What’s new with Windows Mixed Reality in the Windows 10 May 2020 Update (20H1)?

Next month Microsoft will ship the Windows 10 May 2020 Update (20H1 / 2004). It has a lot of changes for Windows users (see my guide) and it also brings great changes for Windows Mixed Reality users.

There are new settings that give you more control over your environment, new sounds and a new on-screen keyboard. In video (at the bottom of the page) I demonstrate the new settings, the much improved keyboard, new sounds and show the new Microsoft Edge browser in WMR.

New Keyboard

The new keyboard is my favourite feature of the updated. No longer does the keyboard popup blocking your view of what you were doing and no option to move it. With the new keyboard you can move it to wherever you want and re-size it, so you can make it bigger or smaller and place it where its not in your way. It also look smarter than the old one.

New Settings

In previous versions of Windows 10 you only had one settings for the headset display that combined multiple elements together and you didn’t have control single settings. In the May update you now have:

Level of detail and quality of effects in the mixed reality home

You have the option to let Windows decide, low, medium or high. This is the visual quality of the Cliff House or Skyloft and controls the detail level of the room. The higher the detail the better the textures, shadows etc but it takes more system resources.

Change app window resolution

The default is 720p and you now have the option of 1080p.

Resolution

Some headsets let you switch resolutions which you can adjust here.

Experience Options

You can let Windows decide, select optimise for performance or best visual quality.

Frame rate

You can let Windows decide, lock it at 90 Hz or lock it at 60 Hz. You may decide that due to your system specs you get improved game play at a lower frame rates and are happy to put up with a lower framerate.

So you can setup your system based on your preferred performance or you can leave Windows to optimise it.

New Microsoft Edge

New Microsoft Edge has been available in WMR since the October 2019 Update and the May 2020 update improves compatibly with the new browser.

Video

Here is my look at the changes to Windows Mixed Reality in the May 2020 Update:

Just a word of warning. The Windows 10 May 2020 Update is currently only available via the Windows Insider programme and there is a bug in WMR so wait for the official release which contains the fix.