The next major update to Windows 10 will release performance improvements that support remote work and security.
Microsoft has officially confirmed that the update to Windows 10, version 21H1, is coming this spring in a blog post. The company traditionally releases two major Windows updates each year. The 21H1 edition follows an October 2020 update and precedes a major software revision, codenamed “Sun Valley”, to take place this fall.
As of today, Microsoft is making 21H1 available to beta testers in the Windows Insiders program. Then it will be released to all Windows 10 users “at the end of the first half of this year”, sometime in April or May.
“Windows 10, version 21H1 will have a set of features scoped to improve security, remote access and quality,” said John Cable, head of Windows Service and Delivery at Microsoft. “The features we’re rolling out in this update are focused on the basic experiences that customers have told us they’re trusting most of them now. “
Cable also explained that version 21H1 will be delivered using Microsoft maintenance technology, as well as monthly updates and the October 2020 update. This means that the installation should take place quickly and continuously.
What’s in Windows 10 version 21H1
Microsoft highlighted three key features in the next Windows 10 update.
- Support for multiple Windows Hello cameras to set the default as the external camera when Windows Hello external and internal cameras are present.
- Performance improvements in Windows Defender Application Guard, including optimizing times for the document opening scenario.
- Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Group Policy Service (GPSVC) updating the performance improvement to support remote work scenarios.
The first new feature in Windows 10 is designed to allow users to connect an external camera and set it as standard on a laptop that already has a built-in internal camera. The last two items aim to improve security and support for remote work.
Windows 10 version 21H1 represents the smaller of the two Microsoft updates this year. What is planned for the fall, codenamed “Sun Valley”, is supposedly a complete overhaul of the desktop interface, with new looks for the Start menu, Action Center, File Explorer and taskbar.