The Windows 10 CREATORS UPDATE’S BEST NEW FEATURES: Dynamic Lock, Game Mode, privacy tweaks + more
A taste of what’s to come
Windows 10 doesn’t behave like the Windows of yesteryear. Instead of a monolithic operating system replaced by a successor in a year or two, it’s more of a living, breathing entity—one that’s constantly changing with the release of massive new “named” updates. The most high-profile example was 2016’s Anniversary Update, which added features like the Bash Shell, a dark theme, Windows Ink, Xbox Play Anywhere, and a whole, whole lot more.
But that’s nothing compared to what you’ll find in this spring’s Windows 10 Creators Update. Let’s dig into the goodies Microsoft has planned this time around, and don’t forget to sign up for the Windows Insider preview program (go.pcworld.com/w10insiderprvp) if you want to get your hands on early-access test builds before the clamoring masses.
Privacy dashboard
The launch of Windows 10 was marred by two major controversies: the heavy-handed, downright nasty forced-upgrade push, and deep seated privacy concerns. Well, Microsoft’s aggressive user migration ended when the free-upgrade offer expired, and the Windows 10 Creators Update addresses privacy concerns with a new privacy dashboard.
The good news: The simplified dashboard is easy to understand and manage. The bad news: It limits your options to allowing Microsoft minimal or “full” access to your PC, eliminating intermediate options that were there prior. Check out PCWorld’s Windows 10 privacy dashboard coverage (see page 36) for the full skinny.
Gaming enhancements
Gamers will find) to your Xbox Live buddies via Beam right into Windows 10’s Game DVR tool, complete with chatting capabilities. If you’re a parent, you’ll no doubt appreciate what appears to be time-limit controls for games. Microsoft’s only briefly teased the feature in a sizzle video, but presumably it would be managed via Windows 10’s family settings. Finally, Windows 10 will also have a “gameplay mode” () that shifts resources around to maximize system performance when you need extra oomph.
