Windows 10 Creators Update: Game Mode, Greater Data Control, Better Privacy Settings And More

The Windows 10 Creators Update was announced by the company in October 2016 and is expected to come out in the spring of 2017. The update is likely to bring long-awaited features for Windows users such as Paint 3D and virtual reality (VR) compatibility.

In addition to being a major upgrade to Windows, the Creators Update is also expected to be Microsoft’s answer to all feedback and complaints it has received about Windows 10.

Here are 5 features of Windows 10 Creators Update that you should look out for:

3D features

Windows 10 Creators Update will bring 3D enabled features, especially a 3D enabled version of its graphics program Paint. Microsoft stated on its Windows Blog that it will also add 3D creation features to other applications such as PowerPoint.

Many companies including Lenovo and Dell would manufacture 3D accessories for Windows users, with price tags starting at $299, which will let users create their own 3D content.

Gaming features

Microsoft recently revealed that it will introduce an improved gaming experience with the Windows 10 Creators Update.

In October, the company revealed that the update would have a Beam feature that would let players stream their gameplay. Beam will connect to players’ Xbox Live account and let them stream games using this account. Players won’t need to use an extra software for gaming on PC. A new "Windows+G" shortcut will pull up the Game bar with a broadcast button to start streaming.

Players will also be able to record their own gaming videos in the form of GameDVR clips, adjust the recording length and access their video captures directly in the Guide section appearing on the right side of the screen.

But the most important feature of the new update is the Game Mode, which Microsoft says will bring improved performance to PC gaming. Microsoft recently revealed that the Game Mode will run both legacy games (Win32) and modern games (Universal Windows Platform).

Mixed Reality VR compatibility

Microsoft announced at Computex 2016 that it will bring its Holographic Mixed Reality technology to Windows PCs. At the event, held in late May and early June, it also announced that it will be working with Intel to create head mounted VR displays compatible with regular Windows hardware.

“Next year, we will be releasing an update to Windows 10, which will enable mainstream PCs to run the Windows Holographic shell and associated mixed reality and universal Windows applications,” the company said at the time.

The Windows Holographic shell will enable multitasking in VR, blending 2D and 3D apps, and support different kinds of devices.

Improved privacy settings and web browsing

On Tuesday, Microsoft revealed its new web-based privacy dashboard, which lets users see and control their Microsoft activity data, including location, search, browsing, and Cortana Notebook data across multiple devices.

Users can sign in with their Microsoft account and visit https://account.microsoft.com/privacy to review and clear their data.

The company will also give users a simplified version of their diagnostic data, so that they can review their privacy settings and see what features they need to use and grant permissions to.

The company will also add new features to its Edge browser, such as tab preview feature, which will give you information about open tabs in the form of thumbnails. Tabs can also be shared using the ‘share tabs’ options in the side menu.

Users will also be able to scribble over or annotate web pages in Microsoft Edge using the browser’s Web Note feature. Edge will also allow users to deny Adobe Flash access to some sites while enabling it on others.

In addition to this, users will be able to import favorites, browsing history, saved passwords, and data from other browsers to Edge using the ‘import from another browser’ option in the Edge settings menu.

Microsoft Wallet

Microsoft will come out with its own e-wallet to compete with services such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. The feature is currently under development, but preview support for it has been included in the new payment request API for Edge. The feature will allow e-commerce sites to retrieve a user’s payment and shipping information using the Microsoft Wallet.