Windows 10 Anniversary Update: launch date revealed

Microsoft

has announced further details and an official release date for the next major update to its Windows 10 operating system. Known as the Anniversary Update, the new version of the OS arrives on 2 August, just over a year after Windows 10 launched on 29 July 2015, and four days after Microsoft’s free upgrade offer expires. The update will be free for all Windows 10 users via Windows Update.

The software company has also released a new version of the OS to users of its Insiders Preview programme (build 14383), which is said to be one of the last test releases before the final version launches. The desktop watermark that signifies a test build has gone, suggesting that build 14383 is close to the finished article. However, last-minute fixes _ and omissions – are still being applied ahead of its release.

One feature recently dropped from the update is Messaging Everywhere. The tool would have let users send and receive phone text messages through their PCS. Messaging Everywhere was well-received by those who tested the feature in earlier preview builds but, writing on the Windows Experience blog ( www.snipca.com/21132), Microsoft Insider chief Dona Sarkar said that “we believe we can deliver an even better experience through the Skype app. Because of this, we decided not to release this feature as part of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update this summer.”

Notable additions to the Anniversary Update include improvements to Windows 10’s security, and support for extensions in Microsoft’s Edge web browser, along with numerous other enhancements and tools. The Anniversary Update also brings new accessibility features to the OS, according to a recent post on Microsoft’s Accessibility blog ( www.snipca.com/21133), including a revamped Narrator tool, with faster text-to-speech abilities and improved keyboard navigation.

If you haven’t upgraded to Windows 10 yet, there’s still a chance to get it for free before the £100 charge comes into effect. Turn to page 58 for advice on whether or not the operating