Microsoft has decide to put Windows 10X, the supposed to be lighter and modern version of Windows 10 on hold. Perhaps failure of all Windows “lite” versions it launched in past played a role in this decision. But Microsoft is also working to bring many of the Windows 10X UI changes and other usability focused features to Windows 10.
Some of these features/changes may make their way to Windows 10 21H2 update aka Sun Valley, the next major Windows 10 feature update targeted at October/November 2021. This feature update may bring many new Windows 10 features and changes which Microsoft had already teased before.
But Windows 10 OS updates beyond Windows 10 21H2 may also borrow many UI changes from Windows 10X. In this article we take a look at Windows 10X features that may become a part of Windows 10 21H2.
Windows 10X UI changes:
Windows 10X UI elements like more-rounded corners, floating jump lists and menus have been reported by many sources as coming to Windows 10. While some of these may make their way to Windows 10 21H2 aka Sun Valley update, some may be planned for later updates than 21H2.
Big changes like Windows 10X Taskbar, new search experience, new music control UI and other similar UI changes may not be included with 21H2 aka Sun Valley update.
Windows 10X Emoji panel:
Windows 10 insider build 20185 from pre-release channel had Windows 10X code. Enthusiasts were able to tweak and enable Windows 10X Emoji Panel on Windows 10 Build 20185.
Windows 10X touchscreen keyboard:
Enthusiasts were able to tweak and enable Windows 10X touchscreen keyboard on Windows 10 Build 20185.
Windows 10X OOBE experience:
You can check the video posted by enthusiast Albacore on Twitter. It seems Microsoft is planning to bring the complete out of the box experience from Windows 10X to Windows 10.
The Windows 10X OOBE is coming to desktop! Here's a video of it in action in build 20231. pic.twitter.com/jZXVZT62qj
— λlbacore 🥝 (@thebookisclosed) October 8, 2020
Windows 10X faster update experience:
Windows 10X update experience has been cited to be super quick as compared to the traditional Windows update experience. Now, Windows 10 may also be treated to similarly improved update experience when the feature update 21H2 arrives.
3rd party Drivers management:
Windows 10 may get another Windows 10X feature with the Sun Valley update. The change may isolate 3rt party drivers in a separate folder thereby fixing Windows 10 perennial stability issues including BSOD aka Blue screen of death.
A hidden feature that may be enabled on the latest dev channel insider build makes OEM drivers installations to get redirected to the separate folder called “OEMDRIVERS”. If you like to try this new driver installation behavior you will need to enable feature ID 26920259 (Writeable_DriverStore).
This feature or installation behavior as mentioned above is already available on Windows 10X. Drivers updates are one of the main culprits behind long-occurring Windows 10 update issues like BSOD. Microsoft has been struggling to make Driver updates not impact or break Windows 10 update for which it has been getting lots of bad press lately. You can rea our coverage of such Windows 10 issues by clicking here.
