What is new in Windows 11 version 24H2?

It’s that time of the year when Microsoft rolls out a new feature update for its operating system. Version 24H2 has undergone extensive development and is now nearing its public release. While it may not be the most significant update in the operating system’s history, it does bring several notable changes and enhancements.

While some of the most exciting updates are exclusive to Copilot+ PCs, “regular” computers with Intel and AMD processors are not being left out.

	Windows 11 2024 Update (24H2)
Build Number	26100
Release date	September or October 2024, TBA
How to get the update	Follow this guide
Hardware changes	Yes, both official and unofficial

For reference, here are quick links to our reviews detailing every feature update Microsoft released for Windows 11 during the last two years:

Windows 11 is confusing

Writing this review was quite challenging, much like trying to decipher Microsoft’s ever-evolving strategies and branding. With every review, I find myself griping about how confusing Windows 11’s naming conventions have become. And with Windows 11 24H2—or whatever Microsoft decides to call it—things are only getting more bewildering.

To start, did you know that Windows 11 version 24H2 was released about three months ago, but it’s still not widely available? That’s because it’s currently only accessible on Copilot+ PCs with ARM processors. Meanwhile, “traditional” systems running Intel, AMD, and older ARM chips are still stuck on Windows 11 version 23H2. These devices are expected to receive version 24H2 later this month or in October.

Microsoft has also moved on from its “Moments” update system. We no longer see one or two major feature drops a year. Instead, every cumulative update Microsoft releases now includes bits and pieces from Windows Insider builds. This change makes it difficult to keep track of which features are available now and which are coming with Windows 11 version 24H2 (and I’ve probably missed a few in this overview). Even after you install version 24H2, you might not have all the features, as many are released gradually. In other words, you never really know…

Now that the rant is over, let’s dive into what’s new.

Taskbar, Start menu, and Copilot

Simplified taskbar

If you appreciate minimalism, you’ll be pleased to hear that Windows 11 version 24H2 allows for a cleaner taskbar, particularly in the system tray area. While the battery, volume, and network indicators remain combined into a single button, you now have the option to switch to a simplified system clock and turn off the notification bell for a more streamlined look.

Another small change in this area is that the option to enable or disable tray clock seconds now exists in Settings > Time & Language > Date & Time > Show time and date.

Quick Settings menu

Microsoft has revamped the Quick Settings menu. Instead of displaying a few selected toggles, it now shows all available options in a scrollable view. Although you can rearrange the buttons to keep your favorites on one page, you can no longer remove toggles that you don’t use.

The most significant update to the Start menu is the new Phone Link integration. A large panel now appears beside the Start menu, displaying useful information from your phone, including recent messages, photos, battery status, and more. This addition is especially convenient for Android users, making your phone’s key features accessible with just a single click.

Aside from the Phone Link panel, Windows 11 version 24H2 introduces no major changes to the Start menu, except for a small folder in the “Recommended” section that lets you quickly access recently added apps. For instance, if you’ve installed five new applications, instead of browsing through the All Apps list, you can simply click the “Recently Added” folder. This update makes the “Recommended” section more practical and useful.

Copilot

In my review of Windows 11 version 23H2, I anticipated better integration of Copilot into the operating system. However, Microsoft released it with a limited set of features, so I was surprised to find that even those integrations have since disappeared. Now, Copilot can’t handle basic tasks like enabling Do Not Disturb or Dark Mode. Instead of performing the actions directly, it merely provides instructions on how to do them.

When I directly asked Copilot what settings it could modify on my PC, it simply listed all the Windows features I could adjust in the Settings app. Really? When I pressed for more detail, Copilot admitted that it can only guide me through the process of changing settings. Don’t get me wrong—this is useful, but it feels cheap, lazy, and unprofessional. Microsoft could have done a much better job integrating Copilot into Windows, especially after setting the stage in version 23H2.

On the bright side, Copilot now functions as a standalone, windowed application that you can easily move around the taskbar, unpin, minimize, resize, and more. However, in Windows 11 version 24H2, it seems Copilot has “evolved” in the wrong direction. If you also find it less useful now, you’ll be glad to know that you can finally uninstall it—thanks, Microsoft.

Context menus

Ah, yes, the context menus—still buggy and slow. However, Microsoft has finally tackled a major issue by adding labels to common file actions like cut, copy, paste, share, rename, and delete. This is a significant improvement that should make it easier for new Windows 11 users to navigate and understand the context menus.

Unfortunately, Microsoft still seems unaware that languages beyond American English exist, leading to poor localization in many regions. Users often face abysmal machine translations, text truncation, and other issues that make the experience nearly unusable. It’s not just me venting about terrible cropping in the Ukrainian localization—ask users in the UK how they feel about file names being squeezed into postcodes.

File Explorer

Windows 11 users with Android phones now enjoy another handy feature—the ability to browse their phone’s file system directly within File Explorer. If you need to copy a file, simply open File Explorer and select your device from the navigation pane.

Version 24H2 introduces several File Explorer improvements, which are also available in 23H2. For instance, you can now duplicate File Explorer tabs and compress files into more archive formats, not just ZIP. TAR and 7Z are now supported, and you can also customize options like compression ratio and algorithm.

Settings

Lid and Power Button settings

You no longer need to use the legacy Control Panel or modify the Windows Registry to change what happens when you close your laptop’s lid or press the power button. These options are now conveniently found under Settings > System > Power & Battery.

Of course, lid settings are only available on devices with lids (laptops, obviously), while power button customization is also available on traditional desktop computers.

Energy plans

In Windows 11 version 24H2, you can now configure different power plans for when your device is plugged in and when it’s running on battery.

Energy saver

Microsoft has revamped the Energy Saver feature, claiming it is now more efficient. Additionally, Energy Saver is now available on desktop PCs, catering to environmentally conscious users.

Color management

A new settings section has been introduced where you can manage color profiles, adjust color settings, calibrate your display, and more. Previously, these options were only accessible through the old Control Panel.

Copilot+ PC exclusive features

Windows 11 version 24H2 on Copilot+ PCs offers several exclusive features that are unavailable on other systems. Here’s a list of those features:

• Windows Studio Effects can improve lighting, smooth your skin, blur the background, keep you in the frame, correct eye contact, and make other changes to make you look better during video calls.
• Live Captions generate subtitles in real-time for any audio playing from any app on your computer.
• Paint Cocreator allows generating images from your doddles in Paint.
• Image generation in the Photos app uses your prompts to create AI-made images.
• AutoSR upscales graphics in games and generates frames for a better gaming experience.

The standout feature of Copilot+ PCs is the much-debated Recall feature. However, we’re not discussing it yet, as it won’t return to Windows Insiders until October 2024. Since it’s not currently available, there’s nothing to review at the moment.

Other changes

Voice Clarity

Voice Clarity was previously limited to devices with Neural Processing Units, like the Surface Pro 9 5G and the latest Copilot+ PCs. However, Microsoft has optimized the AI model for Voice Clarity, reducing its performance impact. As a result, Voice Clarity now functions on traditional x86 PCs with Intel and AMD processors.

For reference, Voice Clarity can suppress background noise to make you sound better during video calls.

Dev Drive performance improvements

Developers will benefit from file system performance improvements in Windows 11 version 24H2, which now supports Block Cloning on Dev drives. In certain cases, block cloning can nearly double the speed of copying large files.

Windows Hotpatching

Windows 11 version 24H2 introduces hotpatching, a feature from Server editions, to regular users. Essentially, this allows Windows to install updates through smaller, incremental patches, saving time, bandwidth, and disk space. Additionally, hotpatching enables certain updates to be installed without requiring a restart, a welcome change in a world where almost everyone dreads Windows updates.

HDR wallpapers

If you have an HDR-capable monitor, you can now enjoy high-dynamic-range wallpapers by using JXR images. Additionally, Windows Spotlight becomes the default desktop background, but only if you clean-install version 24H2 or upgrade from a system with the default “Bloom” wallpaper.

Removed and deprecated apps

Windows 11 version 24H2 removes several stock applications that have been deprecated or discontinued. These include WordPad (which can be restored if needed—click here for more info), Cortana (unsurprisingly), the old Mail and Calendar app (replaced by the widely criticized web-based Outlook for Windows), as well as Maps, People, and Movies & TV.

Hardware requirements changes

Overall, Windows 11 still requires a computer with at least a seventh-generation Intel processor or a second-generation AMD Ryzen processor, along with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and Secure Boot—no changes there. What is new, however, is that the latest AI-powered features now require a Copilot+ PC with a Snapdragon X processor and a dedicated NPU.

There are some updates for users trying to run Windows 11 version 24H2 on unsupported hardware. The operating system no longer supports very old computers that lack the SSE4.2 instruction set. Even if you bypass the hardware requirements, the OS won’t boot on these machines.

Additionally, say goodbye to running Windows 11 on the original Windows on ARM devices with ARM v8 processors. ARM v8.1 is now the minimum requirement, meaning the Snapdragon 835 is no longer officially supported. While it was never officially compatible, it was still possible to run Windows 11 23H2 and earlier on older Windows on ARM devices by bypassing hardware requirements.

On a positive note, Wi-Fi 7 is now officially supported. So, if you’re considering upgrading to a Wi-Fi 7 network card and a compatible router, Windows 11 version 24H2 is ready for you.

Aside from that, Windows 11 version 24H2 doesn’t introduce any significant new hardware requirements. If you’re already running Windows 11 on a relatively modern computer (even an unsupported one), you’ll likely be able to run version 24H2 without any major changes.

I didn’t notice any performance difference while testing Windows 11 24H2 on my desktop with a Ryzen 5 5600X, 32GB of RAM, and an RX 7800 XT. Similarly, on my older laptop with an 11th-gen Intel Core i3 and 16GB of RAM, Windows 11 24H2 performed just as smoothly as version 23H2. Overall, it’s all good. However, your experience may vary depending on your specific hardware and software setup.

Overall, Windows 11 version 24H2 leaves a lukewarm impression. While there are improvements here and there, Microsoft has yet to address many of the major complaints. The Start menu remains underwhelming, dark mode is still lacking (there’s no option to auto-switch between light and dark modes), and Windows 10 still feels faster than its three-year-old successor. However, for those who have fully transitioned to Windows 11 and moved on from Windows 10, version 24H2 is a decent update that, at the very least, won’t make things worse. Personally, I’m fine with that.

In conclusion, Windows 11 version 24H2 brings a range of incremental updates and improvements that enhance user experience without drastically changing the overall feel of the operating system. From performance upgrades and better support for modern technologies like Wi-Fi 7 to new AI-powered features on select devices, Microsoft has made subtle but meaningful changes. However, some long-standing issues, such as the underwhelming Start menu and limited dark mode features, remain unaddressed. While the update may not revolutionize Windows 11, it offers a solid, stable experience for users who have already embraced the OS.

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