Mark Kauzlarich | Bloomberg | Getty Images Microsoft announced Tuesday that it is starting to roll out the first major update to Windows 11, the current version of its PC operating system. Installing the free update could make computers more affordable, more convenient, more secure — and maybe even greener. Over the past decade, Microsoft has diversified away from Windows by developing the Azure public cloud and acquiring assets such as business social network LinkedIn, but Windows still generates 12% of the company’s revenue. The updates help Microsoft show that it hasn’t given up on modernizing Windows, which dates back to the 1980s and is more popular than any other PC operating system. However, the company only delivers one major update to Windows each year, compared to two per year for Windows 10, Windows 11’s predecessor. “Our work is never done to make sure Windows evolves and adapts to you,” Microsoft chief product officer Panos Panai wrote in a blog post about the changes. Among Windows versions, Windows 10 remains the most popular, with about a 72% share, according to data collected by privately held StatCounter. Support for this operating system ends in 2025, and many businesses still rely on it for their PC fleets. But Windows 11, first released in October 2021, is growing in popularity, with a 13% share in August, up from 2.6% in January. Windows 11 2022 Update, as the new version is called, comes with a video editor, new customization options for the Start menu, and access to additional Android apps. Here are some of the biggest changes: Changes the start menu. Users were able to pin apps to the Start menu, which now appears in the center of the screen. It is now possible to create an app folder in this Start menu by dragging one app icon on top of another. In addition, the density of the grid of applications in the Start menu can be changed. In the Start section of the Settings app, you can click a button that says “More Pins.” Alternatively, you can click “More suggestions” to see additional suggested files in the Start menu. A new way of organizing windows. Windows 11 comes with a way to organize windows neatly on your screen. The new update goes further. Instead of hovering over a window’s maximize button to see what Microsoft calls Snap Layout options, you’ll be able to drag a window across the top of the screen and then drop it into a zone that appears on the screen. Then you can put additional windows in other zones. This feature now works with a touch screen. New video editing app. A year ago Microsoft acquired Clipchamp, a startup that built a video editing application. It is now pre-installed in Windows. The free version will let you rotate and crop videos, apply a set of filters, draw stock images and videos, and create watermark-free exports. Zoom Icon Arrows pointing out Clipchamp video editing app now comes with Windows. Microsoft Energy saving. Windows Update, the operating system update download and installation tool, can schedule updates to be installed when local utilities rely on energy resources that produce lower emissions. To use this feature, your computer must be connected, turned on, and connected to the internet, and information about carbon intensity in your area must be available. Microsoft said it has also updated the default power setting for “Sleep” and “Screen off” modes that will reduce emissions when computers are idle. Do not open this app! A feature called Smart App Control can automatically prevent you from opening an unsafe app or file. You can disable the feature, but Microsoft discourages it, and you won’t be able to re-enable it without reinstalling Windows. Zoom Icon Arrows pointing out Microsoft’s Windows 11 can now block unsafe files and apps. Microsoft Better graphics for older games. Graphical gains will also appear for games based on older DirectX 10 or DirectX 11 APIs and not running in full-screen mode. This includes variable refresh rate, which may result in more new images per second being displayed for devices with higher refresh rates. Better video calls with advanced computers. Some new PCs have built-in artificial intelligence chips, and if you have one, Windows 11 will be able to remove background noise in video calls, have the camera follow you as you move through calls, and change the video stream to make it look like you’re making eye contact with others in your calls. Zoom Icon Arrows pointing out If you have a compatible PC, Windows 11 can make it seem like you always have eye contact on video calls. Microsoft Better search. When you search for apps and settings in the taskbar search box, the results will appear faster and be more accurate. Close caption all things. People are increasingly turning on subtitles when watching videos, and a new accessibility feature in Windows called Live Captions makes it possible for audio or video in any app. Zoom Icon Arrows pointing out Windows 11 can provide subtitles for video and audio. Microsoft Voice commands. Another accessibility feature, voice access, gives you a way to control your computer by speaking. Sometimes this can be an easier way to navigate than typing on the keyboard or clicking the mouse. More voice options. Not everyone liked the sound of the voice reading text on the screen in the Windows Narrator accessibility feature, so now Microsoft offers three natural-sounding AI-based voices.
How to get Windows 11 2022 update
People running Windows 11 can install the new update by opening the Settings app, going to Windows Update, and clicking the button that says “Check for updates.” Those using Windows 10 can see if their PCs can run Windows 11 using the PC Health Check app, and Windows Update will show them if they’re eligible to upgrade to the Windows 11 2022 Update, also known as Windows 11, version 22H2 . Not all Windows features that early adopters have access to through Microsoft’s Windows Insider program will be available immediately. The ability to view multiple folders as tabs in File Explorer, a feature that arrived in Apple’s MacOS in 2013, should arrive in October. BEWARE: The influence of Apple and Microsoft on the market
