Windows 10 Insider 'skip ahead' option is now closed

By Zac Bowden
last updated

Microsoft is no longer accepting new Insiders to join its "skip ahead" ring that gives access to Redstone 4 preview builds a little earlier than usual.

Not long ago, Microsoft announced a change to the Windows Insider Program that would allow a select amount of Insiders to "skip ahead" to the next release of Windows 10 (codenamed Redstone 4) coming after the upcoming Fall Creators Update. Today, it appears the skip ahead program has reached capacity, as Microsoft is no longer accepting any new participants.

This means that Insiders who did not select skip ahead won't be able to do so now test out any Redstone 4 preview builds until after the Fall Creators Update is finalized, which we expect will happen sometime in September. Insiders who did jump into the skip ahead ring before it closed will continue to receive Redstone 4 builds from here on out, which over time will get progressively more buggy, as the Insider Program tends to do.

Once the Fall Creators Update is finalized, Microsoft will begin pushing Redstone 4 preview builds to all Insiders in the Fast ring, whether they selected skip ahead or not. But until then, these early Redstone 4 preview builds are now only available to a select, limited amount of Insiders. Now, the reason Microsoft is limiting capacity for the skip ahead option is so the company can continue to test the Fall Creators Update with Insiders and continue to receive feedback and telemetry on those last few builds.

What is Skip Ahead?

If the skip ahead option was open to all, Microsoft may lose more Insiders to the Redstone 4 builds than needed at this time. Microsoft needs as many Insiders as possible to continue testing the last few Fall Creators Update builds for optimum quality assurance. So, did you choose to skip ahead to the next development cycle of Windows 10?

Zac Bowden
Zac Bowden
Senior Editor

Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch on Twitter: @zacbowden.

17 Comments
  • Phew! I made it, didnt know the option to skip ahead was limited in capcity. 
  • They said in the original announcement that it would be limited, but that kind of got glossed over here and elsewhere.
  • Aha, that explains it
  • Got a older computer that I decided to choose to skip ahead. Interested to see what's coming down the line..
  • Zac have you got any new update to the build which you showed with cshell on mobile
  • I updated last week and never saw the option. May have closed it even earlier.
  • I chose to skip ahead because I like getting updates to the inbox apps (which are blocked on the rs3_release track).
  • But have you had any app updates? I'm on Skip Ahead and haven't received a single app update. I haven't had an app update in many many weeks.
  • I have been getting app updates. Best way to check is to go to "Downloads & updates" in the store.
  • "If the skip ahead option was open to all, Microsoft may lose more Insiders to the Redstone 4 builds than needed at this time. Microsoft needs as many Insiders as possible to continue testing the last few Fall Creators Update builds for optimum quality assurance". Why would MS loose regular insiders if we get some Rs4 stuff and regular updates ? It does not compute.
  • There are two insider tracks now, Fall Creators and Redstone 4.  If too many of the insiders currently on the Fall Creators track move to the RS4 track, then there would be less insiders testing the final builds of Fall Creators.  There are only so many insiders and MS wants to keep the bulk on the priority, Fall Creators, it seems at this point.
  • If everyone moved to the RS4 branch, they wouldn't have enough people testing the finalization of the RS3 branch.
  • I'm skipping ahead :). By the sound of it, I had better look into 3rd-party backup services before my PC gets the bleeding edge
  • I wanted to stay on active development for a few more weeks but I guess I missed the boat. Just tried to switch and get the message that it's reverted back.
  • I used it but went back to Fast ring. Why can I only post comments from the website or the Android app? Not able to post on the Windows 10 app at all
  • No, I'm done with the unstable fast ring builds. I'm fine with the slow ring builds. There are enough issues to participate in and solve in these builds too without it becoming a day job with major stability issues, out of my regular work.
  • I switched to skip head the moment it became available. My laptop has been on it ever since and I still HAVEN'T received a single app update. For example, I still don't have the new Store App Update nor the new Office Mobile App Updates with fluent design. Is anyone else on skip ahead not receiving app updates either?