Earlier this week, Microsoft officially announced the update to Windows 10 version 21H1 and it will begin rolling out to consumers in the first half of this year. Like the October 2020 update (20H2), this new update also comes with a minimal set of features, general improvements and bug fixes.
Windows 10 version 21H1 is essentially based on version 2004 and version 20H2 and will be delivered through an activation package. It is not a major release and does not bring a major overhaul to the operating system, but reports suggest that new features and improvements to the user interface will be introduced later this year as part of the ‘Sun Valley’ update.
Microsoft says that this update comes with quality improvements that should improve the overall user experience. Existing features are also likely to be enhanced with ‘Windows Feature Experience Packs’, which is a new way to update and improve the operating system without major feature updates.
Windows 10 activation package version 21H1
Based on the references found by BleepingComputer, Microsoft is slowly adding all the features / improvements to the Windows 10 May 2020 update and October 2020 update through monthly cumulative updates. This will allow Microsoft to deploy the “activation package” 21H1, which acts as a “master key” that simply activates inactive features, such as the new Windows Hello configuration.
To obtain the update through the activation package, Microsoft says that users must run Windows 10 version 2004 or version 20H2 with the latest cumulative updates. After installing the cumulative updates, you can obtain the feature update via settings > Update and security > ‘Download and install now“
Here is a list of all the new features / improvements included in this feature update
Support for multiple Windows Hello cameras
Microsoft is introducing a new feature for Windows Hello Face that allows users to set up a multi-camera configuration for Windows 10 biometric facial recognition.
With the new feature, you can now set an external camera as the default for Windows Hello, when there is an internal and external camera on the same device.
Security improvements
In this release, Windows Defender Application Guard is experiencing performance improvements, which should result in a noticeable increase in speed when opening certain documents.
For companies, the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Group Policy Service (GPSVC) is being updated with performance improvements.
These changes are designed to support remote working scenarios and Microsoft is also promising “the best possible upgrade experience” to help people and organizations stay protected and productive during the pandemic.
How to test the update now
The 21H1 update is currently available to those on the Insider program, so the easiest and safest way to download and install the next feature update is to join the Windows Insider program and subscribe to the Release Preview Channel.
If you are a member of the Windows Insider Program (sign up on the Microsoft website), see how you can download and install version 21H1 right now:
- Open the Start or Windows Search menu.
- Open settings.
- Navigate to Update and Security> Windows Insider Program or simply search for ‘Windows Insider Program Settings’ in Cortana to skip the navigation steps.
- Click Get started on the Windows Insider page.
- Link your Microsoft account (the email should be the one you used earlier to sign up for the Insider program).
- You can enter the Release Preview channel by selecting the option ‘Only fixes, applications and drivers’. This option is also known only as ‘Release Preview’.