The Windows 10 20H2 Update, the forthcoming major update to Windows 10 that Microsoft has planned for the fall, has been rumored for months to be little more than a bug patch with the introduction of few, if any, major new features.
While the major focus will be implementing fixes to the last major update, released back in May, the Windows 20 20H2 update is still expected to introduce a few new improvements to Windows 10.
The two major changes we are going to see are the full integration of the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser into the OS – as well as the inclusion of Microsoft Edge tabs into the OS’s Alt-Tab menu – and the new theme-aware Start Menu.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? Windows 10 20H2 Update is the next major version of Windows 10
- When is it out? Windows 10 20H2 Update will be released most likely in November
- How much does it cost? Windows 10 20H2 Update will be free for all users
Windows 10 20H2 Update release date
The Windows 20 20H2 Update is the last major update to Windows 10 that we’ll see in 2020, and we’re expecting it to be released in November, though there hasn’t been any official word on that yet.
The Windows 10 May 2020 Update saw a minor delay related to an incompatibility issue with the Windows Mixed Reality platform, but so far there hasn’t been any indication that the Windows 10 20H2 Update will suffer the same setback. If all goes according to schedule, it’s likely that it will be released in November like it was last year.
Windows 10 20H2 Update name
This last major update of 2020 hasn’t gotten an official name yet, but Microsoft is probably sticking with the existing naming convention for their updates. If so, it will be named for the month it is released to the general public (Windows 10 November 2020 Update, for example).
Windows 10 20H2 Update features
Much like the Windows 10 November 2019 Update, Windows 10 20H2 is expected to fix and service the last major update released in May without adding all that many new features, something that is usually reserved for the first half of the year.
Still, that doesn’t mean its all bug fixes for the rest of the year. There are some new improvements that are going to roll out with 20H2 that are worth noting.
Windows 10 20H2 Update fully integrates the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge into Windows 10
Microsoft’s switch to Chromium for their new Microsoft Edge browser was definitely a welcome change, giving users access to a huge library of apps for the popular and extensible open-source browser.
Currently, Windows 10 uses the old, non-Chromium version of Microsoft Edge by default, forcing you to download this updated version of Edge separately. Windows 10 20H2 Update is going to finally replace this old version of Edge with the new one by integrating it into the OS itself.
According to Windows Latest, one of the more noticeable changes you’re going to see in Windows 10 20H2 is the theme-aware Start Menu, which will streamline the look of the Start Menu depending on the light or dark Windows theme you are using.
Also included in this updated Start Menu is the addition of partial transparent backgrounds to the app tiles of the menu.
Windows 10 20H2 Update improves the tablet experience of Windows 10 2-in-1s
Windows 10 20H2 will improve the overall experience of Windows 10 on 2-in-1 laptops like the Acer Spin 5, including better spacing of the desktop icons and automatically switching to the tablet experience when you undock the screen on detachable 2-in-1s.