Following weeks of speculation and rumors, a purported early build of Update 1 for Windows 8.1 has leaked online and available on a number of file sharing sites. The download reveals a lot of the features we’ve been hearing about since Update 1 screenshots started appearing. The update itself is expected in March or April.

Before diving into the details the usual caveats apply: Microsoft could cancel any of these features or hold them for a later update. So what we’re seeing here is more of a work in progress than a finished feature set for the next Windows update.

That said, most of these changes are expected to survive the final cut and make it into Update 1.

The biggest changes with Update 1 involves improving the modern UI experience for traditional point, click, and type PC users.

Right-click mania

Microsoft wants to make it easier for point-and-click devices to navigate Metro apps.

In the leaked build, Metro apps now have a title bar when you move your mouse up to the top of the screen including options to close, minimize, and snap the app left or right.

Start screen

Microsoft has added search and power buttons to the Start screen in the upper right corner (see image at top). Clicking on the power button gives you options to shut down or restart your PC, while the search button simply calls up the pop-out search panel on the right.

Right-click on any modern UI app in the Start screen, and a desktop-style context menu appears with options to unpin the app from Start, uninstall, resize the tile, and turn off the live tile.

There is also an option to pin modern UI apps to the desktop taskbar, as previously reported. This new feature appears to be a stopgap measure in preparation for Window 9 when, rumor has it, you’ll be able to run modern UI apps in windowed mode on the desktop.

Full Story: Windows 8.1 Update 1 leak: More changes for Start screen, desktop | PCWorld.