new account using outlook.com or hotmail.com.
After creating your Microsoft account, jump to the Windows Insider page. Click the Register button and sign in with your Microsoft account.
Prepare Test Environment
Whether you want to preview builds of Windows 10 or Windows 11, you will need a licensed version of Windows 10. This can be downloaded from Microsoft’s Download Windows 10 page. However, since this is essentially a beta version of the operating system, you probably don’t want to wipe out your current Windows 10 environment.
Instead, you’ll want to run your insider build on a spare PC, within a dual-boot environment, or on a virtual machine. I use the free programs VMWare Workstation Player and Oracle VM VirtualBox to house test builds of Windows and have enlisted those to run the Windows 11 insider build.
Once this environment is set up, install Windows 10 by clicking the Download tool now button under the Create Windows 10 installation media section. Save and run the file called MediaCreationTool.exe, then choose your installation media to install Windows 10 from: a USB drive, DVD, or ISO file.
Follow the steps to install Windows 10. Afterwards, make sure the installation is licensed with a product key or virtual license associated with your account.
Set Up Insider Program
Launch Windows 10 on your test computer or environment and go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program. On the right pane in the section called Get Insider Preview builds, click the Get Started button.
Click Link an account in the pop-up window and confirm the Microsoft account you want to use to access the insider builds. Click Continue.
The next screen prompts you to choose among three different types of Insider settings: Dev channel, Beta channel, or Release Preview Channel. If you want preview builds for Windows 10, choose Release Preview Channel.
If you want builds for Windows 11, select either Dev Channel or Beta Channel. The Dev channel will contain the latest features and updates for Windows 11 but may be more buggy, while the Beta channel will contain features and updates that have already been polished by Microsoft and are more stable.
Select your preferred channel and click Confirm. The next screen explains the pre-release software you’re going to receive and offers links to read the Microsoft Insider privacy statement and the Microsoft Insider program agreement. Click Confirm to proceed, then click Restart Now to reboot your computer.
Once your computer starts back up, log back in and return to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program. Confirm that the program is activated and that it’s pointing to the channel you chose.
Install Preview Build for Windows 10 or 11
Now head to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click the Check for updates button. You should see the latest Insider Preview updates for the version of Windows you selected. Allow the updates to download and install. After the updates have downloaded, click the Restart Now button to reboot your computer.
Your PC restarts and installs the updates. Sign into Windows and spend some time working and playing in the new environment to see what you like or don’t like.
Share Feedback With Microsoft
After you have used your insider build for a while, you may want to share some feedback with Microsoft on what you like, what you don’t like, and what you want to see changed. To do this, click the Start button and open the Feedback Hub from your PC.
For additional information, you can also first go back to the Windows Insider web page and scroll down to click the Understand feedback link. Read the resulting page to learn more about how, where, and why to give feedback. When you’re ready to share your comment, click Give feedback to open the Feedback Hub.
At the Feedback Hub, you can read posts from Microsoft and give feedback on your Windows experience. Click the Feedback category to view feedback from other Windows insiders. If you agree with a specific piece of feedback, click the Upvote icon to share your approval.
You can chime in on an existing piece of feedback by clicking the Add comment link. Type your comment and then click Post comment to publish.
To give your own feedback, click Give new feedback. Type your feedback, then click Next and choose a category and subcategory for your feedback. Click Next and then Next again. When done, click Submit and close the Feedback Hub.
Unenroll From Windows Insider Program
If you no longer want to be part of the Windows Insider Program, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program in Windows 10 and Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program in Windows 11.
Click Stop getting preview builds. Depending on your current settings, you can change your channel, unenroll your device when the next version of Windows releases, or unenroll your device immediately.
