14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has decided to pull Friendly Dates from Windows 10 May 2019 Update preview builds and not include the feature in the stable release due later this month.
Friendly Dates was a new Windows feature that came down to what Microsoft described as a “conversational” format for dates in File Explorer.
Instead of the actual date when a file was created or modified, Friendly Dates used a simpler format like “one hour ago.” Users were allowed to configure what format they wanted to use from the File Explorer settings screen.
Microsoft announced in the release notes of the latest preview build that Friendly Dates wouldn’t make it to production devices with the upcoming May 2019 update. Already removed from Insider builds, Friendly Dates could return at some point in the future, albeit Microsoft hasn’t offered any promise in this regard.
“Thank you for all of the feedback you provided on Friendly Dates in File Explorer. At this time, we’ve decided not to roll out Friendly Dates to users as part of the 19H1 release. Insiders will see this option go away starting today, regardless of build number,” Microsoft announced.
May update rollout beginning this month
The demise of Friendly Dates in Windows 10 May 2019 Update comes at a time when Microsoft is believed to be considering killing off the Sets feature altogether.
Sets was originally projected to bring tabs all across Windows 10, but Microsoft pulled this feature with the promise of bringing it back to insiders at some point in the future. And not only that Sets wouldn’t make it to the May 2019 Update launching this month, but according to people close to the matter, the feature might be retired for good.
The public rollout of the May update will kick off later this month, and users can try it out by enrolling in the Release Preview ring of the Windows Insider program.