Microsoft’s Windows 10 17093 Build Adds Lots Of Polish, Cuts The Need For Passwords

Microsoft releases enough Insider Previews to make someone’s head spin, so it’s not often that a new build offers such an impressive set of updates that I feel inspired to write about it. Build 17093 is worth noting for a handful of reasons, and all of them will affect you directly when the Spring Creators Update is released (in the spring, likely).

The biggest news from this release might be Microsoft’s jump towards a password-less future. Exclusive to Windows 10 S for the time-being, users will be able to set Windows up and subsequently log in at will using only their finger print, PIN code, or face. During the setup process, it sounds like Microsoft’s Authenticator app is required for this magic to happen, so you’d want to make sure you have that installed and configured before taking this enhancement for a spin.

Another cool change affects GPU users, or in particular those who have multiple GPUs in their system. This isn’t so much about SLI and CrossFire as it is iGPU + dGPU. Vendors like AMD and NVIDIA offer per-app GPU preference support in their drivers, but with the function built straight into Windows, users will be able to open a familiar looking interface, and tell the OS to stick to whichever GPU is preferred. You may wish to play a game like League of Legends on an iGPU for the sake of battery-life, over the discrete GPU which is naturally much hungrier for voltage.

For fans of Microsoft’s Game Bar, there’s a lot to be excited about. Well, that’s at least true if you’re content with what’s largely a new coat of paint, rather than new functionality. Dark and light themes are built-in, but the new Game Bar can also color itself based on your Windows theme. It’s not just about aesthetics, though. Microsoft promises an “easier to use” experience overall, one that doesn’t hide options in hard-to-find areas.

For those with HDR monitors, enabling the ability to stream the eye-popping video has been made simple. It’s found under the “Video playback” section of the Settings app. If the option isn’t able to be enabled, it’ll mean that an HDR monitor is not hooked up. By default, HDR content will maximize a display’s brightness, but Microsoft notes that you can easily control that to save on battery life.

Other enhancements in 17093 include better Bluetooth pairing if devices ready to be paired are nearby, along with TLC applied to security, permissions, and input. If you want the nitty-gritty, you can hit up the official blog post.