What you need to know
- New Microsoft Emulator and Windows 10X images are now available to test.
- The Windows 10X image no longer requires a Windows Insider build to be installed.
- The update also applies the windowing model to Win32 apps, the option to update your image through the emulator, and more.
Microsoft today released updates to both the Microsoft Emulator and the Windows 10X emulator image today, bringing some significant improvements to both. For the emulator, you'll now be able to move up to version 1.1.54.0, while the new Windows 10X image comes in at build 19578.
For the emulator, you'll now be able to update images directly from within the emulator. The bigger highlights are available in the Windows 10X emulator image, however. Not only does it include Microsoft's new Files app, but the image no longer has to be installed on a Windows 10 Insider build, and it now uses Windows 10X's windowing model to Win32 apps running in a container. Here's a look at the release notes for both updates.
Emulator
- The Microsoft Emulator Manager now includes the ability to query the Store for updated Images.
- On first run of the emulator, if there are no images installed, it will prompt to download the latest image.
- You can also check for new images through the File->Download emulator images menu item.
Windows 10X image
- The Windows 10X Emulator Image (build 19578) includes a new EULA that no longer requires it to be installed on an Insider Preview version of Windows. You can install it on Windows 10 version 10.0.17763.0 or higher to test existing apps on the dual-screen device emulator.
- In order to use an Insider Preview SDK, developers must setup their dev environment on a Insider Preview version of Windows.
- This update applies the windowing model for Windows 10X to your Win32 apps running in the container. System-defined window placement ensures that users have a consistent and simplified windowing experience that is tailored and appropriate to a smaller, dual-screen, and touch-friendly device. Some gaps remain and will be addressed in a future update.
- An early version of File Manager (labeled Beta) is included. It is designed to work with OneDrive synced files and therefore requires a Microsoft account attached to the OS, either through the Settings app or by signing into a Microsoft app such as the Store.
- Installing the Visual Studio Remote Tools no longer prompts about the Machine.config files during install.
- Emulator displays "The GPU is not running. Problem code: 43". There is a recent regression that fails to initialize the GPU if the host machine is an older build than the Windows 10X image.
- The LockScreen may stop responding. If it does, use the device portal and restart the ModernShellUXApp.exe process.
- Occasionally, apps running in the Win32 Container may not display correctly. Tapping the tile in the taskbar typically brings up the app properly.
If you want to give the Windows 10X emulator a shot and try out Microsoft's new OS before it's available, you can download the tools now. Both the Microsoft Emulator and the Windows 10X image are are available at Microsoft now.
