Inside this update

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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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. 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.

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.

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.