Microsoft publishes list of features going away

May 1, 2018 09:00 GMT  ·  By

Just like it happens when a new Windows 10 update gets the green light, the debut of April 2018 Update marks the end of several OS features, as they are replaced with better options or no longer make sense given the new functionality.

Microsoft has published the list of features going away beginning with the April 2018 Update, including removed and deprecated (projected to be removed in a future release) options.

While you can check out the entire table in the pictures included in this article, of particular highlight is the removal of HomeGroup, which is finally going away with the April update. While HomeGroup is being ditched, Microsoft is still offering options to share printers, files, and folders with share tools that are available across the OS.

XPS Viewer is no longer included in the installation image and needs to be installed manually from Settings > Apps and Features > Features on Demand.

Bye bye, Phone Companion

When it comes to features that are no longer being developed, the Windows Help Viewer is one of the apps already on the table to be pulled in a future update.

“All Windows help information is available online. The Windows Help Viewer is no longer supported in Windows 10. If for any reason you see an error message about ‘help not supported,’ possibly when using a non-Microsoft application, read this support article for additional information and any next steps,” Microsoft explains.

Additionally, Phone Companion is deprecated as well in April 2018 Update, as the entire functionality has been moved to the Phone page in the Settings app, so it no longer makes sense being offered separately.

The next stable release for Windows 10 is Redstone 5, projected to land in the fall of this year. The update should be finalized in September and then pushed to devices across the world in October.

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Windows 10 April 2018 Update removes several OS features
Featured removed in Windows 10 version 1803Featured discontinued in Windows 10 version 1803
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