About a year after the release of the final version of Windows 10, Microsoft has prepared a major update for its current OS, which will be released under the name Anniversary. The completion of work on it was preceded by more than two dozen test assemblies, which is a kind of record. Distribution of this update among users will begin in early August. We have prepared a great Windows overview 10 Anniversary Update with visual illustrations and detailed description all innovations.
Home Screens, Start Menu, Action Center
The first thing the user notices after Windows installation 10 Anniversary Update - Updated lock and welcome screens. The Welcome screen now uses the lock screen background by default, and transitioning between them triggers a new visual effect that darkens and enlarges the background slightly, leaving its edges out of view.
In addition to a visual update, the lock screen can now display media control buttons, provide access to the Cortana voice assistant, in addition, the default lockscreen no longer shows the address of your Email.
Seeing slightly updated home screens along with new animation transition between them, the user gets to the desktop. A few changes may immediately catch your eye.
Let's start with the Start menu. This is how it looked before:
And this will be with the advent of the anniversary update:
What changed? First, the list of frequently used programs has been merged with the complete list of software that is available on your computer. Previously, to go from the first to the second, you had to press the "all applications" button. Now the “frequently used” ones are located at the top, and everything else is available a little lower.
Secondly, a special vertical panel appeared on the left, where the buttons for managing an account, accessing settings and turning off / rebooting the device were moved. Thirdly, the menu will now display up to three recently added applications instead of one.
Fourthly, the tiles on the right side have been changed and now, alas, there are noticeably more ads by default. Finally, the fifth change is related to the display of all applications in tablet mode. This is how it was before:
And this is how it is now:
That is, now the list of available programs is not located modestly on the side, but occupies all the available space. You can switch to the main tiles display using the icon marked with an arrow above.
In addition to these five main ones, there are a number of minor changes. For example, scrollbars on both the left and right side of menus now disappear as soon as the cursor leaves their area of effect.
Our next stop is the notification center, over which in the anniversary Microsoft update also did a great job.
The first thing that catches your eye is the center icon, which was previously located in the general group of system tray icons, but now it has moved in hours and has learned to show the number of notifications. It was:
The notification center itself has also changed noticeably. This is what notifications looked like before:
And this is what it looks like after the update:
Notifications have become much more informative, and the overall view of their entire feed is displayed noticeably nicer. In addition, you can now dismiss notifications by clicking the middle mouse button.
The lower part of the center, containing shortcuts to popular actions, has become a little more customizable: the section dedicated to it in the "Parameters" has been redesigned:
When activating the tablet mode or, for example, the “do not disturb” mode, the corresponding buttons now, in addition to changing the color, for greater clarity, the inscriptions “enabled” or “disabled” appear briefly:
The updated center should finally learn how to fully interact with its counterpart from mobile version OS, provided that you also update it to current version. Additionally, you can set priority parameters for notifications:
Finally, the notification system now interacts with the Edge web browser, which we'll cover in the next section:
Egde in Windows 10 Anniversary Update
The Edge browser, which replaced Internet Explorer, became one of those system components that Microsoft paid the most attention to in the anniversary update. Recall that Edge debuted in Windows 10 and is currently exclusive to the desktop and mobile versions of this OS. The web browser runs on a lighter and improved version of the Internet Explorer engine and differs from it in a noticeably lighter interface.
On the other hand, easy new browser was, unfortunately, also in terms of the number of available settings, initially not offering the user even a few very basic options that are in any web surfing program. With the arrival of the Anniversary Update, Microsoft seems to have closed many of these customization and functionality gaps. However, let's go in order.
Two new items appeared in the main menu of the program:
The item "New features and tips" leads to a page with a list of innovations that has not yet been localized. But the “extensions” section is many times more interesting, since this, in fact, is the main innovation in the browser.
Extensions created by third-party developers have been in competing products for a long time and allow you to supplement the functionality and individual features of web browsers to your taste. With the advent of the Anniversary Update, the extension system and its catalog for them first appear in the Microsoft browser.
The only thing that confused us was that the extensions are tied to the Windows Store and without logging into your account, even what is free will not be allowed to download.
So far, Edge has very few extensions compared to its competitors. However, the modules most demanded by users, such as the AdBlock banner cutter, are already here.
This catalog will, of course, expand over time.
However, in addition to the extensions in the updated Edge, there is something to see. For example, the ability to pin tabs, which is known to users of all alternative browsers, has appeared, reducing them in size, protecting them from accidental closing:
In the context menu address bar the “paste and search” command is available, which, if not just text, but a link is copied to the clipboard, automatically changes to “paste and go”:
Navigation buttons now have their own context menu that displays recent history visits and allowing one click to go to any of the pages presented in the menu:
The work of the favorites panel has been significantly improved. There you can now create folders, rename items and enable the display of icons only. None of this has happened before:
In addition, the movement of elements is now accompanied by a new nice animation, and the panel itself has become a little lower in height to take up less space from the content being viewed.
Several new Edge features are related to the download mechanism. In addition to the integration with the notification center mentioned above, Edge no longer starts downloading immediately, but first asks the user what he wants to do with the downloaded file: save to the default folder, save to the selected directory, or not start downloading at all:
In this pop-up panel, by the way, the file size is also displayed. In the settings, you can return the previous behavior of the browser when it immediately started loading. There, finally, an option appeared that allows you to set the default download directory:
Edge now warns if you try to exit it without completing one or more downloads:
An interesting option has been added to the settings section responsible for cleaning the browser, which allows you to automatically delete selected items every time you exit Edge:
The representation of the favorites has noticeably changed. It used to look like this:
You could only see the contents of one directory at a time. Now favorites are displayed in a hierarchical view, where you can see all links, as well as folders and subfolders:
In addition, the “sort by name” item appeared in the context menu of the favorites, and the “delete” item is now moved away from the others by a separator:
Quite a lot in Edge and implicit changes. In particular, the procedure for importing data from other browsers has been improved. Edge has learned to detect secondary flash content on pages, usually banner ads, and automatically pause it. Swipes can move forward and backward through the pages.
Of the little things, we note the use of drop-down lists in the settings, the new icon of the new tab page, as well as items hidden by default in the context menus of web pages intended for developers.
A number of new options have arrived on the about:flags service page, where various experimental browser options are located. However, for the average user there is hardly anything particularly important.
Options panel
In Windows 10 Anniversary, Microsoft continues to develop the Settings panel, saturating it with more and more various settings. However, the classic control panel still has nowhere to go and a lot of links, including those from the "Parameters", lead to it. In addition to the new settings, the "Settings" of Windows 10 received a number of cosmetic improvements.
For example, the first section “System” looked like this before:
In Windows 10 Anniversary, some changes have been made to the logic of the Options panel. It is especially striking that the names of both new and existing subsections, for clarity, received their own miniature icon on the left:
The same monochrome icons appeared not only next to subsections, but also on some pages. For example, in "sign-in options" next to the name of each of the methods of logging into Windows, a corresponding icon appeared:
Such trifles, obviously, according to the intention of the developers, will make the options more visual and memorable.
Another change is the built-in search. On the home page it is now centered, and has moved from the right to the left on normal pages. But the most important thing here is that the search now does not expand to the entire window by default, as it did before:
Instead, a miniature tooltip is initially shown:
Now let's go over the most important new options. In the "System" -> "Apps and features" section, note that for some applications, the "advanced options" link has become available:
Click on it and on the page that appears you will stumble upon a completely new feature to reset individual applications, which will debut precisely in the Anniversary Update:
A new subsection “Status” has appeared in the “Internet”, which clearly displays the status of the network connection and a number of related links to various system applets:
In "Personalization" there was a subsection "Taskbar". If you open the context menu of the taskbar and select "Options" there, then now you will fall into this subsection instead of the old window. There are no new options there, in the subsection all the previous settings are only grouped:
A couple of new switches are available in the settings:
In the same “Personalization” section, but now in the “Colors” subsection, an updated color palette has appeared. This is what the previous one looked like:
And here is its version from the Windows 10 Anniversary Update:
The palette, as you can see, has been somewhat redesigned, has become more compact, and the selected color is now marked with a “tick”, instead of a barely noticeable rectangle.
Below are the new options:
First, the title bar color can now be configured separately from the start menu, taskbar, and action center colors. Previously, the color was adjusted simultaneously for four of these elements. Now the color of the windows is rendered separately from the rest.
Secondly, there is an interface mode switch from light (default) style to dark:
However, not everything with this regime on this moment perfect. Let's start with the fact that only universal applications and the control panel change the color. Regular applications, Explorer, and with it most of the context menus throughout the system remain light.
The Edge browser seems to live separately from the main settings: although the dark style is available there, for some reason you have to turn it on manually separately. Finally, in some places bright inscriptions look too contrasting against a black background.
After playing around with the colors, we went to the "Privacy" section: the settings here have significantly increased in many subsections. Now you can prevent applications from accessing the notification center, the user's location data, and you can also prevent them from managing other applications.
In "Updates and security" in the subsection " Windows Defender» Now you can configure the interaction of the defender with the notification center. In addition, there is a new offline scan functionality.
Finally, in the same section, but already in the "Windows Update" subsection, it became possible to set the so-called activity period.
During this period, the system will not automatically reboot the device, even if it makes sure that you do not use it.
It is worth noting that some smaller innovations also debuted in the Options panel. To talk about each of them would mean a completely exorbitant increase in this already rather big article.
Other changes in Windows 10 Anniversary Update
Finally, let's take a quick look at those changes that do not affect the Start menu, notification center, browser and Settings panel, that is, are not related to those elements that the corporation has worked on the most.
Let's start with the fact that Microsoft is still quietly engaged in design. Well, or at least what she puts into this word.
In the Anniversary Update, the User Account Control windows have been redrawn. This is how they looked before:
These are now:
Work continues on the icons. For example, here is how the Windows Defender icon was redrawn ( new version bottom):
The defender himself, as we wrote above, received some update, which he himself will tell you about at the first start:
With built-in programs in the Anniversary Update, things are inconsistent. Microsoft continues to add and remove universal apps from the system. This time out of favor fell, for example, Finance and Sports. Could not find also Phone and Phone Manager. However, hardly anyone will grieve for them.
Another application that seems to have been removed from the system is Sway, designed to create interactive presentations. On one of the Western sites, it was indicated that it was not actually cut out of the system, but made part of the Photos application, but we did not understand how to access Sway from it. In addition, the photographs themselves, upon a cursory acquaintance, were closed without permission twice.
Old notes were removed from the system and replaced with a universal version of Sticky Notes.
The main new application in Windows 10 Anniversary Update was the universal Skype version. The first acquaintance with her, however, turned out to be so-so.
After logging into the account Skype program for some reason, it immediately started up with a dark theme, while the system used a light one.
Going into the settings, it turned out that to change the style of Skype from dark to light, you need to restart the program, and you must restart it manually.
When the universal Skype was launched again, we saw that the settings for it were still with a gulkin's nose. At best, a dozen options are available to the user, and the window with them cannot rationally use the area available to him, which is why even this small number of parameters have to be scrolled.
To be honest, familiarity with universal applications, at least from Microsoft itself, makes one wonder how primitive they are compared to traditional ones. However, here, perhaps, we are mistaken and someone will correct us in the comments.
But back to the review of the remaining innovations in the Anniversary Update. For the taskbar, the option to auto-hide in tablet mode is available, the set of emoticons has been redone, the system search can now search in OneDrive. Handwriting recognition support is available for 23 additional languages. Switching between audio output sources is implemented in the volume setting pop-up interface.
The clock and calendar are now displayed on all monitors when using a multi-monitor configuration. A new combination Win + Alt + D has been added to call their pop-up interface. The system tray calendar is now integrated with the Calendar system application:
Many changes have been made to Cortana. Surprisingly, this assistant still does not support the Russian language, therefore, instead of a detailed identification of innovations, we will only mention its main ones. In particular, the ability to search for music has been improved, the tools for creating reminders have been expanded, and the integration of the voice assistant with the Maps application has been carried out.
Cortana's cross-device interactions have been strengthened, including battery usage information, Find My Phone, and device-to-device transfer of map data.
Finally, work continues to improve the functionality of virtual desktops. You can now switch between them with four-finger gestures on the touchpad. In addition, you can now pin one window or all windows from one application on all virtual desktops at once:
Conclusion
It would seem that the Anniversary update, released a year later and already the second major package of changes, should bring Windows 10, as they say, to mind, finally making the system “licked” and complete. However, in practice this is not the case.
In the top ten, two control panels still coexist, the voice assistant Cortana, which is one of the flagship innovations of the OS, is still not available in Russian, as well as in many other languages. In the heart Windows interface- nothing has changed in the conductor, since the corporation is still preparing for its complete processing in the future. And that's not to mention all sorts of little things like rudiments popping up here and there from Windows 7 and 8.
Thus, if you were waiting for a completely finished, honed to the smallest detail system, then, as it seems to us, Windows 10 is not yet one. Congratulations to users who have been successfully using the "ten" since last year: with the advent of the Anniversary Update, they are turning from alpha testers to beta testers).
A year later, Windows 10 holds less than a quarter of the desktop OS market
On the other hand, in the Anniversary Update, the Start menu, virtual desktops, and notification center are getting more usable. Edge for someone will become a real workhorse with extensions and basic capabilities that didn't exist before. The Options panel continues its evolution, preparing to finally become single center system management. The mess with communication apps seems to be ending with the advent of the new Skype.
As a result, the anniversary update is, without a doubt, a step in the right direction. That's just to win over to the side of Windows 10 most of Microsoft users will obviously need at least a couple more of the same steps.
How is the update process going?
Microsoft warned a few days ago that not everyone will be able to get Windows on August 2, 2016 10 AnniversaryUpdate, since there are a lot of users and the servers may not be able to cope with the load. I reacted with understanding to this news and began to wait for the update. It is worth noting that literally an hour after the announcement that the update was launched, I still received news from the Update Center that I could update my laptop, which I naturally took advantage of.
I was pleasantly surprised that the update went quite quickly and successfully. None of my programs, files or documents were deleted, even the lock screen saver and desktop theme remained the same. This was very pleasing, because before I had to reinstall everything again or do synchronization.
For those who have not yet received an update to the Update Center, but really want to get it, I can advise 2 ways: the familiar Media Creation Tool utility and the new Update Assistant, an interesting utility that appeared just two days ago and you can find it, by going to the Microsoft support site. There is such a dark blue stripe with a call to join the update. Here is the link: https://support.microsoft.com/uk-ua.
Now my laptop is running the new Windows 10 version 1607 and build 14393.10.
The inscription Registered Trademark, which did not exist before, immediately caught my eye.
Start menu
The first thing I wanted to evaluate was the Start menu. From the comments I know that some users were unhappy with the Windows 10 Start menu, especially annoying tiles.
After the update, Start has changed a bit. No tiles were removed, the changes affected the left side of the Start menu. To my surprise, the button All applications for some reason it was deleted. Now all apps are merged into Recently Added and Frequently Used.
Perhaps someone will find this innovation convenient and accepted, but I obviously did not like it. This series of applications that opens in front of you strains and knocks. I liked the old version better. Now on the left is my account avatar, as well as the shutdown buttons, options and other buttons of your choice (mine is File Explorer). Previously, they were signed, but now the icons just hang, and the inscriptions pop up if you hover over them with the mouse. The tiles haven't changed. That is, they did not even think to work on them. But in vain.
The disadvantages include the fact that in tablet mode the old tabular layout of all installed applications, which was in Windows 8 and I didn’t like it very much.
Options
On first acquaintance with parameters you will definitely notice its new feature - this is a search in the parameters themselves. That is, now you do not have to once again look for the desired parameter in order to configure it. You just need to write the name you need and go to the desired section. This is very convenient even for me, a person who knows the system very well. A similar feature was in older versions of systems, but in Windows 10 it is more advanced.
I could not pass by such a pleasant opportunity in the section Temporary files remove previous versions of operating programs.
Sometimes they take up a lot of space: I took as much as 11 GB. A trifle, but nice.
Dark app mode
Someone will say that it is also an innovation for me and may be right. Previously, it was also possible to set the dark mode of applications by performing certain manipulations with the settings. Now just go to Personalization-Colors and you decide whether to choose a light mode or a dark one. Yet the dark mode transforms applications, making them more stylish. It was a little disappointing that the Explorer, whose icon also changed a little, was left with only the light mode, and I wanted to change it too.
Microsoft Edge: What's New?
New browser introduced with Windows 10 Microsoft Edge, which was intended to replace the Internet Explorer that failed in the market, clearly did not cope with its task. Yes, the browser is fast, minimalistic, modern, but it clearly loses in popularity to its competitors.
I was very interested in how the standard browser from Microsoft has changed? Can it finally become my main browser?
I must say that my expectations were met. Now we can say that Microsoft Edge - modern browser. It appeared, albeit belatedly, the functions and text processing tools I needed. Extension support is one of the major new features of Microsoft Edge in the Anniversary Update. For now, increase the functionality of the regular Windows browser 10 due to built-in extensions, it is possible from a rather meager list of them. It includes such extensions as: clippers for Evernote and OneNote notes web services, manager passwords, AdBlock ad blockers and AdBlock Plus, Microsoft Translator, Pocket, a delayed reading web service tool, Mouse Gestures mouse gesture customizer, Pinterest image sharing button and others. You can install them easily from the App Store or through the menu of the browser itself. I installed extensions just through the Microsoft Edge menu. Open a tab Extensions and press Get extensions from the Store.
You find yourself in the Store, where all available extensions are located. Just download them, they appear in the browser and install the extension. List installed extensions will be visible every time you open the tab Extensions.
I know that some users got an error when downloading and forced them to reinstall the extension, but the problem was still not solved. There is still a solution to this problem. Walk the path Settings-System-Apps and Features, find the extension and remove it. Then go back to the Store and download the extension again. There will be no loading problems and you will be able to use the extension.
I was also pleased that the option to pin tabs for permanent access to your favorite sites was finally implemented as an alternative to the bookmark functionality.
I understand that this feature has long been implemented in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and other browsers, but I have long said that there is no harm in Microsoft copying the good. To improve the safety of Internet surfing and reduce energy consumption, Microsoft has introduced a mechanism in the new version of the browser that automatically pauses the playback of Flash content that is not an integral part of the page ( advertising banners etc.).
Changes have also occurred in the Browser Options. There was a binding to the account and the ability to synchronize with other devices. Most importantly, now you can choose the drive or folder where the downloaded files will be saved.
As you can see, the browser has undergone great changes and it is very pleasing. And the fact that there are few extensions does not really bother me, I always use them a little.
New Shop interface
The Windows 10 store has changed noticeably, I would say it has changed nicely. Application pages have become more informative, there are good screenshots applications., I was pleased with the appearance of the column about system requirements. The store has become more convenient to use. No need to waste time searching desired application or games. Dark theme the decor suits him very well. I hope that it will be filled with even more universal applications and get rid of unnecessary trash.
Taskbar and Notification Center
The taskbar has always had a solid set of features, but now there is another interesting feature - the icons of applications pinned to the taskbar can now display active indicators. For example, the Mail icon will show how many unread emails is in your inbox, while the Skype icon will notify you of incoming messages and missed calls.
Settings Taskbars finally appeared in Parameters.
notification center in Windows 10 was not very useful and was heavily criticized by users. After the update, everything has changed dramatically. The first thing that catches your eye is the Center icon, which was previously located in the general group of system tray icons, but now it has moved in a matter of hours and has learned to show the number of notifications. The Notification Center itself has become more informative. Now you can group notifications by application, and some of them contain images. Each notification can be expanded to read more text or take some action. For example, a Skype message can be replied to immediately via a notification. This is very convenient, but so far this innovation supports a very small number of programs. Mainly standard applications from Microsoft.
In Anniversary Update, you can also customize the quick actions located at the bottom of the notification center. In particular, in Settings-Notifications & Actions You can change the order of the buttons.
Also add or remove unnecessary quick actions.
But you still won't be able to change the area of the screen where pop-up notifications will be shown, they will appear in the right corner.
New Skype app
It has always been a mystery to me why there is still no universal Skype application. Why did Microsoft developers treat the once very popular video call service so negligently and criminally? Don't they see more perspective in it?
It must be said that the interface of the Skype application has been modified for last years very little. With the release of Windows update 10 AnniversaryUpdate also has a new Skype Preview. I can't say that the new version impressed me. Yes, it has undergone changes in the interface and received a dark mode and began to look more modern, and now the “tiled” version is not inferior to the classic one, yes, it has support for animated emoticons (moji) and bots, the settings of accessories have changed. But for me, this is the same Skype with a bunch of problems in operation and freezing during the conversation. I did not see any improvement in this regard. And I don’t really believe in assurances that in the universal Skype application, which will be released soon, everything will change.
windows ink Workspace
Of course, Windows Ink is a special mode of working with a stylus. Support for handwriting recognition and thumbnailing is also present in previous versions of Windows - all implemented for touch devices such as the Surface Book, Surface Pro 3 and 4, but to be honest, the possibilities for using them have so far been relatively modest. But new applications will certainly expand these possibilities.
Finding the application turned out to be very easy if you right-click on the taskbar. Immediately in the tray you will see a special application icon. It allows you to create notes
draw, something very similar to the Fresh Paint app, sketch on the screen. I tried using the ruler in the app Cards.
Perhaps the application will find its fans, but for now it is like another interesting toy for me. Maybe in time I'll change my mind.
A small fly in the ointment
I have already written about problems with browser extensions. When I ran into this problem, I almost screamed with the voice of a wolf from a popular cartoon: “Sho, again?”. I sometimes do not understand Microsoft developers, or rather I do not understand what they are striving for. To be honest, I'm tired of finishing up after them, looking for ways to fix problems and errors. I want to turn on the laptop and enjoy working on it.
In the dry matter
The update turned out to be very good. It transformed the system, slightly changed its interface, dressed it up in modern clothes. Windows 10 is becoming more and more a user-centric system. There is much more to remember in this update, but I want to write in the coming days full review all innovations, tell about all the changes. So far, I have a very good impression of the update, because it is, without a doubt, a step in the right direction. I would like to see more such steps, and they have always been only positive.
July 29 marks exactly one year since the official Windows startup 10. To celebrate the first anniversary operating system, Microsoft has been hard at work over the past 6-7 months preparing a new major update, codenamed Redstone, which was eventually called the Anniversary Update (OS version number 1607, build 14393).
This update has just become available to the general public, so now is the time to tell you about the most interesting new products contained in new version"tens".
There are so many changes that the update could be called Windows 10.1. Let's start with the most notable ones.
New old start menu
Actively use start menu in Windows 10? Many users will answer “No” for the simple reason that Start only partly looks like it used to - in version 10, its organization has undergone a major change and has been subject to the new tiled concept introduced in Windows 8. However, the Anniversary Update brings a number of additional innovations , which promise to improve the usability of the Start menu.
The All Apps button has been removed as the lists of recently added and frequently used apps are now merged with the rest of the apps. Shutdown, options and other buttons are now separated from the general list of applications and moved to the left. The user account avatar has also moved there.
The menu has also changed in the so-called tablet mode - Microsoft returned the old (as in Windows 8) tabular layout of all installed applications.
windows ink
Support for handwriting recognition and thumbnailing is also present in previous versions of Windows - all implemented for touch devices such as the Surface Book, Surface Pro 3 and 4, but to be honest, the possibilities for using them have so far been relatively modest. Windows Ink has ambitions to revolutionize this. This is not just another function of the operating system, but a whole workspace - a group of applications united around the idea of providing the most natural experience for handling handwritten notes, drawings and sketches.
We're talking about features like taking quick notes ("Notes"), diagrams, drawings, sketches ("Album") and handwritten edits on screenshots that are created by machine gunners at the moment the application is launched ("Sketch on Screen"). To draw straight lines and correct angles, a virtual ruler is included with the compass.
The Windows Ink panel is called up by pressing the button on the stylus, or by clicking on the pen icon on the taskbar. If it is not showing, right-click on the taskbar and select "Show Windows button Ink Workspace. On the touch devices with pen support, the Windows Ink workspace can be activated even on the lock screen.
Of course, in regions with Cortana support, Windows Ink is much more useful. For example, when creating a note with the word "tomorrow" mentioned, the digital assistant can automatically create a corresponding reminder in the calendar. This works with other words as well, including place names that Cortana can mark on the map.
Windows Features Ink is also integrated into other applications from Microsoft. For example, in the Maps application, you can measure the distance between two points using a drawn line, and Microsoft office allows you to highlight text with a digital pen or delete words by striking them out. By the way, the Windows Store now has a special section "Windows Ink Collection", which contains other applications for working with the pen. It can be accessed from windows panel Ink by clicking on the link in the "Featured" section.
All in all, if you have a touchscreen device that supports an active stylus, the Anniversary Update will turn it into a complete digital notepad with exceptionally powerful and flexible features.
Taskbar, notification center
The already fairly solid set of features on the taskbar has been enriched with several new features, but for the most part they are related to universal applications. In particular, the icons of applications pinned to the taskbar can now display active indicators. For example, the mail icon will show you how many unread emails you have in your inbox, while the Skype icon will tell you about incoming messages and missed calls.
The display of emblems can be disabled by going to in "Settings" -> "Personalization" -> "Task bar".
Calendar events are now integrated into the system clock: by clicking on the time on the taskbar, you can see scheduled events along with a "+" button that allows you to quickly jump to adding a new event in the Calendar app.
The volume control panel has the ability to switch between different playback sources if more than one is connected. When using a multi-monitor configuration, the clock is now displayed in the taskbar on each display.
Finally the taskbar settings have moved to "Options" -> "Personalization" -> "Dashboard".
As before, they can be accessed from the context menu of the taskbar.
The changes in the notification center deserve special attention. First of all, the notification center icon has been moved to the area to the right of the clock. It now shows the number of new notifications as well as an animated logo for the application that the notification came from.
Notifications are now grouped by app, and some of them include images.
You can dismiss the notification by clicking the middle mouse button. A similar click on the application title will dismiss all notifications in the group at once.
In chapter "Options" -> "Notifications and actions" notifications can be assigned a priority: normal, high, or highest. Here you can also set the number of notifications visible in the notification center separately for each application. By default, each app can display three notifications.
You can also assign a high priority to notifications through the context menu in the notification center by right-clicking on the application title.
In Anniversary Update, you can also customize the quick actions located at the bottom of the notification center. In particular, in "Options" -> "Notifications and actions" You can change the order of the buttons...
…and add or remove unnecessary quick actions.
Microsoft Edge: extensions, web notifications and more
The new web browser from Microsoft, which replaced Internet Explorer, is slowly acquiring new features, without which it is not destined to become a real alternative to the browser market leaders. So, in the Anniversary update, Microsoft Edge got the long-awaited support for extensions. Their choice is not great yet, but some of the most popular ones, including ad blockers, are already available.
And in order to improve the safety of Internet surfing and reduce energy consumption, Microsoft followed in the footsteps of Google Chrome and introduced a mechanism in the new version of the browser that automatically pauses the playback of Flash content that is not an integral part of the page (advertising banners, etc.).
Those of you who want to receive site notifications will be happy to know that Edge now supports web notifications as well. This feature is already enabled and works in Skype for web and other services.
Find out more about the new Microsoft versions Edge as part of the Anniversary Update, you can .
Task View
The task view interface now allows you to pin windows and all windows of a single application, making them visible on every virtual desktop. To do this, right-click on the window in the Task View interface and select "Show this window on all desktops" or "Show this application's windows on all desktops", depending on what you need.
Plus, Task View now supports a new touchpad gesture for switching between multiple desktops. Unfortunately, it does not work with all touchpads. To check, touch four fingers to touch panel and swipe left or right.
The lock and login screens just got a little better
First, when playing music through Groove Music, a panel with buttons and album art is now displayed in the lower right corner of the lock screen. Those. Now you can control playback directly from the lock screen.
Microsoft has not forgotten to fulfill one of the requests of users who are worried about the safety of personal data, namely: the email address will no longer be displayed on the login screen. If you suddenly need to turn it on, go to "Options" -> "Accounts" -> "Login Options" and activate the option "Show account information (such as email address) on the login screen".
Finally, the login screen now uses background image from the lock screen, and the transition from the lockscreen to the login screen is accompanied by a new visual effect.
Improved energy efficiency
Undoubtedly, this is one of the most important improvements in the Anniversary Update. In particular, a higher level of energy efficiency is declared for the Connected Standby mode, i.e. a state in which the device simultaneously consumes the minimum amount of energy, but does not lose connection with the Internet. Detailed information Microsoft, alas, has not yet shared on this topic, i.e. it is not clear how much the optimizations in the Anniversary Update can extend the time battery life one device or another.
Microsoft has changed its mind about Skype... again
If you have ever used Windows 8 or 8.1, then you probably know that in addition to the usual desktop version of Skype, G8 users also had the so-called "modern" version of Skype, which ran in full screen mode.
A month before the release of Windows 10, Microsoft unexpectedly announced the end of support for Skype Modern and promised to someday release a universal application that will work on both computers and smartphones running Windows 10. As a result, the ten came out with useless application"Download Skype", which redirects to the download page of the desktop version of the client, and with the first major update of the operating Microsoft systems offered us three applications that can individually perform one of the main functions of Skype - instant messenger, voice calls and video calls. These functions have also been integrated into the smartphone version of the system.
Now Microsoft has changed its mind again: further development of individual Skype applications has been discontinued, and in their place in the Anniversary Update, a new universal application has come that promises to be a real replacement for Skype on the desktop.
Cortana keeps getting smarter
Unfortunately, Microsoft did not teach Cortana the great and mighty Russian language, but gave her new skills for those countries where she is supported. So, for example, you can now start using the digital assistant without prior identification, which is a step in a very right direction. This will likely ease some of the growing paranoia among Windows users who fear that Cortana is monitoring, recording, and then sending every bit to Microsoft. personal information. Of course, if more specific and effective help Cortana, you will have to identify yourself and use a personal account Microsoft entry.
Especially for the new version of the operating system, the developers taught Cortana to recognize additional contextual information and new commands. For example, if you receive an email confirming flight details, the assistant will add them to your calendar. Also, if you add an appointment to your calendar that overlaps with another event, Cortana will prompt you to reschedule one of the overlapping events. Plus, Cortana now responds to commands such as "Send Ivan word document I was working on last night" or "Which toy store did I visit last Christmas?".
Windows users 10 Mobile or Android assistant will notify you of a missed call, incoming message or critically low battery of the mobile device. She will even call your phone if you left it somewhere but don't remember where. For music lovers, Cortana will help you recognize an unknown song, and if you have a Groove Music Pass subscription, it will start playing the song or artist you name.
Finally, now the digital assistant is present even at the level of the lock screen, i.e. you can give her yours voice commands without first unlocking the device - provided that the Hey Cortana wake-up function is activated in the settings.
Multi-factor authentication for apps and websites
Support for fingerprint sensors, eliminating the need to enter a password when entering account user experience has been in Windows 10 since the beginning as part of the Windows Hello feature. But as part of the Anniversary Update, fingerprint authentication or face and retina authentication can be used not only for signing in, but also for authorization in applications, as well as on sites opened in Microsoft Edge.
Connect application
In the Anniversary Update, the set of regular programs was replenished with a new Connect application, which allows you to project the screen of a smartphone with Windows 10 Mobile on a PC display in Continuum mode, without the need for a special docking station or Miracast.
However, if you don't have a Continuum-enabled Windows smartphone, but your PC has a Miracast dongle, then you can use this application to project an image from another computer or phone onto your screen.
Windows + Linux
I almost fell out of my chair when I found out, but Microsoft, together with Canonical, implemented support for the . Is not virtual machine or some other trick, it's a Linux subsystem that runs "with Windows", not "on Windows".
Some of the interesting features of the Linux subsystem in Windows 10 include support for basic SSH commands for managing Linux servers and devices, the ability to use Bash scripts to automate tasks, and work with the file system. Windows system.
Settings app
There are a lot of changes here too. The background of the application is now completely painted white, each tab has its own unique icon, the search field is located in the center of the main page and in the left upper corner on category pages. In addition, the search bar has acquired a search hints interface.
System: appeared in the "Applications and Features" tab - allows you to return this or that application to initial state if it doesn't work correctly.
System: Battery Saver tab renamed to Battery. Added new parameter"Under Windows control", allowing the system to temporarily disable the application if it uses too many resources in the background;
System: in "Tablet mode" you can activate the automatic hiding of the taskbar in the corresponding operating mode;
System: in "Vault"-> system disk -> "Temporary files" now you can delete files previous version Windows. Previously, you had to use the old Disk Cleanup tool to do this;
System: new tab"Projection to this computer", which allows you to enable/disable the projection of an image from a Windows phone or computer to the screen of the current device. For wireless projection, the device must support Miracast signal reception;
System: new tab "Apps for websites" - allows you to disable the association of universal applications with websites. For example, if you do not want the TripAdvisor application to launch when you open the site of the same name in the browser, then this tab will help solve the problem;
Personalization: in the color settings there is a switch between the design modes of universal applications - light or dark. You can also customize the color in the window title bar separately from the Start menu, taskbar, and action center;
Network and Internet: a new "Status" tab that displays the status of the Internet connection, as well as links to all related parts of the system. This tab also contains a new "Network Reset" option, which allows you to reinstall all network components in case they do not work correctly;
Network and Internet: a new tab that allows you to create an access point for distributing wireless, wired or mobile internet.
Update and Security: active period parameters have been added to avoid automatic reboot to complete the installation of updates when the computer is in use;
Update and Security: Added an offline scan feature to the Windows Defender tab. If there is a third-party antivirus in the system, a new option of limited periodic scanning () will be available;
Update and Security: appeared in the "Activation" tab, which can help activate the system even after replacing computer components.
Update and Security: whole line new options in the "For Developer" tab;
Update and Security: program parameters preliminary evaluation moved to a separate tab.
What else?
By installing the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, you will find other changes as well. Here are a few of them:
- If, God forbid, something causes the system to crash, you will notice that " blue screen death" now contains a QR code that allows you to go from the scanning device to a page with several recommendations that can help solve the problem;
- A new version of the Windows Store with a redesigned interface ();
- Redesigned user account control dialog interface;
- New app "Quick Help" ();
- Interface command line, pop-up thumbnails on the taskbar and Hyper-V has been optimized for High-DPI displays;
- Upgrading from Windows 10 Professional to Enterprise Edition now happens without a reboot.
Conclusion
These are the changes in the Anniversary Update, the second major update for Windows 10. As you can see, some things have been added, some things have been improved, but much of what users wanted to see is still not implemented. No tabbed Explorer, no Russian-speaking Cortana, no normal OneDrive client with the ability to view files in Explorer without downloading them to the device. However, the following big update, which will be released in 2017 (rumored to be released in the spring), could change the situation.
Like all previous major updates, the Anniversary Update is released gradually through Windows Update. Those. not everyone will get it today. It may take days, even weeks, before the update becomes available for every device.
Have a great day!
Yesterday, Microsoft released a free major update for Windows 10 called the Anniversary Update. And today we can safely say that the Anniversary Update brings many new features and improvements to Windows 10, which means it deserves special attention and the update will undoubtedly be a plus in convenient and more functional work with the device. Owners of "Dozens" can now download it through Windows Update, detailed.
Now let's take a closer look at the list of improvements that await us in the new version right now:
1) First of all, the modified Start menu, the modified Taskbar and the Notification Center are striking. The Start menu now has a new template that makes it easier to access everything installed applications and added a hidden block of additional links. Additional links to notifications appeared on the taskbar, and the notifications themselves became smaller and more convenient, the quick action buttons can now be arranged in any order or removed altogether.
2) Added Parameters panel. Now new icons have appeared in the parameters, in particular, new functions have appeared for activating the system. The location of some tools has also changed in the menu.
3) Appeared new opportunity to customize the design - a dark background for applications and system windows. The dark background can be adjusted in the "Personalization" - "Color" options.
4) Updated Windows Defender. Now Defender works offline, periodically scans your computer for threats, and, in general, has become even safer.
5) Update version of Microsoft Edge browser. Now Edge supports new technologies, extensions and web standards, works with web notifications and learned how to read touch gestures.
6) Touch Tools Windows Data Inc. Included in the update various applications, which will support handwriting - Notes, Sketch, Album. Developers can also use these tools third party programs, because all APIs will be available.
7) Beta version of the new Skype messenger. In general, the new Skype has not changed much, except that it has become more convenient and easier.
8) Updated Cortana. Voice assistant now syncs between PC and mobile device, works with the Notes app, supports new types of reminders, and is available directly from the lock screen. Unfortunately, Cortana today remains inaccessible to Russia.
9) Beta version of the Linux emulator subsystem. Now in Windows 10 you can run applications created for Linux. The update itself already includes the installation of the Bash on Ubuntu on Windows shell.
10) Improved Windows Store. The developers have updated the application interface and page templates, added a "Recent Activity" update and installation log. Also in the Store there are links to Xbox game hubs, data about your friends who play them, and a progress indicator.
The new version of the OS will also be received by owners of smartphones with Windows 10 Mobile 1511. The update for the mobile version is not so large-scale and will affect system applications, the lock screen, from which you can now control the playback of audio files and launch the camera. There will also be minor changes to the Settings panel and the Notification and Action Center. It is expected that a major update for the mobile version will be released later and will be called Redstone 2.
In order to download and install the Anniversary Update, you need to go to Windows Update and check for an update. It is possible that in the first days after the release of the update, it will not yet be available due to server overload, then you will need to try to update a little later.
Microsoft will begin rolling out Windows 10 Anniversary Update version 1607 gradually. Let's see how you can get the Anniversary Update. windows update 10 and install it quickly on your computer.
Microsoft will gradually roll out the Windows 10 Anniversary Update to all customers over the course of certain period time, so don't be upset if you don't get a notification with the option to install a new update.
But if you want to speed up the process of getting the update, you have two options - to constantly manually check for it in the update center or use the Media Creation Tool to download and install it.
Getting the Windows 10 Anniversary Update Using Windows Update
Click on the Start button, open the Settings menu item and click the Update & Security button. Then click on Windows Update.
Click on the "Check for Updates" button. If an update is available, it will begin downloading and you can install it.
Download Windows 10 Anniversary Update using Media Creation Tool
If you don't want to wait, then you can use the Media Creation Tool which will allow you to download Windows image 10 directly from Microsoft servers without a product key. You can use it to create installation media or upgrade your PC to Windows 10 Anniversary Update.