Windows 10 May 2019 Update, the news
Windows 10 May 2019 Update is the official name of the next feature update for Windows 10 , so far known under the code name 19H1. The update is already available in the hands of the Windows Insiders of the Release Preview Ring. A wider availability of the new Windows 10 will arrive in the second half of May .
This update brings little news compared to the current version , and mainly focuses on the modification and improvement of some features already present in the operating system rather than proposing new ones. We are going to discover the main novelties of the new feature update for Windows 10 and also some small but interesting changes.
How does the Windows Shell, or the graphical user interface of Windows 10 May 2019 Update, change? Here comes a new theme called "light" , which basically makes the taskbar, start menu and other areas that make up the Windows Shell white (with transparency).
In view of a better UI, Microsoft has implemented shadows in several elements and has changed the default background , changing its appearance with lighter colors and a general flattening.
With the new update Windows 10 Home users have the new light mode enabled by default after a clean installation, while those of Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise continue to have the "dark mode" active by default.
Another visible change concerns the research and Cortana. Microsoft had already anticipated it and with Windows 10 May 2019 Update fulfills the promises: the two functions are separate . A wise choice, which allows the company to work distinctly and hopefully better on these two aspects of the system.
The search for example earns a new landing page for research activities and a change of the UI, Cortana instead starts to listen automatically when you click its icon in the taskbar. The search always sees a top apps section appear in the upper part , which are nothing more than the applications you use the most, so as to start them quickly.
Windows 10 May 2019 Update brings several changes to the main page of the settings function , where we find an area at the top linked to your account that gives you quick access to some features like updates and OneDrive.
Among the new features of Settings here is the ability to uninstall multiple apps included with the operating system . The list is quite substantial: 3D viewer (3D Viewer), Calculator, Calendar, Groove Music, Mail, Film and TV, Paint 3D, Capture Tool, Sticky Notes, Voice Recorder.
With Windows 10 May 2019 Update you can also use the Settings app to modify some features of Ethernet connectivity, such as the configuration of static IP addresses and preferred DNS server settings.
Among the other news worthy of some attention, Windows Update has been updated with a new layout of the interface that brings several functions to the fore, such as the ability to manage the hours in which to make updates, pause them and more.
By the way, the intelligent update system analyzes when you use the PC so as not to interrupt your work session to install an update, but at the same time ensure that the PC is always up to date. Another novelty already anticipated by Microsoft is that the new Windows reserves up to 7 GB of disk space for updates .
To improve the user experience for the less informed and prepared, Microsoft recommends a fix when Windows detects a problem.
List all the small changes in Windows 10 May 2019 Update not only is it a job (or work), but it is also uninteresting and sensible. In this section we list some of the more obvious general changes. The new feature update for Windows 10 also includes for example a new Office app that gives quick access to recent documents and Office apps on the web.
With the new update the microphone icon appears in the system tray when the microphone is in use. Microsoft has also made some changes to the touch keyboard making it more complete. The RAW image format support and the possibility to run Win32 apps (the classic ones) within Windows Mixed Reality is here .
You can also set a default tab when opening the Task Manager and you can change the size of the cursor using a slider, with 15 different sizes to choose from. The Capture Tool should go into Capture and Annotate and the Start menu process is now separate, so it will never go to sleep: this should ensure greater responsiveness.
Finally, the new Windows 10 May 2019 Update has a Windows Sandbox app that allows Pro and Enterprise users to start virtual instances of Windows 10 over the one active for testing software.
Microsoft made Windows 10 May 2019 Update available to the Windows Insider testers of the Release Preview channel last week. A wider availability is foreseen in the second part of May for commercial customers, that is people who have chosen the new May 2019 Update for their Windows 10 PCs through Check Availability Updates and devices near the end of the installed release support.
Starting from this version you will have more control over when to start installing the feature update. It will be possible to explicitly choose whether to update your device to check for updates or update the pause for a maximum of 35 days (7 days at a time, five times).