Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Windows 10 May 2020 Update
The first major Windows 10 update that Microsoft has rolled out in 2020 brings in a whole new set of features and performance refinements to the versatile OS. Improvements abound with this update, from better security and sign-in experience to an updated chat-based user interface on Cortana, with Microsoft focusing “on meeting the over a billion people around the world relying on Windows where they are now.”
Here are some of the major refinements the Windows 10 May 2020 Update is bringing to the table:
Faster Windows Search
The Start menu search has been causing performance issues due to excessive disk and CPU usage. However, with the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, Microsoft has rolled out a fix that’s now detecting peak usage times to better optimize the Windows search indexer. That means that Windows Search is now faster than ever.
Cortana chat-based experience
With the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, Microsoft is also rolling out a new chat-based experience with Cortana. With this feature, you now have the option to speak or type your questions to Cortana. Your conversation history will appear in a chat window, which you can resize, move around on your desktop and switch to dark mode.
Potentially unwanted apps blocking
You’ll now have a way to block potentially unwanted apps (PUA) that might have undesirable advertising, use your PC for cryptomining or do other things on your computer. With this new update, the OS can now detect such apps and notify you so you can make an informed decision on whether or not to download them.
More kaomoji
This update also brings in a few more kaomojis. These are just some of the new kaomojis the update is adding to the list.
- ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪
- ლ(╹◡╹ლ)
- (⊙_◎)
- ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)
- ಠ_ರೃ
- (∩^o^)⊃━☆
- /ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\
Microsoft Edge memory improvements
Microsoft Edge will be the one of the first Win32 applications to take advantage of segment heap capabilities, which delivers a memory usage reduction of up to 27%. This lower memory usage when browsing on Microsoft Edge will help offer a better device experience, as more memory will be freed up for other applications.
New Notepad features
Text editor Notepad gets quite new features with the Windows 10 May 2020 Update. Those features include quick text zooming, wrap around find/replace, and an asterisk in the title bar to remind you to save the document.
Go passwordless
PINs or Windows Hello biometric sign-ins are much more convenient methods of logging in to your computer. And with the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, you can go completely passwordless. There’s a new “Make your device passwordless” option in the Settings so you can forgo passwords altogether.
