Stable Windows 10 Version

[Melany Odeh]

Ittried to do a few innovative things, like introducing automatic security updates, folder compression with native ZIP support, and a new Help and Support system to make it easier to fix things. But none of that makes much of a difference if the core OS is barely functional.

Windows 8 feels like Microsoft hit the panic button in its developer offices. Tablets and smartphones were taking over the world and the PC was dying, so Windows needed to be more compatible with tablets. It tried to make the Windows desktop a better fit for the emerging tablet scene, and it succeeded to some extent, with its tile design and gesture controls making it enjoyable to use on a tablet. Unfortunately, it was completely unintuitive for experienced and novice desktop PC users, turning off longtime Windows fans immediately.

However, Windows 1 still has its place in history. It was built on top of MS-DOS as a shell program known as MS-DOS Executive, and opened up all sorts of potential for the platform. It introduced the mouse as an interface device, and launched classic Windows programs like Calculator, Paint, and Notepad.

Windows 95 was the operating system that set the trend for how Windows would look for decades to come. It introduced the iconic Start menu, nesting applications within submenus to make compartmentalizing programs easier and improving organization in the increasingly busy visual interface. It bridged the gap between the MS-DOS base and the graphical interface of its front-end, opening the door to new games and programs while still supporting the older ones. At least in theory.

Designed as a major upgrade of Windows 95, more so than a reinvention of the wheel, Windows 98 was well-received upon release, and the Second Edition (SE) bolstered it further a year later with heaps of bug fixes and UI tweaks. It was far more stable than Windows 95, and though it still held on to its MS-DOS core, it was finally starting to move beyond the constraints of the Command Prompt.

With how much Windows 10 has become the home of modern PC gamers, Windows 11 tries to tempt them over with a few new features. But when you compare Windows 11 and Windows 10, the newer version certainly has some good thing going for it, including greater optimizations for running games in windowed mode, support for AutoHDR and DirectStorage, and attractive new visuals.

Like XP, Windows 3.1 was the first version of Windows that many people born in the decade prior to its release ever used. Its stark white and grey hid its DOS roots under several layers of convenience and usability, all of which had been stacked up over the preceding generations of Windows to create something truly usable.

Out of all the operating systems on this list, Windows XP might have the most iconic look. Not just because of its green Start button, but because of that rolling hills wallpaper. It also came with some really strong default applications, like Windows Media Player, Windows Movie Maker, and of course, Solitaire.

According to the latest Steam Hardware and Software Survey, more PC gamers are switching to using Windows 11. Although Windows 10 continues to top the charts, it's slowly losing users to Microsoft's newer operating system, as Windows 11 now compromises over a third of all operating systems in Steam's monthly survey.

It's happy news for Microsoft as Windows 11 continues to inch forward in the Steam Hardware Survey. While the survey doesn't include the software and hardware utilized by each and every gamer on the platform, it still shows us some significant averages. Microsoft has continued to push Windows 11 for new PCs, and the latest survey from Steam suggests that the effort is working.

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SSE3 Requirement. Microsoft Edge will stop supporting CPUs that lack SSE3 in Microsoft Edge 128. Devices with such CPUs won't receive any more updates. For more information, see Microsoft Edge Supported Operating Systems.

Token Binding. Token Binding uses cryptographic certificates on both ends of the TLS connection in an attempt to close the security gap of bearer tokens, which might be lost or stolen. We're planning to deprecate Token Binding in Microsoft Edge version 130. The AllowTokenBindingForUrls policy is deprecated and will be obsolete in Microsoft Edge version 130.

Removal of mutation events. Support for mutation events was removed. The MutationObserver API can be used instead. Administrators can use the MutationEventsEnabled policy as a temporary workaround. Enterprises should still work to remove their dependencies on these mutation events. For more information, see Intent to Ship: Deprecate Mutation Events (google.com).

Gift Card Redemption History in the Hub. Users with an MSA or Microsoft Entra ID Linked Account can view and utilize information from gift card redemptions through Pay with Rewards or the Rewards Dashboard. Once a user successfully redeems a gift card with Pay with Rewards, information relating to their gift card (date, card number/pin, redemption status) redemption is added to a Redemption History. This information is located in the Wallet hub. Admins can control availability of this feature using the EdgeWalletCheckoutEnabled policy. Note: This feature is a controlled feature rollout. If you don't see this feature, check back as we continue our rollout.

Password Monitor policy update. When the PasswordMonitorAllowed policy is enabled as mandatory, users won't see the consent screen to turn on the feature. Also, when set to Mandatory enabled, the UI in Settings will be disabled but remain in the 'On' state, and a briefcase icon is made visible next to it with this description displayed on hover - "This setting is managed by your organization." For more information, see Password Monitor auto-enabled for users.

AI theme generator. Microsoft Edge includes an AI theme generator that allows users to input a text prompt and generate a series of images to preview as browser themes. Applying the theme includes setting the generated image on the Edge new tab page and applying the image's dominant color to the browser frame. Admins can control availability to this feature using the AIGenThemesEnabled policy. Note: This feature is a controlled feature rollout. If you don't see this feature, check back as we continue our rollout.

Security setting controls in the Microsoft Edge management service. The Microsoft Edge management service will provide admins with a dedicated experience to manage specific settings that help improve the security posture of their managed browser instances. Note: This experience is in public preview and can be accessed by opting in to targeted release in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Copilot summarization notification. The feature displays an Omnibox notification when users enter into a reading mode eligible page in Edge and offers them the option to open Copilot in the sidebar to generate a summary of the content. Note: This feature is a controlled feature rollout. If you don't see this feature, check back as we continue our rollout.

Microsoft Defender Application Guard extension deprecation. Because Application Guard is deprecated, there won't be a migration to Edge Manifest V3. The corresponding extensions and associated Windows Store app will not be available after May 2024. This affects the following browsers: Application Guard Extension - Chrome and Application Guard Extension - Firefox. If you want to block unprotected browsers until you're ready to retire MDAG usage in your enterprise, we recommend using AppLocker policies or Microsoft Edge management service. For more information, see Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Defender Application Guard, Deprecated features in the Windows client - What's new in Windows, and Microsoft Defender Application Guard - Windows Security.

This update to Extended Stable channel contains a fix for CVE-2024-5274, which has been reported by the Chromium team as having an exploit in the wild. For more information, see the Security Update Guide.

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