One of the questions often asked is “What is the Windows 10 Creators Update?”. This article is specifically for those of you who have that question.
Codenamed, Redstone 2, the Windows 10 Creators Update is the latest major update for the operating system that brings with a range of new features and options.
Technically, CU is the fourth stable build of the Windows 10 operating system. It is branded as version 1703 — the first two digits denoting the year, the final two the month. Microsoft officially announced the Creators Update on October 26, 2016.
What is the Windows 10 Creators Update?Windows 10 does not behave like the previous versions of the operating systems that made their way to the market after every two or three years. Unlike that strategy of monolithic releases, Microsoft has made its latest OS a dynamic entity — one that constantly changes with massive new updates, regularly.
These named updates bring along a slew of new features and options.
The most high-profile until now has been the Anniversary Update that launched in 2016, adding features like Windows Ink, Xbox Play Anywhere, a dark theme, the Bash shell, among others.
But these are nothing compared to what Microsoft has lined up for the Creators Update — the first of the two major updates planned for 2017. As the name suggests, it primarily focuses on content creation, productivity and gaming features, with a particular emphasis on virtual and augmented reality.
Below is a look at the feature lineup for this huge refresh of Windows 10.
New Features in the Creators UpdateAlthough the main focus in terms of new additions in the Creators Update has been on features designed for content creation, there is a lot of new stuff for everyone. From UI refinements to elaborate new features, additions are aplenty.
Here is a quick rundown of some of key new features in this version:
Gaming enhancements
Gaming is perhaps the most notable focus of the Creators Update, with Microsoft baking in several improvements for gamers in this version. There is a Game Mode that is supposed to maximize the system performance by shifting around resources during gameplay.
The Beam streaming service is built right into the Game DVR tool in Windows 10, complete with chatting abilities. Parents also get time-limit capabilities for children, and there is even a dedicated gaming section in the Settings app to help manage everything.
App throttlingThink of this as something like the Game Mode feature, but for standard software. The Creators Update now comes with automatic app throttling that dials back the resources that are allocated to background tasks, in cases when you need more power for the main focus.
This feature could come in real handy for those running Windows 10 on older or modest hardware.
Paint 3D
A great deal of noise was made for Paint 3D, a fresh new app that supercharges the classic Paint program in Windows. The main highlight of this application is 3D image manipulation, and it is loaded with tools and filters that help users work with 3D images.
It can even help with the conversion of 2D Images into 3D objects, and Microsoft has also put up a new website called Remix 3D (remix3d.com) that houses 3D images created by other Windows 10 users.
These 3D capabilities are only a start, it seems, as they are also coming to the Office suite soon.
Virtual reality
If there’s one thing the Creators Update is big on, it’s support for virtual reality. This version of the OS includes the Windows 10 Holographic Shell, which adds support for augmented reality and virtual reality apps that will now work with Windows out of the box.
And you don’t even need the $3,000 HoloLens developer kit to get in on the fun, as Microsoft has partnered up with companies like Acer, Dell, HP and Lenovo, among others to launch headsets that hover around the $300 price range.
While these VR headsets may not offer the advanced capabilities of the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, they should totally be at home for basic virtual reality usage on Windows 10.
Privacy dashboard
Microsoft has included a simplified dashboard that is not only easy to understand but also makes privacy management. And this is great, as it addresses one of the major controversies when Windows 10 launched — the deep-seated privacy concerns.
On first look, it does appear that Microsoft has limited the options to allow minimal or full access, but hopefully, further improvements to this dashboard will bring about more intermediate options. For a start, this is a welcome addition and something that was much needed for the platform.
Windows Update improvements
The changes Microsoft made to Windows Update have irked many users, as Windows 10 did not provide them with a way to decline updates. On top of that, the forced updates had a nasty tendency of restarting PCs or resetting some settings.
Creators Update brings a couple of new features to make updates more bearable.
For starters, Windows 10 Professional, Education, and Enterprise users will get the ability to defer new updates for up to 35 days, as well as decide if they want to include driver updates in the download. Windows 10 Home users, sadly, are still stuck with the old system.
Users are also now able to set their Active Hours in an 18-hour window, rather than the 12-hour one previously available. This is the defined time frame when Windows will not install updates.
And finally, the Creators Update makes the shift to Microsoft’s new Universal Update Platform, a set of underlying changes in Windows 10 that shrinks the size of update files and reduces the processing power needed to update — basically streamlining the whole process.
Cortana changes
Cortana, the built-in digital voice assistant in Windows 10, is getting all sorts of helpful new features, including the newfound ability to schedule recurring monthly reminders for tasks like paying bills, visiting websites, or doing maintenance tasks, and whatnot.
She is snagging some other tweaks, as well, like the ability to be summoned with the Win + C key combination, rather than Win + Shift + C. Cortana is also getting her own Start menu tile.
Microsoft has also intertwined Cortana with the initial Windows 10 setup experience, so that users can ask the assistant questions to help configure their devices. Her lock screen and music playback management abilities have also received improvements.
Night light
Simply put, this is a night shift mode for Windows 10 that tones down the blue light that emits from a screen. This comes in handy when using a device at night, putting less strain on eyes when reading, for example. Third-party software already offered this functionality, but it now comes built in.
Ebooks
One very welcome feature is the ability to read ebook formats like EPUB straight from the Edge web browser. You will be able to customize font sizes, and Cortana will be at hand to assist with word lookups. Creators Update also brings about a dedicated ebook section in the Windows Store.
Edge additions
Speaking of Microsoft Edge, the web browser also comes with subtle improvements. There is a new chevron located on the right of tabs that pops open a bar that contains rich visual previews of each tab. This can be scrolled through with touch, touchpad or mouse.
Edge also gets a new set aside tabs feature, which basically stashes all open tabs for recollecting later. Another notable change that Microsoft has made is making Flash content click-to-run. Users can also launch InPrivate windows on Edge straight from the jump list in the taskbar.
There is support for Microsoft Wallet in Edge, and thanks to the Payment Request API, the browser stores your payment and shipping preferences to make online purchases fast and easy.
Microsoft also bills the Edge web browser as a portal for interacting with 3D digital content while wearing a HoloLens headsets.
Start menu folders
This might wind up being really useful for heavy users of the Start menu. Starting with the Windows 10 Creators Update, you will be able to drag your Start menu apps on top of each other to create folders that expand when clicked on — similar to the functionality already available on Windows 10 Mobile.
Better theme support
The Creators Update packs enhanced options for people that want to customize the look of their PCs. It moves theme control into the Personalization section of the Settings app, and users can now choose theme accents from the entire color spectrum, as opposed to a handful of predefined options.
Windows will actually warn you if you choose a color combination that is difficult to read!
Microsoft is also offering users the ability to download and buy new themes from the Windows Store, and although the selection is small right now, it is sure to improve as time goes by.
Windows Defender overhaul
A complete overhaul. Windows Defender, the default antivirus app part of Windows 10, has received a fresh new coat of paint in the Creators Update that brings with it new scanning options along with reports on the health and performance of your PC.
Defender also adds a nuclear option.
A link to Refresh your PC that reinstalls and updates your computer, wiping most of the applications, but keeping personal files and settings intact. This option was hidden away deep down in Settings previously but could come in handy if a nasty malware infects your PC.
HandoffOr in other words, the ability to jump from device to device. Apple already has this continuity feature in its ecosystem that lets users pick up where they left off with files on other Apple devices. And now Microsoft is embracing this functionality.
Cortana combines with the Action Center here to allow you to switch computers.
When switching devices, quick links to any websites you were browsing in Edge on other PCs will be displayed in the Action Center, along with links to any cloud-based documents that you were working on. The functionality is somewhat limited right now, but future improvements are expected.
Dynamic LockThis is something that could benefit business users immensely. Microsoft internally calls this feature Windows Goodbye, and it basically automatically locks your PC when you walk away. Think of Dynamic Lock as the reverse of Windows Hello.
Power slider
This is something that probably not all users will get, as Microsoft has said that it will be working with OEMs to determine the best settings for their customers so that they can ship this new functionality on new Windows 10 PCs.
The idea here is to allow users the ability to adjust the power performance of their device, thanks to a new Power Mode slider in the battery section. You will be able to crank it up to full when you need more oomph or dial it down if you don’t need as much computing firepower in order to increase battery life.
Again, only select devices will be getting this, but it’s a neat little improvement.
Settings improvements
The Setting apps in Windows 10 is now the hub of new additions to the operating system. Creators Update tweaks things around a bit and shows all devices connected to your PC in one centralized location — from mouse to keyboard to peripherals like the Surface Pen.
No longer will you have to scour through various submenus and panels to find all the information on your PC hardware.
Business featuresWhile professionals and enterprise users will find many of the new features in the Creators Update welcome additions, there are a few that specifically cater to the business crowd. Like the ability to block installation of Win32 software programs.
Another is streamlined support for virtual private networks, VPNs, that makes it possible to easily activate a connection without opening your network connections. This is, once Windows, knows your VPN credentials.
There is also a new Quick Create option that makes it easy breezy to deploy Hyper-V virtual machines.
Release and rolloutMicrosoft has settled on April 11 as the official release date of the Creators Update, though it has already made build 15063, the RTM version, available to Insiders at the end of March. Additionally, users that want to manually install it before the rollout, can do so as early as April 5.
All this to ensure that this refresh of Windows 10 is a polished and stable experience for all users, particularly after some of the issues encountered with the previous release, the Anniversary Update.
An example being the bug that caused severe issues with millions of webcams, leading to criticism.
Leading up the Creators Update, though, Redmond launched its bug bash well ahead of time, winding down development soon after the start of the new year. On top of that, an active community of 10 million Insiders has helped to make this update as free as possible from bugs and stability issues.
Well, that’s it.
source:windows10update
