Windows 8.1 features and how to upgrade to Windows 8.1

Microsoft in just 8 months has remolded their Windows 8 OS in its latest major update release, this update version is termed Windows 8.1, and Windows 8.1 has quite a good number of new features added to it in a bid to re-image the Windows 8 OS. Though the final release of the update is still few months away, Microsoft has been doling out more information about the update and the features it’ll bring to a modern computing experience in business and other areas of life.

Microsoft latest Windows 8 update – Windows 8.1 advances the vision of Microsoft in providing customers with the best PCs driven by a powerful OS designed for today’s modern businesses. So in this article I will try to highlight the latest Windows 8.1 features and how to upgrade to Windows 8.1.

Windows 8.1 features:

Modern User Interface Experience: Notably among the Windows 8.1 features is the ‘Start’ button. The Start button is back but it’s just one out of a very long list of changes you will find in this new version. Many people found it difficult at first using the Windows 8 OS due to the absence of the Start button, a lot of dudes still move their mouse to the lower left corner of their windows in a gesture to open the programs/applications on the PC even after 8 months of its existence. So Microsoft thought it important to return the Start button in the Windows 8.1 update.

Note: The new Windows 8.1 Start button doesn’t behave exactly like the former Start button in other Windows versions. Left-clicking on the Windows 8.1 Start button will toggle between the desktop and the Start screen, while right-clicking on it will bring up a menu with a variety of options.

Another notable Windows 8.1 features is the boot to desktop option. Now you can choose to boot directly to desktop or Start screen in the new Windows 8.1. Now you can also resize apps and even share screen between two apps.  You not necessarily need to switch apps to view them, you can comfortable have up to 3 apps on a monitor now and be able to share screen to view them all at once.

Security: Microsoft has also improved in this area in their new Windows 8.1 update. Notable security features added in the Windows 8.1 update includes the following;

Remote Business Data Removal: Now corporate organizations can remotely wipe any data they mark as corporate from a user once the relationship with the corporation has ended.

Improved Internet Explorer: Microsoft in a bid to remain relevant in the browser world has also improved their Microsoft Internet explorer in this Windows 8.1 update. The Internet Explorer 11 improvements include faster page load times, side-by-side browsing of your sites, enhanced pinned site notifications, and app settings like favorites, tabs and settings sync across all your Windows 8.1 PCs etc.

Other Windows 8.1 features includes improved biometrics, malware resistance which will see Windows Defender include network behavior monitoring to help detect and stop the execution of known and unknown malware, pervasive device encryption and device lockdown.

Mobility Enhancement: Microsoft Windows 8.1 understands the need for better internet connectivity and has thus introduced new features in this area. Some of the improvements are related to VPN, mobile broadband, broadband tethering etc. You can simply turn your Windows 8.1 device into a Wi-Fi hotspot and allow other wireless devices around you to connect to your device without having to install any third-party applications.

Other Windows 8.1 features includes Wi-Fi Direct printing that allows you to connect to Wi-Fi printers without having to install additional drivers, native Miracast wireless display that allows you to project wirelessly with just a Miracast-enabled projector via NFC. This option is beautiful, I will enjoy it most.

Another Windows 8.1 feature a lot of folks will be interested in is the 3D Printer Support. I think this is the coolest feature of the Windows 8.1 OS version. 3D printing is the hottest trend around now, everyone is looking forward to seeing this change our world. Imagine you can design or model anything at all on three dimensions and be able to print it?

SkyDrive Sync Options: Windows 8.1 includes a deep SkyDrive integration that allows a user store files in his SkyDrive cloud storage without having to install any software.

You can simply read all the “What’s New in Windows 8.1” from Microsoft.

How to upgrade to Windows 8.1

Anyone already using Windows 8 can easily upgrade to Windows 8.1 preview for free by getting the update on this page.

 

Simply click on the ‘Get the update’ button and follow the instructions. Restart your PC when prompted, and then click on the message that appears to get the update from the Windows Store.

Follow the instructions to download and complete the installation in the Store.

But if you are still using Windows 7 and want to upgrade to Windows 8.1, simply download and install a Windows 8.1 Preview ISO file and upgrade directly to Windows 8.1.

Note before you download: If you don’t have recovery media, we recommend that you create a USB recovery drive before you install Windows 8.1 Preview so that you can go back to Windows 8 if you need to.

I hope the new Windows 8.1 features are enough reason for you to want to upgrade to the new Windows 8.1 using the guide in this article, if you have any contributions please use the comment section below to share. Remember to subscribe to my RSS feed.