Panos Panay, chief product officer of Microsoft, holds the Surface Neo laptop computer at a Microsoft product event in New York on October 2, 2019.
Mark Kauzlarich | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Microsoft said Tuesday it will begin releasing the first major update to Windows 11, the current version of its PC operating system. Installing the free update could make PCs more accessible, more convenient, more secure, and maybe even greener.
Over the past decade, Microsoft has diversified its business from Windows by expanding the Azure public cloud and acquiring assets such as LinkedIn’s business social network, but Windows still generates 12% of the company’s revenue.
The updates help show Microsoft that it hasn’t given up on modernizing Windows, which dates back to the 1980s and is more popular than any other personal computer operating system. But the company delivers only one major update to Windows every year, compared to two a year for Windows 10, the predecessor to Windows 11.
“Our work has never been done to ensure Windows evolves and adapts to you,” Microsoft chief of product Panos Panay wrote in a blog post about the changes.
Among the versions of Windows, Windows 10 remains the most popular, with a share of about 72%, according to data collected by the privately owned StatCounter. Support for that operating system ends in 2025 and many companies still rely on it for their PC fleets. But Windows 11, first released in October 2021, is growing in popularity, with a share of 13% in August, up from 2.6% in January.
The Windows 11 2022 Update, as the new version is called, comes with a video editing program, new customization options for the Start menu and access to additional Android apps. Here are some of the biggest changes:
Start menu changes. People have been able to pin apps to the Start menu, which now appears in the center of the screen. Now it becomes possible to create a folder of apps in that Start menu by dragging one app icon onto another. In addition, the density of the grid of apps in the Start menu may change. In the Home section of the Settings app, you can click a button that says “More Pins.” You can also click “More recommendations” to see additional suggested files in the Start menu.
A new way to organize windows. Windows 11 comes with a way to organize windows neatly on your screen. The new update continues. Instead of hovering over a window’s maximize button to see what Microsoft calls Snap Layout options, you can drag a window to the top of the screen and then drop it into a zone that appears on the screen. You can then place additional windows in other zones. This function now works with a touchscreen.
New video editing app. A year ago, Microsoft acquired Clipchamp, a startup that built a video editing app. Now it is pre-installed in Windows. With the free version, you can rotate and crop videos, apply a set of filters, draw on stock photos and videos, and generate exports without watermarks.
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The Clipchamp video editing app now comes with Windows.
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Energy savings. Windows Update, the operating system update download and installation tool, may schedule to install updates when local utilities rely on energy sources that generate less emissions. To use this feature, your PC must be plugged in, turned on, and connected to the Internet, and there must be information about the carbon intensity in your area. Microsoft said it has also updated the default power setting for “Sleep” and “Screen Off” modes, lowering emissions when PCs are idle.
Extensive access to Android apps. One of the most notable features of Windows 11 is its ability to run Android apps, thanks to the addition of the Amazon Appstore. It is now available in 31 countries, with more than 20,000 Android apps, Microsoft said. The company promises improved graphics performance for Android apps.
Don’t open that app! A feature called Smart App Control can automatically prevent you from opening an unsafe application or file. You can disable the feature, but Microsoft discourages that and you can’t re-enable it without reinstalling Windows.
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Microsoft’s Windows 11 can now block unsafe files and applications.
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Better graphics for older games. Graphics gains will also be visible for games that rely on older DirectX 10 or DirectX 11 application programming interfaces and do not run in full screen. This includes a variable refresh rate, which can result in more new images per second being displayed for devices with higher refresh rates.
Better video calls with advanced PCs. Some new PCs come with artificial intelligence chips onboard, and if you have one, Windows 11 can remove background noise on video calls, let the camera track you as you walk around during calls, and change your video feed to make it seem like you’re making eye contact during your calls. makes with others.
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If you have a compatible PC, Windows 11 can make it seem like you’re always making eye contact during video calls.
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Search better. When you search for apps and settings in the search box on the taskbar, the results are faster and more accurate.
Close caption all things. People are increasingly turning on captions when they watch videos, and a new accessibility feature in Windows called Live Captions makes this possible for audio or video in any application.
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Windows 11 can provide subtitles for videos and audio.
Microsoft
voice commands. Another accessibility feature, Voice Access, gives you a way to control your PC by speaking. Sometimes that might be an easier way to navigate than typing on the keyboard or clicking with the mouse.
More voice choices. Not everyone liked the sound of the voice reading text on the screen in Windows Narrator’s accessibility feature, so now Microsoft offers three natural-sounding voices based on artificial intelligence.
How to get the Windows 11 2022 update
People with Windows 11 can install the new update by opening the Settings app, going to Windows Update and clicking the ‘Check for updates’ button. Those running Windows 10 can see if their PC can run Windows 11 using the PC Health Check app, and Windows Update will show them if they’re eligible for an upgrade to the Windows 11 2022 Update, also known as the Windows 11, version 22H2.
Not all Windows features that early adopters gained access to through Microsoft’s Windows Insider program are available immediately. The ability to view multiple folders as tabs in File Explorer, a feature that appeared on Apple’s macOS in 2013, should be available in October.
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