The much anticipated Windows 10 Creator Update (RedStone 3) is just around corner with it expected to be released around September-October 2017. Also dubbed the “Falls Creator Update” it brings to the table a vast list of improvements to the operating system with a major focus on hardening security, much to the joy of IT support worldwide.

Microsoft have definitely given this update the full works and here’s a list of the changes (improvements we hope) so far:

Within Windows Shell (The main part of Windows that people interact with everyday – Start menu, the Action Centre, the Taskbar, and File Explorer):

• Resizing Start horizontally is now smoother.
• You can now resize Start diagonally.
• Start now uses Acrylic backdrop.
• Scrollbars will now shrink away when cursor isn’t near them.
• Added new context menu icons in Start.
• New Action Centre UI featuring Fluent Design.
• Action Centre now shares the same Acrylic backdrop as Start.
• Toast notifications now float in the bottom right corner.
• Tweaked design for toast notifications.
• Toast notifications now feature an arrow instead of an X to dismiss.
• There is now a My People Hub icon on the taskbar.
• You can now pin up to three contacts to the taskbar.
• Pinned contacts can send you “pops” that appear as animated emoji on your desktop.
• My People Hub gives you quick access to all your contacts and associated communication apps.
• You can now share with contacts directly from the Share UI
• Taskbar Battery icon has new flyout with a slider for Power Throttling.
• You can now enable Spatial Sound directly from the Volume icon context menu in the taskbar.
• You can now see files saved in the cloud via OneDrive with “On-Demand Sync” in File Explorer.
• You can now share files via the Share option in the context menu.

Microsoft Edge:

• You can now ink on PDFs directly within Microsoft Edge.
• You can now see a PDFs table of contents.
• Microsoft Edge now supports PDF forms.
• General PDF reading improvements.
• You can now pin websites to the taskbar just like with Internet Explorer 11.
• General EPUB improvements.
• You can now annotate EPUB documents.
• Minor UI improvements.
• Reading progress is now synced across devices.
• You can now save favorites into a different location directly from the favorites UI.
• You can now edit the URL of an already saved favorite.
• Share UI now shows up in the top right of the window.
• Tabs that are no longer active will show a semi-transparent icon.
• Edge now features a readaloud mode that reads text for you on a webpage, PDF or EPUB document..
• Under the hood improvements.

Input Improvements:

• New Emoji Panel (accessed with WIN+.)
• Support for Emoji 5.0.
• Updated Touch Keyboard with Shape Writing and one handed mode.
• Improvements to handwriting panel.
• You can now scroll lists and webpages with a pen.

Settings:

• About area has been redesigned with relevant information about system health.
• Storage Sense can now automatically delete files in your downloaded folder after 30 days.
• Storage Sense can now delete the previous version of Windows once an upgrade has taken place.
• Remote Desktop is now in the Settings app.
• A new sidebar is present with contextual help tips and video.
• A new “Video Playback” option has been added with HDR and other video options.
• A new Game Monitor option is present.
• Updates now have individual progress indicators when downloading and installing.
• New update activity monitor that shows statistics on downloads of updates for the month.
• Cortana now has its own area in Settings.
• Slight changes to the order of Settings categories.

General improvements:

• Windows is now smart enough to throttle inactive programs.
• Windows can now adjust Win32 programs DPI without needing to logout.
• Android users can now see missed call notifications on the desktop when Cortana is synced on their PC and phone.
• Windows 10 now runs on ARM64 architecture.
• Cortana now supports dedicated Speaker Devices.
• Minor elements of the Fluent Design System are present in some areas of the OS.
• The Photos app now has a new Story Remix area that allows you to create quick video clips.
• You can now recover your Microsoft Account password directly from the lock screen.
• Battery life improvements
• Windows 10 Security enhancements with Windows Defender, Exploit Guard and more.

We would like to thank WindowsCentral for compiling the list of changes as of Build 16237. Most, if not all, of the changes are welcomed by IT support all around the globe as it provides users with much needed fixes and improvements to Windows 10 usage. But where IT support will truly be thankful for the changes will be the specific protections it introduces to fend off malware attacks. For instance, Windows Defender has a new behavior in which it will suspend a suspicious file and run it though a “controlled detonation chamber” service to check for malware. Windows Defender uses Antimalware Scan Interface technology in the creators update to detect when JavaScript or Visual Basic script is “downloading and executing a ransomware payload”.

Also the Windows 10 creators update also supports Device Guard, a Windows 10 Enterprise edition feature. Device Guard is white-list protection scheme that lets IT support companies specify policies such that only trusted applications can run. It applies the white list to browser plug-ins and add-ins as well. Device Guard uses CPU hardware virtualization technologies to protect against bad drivers or system files.

Once this update rolls out to the general public, there may be changes to the way you usually access some functions – we urge our clients to get in touch with us anytime using any of our contact details so that we can familiarise yourselves with any issues you may have.

About IntelliTeK Pty Ltd

IntelliTeK is a managed IT services company in Sydney, Australia. With major vendor relationships and accreditation’s from the worlds leading IT companies including WatchGuard, Microsoft, Trend Micro and Amazon Web Services, IntelliTeK have kept clients happy since 2007. 

IntelliTeK are always up to date with the latest cloud backup solutions which is why we only partner with the best in the industry. If your company isn’t fully equipped to fend off cyber criminals, then get in touch with us so we can discuss your options. Call us on 1300 768 779, email us at info@intellitek.com.au, fill out the web form, or have a Live Chat with us below.