Microsoft Polishes the Way You Mute and Unmute Volume in Windows 10

Microsoft has released a new Windows 10 preview build for users enrolled in the Windows Insider program, and while the focus is on bug fixes at this point, there are also a bunch of notable improvements as well.

The first of them is the way you mute and unmute volume in Windows 10, as Microsoft explains that it received a ton of feedback in this regard lately.

“Based on feedback, when you have muted your volume, the volume will now not unmute when using the hardware keyboard volume keys until you raise the volume (or manually unmute),” Microsoft explains.

Then, there are further improvements for the Narrator, including more information in the Add Bluetooth or other devices screen in the Settings app when opening it for the first time.

Additionally, Microsoft says the Narrator now uses what it describes as “a more friendly string” for audio output in the Select playback device dropdown menu in the volume flyout.

A handful of bug fixes and known issues

Just as expected, there are several notable bug fixes, including two specifically aimed at File Explorer.

“We fixed an issue where the new icon next to Scan with Microsoft Defender in File Explorer’s context menu didn’t have a transparent background. We fixed an issue where some files couldn’t be opened in win32 apps from File Explorer when the path length to the file was very long and parts of the path included East Asian characters,” Microsoft says.

Windows 10 build 19587, which is available exclusively for users in the Fast ring, is a preview of Windows 10 version 2004, which is projected to launch this spring. The RTM build is expected to be signed off sometime next month, while the public rollout to production devices should kick off in April or May.