Windows 10 21H1 coming soon, here are the new features

Earlier this week, Microsoft officially announced the update to Windows 10 version 21H1 and it will begin rolling out to consumers in the first half of this year. Like the October 2020 update (20H2), this new update also comes with a minimal set of features, general improvements, and bug fixes.

Windows 10 version 21H1 is basically based on version 2004 and version 20H2, and it will be provided through an activation package. It’s not a huge release and it doesn’t bring a major operating system overhaul, but reports suggest that new features and UI improvements will be introduced later this year as part of the upgrade. update of “Sun Valley”.

Microsoft says this update comes with quality improvements that should improve the overall user experience. It is also likely that existing functionality will be enhanced using “Windows Feature Experience Packs,” which is a new way to update and enhance the operating system without major feature updates.

Windows 10 Activation Package version 21H1

Based on the benchmarks spotted by BleepingComputer, Microsoft is slowly adding all features / improvements to Windows 10 May 2020 Update and October 2020 Update through Monthly Cumulative Updates. This will allow Microsoft to deploy the 21H1 “activation package,” which acts as a “master switch” that simply activates dormant features, such as the new Windows Hello setting.

To get the update through the activation package, Microsoft states that users must be running Windows 10 version 2004 or version 20H2 with the latest cumulative updates. Once you have installed the cumulative updates, you will be able to retrieve the feature update through Settings > Update and security > ‘Download and install now“.

Here is the list of all the new features / improvements included in this feature update.

Windows Hello multi-camera support

Microsoft is introducing a new feature for Windows Hello Face that allows users to configure a multi-camera setup for Windows 10 biometric facial recognition.

With the new feature, you can now set a default external camera for Windows Hello, when there is both an internal camera and an external camera on the same device.

Security enhancements

In this release, Windows Defender Application Guard gets performance improvements, which should result in a noticeable speed increase when opening certain documents.

For businesses, the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Group Policy Service (GPSVC) is updated with a performance improvement.

These changes were designed to support remote work scenarios, and Microsoft also promises the “best possible update experience” to help people and organizations stay protected and productive during the pandemic.

How to test the update now

The version 21H1 update is currently available for Insider Program users, so the easiest and safest way to download and install the next feature update is to join the Windows Insider Program and register for the Release Preview Channel.

If you’re a member of the Windows Insider program (join from the Microsoft website), here’s how to download and install version 21H1 right now:

1. Open the Start menu or Windows Search.
2. Open the settings.
3. Go to Update & Security> Windows Insider Program or just search for “ Windows Insider Program Settings ” on Cortana to skip the navigation steps.
4. Click Start on the Windows Insider page.
5. Link your Microsoft account (the email must be the one you used previously to sign up for the Insider program).
6. You can access the Version Preview channel by selecting the “ Just Patches, Apps, and Drivers ” option. This option is also known as “Release Preview”.