New Windows 10 Preview Makes Big Improvements to Edge, Skype

Microsoft has a new Windows 10 preview build, and it's jam-packed with improvements to some of the company's most popular apps.

According to TechRadar, which obtained a copy of the build, the Edge browser has been improved with a new depth effect that makes it easier to determine which tab you're on at any given time. And in addition to a new logo, the Edge browser has a revamped Settings menu that brings the most commonly used items to the top and moves the less-useful items to the bottom. Microsoft has also baked in several customization options so you can create a unique browsing experience that you find suitable.

And in a bid to follow Chrome and other browsers, Microsoft's Edge now offers a feature that lets you decide whether to allow a website that plays a video to automatically play that clip.

On the Skype side of things, Microsoft's new preview build, 17704, now lets you take a screenshot while you're in a call. You can now more easily find the screen-sharing button in Skype and more quickly customize the layout so you can see what you want to see during a call.

Microsoft's new build now includes a new Block Suspicious Behaviors tab under Virus & Threat Protection that will allow you to proactively stop apps or services that are behaving abnormally from running amok on your machine, according to TechRadar. Microsoft's new preview build is now also making it easier to see the logs that are created with crashing apps and a small tweak to Task Manager now gives you insight into which apps are causing the biggest drain on your battery life.

Microsoft releases preview builds for Windows 10 on a somewhat regular basis. The previews allow the community to try out the software and ensure it's stable before it becomes public. It's unknown when the new features will make their way to a final build.