While Windows 11 currently has four Insider channels for testing: Canary, Dev, Beta, and Release Preview, there is only one for Windows 10, which is the Release Preview. However, Microsoft is adding one more channel for additional testing before a wider release of certain features. As such, a new Beta channel for Windows 10 is making its debut today.
Microsoft has also added that those on systems that are eligible for Windows 11 will be offered the upgrade. The company writes:
At the end of last year, we announced a change in approach for Windows 10 to make sure everyone can get the maximum value from their current Windows PC. To bring new features and more improvements to Windows 10 as needed, we need a place to do active feature development with Windows Insiders. So today, we are opening the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders who are currently on Windows 10. This will allow us to try out new features for Windows 10, version 22H2, with Insiders before releasing them to all Windows 10 customers.
If you are an Insider on Windows 10 today and want to try out new features for Windows 10 when we have them, we recommend that you join or switch to the Beta Channel. You can do this by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program, clicking on the current Insider Channel selection to expand and see the full list of Insider Channels, and choosing Beta Channel.
Windows Insider Program settings page showing all 4 Insider Channels with the Beta Channel highlighted in a red square.
We will not automatically upgrade you to Windows 11 when you join the Beta Channel. The Windows 11 upgrade will be available as optional, where you can choose to upgrade when you are ready.
You will be able to switch to the Canary or Dev Channels but in doing so it will upgrade your PC to the latest Windows 11 build for those channels.
If you switch to the Canary or Dev Channels, you will have a small window to roll back to Windows 10 but once this window closes, the only way to go back to the Beta Channel and/or Windows 10 will be to do a clean install of Windows.
You will not see the options to switch to the Canary or Dev Channels as these channels are only for Windows 11 Insider Preview builds.
The Windows 10 end of support date of October 14, 2025, is unchanged. Joining the Beta Channel on your Windows 10 PC does not change that. For more information on the Extended Security Update program for Windows 10, see this blog post here.
Many features in the Beta Channel will be rolled out using Control Feature Rollout technology, starting with a subset of Insiders and ramping up over time as we monitor feedback to see how they land before pushing them out to everyone in this channel. Insiders in the Beta Channel on Windows 10 who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to them can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update.
Features and experiences included in the Windows 10 builds we flight to the Beta Channel might not ever get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in updates to Windows 10 for everyone when they’re ready.
Insiders in the Beta Channel who want to be the first to get features gradually rolled out to you can turn ON the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Updated & Security > Windows Update. Over time, we will increase the rollouts of features to everyone with the toggle turned on. Should you keep this toggle off, new features will gradually be rolled out to your device over time once they are ready.
Finally, Microsoft has said that the first Windows 10 Beta channel build will be available in the "coming weeks." You can read the official blog post here on Microsoft"s website.
