Windows Update Start Getting Insider Preview Builds on Windows 11 PC

This tutorial will show you how to start getting Insider preview builds of Windows 11 on your Windows 11 PC.

Flighting is the process of running Windows Insider Preview Builds on your device. When you run these early versions of Windows and give Microsoft feedback, you can help Microsoft shape the future of Windows. Once you've registered for the Windows Insider Program, you can run Insider Preview builds on as many devices as you want, each in the channel of your choice.

Starting April 24, 2026, Microsoft is beginning to move to the new Experimental and Beta channels as announced earlier this month. As a reminder, most Insiders, those who are in the Dev and Beta channels today will transition to the new channels over time as follows:

• Beta Channel > Beta
• Dev Channel > Experimental

For those in the Canary Channel, you will also be transitioned to specific versions of the Experimental channel, depending on whether you are in the 28000 series Canary channel or took the optional 29500 series update. The transition takes place as follows:

• Canary Channel 28000 series > Experimental (26H1)
• Canary Channel 29500 series > Experimental (Future Platforms)

Based on your feedback to have clearer definitions between channels, Microsoft has committed to updating how they use the new Beta experience to reflect what is coming to retail in the following weeks. With this, there will be a realignment of experience when Beta Channel Insiders move to the new Beta experience.

While Beta Channel Insiders can generally expect a similar experience after this transition, some may notice feature changes. Although these feature differences will be minor, users who are looking for the best continuity of all existing features should consider moving from the existing Beta Channel to Dev Channel, in preparation for the move to Experimental. 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. Most users will see these options as 25H2 or 26H1 builds. While users can still move from Beta to Experimental after the changes are implemented on your device, moving beforehand ensures the best continuity of experience for those features.

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 is aimed at users who are looking to be at the forefront of platform development. Insiders looking for the earliest access to features should remain on a version aligned to a retail build.

Release Preview will continue to be an advanced option aimed at commercial customers and Insiders who want early access to production builds in the days leading up to broad release. To select Release Preview, you will need to enable it in the ‘Advanced Options’ but the content remains unchanged. We’re actively talking with our commercial Insiders about how to make it better, and we want to hear from you.

Depending on your channel today, leaving the Windows Insider Program or even moving between channels can sometimes require wiping your device and doing a clean install of Windows. That can be a barrier both for people considering the program and for Insiders who want to leave. To make this a more streamlined and consistent experience, Microsoft is making some behind the scenes changes to enable Insider builds to use an in-place upgrade (IPU) to hop between versions. 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. An IPU takes a bit more time than your normal update but migrates your apps, settings, and data in-place. As Experimental Future Platforms is our earliest preview build option and does not align to a retail production build of Windows, moving to a different channel or out of the WIP program will still require a clean install.

References:

You must be signed in as an administrator to start getting Insider preview builds.

Send optional diagnostic data is required to be turned on to join the Windows Insider Program to get preview builds of Windows 11.

Here's How:

1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Windows Update on the left side, and click/tap on Windows Insider Program on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3 Click/tap on Get started. (see screenshot below)


4 Click/tap on Line an account. (see screenshot below)


5 Select your Microsoft account registered for the Windows Insider Program, and click/tap on Continue. (see screenshot below)

If your Microsoft account is not listed, then you can click/tap on the Microsoft account option instead under Use a different account to add it.

6 Select the Canary Channel, Dev Channel, Beta Channel, or Release Preview channel you want to get Insider preview builds for, and click/tap on Continue. (see screenshot below)


7 Click/tap on Continue. (see screenshot below)


8 When ready, click/tap on Restart now to restart the computer to apply. (see screenshot below)


9 When the computer has finished restarting, Check for updates button at Settings > Windows Update to download the latest Insider Preview build based on the channel you chose. Your device will update like it normally would with a Windows update.


That's it,
Shawn Brink