The Spring release is now available for “commercial pre-release validation” according to Microsoft.
Microsoft’s next feature update for Windows 10 is moving closer to general release. The company announced that Windows 10 21H1 is now available for what they call “commercial pre-release validation” by business users.
This test phase is for businesses who want to get an early look at the coming release. It is for commercial devices only, however. A commercial device, according to Microsoft, is a PC not running the Home edition of Windows 10.
New features will activate through what Microsoft calls an “enablement package”
As Microsoft announced previously, Windows 10 21H1 will be a minor update. Aria Carley, a Senior Program Manager at Microsoft, detailed the latest news of the release in a blog post this week.
“Version 21H1 will be delivered to devices currently running Windows 10, version 2004 or version 20H2 using an enablement package,” she wrote. “This is the same technology we used to update devices from Windows 10, version 2004 to version 20H2.”
As with Windows 10, versions 2004 and 20H2, version 21H1 also shares a common core operating system. And it has an identical set of system files. Monthly quality updates for version 2004 include new features, but in an inactive and dormant state, Carley explains.
The new 21H1 features remain dormant until they are turned on through the “enablement package,” Carley writes. This is a small, quick-to-install “master switch” that activates the Windows 10, version 21H1 features,” she explains.
“If you are managing updates with WSUS, you have the option of taking a full feature update to 21H1 or testing out the enablement package path if your devices are currently running 2004 or 20H2.
“As with any other validation done on pre-release updates published to WSUS, you will need to first ensure that you have synced the “Windows Insider Preview” category.,” she adds.
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