Everything You Can Do in the Windows 28 December 2024 Update That You Couldn’t Do Before

Right about now ( or in the next few sidereal day ) you should be seeing the latest major update forWindows 10hitting your reckoner — and here ’s an overview of all the new features and options that you may start playing around with once the installation is finish , from set in motion apps in VR to pause Windows updates .

See the light

Windows 10 has a new - spirit unclouded base , which ask over as the nonpayment hide for the operating organization . To swap between light and dark , open up Windows preferences then select Personalization , Colors , and Choose your colouring . The nonremittal wallpaper has been tweaked as well , to better match the fresh semblance scheme , with a flatter and lighter design .

Shift the brightness

The Action Center ( tap the notification icon to the far right of the taskbar ) now include a brightness slider , if you ’re on a laptop . mouth of the Action Center , it ’s now easy to configure the tile that are available in it : Right - press a roofing tile and pick out Edit straightaway action , or justly - press a blank space and prefer Edit to make alteration .

Search without Cortana

Search has been split up from Cortana , as you ’ll see if you type into the hunting box on the taskbar . employ the tabloid at the top of the dialogue to nail down down your search results ( Apps , Documents , Web ) , if you need to . Cortana is still around of course , and can be activated by clicking on the button to the right hand of the hunt box or with a “ Hey Cortana ” control .

Log into websites with your face

This might not be unmistakable direct away , because the relevant website computer code will ask to be updated accordingly , but with the May 2019 update , Windows Hello becomes a unafraid , discern biometric method for logging into accounts online . As you might look , the Microsoft account pages are among the first to adopt the new technical school for easy logins .

Pause Windows updates

Windows is giving you even more ascendancy over succeeding updates — you’re able to , if you like , pause update for seven days at a time via the Update & Security entry in Windows preferences . you may also set ‘ combat-ready hours ’ ( when updates wo n’t be installed ) rig automatically , via Change active hour , though technically that feature arrived just before the May 2019 Update .

Remove more built-in apps

Good newsworthiness if you require to reduce the bloat of your Windows 10 system : More apps , include 3D Viewer , Calculator , Groove Music , Mail , Calendar , Movies & TV , Paint 3D , Snip & Sketch , Sticky Notes , and Voice Recorder can now be uninstalled if you do n’t need them . As always , political program are uninstalled by depart to the Apps varlet in Windows configurations .

See unsaved work in Notepad

Enjoy a better Game Bar

While not purely speaking a part of the May 2019 Update , improvements to the Xbox Game Bar ( hit Win+G to see it ) are make it at the same time : The play utility now includes advance options for see Spotify , partake screenshots more well , mixing audio frequency between private apps and game , join with your friends and more besides .

Send kaomoji more easily

If you often find kaomoji useful in your conversation — from the table throw to the remorseful shrug — it ’s now easier to send them in the Windows 26 January 2025 Update . They appear on the same dialogue as plain old emoji , and you’re able to bring that up via a Win+ . ( period ) keyboard combination . you’re able to get at other useful symbolisation like the en sprint here too .

Keep your focus

Focus Assist has been around in Windows 10 for a while — it draw a blank out notification when you ’re engaged doing something important — but in the May 2019 Update it can be enabled automatically whenever you put one of your applications into full - screen modality . From context , click System , then opt Focus aid to see the additional on/off switch substitution .

Increase the cursor visibility

There might not have been too many of you wait specifically for this update , but it ’s go to be a welcome improver for those who struggle to see the mouse cursor normally : Via Ease of Access and Cursor & pointer in the atomic number 8 options pane you’re able to make the cursor very big and very colorful , if you ask to , plump above and beyond previous selection .

Avoid bad updates

This is more of a behind - the - scenes variety , and hopefully you ’ll never need it , but the late May 2019 upgrade enable Windows to automatically remove sorry update . In other words , if an update intend your PC is have fuss booting , Windows will dispatch it and wait 30 days before trying it again ( by which time it ’ll hopefully have been patch up ) .

Lock down key security settings

The security configurations in Windows 10 get a few tweaks as well : Launch Windows Security ( look for for it in the taskbar ) , then click Virus & threat protection and Manage configurations under Virus & threat protection configurations . Use the new Tamper Protection toggle substitution to stop potentially malicious apps from changing cardinal Windows configuration options .

Run desktop apps in virtual reality

Desktop apps come to VR ! Windows Mixed Reality environments , to be precise , which have before now only been dwell with Universal Windows Platform ( UWP ) apps . Now you’re able to get any definitive Windows desktop app you like up in your virtual realness landscape , which might make filing those email or reading those PDFs somewhat more exciting .

desktopWindowsWindows 10

Get the good tech , scientific discipline , and finish news in your inbox daily .

News from the future , delivered to your present .