How to start and stop receiving Windows 10 Insider Preview builds

The following guide walks you through the steps of joining or leaving the Windows 10 Insider Preview program.

Microsoft launched the Insider Preview program for Windows 10 as a way to test changes made to the operating system before they are deployed to regular versions of the operating system.

This is a fundamental change to the update cycle in previous versions where updates were only tested internally before they were deployed.

Millions of Insider Preview systems provide Microsoft with a large sample size of hardware and software configurations.

It is free to join the Windows Insider program, and it is free to leave it again. Leaving won't reset the PC to the latest Stable version, however, unless you exit the program right around the time a new Stable feature update is released.

Becoming an Insider

This is the easier option of the two most of the time, provided you run Windows 10 already. If you do, all you need to do is the following:

1. Tap on the Windows-key, and select the Settings from the Start Menu that opens up.
2. Navigate to Update & Security.
3. Select Windows Insider Program from the menu on the left.
4. The "Get Insider Preview builds" option is displayed on the screen.
5. Click on the "get started" button.
6. You are asked to sign in to a Microsoft account first.

Once you have done so, click on "get started" again.

A warning is displayed that highlights some of the risks of joining the program.

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You will be installing pre-release software and services that might not be fully tested.

Continue only if you...

Know your way around a PC and feel comfortable reinstalling Windows from scratch.

Want to try out pre-release software and share your opinion about it.

Don't mind frequent updates with significant changes.

Aren't installing it on your everyday computer.

Click the next button to continue, or cancel to exit the process.

The "before you confirm" prompt highlights that you may need to remove everything from your PC and reinstall Windows if you select to stop receiving Insider Preview Builds in the future.

A restart the PC prompt is displayed afterwards to complete the process.

Note: Once done, you may receive new updates via Windows Update depending on the old build and the build the Windows Insider program is on.

Leaving the Windows Insider program

Please note that you may need to reinstall Windows from scratch if you leave the Insider program. The best time to leave the program is when the stable builds and the Insider builds are in sync.

To leave the Insider Preview builds program do the following:

1. Tap on the Windows-key to open the Start Menu and select Settings from it.
2. Navigate to Update & Security in the settings app.
3. Select "Windows Insider Program" on the next page.
4. Click on the "stop insider preview builds" button on the next page.
5. You get options to stop receiving builds for 1, 3 or 5 days, or to stop getting them permanently.
6. Click on "stop receiving Insider Preview builds if you want to leave the program and hit apply.

If things to well, a restart prompt is displayed to restart the system and apply the change.

You can verify if you have left the Insider Preview program by opening the same menu under Update&Security again. You should see a "join" button now.

Now You: Have you joined the Insider Preview build program?

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