There are major issues with the new Windows 10 update

Users have already begun reporting a number of problems with the Windows 10 Anniversary update.

Key issues include the inability to turn off the Cortana search feature and the removal of the Group Policy Editor.

Check out the breakdown below:

Cortana

Depending on how you feel about your privacy and Cortana’s search functionality, the inability to turn the feature off is either a very minor issue or a major one.

“With the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, the search box is now Cortana,” Microsoft said. “Customers can expect the same great search experience powered by Bing and Microsoft Edge with the added benefit of Cortana’s personality.”

Having a unified search option (along with voice commands) is a great value-added feature but it also means that she is theoretically always “listening”.

You can turn voice recognition and search functionality off, as well as wipe her history, but you can’t turn her off entirely.

Group Policy Editor

The removal of the Group Policy Editor from all editions besides Enterprise, Education, and Server SKUs is likely to have a much larger impact.

The policies affected include:

The ability to turn off Microsoft consumer experiences (which effectively means you can’t remove those advertisements from your start menu).
The ability to turn off Windows 10 tips.
The ability to turn off and customise your Windows Lock screen.
The ability to disable applications from the Windows 10 store (meaning you can’t remove any of the pre-instaaled applications).

Refusing to download the Anniversary Update is not an option. You can delay it, but since Windows 10 updates are mandatory for home users, you’ll eventually receive the update.

The update comes into effect on 29 July, which is also the final day Windows 7 and 8.1 users can upgrade for free to the new OS.

You can find a full list of the new features coming with the Anniversary update here.

Have you downloaded the new update? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments below and in our forums.