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Top features to check out in the Windows 10 Creators Update

By Ng Chong Seng - 12 Apr 2017

Features to look forward to in the Windows 10 Creators Update

 

What are you creating today?

First announced in October 2016, and then tested for months with Windows Insiders, the next major Windows 10 update - aka Creators Update or version 1703 - has finalized and is slated to arrive to all Windows 10 PCs for free starting April 11 (or April 12 SGT) via Windows Update. For those who want to get it earlier but aren't in the Windows Insider Program, you can do a manual upgrade on April 5 using the Update Assistant tool.

Now, whether you’re in the creative profession or not, there’s plenty to look forward to in the Creators Update, which is the first of two major Windows 10 updates that Microsoft has planned for this year. Here are a few of my favorite features:

1.) Paint 3D - Windows 10 is all-in on 3D. With the new Paint 3D app, you can create amazing 3D objects quickly and easily. Microsoft is very much into mixed reality too, and it's no secret that Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo will be shipping their Windows Mixed Reality-enabled headsets with the Creators Update, starting at just US$299 later this year.

With Paint 3D, it's easy to create 3D objects from scratch. You can also take a 2D picture and turn it into 3D.

2.) Game Mode - Briefly, Game Mode is a way to optimize your Windows 10 PC for increased performance in gaming. The first iteration is all about smoothing frame rates (so don’t expect night-and-day performance gains), but as Microsoft continues to work with GPU makers, I envision this feature to get better with time.

And oh, Microsoft is baking into Windows 10 the ability to broadcast your live gaming sessions to your Xbox Live friends via Beam.

Built-in game broadcasting is coming in the Creators Update.

3.) Enhanced security and better privacy controls - Sure, I like that Microsoft take the effort to make Windows Update less irritating; but what I like more are the tweaks to privacy settings. I just hope there’s a setting to turn off ads in Microsoft’s own apps.

The new Windows Defender Security Center dashboard will give you an overall picture of your device's security, health, and online safety.

4.) Dynamic Lock - This is a feature that automatically locks your Windows 10 PC when you’re not around based on the proximity of a Bluetooth-paired phone. (Finally!)

A small feature, but a useful one nonetheless.

5.) Edge improvements - New ways to manage tabs, 3D, ebooks, easier online shopping, more extensions, better security - the default browser in Windows 10 is getting a big upgrade, too.

Need a fresh start, but want to keep some of your tabs? You can now set a group of tabs aside.

6.) "Compact Overlay" window - Call it what you will, but this is basically a picture-in-picture mode. Granted, this only applies to Universal Windows apps, and you need third-party developers to add support for it in their apps for it to be truly useful, but let's just say I'm happy that one of the best features in iOS for the iPad is finally coming to Windows.

Watch a video in a smaller window at the corner while you continue to work on Excel.

7.) Accessibility improvements - Since Microsoft wants as many people as possible to use Window 10, it needs to be aware of the abilities of all its customers. So needless to say, I’m glad to see all the Narrator improvements that are coming to Windows 10. Moving forward, you can expect more focus in this area in other Microsoft products too (e.g., Office).

Read up on Windows 10 Creators Update

Windows 10 to get an ebook store

This article was first published on March 29, 2017.

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