After the success of Windows 8.1, Microsoft revealed that a first update, Windows 8.1 Update 1, will be released on March 11, 2014. Zac Bowden from WinBeta.org posted on February 3 a video about the pre-release version (build 9600) of the OS. A ride on the new features of the Update 1.

Already planned by many designers on deviantART (like on the Windows Desktop concept by Daniel Skrzypon), Windows 8.1 Update 1 introduces the possibility to pin your favourite Modern UI apps to the taskbar. After installing the Update 1, the Store app is pinned by default.

The Start screen as you can see on the top picture introduces two new buttons next to user name and picture : a search icon directly linked to the search charm, and a power button, waited by many users, to easily shut down, sleep restart the PC.

Microsoft thought of mouse users. If you have a mouse, you'll see by clicking right on a tile a context menu like on desktop, allowing you to resize, uninstall or unpin the tile.
Still for mouse users : you can see a title bar on Modern UI apps when you put the mouse on the top of the screen. On this bar, you have "minimize" and "close" buttons on the top right corner, to easily go back to the desktop or the start screen.

And a little update in PC Settings app : a link to the desktop Control Panel has been added in the bottom left corner.

All these updates have been shown in Zac Bowden's video on YouTube below.


We will update the post if we'll see other new features about Windows 8.1 Update 1, and you will be kept informed on social networks. For the moment no update has been viewed on the main Modern UI apps.

Ready to have this Update 1 on March ?