ARTICLE AD BOX
The motorboat of a awesome Windows 10 update isn’t nan extremity of a process — it’s really conscionable nan beginning. As soon arsenic 1 of Microsoft’s characteristic updates (such arsenic Windows 10 type 22H2) is released, nan institution quickly gets to activity connected improving it by fixing bugs, releasing information patches, and occasionally adding caller features.
In this communicative we summarize what you request to cognize astir each update released to nan nationalist for nan astir caller versions of Windows 10 — versions 22H2 and 21H2. (Microsoft releases updates for those 2 versions together.) For each build, we’ve included nan day of its first merchandise and a nexus to Microsoft’s announcement astir it. The astir caller updates look first.
For specifications astir really to instal and negociate Windows updates, spot “How to grip Windows 10 and 11 updates.” If you’re looking for accusation astir Insider Program previews for upcoming characteristic releases of Windows 10, spot “Windows 10 Insider Previews: A guideline to nan builds.”
Updates to Windows 10 versions 21H2 and 22H2
KB5055518 (OS Builds 19044.5737 and 19045.5737)
Release date: April 8, 2025
The update has a wide assortment of information updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and April 2025 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is simply a information update, it should beryllium applied comparatively soon. Over nan adjacent fewer weeks, cheque for reports astir problematic issues, and if each seems well, use nan update.
There are 2 known issues successful this build including 1 successful which devices that person definite Citrix components installed mightiness beryllium incapable to complete installation of nan January 2025 Windows information update.
(Get much info about KB5055518 (OS Builds 19044.5737 and 19045.5737.)
KB5053606 (OS Builds 19044.5608 and 19045.5608)
Release date: March 11, 2025
The update has a wide assortment of information updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and March 2025 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is simply a information update, it should beryllium applied comparatively soon. Over nan adjacent fewer weeks, cheque for reports astir problematic issues, and if each seems well, use nan update.
There are 2 known issues successful this build, including 1 successful which devices that person definite Citrix components installed mightiness beryllium incapable to complete installation of nan January 2025 Windows information update.
(Get much info astir KB5053606.)
KB5052077 (OS Build 19045.5555) Preview
Release date: February 25, 2025
This build fixes respective bugs, including 1 successful which nan OpenSSH (Open Secure Shell) work grounded to start, preventing SSH connections.
There are 2 known issues successful this build, including 1 successful which definite Citrix components installed mightiness beryllium incapable to complete installation of nan January 2025 Windows information update. This rumor was observed connected devices with Citrix Session Recording Agent (SRA) version 2411.
(Get much info astir KB5052077 Preview.)
KB5051974 (OS Builds 19044.5487 and 19045.5487)
Release date: February 11, 2025
The update has a wide assortment of information updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and February 2025 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is simply a information update, it should beryllium applied comparatively soon. Over nan adjacent fewer weeks, cheque for reports astir problematic issues, and if each seems well, use nan update.
There are 3 known issues successful this build, including 1 successful which devices that person definite Citrix components installed mightiness beryllium incapable to complete installation of nan January 2025 Windows information update.
(Get much info astir KB5051974.)
KB5050081 (OS Build 19045.5440) Preview
Release date: January 28, 2025
This build includes nan caller type of nan Outlook app. IT admins tin study really to negociate nan caller type astatine nan Microsoft Learn page “Control nan installation and usage of caller Outlook.”
The build besides fixes a assortment of bugs, including 1 successful which the Capture Service and Snipping Tool stopped responding erstwhile you pressed Windows logo cardinal + Shift + S respective times while Narrator was on.
There are 2 known issues successful this build, including 1 successful which nan OpenSSH (Open Secure Shell) work fails to start, preventing SSH connections. In nan different one, PCs that person definite Citrix components installed mightiness beryllium incapable to complete installation of nan January 2025 Windows information update.
(Get much info astir KB5050081 Preview.)
KB5049981 (OS Builds 19044.5371 and 19045.5371)
Release date: January 14, 2025
The update has a wide assortment of information updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and January 2025 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is simply a information update, it should beryllium applied comparatively soon. Over nan adjacent fewer weeks, cheque for reports astir problematic issues, and if each seems well, use nan update.
There are 2 known issues successful this build, including 1 successful which devices that person definite Citrix components installed mightiness beryllium incapable to complete installation of nan January 2025 Windows information update.
(Get much info astir KB5049981.)
KB5048652 (OS Builds 19044.5247 and 19045.5247)
Release date: December 10, 2024
The update has a wide assortment of information updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and December 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is simply a information update, it should beryllium applied comparatively soon. Over nan adjacent fewer weeks, cheque for reports astir problematic issues, and if each seems well, use nan update.
(Get much info astir KB5048652.)
KB5046714 (OS Build 19045.5198) Preview
Release date: November 21, 2024
This build fixes a assortment of bugs, including 1 successful which Win32 shortcuts did not backmost up to nan cloud.
(Get much info astir KB5046714 Preview.)
KB5046613 (OS Builds 19044.5131 and 19045.5131)
Release date: November 12, 2024
This update fixes a bug successful which immoderate games did not commencement aliases stopped responding aft you installed KB5044384. This occurred because immoderate games usage a third-party DRM constituent that are not compatible pinch that update. This update makes changes to support those games while nan crippled developers reside nan DRM issue.
The update besides has a wide assortment of information updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and November 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is simply a information update, it should beryllium applied comparatively soon. Over nan adjacent fewer weeks, cheque for reports astir problematic issues, and if each seems well, use nan update.
(Get much info astir KB5046613.)
KB5045594 (OS Build 19045.5073) Preview
Release date: October 22, 2024
This build starts nan rollout of nan caller relationship head connected nan Start paper that makes it easy to position your relationship and entree relationship settings. To alteration to a different user, prime nan ellipsis (…) adjacent to “Sign out.” Not everyone will spot this alteration yet, because it’s rolling retired gradually.
The build besides fixes a assortment of bugs, including 1 successful which a vmswitch triggers a extremity error. This occurs erstwhile you usage Load Balancing and Failover (LBFO) teaming pinch 2 virtual switches connected a virtual instrumentality (VM). In this case, 1 virtual move uses azygous guidelines Input/Output virtualization (SR-IOV).
(Get much info astir KB5045594 Preview.)
KB5044273 (OS Builds 19044.5011 and 19045.5011)
Release date: October 8, 2024
This update has a wide assortment of information updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and October 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is simply a information update, it should beryllium applied comparatively soon. Over nan adjacent fewer weeks, cheque for reports astir problematic issues, and if each seems well, use nan update.
(Get much info astir KB5044273.)
KB5043131 (OS Build 19045.4957) Preview
Release date: September 24, 2024
This build fixes respective bugs, including 1 successful which playback of immoderate media mightiness person stopped erstwhile you usage definite situation sound technology, and different successful which Windows server stopped responding erstwhile you utilized apps for illustration File Explorer and nan taskbar.
There is 1 known rumor successful this update, successful which you mightiness beryllium incapable to alteration your personification relationship floor plan picture.
(Get much info astir Windows 10 22H2 KB5043131 Preview).
KB5043064 (OS Builds 19044.4894 and 19045.4894)
Release date: September 10, 2024
This update has a wide assortment of information updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and September 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is simply a information update, it should beryllium applied comparatively soon. Over nan adjacent fewer weeks, cheque for reports astir problematic issues, and if each seems well, use nan update.
(Get much info astir KB5043064.)
KB5041582 (OS Build 19045.4842) Preview
Release date: August 29, 2024
This build fixes respective bugs, including 1 successful which erstwhile a combo container had input focus, a representation leak could hap erstwhile you closed that window.
There is 1 known rumor successful this update, successful which you mightiness beryllium incapable to alteration your personification relationship floor plan picture.
(Get much info astir KB5041582 Preview.)
KB5041580 (OS Builds 19044.4780 and 19045.4780)
Release date: August 13, 2024
This merchandise has a wide assortment of information updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and August 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is simply a information update, it should beryllium applied comparatively soon. Over nan adjacent fewer weeks, cheque for reports astir problematic issues, and if each seems well, use nan update.
(Get much info astir KB5041580.)
KB5040525 (OS Build 19045.4717) Preview
Release date: July 23, 2024
This build fixes a assortment of bugs, including 1 successful which nan Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) nonstop codification caused systems to extremity responding during regular tasks, specified arsenic record transfers. This rumor led to an extended nonstop loop.
There is 1 known rumor successful this update, successful which you mightiness beryllium incapable to alteration your personification relationship floor plan picture.
(Get much info astir KB5040525 Preview.)
KB5040427 (OS Builds 19044.4651 and 19045.4651)
Release date: July 9, 2024
This update has a wide assortment of information updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and July 2024 Security Updates.
What IT needs to know: Because this is simply a information update, it should beryllium applied comparatively soon. Over nan adjacent fewer weeks, cheque for reports astir problematic issues, and if each seems well, use nan update.
There are 2 known issues successful this build, including 1 successful which you mightiness beryllium incapable to change your personification relationship floor plan picture.
(Get much info astir KB5040427.)
Windows 10 2022 Update (version 22H2)
Release date: October 18, 2022
The Windows 10 2022 Update is, successful Microsoft’s words, “a scoped merchandise focused connected value improvements to nan wide Windows acquisition successful existing characteristic areas specified arsenic quality, productivity and security.” In different words, there’s not overmuch caller here, though Computerworld blogger Susan Bradley did uncover a fistful of caller group policies successful nan release.
Home and Pro editions of nan 2022 Update will person 18 months of servicing, and Enterprise and Education editions will person 30 months of servicing.
To instal nan update, spell to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates. If nan update appears, select Download to instal it.
(Get much info astir nan Windows 10 2022 Update.)
Windows 10 November 2021 Update (version 21H2)
Release date: November 16, 2021
Version 21H2, called nan Windows 10 November 2021 Update, is nan 2nd characteristic update to Windows 10 released successful 2021. Here’s a speedy summary of what’s new:
- Wi-Fi information has been enhanced pinch WPA3 H2E standards support.
- GPU compute support has been added successful nan Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and Azure IoT Edge for Linux connected Windows (EFLOW) deployments for instrumentality learning and different compute-intensive workflows.
There are besides a number of features designed for IT and business:
- Windows Hello for Business has a caller deployment method called unreality spot that simplifies passwordless deployments.
- For accrued security, location person been changes to nan Universal Windows Platform (UWP) VPN APIs, which includes nan expertise to instrumentality communal web-based authentication schemes and to reuse existing protocols.
- Apps tin now beryllium provisioned from Azure Virtual Desktop. This allows those apps to tally conscionable for illustration section apps, including nan expertise to transcript and paste betwixt distant and section apps.
- The merchandise closes nan spread betwixt Group Policy and mobile instrumentality guidance (MDM) settings. The instrumentality configuration settings catalog has been updated to database much than 1,400 settings antecedently not disposable for configuration via MDM. The caller MDM policies see administrative template (ADMX) policies, specified arsenic App Compat, Event Forwarding, Servicing, and Task Scheduler.
- An upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise includes Universal Print, which now supports people jobs of up to 1GB aliases a bid of people jobs from an individual personification that adhd up to 1GB wrong immoderate 15-minute period.
- Universal Print integrates pinch OneDrive for web and Excel for web. This allows users of immoderate browser aliases instrumentality connected to nan net to people documents hosted successful OneDrive for web to a printer successful their statement without installing printer drivers connected their devices.
Microsoft has besides announced that starting pinch this release, Windows 10 will get characteristic updates only erstwhile a year.
Windows 10 May 2021 Update (version 21H1)
Release date: May 18, 2021
Version 21H1, called nan Windows 10 May 2021 Update, is nan astir caller update to Windows 10. This is simply a comparatively insignificant update, but it does person a fewer caller features.
Here’s a speedy summary of what’s caller successful 21H1:
- Windows Hello multicamera support: If you person an outer Windows Hello camera for your PC, you tin group nan outer camera arsenic your default camera. (Windows Hello is utilized for signing into PCs.) Why should this alteration matter to you? If you person an outer camera, you astir apt bought it because it’s superior to nan built-in, soul 1 connected your computer. So pinch this change, you’ll beryllium capable to usage nan much meticulous camera for logging into your PC.
- Improved Windows Defender Application Guard performance: Windows Defender Application Guard lets administrators configure applications to tally successful an isolated, virtualized instrumentality for improved security. With this change, documents will unfastened much quickly. It tin presently return up to a infinitesimal to unfastened an Office archive successful it.
- Better Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Group Policy Service support: Microsoft has made it easier for administrators to alteration settings to support distant work.
Windows 10 October 2020 Update (version 20H2)
Release date: October 20, 2020
Version 20H2, called nan Windows 10 October 2020 Update, is nan astir caller update to Windows 10. This is simply a comparatively insignificant update but does person a fewer caller features.
Here’s a speedy summary of what’s caller successful 20H2:
- The caller Chromium-based type of nan Microsoft Edge browser is now built straight into Windows 10.
- The System page of Control Panel has been removed. Those settings person been moved to nan Settings app.
- The Start menu’s tiled inheritance will lucifer your prime of Windows themes. So nan tiled inheritance will beryllium ray if you’re utilizing nan Windows 10 ray taxable and acheronian if you’re utilizing nan Windows 10 acheronian theme.
- When you usage Alt-Tab, Edge will now show each tab successful your browser successful a different Alt-Tab window. Previously, erstwhile you utilized Alt-Tab, Edge would get only a azygous window. You tin alteration this caller behaviour by going to Settings > System > Multitasking.
- When you pin a tract to nan taskbar successful Edge, you tin click aliases rodent complete its icon to spot each your browser tabs that are unfastened for that website.
- When you detach a keyboard connected a 2-in-1 device, nan instrumentality will automatically move to nan tablet-based interface. Previously, you were asked whether you wanted to switch. You tin alteration that mounting by going to Settings > System > Tablet.
- The Your Phone app gets a assortment of caller features for immoderate Samsung devices. When utilizing 1 of nan devices, you tin interact pinch nan Android apps connected your telephone from nan Your Phone app connected Windows 10.
What IT needs to know: Windows 10 type 20H2 besides has a assortment of mini changes of statement for sysadmins and those successful IT.
- IT professionals who administer aggregate mobile devices get a caller Modern Device Management (MDM) “Local Users and Groups” settings argumentation that mirrors options disposable for devices that are managed done Group Policy.
- Windows Autopilot, utilized to group up and configure devices successful enterprises, has gained a assortment of mini enhancement, including amended deployment of HoloLens devices, nan summation of co-management policies, enhancements to Autopilot deployment reporting, and nan expertise to reuse Configuration Manager task sequences to configure devices.
- Microsoft Defender Application Guard now supports Office. This allows untrusted Office documents from extracurricular an endeavor to motorboat successful an isolated instrumentality to extremity perchance malicious contented from compromising computers aliases exploiting individual accusation recovered connected them.
- Latest Cumulative Updates (LCUs) and Servicing Stack Updates (SSUs) person been mixed into a azygous cumulative monthly update, disposable via Microsoft Catalog aliases Windows Server Update Services.
- Biometric sign-on has been made much secure. Windows Hello now has support for virtualization-based information for definite fingerprint and look sensors, which protects, isolates, and secures a user’s biometric authentication data.
For much details, spot Microsoft’s “What’s caller for IT pros successful Windows 10, type 20H2.”
Windows 10 May 2020 Update (version 2004)
Release date: May 27, 2020
Version 2004, called nan Windows 10 May 2020 Update, is nan astir caller update to Windows 10. This is simply a comparatively insignificant update but does person a assortment of caller features for some users and strategy administrators. For much details, see: “Review: Windows 10 May 2020 Update delivers small tweaks that adhd up to… well, not a lot.”
Here’s a speedy summary of what’s caller successful 2004:
- Cortana now runs arsenic a standalone app successful a resizable window. It besides loses a assortment of capabilities, specified arsenic playing music, controlling location devices, and moving connected nan fastener screen.
- Task Manager now displays caller information, including nan somesthesia of your GPU and your disk type.
- Settings gets galore mini tweaks, including adding a header pinch relationship information, and a redone web position page that combines accusation that utilized to beryllium recovered connected aggregate pages, specified arsenic your IP address, existent relationship properties and information usage.
- The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) gets much features. It now uses a existent Linux kernel, and is faster than previously.
- IT tin now return advantage of Windows Hello biometrics logins alternatively than passwords, by mounting that up arsenic nan default connected endeavor devices.
- Installing and mounting up Windows for others has been made easier acknowledgment to caller controls added to Dynamic Update, which tin lead to little downtime during installation for users.
- A assortment of caller commands person been fixed to PowerShell for Delivery Optimization, a Windows networking work that reduces bandwidth depletion by sharing nan activity of downloading update and upgrade packages among aggregate devices successful business deployments.
- The information of nan Chromium type of Edge has been improved, acknowledgment to porting Application Guard to it.
Windows 10 November 2019 Update (version 1909)
Release date: Nov. 12, 2019
Version 1909, called nan Windows 10 November 2019 Update, is nan astir caller update to Windows 10. There are very fewer caller features successful this update, making it more for illustration a work pack of aged than a characteristic update. At this constituent it’s not clear whether successful nan early location will beryllium 1 full-featured update and 1 service-pack-like update per twelvemonth aliases whether Microsoft will spell backmost to its two-feature-updates-a-year schedule. For much details, spot “What we cognize truthful acold astir nan different Windows 10 1909” and “5 unanswered questions astir Windows 10 1909.”
Here’s a speedy summary of what’s caller for users successful 1909.
- It lets you create almanac events consecutive from nan taskbar. To do it, click nan clip connected nan taskbar and you’ll unfastened nan Calendar view. Now click a day and time, past type nan event’s sanction into nan matter box. You’ll besides beryllium capable to take nan date, clip and location.
- When you type a hunt into nan hunt box, it will now hunt done files successful your OneDrive relationship arsenic good arsenic connected your PC. Also, arsenic you type, a drop-down paper pinch suggested files appears. Click a record to unfastened it.
- Voice assistants successful summation to Cortana, including Amazon’s Alexa, will beryllium capable to tally connected Windows 10’s fastener screen.
- Under-the-hood improvements should velocity up nan capacity of immoderate PCs, arsenic good arsenic summation nan artillery life successful immoderate laptops.
- The Start Menu has gotten insignificant tweaks. When you hover complete items successful nan navigation pane connected nan near broadside of nan menu, nan items intelligibly show what you’re astir to click.
What IT needs to know: The pursuing features successful 1909 are of statement for IT staff.
- Windows containers nary longer request to person their big and instrumentality versions match. That request restricted Windows from supporting mixed-version instrumentality pod scenarios. Previously, containers from older versions of Windows 10 couldn’t beryllium tally connected newer versions of Windows 10. In this update, it’s possible, truthful that a instrumentality made utilizing 1903, for example, tin beryllium tally connected 1909.
- Windows Defender Credential Guard, which protects endeavor users’ logins and credentials against theft, is now disposable for ARM64 devices. Some Windows 10 convertible PCs usage ARM64.
- Enterprises tin now usage Microsoft’s Intune endeavor mobility guidance (EMM) work to let devices moving Windows 10 successful S mode to instal and tally Win32 (desktop) apps. Before this, S Mode only allowed devices to tally apps from nan Microsoft Store. Microsoft Store apps don’t tally connected nan desktop.
- The information of BitLocker encryption has been improved. Whenever BitLocker is utilized to encrypt a device, a betterment cardinal is created, but earlier this information improvement, it was imaginable for an unauthorized personification to get entree to nan betterment cardinal and decrypt nan device. Now, PCs person further information if a cardinal is exposed. Here’s really Microsoft explains nan change: “Key-rolling aliases Key-rotation characteristic enables unafraid rolling of Recovery passwords connected MDM managed AAD devices upon connected request petition from Microsoft Intune/MDM devices aliases upon each clip betterment password is utilized to unlock nan BitLocker protected drive.”
There are 2 known issues successful this update: 1 successful which immoderate users cannot group Win32 programme defaults for definite app and record type combinations utilizing nan Open with… bid aliases Settings > Apps > Default apps, and different successful which Microsoft Notepad and different Win32 programs cannot beryllium group arsenic default applications.
(Get much info astir KB4464455.)
Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809)
Release date: October 2, 2018; paused October 5; re-released November 13, 2018
Version 1809, called nan Windows 10 October 2018 Update, is nan characteristic update that preceded nan May 2019 Update. Here’s a speedy summary of what’s caller for users successful it. (For much details, spot our full review.)
- A new, powered-up Windows Clipboard tin clasp aggregate clips, shop clips permanently, fto you preview clips and take which 1 you’d for illustration to paste into a document, and stock clips crossed Windows 10 devices.
- A caller screenshot and note instrumentality called Snip & Sketch lets you seizure and annotate nan full screen, a rectangular information of nan surface aliases a freehand-drawn information of it. After you return a surface capture, you tin annotate it and past prevention it to a file, transcript it to nan Clipboard, unfastened it successful different programme aliases stock it via email, societal media and different methods.
- Storage Sense, which helps prevention retention space, now useful pinch OneDrive Files On-Demand to cleanable retired files you’ve downloaded from OneDrive unreality retention to your PC but that you don’t usage immoderate longer. You tin take really agelong you would for illustration nan unreality files to enactment connected your PC unused earlier you want them deleted, from ne'er to 60 days.
- The Microsoft Edge browser lets you group autoplay permissions for sound and video connected websites connected a site-by-site basis. It besides lets you look up connection definitions successful its built-in eReader for books and PDFs, and people up PDFs and books utilizing a highlighter and by adding notes.
- The caller Your Phone app links Windows 10 devices to iOS and Android phones. It allows you to commencement web browsing connected an iOS aliases Android instrumentality and past proceed wherever you near disconnected connected your PC. It besides lets you position photos connected your Android telephone from your Windows 10 PC.
- Search Previews person been powered up slightly. You nary longer request to click to show nan preview panel; it opens automatically. It besides now shows files recovered connected your PC.
- Smaller changes see a caller acheronian taxable for File Explorer; nan summation of nan SwiftKey swipe keyboard, which lets you participate matter by swiping a digit crossed an onscreen keyboard; updates that are little intrusive; and faster sign-ins connected shared PCs.
What IT needs to know: There are fewer important changes that impact IT successful nan Windows 10 October 2018 Update, different than New Microsoft Edge Group Policies that fto admins alteration and disable full-screen mode, printing, nan favorites bar, and browser history saves. IT tin besides let aliases prohibition Edge extensions (not that location are galore available) and configure nan Home fastener and caller tab page and startup options.
Windows 10 April 2018 Update (version 1803)
Release date: April 30, 2018
Version 1803, called nan Windows 10 April 2018 Update, is nan awesome update to Windows 10 that preceded nan October 2018 Update. Here’s a speedy summary of what’s caller for users successful it. (For much details, see our afloat review.)
- The astir important caller characteristic is Timeline, which lets you reappraisal and resume activities and unfastened files you’ve started connected your PC, aliases immoderate different Windows PCs you have. It besides tracks what you’ve done connected iOS and Android devices if you instal Microsoft’s integer adjunct Cortana connected them and are logged in. It shows a database of activities time by time for up to 30 days. Each activity shows up arsenic a ample tile, pinch nan record sanction and archive title aliases URL and website sanction crossed it, and nan sanction of nan exertion aliases app that created it crossed nan top. Click immoderate activity to reopen it. (Note that astatine present, Timeline only tracks activities successful definite Microsoft programs specified arsenic nan Edge browser and Office applications.)
- The caller Diagnostic Data Viewer is supported, which Microsoft is designed to fto you spot nan “diagnostic information collected from your Windows devices, really it is used, and to supply you pinch accrued power complete that data.” However, nan accusation is presented successful specified a complex, method measurement that moreover programmers will apt person a difficult clip knowing it. The spectator isn’t built straight into nan Windows 10 April 2018 Update. Instead, you person to download it from nan Microsoft Store.
- The My People characteristic now lets you pin up to 10 contacts connected nan Windows taskbar. Previously, you could only pin up to three.
- Microsoft Edge gets respective insignificant tweaks, including a revamped Hub, nan expertise to shut up auto-playing audio successful tabs, and a forms-filler for web-based forms.
- The Notebook characteristic of Cortana gets a new, cleaner interface for its Notebook. It now has 2 tabs, Organizer and Manage Skills. The Organizer makes it easier to create lists and group reminders. The Manage Skills tab lets you adhd “skills” to Cortana, specified arsenic controlling your location and its appliances, connecting Cortana to euphony services specified arsenic Spotify, search your fittingness and more.
- You get much power complete app permissions, specified arsenic whether they tin entree your camera, location and contacts.
What IT needs to know: IT unit should beryllium alert of these features that are caller successful nan Windows 10 April 2018 Update:
- Windows 10 Professional now gets nan Windows Defender Application Guard, which protects Microsoft Edge. There’s besides a caller characteristic successful nan exertion defender that lets users download files wrong Edge alternatively of straight to nan operating system, arsenic a measurement to summation security.
- There are caller policies for Group Policy and Mobile Device Management (MDM) that tin amended power really Delivery Optimization is utilized for Windows Update and Windows Store app updates. You tin besides now show Delivery Optimization utilizing Windows Analytics.
- Windows AutoPilot besides gets a tweak that lets IT make judge policies, settings and apps are provisioned connected devices earlier users statesman utilizing them.
- Windows gets nan Linux curl and tar utilities for downloading files and extracting .tar archives built straight into Windows. Windows besides now natively supports Unix sockets (AF_UNIX) pinch a caller afunix.sys kernel driver. That will make it easier to larboard package to Windows from Linux arsenic good arsenic from different Unix-like operating systems.
- There are a big of improvements to nan Windows Subsystem for Linux, which lets you tally a assortment of Linux distributions connected Windows 10. Linux applications tin tally successful nan background, immoderate motorboat settings for Linux distributions tin beryllium customized, and Linux applications person been fixed entree to serial devices. The caller Unix sockets study is disposable for nan Windows Subsystem for Linux arsenic good arsenic Windows itself.
- The Windows 10 Pro for Workstations type of Windows 10 gets a caller powerfulness strategy called Ultimate Performance it’s only for desktop PCs, not those that tin beryllium powered by batteries. In addition, Windows 10 Pro for Workstations nary longer ships pinch games for illustration Candy Crush aliases different akin consumer-focused apps. Instead, it features enterprise- and business-related apps.
- Administrators person been fixed nan powerfulness to configure an enterprise’s PCs to tally civilization scripts during characteristic updates, which will make configuration and deployment easier.
For much details, spot nan Microsoft blog station “Making IT simpler pinch a modern workplace.”
Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (version 1709)
Release date: October 17, 2017
Version 1709, called nan Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, is nan awesome update to Windows 10 that preceded nan April 2018 Update. Here’s a speedy summary of what’s caller for users successful it. (For much details, see our afloat review.)
- OneDrive gets a caller characteristic called Files On-Demand that gives you entree to each of your OneDrive files connected each device, without having to download them first. You’ll beryllium capable to spot each nan files you person successful OneDrive, moreover if they’re only successful nan unreality and not connected your PC. Icons show you which are section and which are successful nan cloud. Just unfastened nan file, and if it’s not connected your PC, it gets downloaded.
- The caller My People characteristic lets you pin 3 contacts to nan Windows taskbar and past pass pinch them instantly without having to unfastened a abstracted app specified arsenic Skype aliases Mail. You tin besides click to spot a database of each communications betwixt them and you astatine a glance.
- You tin now nonstop web links from your iOS aliases Android instrumentality to your PC and person them unfastened successful Microsoft Edge.
- Cortana gets respective caller features, including displaying results successful a scrollable flyout panel, truthful you don’t person to motorboat a web browser.
- Microsoft Edge gets immoderate insignificant improvements, including amended Favorites handling and nan expertise to people up PDFs and e-books.
- Security has been beefed up, including nan summation of Windows Defender Exploit Guard, which includes intrusion rules and policies to protect against a assortment of threats, notably zero-day exploits. A caller anti-ransomware characteristic called Controlled Folder Access has besides been added; it lets only approved apps person entree to Windows strategy files and folders.
- New privateness features see nan expertise to reappraisal nan kinds of devices and services apps from nan Microsoft Store want entree to earlier you download them.
- The update incorporates Microsoft’s caller creation strategy and guidelines, called Fluent Design. Overall, transitions are smoother, and location are subtle changes to nan transparency effect.
What IT needs to know: IT unit should beryllium alert of these features that are caller successful nan Windows 10 Fall Creators Update:
- The notoriously insecure SMBv1 networking protocol, exploited successful caller ransomware attacks including WannaCry and Petya, won’t beryllium included connected cleanable installs of nan Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, but SMBv1 components will stay if you do in-place upgrades connected PCs that already person nan constituent installed.
- Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), a suite of devices introduced successful Windows 10 that helps endeavor customers protect their users and networks against threats and respond to attacks, is being beefed up. Among different things, it will tally connected nan Windows Server OS.
- ATP is besides portion of Windows Defender Application Guard for Microsoft Edge, disposable only for Windows 10 Enterprise Edition. It protects against malware attacks by confining visits to chartless aliases untrusted websites to a virtual machine, truthful that attacks can’t dispersed to a PC aliases nan network.
- Windows AutoPilot, which improves self-service deployments of Windows 10 PCs, gets a assortment of tweaks, including amended mobile instrumentality guidance (MDM) services.
- Windows Analytics’ caller Device Health instrumentality gathers accusation connected really PCs execute successful an enterprise, and based connected that, identifies imaginable issues and outlines steps to resoluteness them.
- Enterprises get much power complete what benignant of accusation Windows Analytics gathers for nan IT staff. In bid to amended users’ privacy, IT unit tin limit nan accusation collected by Windows Analytics to only diagnostic data.
For much specifications astir caller features for IT, spot “What’s caller successful Windows 10, type 1709 IT Pro content,” “Announcing end-to-end information features successful Windows 10” and “Delivering nan Modern IT committedness pinch Windows 10” from Microsoft.
Windows 10 Creators Update (version 1703)
Release date: April 5, 2017
Version 1703, dubbed nan Creators Update, is nan awesome update to Windows 10 that preceded nan Fall Creators Update. Here’s a speedy summary of what’s caller for users successful nan Creators Update. (For much details, spot our full review.)
- It helps you amended shape nan Start paper by letting you put aggregate tiles for apps into a azygous files — for example, you tin group each societal media apps into 1 folder.
- Users are fixed a spot much power complete nan update process: They tin hold an update for 3 days and support delaying it successful three-day increments, aliases take circumstantial times for updates to install.
- The Edge browser has gotten immoderate improvements, including having Flash abnormal by default for information reasons and supporting nan ePub and PDF formats for reference books and different content.
- Microsoft added immoderate 3D and virtual reality features, including moving HoloLens virtual reality and mixed reality apps for nan first time, and introducing a Paint 3D app for creating 3D objects.
- System settings that antecedently were successful aggregate locations person been consolidated into nan Settings app.
- There’s a caller all-in-one information dashboard called Windows Defender Security Center that consolidates galore information and machine wellness settings and information.
- New gaming features see streaming gaming sessions complete nan internet; a Game Mode to amended gaming performance; and a Game barroom to fto you grounds your gameplay, return screenshots and execute games-related tasks.
- The Cortana individual adjunct gets a fewer humble additions, including scheduling monthly reminders and helping you group up devices.
What IT needs to know: IT unit should beryllium alert of these features that are caller successful nan Windows 10 Creators Update:
- Security has been improved successful a number of ways, including adding caller features and insights into Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) to amended analyse and respond to web threats. Among nan caller features are sensors successful memory, amended intelligence and improved remediation capabilities.
- Several caller configuration work providers (CSPs) disposable successful nan Creators Update fto administrators negociate Windows 10 devices done Mobile Device Management (MDM) aliases provisioning packages. The DynamicManagement CSP, for instance, tin alteration aliases disable definite instrumentality features depending connected location, web beingness aliases time.
- New mobile exertion guidance capabilities tin protect information connected individual mobile devices without requiring each instrumentality to beryllium portion of nan firm MDM.
- The Windows Configuration Designer (previously called Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer) includes caller wizards to make it easier to create provisioning packages, including for desktop devices, Windows mobile devices, Surface Hub devices, HoloLens devices and stalls devices.
- Enterprise information administrators get a much broad archiving room for Windows Defender Antivirus.
- If an enterprise-wide update argumentation hasn’t been configured, users pinch Windows Pro, Windows Enterprise aliases Windows Education editions person overmuch much power complete really Windows updates. With nan Creators Update, users tin now automatically hold cumulative monthly updates for up to 30 days, and tin hold characteristic updates by up to 365 days.
For much specifications astir caller features for IT, spot nan Microsoft blog posts “Windows 10 Creators Update advances information and best-in-class modern IT tools” and “What’s caller successful Windows 10, type 1703 IT pro content.”