Woman using Cortana on a Microsoft Surface device

Windows 10 April Update: four features you should try first

The Windows 10 April Update is available to download now for free and is aimed at minimizing distractions and saving you time.

It contains loads of great features that will help you get the most out of everything from Windows Ink and Photos to mixed reality. Here are four that you have to try:

Timeline

Timeline will help anyone who has written a document or seen a photo that they now can’t find. It lets you go back in time to past activities you’ve worked on across your devices. You can even can pick up what you were doing on an iOS or Android device on your Windows 10 PC when you’re ready to get back to it.

How to use Timeline: Click the new Task view icon in the taskbar to see all your activities on a specific day, grouped by hour, and easily search for something you’d like to go back to (you can also open Task view by pressing Windows logo key + Tab).

Focus Assist

Most people spend between three and six hours every day in front of screens. Much of this time is spent on social media, where the constant stream of distractions makes it hard to focus. Focus Assist helps you get more done by easily blocking notifications, sounds and alerts to create distraction-free work times. This is helpful if you’re giving a presentation or trying to focus on work.

How to use Focus Assist: Toggle Focus Assist on or off from a quick action button in the Action Center. To set up your rules with Focus Assist, go to display settings > Focus Assist to pick which scenarios will automatically turn on this feature.

Mute-a-tab

The April update comes with a host of new features for Edge. One of the most handy is Mute-a-tab – simply click the audio icon or right-click the tab to mute and unmute the tab that is playing sound. Other additions include the ability to securely save your address, credit card and other information on top retail sites; print web pages from Microsoft Edge without pop-ups and other unnecessary clutter; and take books, PDFs, and Reading view pages full-screen for a distraction-free reading experience.

Dictation

It’s now easier than ever to write a note using just your voice. With your cursor in any text field, either in Windows 10 or in an app, simply press Win + H and start talking. The improved Dictation feature in Windows 10 will capture your thoughts quickly and accurately.

To lean more about how to download the Windows April update, click here.