On October’s Patch Day, you’ll be able to start using these new Windows 10 capabilities.
New features and enhancements used to be released primarily in Microsoft’s major annual version updates, but now they are released in optional updates and on Patch Day as well. Let’s see what new things there are to learn in October for Patch Day.
Microsoft has a habit of releasing major updates and improvements without warning, but they usually come with crucial security and maintenance patches. With the new schedule, features will initially debut with monthly optional updates.
Then, it will be up to the discretion of each user to implement the modification. All of the contents of the optional update will be made available to other users on the standard Patch Day, the second Tuesday of the month. Microsoft says it won’t roll out the updated features all at once, but rather in stages.
We covered the most noteworthy additions to the September optional update around three weeks ago.
As of the October Patch Day (KB5018410), this material is now included in Windows 10. The vast majority of these alterations are quality-of-life enhancements and fixes to non-critical issues. Those running Windows 10 21H2 or 21H1 can now get the update. The taskbar has also been updated with new functionality. If you don’t use a horizontal taskbar but instead have it aligned with the top, left, or right, you’ll now have access to the updated news and interest displays. The Settings app now has a new submenu for “Messages & Interests” (Settings > Customization > Taskbar > Messages & Interests).
On Patch Day, Microsoft announces in the Knowledge Base that the following updates have been implemented:
What’s New / What’s Not
New! Messages and Interests settings are now accessible via the app’s taskbar button. If you want to modify your preferences, go to Preferences > Customize > Taskbar > Messages & Interests. If it doesn’t work, right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar Settings.
New! Messages and Interests can be accessed from any taskbar orientation. Features and customization options for a vertical taskbar are now the same as those for a traditional horizontal one.