Just yesterday Microsoft released the Windows 10 – Update 20 H2 free to download, but it was announced in a blog entry that the next version is already in the starting blocks and a preview version is available for Windows insiders. The preview has the build number 20241 and the name Windows 10 21 H1.

One of the biggest innovations is the revision of the splash screens. These are the windows that are briefly displayed when starting an app or a program. In the future, the windows should adapt to the theme chosen by the user and, for example, be displayed in black and no longer blue when using dark mode. At the moment, however, only a number of Windows’ own programs are supported, such as Settings or the Windows Store. Third-party applications must therefore be adapted to the new feature by the developers using a patch.

Another innovation represents the extended management options for storage media. In future, more information about drives will be displayed in a so-called “Advanced View”, for example, hidden hard drives and partitions will also be displayed. Furthermore, more information should be displayed if a hard disk defragmentation is not possible. These include, for example: “Partition type not supported” or “File system not supported”. In addition, many bugs are fixed, a full list is available from Microsoft.

Another interesting feature, which was already discussed in advance, is the possibility of finding out useful information about the SSDs used. This includes, for example, the remaining service life, the current temperature and even a warning if a failure could be imminent. This would give users an opportunity to react in good time and to make a backup of the data. Another nice feature is the ability to video chat over Skype without having it installed. The calls then run directly through the Edge browser. In addition, when booting up, auto-start programs are now pointed out so that users have the option of recognizing slowing software more easily and removing it if necessary.