Changes in Windows 10 after the Redstone Update

The Windows 10 October 2018 or the Redstone 5 update is live. Like all previous updates for the operating system, this one is new and shiny and comes with a whole array of new features.

It’s also different.

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Different in how it was developed, and how it was released. A couple of prominent anticipated features like Sets and Alt + Tab previews for Edge were delayed during production. We expect it to make the cut in the next update. To top it off, Microsoft did not even test this version in the Release Preview ring of Windows Insider Program, releasing it as is.

Codenamed Redstone 5, and also known as Version 1809. This new update focuses more on refinements and improvements to the OS, rather than new additions outright. Productivity enhancements are numerous, and usability upgrades plenty. Like previous updates, this one continues to blur the line between work and life, education and business. Thus, offering something for the whole family.

Let’s take a look at all that is new in Windows 10 October 2018 Update.

October 2018 Update

Windows 10 Redstone 5 Update New Features

For a Windows 10 update focused on fixes and refinements, the October 2018 Update sure packs in a punch. Microsoft has made some improvements to all areas of the operating system. For example, Edge is now notably faster, the settings panel more refined, and the integration with other Microsoft apps more useful.

In between, the company has focused on improving the user experience throughout. Microsoft has made certain features more natural to use, others more streamlined. A select few ones also got handy new options.

The additions may not be blockbuster in nature, but there’s enough to like, as you’ll find out below:

Dark Theme for File Explorer

Let’s start with the immediate one first. The most notable, and perhaps the most requested, change is the dark theme for File Explorer that is now finally available. Microsoft calls this a dark mode for apps, and this is a systemwide change.

File Explorer Dark Theme in October 2018 Update

Also, while some may consider this a low altitude effort (mainly when you compared it to the dark theme on macOS), it’s hard to go back to the blinding white after a while. It’s not for everyone, but the design indeed is more comfortable on the eyes.

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Fluent Design

The Fluent Design train chugs along in the October 2018 Update. Now, Microsoft has applied this design philosophy in more nooks and crannies of its operating system. The Edge web browser, for example, picks up a new depth effect that better emphasizes the active tab.

Fluent Design Edge

Still, a long way to go towards a streamlined modern UI, but Fluent Design continues to evolve.

Your Phone App

Microsoft bills this as a marquee feature in this version of Windows 10. However, its usability depends upon the smartphone you own and how you use it. Windows Phone users are out of luck, but owners of Android handsets gain instant access to their photos and texts on their PC.

iPhone users, on the other hand, can also link their device with their computer. They can then use to sync their Internet usage with the PC.

Your Phone App in October Update

Your Phone is also coming to a previous version of Windows 10 since this is an independent application. At the end of the day, there are certain limitations to this new application. However, if you want to use your PC to send and receive SMS messages or interact with the 25 most recent images in your gallery, there is much to like here.

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Timeline for Phone

Another feature that mobile users will find handy. The April 2018 Update introduced Timeline on PCs, making it easier to gain access to what you were working on. Now, this feature is available on your phone, meaning you can scroll back in time to pick up where you left off while working on files and browsing websites.

It is also possible to share or remove activities from a specific day or hour.

Microsoft Edge

If it’s wholesale improvements you seek, this is the place to look. Unlike other web browsers, Microsoft Edge is sadly not updated round the year. What this means is that every major update to Windows 10 brings with it a bucketful of improvements for the default browser.

The latest version of Edge focuses on improving reading. It also pays due attention to the look and feel of the user interface. Microsoft also offers a bit more customization — reading PDFs in the browser is now a more pleasant experience. Moreover, there are several changes under the hood to improve the technology.

For starters, Edge now comes with Microsoft Learning Tools baked in. Additionally, the browser also offers support for themes and an offline dictionary that serves up definitions of highlighted words.

You also get access to Grammar Tools that separate words into syllables. It also highlights parts of speech to make it easier to understand. It is also possible to have a word read aloud if you want to hear the correct pronunciation or learn its meaning.

Edge PDF View

On the PDF side of things, Edge now invokes the PDF toolbar when you hover at the top. Also new are options to add notes, while the toolbar itself can be pinned and unpinned for easy availability. A few rendering improvements have also made the cut.

Customization is a mantra that Edge has followed since the past few releases, and nowhere else is this more visible than in the menus. You can change up which icons show up in the toolbar. The UI itself has more of the Fluent Design look. Whereas, the browser now shows your top sites in the Jump List so you can visit them with a single click.

Edge Menu
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Search

Microsoft continues to make search better on Windows 10, following up with the web previews that it added to the OS last year. Now, you are treated to an enhanced home screen. It not only saves you time and keystrokes but also integrates with your emails and files on Outlook.com and OneDrive.

Previews have expand to include applications, documents, email, people and more.

Search in Windows October 2018 Update

Search is now also available in the Calendar app for Windows 10. Thus, letting you find past or future events by searching for the name, location or people.

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Gaming

Given just how vibrant gaming is these days, it comes as no surprise that Microsoft is heavily focused on this side in Windows 10. There are a bunch of new additions in the October 2018 Update — one of which is sure to drive users to upgrade in droves.

The DXR technology.

Raytracing in windows 10 redstone

DirectX Raytracing is now fully supported on the platform. That means users no longer have to enable developer mode to see it in action. Raytracing is a new rendering technique that not only improves image quality but has all the potential to become the standard method for generating 3D worlds. In terms of hardware, NVIDIA is now selling its new GeForce 20 Series cards that offer real-time raytracing support. Meanwhile, some games have already implemented raytracing.

New Game Bar in October Update

Of course, there are other improvements to PC gaming that the October 2018 Update brings about. The Game Bar is now a dedicated app, making it easier to use while also bringing a new look and new audio controls. Consequently, you can do more with your games with fewer interruptions.

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Windows Mixed Reality

Unsurprisingly, Windows Mixed Reality also picked up many goodies. A handy little feature is Flashlight, which lets you peer into your physical environment without removing your headset. This portal into the real world can be opened any time via the Start Menu, shortcut or voice command. Goes a long way towards maintaining immersion.

Mixed Reality Flashlight in windows 10 redstone

A bunch of other improvements are also lined up for users of Mixed Reality headsets. It includes Quick Actions that let you easily go Home, view the time or launch photos and video capture tools.

It is also possible to stream audio to both the headset and PC speakers simultaneously thanks to enhancements on the audio side. While on the video end, Windows no longer requires a physical monitor to be connected while running Mixed Reality.

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Emojis

Windows users have never had the best of luck when it comes to emojis. Not only did official support for emoticons took ages to arrive on the platform, but Windows still sadly does not come with flag emojis, as is the norm on other operating systems.

Emojis New

Regardless, a whole bunch of new emojis are available in the Windows 10 Redstone Update, including those for superheroes and redheads. There’s also a softball in the mix, along with a pirate flag and a llama.

Emojis Updated in Windows October 2018 Update

Microsoft also thankfully tweaked a few existing ones while it was at it.

SwiftKey

It took its sweet time, but SwiftKey is here. This intelligent typing technology gives you more accurate predictions and precise autocorrections for the words that matter the most to you. Having found notable success on Android and iOS, this technology now powers the typing experience on Windows 10.

Swiftkey in windows 10 redstone

To sweeten the deal, Windows now also shows you insights regarding how AI has helped you type more efficiently, for each feature like autocompleted words, suggested, saved keystrokes, spelling corrections and swiped words.

Can’t ask for more productivity improvements. Or can you?

Cloud Clipboard

If you are a power user, copying and pasting content will be something that will be a norm for you through the day. Those of you that copy the same few things, again and again, are sure to appreciate this new clipboard experience that is now part of Windows 10.

Clipboard has been taken to the next level in this version of the operating system.

Cloud Clipboard in Windows October Update

Not only can you copy multiple things at once, but you can also paste them around from the clipboard history and pin the most used items whenever and where you want. Unfortunately, right now Windows 10 Redstone only supports text which is less than 100KB in size. Meanwhile, cloud clipboard allows images under 1MB.

Better than nothing, eh?

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Snip & Sketch

One prominent change that Microsoft has made in Windows 10 Redstone is Snip & Sketch. It is now an app and replaces the Screen Sketch feature that was previously part of Windows Ink Workspace. It makes a simple job of snipping pieces of the screen and creating a screenshot.

Snip & Sketch in Windows 10 redstone

As part of transitioning to modern apps, the company is also set to retire the classic Snipping Tool, which now shows a message recommending users to try the Snip & Sketch application.

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Renaming Start Tile Folders

Also added is the ability to name your tile folders in the Start Menu. Creating new folders is as simple as dragging a tile on top of another and releasing. Expanding the folder will show you a new option to rename it.

Accessibility

Pretty much all new versions of Windows 10 come with enhancements to accessibility, and the October 2018 Update continues the trend. Although the breadth of improvements here is not quite comparable to the previous update, there is still a lot to admire here.

Make Text Bigger in Display Settings

Starting with the fact that it is now effortless to make everything bigger via a slider that adjusts text across the system, regular desktop programs and modern Windows 10 apps. It is done without having to change the overall scaling of your system and is something that users had been asking for a while.

A few Magnifier improvements are also in the house, so are a bunch of new options for the Narrator.

Windows Security

The first thing you’ll notice when you fire up Windows Defender Security Center is that it has been splashed with Fluent Design elements. Even the title bar of the app now uses the accent color you have enabled.

Also, that its name has been changed to Windows Security.

Windows Security in windows 10 redstone

On the technical side of things, Windows Defender Firewall now allows for adding specific rules for a Windows Subsystem for Linux process, just like any Windows process. It should please developers that use it. Security products that have not implemented will run side by side.

There are some Windows Defender Application Guard improvements here, starting with a new user interface that allows standalone users to install and configure their settings without messing around with registry keys or group policies.

The Windows 10 Redstone Update also comes with Windows Account Protection improvements that now does a better job of identifying the paired device that is being monitored for Dynamic Lock.

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Windows 10 Redstone 5 FAQs

1. When will Support for Windows 10 Redstone 5 ends?

Every Windows 10 version is supported till 18 months from its release date. Therefore, for Windows 10 Redstone 5 the end of support will be from November 10, 2020. However, for Enterprise and Education editions the support will continue till May 11, 2021.

2. What happens when Windows 10 support ends?

When the support for any Windows version ends, Microsoft stops providing critical updates like security patches and other bug fixes.

Further Reading

Windows 10 April Update – What you must know

Fix – Windows Store Missing in Windows 10 After update

3 thoughts on “Changes in Windows 10 after the Redstone Update”

  1. The update has been pulled due to numerous reports of user files being deleted during the upgrade, along with issues with Task Manager and other bugs that were never squashed. Maybe skipping the Release Preview Ring wasn’t such a hot idea? Just sayin’.

    Reply
  2. The October Update became available again Tue Oct 13. It’s available.via https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
    Simply checking for updates manually doesn’t seem to upgrade it yet. Slow rollout.

    Installed fine on my two boxes. Funny thing being released on “patch Tuesday” is after installing it, I checked for updates again, and there is a cumulative update for 1809 that gets downloaded and installed. So between the upgrade from 1803 to 1809 (17763.107) and the cumulative update to 17763.134, there are four total reboots (three and one, respectively).

    Reply

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