Windows 11’s 24H2: fresh features and improvements incoming
The next major release for Windows 11, version 24H2, is expected to be released by Microsoft any week now, and it’s bringing some neat new features to the operating system.
Version 24H2 has been in development for a while now and has been in testing with Windows 11 users for at least a couple of months, so here are some of the features, changes, and improvements we’re looking forward to.
Some of these will require that you have a new-generation Copilot+ PC that has the necessary hardware to support some of the new features Microsoft is bringing to Windows 11, but if you’re on a device with an older Intel or AMD processor, you can still expect some new developments. This is not an exhaustive list; I’m just pointing out some of the features and changes that I think could genuinely improve the user experience. Features we expect to see, whether you have a Copilot+ PC or not
The Start menu has been seeing many revisions recently (some better and more useful than others), and with 24H2, the Start menu is getting a new integrated Phone Link panel.
This will sit directly next to the Start menu, displaying handy information to have on hand about your phone and links to locations such as recent messages, battery information, and photos. If you have an Android phone, I can see this making your overall computing experience across multiple devices easier and smoother.
File Explorer is another Windows 11 feature that’s recently seen renovations and it looks like more improvements are on the way. This includes the ability to browse a connected Android device’s file systems and contents directly in File Explorer, the ability to quickly duplicate an opened File Explorer tab, and the ability to compress files into a variety of archive formats without the need for a third-party app – farewell, WinRAR!
There’s also Voice Clarity, a feature designed to minimize background noise to make you sound clearer while you’re on calls.
