Microsoft launches Dev Home version 0.5 with new extensions page and more

Microsoft has released the preview version 0.5 of its Dev Home app which first launched in May as part of Build 2023. As a reminder, the app allows developers access to a number of features, including the recently launched Dev Drive, WinGet configuration, and GitHub codespaces together in one place.

The new version that's available for download in the Microsoft Store includes a new Extensions page, along with a number of changes and bug fixes, including many that fixed a number of accessiblity issues in the app.

The Dev Home GitHub page has the info on the version 0.5 update:

Extensions page

• Extensions page now exists in Dev Home and lists installed and available Dev Home extensions from the Microsoft Store.

Accessibility fixes

• Keyboard navigation should now work properly on the machine configuration page.
• Keyboard navigation now works in the app install page of machine configuration.
• The app install experience should now have the right colors in high contrast mode.
• Narrator should now have better announcements when used on the dashboard.
• Narrator should now have better announcements when using the setup flow in machine configuration.

Changes

• The Dev Drive checkbox in the add repo step of machine configuration is now automatically checked.
• Page headers now take up less space on the page.
• End task buttons have been removed from the CPU widget due to its update frequency.
• GitHub extension is no longer automatically installed.
• Installation notes are now displayed in the summary page after machine configuration.

Bug fixes

• The Dev Drive UI should now appear in Beta and Canary Windows Insider channels.
• UAC prompts should now work properly in the machine configuration tool.
• Account provider is no longer shown after signing out (Thanks @PankajBhojwani!).
• Relative paths with spaces should no longer crash Dev Home.

Developers can get more info on the Dev Home app on Microsoft's documents site. They can also provide ideas for new features for the app, or report any bugs, to Microsoft's GitHub repository.