Microsoft has steadily released new builds to its Windows Insider Program members over the last few months, and it seems to mostly be squashing bugs now, but the company had yet to make the next major version of Windows 10 available in the ISO format. Now that's changed--members of the Windows Insider Program whose PC meets Redstone 5's system requirements can download and install the ISO.
Downloading this ISO release of Redstone 5 allows you to perform a clean install of Windows 10 on your system or a virtual machine. Other builds are released as updates to Windows Insider Program members, which means they can accumulate "cruft" that sometimes makes it hard to spot the differences between releases. Performing a clean install offers a new canvas on which Microsoft can highlight new features.
Microsoft said this release also offers the option to install the following versions of Windows 10:
- Windows 10 Insider Preview Enterprise is built to address the needs of large and midsize organizations and comes with the management tools IT administrators need.
- Windows 10 Insider Preview Education is built for students and faculty and comes with the management tools IT administrators need.
- Windows 10 Insider Preview Home Single Language is built for consumers in emerging markets and can only run a single language.
- Windows 10 Insider Preview Home China is built for consumers in China and is delivered in Simplified Chinese.
You can decide which version of the Redstone 5 release you want to install via Microsoft's website. Once you've done that, you have to burn the ISO to some form of installation media, then follow the on-screen steps to finish. Note that this release can only be installed on a device activated with Windows 10 or with a Windows 10 product key. (Microsoft doesn't want you to pirate its latest-and-greatest, after all.)
Redstone 5 is currently available to Slow ring members of the Windows Insider Program. Following the release of these ISOs, Microsoft's upcoming Bug Bash and then requisite testing, Redstone 5 should be commercially launched this fall. You can learn more about some of the feature updates and other changes Microsoft has made with recent preview builds in our coverage of Preview Builds 17723 and 18204.
