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Windows 10 October 2020 Update
| Version of Microsoft Windows | |
 | |
 | |
| OS family | Windows 10 (NT 10.0) |
|---|---|
| Version | 20H2 |
| Semester | Vibranium |
| Architecture | x86, x64, ARM64 |
| Latest build | 10.0.19042.2965 |
| Release date | 2020-10-20 |
| Support end | 2022-05-10 (Home, Pro, Pro Education, Pro for Workstations and IoT Core) 2023-05-09 (Enterprise/Education) |
| Server counterpart | |
| Windows Server, version 20H2 | |
| Replaces | |
| Windows 10 May 2020 Update | |
| Replaced by | |
| Windows 10 May 2021 Update | |
Windows 10 October 2020 Update (also known as version 20H2) is an update to Windows 10 which was released on 20 October 2020.[1]
New features and changes[edit | edit source]
Some of the features introduced in this version have been backported from contemporary Dev Channel builds.
[edit | edit source]
- Start menu tiles no longer have an accent color. Instead, they are now theme-aware and can be white or black depending on the system theme. If transparency effects are enabled, they will also have an acrylic transparency.
- The apps pane in the Start menu no longer displays app icons on an accent-colored backplate.
- A new flyout called News and interests has been added to the taskbar, which allows quick access to an integrated feed of dynamic content such as news and weather.
- The default taskbar layout for new user accounts now varies depending on what devices are linked with the user's Microsoft account.
Notification and Focus assist changes[edit | edit source]
- Notification toasts have been redesigned to resemble their Windows 10X look. The app logo and name are now displayed together on top. Additionally, the icons for notification settings, and dismissing the notification have been changed have been changed from a gear and an arrow to an ellipsis and a cross, respectively.
- The summary and automated rule enablement notifications for Focus Assist are now disabled by default. This can be reverted to the previous behavior in Settings.
Microsoft Edge updates[edit | edit source]
- The legacy Microsoft Edge is now hidden in the system by default, with the Chromium version being now an inbox app in its place. Later updates would eventually remove it entirely.
- Open tabs are now shown individually in Alt+Tab instead of just the browser windows.
- Clicking a pinned site on the taskbar now shows all open tabs for it across any browser window.
Settings changes[edit | edit source]
- The System control panel applet has been fully migrated to the Settings app's System → About page, although it can still be accessed by the following methods:
- Opening "This PC" in File Explorer, right clicking on the empty space and choosing "Properties" in the right click context menu.
- Right clicking on the "System" link in Control Panel\System and Security (if you're using Control Panel in Category view) or Control Panel (Large icons or Small icons views) and choosing "Open". You can also choose either "Create shortcut" or "Pin to Start" in the right click context menu and opening the new shortcut/Start tile.
- Typing in
Control Panel\System and Security\Systemon File Explorer's address bar. - Running
shell:::{bb06c0e4-d293-4f75-8a90-cb05b6477eee}.
This change could also be reverted by running the following command with ViveTool from an elevated Command Prompt window: vivetool /disable /id:25175482.
- It is now possible to change the display refresh rate directly from the Settings app without having to open the legacy Monitor Properties applet.
- Security status data has been consolidated. While summary messages are still shown, the rest of the details have been removed, and they can be queried on the Windows Security page under the Update and Security section.
Tablet experience enhancements[edit | edit source]
- Tablet mode is now enabled automatically upon detaching the keyboard on 2-in-1 systems. Previously, Windows would only display a toast notification offering to enable the mode.
- The quick action for Tablet mode is now automatically removed from the Action Center on non-touch devices to prevent confusion.
- A new logic is incorporated to let users boot into the appropriate mode according to the mode they were last in and whether the keyboard is attached or not.
Miscellaneous[edit | edit source]
- The new Modern Device Management (MDM) Local Users and Groups policy allows an administrator to make granular changes to a local group on a managed device, on par with what has been available to devices managed with on-prem Group Policy (GP).
Version numbering[edit | edit source]
This version drops the YYMM numbering scheme, introduced with the November Update, in favor of the half-year based YYHx scheme already used previously for codenames since the Windows 10 May 2019 Update. However, the former scheme is still in use, and it is set to "Version 2009" as seen in the ReleaseId registry key in order to keep compatibility with some applications. Later versions still contain the key with the same value.
List of known builds[edit | edit source]
Available build Confirmed build Unconfirmed build Fake build Pre-Beta Channel[edit | edit source]
Beta Channel[edit | edit source]
Release Preview[edit | edit source]
RTM[edit | edit source]
GA Escrow[edit | edit source]
General availability[edit | edit source]
Updates[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Woodman, Aaron. What’s new in the Windows 10 October 2020 Update, Windows Experience Blog. 20 October 2020.
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