Windows-10 key

Microsoft releases first Windows 10 Redstone 3 build to the Fast ring

The majority of Windows 10 users are still waiting to receive the Creators Update, but Microsoft has just released the first update from the Development Branch to Windows Insiders on the Fast ring.

Build 16170 for PC doesn’t have any new features or massive changes to get excited about (no sign of Project Neon or OneDrive On Demand Sync here) but there are plenty of smaller changes, improvements and fixes, as well as a number of known issues to watch out for.

By Wayne Williams -
Whats new

Windows 10 Creators Update changelog -- (nearly) everything that's new or improved

Like all big new versions of Windows 10, the Creators Update introduces a lot more features and improvements than just the headline additions.

If you’re wondering exactly what changes Microsoft has made to its new OS, we have a (nearly) complete changelog for you to browse.

By Wayne Williams -
slow down

Why you shouldn't rush to install the Windows 10 Creators Update

Although Microsoft’s official rollout of the Windows 10 Creators Update begins on April 11, you can get it now, if you so desire.

I’ve updated my copy of Windows 10, because I have to. I write about Windows a lot, and so I need to be on the latest version. But if you don’t need to be running the Creators Update, and you’re not desperate for any of the new features or improvements, I’d caution against upgrading, and here’s why.

By Wayne Williams -
holo

Best Windows 10 apps this week

Two-hundred-and-twenty-six in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Windows Store in the past seven days.

The Windows 10 Creators Update is available already. You can check out Mark's post on how to install it if you need help with that.

By Martin Brinkmann -
Windows10VirtualDesktopEnhancer.200.175

What's new in Windows 10 Creators Update?

Windows 10 Creators Update, a major and feature-packed update for the OS, starts its official rollout on April 11.

New features include a Paint 3D app and new "mixed reality" VR support; Game Mode to boost performance for demanding games, and built-in game broadcasting; and the Windows Defender Security Center gives one-stop access to your key security settings.

By Mike Williams -
Windows 10 finger

Microsoft releases Windows 10 Creators Update so you can install it now

The launch date for Windows 10 Creators Update -- the next big update for Windows 10 -- is April 11, but there's no need to wait until Tuesday to get it. While the automated rollout starts next week, Microsoft has released the update so you can install it manually.

We already knew that Microsoft would be making the update available a week early. With the automatic rollout and update process expected to take months, you may well want to jump the queue and grab what Microsoft is calling the "latest and best version of Windows" right now. Here's how to do just that -- you don’t even need to be part of the Insider program.

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Microsoft half-heartedly opens up about privacy, revealing more about the data Windows 10 Creators Update collects

Microsoft has had something of a checkered history when it comes to privacy, particularly with Windows 10. Telemetry concerns have blighted the latest version of the company's operating system for many people, but now it has finally decided to come clean.

Ahead of the release of Windows 10 Creators Update, Microsoft reveals full details of the data it collects about users who opt into providing basic-level telemetry information. The company also provides some details -- but not as much as many would like -- about what is collected when the full level of telemetry is selected. This is Microsoft's attempt to come clean about privacy in Windows 10, but is it too little too late?

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Brace yourself for 'painful' Windows 10 Redstone 3 preview builds

If you have been following the development of Windows 10 with any degree of interest, it can't have escaped your attention that Windows 10 Creators Update is due to roll out next week -- starting on April 11 to be precise. Of course, there's nothing stopping you from grabbing the update right now, but now many people are starting to think about the next stage of Windows 10's future.

The next branch of development is Redstone 3 and Microsoft promises that new builds will start to creep out very soon. Dona Sarkar advises that "you won't see many big noticeable changes or new features in new builds just yet," but that's not to say big changes aren't coming -- such as Project NEON. The focus for now is on OneCore, and Microsoft warns that bugs might be an issue to start with.

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Microsoft releases two cumulative updates for Windows 10 Creators Update

Windows 10 Creators Update is mere days away from release, and ahead of the launch Microsoft has pushed out a couple of cumulative updates.

Build 15063.13 is being pushed out to Windows Insiders on the Slow Ring and Release Preview Ring, while those who have opted to participate in the Fast Ring can download build 15063.14. With the full rollout of Creators Update now just a week away, these updates see Microsoft address a handful of last minute issues.

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Windows XP more popular than Windows 10 with businesses

If you are keeping track of Windows 10's adoption, you probably know that the operating system has hit a plateau. According to NetMarketShare, it has been hovering around the 25 percent usage share mark for a few months now. That said, it still remains the second most-popular version of Windows (and OS), coming after Windows 7.

However, if we look at the business space in particular, Windows 10 is actually nowhere near as popular with PC users. Microsoft's latest operating system lags far behind Windows 7 and Windows XP too. One might expect Windows 7 to come out ahead, the fact that Windows XP ranks higher may come as a surprise.

By Mihăiță Bamburic -
netflix-windows-10

Windows 10 users can now download videos from Netflix for offline viewing

Streaming services like Netflix are proving increasingly popular as fans of television and movies cut the cord and look for on-demand options that better suit their needs. Having previously made it possible for iOS and Android users to download content for offline viewing -- complete with optimized codecs -- Netflix is now doing the same for Windows 10 users.

The idea is pretty simple. Netflix acknowledges the fact that subscribers may well want to be able to access their favorite shows when they do not have an Internet connection, and is therefore providing the perfect solution: Download & Go.

Jump start

Windows 10's growth has completely stalled -- can the Creators Update jump start interest in the new OS?

It’s no April Fool -- Windows 10 is struggling. The new operating system enjoyed solid -- and rapid -- growth when it was free (and being forced on to users' computers), but in recent months, it’s seeing little to no increase in usage, according to NetMarketShare.

The OS hit the 25 percent mark in January, but since then it lost a little share in February, and made only very minor gains in March. Windows 7, in comparison, remains the operating system of choice for most people, with its share continuing to rise.

By Wayne Williams -
Windows-10 key

Microsoft releases cumulative update Build 15063.11 for Windows 10 Creators Update

Although Build 15063 is the RTM for the Windows 10 Creators Update, that doesn’t mean that Microsoft has downed tools and stopped working on the next iteration of its operating system.

The Creators Update doesn’t begin its roll out until April 11 (unless you opt to get it on April 5), which means the software giant will be working hard until then to squash any last-minute bugs and problems.

By Wayne Williams -
2017-03-31 09_08_13-Max And Mink

Best Windows 10 apps this week

Two-hundred-and-twenty-five in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Windows Store in the past seven days

Microsoft revealed recently that the Windows 10 Creators Update will be released on April 11. Read Wayne's article on getting the update a week early.

By Martin Brinkmann -
WindowsPrivacyTweaker.200.175

Tame Microsoft's snooping with Windows Privacy Tweaker

Windows Privacy Tweaker is an easy-to-use portable application for viewing and controlling more than 50 Windows telemetry and privacy settings.

Unlike many similar programs, this isn’t just for Windows 10. You’ll be able to see and toggle some settings on anything from Windows Vista up.

By Mike Williams -
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