What’s New in Windows 10 Version 20H2

It seems like Microsoft only recently released Windows 10 version 2004, but the software giant should release its successor any day now. So, what’s new in Windows 10 version 20H2?

Not much in the way of major new features, which is a relief. As with last year’s Windows 10 version 1909 release, Windows 10 version 20H2 is a minor refinement of its predecessor, with six additional months of bug and security fixes and just a handful of functional improvements.

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Here are the few such improvements worth calling out.

Branding. With Windows version 20H2, Microsoft is switching from the year/month-based branding of all previous Windows 10 versions to a new branding scheme based on year/half-year. So Windows 10 version 20H2 is “the Windows 10 version released in the second half of 2020,” whereas its predecessor, Windows 10 version 2004 is “the Windows 10 version released in the first half of 2020.” This is only temporarily confusing as future Windows 10 versions will use the H1/H2 branding.

New Edge installed by default. Windows 10 version 20H2 is the first Windows 10 version to actually include the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge by default. Previous releases came with legacy Edge, though Microsoft has been automatically upgrading them to the new Edge via Windows Update for the past several months.

New Alt + Tab behavior. This is, perhaps, this Windows 10 version’s most controversial new feature. Today, Alt + Tab lets you switch between all running applications and open windows, but with 20H2, Windows 10 will, by default, you can now switch between all running applications and open windows and the 3 most recent tabs in the new Edge. If you don’t like this change—I hate it—you can disable it by opening Settings and navigating to System > Multitasking > Alt + Tab. Or, you can even configure it to let Alt + Tab access the 5 most recent Edge tabs or, gulp, all tabs.

Start menu. There is a very slight visual change to the Start menu in Windows 10 version 20H2, and it’s only obvious when you’re using Light app mode: The live tiles are now more subtly shaded when compared to the Start menu background, losing a bit of definition, and the icons in the All Apps list no longer appear inside a small tile box.

Your Phone. If you provide your cell phone number during OOBE (the out of box experience) during the initial setup of Windows 10 version 20H2, the Your Phone app will be automatically added to your taskbar.

Xbox. If you have a gaming PC, Microsoft will automatically add a shortcut to the Xbox app to the taskbar on first sign-in as well.

And that, almost literally, is it.

I’ve already explained how you can install Windows 10 version 20H2 early if you’re so inclined. But with this release coming via the October 2020 Update, I assume it will be generally available soon enough.

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Conversation 32 comments

  • dstrauss

    19 October, 2020 - 3:46 pm

    <p>Curious – why do Dell and HP have proprietary software to allow at least some file transfers from iPhone to their model computers, but no go in Windows 10 in general?</p>

    • snow.steve22

      Premium Member
      19 October, 2020 - 3:54 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#587235">In reply to dstrauss:</a></em></blockquote><p>You know, that never even occurred to me that the iPhone USB connection wasn't there in my other systems (all of them Lenovo). Now I have to try at least one to see. I've been using an Android phone for my media player and it's pretty seamless. I just wanted to try the same trick on iOS with a lightning cable. I was disappointed I could only access the photos and videos taken on the iPhone but that, too, has its charms.</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      19 October, 2020 - 3:56 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#587235"><em>In reply to dstrauss:</em></a></blockquote><p>Great question.</p>

  • mikefarinha

    19 October, 2020 - 3:54 pm

    <p>Bring me all the tabs!</p>

  • demileto

    19 October, 2020 - 4:00 pm

    <p>"<strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">New Alt + Tab behavior.&nbsp;</strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This is, perhaps, this Windows 10 version’s most controversial new feature. Today, Alt + Tab lets you switch between all running applications and open windows, but with 20H2, Windows 10 will, by default, you can now switch between all running applications and open windows&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">and</em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">&nbsp;the 3 most recent tabs in the new Edge. If you don’t like this change—I&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">hate</em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">&nbsp;it—you can disable it by opening Settings and navigating to System &gt; Multitasking &gt; Alt + Tab. Or, you can even configure it to let Alt + Tab access the 5 most recent Edge tabs or, gulp,&nbsp;</span><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">all&nbsp;</em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">tabs."</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">What are you talking about? This is an AWESOME addition, an amazing tool to troll friends who JUST. CAN'T. SEEM. TO. CLOSE. THEIR. BAZILLION. BROWSER. TABS! :D</span></p>

    • Greg Green

      20 October, 2020 - 7:08 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#587241">In reply to Demileto:</a></em></blockquote><p>For some it’ll mean they’ll spend 5 minutes tabbing through all the choices.</p>

  • Paul Thurrott

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2020 - 4:47 pm

    <blockquote><em><a href="#587242">In reply to MutualCore:</a></em></blockquote><p>What they should want is to work well with everyone's smartphone.</p>

    • mikegalos

      20 October, 2020 - 2:00 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#587246">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><p>And Apple should make those system-level APIs available so it can be done without having to hack around the system.</p>

  • kenneth_burns

    19 October, 2020 - 4:49 pm

    <p>Ugh, the Alt-Tab functionality in Windows has been second nature to me for decades. I'm certain Alt-Tab is the "meta" keystroke I use the most. Does that make sense? "Meta" as in not about using letter and number keys to enter content. A major reason I dislike MacOS is that the Alt-Tab behavior is so different (and in general the keyboard support is eccentric). I'm open to having my mind blown by the new feature but I'm well north of 95% certain I will turn it off immediately.</p>

    • SvenJ

      19 October, 2020 - 5:01 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#587247"><em>In reply to Kenneth_Burns:</em></a><em> </em>Really? It's just the THREE (3) latest tabs. Is that really a big deal? That's just two more than the copy of the browser already there. Just asking. I know for folks like Paul, and some of my colleagues, including them all would be disastrous. </blockquote>

      • brothernod

        Premium Member
        19 October, 2020 - 6:38 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#587252">In reply to SvenJ:</a></em></blockquote><p>I think i've mentally tried to switch tabs with alt-tab numerous times because that's just my go to action when going back to the last thing i was looking at. I know you can ctrl-tab to move between tabs, but it's unnatural.</p><p><br></p><p>I'll probably hate this, but looking forward to trying it.</p>

      • kenneth_burns

        20 October, 2020 - 3:11 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#587252">In reply to SvenJ:</a></em></blockquote><p>The thing is I never use tabs in browsers. I open new pages in new browser windows, mainly because that works better with Alt-Tab. I actually just realized that, or re-realized it. This has been my habit with browsers for so long that I forgot why I started doing it.</p>

    • rbwatson0

      Premium Member
      19 October, 2020 - 5:11 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#587247"><em>In reply to Kenneth_Burns:</em></a><em> I like that we are getting options for default behaviors, this used to be one of the major differentiators for windows. It may have been better not to change the default behavior, but to bring up a notice or something informing you of the new options. </em></blockquote><p><br></p>

    • chuckop

      Premium Member
      21 October, 2020 - 11:31 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#587247">In reply to Kenneth_Burns:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I'm a huge keyboard centric person. I love this new behavior.</p>

  • proftheory

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2020 - 4:59 pm

    <p>Did WSL2 get fixed or should I wait?</p>

  • SvenJ

    19 October, 2020 - 5:05 pm

    <p>Isn't its predecessor, Windows 10 version 2004 supposed to be the Windows 10 version released in the fourth month of 2000? (I know how it turned out.) Making the target the first half, or second half, pretty much assures they won't hit that. </p>

  • simont

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2020 - 5:41 pm

    <p><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I assume it will be generally available soon enough</em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> – except if you run a surface device based on previous performance :(</span></p>

  • earlster

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2020 - 6:12 pm

    <p>I like that ALT-TAB change, so much of my work is in a browser, and switching between browser tabs as if they are apps makes a lot of sense to me. And since it's configurable, it's the best of both worlds depending on preference.</p>

    • mattbg

      Premium Member
      20 October, 2020 - 9:50 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#587264">In reply to earlster:</a></em></blockquote><p>It's a nice option, but anything I'd want to switch to at app-level is already installed as a web app with its own window and is already surfaced in ALT-TAB, so this will get in the way for me – thankfully it can be turned off.</p>

  • Username

    19 October, 2020 - 9:11 pm

    <p>&gt; <em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">and</em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">&nbsp;the 3 most recent tabs in the new Edge</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">wouldn’t this be more appropriate for user’s default browser? Is such inclusion available to other tabbed applications – multi-tabbed text editor (eg. Ultraedit) or multi-tabbed PDF reader (eg. Foxit)?</span></p>

  • adamstaiwan

    19 October, 2020 - 10:37 pm

    <p>Isn't the Linux icon in the Explorer for WSL2? That's all I want.</p>

  • eric_rasmussen

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2020 - 11:08 pm

    <p>Any word on when WSL2 will be fixed for 20H2?</p>

    • Alastair Cooper

      20 October, 2020 - 5:25 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#587295">In reply to Eric_Rasmussen:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>It already works for me, though maybe it is only broken on certain hardware.</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      20 October, 2020 - 9:28 am

      It’s already fixed, I thought.

  • waethorn

    19 October, 2020 - 11:08 pm

    <p>Sooo….when are Live Tiles dead, again?</p><p><br></p><p>After the pandemic?</p>

  • waethorn

    19 October, 2020 - 11:12 pm

    <blockquote><em><a href="#587242">In reply to MutualCore:</a></em></blockquote><p>There's still at least 2 standards for multi-use devices like phones: MTP and MSC.</p>

  • jumpingjackflash5

    20 October, 2020 - 12:08 am

    <p>It seems the end is getting closer …. I wonder when Windows 10 will follow Windows Mobile. And then we can get the recommendation to install Linux Fluent edition, or buy a Mac …. Sad times for PCs ….</p>

  • madthinus

    Premium Member
    20 October, 2020 - 2:27 am

    <p>It is time to let go of the 2 a year updates. You could have rolled the start menu refresh out like they do the search UI. No one would have noticed. As for the rest, all of those could and should have waited. </p>

  • michael_jones

    20 October, 2020 - 3:25 pm

    <p>Just a quick note that the 3 tabs for Edge are for all open windows. So if you have more than one open windows (or one open profile, which by definition is a new open window), then you get 3 TIMES the number of windows in alt-tab. So where I have a window open for myself and my work profile, I have 6 tabs show in alt-tab.</p>

  • curtisspendlove

    21 October, 2020 - 2:42 am

    <blockquote><em><a href="#587242">In reply to MutualCore:</a></em></blockquote><p>“Microsoft wants open standards, not some 'special sauce' code for iPhone.”</p><p><br></p><p>Agreed. It’d be a PITA if they coded in a hack, then it got sealed and the app lost functionality. </p><p><br></p><p>You know most people would just blame MS even though it’s technically Apple’s fault. </p>

  • safesax2002

    27 October, 2020 - 10:29 am

    <blockquote><em><a href="#587242">In reply to MutualCore:</a></em></blockquote><p>That's laudable on Microsoft's part but the fact is that iOS requires "special sauce" code and it probably always will.</p>

  • Fuller1754

    07 November, 2020 - 10:10 pm

    <p>I'll have to see how I feel about the 3 most recent Edge tabs in alt+tab once I get the update and start using it. But theoretically it could fulfill one of my biggest wish-list items for Edge (and other Chromium browsers), which is the ability to ctrl+tab through browser tabs in most recently used order (as opposed to the order in which the tabs appear in the tab bar). If I'm working in Edge, this would allow me to keep alt+tabbing back and forth between two browser tabs, right? That might be good.</p>

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