Latest Windows 8.1 build beefs up IE developer tools

Developers who need to peek at the code behind Web pages in Internet Explorer will find more robust tools in Windows 8.1.

A leak of Windows 8.1 Build 9385 reveals an overhaul to the developer panel in IE. Pressing F12 in any current version of Internet Explorer displays a panel that allows you to examine the HTML and CSS code, scripts, and many other elements. Developers can use this feature to analyze the code behind third-party Web sites or to troubleshoot problems with their own Web pages.

Windows 8.1 has upped Microsoft's browser to Internet Explorer 11, which appears to show a slicker and friendlier flavor of the developer panel, which has remained unchanged for the past several years. A video of Build 9385 posted by Bavogames, a tech-focused channel on YouTube, shows the panel as easier to navigate and the code and other elements as easier to modify.

The screen itself also sports a more "Metro" or "Modern" design and resembles the look of the interface in Microsoft's Visual Studio.

A number of Windows 8.1 builds have dribbled out the past couple of months, each one revealing enhancements mostly to the Start screen and other select Windows 8 features. Reports have suggested that Microsoft will also add a Start button and boot to desktop option to Windows 8.1, which is expected to officially arrive later this year.