Microsoft Starts Rolling Out First Major Windows 11 Upgrade

Microsoft Windows 11 22H2 Update (aka 22H2 for “second half of ’22”) starts rolling out(Opens in a new window) today, and it includes improvements to the Windows Taskbar, File Explorer, Start Menu, and more. Microsoft is also using a new system for OS updates that reduces download sizes, leverages AI to see which PCs should get it when, and attempts to minimize its carbon footprint in the process.

To see whether the update is available for your PC, head to Settings > Windows Update, and tap Check for Updates. You can also choose to pause updating or change the time it occurs.

What’s New in the Windows 11 2022 Update?

The update is far from a major overhaul, but it does reintroduce some conveniences that didn’t make the initial jump from Windows 10 to Windows 11, including the ability to drag and drop files onto the Taskbar and to group Start menu icons into folders. You can now choose whether to have more Pinned or more Suggested apps in the menu panel, too.

(Credit: Microsoft)

The update also brings the new ClipChamp video editor (here’s how to use that one), a Sound Recorder app, and a redesigned Task Manager.

(Credit: Microsoft)

File Explorer also gets a redesign, with a new Home section that replaces the Quick Access section. Tabs are coming to the File Explorer next month in an interim update, though Microsoft still considers this a 22H2 feature.

(Credit: Microsoft)

A super cool accessibility feature that arrives with the update is Live Captions. This displays text for any spoken words coming through any apps on the PC or into the PC’s microphone, with good options for position and font. This means people can read on the PC’s screen whatever’s being said in the room or in a playing video.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Touch tablet users get new gestures with the update, including the ability to take advantage of Snap Layouts. They can also get easier access to Quick Setting and the Start menu by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.

For added protection when you download and install programs from the internet, the new Smart App Control feature uses AI to determine whether what’s being installed is safe. This works in tandem with UAC (User Access Control), which simply asks if you want to install a program when the installation process starts.

A Better Update Process

Microsoft rethought its update delivery process(Opens in a new window), taking advantage of telemetry and AI to determine when a PC should get it. It’s also reducing the size of update download sizes—by 450MB for many users.

Updates will be delivered using the longstanding Windows monthly security update mechanism (aka Patch Tuesday) as well as via the Microsoft Store, in addition to the big annual feature updates. Commercial and Educational organizations can control the update using their existing policy and management applications, including Microsoft Endpoint Manager, which offers a Windows 11 readiness report for their installations.

For more on Microsoft’s new operating system, visit our Windows 11 landing page.

Microsoft Windows 11 Preview