Official Windows Insider app is coming soon — and it'll be an open source PWA

By Daniel Rubino
last updated

Insiders will soon have a new app to help them navigate Microsoft's Windows Insider Program.

Windows Insider App
Windows Insider App (Image credit: Windows Central)

For those who are part of the Windows Insider Program (WIP), you'll be pleased to know that an official app is in the works.

The app was teased at Microsoft's Ignite conference during a session dedicated to talking about WIP in business and enterprise.

There's not a lot known about the app, but here is what we know so far:

  • It's a Progressive Web App.
  • Dark mode is the default theme.
  • It will be available on all devices due to its PWA design.
  • It is open-sourced so that other devs can learn from its design and leveraging of PWA + Univeral Windows Platform (UWP).

The goal of the app is to provide Insiders with an all-in-one area to navigate, keep up to date, and participate in the Windows Insider Program. While it can be argued it is very long overdue at least there are firm plans now to make it happen.

Sections for Insider news taken from the blog, the Insider podcast, and Insider events. There's also main sections for info on Insider flights, cohorts for specific apps or features, and user activity. Integration with Microsoft Teams for cohort users is also likely.

A quick look at the app was shown during the presentation and is in the advanced stages. We'll try to dig up more info as it becomes available.

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.

18 Comments
  • Wasn't this being touted a year or so ago? About time it finally surfaced!
  • this was a big thing that I spiders were asking for last ignite in the insider sessions I'm glad they're finally doing it.
  • Get it? "Surfaced"! Waka-waka!
  • Wasn't even intended as a joke
  • But, what's the Insider Hub/Feedback app for, then?
  • The Hub is just one part of the places you have to look for Insider info, like ISO files, the Flight Hub (comprehensive listing of builds and blogs), etc., plus the team communicates with social media and a lot of Insiders hate social media or don't use it at all.
  • What is social media? You mean FaceTwitter? J/k
  • I don't get that, either. I use social media quite extensively. Same with all my friends
  • It should all be in feedback hub, I think. For someone not an Insider, those specific features of the app would simply be disabled.
  • Nice! Microsoft is making Chromebook apps now.
  • You do realize that PWA is supported by Microsoft, Google and Apple. So this is not only for Chromebook.
  • Yes, he does know that.
    He's just trying to be "amusing" and failing 😉
  • It is a Google project first and foremost, a Trojan horse for Chromebooks. They have the most to gain from PWA. You certainly don't see Apple making PWAs. Supporting PWAs and making PWAs are two very different things. If/when PWA becomes the norm, it is ChromeOS that wins, not Windows.
  • In the real world, every OS wins.
  • Will the Windows Insider PWA work on a Windows Phone. Of course not, because the creators didn't have the incite to update Edge on mobile!
  • What about a PWA Windows Central app with Fluent Design themes? When's that coming out?
  • Oh boy I want to get ahold of the source code so bad.
  • Hmm... Open Source, that sounds scary!