Microsoft today announced that Windows 11 version 23H2 will be released 22H2 will get a feature update, known as "Moment 4", on September 26. It will be a major update with several new features and improvements made to inbox apps and OS internals.
In a blog post, Microsoft highlights a number of important changes. The first one, of course, is Windows Copilot. It is an AI-based personal assistant that now replaces Cortana. Powered by the Bing chatbot, it works in a sidebar on the desktop. Besides answers that it can generate, it can manage your computer settings and launch applications. Pretty soon it will be able to analyze your screen content and provide context-based suggestions.
Among other changes Microsoft mentions Notepad that can now save your previous session including unsaved edits, new preview pane and improved tabs in File Explorer, and more.
It is important to note that Windows 11 can now open archives in various formats, be it RAR, 7z, GZ, TAR, and more - almost all that is supported by the open-source libarchive library. The write/create support for these formats is coming next year.
The taskbar allows ungroupping of app icons and can display text labels.
Windows 11 Moment 4 also brings with it an updated volume mixer. It allows you to quickly adjust the volume for each specific application and switch between output devices. In addition, the volume mixer contains a list of installed surround sound technologies.
Ink Anywhere and Dynamic Lighting are two more new features in this release. The first one allows writing over a text box with a pen, and the OS will recognize your input. The Dynamic Lighting allows setting the backlight color for RGB devices like mice and keyboard, and even sync it with the Windows accent color.
The new Windows Backup app makes migration to a new computer more convenient. It can restore system settings, and Microsoft Store apps. It will even pin them back to the Start menu and the taskbar.
Some of the features are coming gradually to the OS, and may not be available instantly after its release on September 26. The company will ship them weeks after the OS release.
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