What you need to know
- The Windows 10 May 2020 Update is now available.
- The update includes a new Cortana UI, updates to Virtual Desktops, and streamlined Swift Pair.
- The update also moves more options to the Settings app.
The Windows 10 May 2020 Update is rolling out now. Microsoft pushed it a bit close to having to be renamed the June 2020 Update, but the update officially started rolling out before May ended. The May 2020 Update, also known as Windows 10 version 2004, is a more substantial update than Windows 10 version 1909 which rolled out as a cumulative update. The May 2020 Update has a new Cortana UI, improvements to Virtual Desktops, changes to the Settings app, streamlined Swift Pairing, and some other meaningful changes.
As Windows 10 has been out for years in some form, even major updates don't have the laundry list of new features that we used to see. Instead, updates like the May 2020 Update focus on specific changes and improvements as well as bug fixes.
One of the biggest changes in the latest update is Cortana. It's now a system app that can be updated independently from Windows 10, similarly to the Mail and Calculator apps. The new Cortana focuses on typing, though voice is still an option.
Review: Windows 10 May 2020 Update packs improvements to existing features
Following the update, you'll be able to rename Virtual Desktops and save them across reboots. This improves workflows that utilize Virtual Desktops quite a bit as you no longer have to set things up every time you reboot your PC.
The Windows 10 Settings app gained some features, including cursor speed controls. Microsoft is moving all settings into that app over time, and that movement continues in this update.
Microsoft also made improvements to Swift Pair, the Task Manager, and made changes to Windows Search. You can read all about the changes in our complete breakdown of the Windows 10 May 2020 Update.
