Insider preview for Microsoft HoloLens

9/23/2020

17 minutes to read

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Applies to: HoloLens 2

In this article

Welcome to the latest Insider Preview builds for HoloLens! It's simple to get started and provide valuable feedback for our next major operating system update for HoloLens.

Windows Insider Release Notes

Here is the list of the upcoming features that you can try out today in our Windows Insider build.

Auto Eye Position Support

In HoloLens 2, eye positions enable accurate hologram positioning, comfortable viewing experience and improved display quality. Eye positions are computed as part of the eye tracking result. However, this requires each user to go through eye tracking calibration, even when the experience does not require eye gaze input.

Auto Eye Position (AEP) enables these scenarios with an interaction-free way to compute eye positions for the user. Auto Eye Position starts working in the background automatically from the moment the user puts the device on. If the user does not have a prior eye tracking calibration, Auto Eye position will start providing the user's eye positions to the display system after a small processing time. This processing time typically is between 20 - 60 seconds. The user data is not persisted on the device and hence this process is repeated if the user takes off and puts the device back on or if the device reboots or wakes up from sleep.

There are a few system behavior changes with Auto Eye Position feature when an uncalibrated user puts on the device. An uncalibrated user refers to someone who has not gone through the eye tracking calibration process on the device previously.

Active Application Current Behavior Behavior from Windows Insider build 19041.1339+ Non-gaze enabled app or Holographic Shell Eye tracking calibration prompt is displayed. No prompt is displayed. Gaze enabled app Eye tracking calibration prompt is displayed. Eye tracking calibration prompt is displayed only when the application accesses eye gaze stream.

If the user transitions from a non-gaze enabled application to one that accesses the gaze data, the calibration prompt will be displayed. There will be no changed to Out Of Box Experience flow.

For experiences that require eye gaze data or very precise hologram positioning, we recommend uncalibrated users to run eye tracking calibration from the eye tracking calibration prompt or by launching the Settings app from the start menu, and then selecting System > Calibration > Eye Calibration > Run eye calibration.

Known issues

We're investigating an issue where the eye tracker driver host process could crash when running under heavy memory load. The eye tracking driver host process should auto recover.

Certificate Manager

In Windows Insider build 19041.1361+ we are adding a Certificate Manager in the HoloLens 2 Settings app. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Certificates. This feature provides a simple and user-friendly way to view, install and remove certificates on your device. With the new Certificate Manager, admins and users now have improved auditing, diagnosis and validation tooling to ensure that devices remain secure and compliant.

Auditing: Ability to validate that a certificate is deployed correctly or to confirm that it was removed appropriately.

Ability to validate that a certificate is deployed correctly or to confirm that it was removed appropriately. Diagnosis: When issues arise, validating that the appropriate certificates exist on the device saves time and helps with troubleshooting.

When issues arise, validating that the appropriate certificates exist on the device saves time and helps with troubleshooting. Validation: Verifying that a certificate serves the intended purpose and is functional, can save significant time, particularly in commercial environments before deploying certificates at larger scale.

To find a specific certificate in the list quickly, there are options to sort by name, store or expiration date. Users may also directly search for a certificate. To view individual certificate properties, select the certificate and click on Info.

Certificate installation currently supports .cer and .crt files. Device Owners can install certificates in Local Machine and Current User; all other users can only install into Current User. Users can only remove certificates installed directly from the Settings UI. If a certificate has been installed through other means, it must also be removed by the same mechanism.

To install a certificate:

Connect your HoloLens 2 to a PC. Place the certificate file you want to install in a location on your HoloLens 2. Navigate to Settings App > Update & Security > Certificates, and select Install a certificate. Click Import File and navigate to the location you saved the certificate. Select Store Location. Select Certificate Store. Click Install.

The certificate should now be installed on the device.

To remove a certificate:

Navigate to Settings App > Update and Security > Certificates. Search for the certificate by name in the search box. Select the certificate. Click Remove Select Yes when prompted for confirmation.

Auto-launch provisioning from USB

Before this build users had to launch the provisioning screen manually during OOBE to provision using a button combination. Now users can skip the button combination, by using a Provisioning Package on a USB storage drive.

Plug in the USB drive with the provisioning package during OOBE’s first interactable moment When the device is ready to be provisioned it will automatically open the prompt with the provisioning page.

Note If a USB drive is left plugged in while the device is booting then OOBE will enumerate existing USB storage device, as well as watch for additional ones being plugged in.

For more information about applying provisioning packages during OOBE please continue reading here.

Auto-confirm provisioning packages in OOBE

When the provisioning main screen comes up, OOBE will count down 10 seconds before automatically starting applying all provisioning packages. Users can still confirm or cancel within this 10 seconds after verifying the packages they expected.

Automatic provisioning without using UI

By combining the auto-launch of provisioning from USB devices and the auto-confirmation of provisioning packages, a user can provision HoloLens 2 devices automatically without using the device's UI or even wearing the device. You may continue to use the same USB drive and provisioning package for multiple devices. This is useful for deploying multiple devices at once in the same area.

Create a Provisioning Package using Windows Configuration Designer. Copy the package to a USB storage drive. Flash your HoloLens 2 to 19041.1361 or newer build. When Advanced Recovery Companion has completed flashing your device unplug your USB-C cable. Plug in your USB drive to the device. When the HoloLens 2 device boots into OOBE it will automatically detect the provisioning package on the USB drive and launch the provisioning page. After 10 seconds the device will automatically apply the provisioning package.

Your device is now configured and will display the Provisioning Successful screen.

Using Autopilot with Wi-Fi connection

Now during OOBE, once you connect HoloLens 2 with Wifi, OOBE will check for an autopilot profile for the device. If one is found it will be used to complete rest of the AAD join and enrollment flow. In other words, using ethernet to USB C or wifi to USB C adapter is not a requirement anymore, however they continue to work if provided at beginning of OOBE. Learn more about Autopilot for HoloLens 2 devices.

Tenantlockdown CSP and Autopilot

HoloLens 2 devices now support TenantLockdown CSP as of Windows Insider build 19041.1366+.

TenantLockdown CSP enables HoloLens 2 to be tied to MDM enrollment using Autopilot only. Once TenantLockdown CSP’s RequireNetworkInOOBE node is set to either true or false (initially set) value on HoloLens 2, that value remains on the device despite re-flashing, OS updates, etc.

Once TenantLockdown CSPs’ RequireNetworkInOOBE node is set to true on HoloLens 2, OOBE waits indefinitely for Autopilot profile to be successfully downloaded and applied, after network connectivity.

Once TenantLockdown CSPs’ RequireNetworkInOOBE node is set to true on HoloLens 2, following operations are disallowed in OOBE:

Creating local user using runtime provisioning

Performing AAD join operation via runtime provisioning

Selecting who owns the device in OOBE experience

How to set this using Intune?

Create a custom OMA URI device configuration profile and specify true for RequireNetworkInOOBE node as shown below. OMA-URI value should be ./Vendor/MSFT/TenantLockdown/RequireNetworkInOOBE Create a group and assign the device configuration profile to that device group. Make the HoloLens 2 device member of the group created in previous step and trigger sync.

Verify in the Intune portal that device configuration has been successfully applied. Once this device configuration successfully applies on the Hololens 2 device, effects of TenantLockdown will be active.

How to unset TenantLockdown’s RequireNetworkInOOBE on HoloLens 2 using Intune?

Remove the HoloLens 2 from the device group to which the device configuration created above was previously assigned. Create a custom OMA URI based device configuration profile and specify false for RequireNetworkInOOBE as shown below. OMA-URI value should be ./Vendor/MSFT/TenantLockdown/RequireNetworkInOOBE Create a group and assign the device configuration profile to that device group. Make the HoloLens 2 device member of the group created in previous step and trigger sync.

Verify in the Intune portal that device configuration has been successfully applied. Once this device configuration successfully applies on the Hololens 2 device, effects of TenantLockdown will be inactive.

What would happen during OOBE, if Autopilot profile is unassigned on a HoloLens after TenantLockdown was set to true?

OOBE will wait indefinitely for Autopilot profile to download and following dialog will be presented. In order to remove effects of TenantLockdown, device must be enrolled with its original tenant first using Autopilot only and RequireNetworkInOOBE must be unset as described in previous step before restrictions introduced by TenantLockdown CSP are removed.

Global Assigned Access – Kiosk Mode

This new feature allows an IT Admin to configure a HoloLens 2 device for multiple app kiosk mode which is applicable at system level, has no affinity with any identity on the system and applies to everyone who signs into the device. Read about this new feature in detail here.

Automatic launch of an application in multiple-app kiosk mode

Applies only to multiple-app kiosk mode and only 1 app can be designated to auto-launch using highlighted attribute below in Assigned Access configuration.

Application is automatically launched when user signs-in.

<AllowedApps> <!--TODO: Add AUMIDs of apps you want to be shown here, e.g. <App AppUserModelId="Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge" rs5:AutoLaunch="true"/> -->

Kiosk mode behavior changes for handling of failures

Earlier on encountering failures in applying kiosk mode, HoloLens used to show up all applications in start menu. Starting in this Windows Insider build, in case of failures, no apps will be shown in the start menu as below:

Updates can be configured for this method as well, so even though the user is not installing via the Microsoft Store they can still receive updates. Updates can be configured to be based on app lauch or scheduled. To read more about how to set this up visit this page.

HoloLens Policies

New mixed reality policies have been created for HoloLens 2 devices on builds 19041.1349+. New controllable settings include: setting brightness, setting volume, disabling audio recording in mixed reality captures, setting when diagnostics can be collected, and AAD group membership cache.

New HoloLens policy Description Notes MixedReality\BrightnessButtonDisabled Allows brightness buttons to be disabled so pressing it does not change brightness. 1 Yes, 0 No (default) MixedReality\VolumeButtonDisabled Allows volume buttons to be disabled so pressing it does not change volume. 1 Yes, 0 No (default) MixedReality\MicrophoneDisabled Disables microphone so no audio recording is possible on HoloLens 2. 1 Yes, 0 No (default) MixedReality\FallbackDiagnostics Controls behavior of when diagnostic logs can be collected. 0 Disabled, 1 Enabled for Device Owners, 2 Enabled for all (Default) MixedReality\HeadTrackingMode Reserved for future use. MixedReality\AADGroupMembershipCacheValidityInDays Controls how many days AAD group membership cache is used for Kiosk targeting AAD groups. See below.

Cache AAD Group membership for offline Kiosk

This policy controls for how many days, AAD group membership cache is allowed to be used for Assigned Access configurations targeting AAD groups for signed in user. Once this policy value is set to value greater than 0 only then cache is used otherwise not.

Name: AADGroupMembershipCacheValidityInDays URI value: ./Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/MixedReality/AADGroupMembershipCacheValidityInDays

Min - 0 days

Max - 60 days

Steps to use this policy correctly:

Create a device configuration profile for kiosk targeting AAD groups and assign it to HoloLens device(s). Create a custom OMA URI based device configuration which sets this policy value to desired number of days (> 0) and assign it to HoloLens device(s). The URI value should be entered in OMA-URI text box as ./Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/MixedReality/AADGroupMembershipCacheValidityInDays The value can be between min / max allowed. Enroll HoloLens devices and verify both configurations get applied to the device. Let AAD user 1 sign-in when internet is available, once user signs-in and AAD group membership is confirmed successfully, cache will be created. Now AAD user 1 can take HoloLens offline and use it for kiosk mode as long as policy value allows for X number of days. Steps 4 and 5 can be repeated for any other AAD user N. Key point here is that any AAD user must sign-in to device using Internet so at least once we can determine that they are member of AAD group to which Kiosk configuration is targeted.

Note Until step 4 is performed for a AAD user will experience failure behavior mentioned below in “disconnected” environments.

New device restriction policies for HoloLens 2

Newly enabled policies that allow for more management options of HoloLens 2 devices.

Note In regard to RemoteLock, HoloLens will only support the ./Vendor/MSFT/RemoteLock/Lock configuration. The configurations dealing with PIN such as reset and recover are not supported.

New power policies for Hololens 2

These newly added policies allow admins to control power states, such as idle timeout. To read more about each individual policy please click the link for that policy.

Policy documentation link Notes DisplayOffTimeoutOnBattery Example value to use in Windows Configuration Designer, i.e., <enabled/><data id="EnterVideoDCPowerDownTimeOut" value="100"/> DisplayOffTimeoutPluggedIn Example value to use in Windows Configuration Designer, i.e., <enabled/><data id="EnterVideoACPowerDownTimeOut" value="100"/> EnergySaverBatteryThresholdOnBattery Example value to use in Windows Configuration Designer, i.e., 100 EnergySaverBatteryThresholdPluggedIn Example value to use in Windows Configuration Designer, i.e., 100 StandbyTimeoutOnBattery Example value to use in Windows Configuration Designer, i.e., <enabled/><data id="EnterDCStandbyTimeOut" value="100"/> StandbyTimeoutPluggedIn Example value to use in Windows Configuration Designer, i.e., <enabled/><data id="EnterACStandbyTimeOut" value="100"/>

Note For consistent experience on HoloLens 2, please ensure that values for both DisplayOffTimeoutOnBattery and StandbyTimeoutOnBattery are set as same value. Same applies to DisplayOffTimeoutPluggedIn and StandbyTimeoutPluggedIn. Refer to Display, sleep, and hibernate idle timers for more details about modern standby.

These update policies are now enabled on HoloLens 2 devices:

Enabled Settings page visibility for HoloLens 2

We’ve now enabled a policy that allows IT Admins to either prevent specific pages in the System Settings app from being visible or accessible, or to do so for all pages except those specified. To learn how to fully customize this feature click the link below.

To learn which page settings you can customize on HoloLens 2, please visit our Settings URIs page.

Research mode

While in Research Mode, the HoloLens 2 becomes a potent tool for computer vision research. Compared to previous editions, Research Mode for HoloLens 2 has the following advantages:

In addition to sensors exposed in HoloLens (1st gen) Research Mode, we now provide IMU sensor access including an accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer.

HoloLens 2 provides new capabilities that can be used together with Research Mode. Specifically, access to articulated hand-tracking and eye-tracking APIs that can deliver a richer set of experiments.

Researchers now have the option of enabling Research Mode on their HoloLens devices to access all of these external facing raw image sensors streams. Research Mode for HoloLens 2 also provides access to the accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer readings. To protect users’ privacy, raw eye-tracking camera images are not available through Research Mode, but eye-gaze direction is available through existing APIs.

Check out the Research Mode documentation for further technical details.

Updated policy to disable enumeration of USB functions through MDM for NCM for AllowUsbConnection.

More screens in OOBE are now in dark mode.

Learn more content should point to the latest Privacy Statement online.

Addressed an issue where users could not provision VPN profiles through provisioning packages.

Addressed an issue that prevented a HoloLens device from showing up in File Explorer over Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) when the device is set up as a single-app kiosk. Note that MTP (and USB connection in general) can still be disabled using the AllowUSBConnection policy.

Start receiving Insider builds

Note If you haven’t updated recently, please reboot your device to update state and get the latest build. The “Reboot device” voice command works well.

You can also choose the restart button in Settings/Windows Insider Program. We had a bug on the back-end that you may have encountered and this will get you back on track.

On a HoloLens 2 device go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program and select Get started. Link the account you used to register as a Windows Insider.

Windows insider is now moving to Channels. The Fast ring will become the Dev Channel, the Slow ring will become the Beta Channel, and the Release Preview ring will become the Release Preview Channel. Here is what that mapping looks like:

For more information, see Introducing Windows Insider Channels on Windows Blogs.

Then, select Active development of Windows, choose whether you'd like to receive Dev Channel or Beta Channel builds, and review the program terms.

Select Confirm > Restart Now to finish up. After your device has rebooted, go to Settings > Update & Security > Check for updates to get the latest build.

FFU download and flash directions

To test with a flight signed ffu, you first have to flight unlock your device prior to flashing the flight signed ffu.

On PC: Download ffu to your PC from https://aka.ms/hololenspreviewdownload. Install ARC (Advanced Recovery Companion) from the Microsoft Store: https://www.microsoft.com/store/productId/9P74Z35SFRS8 On HoloLens - Flight Unlock: Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program then sign up, reboot device. Flash FFU - Now you can flash the flight signed FFU using ARC.

Provide feedback and report issues

Please use the Feedback Hub app on your HoloLens to provide feedback and report issues. Using Feedback Hub ensures that all necessary diagnostics information is included to help our engineers quickly debug and resolve the problem. Issues with the Chinese and Japanese version of HoloLens should be reported the same way.

Note Be sure to accept the prompt that asks whether you'd like Feedback Hub to access your Documents folder (select Yes when prompted).

Note for developers

You are welcome and encouraged to try developing your applications using Insider builds of HoloLens. Check out the HoloLens Developer Documentation to get started. Those same instructions work with Insider builds of HoloLens. You can use the same builds of Unity and Visual Studio that you're already using for HoloLens development.

Stop receiving Insider builds

If you no longer want to receive Insider builds of Windows Holographic, you can opt out when your HoloLens is running a production build, or you can recover your device using the Advanced Recovery Companion to recover your device to a non-Insider version of Windows Holographic.

Caution There is a known issue in which users who un-enroll from Insider Preview builds after manually reinstalling a fresh preview build would experience a blue screen. Afterwards they must manually recover their device. For full details on if you would be impacted or not, please view more on this Known Issue.

To verify that your HoloLens is running a production build:

Go to Settings > System > About, and find the build number. See the release notes for production build numbers.

To opt out of Insider builds: