After months of being in preview, the Windows 10 Creators Update is now available for non-Insiders to install on their PCs. In order to do this, you"ll need the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool app, which you can download here.
If you"re not the type of early adopter that wants to manually install it, Microsoft will begin rolling out the update on April 11. Newer PCs will get it first - especially those that the company has tested with its OEM partners - and then other devices will be upgraded over a period of several months based on feedback.
Once you upgrade to the Creators Update, you"ll find quite a few new features. There"s a new 3D Paint app, which as the name implies, allows you to draw in 3D. The firm"s Edge browser sees a range of improvements, from better management of tabs to the ability to read ebooks (which can be purchased from the Windows Store).
Microsoft is also promising better control and greater transparency over user privacy with the Creators Update. Once you set up a new PC with the Update installed, or upgrade your device, you"ll no longer be suggested to simply use express settings; instead, you"ll get a list of privacy options, which will be set to "On" by default, but can be easily changed. The firm has also published a list of the types of data that Windows 10 collects.
And then there are a number of gaming features, such as the new Game Mode, which reprioritizes your PC"s resources in favor of the game that you"re playing, allowing for better performance. Built-in Beam streaming will allow you to live-stream your games right from the OS; all you need to do is have a Beam account linked to your Microsoft account, and no further action is necessary.
But speaking of Game Mode and Beam streaming, the Creators Update is for all Windows 10 platforms, including the Xbox One. Microsoft rolled out the Update to the console last week, and Insiders can already check out the next feature update.
But as with all feature updates, as some things are added, others are taken away. A number of features were either added or deprecated, including Apps Corner and Reading List.
If you"re waiting for the Update on your Windows phone, you"ll have to wait a bit longer. That won"t arrive until April 25, and with a smaller set of features. You"ll still get the ability to read ebooks in Edge, and a couple other minor changes, such as those in Settings, but that"s about it.
Of course, if you really want the Windows 10 Mobile Creators Update right now, you can always sign up for the Slow ring of the Insider Program, as it"s not in Release Preview just yet. You"ll end up with build 15063.2, which is the RTM build, although there will likely be another cumulative update between now and the 25th.
To get the Creators Update on your PC now, download the Media Creation Tool app from the link above, run it, and follow the instructions to guide you through the installation process.