It has been hyped by Microsoft ever since its existence was revealed to the public back in April. In the following months, its specific new features and improvements were previewed one by one. Some have been cleared while others, like the ‘Timeline’ function, had to sit out. But all in all, the next major upgrade to Windows 10, the Fall Creators Update, has been shaping up to be a formidable package that users of the operating system would enjoy. Windows Insiders had an advance crack at the update when it was released for them last month, but now the whole Microsoft user community with Windows 10 can finally try it out for themselves.

Better than ever

Microsoft Windows 10 – build 10.0.16299, given the version number 1709 and dubbed the “Fall Creators Update,” is the third major upgrades for the Windows 10 OS under the Redstone development umbrella, hence its other codename “Redstone 3.” Microsoft has, at last, made it available for download for all users with Windows 10 in their computers (provided it has received enough prior updates).

What waits at the end of installing the Fall Creators Update are a number of welcome improvements to the Cortana assistant, Edge browser, and Photos management. It also enables Windows 10 to run the mixed reality platform, used on some VR headsets like the Samsung Odyssey, and that is only optional as you can run WMR on the computer itself.

There’s even an expanded emoji library for those who are frequent regulars on social media. Photos get the new “Video Remix” option that offers a more comprehensive editing suite for pictures and video and can work with Facebook and Instagram. As for Cortana, you can now ask her to shut down your PC or laptop and even lock them down for you.

Multiple options

Much the way other updates to Windows 10 can be applied to your computer, the Fall Creators Update can be checked if compatible with your current version build from Windows Update. If it is, the OS will download it automatically in the background, and when finished it will prompt the user to either start the installation at once or set a time for it later on.

Alternatively, Win-10 users can simply head on straight to Microsoft’s website to download the update themselves, or even save them as ISO images transferable to DVD-R if planning to do a “clean install.”

With its new additional functions and polishing of existing features, the Fall Creators Update is one of the most anticipated improvements of the Windows 10 experience. While some of its promised upgrades have been delayed by Microsoft at a later time, what has remained will make using your PC or laptop even better than ever before.