Microsoft will launch the feature update of Windows 10 21H1, or the Spring 2021 update, in April or May as an optional update, and it will be released more widely later this year.
The Windows 10 Spring 2021 update is introduced on Windows 10 2004 and Windows 20H2 as an activation package, which will install very quickly and with a single reboot.
This is because the features in version 21H2 are already included in Windows 10 2004 / 20H1, and lie dormant until the activation package is installed and enabled. Users using older versions of Windows 10 should download the full update, which will take longer to install.
When released, Windows 10 21H1 will be available via Windows Update for “seekers” or those who manually click the “Check for Updates” button. Even then, the Windows 10 21H1 feature update will be offered as an optional update, as shown below.
What’s up in Windows 10 21H1
Unfortunately, Windows 10 21H1, the spring 2021 update, is not a very exciting version with many new features.
Instead, it is released as a minor update with bug fixes, performance enhancements, and some improvements to existing features targeted at business users.
The small list of new enhancements in Windows 10 21H1 is:
- Windows Hello Multi-Camera Support to set the default as the external camera when there are both external and internal Windows Hello cameras.
- Windows Defender Application Guard performance enhancements, including optimizing document opening times.
- Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Group Policy Service (GPSVC), which updates performance enhancements to support remote work scenarios.
The good news, though, is that Microsoft is changing the way they provide updates for many of their more popular Windows 10 features, so new versions can be released faster.
Microsoft will do this through updates from the Microsoft Store or through Windows Feature Experience Packs, which are a new way to deliver standalone feature updates outside of the regularly scheduled Windows 10 updates.
Some of the features that fit into this new update model are Windows Terminal, Notepad, Windows 10 Start Menu, XBOX integration, the Windows Snipping Tool and the Windows Subsystem for Linux.
The upcoming Sun Valley update is more exciting
For those waiting for a more exciting and feature-rich update, wait until autumn when Microsoft releases the Windows 10 Sun Valley 21H2 feature update.
The Windows 10 Sun Valley update will include a design overhaul with new animations, rounded dialogs, and new UI elements, with an example below.
In addition to revamping the user interface, Microsoft will introduce numerous new features, including DoH, the new Battery settings, and the modern disk management page.
How to install the Windows 10 21H1 update now
If you now want to get out of the update of the Windows 10 21H1 feature, you can currently use two methods.
The first method is to connect to the Windows Insider program and join the ‘Beta’ channel, which will ask you to install Windows 10 21H1 on your computer.
Please note that once you have installed the Insider build, you will not be able to downgrade to the standard version.
To revert to a non-development release, wait until the Insider builds are synchronized with the general release builds, and then disconnect from the Insider application on the device.
Another method you can try now on Windows 10 21H1 is to install the operating system via an ISO that you can download from the Windows Insider website.
Insiders can only download the ISO, but once downloaded, you can use it to perform a clean install on any device, as long as you have a Windows 10 product key.