Microsoft is making a small change to how it delivers feature updates for Windows 10, with the introduction of the Windows Feature Experience Pack. You'll still receive the major feature update every six months, but these smaller feature packs will improve specific features outside that period.
What Is the Windows Feature Experience Pack?
The Windows Feature Experience Pack is a new way for Microsoft to deliver and test features. Unlike a major feature update, which contains multiple new features and new designs, the smaller Feature Experience Pack will contain a limited number of improvements.
For example, the first Windows Feature Experience Pack includes two improvements:
- The introduction of a built-in screen snipping tool for Windows 10 allows you to create and modify a screenshot before saving to a folder of your choice.
- Using a touch keyboard in portrait mode on a 2-in-1 device will now support split keyboard mode. This splits the on-screen keyboard in half, moving each segment to the screen's left and right, respectively.
According to the official Windows Insider blog, Microsoft will "expand the scope and frequency of releases in the future."
How Can I Get the Windows Feature Experience Pack?
Right now, Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.1070.0 (the official title) is available to the Windows 10 Beta Channel. Beta Channel users must have Windows 10 20H2 19042.662 installed.
The Beta Channel is the Windows 10 Insider Preview channel that receives early feature updates. The Dev Channel receives features and updates still in early development, while the Release Preview Channel receives new Windows 10 builds that are almost ready for public release.
So, for the current time, only Windows 10 Insider Preview users will receive access to the Windows Feature Experience Pack. However, there's no need to feel like you're missing out, as the new features will arrive on the main Windows 10 build soon enough.