Windows 11 might be Microsoft’s main software focus these days, but Windows 10 will continue to be supported until 2025. This will primarily take the form of security updates, but the latest version (KB5010415) even adds a couple of new features.
As you might expect, these are unlikely to have a big effect on the user experience. Cookies will now be shared between the regular version of Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer mode, which is commonly used by businesses to ensure all their apps are compatible. It’ll also be easier to rename and change the location of NVMe drives, a common type of SSDs.
Neither are particularly noteworthy, but they do raise the prospect of more Windows 10 features in the future. Microsoft has released feature updates twice a year since it first launched, but that was expected to end in 2022. We may see a 22H2 update for Windows 10 after all, although Microsoft is more likely to adopt a similar strategy to Windows 11.
Officially, the new OS receives just one feature update in the second half of each year – plenty of rumours are already swirling about the 2022 version. But it’s also clear Microsoft wants to add new features to Windows 11 throughout the year. That’s what happened in a recent update, and it looks like more new functionality is on the way soon.
This strategy works in tandem with the Windows Insider Program, where the Dev Channel will soon be getting more experimental. Widespread public testing is no longer available to Windows 10 users, so Microsoft will understandably be more cautious when it comes to new features.
But with many people reluctant or unable to make the switch to Windows 11, its predecessor remains an operating system that hundreds of millions of people still rely on. Not developing any new features in the next 43 months would be a mistake for Microsoft.
Despite the two new features mentioned above, the KB5010415 update primarily focuses on bug fixes. Issues entering Chinese text on a QWERTY keyboard, using screen readers and accessing Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode have all been patched. However, several other issues have been identified but not yet fixed.
The KB5010415 is still technically in preview status, so you’ll need to install it manually. Just head to Settings > Update & Security and click ‘View optional updates’. If it’s not appearing there, you can download it from the Microsoft website instead. Once the March security patch is released, this older version will be automatically installed on devices.
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Author: Anyron Copeman, Senior Staff Writer
As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices.