Windows 10 users: Try these 3 new features now

The latest Windows 10 ($ 158 at Amazon) The October 2020 update began rolling out to desktops, laptops and two in-house at the end of October, and is likely to be downloadable now. (Learn how download the Windows 10 October 2020 Update here. If you have not yet updated from Windows 7 ($ 26 at Amazon), you may be able to use this trick to download Windows 10 for free, too.) Once you have updated your device, you will get a few important new features that will help you get the most out of the new operating system.

Updating as soon as the update is available will make your computing life easier and more secure. And at this point, since many of us spend more time at home on our computers for work or play, there are every little thing that could make your experience better than winning in our book .

Here are three of the best new features in Windows 10 October 2020 Update (also known as 20H2 version), and how to use them.

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1. Microsoft Edge browser provides privacy enhancements

Windows 10 Version 20H2 is the first to come with the revamped Microsoft Edge browser that was installed by default. The browser is now built on Chromium, Google’s open source base for the Chrome browser, which makes it compatible with more websites than the old version.

There are other benefits as well. The new Edge browser includes a privacy feature that tries to block sites online from you – similar to Mozilla’s Firefox browser. And a feature called Collections allows you to collect information from different websites as you do research.

How to use the new Edge browser privacy settings: You will use the new Edge browser in much the same way as any other browser. Navigate to the icon on your Taskbar or from the Start menu – it appears as a round wave hitting blue, green and aqua, similar to the old blue Internet Explorer “Internet” image.

To set your privacy features, go to Settings> Privacy and Services. You can see three options for blocking: default (allows most tractors), balanced (blocking trackers from sites you haven’t visited – Microsoft recommends this one) and Strict ( blocking most tractors from all sites).

To check your privacy settings on the fly, when using the browser, click on the gray icon to the left of the navigation bar. A box will appear letting you know if your connection is secure, with options to check the site’s credentials, cookies used, and site permissions. You can also disable or disable Tracking Blocking, and manage the setting for each site you visit. If finished, you will see the number of tractors blocked by the browser.

How to use the Edge Browsers Collections feature: Once you have navigated to a page that you would like to save, click on the icon that looks like “+“in a box, to the right of the search bar. This will open the Collections panel on the right side of your screen. Click Start a new collection, and rename it to anything you like. You can click Add to custom page to save the webpage you are on. You can also click and drag an image from the page into the collection, as well as select and drag text, and add your own notes as well. To export your collection to Word or Excel, click on the three-dot division and more image at the top of the collection.

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2. Customize your new startup schedule

The classic Windows Start menu gets an update in the October 2020 Update. The new version features a simpler design, and replaces the solid color backgrounds behind the logos on your apps list by background -information that is relatively visible, so the images stand out more. The colors also change depending on if you are running light or dark mode.

How to customize the new Start menu: If you want to add accent color so that your tiles match the theme of your desk, you can go to Settings> Personalization> Color and enable the accent color on Start, taskbar and task center.

Read more at TechRepublic: 20 pro tips to make Windows 10 work the way you want (Free PDF)

3. Open all your tabs at once

With the update, you will be able to open all your tabs in Edge with a simple command, instead of just the active one in each browser window. This makes it easier to get a complete view of all your open windows, instead of just one. You will also be able to configure it to display only your last three or five tabs, or convert them completely. However, it only works with the Edge browser, at least for now.

How to customize your tabs: To open all the tabs in Edge at once, press Alt + Tab. To configure your tab settings or turn off the feature, go to Settings> System> Multitasking. You will see a drop down menu with options for what Alt + Tab can do.

Want more? Check out our comprehensive collection of the best Windows 10 tips and tricks, and six simple security changes that all Windows 10 users must make.