Windows 10 preview shows big changes are coming:: A fancier Start menu, pinned websites and easier Linux access

Microsoft promised big changes to Windows 10 with the Fall Creators Update, and it's backing that up in spades with a new Insider Preview. Available to brave testers on the "Fast Ring," the release brings redesigned notifications in the Action Center, much improved handwriting and stylus support, upgrades to Cortana and the Edge browser, improved HDR support and more. The release may be Microsoft's biggest Insider Preview yet, judging by the massive post explaining all the new features.

1. New look for Start menu and Action Center

Microsoft is giving the Start menu and Action Center a lick of paint, overhauling the UI to include elements of its recently announced Fluent Design System.

Changes to the Start menu include applying the blurred acrylic effect to menus where transparency is enabled, diagonal resizing, easier vertical and horizontal resizing, and a smoother transition to tablet mode.

The Action Center has been redesigned, as seen above, in an attempt to more clearly separate information and to allow notifications to be arranged by hierarchy. The acrylic effect is also applied to toast notifications in the Action Center.

2. Pin websites from Microsoft Edge

Those browsing the web using Microsoft Edge will be able to pin websites to the taskbar. Users will also be able to select fullscreen mode in Edge using F11.

3. Annotate books in Microsoft Edge

Users who read EPUB books using Microsoft Edge will be able to annotate text, highlight in four colors, underline, and add notes.

4. Cortana spots useful information in images

Microsoft's virtual assistant Cortana will be able to extract useful information from text in images, for instance setting a calendar reminder for a film screening based on a movie poster. Users will also be able to use a digital pen to circle text of interest in an image and have Cortana extract and interpret what to do with it, as shown below.

5. Do more with digital pens

Microsoft has broadened Windows 10's built-in support for writing on a screen using a digital pen.

The new handwriting panel will provide easier editing and support more gestures, emojis and symbols.

New features include the ability to write as much as you want in the panel, with words converted to typed text as they are written on screen. When using the handwriting panel, text shown elsewhere on screen can also be selected on screen to edit it within the panel.

Users will also be able to scroll the screen by swiping the pen across the display, as they would their finger, although only in Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps and, at a later date, in Microsoft Edge.

6. A better touchscreen keyboard

The new touchscreen keyboard on Windows 10 desktop includes improved text prediction—with support for autocompleting phrases based on a single word— and the ability to transform single words into emojis in UWP apps. An alternative keyboard layout for one-handed typing will also be available.

7. Automatically find your photos, videos and music

Windows 10 storage scan will, if you allow it, be able to automatically detect media, pictures, songs and videos wherever they are on your drive, and will make these available to relevant apps, including Photos, Groove Music and Movies & TV apps.

8. New options for watching movies

Video playback will be able to configured to maximize battery usage or video quality.

There is also a new settings page related to High Dynamic Range within the Display settings, for those using HDR screens.

9. Simpler to choose your favorite apps

Fed up of movies opening in the wrong player? Windows 10 will make it easier for users to choose which file types are opened by each app, via a new page in the Apps section of Settings menu.

10. Easier access to Linux operating systems

Running the Bash shell on different Linux operating systems within Windows has been simplified, as using Windows Subsystem for Linux no longer requires Developer Mode to be enabled.

There are numerous other changes that you can see here. Insiders on the Fast Ring should see the new 16215 Insider Preview release now (also dubbed #TacoHat), and for more info, Microsoft plans to do a Windows Insider webcast on its Mixer channel every month.