After only three months of the official launch, on November 12th, Microsoft released its first major update for Windows 10. The November update adds a new handful of features and changes that should make the operating system more reliable and faster to accomplish daily tasks.
New features in the 1511 version of Windows 10 focus on everyday users as well as business users, as the company has noted that the operating system has “reached the point in the platform’s maturity” and now Redmond is confident to “recommend Windows 10 deployment to whole organizations.”
The Windows 10 version 1511 (Threshold 2) includes performance improvements that make common tasks up to 30 percent faster compared to those performed on a computer running Windows 7.
Cortana gets a lot smarter with handwriting recognition and the ability to track various types of events, even it will get you an Uber car when you need it. Microsoft Edge gets a number of performance and security improvements, and tab preview. Perhaps, one of the biggest addition to Edge is the ability to sync passwords, favorites and Reading list items, and Cortana can help you research content inside of a PDF files.
Alongside many changes, Microsoft is also improving most of its built-in apps, such as Mail, Calendar, Photos, Groove, Xbox, Store, OneNote, and it’s even adding four more apps: Sway, Skype video, Messaging, and Phone.
In addition, the Settings app brings a bunch of new options for Windows 10, such as new default printer manager, Windows Spotlight for Windows 10 Pro, more Live Tiles option for the Start menu, the ability to resize two snapped apps at the same time, you can choose to set time zone automatically, and you can enable “Find My Device” to keep track of your device if you ever lose it.
Under the hood, the Windows 10 November update also brings a lot of bug fixes and improvements. For example, there is a new feature called compression store on the Memory Manager to help computers with low-power hardware to run faster. The update also enables the sixth-generation of Intel’s processor to control frequency and voltage to help better manage power and makes the computer more responsive.
The company is introducing a new way to activate Windows 10 using a Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 product key, and the recovery process changes, so that after recovery your computer goes back to the Windows 10 version 1511 (Threshold 2) instead of the original version.
I have added a new video on the Pureinfotech YouTube channel that highlights on more details all changes, improvements, and features found in Windows 10 November update.
The update is available immediately through the Windows Update, but you can also download the Windows 10 ISO files with the new update.
Did you already install the November update for Windows 10? Do you like all the changes? Let us know in the comments below.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].