Microsoft has announced that a new Windows 8.1 Update will land on April 8.

Unveiled at the Build 2014 developer conference, the operating system revamp will bring universal apps to the company's ecosystem and improved support for keyboard and mouse users.

The update will allow developers to write code for software that works across Windows-based computers, smartphones and tablet devices.

Windows 8.1 will offer a more mouse-friendly Start Screen after the upgrade has landed, and task-switching will be easier due to the addition of a refined taskbar.

Metro apps will receive their own taskbar buttons and title bars, allowing users to shrink them using the main title bar or resize them by right clicking.

Touchscreen-optimised versions of PowerPoint, Excel and Word will be among the first universal Windows apps.