Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14915 Allows You To Grab OS Updates From Other PCs On The Web

Windows 10 might be the last monolithic release of Windows ever, but that doesn't mean the engineers in Redmond are suddenly out of work. Just the opposite, they're busy building new features in to Windows 10 that will be doled in updates, some big like the recent Anniversary Update and some small. One of the things they're working on is a tweak to its Delivery Optimization feature that allows users to grab updates from other PCs on the same local network.

That's now being expanded to include other PCs on the Internet. It's part of the latest Windows 10 Insider Preview Build (14915), and if you're subscribed to the Fast ring, you can download and install it right away.

"Starting today, Windows Insiders that have Delivery Optimization enabled will be able to download new Insider Preview builds, OS updates, and app updates from other PCs on their local network as well as from other PCs on the Internet. We introduced Delivery Optimization with the Windows 10 November Update giving users the ability to get updates from PCs on a local network and are now enabling the ability to get updates from PCs on the Internet," Microsoft explains.

It's really a peer-to-peer delivery system, though with the latest Insider Build, it's no longer limited to PCs on a local network. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that it also means your PC may be sending bits and pieces of apps and updates that have already been download.


Delivery Optimization is turned on by default, though it's not clear if it's also configured to grab updates from other PCs on the Internet by default as well. Either way, you can check (and choose whether or not to limit Delivery Optimization to local PCs) by going to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update > Advanced Options and selecting "Choose how updates are delivered."

This is supposed to make grabbing updates faster and more efficient. Rather than downloading an entire file from a single server, Delivery Optimization breaks the file down into chunks and finds the fastest, most reliable source for each one.

"Particularly for PCs with challenging network conditions, this is designed to provide a better and more reliable download experience," Microsoft says.

In addition to the Delivery Optimization tweak, the latest Insider Build includes a whole bunch of bug fixes, both for PC and Mobile. Among them is a bug that previously prevented the use of the power button on the Start menu.