As of April 11, the Windows 10 Creators Update is available to Windows 10 customers around the world as a free upgrade.

New features in the Windows 10 Creators Update include 3D paint, built-in game broadcasting, new tab management features in Microsoft Edge, and enhanced security features.

Despite this, Microsoft has released a message, urging users without a tech background to avoid downloading the new Windows 10 Creators update manually.

The new patch has been available for a few weeks now but Microsoft are wary of those who may not know enough about the update to be able to work through the general issues when installing the code by hand.

This is because older machines may not be compatible with the Windows 10 patch, running the risk of creating bigger issues for those download it. For example, The Creators Update has already run into problems with some types of Broadcom Bluetooth LE radios where the code was affecting connections with accessories.

Microsoft has removed the automatic upgrade option from PCs it suspects will suffer from breakdowns, although that hasn’t barred access entirely. In fact, users can still find and manually download the Windows 10 Creators Update, leading the director of program management for Windows servicing and delivery, John Cable to recommend that users wait until the Creators Update is automatically offered to you.

If you have a Windows 10 PC and have automatic updates enabled, the update will be delivered to you when it’s ready.

Here are some of the new features included in the Windows 10 Creators update:

3D in Windows 10

3D in Windows 10 comes to life in the Creators Update, thanks to the new app, Paint 3D and the online creative community at Remix3D.com. The all-new Paint 3D allows you to create or modify 3D objects, easily change colour or texture, or turn 2D images into 3D works of art.

Remix3D.com lets you connect with other creators, find new ideas, and get instant access to a library of 3D objects to customize, remix, and share with the creative community.

New Features for Windows 10 PC Gamers:

Good news for gamers, the Creators Update boasts a number of new features making gaming even better for gamers everywhere!

With the release of the Windows 10 Creators Update, Windows is delivering built-in game streaming and interactivity with Beam, game performance improvements with Windows Game Mode, and a unified destination to customize your system settings for your Windows 10 gaming experience.

Beam Game Broadcasting 

With the Creators Update, built-in game streaming with Beam is the easiest and most interactive way to stream your gameplay on Windows 10. By simply pressing the Windows key + G while playing your game, the Game bar will appear, which now includes a broadcast icon to launch Beam.

Thanks to Beam’s low-latency technology, viewers experience less than a second of delay, enabling broadcasters to engage and interact with their viewers in near real-time. What’s more, Beam enables streamers to incorporate interactive features such as animation and sound triggers right into their stream.

Game Mode

When your PC is working hard to run your game and possibly other concurrent software, Game Mode can help manage system resources more efficiently and optimize them for gaming. What’s more, Game Mode works for both Win32 and UWP games.

To view the full list of new gaming features, click here

Improvements in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge, Now Faster and More Secure

According to Windows, Microsoft Edge is faster than Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox and offers longer battery life. When unplugged and on-the-go, you can stream video and browse for longer, streaming video up to 3 hours longer than Google Chrome and up to 5 hours longer than Mozilla Firefox.  You can also browse nearly a full hour longer with Microsoft Edge when compared to Google Chrome, and nearly two hours longer when compared to Mozilla Firefox.

Tab Preview Bar

Keep track of all of your tabs with the new tab preview bar. This new feature allows you to easily glance at a visual preview of every tab you have open without leaving your page.

Import Favourites from Another Browser when you Switch to Microsoft Edge:

Thanks to the new import feature, you can now import your favourites, browsing history, and other data from another browser you have installed to Edge, in one simple step.  To do so, use the Import from another browser feature under Settings to select the browsers you want to move your data from.

All New Security Features

Windows continues to expand its security features with the Creators Update, which brings, more security capabilities to all customers:

The Windows Defender Security Center

The Windows Defender Center offers a single dashboard display so you can control your security options from one place – everything from anti-virus, network, and firewall protection; to assessing your device performance and health; to security controls for your apps and browser; to family safety options. For enterprise customers using the Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) service, the Windows Security Center will link to Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection, via the Microsoft Intelligent Security Graph. This will allow IT administrators to easily follow an attack across endpoints and email in a seamless and integrated way.

Dynamic Lock

Windows Hello can use any paired iPhone, Android, or Windows Phone to detect when you step away from your PC or tablet, automatically locking it behind you for an extra measure of security and privacy. This feature works with any device that is paired to your PC or tablet, including smartphones and fitness bands.

While we recommend waiting until you are offered the update, the Creators Update boasts a number of subtle changes and new features. To read about all of the new features, click here.

Hayden McMaster