Over the last week, you should be seeing the latest major update for Windows 10 installing on your computer and here is an overview of all the new features for you.
Action Center Updates
On a laptop, you will now notice with the Action Center (click on the notification icon to the far right of the taskbar) now includes a brightness slider.
Also, it is now easier to configure the tiles that are available in it. Just right-click on a tile and choose Edit quick actions, or right-click on a blank space and choose Edit to make changes.
Help With Bad Updates
This is more of a behind-the-scenes change and hopefully you will never require it, but the latest May 2019 upgrade enables Windows to automatically remove bad updates. Which basically means, if after an update your PC is having trouble booting, Windows will remove it and wait 30 days before trying it again (by which time it has hopefully been fixed).
Keep Your Focus
Focus Assist has been around in Windows 10 for sometime now and it blocks out notifications when you’re busy but in the May 2019 Update, it can be enabled automatically whenever you put one of your applications into full-screen mode. To find the feature, go to Settings > System > Focus assist to see the additional toggle switch.
Log Into Websites With Your Face
This update might not be as obvious because relevant websites will need to be updated accordingly, but with the May 2019 update, Windows Hello now becomes a secure, recognised biometric method for logging into accounts online.
New Light Theme
Windows 10 has a new-look light theme, which takes over as the default skin for Windows.
To switch between light and dark, all you need to do is open up Windows Settings, then choose Personalisation > Colours > Choose your colour.
This has also resulted in the default wallpaper been tweaked as well which now matches the new colour scheme, with a flatter and lighter design.
New Search Options without Cortana
If you type into the search box on the taskbar, you will notice that the search options are now different.
You can now use the tabs at the top of the dialog to narrow down your search results (Apps, Documents, Web), if required.
Cortana is still around and can be activated by clicking on the microphone button to the right of the search box or with a voice command “Hey Cortana”.
Notepad Now You Unsaved Changes
To catch up with rival applications, Notepad now shows an asterisk in the window title if you have made changes and not saved the file. It might seem like a minor change in an era when most of us are saving files automatically to the cloud every few minutes, but it might just help you avoid closing a file without saving it.
Pause Windows Updates
Windows 10 is now giving you even more control over future Windows updates and you can now pause updates for seven days at a time via the Update & Security in Windows Settings. Also, you can set ‘active hours’ (when updates won’t be installed) set automatically, via Change active hours.
Remove More Built-in Microsoft Apps
Had enough of bloatware? Now you can reduce the amount of bloatware off your Windows 10 system like these apps, including 3D Viewer, Calculator, Groove Music, Mail, Calendar, Movies & TV, Paint 3D, Snip & Sketch, Sticky Notes, and Voice Recorder can now be uninstalled if you don’t need them. As always, programs are uninstalled by going to the Apps page in Windows Settings.
Tamper Protection
This can help to block potentially malicious apps from changing key Windows configuration options and can be found by launching Windows Security (search for it in the taskbar) > Virus & threat protection > Manage settings. Use the new Tamper Protection toggle switch to enable.
