14 DAY TRIAL // The next Windows 10 feature update, currently codenamed 19H1, is expected to come with a long series of improvements, including what could be a facelift for the Settings app, as discovered recently.
The latest Windows 10 preview build, published this week as version 18298, also introduces a very limited test that provides us with an early look at a new design of the Settings app.
As revealed by Florian Beaubois on Twitter, the Settings app could be getting a new header in Windows 10 19H1, with the user account displayed in a clearer way right at the top of the screen, along with information like the email address and a link to access the Microsoft Account page.
There are also shortcuts to the most used Settings sections, and in these screenshots, you can see links to Your Phone and Windows Update. Furthermore, the Windows Update icon also shows the current status of the system, so it can be used to tell whether the computer is up-to-date or any updates are pending installation.
More changes likely planned
A second screenshot indicates that Microsoft is also testing more icons in the header, including for Microsoft Rewards, which shows the number of points available for each user.
There’s a chance that these icons could change depending on each user, possibly with the Settings app using machine learning in order to display the sections that users access the most right in the header. This should technically make it easier for everyone to use Settings in Windows 10 19H1.
On the other hand, keep in mind that this is just a test for the time being, and everything could change by the time Windows 10 19H1 gets the green light. This is projected to happen in the spring of 2019, and according to Microsoft’s typical release schedule, the update should be finalized in March.
