Microsoft announced that Windows Insiders will now able to opt for Windows 10 Redstone 4 update with the new ‘Skip Ahead’ option. With the upcoming Insider build, the Fast ring members will see a new drop-down option in upcoming build via Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program to skip ahead to the next development branch.
Windows 10 Fall Creators Update Insider build will now release from “RS3_RELEASE” branch. Going forward, Windows Insiders in the Fast ring will continue to get builds for the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update from this branch. However, Windows Insiders who choose to skip ahead will receive builds from the RS_PRERELEASE branch which will eventually be Redstone 4.
- Fast ring: Builds from RS3_RELEASE branch with no inbox app updates.
- Fast ring + Skip Ahead: Windows 10 Redstone 4 builds from RS_PRERELEASE with inbox app updates from the Store.
Dona Sarkar, Windows Insider team head, posted,
As we work to prepare the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update for the world, our engineering teams are beginning work on the next release of Windows 10 from our Development Branch. Windows Insiders in the Fast ring who choose to skip ahead will be given the opportunity to start trying out these builds in addition to receiving app updates again for many of the inbox apps in Windows 10 such as Photos, Skype, Groove, and Movies & TV.
The builds from the RS_PRERELEASE and RS3_RELEASE branches will be virtually identical. But at some point in the future, build numbers in the RS_PRERELEASE branch will jump ahead.
Dona Sarkar warns that you will not be able to leave Skip Ahead and go back to builds from the RS3_RELEASE branch without reinstalling Windows. Once the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is released to the general public, this skip ahead option will go away.
Also, initial Windows 10 Redstone 4 builds from RS_PRERELEASE will be less stable. Windows Insider team is expected to release Windows 10 build 16250 or build 16251 with ‘Skip ahead to the next Windows release‘ option.
