What’s New in Windows 11 24H2?
It’s been a long, slow rollout, but by now, most of you have the Windows 11 24H2 update. The update brings several interesting changes and improvements to your Windows 11 computer, but unless you are an avid Windows fan, you might not have noticed them.
Here are some of the changes in the latest major Windows 11 update:
Smarter File Explorer
When you right-click on files, the options like “Cut,” “Copy,” and “Delete” now have words next to the icons, making what they do clearer.
Compressed File Support Added
You can now easily create compressed files in more formats, like .7z and .tar, in addition to the usual .zip. However, you can’t password-protect these newly created archives yet.
PNG Info
If you have pictures in the PNG format, you can now edit information about them (like dates or descriptions) directly within File Explorer.
File Explorer Tab Improvements
Just like in a web browser, you can now right-click on a tab in File Explorer and choose to duplicate it.
Better Android Phone Support
If you have an Android phone, there’s a special place in File Explorer where you can easily see files you’ve transferred between your phone and computer.
Enhanced Quick Settings
When you click on the Wi-Fi or sound icon in the corner, the panel that pops up lets you scroll down to see all the available quick settings. You can also drag and drop these buttons to arrange them as you like. A new “Energy Saver” mode is available here; it’s ike a more powerful version of the old “Battery Saver,” working to reduce overall energy use, even on desktop computers.
Copilot Changes
The Copilot AI assistant is no longer stuck on the right side of your screen. It now acts like a regular app with its own icon on the taskbar, so you can place it wherever is most convenient. And you don’t use Copilot, you can remove the icon from your taskbar.
Improved Phone Link (for Android)
If you have an Android phone, the connection with your Windows PC is improving. You can see your phone’s notifications in the taskbar, send and receive text messages, browse your phone’s files, and even use your phone’s camera as a webcam more easily.
HDR Wallpaper Support
If you have a fancy monitor that shows High Dynamic Range (HDR) colors, you can now set HDR images as your wallpaper to make your desktop look more vibrant.
Better Bluetooth Hearing Aid Support
If you use hearing aids that connect via Bluetooth LE, you’ll have more control over sound settings and background noise.
“Sudo for Windows”
This is a bit like a tool in Linux that lets you run commands with administrator privileges directly in the regular command line window, without opening a separate administrator command prompt.
Widget Updates
You can now customize which widgets show on your lock screen in the Settings app under “Personalization.”
There are a few more minor improvements, most are for “Copilot PCs”. Copilot PCs are special PCs that are more Copilot intensive. And more expensive. If you want to know more about Copilot PCs, visit this page.