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uk/review/operating-systems-software/windows-8-vs-windows-10-comparison-
review-uk-3595035/
Windows 8 vs Windows 10
comparison: What's the difference?
Windows 10 has been officially unleashed on the world. For many people, it is a free
upgrade. But should you get it? We compare old and new Windows OSes and explain
what is the difference between Windows 8 and Windows 10. It's a Windows 8 vs
Windows 10 comparison review.
manufacturers
Microsoft has done away with Windows RT. That's good news in some
respects, because RT was undoubtedly the runt of the Windows litter. The
bad news is that Surface and Surface 2 owners face a dead-end: there's no
upgrade to Windows 10 for them.
This means Microsoft's bold claim that Windows 10 would run on all Windows
PCs, laptops, tablets and phones isn't completely true. Plus, only some
phones running Windows Phone 8 are updateable to Windows 10 Mobile.
After delays, Windows 10 has finally launched as a upgrade for existing
Windows Phone 8 users.
See also: Windows 10 launch event as it happened.
The first does what it says on the tin and means that a Universal App
(incuding things like Outlook and Word) will provide the same experience
across any device running the OS - whether it's a PC, laptop, tablet or even a
phone. The interface, of course, will simply adjust to the screen you're using,
but more importantly your data is synched across all your devices so you can
finish something you started somewhere else.
Continuum is similar but different and is specifically the ability to run a
desktop-like PC experience from a Windows 10 Mobile device. You'll typically
do this with the Microsoft Display dock, which connects your phone to a
monitor, keyboard and mouse. This way you can get a decent amount of
productivity from just a smartphone. Not every app will run in Continuum,
though, so it does have limitations.
WINDOWS 8 VS WINDOWS 10 COMPARISON:
CORTANA
Another key new feature of Windows 10 not available in Windows 8 is
Cortana Microsofts semantic digital assistant. A kind of super-Siri, which
can engage you in conversation. More than simple speech recognition,
Cortana constantly scours the web for information to inform its interactions
with you. And it learns from your behaviour, contacts and so on, in order to
better serve your needs. Cortana on Windows Phone is pretty great. And it
improves with use. So the inclusion of Microsofts digital assistant is a big
boost over Windows 8.
Here's a guide on how Cortana works in Windows 10.
WINDOWS 8 VS WINDOWS 10 COMPARISON:
SEARCH IMPROVEMENTS
Universal search in Windows 8 is a much-undervalued feature. It's been in
Windows since Vista, but came to maturity in Windows 8. Searching to load
up apps and files is much more efficient than navigating via apps and file
systems. And because Cortana is woven into Windows and search, the new
search box next to the Start button is extremely useful indeed.
As well as typing you can talk to Windows 10. Whether that's searching for
something stored locally or something online, it's all done from the same
search box. You can type or say the name of a file you want, or ask Cortana
to launch Photoshop. You can even 'search' for a weather forecast or an
appointment in your calendar.
On top of this, File Explorer has been updated with a Quick Access section
which replaces the old Favourites. This automatically displays your recent
files and frequently visited folders and makes finding files you've worked on
faster and easier. (See also: 10 best new features in Windows 10.)
A new Snap Assist feature means up to four apps can be snapped per screen.
This has the potential to be a killer productivity app - true multitasking on a
single screen without the hassle of manually resizing apps so they fit without
wasting any precious pixels.
Even better, Snap a document to one side or one quarter of the screen, and
Snap Assist displays other running apps which you can snap to another area
on the screen, and this continues until the screen is full. The feature is
intended to save you the hassle of Alt-tabbing through all your open apps to
arrange a desktop.
However, this is yet another useful and visual productivity enhancer: Task
View allows you to create a kind of multi-monitor setup within a single
monitor. It's basically the virtual desktops which Mac users have enjoyed for
years.
As with previous versions of Windows you can use Alt-Tab to quickly shuffle
between windows. When you click the new Task View button there's an Add
desktop button in the bottom-right corner. On each desktop you can snap
apps or run them in whatever size windows you like. So you could keep your
email and web browser on one Desktop that you hide away when you are
working on an Excel spreadsheet.
SPECS
Windows 10: Specs
Windows capable PC and web connection
membership of Windows Insider Program
OUR VERDICT
With Windows 8 being so poorly received (despite being a pretty decent OS
underneath) Windows 10 is certainly a step in the right direction. If you're
eligible for the free upgrade, there's really no reason not to get it for features
like Universal Apps and Continuum. It's a harder decision if you have to pay.
For some, it will make more sense to buy a new laptop, PC or tablet with
Windows 10 already installed, as machines running XP or Vista are already
long in the tooth.
https://www.howtogeek.com/219098/heres-whats-different-about-windows-10-for-
windows-8-users/
Windows 10 isnt just a big change for Windows 7 users. There have been some major
changes in philosophy since Windows 8. Windows 10s touch interface is now very
different and more integrated with the desktop.
Whether youve been using Windows 8 on a desktop PC, on a tablet, or on a two-in-
one device, youll find a lot of changes. Tablet users will see the biggest changes.
Windows 10 goes further, restoring the pop-up Start menu for desktop users.
The charms bar and app switcher hot corners are eliminated. All those new universal
apps, called Metro apps, Modern apps, or Store apps in Windows 8, now run in
windows on the desktop. They can be controlled and used just like normal desktop
applications. Theres a tablet mode optimized for touch devices, but Windows 10 never
forces you into this mode on a desktop PC. Touchpad gestures have been rethought, so
you wont end up seeing the charms after accidentally sliding your finger of the right
side of the touchpad. Rather than two different versions of Internet Explorer, theres now
a single browser named Microsoft Edge.
You no longer need to jump through all those hoops to enable boot to desktop or install
a third-party Start menu, nor do you need to disable those obnoxious mouse-based hot
corners. You also dont need to change the default apps to different image and PDF
viewers those new-style applications will now open in windows on the desktop rather
than ripping you away to another interface. If youre used to a desktop interface,
Windows 10 will seem much more natural than Windows 8.
Improvements for Desktop Users
OneDrive Changes
RELATED ARTICLE
If youve gotten used to the way OneDrive works in Windows 8.1, you might be
disappointed. Rather than downloading all the files in your cloud storage, OneDrive on
Windows 8.1 displayed placeholder files. Theyd be automatically downloaded when
you access them with a program in Windows or try to open them. You could also choose
to make some files available offline ahead of time.
Microsoft changed things in Windows 10. OneDrive will work just how it did on Windows
7. Like with competing services like Dropbox and Google Drive, placeholder files are no
more. Youll have to choose what to sync ahead of time. Microsoft said they did this
because the placeholder files in Windows 8.1 were buggy and incompatible with some
Windows desktop programs.
Touch users will have the biggest shock with Windows 10. Familiar interface elements
like the charms bar and app switcher are now completely gone. Rather than a new-style
Modern interface and a desktop that sit alongside each other, everything is integrated
into a single interface.
The old Modern app switcher is no longer there. Swipe in from the left on a tablet and
youll see the same Task View interface desktop users see, which will allow you to
choose an open window. Microsoft is using the same interface in both places, rather
than offer two different application switchers, as it did on Windows 8.
The charms bar is also gone. Swipe in from the right and youll see the notification
center, which helpfully provides some shortcuts to common settings at the bottom of the
notifications.
As the charms bar is gone, universal apps no longer rely on it for their search, sharing,
or settings functionality. New-style universal apps have integrated Search, Share,
and Settings buttons built into their interface if they need them, just as on Android and
iOS. App bars full of hidden settings are also gone, largely replaced by hamburger
menus that appear at the top-left corner of applications.
There is still a special Tablet Mode that makes the user interface more ideal for touch-
based tablets. On tablets without mice and keyboards, this will be enabled
automatically. On 2-in-1 devices, this mode will automatically be enabled when you
unplug your devices keyboard thanks to Continuum. You can also choose to manually
toggle Tablet Mode on and off from the setting shortcut at the bottom of the notification
center.
Enable Tablet Mode and youll have a more Windows 8-style interface. The Start button
now brings up a fullscreen version of the Start menu. Apps you open will open in full-
screen mode even traditional desktop applications and you can swipe down from
the top to snap them to either side of your screen, just as on Windows 8.
Unlike on Windows 8, the taskbar does stick around. But it goes into a super lightweight
mode without any application icons on it by default, and it will have a global back button
like on Android.
Windows 10 is a course correction after Windows 8, and it is much more at home on a
desktop PC. Tablet and touch device users will find an interface that works differently,
but it does make a lot more sense when switching between touch and mouse-and-
keyboard mode on 2-in-1 PCs.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2950014/windows/10-things-windows-10-does-
better-than-windows-8.html 10 things Windows 10 does better than Windows 8
Fixing the Start menu is just the beginning. Windows 10 brings many other good changes, and
we show you the best ones here.
By Brad Chacos
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LATEST REVIEWS
Did the PC market collapse because Windows 8 sucked, or did Windows 8 suck because
Microsoft overcompensated for the PC markets collapse? Its a bit of a chicken-or-the-egg
scenario, but one things certain: Windows 8 sucked.
Windows 10, on the other hand, absolutely rocksespecially when compared to its bitterly
disappointing predecessor. Its nothing less than a refined blend (to steal a term from ol Stevie
B) of the best parts of Windows 7 and Windows 8. Sure, Windows 10 still drags over the
Windows apps and services themes that Microsoft started pounding home in Windows 8, but it
does so in a way that actually respects the legacy the traditional desktop earned over the years.
How do I love thee, Windows 10? Let me count the ways youre vastly improved over Windows
8.
Mark
Hachman
Halle-friggin-lujah.
Sure, Windows 10s Start menu isnt quite the one youre used to, acting instead like a mash-up
of Windows 7s Start menu with Windows 8s Start screen, replete with Live Tiles and Windows
Store apps. My colleague Mark Hachman nailed it on the head in his Windows 10 pre-
review when he said to consider Windows 10s Start menu more as a dashboard than a launching
pad.
Either way, the Start menus back. And if you dont dig all the Live Tiles, its easy to unpin them
and stock the Start menu with shortcuts to traditional desktop software.
2. Windows Store apps mime desktop programs
But the Start menus absence was only one of Windows 8s great failings. The design of
Windows Store apps was another.
These monstrosities tossed everything glorious about desktop computing to the curb to splay
themselves upon the altar of touch-friendliness. When opened, Windows 8s apps expanded to
fill the whole screen, engulfing even the taskbar. Worse, they consumed all that space with
spectacular inefficiency, leaving tremendous amounts of unutilized space in favor of big, empty
blocks that were fine for fingers, but resulted in a dearth of information density and a vast
amount of superfluous scrolling with a mouse.
In Windows 10, Microsoft shoved those Windows Store apps into proper, moveable, resizable
desktop windows, which enables you to integrate them into your workflow far more seamlessly.
Gone are the awful hidden Charms bar controls, replaced by a proper menu bar, and thanks to
their scaling interface the newly universal Windows apps that ship with the system now feel
much more natural on the desktop.
I banished Windows Store apps from my Windows 8 workflow entirely, but happily use their
Windows 10 counterparts daily. The small changes add up to a huge improvement. Windows are
coming back to Windows, folks.
The interface formerly known as Metro is far more seamlessly integrated in Windows 10.
Whereas the desktop and Metro felt like dueling interfaces in Windows 8being ripped from the
desktop to a full-screen Metro app when you opened a file was so damned frustratingtheyre
complementary in Windows 10, largely because of the Windows Store app and Start menu
improvements mentioned previously. The eradication of the disastrous Charms bars is another
firm step in the right direction. Now, when you have to use Metro elements while in the desktop,
it occurs while in the desktop, and the benefit of that cant be overstated.
But ignore all that if youre using a Windows 10 Phone or tablet, each of which uses a morphed
version of Windows 10 to display an interface best suited for each screen size. Windows 10s
tablet mode, in fact, looks an awful lot like Windows 8s Start screen.
Microsoft tried to sell Windows 8 as an operating system for every device, but it did so by
forcing the same interface across tablets and PCstwo very different device types. Windows 10
tweaks the formula, letting a PC be a PC and a tablet be a tablet, and its vastly better for it.
Windows 10s Continuum feature helps hybrid devices like the Surface behave like a tablet when
its standalone, and like a PC when the keyboards connected.
And if youve got one of those fancy two-in-one hybrid devices? Windows 10s Continuum
mode has you covered. Heck, thanks to Windows 10s shared core and universal apps Windows
10 Phones can even mime proper Windows 10 PCs when connected to an external display.
5. DirectX 12
Not all of Windows 10s improvement focus on slapping a Band-Aid over Windows 8s ghastly
design. Microsoft hopes to lure gamers firmly entrenched in Windows 7 over to Windows 10
with the inclusion of DirectX 12, a turbo-charged version of Windows popular graphics API
technology.
Further reading: DirectX 12 FAQ: All about Windows 10's supercharged graphics tech
DirectX 12, like AMDs Mantle before it, allows for vastly improved CPU utilization in gaming
scenarios and provides developers closer-to-the-metal access to graphics hardware. The end
result: Intel and Microsoft say frame rates can increase by more than 50 percent when the same
application is run in DX12 rather than DX11or, alternatively, power draw can be halved.
Wowza.
Intel
6. Virtual desktops
Windows 8 treated the Windows desktop as just another app. Windows 10 gives you desktops
and desktops and more desktops, via its new embrace of virtual desktopa feature long beloved
on Linux and OS X.
Further reading: How to use Windows 10's Task View and virtual desktops
Windows 10 supports as many virtual desktops as your hardware can handle, rather than placing
an artificial cap on the action. Management of the individual desktops and their apps is handled
via Windows 10s surprisingly slick Task View, which can be accessed by its icon in the desktop
taskbar.
FINALLY.
Virtual desktops can be especially handy if you dont have multiple monitors: You could dedicate
one to social tools, another to work applications, and a third to PC games, for example, so you
arent tempted to goof off in the middle of a hot and heavy productivity session.
Between the Start menu, DirectX 12, and virtual desktops, Microsofts clearly hoping to coax PC
power users who avoided Windows 8 like the plague over to Windows 10but the bribery and
enticements dont stop there.
Windows 10 is loaded with more enthusiast-level tricks, from display scaling improvements to
greatly enhanced Command Prompt tools (paste support, yay!) to the ability to Snap four open
windows to the four corners of your screen. If Windows 8 was Microsofts disgusting attempt to
win over the hearts of mobile users, Windows 10 is a flat-out apology letter to PC enthusiasts.
8. Action Center
Windows 8s Windows Store apps may not have been a pleasure to use on proper PCs, but one
key advantage they held rocked my socks: System-wide notifications. Where traditional desktop
software tends to be self-contained silos, Windows Store apps will shoot you a pop-up
notification in the upper-right corner of the screen when, say, you get a new email or a new direct
message in Twitter.
Windows 10s Action Center slides out from the right edge of the screen when summoned.
If you see them, that is. After a notification pops up in Windows 8, it disappears into the ether,
never to be seen or summoned again. Sure, you could theoretically see missed notifications on
their apps individual Live Tiles on the Start screen, but who hangs out there?
Windows 10 cures the ill with the introduction of its new Action Center, which appears in the
right-hand side of the taskbar. Missed notifications will reside there until you dismiss them
huzzah!. Youll also find quick-action buttons that allow you to swiftly manage Wi-Fi and
Bluetooth, enter Tablet Mode, and more.
9. Cortana
Windows 8.1s search function already pulled info from the web with the help of Bing, but the
results were just a dumb web search and you had to travel to the Start screen to conduct one.
There was no way to quickly search for something from the desktop without the help of third-
party software. Ugh.
Mark
Hachman
Cortana shows what youve got going on today when you activate her in Windows 10.
Cortana, the digital assistant that first appeared in Windows Phone 8.1, replaces the search
function in Windows 10 and delivers a flat-out superior experience to Windows 8.1s search.
First of all, her search bar is located right within the desktop task baralready a vast
improvement.
Further reading: Meet Cortana: The Ultimate guide to Windows 10's digital assistant
Cortanas also powered by Bing, but uses machine learning to provide a personalized summary
of your day, surfacing calendar details and news she thinks youll find interesting when you open
the interface. Cortana responds to voice commands as easily as typed ones, and also understands
natural language commands. You can tell Cortana to Find pictures from June, for example, and
the assistant will even include your OneDrive-stored files in the results. Simply put, Cortanas
greatas long as you dont mind providing personal info to Microsoft.
Cortana also groks natural language search commands.
Plus, Cortanas sassythough not all of the cool easter egg questions that Cortana answers on
Windows Phone work on the Windows 10 desktop just yet. (Be sure to ask Cortana what she
thinks of Siri!)
Windows 8 had the usual authentication optionsPIN code, password, yadda yadda yadda.
Nothing lacking, but nothing exciting either, in other words.
Windows 10 kicks things up a notch with enhanced support for two-factor and biometric
authentication, spearheaded by the awesome Windows Hello feature, which (among other things)
can use depth-sensing cameras to automatically log you in.
As PCWorlds Mark Hachman wrote in his Windows 10 pre-review after spending some hands-
on time with Hello:
Boy, Hello is terrific. You simply train the machine by letting the PC camera look at you for a
moment or two. Thereafter, when you sit down at your PC, it recognizes you and logs you in
no effort required. And if you share that PC with others in your family, it will recognize them,
too, automatically logging them in and picking up where they left off.
Facial recognition is nothing new, but Hellos flavor of it sounds uniquely special. Too bad
itll only work with a handful of PCs when Windows 10 launches.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2874400/windows/windows-10-the-10-
coolest-features-you-should-check-out-first.html
Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.
The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.
Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.
See larger image
The best of what's new
Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.
The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.
Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.
You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.
3 of 12
Thumbnails
MORE
See larger image
Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.
The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.
Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.
You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.
NEXT
PREV
As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.
I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.
4 of 12
Thumbnails
MORE
The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.
Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.
NEXT
PREV
See larger image
Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.
You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.
NEXT
PREV
See larger image
As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.
I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.
NEXT
PREV
See larger image
Cortana
Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.
Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.
The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.
5 of 12
Thumbnails
MORE
See larger image
Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.
The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.
Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.
You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.
NEXT
PREV
As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.
I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.
NEXT
PREV
See larger image
Cortana
Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.
Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.
The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.
NEXT
PREV
Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.
Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.
6 of 12
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MORE
See larger image
Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.
The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.
Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.
You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.
NEXT
PREV
As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.
I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.
NEXT
PREV
See larger image
Cortana
Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.
Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.
The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.
NEXT
PREV
Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.
Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.
NEXT
PREV
Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.
Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.
7 of 12
Thumbnails
MORE
See larger image
Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.
The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.
Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.
You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.
NEXT
PREV
As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.
I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.
NEXT
PREV
See larger image
Cortana
Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.
Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.
The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.
NEXT
PREV
Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.
Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.
NEXT
PREV
Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.
Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.
NEXT
PREV
Action Center
Notifications are one of the coolest features of modern operating systems, with pop-ups
reminding you of all sorts of useful information. Windows 8 had them, but those
notifications disappeared forever as soon as they faded from your screenan issue if
you werent actively sitting in front of your PC when one popped up.
Windows 10 cures that ill with its Action Center. As notifications slide into view, theyre
archived here. Those notifications were listed in simple chronological order in the initial
Windows 10 release, but the Anniversary Update overhauled the interface to group
notifications by appa welcome, much more polished change. The Action Center also
provides quick-action buttons for common functions, like activating Bluetooth or
connecting to a VPN, as well as an option for shifting the interface to Tablet Mode.
The notification tracking carries over to the main Windows taskbar, too. Any Windows
Store apps pinned to it will display a circular icon with the number of unread notifications
when applicable, while the Action Center icon will show your total number of unread
notifications.
8 of 12
Thumbnails
MORE
See larger image
Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.
The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.
Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.
You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.
NEXT
PREV
As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.
I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.
NEXT
PREV
See larger image
Cortana
Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.
Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.
The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.
NEXT
PREV
Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.
Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.
NEXT
PREV
Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.
Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.
NEXT
PREV
Action Center
Notifications are one of the coolest features of modern operating systems, with pop-ups
reminding you of all sorts of useful information. Windows 8 had them, but those
notifications disappeared forever as soon as they faded from your screenan issue if
you werent actively sitting in front of your PC when one popped up.
Windows 10 cures that ill with its Action Center. As notifications slide into view, theyre
archived here. Those notifications were listed in simple chronological order in the initial
Windows 10 release, but the Anniversary Update overhauled the interface to group
notifications by appa welcome, much more polished change. The Action Center also
provides quick-action buttons for common functions, like activating Bluetooth or
connecting to a VPN, as well as an option for shifting the interface to Tablet Mode.
The notification tracking carries over to the main Windows taskbar, too. Any Windows
Store apps pinned to it will display a circular icon with the number of unread notifications
when applicable, while the Action Center icon will show your total number of unread
notifications.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 introduces overhauled Mail and Calendar apps that are vastly better than
their Windows 8 counterparts. While the Windows 8 apps were pokey, the Windows 10
variants are speedy and responsive, and they manage to fit much more info on the
screen while still being friendly to mice cursors and fat fingers alike. The new apps also
dynamically shift their interfaces to fit nicely into windows of all shapes and sizes.
The Mail app adds swipe gesture controls so you can quickly sort your inbox with just a
few swipesand what each swipe does is user-configurable, too. But more important
for practicality, the revamped apps include key functionality that was missing in their
Windows 8 predecessors: POP email support in the Windows 10 Mail app, and Google
Calendar support in Calendar.
9 of 12
Thumbnails
MORE
See larger image
Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.
The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.
Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.
You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.
NEXT
PREV
As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.
I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.
NEXT
PREV
See larger image
Cortana
Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.
Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.
The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.
NEXT
PREV
Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.
Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.
NEXT
PREV
Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.
Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.
NEXT
PREV
Action Center
Notifications are one of the coolest features of modern operating systems, with pop-ups
reminding you of all sorts of useful information. Windows 8 had them, but those
notifications disappeared forever as soon as they faded from your screenan issue if
you werent actively sitting in front of your PC when one popped up.
Windows 10 cures that ill with its Action Center. As notifications slide into view, theyre
archived here. Those notifications were listed in simple chronological order in the initial
Windows 10 release, but the Anniversary Update overhauled the interface to group
notifications by appa welcome, much more polished change. The Action Center also
provides quick-action buttons for common functions, like activating Bluetooth or
connecting to a VPN, as well as an option for shifting the interface to Tablet Mode.
The notification tracking carries over to the main Windows taskbar, too. Any Windows
Store apps pinned to it will display a circular icon with the number of unread notifications
when applicable, while the Action Center icon will show your total number of unread
notifications.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 introduces overhauled Mail and Calendar apps that are vastly better than
their Windows 8 counterparts. While the Windows 8 apps were pokey, the Windows 10
variants are speedy and responsive, and they manage to fit much more info on the
screen while still being friendly to mice cursors and fat fingers alike. The new apps also
dynamically shift their interfaces to fit nicely into windows of all shapes and sizes.
The Mail app adds swipe gesture controls so you can quickly sort your inbox with just a
few swipesand what each swipe does is user-configurable, too. But more important
for practicality, the revamped apps include key functionality that was missing in their
Windows 8 predecessors: POP email support in the Windows 10 Mail app, and Google
Calendar support in Calendar.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10s new Xbox app should feel deeply familiar to Xbox One fans: The center
point is your Activity Feed, which is populated by your Xbox Live Friends activities, such
as unlocking an achievement or launching a Twitch stream. The right side of the app
lists your friends; selecting one offers options to view their game clips, invite them to a
party, send an IM, and more. You can also view your own achievements, manage your
profile, and more all right within the app. You can even stream your Xbox One games to
a Windows 10 PC or tablet.
We cant help but feel that this app is more beneficial to console gamers who happen to
have a PC than to true PC gamers, despite the Xbox apps Game bar, a system-wide
tool that lets you snag screenshots and video clips of your PC games (and more). But
its a very handy tool indeed if you fall into the former campand it will no doubt gain
more significance once Microsoft rolls out the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, which will
let you buy games once and play them on Windows PCs or the Xbox One, with cloud
saves and cross-platform multiplayer traveling between the two.
The Anniversary Update also adds a dedicated hub for Windows 10 PC games in the
Xbox app.
10 of 12
Thumbnails
MORE
See larger image
Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.
The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.
Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.
You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.
NEXT
PREV
As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.
I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.
NEXT
PREV
See larger image
Cortana
Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.
Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.
The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.
NEXT
PREV
Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.
Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.
NEXT
PREV
Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.
Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.
NEXT
PREV
Action Center
Notifications are one of the coolest features of modern operating systems, with pop-ups
reminding you of all sorts of useful information. Windows 8 had them, but those
notifications disappeared forever as soon as they faded from your screenan issue if
you werent actively sitting in front of your PC when one popped up.
Windows 10 cures that ill with its Action Center. As notifications slide into view, theyre
archived here. Those notifications were listed in simple chronological order in the initial
Windows 10 release, but the Anniversary Update overhauled the interface to group
notifications by appa welcome, much more polished change. The Action Center also
provides quick-action buttons for common functions, like activating Bluetooth or
connecting to a VPN, as well as an option for shifting the interface to Tablet Mode.
The notification tracking carries over to the main Windows taskbar, too. Any Windows
Store apps pinned to it will display a circular icon with the number of unread notifications
when applicable, while the Action Center icon will show your total number of unread
notifications.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 introduces overhauled Mail and Calendar apps that are vastly better than
their Windows 8 counterparts. While the Windows 8 apps were pokey, the Windows 10
variants are speedy and responsive, and they manage to fit much more info on the
screen while still being friendly to mice cursors and fat fingers alike. The new apps also
dynamically shift their interfaces to fit nicely into windows of all shapes and sizes.
The Mail app adds swipe gesture controls so you can quickly sort your inbox with just a
few swipesand what each swipe does is user-configurable, too. But more important
for practicality, the revamped apps include key functionality that was missing in their
Windows 8 predecessors: POP email support in the Windows 10 Mail app, and Google
Calendar support in Calendar.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10s new Xbox app should feel deeply familiar to Xbox One fans: The center
point is your Activity Feed, which is populated by your Xbox Live Friends activities, such
as unlocking an achievement or launching a Twitch stream. The right side of the app
lists your friends; selecting one offers options to view their game clips, invite them to a
party, send an IM, and more. You can also view your own achievements, manage your
profile, and more all right within the app. You can even stream your Xbox One games to
a Windows 10 PC or tablet.
We cant help but feel that this app is more beneficial to console gamers who happen to
have a PC than to true PC gamers, despite the Xbox apps Game bar, a system-wide
tool that lets you snag screenshots and video clips of your PC games (and more). But
its a very handy tool indeed if you fall into the former campand it will no doubt gain
more significance once Microsoft rolls out the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, which will
let you buy games once and play them on Windows PCs or the Xbox One, with cloud
saves and cross-platform multiplayer traveling between the two.
The Anniversary Update also adds a dedicated hub for Windows 10 PC games in the
Xbox app.
NEXT
PREV
Continuum
Yes, Windows 10 is vastly improved on PCs, but Microsoft didnt forget about
touchscreen users. The operating system includes a handy Continuum feature that
dynamically switches the interface between the PC-friendly desktop and a Windows 8-
like mode thats better suited for fingers (pictured above), depending on how youre
using the device.
Windows tablets will default to the latter; PCs to the former. Hybrids will intelligently
switch between the two modes depending on whether you have a keyboard
attached. Windows 10 Mobile phones will even ape a full-blown PC when theyre
connected to an external monitor.
In tablet mode, the Start menu expands to fit the full screen, as do Windows apps. If
youd like to force a switch, the new Action Center has a dedicated Tablet Mode button
that you can enable or disable at will.
11 of 12
Thumbnails
MORE
See larger image
Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.
The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.
Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.
You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.
NEXT
PREV
As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.
I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.
NEXT
PREV
See larger image
Cortana
Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.
Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.
The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.
NEXT
PREV
Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.
Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.
NEXT
PREV
Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.
Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.
NEXT
PREV
Action Center
Notifications are one of the coolest features of modern operating systems, with pop-ups
reminding you of all sorts of useful information. Windows 8 had them, but those
notifications disappeared forever as soon as they faded from your screenan issue if
you werent actively sitting in front of your PC when one popped up.
Windows 10 cures that ill with its Action Center. As notifications slide into view, theyre
archived here. Those notifications were listed in simple chronological order in the initial
Windows 10 release, but the Anniversary Update overhauled the interface to group
notifications by appa welcome, much more polished change. The Action Center also
provides quick-action buttons for common functions, like activating Bluetooth or
connecting to a VPN, as well as an option for shifting the interface to Tablet Mode.
The notification tracking carries over to the main Windows taskbar, too. Any Windows
Store apps pinned to it will display a circular icon with the number of unread notifications
when applicable, while the Action Center icon will show your total number of unread
notifications.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 introduces overhauled Mail and Calendar apps that are vastly better than
their Windows 8 counterparts. While the Windows 8 apps were pokey, the Windows 10
variants are speedy and responsive, and they manage to fit much more info on the
screen while still being friendly to mice cursors and fat fingers alike. The new apps also
dynamically shift their interfaces to fit nicely into windows of all shapes and sizes.
The Mail app adds swipe gesture controls so you can quickly sort your inbox with just a
few swipesand what each swipe does is user-configurable, too. But more important
for practicality, the revamped apps include key functionality that was missing in their
Windows 8 predecessors: POP email support in the Windows 10 Mail app, and Google
Calendar support in Calendar.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10s new Xbox app should feel deeply familiar to Xbox One fans: The center
point is your Activity Feed, which is populated by your Xbox Live Friends activities, such
as unlocking an achievement or launching a Twitch stream. The right side of the app
lists your friends; selecting one offers options to view their game clips, invite them to a
party, send an IM, and more. You can also view your own achievements, manage your
profile, and more all right within the app. You can even stream your Xbox One games to
a Windows 10 PC or tablet.
We cant help but feel that this app is more beneficial to console gamers who happen to
have a PC than to true PC gamers, despite the Xbox apps Game bar, a system-wide
tool that lets you snag screenshots and video clips of your PC games (and more). But
its a very handy tool indeed if you fall into the former campand it will no doubt gain
more significance once Microsoft rolls out the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, which will
let you buy games once and play them on Windows PCs or the Xbox One, with cloud
saves and cross-platform multiplayer traveling between the two.
The Anniversary Update also adds a dedicated hub for Windows 10 PC games in the
Xbox app.
NEXT
PREV
Continuum
Yes, Windows 10 is vastly improved on PCs, but Microsoft didnt forget about
touchscreen users. The operating system includes a handy Continuum feature that
dynamically switches the interface between the PC-friendly desktop and a Windows 8-
like mode thats better suited for fingers (pictured above), depending on how youre
using the device.
Windows tablets will default to the latter; PCs to the former. Hybrids will intelligently
switch between the two modes depending on whether you have a keyboard
attached. Windows 10 Mobile phones will even ape a full-blown PC when theyre
connected to an external monitor.
In tablet mode, the Start menu expands to fit the full screen, as do Windows apps. If
youd like to force a switch, the new Action Center has a dedicated Tablet Mode button
that you can enable or disable at will.
NEXT
PREV
See larger image
Windows Ink
The Anniversary Update added all sorts of polish and little extras to existing Windows
10 features, but it also introduced a new feature of its own: Windows Ink.
Windows Ink furthers Microsofts focus on stylus support. Clicking the button on your
styli or pressing the new pen icon in the taskbar pulls up the new Windows Ink
dashboard. The dashboard includes a trio of native new inking apps, displays any inking
apps youve recently used, and even makes suggestions for stylus-supporting apps you
may enjoy, complete with a link to a curated section of the Windows Store devoted to
Windows Ink.
The native Sticky Notes app can read your scrawl to automatically identify key info and
intelligently create Cortana reminders or display relevant info provided by Bing. In the
future, Windows Ink will even be able to do your math homework.
12 of 12
Thumbnails
MORE
See larger image
Lets not beat around the bush: Windows 10 is wonderful. Its head-and-shoulders better
than Windows 8.1, at least for traditional PC users. The fact that it banishes full-screen
apps and the Metro Start screen, focusing instead on the tried-and-true desktop, should
be reason enough to make PC purists smile. The massive Windows 10 Anniversary
Update released on August 2, 2016, added even more features, functionality, and
polish.
The obvious desktop improvements are just the tip of the iceberg, though. If youre fresh
to Windows 10, these are the cool new features youll want to check out first.
Editors note: This article has been updated several times to reflect new capabilities as
major Windows 10 updates roll out.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 atones for one of Windows 8s greatest sins by returning the Start menu to
its rightful spot in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop. But rather than focusing on
desktop apps alone, the Windows 10 Start menu mixes in a dash of the Metro Start
screens functionality, sprinkling Live Tiles of Windows 8-style apps next to shortcuts to
more traditional PC software.
You can turn off that Live Tile functionality if youd like, and even unpin all the Metro
apps from the Start menu, returning it to purely desktop-focused glory. Or you can
choose to have the Start menu expand to the full screen, and resize Metro apps to
recreate a more Windows 8-like experience. The choice is yours.
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update tweaks the Start menus layout, shifting power
and settings options to a new left-hand rail and ditching the All apps button in favor of
a long, scrolling list of all your apps in alphabetical order underneath your new and
most-used apps.
NEXT
PREV
As you might have caught onto by now, those reviled Windows Store apps from
Windows 8 havent been eradicatedbut they have been remolded to fit desktop
sensibilities. In Windows 10, launching a Windows app on your PC opens it in a desktop
window, rather than dumping you into a full-screen app. The windowed apps have a
mouse-friendly toolbar of options across the top, and even alter their interface to best fit
the size of the window. Nifty.
I never used Metro apps in Windows 8, but Windows 10s windowed Windows Store
apps (whew!) have coaxed me into using them on a daily basis, especially Mail,
Calendar, and Photos.
NEXT
PREV
See larger image
Cortana
Cortana, Microsofts clever digital assistant on Windows Phone 8.1, makes the jump to
PCs with Windows 10, where she assumes control of the operating systems search
functions. Cortana will want to access your personal info, then use that info along with
her Bing-powered cloud smarts to intelligently surface information youre looking for and
perform other helpful tasks.
Cortana can help you find all sorts of online information via natural language queries
you ask using text or voice commands. Cortana can also apply those natural language
smarts to search your hard drive, OneDrive, and business network for files that meet
certain filters, like Find pictures from June.
The digital assistant can also play music, create reminders, set alarms, and even crack
jokes; the Anniversary Update adds more contextual awareness for Cortana across
several apps, and adds the digital assistant to your PCs lock screen. Read PCWorlds
ultimate Cortana guide for the full lowdown.
NEXT
PREV
Forget Internet Explorer. Well, dont forget it entirelyits still tucked away in a corner of
Windows 10 for legacy compatibility purposes. But the star of the internet show in
Microsofts new operating system is clearly Edge, a brand-new browser built from the
ground up for speed, slickness, and trawling the modern web.
Edge is still a bit bare-bones compared to Chrome or Firefox, but its making great
strides. Its the only browser that can stream Netflix at 1080p, and limited initial
extension support was added in the Anniversary Update. Check out PCWorlds guide to
Edge for all the info you need.
NEXT
PREV
Its time to stop begging, enthusiasts: Virtual desktops have finally come to Windows.
The poor mans multimonitor setup allows you to go back and forth between either open
apps or multiple virtual desktops of apps, organized how you like them.
Task View, as Windows 10s virtual desktop implementation is called, wont appeal to
everybody but it provides deep new functionality for power users. (The integration with
windows snapping is especially handy!) Be sure to check out PCWorlds Windows 10
Task View guide to learn about all its nooks and crannies.
NEXT
PREV
Action Center
Notifications are one of the coolest features of modern operating systems, with pop-ups
reminding you of all sorts of useful information. Windows 8 had them, but those
notifications disappeared forever as soon as they faded from your screenan issue if
you werent actively sitting in front of your PC when one popped up.
Windows 10 cures that ill with its Action Center. As notifications slide into view, theyre
archived here. Those notifications were listed in simple chronological order in the initial
Windows 10 release, but the Anniversary Update overhauled the interface to group
notifications by appa welcome, much more polished change. The Action Center also
provides quick-action buttons for common functions, like activating Bluetooth or
connecting to a VPN, as well as an option for shifting the interface to Tablet Mode.
The notification tracking carries over to the main Windows taskbar, too. Any Windows
Store apps pinned to it will display a circular icon with the number of unread notifications
when applicable, while the Action Center icon will show your total number of unread
notifications.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10 introduces overhauled Mail and Calendar apps that are vastly better than
their Windows 8 counterparts. While the Windows 8 apps were pokey, the Windows 10
variants are speedy and responsive, and they manage to fit much more info on the
screen while still being friendly to mice cursors and fat fingers alike. The new apps also
dynamically shift their interfaces to fit nicely into windows of all shapes and sizes.
The Mail app adds swipe gesture controls so you can quickly sort your inbox with just a
few swipesand what each swipe does is user-configurable, too. But more important
for practicality, the revamped apps include key functionality that was missing in their
Windows 8 predecessors: POP email support in the Windows 10 Mail app, and Google
Calendar support in Calendar.
NEXT
PREV
Windows 10s new Xbox app should feel deeply familiar to Xbox One fans: The center
point is your Activity Feed, which is populated by your Xbox Live Friends activities, such
as unlocking an achievement or launching a Twitch stream. The right side of the app
lists your friends; selecting one offers options to view their game clips, invite them to a
party, send an IM, and more. You can also view your own achievements, manage your
profile, and more all right within the app. You can even stream your Xbox One games to
a Windows 10 PC or tablet.
We cant help but feel that this app is more beneficial to console gamers who happen to
have a PC than to true PC gamers, despite the Xbox apps Game bar, a system-wide
tool that lets you snag screenshots and video clips of your PC games (and more). But
its a very handy tool indeed if you fall into the former campand it will no doubt gain
more significance once Microsoft rolls out the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, which will
let you buy games once and play them on Windows PCs or the Xbox One, with cloud
saves and cross-platform multiplayer traveling between the two.
The Anniversary Update also adds a dedicated hub for Windows 10 PC games in the
Xbox app.
NEXT
PREV
Continuum
Yes, Windows 10 is vastly improved on PCs, but Microsoft didnt forget about
touchscreen users. The operating system includes a handy Continuum feature that
dynamically switches the interface between the PC-friendly desktop and a Windows 8-
like mode thats better suited for fingers (pictured above), depending on how youre
using the device.
Windows tablets will default to the latter; PCs to the former. Hybrids will intelligently
switch between the two modes depending on whether you have a keyboard
attached. Windows 10 Mobile phones will even ape a full-blown PC when theyre
connected to an external monitor.
In tablet mode, the Start menu expands to fit the full screen, as do Windows apps. If
youd like to force a switch, the new Action Center has a dedicated Tablet Mode button
that you can enable or disable at will.
NEXT
PREV
See larger image
Windows Ink
The Anniversary Update added all sorts of polish and little extras to existing Windows
10 features, but it also introduced a new feature of its own: Windows Ink.
Windows Ink furthers Microsofts focus on stylus support. Clicking the button on your
styli or pressing the new pen icon in the taskbar pulls up the new Windows Ink
dashboard. The dashboard includes a trio of native new inking apps, displays any inking
apps youve recently used, and even makes suggestions for stylus-supporting apps you
may enjoy, complete with a link to a curated section of the Windows Store devoted to
Windows Ink.
The native Sticky Notes app can read your scrawl to automatically identify key info and
intelligently create Cortana reminders or display relevant info provided by Bing. In the
future, Windows Ink will even be able to do your math homework.
NEXT
PREV
These 10 awesome features are only the tip of whats new in Windows 10. Check out
PCWorlds comprehensive reviews of both Windows 10 and the Windows 10
Anniversary Update for deep dives into the operating system, or our guide to
the Windows 10 Anniversary Updates best new features for a focus strictly on whats
new in Microsofts latest big update.
Looking for more actionable info? Check out our mammoth compilation of the best
Windows 10 tips and tricks for info on how to make the OS your own. Once youre done
with that, get even more granular with 12 powerful Windows 10 tools PC enthusiasts will
love, new Windows 10 features that eliminate everyday hassles, and powerful new-to-
you under-the-hood features if youve upgraded from Windows 7. Theres also a handful
of fresh secrets lurking within the Anniversary Update.
Finally, one of Windows 10s most major changes cant be overtly seen whatsoever:
The new DirectX 12 graphics technology promises to revolutionize PC gaming. Its
already starting to pay major performance dividends in next-gen games.
http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/10-great-
new-features-in-windows-10-1267365
Introduction
With Windows 10, Microsoft is trying to keep some of the touch and tablet
features it created for Windows 8, combine them with the familiar Start menu
and desktop, and run it all on top of an improved operating system with
more security, a new browser, the Cortana assistant, its own version of Office
for on-the-go editing and plenty of new features intended to make life
simpler.
Of course, that also means it's very different to use, whether you come
from Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows XP. You have to look in a new place
even to turn your PC off.
On top of that, Windows 10 is more than just a PC operating system; it's also
what will run on Windows phones and on small tablets as well, because a 6-
inch phone and a 7-inch tablet aren't such very different devices. Microsoft is
expecting people to put Windows 10 on a billion devices (which ought to
encourage more app developers to at least take a look at building their apps
for Windows phones and tablets, as well as for Xbox One and HoloLens).
Update: We've collected all our how to use Windows 10 guides, so make
sure you take a look.
Here are some of the key new and reworked features you can try out for
yourself now that Windows 10 has touched down.
For a load of neat tips and tricks on Windows 10, buy: Windows 10 Beyond
the Manual
You can set reminders for different times and places that appear on other
Cortana devices, so you can get your Microsoft Band to remind you to take
the rubbish out as you walk up to your front door.
Task switcher
Most Windows users don't know the Alt-Tab keyboard combination to see and
switch between all running apps, so as well as having a redesigned task
switcher with bigger thumbnails, Windows 10 also puts a task view icon in
the taskbar to help them find it.
Taskbar gets subtle
The Cortana search bar and task switcher button take up a large chunk of the
taskbar, which is also rather more subtle about showing you which icons are
for open programs, with just an underlined bar rather than a full highlight.
The standard tools in the system tray all get updates to the new Windows 10
look, with a new menu showing available Wi-Fi, a new volume slider and a
power monitor that also lets you change screen brightness.
Snap Assist
Because all your apps and programs run in windows on the desktop, instead
of modern apps from the Store being in their own space, you can no longer
drag across the left edge of the screen to bring another app on screen and
get a split view. Instead, you drag windows into the corners of the screen to
get the familiar Snap view.
You can now use all four corners of your screen if you want each window to
take up a quarter of the screen instead of half, and the space that isn't filled
by the window you just dragged shows thumbnails of your other windows to
make it easier to snap the next one into place.
Action Center
If you've used Windows Phone 8.1 (or Android and/or iOS), you're used to a
notification centre you can drag down from the top of the screen. Windows
10 puts that on the right of the screen, where the charms bar was in
Windows 8, with notifications from various apps at the top and your choice of
various settings buttons at the bottom for quick access.
The command prompt enters the 21st century
Those of us that use the command prompt have been stuck with pretty much
the same experience since the 1990s, but in Windows 10 you can finally
resize the command prompt window and use familiar keyboard shortcuts to
copy and paste at the command prompt. It's far from ground-breaking but
it's a very welcome improvement after years of frustration.
Improvements to Windows Explorer
The new 'Home' view in Explorer shows you a Quick Access list of useful
locations and folders you visit frequently, with a list of recently opened files
underneath it, which is faster than having to go to the Recent Places link in
older versions of Windows. The Share tab on the ribbon gets a makeover too
if you used to use the Share charm in Windows 8, this is where you'll find
it
The new Edge browser
To catch up with fast-moving browsers like Chrome and Firefox, Microsoft
took its browser back to basics, ripping out years of code that didn't fit with
web standards and making a lean, fast browser.
It's a work in progress it won't get support for things like ad-blocking
extensions until a while after Windows 10 launches but you can do plenty
of neat things here. For example, you can scribble notes on a web page to
send to a friend (if you're trying to decide what hotel to stay in on holiday,
for example) and Edge has Cortana built in to pull useful information out of
web pages, like the phone number of a restaurant, or the opening hours.
Sites like Medium that didn't work properly with IE should look better and
have more features in Edge.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/08/02/windows-10-vs-windows-8-vs-
windows-7-whats-the-difference/#1a8460415c9b
Windows 10 Vs Windows 8 Vs
Windows 7: What's The
Difference?
Gordon Kelly ,
CONTRIBUTOR
Cortana isnt perfect, but she/it works pretty well out the gate and
will only get better with time.
Windows 10 is the single operating system working across all Microsoft desktops, laptops, tablets and phones
So now here are all the reasons you should stay put on
Windows 7 or Windows 8...
Great as a free price tag, longer support, better apps and gaming,
searches and security may sound unfortunately the list where
Windows 7 and Windows 8 current beat out Windows 10 is just as
strong.
Lost Features - This wont affect too many users, but the fact
is Windows 10 does kill some features Windows 7 and Windows 8
users consider essential.
Bottom Line