The Windows Insider program is essential for Microsoft to refresh Windows 10 with feature updates twice a year, most recently in May 2020. Without this program, releasing major updates twice a year would be a bit ambitious (many bugs currently get through). However, participation in the program has not always been easy, but that is about to change.

Well, somewhat, anyway. To avoid confusion, Microsoft has moved from "rings" to "channels," with clearer language about what each tier means. This also involves a change in the way updates are pushed.

"As we continue to evolve the way we release Windows 10 and the diversity of Insiders we serve is greater than ever, it is critical that Insiders have flight options tailored to their needs. We believe the best way to do this is to shift the focus from frequency to quality," Microsoft explains.

Starting later this month, both the Fast and Skip Ahead rings will be replaced by the Dev Channel. This is intended for "highly technical users" and is where testers will have first access to the latest builds at the earliest stages of the development cycle.

One important difference from previous Rings is that builds pushed in the Dev Channel are not tied to a specific Windows 10 release. They are essentially a collection of features and tweaks that are in development and may be available in the next Windows 10 update or the next update after that (or may not be available at all).

Going forward, slow ring will be a beta channel. This is a tier suitable for early adopters and will include test builds linked to future releases of Windows 10. So, for example, if you join the Insider Program at the end of this month and jump into the Beta Channel, you will receive a test build of the 20H2 update scheduled for this fall.

Finally, the Release Preview Ring becomes the Release Preview Channel. As before, this tier will provide more refined test builds prior to general availability. It is most appropriate for companies and OEMs who want to validate their hardware and software for the upcoming major update. These are also the only builds that are fully supported by Microsoft.

This is a smart reorganization of the Windows Insider Program, as the Beta Channel gives you an early look at actual future updates and is more stable than the features tested in the Dev Channel.15]

If you are interested in participating, go to [ Settings] > [Update and Security] > [Windows Insider Program] and follow the prompts.