Microsoft is finally allowing Windows 11 testers to get access to experimental features without having to download a third-party app like ViVeTool. The changes are part of making the Windows Insider Program (WIP) less confusing, with Dev and Canary testing rings simplified into a new Experimental Channel alongside a refresh of the existing Beta Channel.
Microsoft has been using a technology called Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR) for years now, to gradually roll out new features to all Windows 11 users. While this is an industry standard, it’s often frustrating to try and get access to experimental Windows 11 features and realize that Microsoft is A/B testing the cool thing that just got announced and you’re not on the list. Microsoft principal group product manager Alec Oot even admits that the unpredictability often means “you don’t get the new features that motivated many of you to join the Insider program to begin with.”
You usually have to download ViVeTool and find the feature ID you need to enable to get access to newly announced features, but that won’t be the case anymore. Windows Insiders in the new Experimental Channel will now be able to enable or disable specific features through a new Feature Flags page in the Settings app. The refreshed Beta Channel will also no longer have a gradual rollout of features.
“We will start by enabling Feature flags for visible new features announced in WIP,” says Oot. “This means less visible changes announced in WIP, like bug fixes and system improvements, may not be present in Feature flags.” Microsoft wants feedback on the rollout of this new feature flags setting, and it’s likely that Windows enthusiasts will continue to find secret unannounced changes to Windows 11 that will still require the use of ViVeTool — but at least you won’t be missing out to A/B testing once the features are official.
The simplified channels for Windows 11 testing are also another much-needed change. I follow Windows testing on a weekly basis, but it’s often been confusing to figure out what new features are appearing across Beta, Dev, and Canary channels.
“For most Insiders, picking the Beta or Experimental channel will be all you need to get set up, but for those who want to go further, we are adding an advanced option to pick your Windows core version compatible with your hardware,” explains Oot. “The Experimental channel will also contain a further Future Platforms option, which is our earliest preview build for Windows and is not aligned to a retail version of Windows.”
This new Future Platforms option is designed for Windows enthusiasts and developers who want access to the very latest test builds of Windows 11. It sounds like the Experimental Channel will be the best option for those wanting to test new features as they appear, while the Beta Channel will be a more stable version of what will then move to Release Preview before being rolled out to all Windows 11 users.
Finally, Microsoft is also making it easier to move between different testing channels or stop participating in Windows Insider builds altogether without having to reinstall Windows 11. “We’re making some behind-the-scenes changes to enable Insider builds to use an in-place upgrade (IPU) to hop between versions,” says Oot. “This will allow in most cases Insiders to move between Experimental, Beta, and Release Preview on the same Windows core version, or leave the program without a clean install.”