These are the Removed and Deprecated Features on Windows 10 1903
Certain features are removed or deprecated by Microsoft with each new Windows 10 feature update. Here is look at what’s on the way out or gone on the May 2019 Update.
Microsoft released Windows 10 version 1903 aka “May 2019 Update” last week. It will be a staggered rollout with newer PCs getting it first with older devices to follow. If you’re an early adopter, you can manually install 1903 now. However, as will all new Windows 10 feature updates, some features are being removed or no longer supported.
One of the notable features that are no longer supported is Windows to Go. It isn’t removed but is part of the “deprecated” list which means it’s no longer being actively developed. It was originally introduced with Windows 8. It’s an Enterprise feature that lets you create a Windows workspace to run from a USB stick and run wherever you go.
Removed Windows 10 Features
Here is the list of what Microsoft has removed from Windows 10 1903:
- XDDM-based remote display driver: Starting with this release the Remote Desktop Services uses a Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) based Indirect Display Driver (IDD) for a single session remote desktop. The support for Windows 2000 Display Driver Model (XDDM) based remote display drivers will be removed in a future release. Independent Software Vendors that use XDDM-based remote display driver should plan a migration to the WDDM driver model. For more information on implementing remote indirect display driver ISVs can reach out to rdsdev@microsoft.com.
- Desktop messaging app doesn’t offer messages sync: The messaging app on Desktop has a sync feature that can be used to sync SMS text messages received from Windows Mobile and keep a copy of them on the Desktop. The sync feature has been removed from all devices. Due to this change, you will only be able to access messages from the device that received the message.
Deprecated Windows 10 Features
Here is the list of features that are no longer being actively developed for 1903:
- Taskbar settings roaming: Roaming of taskbar settings is no longer being developed and we plan to disable this capability in a future release
- Wi-Fi WEP and TKIP: In this release a warning message will appear when connecting to Wi-Fi networks secured with WEP or TKIP, which are not as secure as those using WPA2 or WPA3. In a future release, any connection to a Wi-Fi network using these old ciphers will be disallowed. Wi-Fi routers should be updated to use AES ciphers, available with WPA2 or WPA3.
- Windows To Go: Windows To Go is no longer being developed. The feature does not support feature updates and therefore does not enable you to stay current. It also requires a specific type of USB that is no longer supported by many OEMs.
- Print 3D app: Going forward, 3D Builder is the recommended 3D printing app. To 3D print objects on new Windows devices, customers must first install 3D Builder from the Store.
Note that Microsoft says this list is “subject to change” but it’s rare that the company will make modifications once the list is established.
Summing Up
We have covered features no longer supported in Windows 10 1803 which lost notable things like Homegroup and Groove Music Pass. And the Snipping Tool was a major one of the removed features from Windows 10 1809. And the list continues to grow with the latest version with six different ones demoted. Here’s a look at what they are.
Some of these features you probably didn’t know existed. But the removal of certain features will affect some Windows users. Still, while some features are being retired, there is a slew of new ones included with this release. For more, check out our article on notable new features included in Windows 10 1903.
