(AP) — Microsoft has released an update to Windows 8, aiming to address some of the gripes people have with the latest version of the company’s flagship operating system.

The company made a preview of Windows 8.1 available for free as a download on Wednesday.

At an event Wednesday in San Francisco, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer acknowledged that the company pushed hard to get people to adopt a new tile-based user interface. Microsoft is now back-pedaling, making it easier to reach and use the older “desktop” interface.