The latest iteration of Windows 10, the May 2019 update is now being rolled out to customers worldwide. After extensive testing to avoid glitches that have bogged down previous updates, Microsoft is launching the May 2019 Update with a host of new features and some minor tweaks. Here is a look at some of the best of May 2019 update.
Lighter theme: A new light theme is the biggest visual change to Windows 10. It is basically a white version of the current black theme that many people use in Windows 10. While Windows 10’s dark mode is not always consistent throughout the operating system, the white theme is fairly well-executed due to a lot of apps and areas using white backgrounds as standard.
Windows Sandbox: Windows 10 is getting a new Windows Sandbox feature so users can avoid running an unknown .exe on their PC. Windows Sandbox creates a temporary desktop environment to check out a particular app without running it inside the regular computer settings, and without the need for the machine to support a separate virtual machine. The sandbox securely isolates a particular app and once you are finished testing the app the entire sandbox is deleted.
Uninstall more built-in apps: Microsoft has added more built-in apps that users can now remove based on their preference. For instance, you can now throw out apps like Groove Music, Mail / Calendar, Movies & TV, Calculator, the new Paint 3D app, and the 3D viewer. However, you will still not be able to easily remove some apps like Camera or Edge.
Cortana and Search separated: If you are not a fan of the Cortana digital assistant in Windows 10, then you will be pleased to know that Microsoft has now decoupled Cortana from Search in the task bar. Now you can type in the search box to find documents and files without embarrassing yourself in an office environment by asking your PC to find them for you.
The new search interface also includes your top-used apps, recent activities, and files, with options to filter by apps, documents, email, and web results. Search is still largely the same, with the exception of now searching across all files on a machine.
Cleaner Start Menu: Microsoft has made the Start Menu a whole lot less cluttered with the latest update by cutting the number of pinned apps on the Start Menu and grouping them differently. This means all the bloatware that is usually pinned by default is grouped into a single section that you can quickly unpin. Unfortunately, you will only see this new Start Menu layout if you create a new user account or you are using a fresh Windows 10 PC.
Brightness slider: Available in the notification center, the slider lets you quickly adjust screen brightness. It replaces the tile that simply let you cycle through different levels of screen brightness. If you really want 33 percent screen brightness, you can do that now with a simple slide.
Pause updates: Microsoft has finally listened to Windows 10 users and added much more control over how updates are triggered. All Windows 10 users will now be able to pause updates, and Microsoft is even letting people choose when to install the latest major version. Windows 10 users will be able to simply stay on an existing version and continue to receive monthly security updates, avoiding the latest feature update.
Microsoft is also changing the way it allocates space for Windows updates. Some updates can fail to install if there is not enough free space, so Microsoft is now reserving around 7GB of disk space to Windows Update. This should mean that devices with more limited storage always get the latest security and feature updates without issues.
Sign in without password: In a bid to reduce our reliance on passwords, Microsoft is pushing Microsoft Accounts that do not have passwords. You can now set up and sign in to a Windows 10 PC with just a phone number on a Microsoft Account. Simply enter a phone number as the username, and a code will be sent to your mobile number to initiate a login. Once Windows 10 is logged in, you can then use Windows Hello or even a PIN to log in to your PC without ever using a password.