Microsoft confirmed in mid-February that the latest Windows 10 patch, version 21H1, would arrive in the spring of this year. This follows the standard Microsoft pattern
two major Windows 10 updates per year
Introduction. This update, which will be released shortly in the spring, follows the last update of October 2020. As for Windows 7, Microsoft no longer supports it, but if you run it, you can still download Windows 10 for free to download the latest patches.
“Valley of the Sun”
While some useful new features are expected to arrive in the spring, it seems likely that Microsoft will use this shorter update cycle to prepare users for a major Windows 10 UI update, codenamed Sun Valley. “Sun Valley” is a redesign program that will also touch the most used controls, the Start menu, the Action Center and the File Manager.
As a participant in the Windows Insider program, the author recently received a very large update (beta) that first changed Windows to a new profile, and
has already shown a cleaner interface in Sun Valley,
but when you switched to your own profile, the old design is back. (Since then, however, he has been unable to switch to anything other than his own profile, presumably due to a bug.)
It was a “cumulative update” from 2021-03, codenamed KB5000802, still officially for “Windows 20H2-based systems”. This is probably an early and not a final update that only the insiders get and that is a “precursor” to the April update, which is already on everyone’s computer.
What is Windows 10 version 21H1?
Windows 10 21H1 will be the latest update to Microsoft’s operating system, which will soon be available to everyone. These repairs usually arrive in April or May.
Microsoft generally releases a major feature update in the spring and a smaller one in the fall. But it seems that this time version 21H1 is also a minor update rather than a major patch.
What new features does the update include?
According to a Microsoft blog post, new features in Windows 10 include:
- Multiple camera support for Windows Hello, allowing users to choose an external camera when using high-end displays with built-in cameras.
- Windows Defender application protection enhancements, including optimization of document open times.
- Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Group Policy Service (GPSVC) update enhancements to support remote work.
- “The features released in the update focus on core experiences that customers said they trust the most today,” the post said. “That is why we have optimized this version to support the most urgent needs of our customers.”
According to Digital Trends, the patch also includes new icons, updated settings pages, and some changes to Cortana and the search box experience.
When can I download the new update?
Microsoft says Windows 10 21H1 update will be available “in the first half of the year” (in the spring). Windows Central reports that it will arrive in May, although Microsoft has not confirmed this.
Last Wednesday, Microsoft began compiling version 21H1 for Windows Insider members in the Beta program. New features will be offered in future versions of Windows Insider Preview as they are ready.
When the update is widely available, the H1 service update (first half of the calendar year) will ship first with Microsoft’s service technology. This means that it arrives the same way as Windows 10 monthly updates. The October 2020 update will be displayed in the same way. If you are already running Windows 10 2004 or 20H2, then
the latest update will install with a quick install.
When available in the spring, you can download version 21H1 at Settings> Update & Security> Windows Update and then click Check for Updates. If it is already available, the text “upgrade to Windows 10, 21H1” will appear. Click the Download and Install button and you are good to go.
What else can you expect this year?
October 2020 At the conference, Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, said that Microsoft would “double its efforts” on Windows and PC and continue with the “more serious innovations” that it had started before.
This could be one of the major operating system updates for Windows 10 at the end of the year, bringing a significant change to the user interface, according to a report from Windows Central. According to the news, Sun Valley’s codenamed update is a
brings a redesigned Start menu, Action Center and File Explorer with a more modern look and new features.
Sun Valley is expected to appear around the 2021 holiday season, Windows Central says, but that could change.
On the other hand, Microsoft has stated that a Windows 10X operating system update designed for dual-screen devices is expected to arrive only for single-screen devices for the first time.
Finally, in principle, in addition to design innovation soon can arrive it’s also an update (or part of a big update) that makes Android apps easy to install and run.
(Cover image: Kiyoshi Ota / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
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