Windows 10 October Feature Update 20H2 Now Available and What’s New
Microsoft has now made available for Windows 10 an October 2020 Update known as 20H2 update with the focus been on fixing bugs and improving performance, but it also has some larger changes like the removal of System in the Control Panel.
How To Install Windows 10 Feature Update 20H2
To install the update, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click on Check For Updates
If the update is available for your computer, you will see the message “Feature update to Windows 10, version 20H2“, click on Download and install to start it installing.
Then, reboot when prompted to complete the update.
Here’s what’s new in Windows 10 Feature Update 20H2
System Page Replaced by About in Control Panel
The classic System page in the Control Panel has been replaced by an About page in the new settings app that looks like this.
It doesn’t look all that different really and basically shows just about the same information as the previous System page. Just one more step closer to eventually phasing out the Control Panel in Windows 10.
New Chromium Based Microsoft Edge Browser is now Integrated
Majority of people would have already updated Microsoft Edge to the new Chromium based version, so this shouldn’t really affect that many users.
Access Samsung SmartPhone Apps from Microsoft Your Phone App
The Microsoft Your Phone app has a new feature that will now let you access your Samsung SmartPhone’s Apps directly on your Windows 10 computer. Of course the apps are still running on your phone but you can launch them, see them running and interact with them via the Your Phone app on your Windows 10 desktop.
It’s rumoured that later in the year, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 users will experience the power and convenience of running multiple apps side by side and we will continue to work with Samsung to bring this feature to additional devices. Apps will launch in separate windows enabling you to interact with multiple apps at the same time.
Start Menu New Look with Theme Aware Tiles
The Windows 10 Start Menu tile background is now theme aware and is now either light or dark to match the theme you use in Windows.
Previously, it was accent colour which used a variety of blue backgrounds.
To enable light or dark mode in Windows, go to Settings > Personalization > Color
Pressing ALT+TAB Shows Microsoft Edge Browser Tabs by Default
If you use Microsoft Edge, instead of just showing one thumbnail for each browser windows, you can now see a number of different tabs in the ALT+TAB switcher which makes it quicker and easier to switch between different web pages.
Improved Pinned Website Links on Taskbar
If you pin website links on the taskbar, this has now been improved and now when you click or move the mouse over the taskbar link, you will see all the browser tabs for that website.
Refresh Rate Options Now in Settings
You can now change the display refresh rate under Settings rather than in the Control Panel.
To find the Refresh Rate, go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced Display Settings
Tablet Mode Enabled Automatically Now
Previously, on 2-in-1 devices that you attach or detach a keyboard, you would get a notification asking you if your wanted to enable tablet mode.
Now, tablet mode is automatically enabled.
If you do want to prevent Windows 10 from switching to tablet mode automatically, go to Settings > System > Tablet to adjust the options.
Other Minor Changes
Here are some other minor changes in Windows Feature Update 20H2:
- Notification enhancements – Windows 10’s notifications now include an application logo so you can easily see which application generated them and an “x” button so you can quickly dismiss them.
- Default taskbar icon tweaks – In a minor change, Windows 10 will adjust the default taskbar icon layout depending on what you use your PC for. If you link an Android phone during setup, you’ll see a Your Phone icon on the taskbar. If you have an Xbox Live account and you’re using a gaming PC, you’ll see an Xbox icon on the taskbar. You can still add or remove whatever icons you like.
- Modern Device Management (MDM) improvements – For IT professionals administering multiple devices, Microsoft is extending Modern Device Management policy with new “Local Users and Groups” settings that matches the options available for devices managed through Group Policy.
As usual, Microsoft have also fixed a wide variety of smaller performance and stability issues in Windows 10.
