Windows 10 Next Major Cumulative Update Codenamed 21H1 or ‘Fe’ Features Leak?

Microsoft may have accidentally offered a few important details, including new features that could be included in the next major Cumulative Update for Windows 10. While the upcoming Windows 10 May 2020 Feature update, also known as 20H1 or Win10 v2004 is already finalized, future updates are still being readied.

Windows 10 update format was amended to the ‘Small-Large’ format starting last year. This means Microsoft appears to have segmented updates into two parts. The first part would arrive in the first half of a year and bring new features and functionalities. Meanwhile, the second Cumulative Update, expected in the second half of the year, would bring bug-fixes, stability improvements, and performance enhancements. Accordingly, the Windows 10 20H1 is a Major or Large Cumulative Feature Update, while the Windows 10 20H2 should be a Small or Minor Cumulative Feature Update.

Microsoft Accidentally Offers Details About Windows 10 21H1 or ‘Fe’ Large Cumulative Feature Update?

Windows 10’s May 2020 Update, also known as 20H1 or v2004, is expected to be out between May 26 and May 28, 2020. The second Cumulative Update should be a minor update and it wouldn’t introduce any major changes or new features. It would be similar to November 2019 Update, which was released in the second half of 2019.

Microsoft is planning to bring Windows 10 21H1 builds to the Fast ring in June https://t.co/i0iMgjJ5Hs pic.twitter.com/op4JDJyo0I

— Rich Woods (@TheRichWoods) May 23, 2020

In an official blog post for Windows Subsystem for Linux, Microsoft accidentally confirmed the next feature update is codenamed ‘Iron’ or ‘Fe’. After May 2020 Update, the next Major Cumulative Feature Update should debut in the first half of next year, i.e. 2021. Following the same naming scheme, it is reportedly codenamed Windows 10 21H1. The update is expected to be moved to the Fast Ring or Development Branch in June, this year.

In a similar manner, Windows Insider builds are coming from the “mn_release branch”. The ‘mn’ represents Manganese. In other words, the next Minor Cumulative Feature Update for Windows 10, expected to arrive in the second half of the current year is Windows 10 20H2.

Microsoft Windows 10 21H1 Cumulative Feature Update To Include Static Icons That Replace ‘Live Tiles’?

In a quickly edited blog post, Microsoft accidentally offered some interesting details about Windows 10 21H1 Cumulative Feature Updates. “The Fast ring is currently on our Manganese (Mn) OS branch. We expect the Fast ring to switch over to our Iron (Fe) branch toward the latter part of June which will expose this new functionality to Insiders.”

The blog post also confirmed that Windows Insiders in the Fast Ring are currently testing Windows 10 20H2 (Manganese) update, which would mean that any new improvements being introduced until June, this year, could be released to the general public within this year’s Feature Update itself. Some of the new features within Windows 10 that users are eagerly awaiting, include radically altered Start Menu.

Microsoft has indicated that large but static icons should gradually replace Live Tiles. The soon to be available Windows 10 20H1 or v2004 May 2020 Cumulative Update doesn’t have this change. Hence, the Windows 10 21H1 Cumulative Feature Update is expected to offer the transition from Live Tiles to colorful but static icons.