Windows 10 October 2020 Update is available with an updated Start menu and more .
Windows 10 update of 2020 is more of a Service Pack than a major release. Microsoft has, however, made some interesting tweaks, including a refreshed Start menu, some Alt Tab changes, and the bundling of the new Chromium-powered Microsoft Edge.
The biggest visual change is, of course, the updated Start menu. Microsoft’s new design kills off the solid color behind app logos and adds a transparent background to tiles instead. The end result is a Start menu that’s functionally the same, but that’s a lot easier to scan to find your apps.
Microsoft’s second significant change is how Alt Tab works. Traditionally, you use Alt Tab to cycle through desktop apps that are open in Windows, but the list now includes all open tabs in Microsoft Edge. Microsoft is allowing Windows 10 users to switch back to the classic Alt-Tab experience, though.
The final important addition is related to PC gaming. Microsoft has never made it easy to set up and control monitor refresh rates in Windows, leading to many forgetting to enable 144Hz or higher modes on their monitors. You can now switch to higher refresh rates directly within the Windows 10 settings panel (Settings > System > Display, Advanced display settings). It’s better than jumping into a legacy interface buried in settings or having to control this from AMD or Nvidia’s apps.
Microsoft’s other improvements to Windows 10 with this October 2020 Update are even more minor. Notifications now include app logos at the top to make them easier to manage and identify, the taskbar has been decluttered for new Windows 10 users, and tablet mode no longer shows a notification if you’re using a 2-in-1 laptop.
How to get the Windows 10 October 2020 Update
The October 2020 Update is available initially for users of select devices running Windows 10, version 1903 or later who are interested in experiencing the latest feature updates and are ready to install this release on their device.
If you would like to install the new release, open your Windows Update settings (Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update) and select Check for updates.
If the update appears, and you are running Windows 10, version 1903 or later, you can simply select Download and install to get started.
Once the download is complete and the update is ready to install, we’ll notify you so that you can pick the right time to finish the installation and reboot your device, ensuring that the update does not disrupt your activities. People running the May 2020 Update will have a faster overall update experience because the update will install like a monthly update, just as it was for devices moving to Windows 10, version 1909 from version 1903.
