Windows 10 spring 2021 update: with every new feature, when to download and more

Microsoft has confirmed that its latest Windows 10 update, version 21H1, will arrive this spring, first in a technology community post on February 15 and in a more formal blog post on February 17. This follows Microsoft’s usual pattern of releasing two major Windows 10 updates a year, with this one following the most recent October 2020 Update. (If you are running Windows 7, you can still download Windows 10 free for the latest updates.)

While we can expect some useful new features to arrive this spring, it seems likely that Microsoft is using this minor update cycle to prepare for a major update to the Windows 10 user interface, presumably codenamed Sun Valley, which will be part of the Microsoft’s renewed focus on Windows 10 that executives mentioned last year. We won’t know exactly what that means until a major update is confirmed, but we’ve collected some rumors below.

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Here’s what we know about Windows 10 version 21H1 so far and what it could mean for the future of the operating system.

What is Windows 10 version 21H1?

Windows 10 version 21H1 will be Microsoft’s latest update to the operating system, arriving sometime this spring. These updates usually end up being called the April or May update.

Microsoft typically releases a major feature update in the spring and a minor one in the fall. But version 21H1 appears to be a minor update as well, rather than a revision.

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What new features will the new update include?

According to the Microsoft blog post, the new features in Windows 10 will include:

• Multiple camera support for Windows Hello, allowing users to choose an external camera when using state-of-the-art monitors with integrated cameras.
• Improvements in Windows Defender Application Guard, including optimizing times for the document opening scenario.
• Improvements to the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Group Policy Service (GPSVC) update to support remote work.

“The features that we are rolling out in this update are focused on the core experiences that customers have told us they are relying on at the moment,” said the post. “Therefore, we have optimized this launch to meet the most urgent needs of our customers.”

According to Digital Trends, the update will also include new icons, updated settings pages and some adjustments to Cortana and the search box experience.

When can I download the new update?

Microsoft said the Windows 10 21H1 update will be available in the first half of the year. A report from Windows Central says it will arrive in May, although Microsoft has not confirmed this.

In March, Microsoft started releasing a version 21H1 for Windows Insiders in the Beta program. New features will be offered in future Windows Insider Preview builds as soon as they are ready.

When the update becomes available, it will be the first time that an H1 feature update (first half of the calendar year) will be delivered using Microsoft maintenance technology. This means that it will arrive in the same way as Windows 10 monthly updates. It is also in the same way that October 2020 update has been released. If you are already running Windows 10 version 2004 or version 20H2, it will be a quick installation process to obtain the latest update.

When generally available in the spring, you can download the 21H1 version by visiting Settings> Update and security> Windows Updateand clicking Check for updates. If available, you will see Feature update for Windows 10, version 21H1. Click Download and install.

What is the biggest Windows 10 update that may come next?

In an October 2020 earnings conference call, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that Microsoft is “doubling down” on Windows and PCs and will continue to innovate.

This could take the form of a major operating system update for Windows 10 later this year, which would bring a major design update to the user interface, according to a report from Windows Central. The update, supposedly codenamed Sun Valley, could bring a redesigned Start menu, Action Center and File Explorer, with a more modern look and new features. Sun Valley is expected to launch around the 2021 holiday season, says Windows Central, but that could change.

Another factor: Microsoft said that its Windows 10X operating system designed for dual-screen devices like the Surface Duo and the Surface Neo, It’s expected to reach single screen devices first.

For more information, see the the three best new features in the Windows 10 October 2020 update, and six simple security changes that all Windows 10 users need to make.