Windows 10 released Windows 10 20H2 earlier this week. Or last week. In this article I discuss the most major changes made in this Windows version.
First of all, what is Windows 10 20H2?
Windows 10 20H2 is the second feature update in 2020. 20 being 2020, H being half, 2 being 2.
Once every 6 months Microsoft release a new Feature update that adds more features. They are optional, unlike other updates.
How do I get the update?
Whoa, there!
Steady!
You do not want to get the update just now!
Trust me!
It's not bad, it's just fresh off the print. for all we know, there are bugs in the system!
Just wait a month before even CONSIDERING this update, OK?
I got the update!
I installed Windows 10 20H2 as soon as I found out that I could. Am I careless? Certainly. Will I regret it? I don’t know. Microsoft feel that my PC is compatible with the update, so they presented me with the ability to install it. At the end, I will explain how to get the update if all these new features impress you.
New start menu [kind of]
There is a new start menu design. All the changes are subtle, but I really like them. The start menu’s live tiles show the colour based on your theme, not your accent colour. It results in this effect:
It looks great, just having it look like that. It blends in so well, and I personally love it. And it looks like THIS in light:
now THAT looks great. And I think I’ll keep it on light.
Also, you can make it your accent colour! Here is how it looks in red:
THAT LOOKS SO GOOD! All you need to do is set the theme to custom, make the Windows theme dark [it does not work in light], pick a colour, and tick start, taskbar, and action centre. That is all! All these settings are in Settings>Personalization>colours. And, as you can see, there is a new folder icon.
The start menu live tiles are also transparent, which is nice. Oh, and they removed those coloured borders in icons. Just the icons from now on.
The “system” control panel item has been removed
Literally. Open the control panel>system and it redirects you to settings. This is part of Microsoft’s plan to remove the Control Panel. Oh, well, I will miss you. Except there IS a way to go there. More of that in another article.
The new Edge is now preinstalled
Goodbye, old Edge that SUCKED. The new one is built in. the new version is based on Chrome, so you get lots of both. It performs so much better now, and I personally recommend it. YES!
Access a Samsung phone’s apps in Your Phone
That’s right. If you have a Samsung phone and you connect it via Your Phone, you can remotely use the apps on it. Pretty sweet.
Figure 1 Image credit: Ho- To Geek
ALT—TAB shows Edge tabs now
Really? You can see all your tabs in the ALT-TAB screen. That way you can jump from one to another.
Edge can pin WEBSITES to the taskbar!
Or, at least, they IMPROVED that feature. Yeah, great…
Focus Assist improvements!
If you enable focus assist, and you leave a full screen app, it tends to blast you with notifications. Not anymore!
It simply hides the notifications quietly in the action centre. Not like I use this feature, but OK!
Change your refresh rate in Settings
You can do it in Settings now. Nice. Look up what refresh rate is and you’ll rush to check. Gamers will appreciate this.
A new Tablet Mode
Instead of the old one, icons space themselves out. Not great, but then again, Tablet Mode never was.
Tiny changes!
There are 3 I will list:
1. notification improvements
everything was moved around. Look at it now!
And, yes, that was MY screenshot.
2. tweaked default taskbar
this change will not affect upgrades to 20H2, but rather new installs. If you add a Microsoft account with a connected phone, Your Phone appears. If you connect an Xbox live gold account, the XBOX app appears. Same with Office accounts, with the Office app. Neat, and really subtle.
Verdict: a small update, but important!
I think that this update is really important for the history of Windows. The changes are great, and I recommend you install it. Just go to Settings>Update and Security. Install all updates here and press the:
download and install button. Also, you need to have Windows 10 2004 installed. And you need all updates for that installed. You need the latest for the latest. Don’t worry, it’s a small update, so it’ll be a fast install. Before you know it,
this will happen. Pretty sweet.
This post has to be the best formatted one yet. Even if it is bad.
looking at it in 2021, this really is an abandoned project.