HoloLens last saw a Windows 10 featured update over two years ago with the Anniversary Update, but Microsoft just changed that. Noted on the Windows Mixed Reality Developer Forum (via Windows Central,) HoloLens owners can now install a preview build of the upcoming Windows 10 Redstone 4 update. The preview comes with many new features, including expanded voice command support, expanded audio immersion, the introduction of File Explorer, and more.
Unlike with Windows 10 PC where installing builds is easy as visiting Windows Update, installing preview builds to HoloLens is a bit more complicated. HoloLens owners will need to first opt into preview builds, download the Windows Device Recovery Tool, and then download and flash the Redstone 4 preview build to the headset via the tool. All content from HoloLens will be erased as part of the update, and Microsoft has some more detailed instructions on the update process here.
Anyway, have a look below to see what is generally new with this Redstone 4 build. The full changelog with changes for developers is also available here if you so happen to want to dive into the technical details.
- Auto-placement of 2D and 3D content on launch
- Move, resize, and rotate 2D and 3D content without having to enter “Adjust” mode
- Make a 2D UWP app wider in aspect ratio to see more app content. For example, making the Mail app wide enough to show the Preview Pane
- You can do more simply using your voice
- Updated Holograms app with new holograms. Updated Photos app
- Improved mixed reality capture
- You can now hear HoloLens better in noisy environments, and experience more lifelike sound from applications as their sound will be obscured by real walls detected by the device
- You can use the File Explorer app to move and delete files from within HoloLens
- MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) support Enables your desktop PC to access your libraries (photos, videos, documents) on HoloLens for easy transfer
- You can now set up your HoloLens on a guest network at hotels, conference centers, retail shops, or businesses that use captive portal
Interestingly, this build is numbered as 17123, which is older than the most recent Redstone 4 Windows 10 PC insider builds. That said, you can expect for Microsoft to work on Feedback from those who have installed this new HoloLens build, and release newer versions soon. Let us know if you’re lucky enough to have a HoloLens and try out this new build by dropping us a comment below.
