With every new release of the Windows operating system, Microsoft, based on user usage data, decides to enhance or deprecate a feature. When Windows 7 was released, we had seen the list of Windows Vista features which were removed. When Windows was released we saw the Windows 7 features which were deprecated in Windows 8. In this post we will see the list of features that have been removed or deprecated in Windows 10.
Features removed in Windows 10
1] Windows Media Center has been removed. So if you have Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center, Windows 8 Pro with Media Center, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Home Premium on your computer and you install Windows 10, you will see them going missing.
2] If you need to watch DVDs you will now require to have a separate third-party playback software.
3] If you are a Windows 10 Home user, you will not have the ability to configure Windows Update. Your operating system will download and install updates from Windows Update automatically. Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise users however will have the ability to defer Windows Updates.
4] Windows 7 users will miss the Desktop Gadgets, as they have been removed in Windows 10.
5] Windows Virtual PC with Windows XP Mode will be removed
6] If you still use a USB floppy drive, you will need to download the latest driver from Windows Update or from the manufacturer’s website. But I am sure that there may not be many who are still using floppy drives. See how you can use Floppy Drive in Windows 10.
7] If you have Windows Live Essentials installed on your Windows computer, the OneDrive application will get removed and will be replaced with the inbox version of OneDrive.
8] Some built-in Games have been removed. Solitaire, Minesweeper, and Hearts Games that come pre-installed on Windows 7 will be removed. Microsoft has however, released its own version of Solitaire and Minesweeper called the Microsoft Solitaire Collection and Microsoft Minesweeper in the Windows Store.
I am sure that there must be some more features, which have been removed in Windows 10. If you know of any, please do add in the comments below.
Incidentally, Missed Features Installer for Windows 10 allows you to add the dropped features.
Now read: List of features removed or deprecated in Windows 10 Creators Update.
Seems like Refresh is also going to be removed. In latest build, I found Reset option only!
That user usage data was wrong when it came to the start menu.
I can forsee a few problems cropping up with the removal of the abillity to configure updates and check but not download updates on Home User PC’s and this is the OS that most folks will have.
At the moment the PC’s I maintain are all set this way [check but not download] as this allows me a few days to check and see if any particular patchupdate is causing problems, and yes, it does happen. If all clear then they get the go-ahead to install. If not the they are told to hide an individual update until the issue is resolved then install it.
I can understand why MS has decided to do this [to ensure all PC’s are kept upto date and therefor more secure] but there will be a lot of folks who will run into problems when a “bad” patchupdate is installed. At the moment this issue only occurs on “Patch Teusday” but as MS is doing away with this and issuing patchesupdates daily then instead of a once a month issueproblem it could possibly mean that a situation could occur at any time.
I realise that most folks have update[s] set to check and install but again I say that a problem patchupdate only happens monthly and those who maintain PC’s are prepared for this but to suddenly have to deal with [possible] problems daily is not a scenario I like to think about. It makes no difference that this is [now] a reasonably rare occurance it does happen.
Once again I say I can understand why MS is going this route but I think they are wrong. Hopefully time will prove me wrong and I will have to eat my words.
I’d like to continue to use Windows Live Mail for my POP3 emailer. Any chance?
Graham.
Don’t forget Windows DVD Maker!
You can use Outlook Mail though.
I dont think I have much to concern me in this list but just to check:
Does it just mean continuing to use VLC or any other compatible media player? What will happen to WMP — I see no mention of it
Will I continue to be able to use my (new) Samsung external USB CD / DVD Reader / Writer?
I use Desktop Gadgets and will regret losing them. Does it mean we cannot (or should not) install any of the now 900 plus Gadgets? (see Windows Gadgets Revived) If so this will be a loss. I know about the claims that there are security issues but have never seen it properly explained / defended.
I think WMP will be the same. It’s like having Windows 8.1 but no DVD Playback.
I prefer using Windows 8.1 for now rather than Windows 7.
Microsoft says it is going to provide a free DVD player app — and there are many others in addition to VLC. I dont see this as a problem, and I believe there is still a lot of life in DVD / CD. I used if for uploading photos to my Cloud services.
Or maybe they will just give us the codec to play it. Just the codec.
what about dvd burner??? will you no longer be able to burn DVDS like with windows 8 (without media center) or will you be able to burn them like with windows 7???
I’m using Windows 10 build 10130 and it does support DVD drive.
No WMC!!! That’s what I use as my PVR, what can I use to replace WMC for live TV and recording?
You may have to use a 3rd party freeware: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/windows-media-center-alternatives-windows-10
Click the reset option, and then you can either reset or refresh.
I’m now doing just that – no problems at all. Just as well – the inbuilt is useless for POP mail at least so far.
I really like 10 so far.
Another issue that I have encountered. Not sure if anyone else has, but after installing Windows 10, my Norton Security Suite (provided by ISP) was removed. It took me several times of uninstalling and reinstalling before it finally kicked in. Did anyone else have this problem?
Windows 10 needs Windows XP mode more than Windows 7 did, because it broke compatibility with hundreds of older games that worked fine on 7
this is missing SafeDisc and SecuROM
no movie maker too !!.. but still good because movie maker sucks
Volume mixer, which can be restored, but not the inputs drop-down so to adjust line-in/mic levels you have drill down to the speaker cpl and set the levels there, fu you very much ms, nice “improvement”.
In Windows 7 and 8 the running programs of the taskbar glow with their own color. It was removed in Windows 10, why?