Mac and Linux users, forgive me please. This posts only relates to Windows users running Windows 10!

The screenshot above is from my main computer in the shop. I’m already running the latest version of Windows 10 – 21H1. I’ve had it for a few weeks since I’m a beta tester but it was just released for commercial customers a few days ago. For everyone else, it will be released “in the Spring” which could be next week or next month!

Th 21H1 version is one of the two major Windows 10 updates which will be released this year. Yes, there are security updates at least once a month for Windows machines but twice a year, Microsoft releases a new version. These version updates don’t just contain security updates but also improvements and new features.

In case you’re curious, the name “21H1” is an acronym derived from the year (2021) and which half of the year – in this case, the first half.

You might be wondering what’s new in version 21H1. Well, as far as features go, many have been delayed until version 21H2. Of course, under the hood, their are security updates, as always. Here’s how John Cable, Microsoft Vice President, Program Management, Windows Servicing and Delivery, described what was new:

New features include multicamera support for Windows Hello and security related performance improvements.

• Windows Hello multicamera support to set the default as the external camera when both external and internal Windows Hello cameras are present.
• Windows Defender Application Guard performance improvements including optimizing document opening scenario times.
• Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Group Policy Service (GPSVC) updating performance improvement to support remote work scenarios.

As long as you have version 2004 or version 20H2 of Windows 10, this update should install rather quickly without much fuss. We’ll let you know, via our pushouts, when this version is available to the general public. (Not signed up for our pushouts? You can do that now by clicking the Subscribe button in the right-hand column.)