The latest Windows 11 2024 update is all about enhancing connectivity with the introduction of Wi-Fi 7, boosting productivity with new quick settings, and improving accessibility with advanced assistive hearing devices support. Plus, it introduces energy-saving features that extend battery life and reduce energy consumption. And for those eager to embrace the future, we've got a slew of features designed specifically for a new generation of Copilot+ PCs. These cutting-edge devices are built to harness the power of AI, offering unprecedented speed and intelligence. With Copilot+ PCs, you're not just keeping up with the times; you're setting the pace for what's possible in personal computing. 

Built by listening to your feedback, this update also increases security to ensure a safer and more reliable experience.

Get early Access to the latest features

To ensure you have access to the latest and greatest features of Windows, open Settings > Windows Update or use the following shortcut:

Windows Update

Here, select Check for updates

And if you want to be among the first to get the latest non-security updates, set the toggle to On next to Get the latest updates as soon as they're available

Screenshot of Settings > Windows Update.

Are you a Windows Insider? Check out the Windows Insider blog to see what's new in the latest preview builds.

Explore what's new in recent updates

Check out what's been released with the recent Windows updates. Select each tab to learn more:

Welcome to the future of personal computing with Windows 11's Copilot+ PCs! These devices are not just an upgrade; they're a leap into a new era of AI-powered technology. With a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of performing over 40 trillion operations per second, Copilot+ PCs are designed to handle the most demanding tasks with ease.

Experience the world in new ways with Live Captions, translating audio and video content into English subtitles from 44 languages, ensuring you never miss a beat!

Dive into creativity with Cocreator in Paint, where AI assists you in bringing your artistic visions to life.

Enhance your video calls with Windows Studio Effects, offering AI-powered lighting and noise cancellation for crystal-clear communication.

Auto Super Resolution  is the first AI-powered super resolution solution built into an operating system, making games automatically play smoother with higher resolution details.

And with Image Creator and Restyle Image in the Microsoft Photos app, reimagine your photos or create new images with AI's help.

These exclusive features for Copilot+ PCs in the Windows 11 2024 update are just the beginning of a transformative journey into the future of technology.

Image of a Microsoft Surface Copilot+ PC.

Network icon used in Settings.

Embrace the wireless revolution with the introduction of Wi-Fi 7 for consumer access points, now accessible to all. Wi-Fi 7 is not just an incremental update; it's a transformative leap forward in wireless technology, delivering unparalleled speed, reliability, and efficiency.

Building upon the foundations of Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 elevates your connectivity experience with significant improvements in throughput, latency, and overall wireless performance.

With Wi-Fi 7, your Windows PC can achieve multi-gigabit speeds, offering up to 4x the speed of Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, and nearly 6x that of Wi-Fi 5. This means smoother, more responsive real-time activities like gaming and video conferencing, with significantly reduced latency.

To harness the full potential of Wi-Fi 7, ensure your PC and consumer access point are Wi-Fi 7 capable, as many of our ecosystem partners have already introduced compatible products to the market.

Windows has advanced accessibility by enabling direct pairing and audio streaming for Bluetooth® Low Energy Audio (LE Audio) supported assistive hearing devices on compatible PCs. This update introduces new capabilities for audio presets and ambient sound control, accessible directly from Settings or Quick Settings in Windows. Users can adjust their assistive hearing device settings to suit their environment, although options will vary based on the device model and configuration.

Users can also manage the volume of ambient sound their assistive hearing device capture, allowing them to focus on streamed audio or their surroundings as needed. This feature's availability also depends on the device model.

Screenshot of Settings > System > Sound > Properties showing some options available to configure an hearing aids device.

To utilize these features, both the Windows device and the assistive hearing device must support Bluetooth LE Audio. It's important to note that not all Windows 11 PCs or hearing devices with Bluetooth LE support are compatible with LE Audio. For more information on LE Audio compatibility with Windows, refer to the Windows support page. For assistive hearing device compatibility, consult the manufacturer or your audiologist.

To learn more, see Using hearing devices with your Windows PC.

The Bluetooth & devices settings page has also been enhanced to offer more functionality. Users can now view essential details for connected Bluetooth devices, such as battery life and connection status, and access audio settings for audio devices with ease. These improvements apply to hearing aids and all other devices listed on this page.

To explore these features, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices, or use the following shortcut:

Bluetooth & devices

Screenshot of Settings > Bluetooth & devices showing the details of hearing aids.

A new scrollable view of quick settings means that you no longer have to edit the list to add new actions; simply scroll through and rearrange as you see fit.

Live captions are more accessible with a new quick setting, making it easier to turn on from the system tray.

Screenshot of quick settings showing Live caption and scroll elements.

Network connectivity is more intuitive with the following improvements:

  • animated icons that indicate when a connection is in progress, replacing the disconnected globe icon

  • a refresh button for Wi-Fi networks along with a scan progress indicator to help you find the networks you need

  • VPN management is simpler, with a new split toggle for single VPNs and an improved list for multiple VPNs, reducing the time it takes to start a connection

In the taskbar, File Explorer windows now show preview thumbnails with multiple tabs, ALT+TAB, and Task View.

Lastly, the progress bar design under app icons is updated for better visibility on both the taskbar and the Start menu.

These updates are designed to make your Windows experience more user-friendly.

This Windows update brings a fresh breath of efficiency to File Explorer, making your file management smoother and more intuitive. Clear labels in the context menu indicate actions such as cut, copy, paste, rename, share, and delete, simplifying your daily tasks.

You can now easily drag files between breadcrumbs in the File Explorer address bar. Breadcrumbs show the path to your current file location, making navigation a breeze. For example, in the path This PC > Windows (C:) > Program Files, there are three breadcrumbs.

Embrace the new support for creating 7-zip and TAR archives, expanding your options beyond the traditional ZIP format. The new compression wizard offers a variety of formats and detailed customization for your archiving needs, while the enhanced extraction feature resolves file name conflicts with ease.

Additionally, PNG files now support metadata editing, allowing you to add information to your images.

These improvements are designed to enhance your File Explorer experience, ensuring that every interaction is as intuitive as it is effective.

Screenshot of the file contextual menu showing the new cut/copy/rename/share/delete options.

Introducing energy saver, the smart solution to extend your PC's battery life and reduce energy consumption without sacrificing performance. Easily accessible via Quick Settings, energy saver can be toggled on or off to suit your needs or set to activate automatically at a certain battery percentage.

Ideal for both battery-powered and plugged-in PCs, this feature is not only optimized for laptops but also available for desktops to conserve energy continuously.

When active, a new energy saver icon appears in the system tray for desktop PCs, while battery-powered devices maintain the familiar leaf icon. 

To configure energy saver, go to Settings > System > Power & Battery, or use the following shortcut:

Power & battery

Screenshot of Settings > System > Power and Battery > Energy saver

Energy-saving brightness control for plugged-in devices

Content Adaptive Brightness Control (CABC) dims or brightens areas of a display or monitor based on the content being displayed. The goal is to strike a balance between reduced power consumption and maintaining a good visual experience, ultimately saving battery life. This feature operates on devices such as laptops and 2-in-1s that are plugged into a charger. For most users, this change will be unnoticeable and should help reduce energy consumption

You can configure CABC from Settings > System > Display, or by using the following shortcut:

Display settings

Under Brightness & color use the drop-down menu with 3 options: Off, Always, and On Battery Only. For battery powered devices such as laptops and 2-in-1's, the default is On Battery Only.

screenshot of Settings showing brightness control.

Note: CABC must be enabled by the manufacturer of your device. As a result, this feature is not available on all laptop or 2-in-1 devices.

Windows now supports QR code sharing for Wi-Fi networks, making it easy to share your Wi-Fi network with friends and family. You can connect to new Wi-Fi networks without manually entering network details and passwords, greatly streamlining the experience. With the new QR code sharing feature, you can:

  • Scan a QR code to instantly connect to a Wi-Fi network. Windows devices with a camera can scan and connect to a QR code posted on the wall of a coffee shop or shared by another device. To use, open the Camera app on your device and point it at a Wi-Fi network QR code

  • Share your Wi-Fi password to another device via QR code. To use, find your network in Quick Settings > Wi-Fi and select the properties , then Show Wi-Fi network password at the top of the settings page. You can also find the password for networks you have previously used in Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks and select a network to show the password. On another device that supports QR code connections, use the camera app to scan the QR code to connect

  • Share your mobile hotspot via QR code. You can quickly share your device's mobile hotspot on the Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot page where the properties section now includes a QR code. Use another device that supports QR code connections to scan with the camera and connect

Screenshot of a QR code used to connect to a Windows device acting as a hotspot.

​​​​​​​ Privacy icon used in Settings.

There are new privacy settings to give you greater control over which applications can access the list of Wi-Fi networks in your vicinity, which could potentially be used to pinpoint your location. You can review and adjust app permissions by going to Settings > Privacy & security > Location.

To simplify the process of sharing your location with trusted applications, we've implemented a new prompt. This prompt appears the first time an application attempts to access your location or Wi-Fi details, enabling location services and granting the app permission to use your location data. This facilitates tasks like finding directions or checking the weather without the need to delve into Settings.

Screenshot of the prompt asking the user to allow an app to access location.

Moreover, the prompt alerts you when an application unexpectedly requests access to location services, allowing you to deny permission, if needed. If you prefer to keep your location private, you can disable Notify when apps request location in the location settings to prevent these prompts from appearing when location services are turned off.

Once permission is granted, applications utilizing location or Wi-Fi data are listed under Recent activity on the Location page. Additionally, a location icon will be displayed in the taskbar while the app is active, helping you monitor when and how apps are accessing this information.

Microsoft Teams now enables seamless switching between personal and work or school accounts, offering a unified experience within a single app. This update simplifies your workflow by allowing you to use one application for all your Teams accounts.

To add or switch accounts, simply click on your profile picture at the top right corner after signing into Teams. You'll find options to launch both personal and work accounts simultaneously, each with distinct icons on the taskbar for easy access.

Notifications have been enhanced to clearly indicate which Teams account they pertain to. Personal account notifications now provide more detailed information, allowing for quick and straightforward actions directly from the notification banner.

Screenshot of Teams with multiple users.

Voice Clarity, initially exclusive to Surface devices, is now available to more devices.

Voice Clarity is an innovative feature that elevates your audio experience on Windows through cutting-edge AI technology. Utilizing low complexity AI models, it effectively cancels echo, suppresses background noise, and minimizes reverberation in real-time.

This feature is conveniently enabled by default and is accessible to applications operating in Communications Signal Processing Mode, such as Phone Link and WhatsApp. Remarkably, no additional hardware is necessary to benefit from Voice Clarity, as it is compatible with both x64 and Arm64 CPUs.

Applications leveraging Communications Signal Processing Mode will automatically integrate Voice Clarity without requiring any modifications, ensuring seamless operation when OEM devices lack Communications Mode processing. This extends to PC games utilizing Communications Signal Processing Mode for online interactions, enhancing the gaming experience with clearer communication.

Photo of a woman standing in front of a Microsoft Surface.​​​​​​​

Icon of sudo.exe

Windows now offers the sudo command, an addition that brings a familiar elevation method to the command-line interface. Configuring the sudo command is simple: open Settings > System > For developers and switch on the sudo command. You can then select your preferred mode of operation, whether it's in a new window, with input disabled, or inline, tailoring it to your specific needs for an efficient command-line experience.

To learn more, see the Sudo for Windows documentation.

Icon of Remote Desktop Connection mstsc.exe.

The Remote Desktop feature offers a more integrated connection bar for your remote sessions, with a refreshed light/dark mode design that aligns with the Windows 11 design principles. Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc.exe) now adapts to your text scaling preferences set under Settings > Accessibility > Text Size, ensuring readability across a range of visual needs. For instances where text scaling is substantially increased, a scrollbar will appear to accommodate the larger text.

Additionally, Remote Desktop Connection now supports zoom options of 350, 400, 450, and 500%, providing greater flexibility and clarity for your remote work requirements.

These updates enhance the overall remote desktop experience, making it more accessible and user-friendly.

Updated Windows setup experience

The Windows setup experience is refreshed with a clean and modern design. During setup (OOBE), when you need to connect to a network and there's no Wi-Fi drivers, you'll be given an option to press an Install Drivers button to install drivers you have previously downloaded.

Lock screen

Now, along with weather updates, Windows spotlight can display sports scores, traffic conditions, and finance news right on your lock screen! Stay informed at a glance. To turn on this feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen​​​​​​​.

Start menu

  • The Start menu has a new account manager. When you use a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows, you'll get a glance at your account benefits. This feature also makes it easy to manage your account settings

  • You can drag apps from the pinned section of the menu and pin them to the taskbar

System tray

  • Consistent clock display: hovering over the date and time in the system tray will now consistently display a clock, even with a single clock setup

  • Charging notification update: the notification text for detecting a slow charger has been refined for clarity

Settings

  • Easily manage all your PCs and Xbox consoles from a new page in Settings > Accounts > Linked devices. This feature is available on Home and Pro editions when you sign in with your Microsoft account

  • A convenient Add now button in available Settings > Accounts. Use it to quickly add a recovery email address to your Microsoft account, ensuring you never lose access. This option appears when you sign in with your Microsoft account

  • Discover new games with the Game Pass recommendation card, now on the Settings home page. This feature is available on Home and Pro editions for users who actively play games on their PC

  • Wi-Fi password accessibility: the Wi-Fi password is now more accessible at the top of its properties page under Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi

  • Configure a Default Location which is used when precise signals like GPS aren't available. Find the new experience in Settings > Privacy & security > Location > Default location> Set default

  • Print job management: pause and resume print jobs directly from the print queue, allowing for convenient printer maintenance

  • Printer renaming: easily rename your printer in the Bluetooth & devices Printers & scanners settings

  • The Storage Spaces interface has been revamped for intuitive management, including clearer status indicators and links under Settings > System > Storage > Storage Spaces

  • Hearing aids support: manage Bluetooth LE audio capable hearing aids with ease under Settings > Accessibility > Hearing devices

Audio mic test utility 

Windows now offers a new audio mic test utility that allows users to test and compare audio quality in Default and Communication modes. Located in the microphone properties under Settings > System > Sound, this utility enables you to record and listen to audio in both modes, providing a clear comparison of the audio processing modes available for Windows applications. This feature is particularly useful for evaluating the special audio effects included in some audio drivers for communication purposes. By toggling between modes, you can experience firsthand how your microphone's audio is captured and processed differently by communication and non-communication applications. It's a great tool for testing, but it's worth noting that it won't change your audio settings - it's just for comparison. This utility also offers the opportunity to test the Voice Clarity feature, enhancing the audio experience on Windows.

Graphics

  • Dynamic Refresh Rate can now be enabled via a toggle. After enablement, Windows dynamically adjusts the refresh rate up to the selected rate to help saving power

  • Improved refresh rate logic, allowing different refresh rates on different monitors, depending on the refresh rate for each monitor and content shown on the screen

  • While a Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR) is selected and Battery saver is also enabled, Windows remains at the lower refresh rate and doesn't switch to the higher rate until after Battery saver is disabled

  • New options are available for tuning intensity and color boost to the color filters. To do so, open Settings > Accessibility > Color Filters

  • A new Color management settings page located under Settings > System > Display > Color management. From this page, you can add or remove color profiles, set default color profiles for the connected displays and configure auto-color management

Bluetooth

Improved Bluetooth device discovery: by default, the system will now scan for all types of devices but only display common device types. When an uncommon device is detected during scanning, users will be presented with a Show all devices option, allowing them to view and connect to less common Bluetooth devices if needed. In environments with many nearby Bluetooth devices, this makes it easier for users to find the device they are trying to connect to.

Windows Backup

Windows can now back up your sound settings, including your sound scheme! Just turn on Remember my preferences and check the boxes for Personalization and Other Windows settings. You can find these options in Settings > Accounts > Windows backup. Use the Windows Backup app to restore these settings on a new device effortlessly.

Security

New and enhanced protection features have been integrated for work and school environments to bolster security, including:

  • BitLocker: the prerequisites of DMA and HSTI/Modern Standby are removed. As a result, more devices are eligible for automatic and manual device encryption

  • Rust in the Windows kernel: a robust programming language designed to enhance system security and performance

  • Windows protected print mode: a safeguard for your print jobs, ensuring confidentiality and integrity

  • Personal Data Encryption (PDE) for folders: encrypt your sensitive data at the folder level for an added layer of security

  • SHA-3 support: the latest in cryptographic hash functions, providing stronger security for data integrity

  • Local Security Authority (LSA) protection enablement on upgrade: automatic reinforcement of security during system upgrades

  • Server Message Block (SMB) protocol changes: updates to the SMB protocol to enhance security and performance

  • Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) changes: improved management and security of local administrator passwords

  • Disablement of remote Mailslot protocol: phased out outdated protocols to reduce vulnerabilities

For a deep dive into these updates, the documentation for IT professionals offers a comprehensive overview.

Task Manager

  • DDR speed units: the units for DDR speed have been updated from MHz to MT/s for more accurate readings

  • Faster process handling: Task Manager now releases process handles more quickly when stopping a process

  • Improved reliability and performance

  • Accessibility improvements that include keyboard focus for easier navigation, tab key navigation, text scaling, screen reader support, high contrast heatmaps, and easier resizing

Registry Editor

The Registry Editor now supports limiting a search to the currently selected key and its descendants.

Narrator

Scan mode now responds quicker, making it easier to navigate and read large documents, especially in Microsoft Edge. To use scan mode, first turn on Narrator (Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Enter). Then, activate scan mode by pressing Caps lock + Spacebar during your Narrator session.

Get Help

Get Help now offers enhanced network diagnostics to assist you in getting back online. You can select the specific network interface you want to troubleshoot, and the app provides advanced diagnostics for driver and other hardware issues.

Windows share

  • No more worries about accidentally closing the Windows share window by clicking outside of it. Now, you can only close it by selecting the close button at the upper-right corner

  • Easily generate QR codes for webpage URLs and cloud files directly from the Windows share window. Just select the share button in the Microsoft Edge toolbar and choose Windows share options to share across your devices

  • You can now send emails to yourself from the Windows share window. The emails will be sent to the address associated with your Microsoft account

  • Directly share content to specific Microsoft Teams channels and group chats from the Windows share window. Just sign in using your work or school account

  • A new Copy button in the Windows share window lets you quickly copy files

  • Share content to your Android device from the Windows share window. Pair your Android device with your Windows PC using the Link to Windows app on your Android device and Phone Link on your PC

Input

  • New German Keyboard layouts: introducing two new keyboard layouts, German Extended (E1) and (E2), compliant with the latest standards, enabling typing for a wide range of characters and languages, including all Latin-based EU languages, Greek, IPA, and more

  • Colemak Keyboard layout addition: the Colemak keyboard layout is now available, offering an alternative for users of Latin-script alphabet-based languages

  • New Hebrew keyboard layout: a new standard Hebrew keyboard layout (Standard, 2018) has been added to accommodate modern typing needs

To enable one of these layouts, go to Settings > Time & language > Language & region.

Emoji

This update adds support for Emoji 15.1.

Use Copilot on Windows for AI assistance

Screenshot of the Windows desktop using the light theme with the Copilot app on Windows displayed, which matches the theme.

Get answers to complex questions, generate new ideas, summarize pages, quickly change PC settings, and much more.

A new way to browse your photos

Gallery in picker

Add photos from your phone, your PC, and cloud storage to File Explorer's Gallery to browse them all in one place.

Find and browse AI hub in the Microsoft Store

AI tools in Microsoft Store

Use the power of AI to your advantage. Browse apps by different AI developers to help you draft a resume, create beautiful presentations, and plan your next adventure. Explore the AI Hub in Microsoft Store to view what's available.

Open Microsoft Store

Review your key info in Settings 

Review your key info in Settings

Find a snapshot of your PC, get recommendations, and access details like subscription status, cloud storage, and account safety information right from the homepage.

Open Settings

Type with your voice

Type with voice

Control your apps, dictate emails, search online, and more using your voice. To get started, select Settings > Accessibility > Voice Access.

Use voice typing to convert spoken words into text anywhere you would normally type. Press the Windows Logo key  + H to open voice typing.

Use your PC without a mouse

Choose your accessibility settings

Use Narrator, the built-in screen reader for Windows, to navigate apps, browse the web, and complete common tasks without a mouse. Go to Settings > Accessibility to turn on the built-in screen reader.

To start or stop the Narrator, press Windows Logo Key  +Ctrl +Enter.

Go password-free with passkeys

Passkey

Create a passkey to sign in quicker and more securely. If you choose to store your passkey with Windows Hello, signing in can be even faster.

Learn more about passkeys

Spend less time setting up, more time coding

DevHome

Use Dev Home to set up your dev machine more quickly, then track all your coding projects using a customizable dashboard.

Open Dev Home

An all-in-one backup solution

Windows backup

Windows Backup saves your settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and files in the cloud to access them anytime, anywhere. Easily restore them if something happens to your PC.

Learn More about Windows Backup

Work in new ways with Copilot on Windows

Jumpstart your productivity and creativity using AI. Get answers to complex questions, explore creative ideas, summarize pages quickly, and change PC settings with just a few words—and that's just the start.

Manage devices and account settings in a new Settings home page

The new Settings home page has interactive cards that represent device and account settings. As you use your device, the page and cards adjust to give you the most relevant and useful information. 

Dev Drive for developers

Dev Drive is a new form of storage volume. It gives developers what they need to host source code, working folders, and package caches. You can create a Dev Drive using free space on an existing drive or create a VHD/VHDX. Go to the Settings app within System > System > For developers. To learn more, see Set up a Dev Drive on Windows 11.

Added live captions for languages

Live captions are added to these languages: 

  • Chinese (Simplified and Traditional)

  • French (France, Canada)

  • German

  • Italian

  • Japanese

  • Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal)

  • Spanish

  • Danish

  • English (Ireland, other English dialects)

  • Korean

To turn on live captions, use the WIN + Ctrl + L keyboard shortcut. When you turn it on for the first time, Windows will ask you to download the required speech recognition support. You can download speech recognition support from Settings > Time & Language > Language & region. To learn more, see Use live captions to better understand audio.

Enhancements to voice access commands & help page

Added new text selection and editing voice access commands. For example, to select a range of text in the text box, the voice commands would be "Select from [text 1] to [text 2]". 

The in-app voice access command help page is redesigned. Every command now has a description and examples of its variations. You can access the command help page on the voice access bar from Help > View all commands or use the voice access command “what can I say?”. 

Additionally, voice command support is now available for these English dialects: English (United Kingdom), English (India), English (New Zealand), English (Canada), and English (Australia)

Added "Never Combined" mode

In this mode, you can view application windows and their labels on the taskbar separately. To find this feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors. Set Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels to Never. There is a separate setting for turning this on for other taskbars when you use multiple monitors.

Enhancements to notifications

Notifications is now shown as a bell icon, which will be filled with a color when there is a new notification. You can also view important notifications using "view notification". 

Added a modernized File Explorer

In this File Explorer, recommended files display as a carousel. That carousel only appears if you are signed into Windows using a Microsoft Entra account. To turn this off and show pinned folders instead, select the ellipses. 

The new details pane in File Explorer helps you access related content, stay up to date with file activity, and collaborate without opening a file. To turn it on, select the View menu and choose Details pane. Then use the button located on the right side of the command bar to turn on the pane.

Improved Windows Spotlight experience

You can preview images in full screen using the Learn more button. To open the Windows Spotlight flyout box, right-click the Spotlight icon on the desktop. To learn more about each image, double-click its icon to open a Bing landing page.

Added new natural voices for Narrator

These voices use modern, on-device text-to-speech. Once you download it, it works without an internet connection.

Accurate and consistent color appearance on all apps

All colors on all windows applications appear accurate and consistent with Auto Color Management (ACM). To turn ACM on, go to Settings > Display > Advanced display. Choose the SDR display and turn on Automatically manage color for apps.

Stop Windows from communicating with your mobile devices

Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Phone Link. There you will find an option to turn off Phone Link.

Added Bluetooth LE Audio

Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE) Audio is added in this release. Your computer must support Bluetooth LE Audio to use this feature. With this, the audio fidelity and battery life are improved when you pair your computer with Bluetooth LE Audio earbuds and headphones.

Access personalized websites from Start Menu

Start menu now has the recommended websites personalized based on your browsing history. With this, you can quickly access the websites that are important. To turn off this feature, go to Settings Personalization > Start.

Access Windows Studio effects from quick settings on taskbar

The devices that have a supported neural processing unit (NPU) can access Windows Studio effects from quick settings on taskbar. It is now easy to turn on and configure camera effects, such as Eye contact, Automatic framing, Background blur, and Audio effects. 

Introducing the touch-optimized taskbar for 2-in-1 devices

There are two states of this touch-optimized taskbar: collapsed and expanded. To switch between the two states, swipe up and down on the bottom of your screen. This feature only works on devices that can be used as tablets and is on by default. If your company manages Windows updates for your device, this feature will be off by default. Administrators can turn it on using the new commercial control for continuous innovation.

Enhanced support for braille devices and its displays

Braille devices will continue to work while you switch between Microsoft Narrator and third-party screen readers. Narrator will automatically change the braille drivers. Additionally in this release, the support for new braille displays and new braille input and output languages in Narrator is added. For more information, see Chapter 8: Using Narrator with braille.

Enhancements to Voice

The voice access has become more flexible and supports interaction with more user interface (UI) controls. For example, voice now interacts with controls that contain:

  • Names that have numbers, such as “Click 5”.

  • Names without whitespaces between them, such as “click PivotTable” or “click PivotChart”.

  • Names that have special characters, such as Bluetooth & devices (“click Bluetooth and devices”) or Dial–up (“click dial hyphen up”).

Additionally, voice supports spin controls, thumb controls, and split buttons. You interact with these controls by using the “click” command or number overlays. You can also use voice to scroll to the extreme left and right on a page. For more information about the new voice access commands, see Voice access command list.

Added Tamil Anjal Keyboard for Tamil language

To add this keyboard, make sure Tamil (Singapore), Tamil (Malaysia), Tamil (Sri Lanka), or Tamil (India) appears in Settings Time & Language > Language & Region. Select the ellipses (…) next to the language. Select Language Options. Add Tamil Anjal (QWERTY) to the list of keyboards.

File Explorer now includes tabs

File Explorer now includes tabs to help you organize your File Explorer sessions. On the new File Explorer homepage, you can pin important files for quick and easy access. Using the Microsoft OneDrive, you can view your colleagues' actions on your shared files. Personalized suggestions are also provided based on your Microsoft 365 account.

Copied Items have suggested actions

This feature is available for customers in United States, Canada, and Mexico. Copied items like phone numbers, dates will now have suggested actions, such as make a call with Teams or skype or adding an event in the Calendar app.

Additional features:

  • Added taskbar overflow menu: The taskbar has a menu that shows all your overflowed apps in one space.

  • Nearby sharing: Using this feature, discover and share to more devices, including desktops.

  • Manage applications through Windows Settings: You can now uninstall, repair, and modify all apps from Windows Settings instead of Control Panel.

  • Improved search box experience: As you type in the search box, search results now appear in the search flyout box. You can also change the search experience you want for your taskbar by going to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar. For more information, see Customizing search on the Windows 11 taskbar.

  • Start Menu has Quick Assist: You can now use Quick Assist from the Start menu's app list to get help in case of PC issues.

  • Provides AI-powered recommendations: For devices that are joined to Azure Active Directory (AAD), Windows now provides AI-powered recommended content on your Start menu. This helps you to prepare for meetings, quickly access files you're collaborating on, and more.

  • Display of total storage: This update provides the full amount of storage capacity of all your Microsoft OneDrive subscriptions and displays the total storage on the Accounts page in the Settings app.

  • All the required codepoints are up to date: The work to comply with the GB18030-2022 requirements is completed. With this, you can no longer enter character codepoints that are not supported.

  • Use copy button to copy 2FA codes: A copy button is provided to copy the two-factor authentication (2FA) codes. Note that this feature only works for English.

  • Added multi-app kiosk mode: This lockdown feature lets admins to specify the apps that run for different users on one device. Multi-app kiosk mode is ideal for scenarios in which multiple people use the same device. To learn more, see Set up a multi-app kiosk on Windows 11.

  • Enabled Content Adaptive Brightness Control (CABC): CABC is enabled to run on laptops and 2-in-1 devices. This feature dims or brightens areas of a display based on the content. You can adjust the feature setting from Settings > System > Display > Brightness & color

  • Added a presence sensor privacy setting: If you have a device that has compatible presence sensors, you can now choose the apps that can access those sensors. You can enable this in Settings > Privacy & security > Presence sensing 

  • Preview files under Start menu & share them: When you hover on any recommended file under the Start menu, you can see its preview and do a right click to share them quickly. 

  • Hide the time and date in the system tray: To turn this on, right click the system tray clock and choose Adjust date and time.

  • Windows share window: Select the Outlook icon in the “Share using” section of the Windows share window to email your files using Outlook directly within the windows share window. It also has a search box. So, you can now search for contacts across Outlook to share a file. The Windows share window also displays 8-10 suggested contacts to quickly share to–including emailing yourself a file.

  • Narrator provides efficient reading experience in Microsoft Excel: Narrator prioritizes announcements based on what you need to skim a workbook. To learn more, see the Enhanced Narrator support in Excel documentation.

  •  Enhanced Phishing Protection in Microsoft Defender SmartScreen: It helps to protect school and work passwords from phishing and unsafe use on websites and in apps. Go to App & browser control > Reputation-based protection > Phishing protection

  • View Wi-Fi passwords for your known networks in Settings: Go to Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi and “Manage known networks.

  • Use Microsoft 365 switch: You can sign in to and connect your Windows 365 Cloud PC to your local desktop. Then you can move between them using familiar keyboard commands, mouse clicks, or a swipe gesture. For easy access from your desktop, you can add Windows 365 Switch to Task view. 

The Windows 10 2022 Update (Windows 10, version 22H2) delivers a scoped set of improvements in the areas of productivity and management.

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