The next update for Windows 11 is expected to launch on September 20.
News from The Verge’s Tom Warren(Opens in a new window)who has an stellar track record of Windows rumors and was one of the first to hint at the initial launch of Windows 11. He attributes that date to “sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans ” and says the release of Windows 11 22H2 will come via Windows Update a week after the traditional monthly patch Tuesday.
In fact, the specific date isn’t too important for most Windows users, as these feature updates typically take months to roll out to an entire base of hundreds of millions of PCs. Microsoft only releases feature updates for PC configurations that are tested for compatibility, and it takes months to verify that compatibility because there are so many different combinations of hardware and software in the system. multi-vendor PC eco.
What’s in Windows 11 22H2?
(Credit: Microsoft)
Not a whole heap of hell. The big changes came last year with the initial transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Perhaps the most notable change in 22H2 will be the improved File Explorer, which finally has tabs to match the tabs in macOS Finder — although this may not be possible. for the first release on September 20.
The Start menu will also get icon folders and the Taskbar will support drag and drop. New accessibility features will include live captioning for anything that produces voice audio on PC and better PC Voice Access control. Snap Layouts will see improvements, such as keyboard shortcuts.
New video editing software in the form of a template-based Clipchamp app will also launch with the 22H2.
The clipchamp video editor app in Windows 11 (Credit: PCMag)
Additional touch gestures for tablets are also expected with the update, including one swipe from the taskbar to invoke the Start menu and another to access the menu. Quick Installation. And widgets will get more live notifications, on sports, finance and breaking news.
Utilities in Windows 11 (Credit: PCMag)
Microsoft’s current major update schedule is set to once a year, but important updates can also appear between these cycles. For example, the new Media Player app, Paint app, Phone Link, Photos app, and Weather icons were added to Windows 11 outside of any major updates. Those things might actually mean more to more users than anything that came out in 22H2.
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How to download Windows 11 22H2
If you want to try out new features right away, you can join the Windows Insider program and install it as a preview build — as an upgrade or download via a disk image file. If you can wait until September 20 (or later), you can simply go to the Windows Update section of the Windows Settings menu and tap Check for updates button. If you still haven’t upgraded your eligible PC to Windows 11, you can also find that here. And if you don’t have a Windows license, you can now purchase a Windows 11-specific license from the Microsoft online store.
What’s the next really big version of Windows?
Microsoft recently suggested in a lifecycle support document that Windows 11 will reach the end of its life cycle in 2024, leading many analysts to suspect another very large update that we’re calling Windows 12 inauthentic. upcoming formula. The schedule is also expected to include Moments or temporary feature updates that occur up to four times per year.
For more information on Microsoft’s latest and greatest desktop OS, visit our Windows 11 page.
Microsoft Windows 11 Preview
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