The 2024 Windows 11 update is a larger and more detailed version compared to the 2023 update; This update not only improves the performance of the operating system but also facilitates the use of Windows 11 with user experience changes.

In addition, this version sees improvements to the operating system with a faster x86 emulator layer for ARM-based PCs, and a variety of new AI features are added to systems with a dedicated NPU. With this account, the 24H2 version is different from the previous updates in another way; Because for the first time, some features are designed for a specific type of hardware system.

Therefore, users who do not use Copilot Plus PCs will not have access to some of these features; including the controversial feature of Windows Recall and creating images with productive artificial intelligence in the Photos application.

Of course, due to the nature of Microsoft’s continuous updates, you may have experienced some of the features that we review below before receiving 24H2; Or don’t even have access to some of them after the update.

Unlike previous years, Microsoft released the 2024 update of Windows 11 in two separate branches for the first time. The update was first rolled out to Copilot Plus PCs on June 18, 2024, which means that users using newer laptops equipped with Snapdragon X processors have already received the update.

But other users still have to wait a little longer to receive the 2024 Windows 11 update. It is expected that this version will be available to users of other systems at the end of September.

According to the previous routine of Windows updates, Microsoft has again applied changes and optimizations to the taskbar and start menu in the 2024 update of Windows 11. In this version, we see the new Phone Link feature, which is located next to the start menu and shows the user an overview of the phone’s status and recent photos.

Another change of the start menu can be seen in the Recommended section: now the recently installed programs are grouped under one item, and the user can see all newly installed programs by clicking on it.

This item also shows the most used apps along with “recommended” apps and websites. Recommended apps and websites are things that Microsoft thinks the user is likely to see.

In the Taskbar section, we see several changes and improvements starting from the System Tray. At first glance, the simplification of this section is eye-catching and noticeable: System Tray no longer shows the full format of date and time, but in the new layout, the clock is seen without AM and PM symbols and the date with day and month, without year. In addition, the bell icon will remain hidden until the Do Not Disturb option is activated.

These changes make the System Tray cleaner and tidier, but if users prefer the same old format, they can go back to the old layout.

Microsoft has also completely revamped the Quick Settings panel in the 2024 update to make it faster and easier to customize. In the new version of 24H2, quick settings are paged and are very similar to the interface of Android phones: users just need to click, drag, and drop the icons to arrange them. In the same way, less-used icons can be moved to the bottom of the overflow screen.

One of the negative points of these changes is that it is no longer possible to hide unused icons. All the quick settings options will be in the menu and the user will have to manually move the buttons they don’t want to use to the bottom of the screen behind the grid layout. The previous version of Windows 11 had the ability to show and hide some quick settings icons, but unfortunately, we have lost this ability now.

The last minor change in this section is the Wi-Fi icon, which turns into a moving icon while the system tries to connect to the network.

The first version of Windows 11 introduced a new modern menu on the File Explorer screen, which had a new layout by hiding the old options. Some changes to this design were desirable and others were confusing.

For example, common actions such as cut, copy, paste, and rename were placed in a row of small, untitled icons, but other options appeared vertically with their old labels. This design made the situation a little difficult; Because many users did not know what each of the nameless icons do at first glance.

Microsoft seems to have paid attention to user feedback. In the 2024 update, the most frequently used tasks are once again shown above the right-click menu in horizontal rows, but in a much larger size and with a related title. So choosing the option you are looking for will be easy and fast.

Inside File Explorer, the 2024 update has added the possibility of creating new archive formats. In fact, in version 23H2, Microsoft added the ability to extract 7-zip and TAR files natively in File Explorer, but it was not possible to create these formats. File Explorer now supports creating 7z and TAR files just like ZIP files.

In this section, an even more advanced interface is considered, which allows you to choose the type of compression you want when choosing 7z or TAR. However, this feature lands you in the old Windows interface, which doesn’t support dark mode at all. The question is, why didn’t Microsoft try harder to provide a modern user interface specifically for such a simple task?

Finally, Microsoft has updated File Explorer’s home page with a new Shared view that gives the user an overview of all current activity on files shared with others.

However, Dark Mode’s core problems persist. Microsoft introduced the dark mode in November 2015 with Windows 10, and since then this feature has not evolved and there are old bugs in this update. For example, the File Properties section, the Run bar, the Registry app, the File Copy box, and many other apps still don’t support dark mode. Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn’t seem to have any plans to change and improve these things.

The new Windows 11 update has implemented changes in the Microsoft CoPilot program that we cannot consider completely positive. In the previous version of Windows, Copilot acted like a sidebar on the right side of the browser screen, which caused other open programs to be compressed to make room for this program’s activities.

Many users did not like this mode and preferred to work with Copilot like a separate window of other programs. Now, in the 24H2 version of Windows 11, Copilot has become an independent program and no longer appears as a sidebar. Additionally, Copilot is pinned to the taskbar and users can drag and drop to reposition it or remove it entirely.

Also, like all programs, after opening Copilot, you can change the size of its window and move the page anywhere you want.

These changes seem quite logical on paper, but experts believe that in practice, the new Copilot has been disconnected from Windows. Let’s not forget that Copilot is ultimately a web application hosted by Microsoft Edge. As a sidebar edge, Copilot had more integration with the operating system, but now it doesn’t even have the ability to control some Windows settings and it doesn’t understand any of the Windows commands.

In general, some experts say that this program has been degraded as an artificial intelligence-based assistant, and now it is not very effective in the form of an online chatbot. Ideally, Microsoft could integrate Copilot into Windows and include offline support for it, so that the program responds to local commands and relies less on the Internet.

But the positive point of Kopilot’s changes is its updated user interface, which is more organized clear, and easy to work with. On the left side of this program’s screen, there is a new sidebar that displays all the user’s conversations with the chatbot and starts a new conversation with one click.

Microsoft has made major changes to a set of built-in apps that used to be known as default Windows apps. By installing the new update, these programs will be removed from Windows:

• Windows Mail
• Windows Calendar
• Cortana
• Maps
• People
• Movies & TV
• WordPad

Although most of these apps have been deprecated, Movies & TV and Maps will still be available for download through the Microsoft Store. Other programs are being left out for now; Because Microsoft has considered modern alternatives for them, which will be placed in their proper place starting with this version.

As expected, Copilot will replace Cortana, although as a “Windows assistant” it has fewer features than Cortana. Microsoft recommends using Notepad for simple text files or Word for more complex text documents instead of WordPad.

Windows Mail, Calendar, and People applications, which used to manage e-mails, events, and contacts in the three main pillars of the operating system, have now been replaced by a single program called Outlook, which has been developed as a new client and will eventually replace the classic and old Outlook.

Unfortunately, the new Outlook client doesn’t work well; This program is actually a web application that is much heavier and slower than the programs it replaces. Notifications appear at longer intervals, the application itself takes longer to load, and it is basically impossible to use it with a touchscreen.

Some experts who have reviewed the new update do not consider the new Outlook to be a suitable replacement for the default programs of Windows 11 such as calendar and email, because it is not similar to the native programs and it is not easy and enjoyable to use. Essential applications such as email and calendar should showcase the power and efficiency of the native Windows application platform, rather than acting as a web application.

The Photos app is equipped with several productive artificial intelligence features, some of which are also available on non-CoPilate Plus computers. For example, users can use the AI ​​eraser to remove spots and small items from photos, or with another tool, add a blur effect to the background image or remove it altogether.

Also, the Photos app now has quick shortcuts to Microsoft’s creative tools like Designer and Clipchamp, allowing users to transfer an image to a new project on another service.

The Microsoft Store app now separates the app library from downloads and updates. This makes it easier for users to distinguish between apps they have available to install from apps that are already installed or apps that need updating.

First of all, we should remind you that Microsoft Recall is an exclusive feature for Copilot Plus PCs: systems with at least 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage space, and NPUs with a power of 40 tops. Any systems purchased before June 18, 2024, will not have these features and will therefore not have access to the Microsoft Recall feature.

Copilot Plus users can activate the recall artificial intelligence option when starting their system. The use of this feature is completely optional and if the user is not comfortable with its concept and function, he can not activate the recall.

Microsoft has several security initiatives in place for users who choose to use this feature to ensure that user data remains secure:

For example, while Recall is collecting data, an icon is permanently displayed in the system tray. This icon cannot be hidden or removed, as it is designed to keep the user informed of data collection. Also, by clicking on this icon, the user can enter a page that allows to quickly stop the recall.

Windows Recall is a brand-new feature that focuses on protecting people’s privacy first and foremost. Users will have a lot of control over what Recall sees and how long it runs. Additionally, Recall cannot see private web browsing content. Also, users can put their desired programs and websites on the blacklist so that they cannot be seen by Recall (for example, Telegram or WhatsApp).

The next security measure that Microsoft has considered for users is the ability to configure and adjust the time period that the recall data remains on the system. According to their experience, some experts say that this program performs better when it keeps data for a longer period of time. But the final decision is made by the user himself and he can set this time between a few days and a few months.

After being aware of the security issues and measures, Recall seems to provide a completely new experience to the user: for example, the user can go back through this program and see what he did in the previous days and weeks. From this point of view, recall can be considered a useful feature to increase productivity, of course, if the user actively uses it.

The logical search aspect of the recall program is also interesting and effective. Recall uses artificial intelligence to recognize not only text but also images and colors in screenshots. Therefore, users can use descriptive language to search for their desired subject, even if they do not have specific search criteria.

For example, when a user types “red dress with yellow handbag”, recall will display every instance that includes a red dress with a yellow handbag on the screen. When the user finds the red dress they want among the samples, they can reopen the same web page directly from Windows Recall with one click.

Microsoft has already promised to bring more security features to the recall, such as app locking and biological authentication with Windows Hello. More features are also likely to be added to the app, such as topic categorization, which means that Recall will automatically group screenshots of similar items it has seen into groups that make them easier and faster to access.

Microsoft has stated that it does not upload the recall snapshots to the cloud, instead, the collected data is encrypted locally on the system. Perhaps this will give more reassurance to users who are concerned about the security of their data.

Read more: How to make Windows 11 look like Windows 10?

Windows Recall is not the only special artificial intelligence feature of Kopilot Plus systems. In fact, Microsoft has designed a set of these features exclusively for these devices equipped with powerful NPUs, which according to experts, only half of them are really useful.

One of these features is the ability to create photos in Windows 11’s Paint and Photos programs. Since a year ago, users could produce photos with Copilot, but on PCs with Copilot Plus, this is done locally without the need for Copilot.

The Photos app has been updated with a built-in image generator that allows the user to type in a request. The Photos app then uses the power of the NPU on the device to generate multiple images based on the given request.

Experts describe the results of this feature as “good”. Although these images are not as impressive and realistic as some of the current online AI programs produce, Microsoft’s attempt to localize this process is undeniable. Again, it depends on the user for what purpose and for what purpose he needs artificial intelligence images.

Although one of the goals of using NPU is the ability to produce artificial intelligence photos offline, in practice, users cannot receive an image in offline mode; Because Microsoft needs an online connection to make sure users don’t create illegal images with blacklisted commands. So in this scenario, when the internet connection is lost, the system’s internal NPU is essentially useless.

These criticisms to a large extent also apply to the Paint program, which is now equipped with artificial intelligence. It is strange that the quality of the photos produced in the Paint program varies greatly, and in any case, the use of this program requires an Internet connection.

Unlike the Photos program, which generates images from scratch according to the user’s instructions, Paint actually gets ideas from the designs that the user has drawn. Microsoft calls this feature Cocreator, and it allows Paint to draw a more advanced version of whatever the user has drawn.

Now it’s time to talk about the more useful features of Copilot Plus, such as Live Captions. Windows has provided users with its built-in subtitle tool for some time, but you need to be connected to the Internet to use it. For CoPilot Plus systems, this requirement is no longer there: Live Captions now uses the NPU on the device to convert audio to English text locally, and according to experts, it performs well.

Microsoft also added new Studio Effects to Windows 11 with the 2024 update that works based on NPU. These effects consist of innovative new filters that, for example, smooth the skin of the audience and apply an artistic visual style to the live video feed. Also, a new portrait light feature has been added that illuminates the subject’s face in dark environments.

One of the attractive features of Studio Effects can be considered automatic framing which keeps the subject in the center of the photo. The portrait background blur feature also gives the user’s live video feed a blurred, soft, and natural background. There are also two eye contact modes: Teleprompter and Standard, neither of which looks very realistic.

And finally, the AutoSR feature to improve the graphics of older Windows games. By adding more frames, AutoSR makes games run smoother and upscales low-resolution textures without affecting game performance. Simply put, this feature allows older games to look and run better on modern hardware.

Experts who have reviewed this feature evaluate its performance as completely positive. AutoSR is automatically enabled on a short list of games, but users can manually turn it on for any game they want.

In general, the features of Kopilot Plus PCs cannot be evaluated as positive or negative. Windows Recall, Advanced Studio Effects, Live Captions, and AutoSR all seem like interesting and useful features, while local image generation in Photos and Paint is mostly promotional, at least for now.

Perhaps in the future, we will see more Windows features using NPUs, because for now many of Windows’ artificial intelligence capabilities do not rely heavily on these valuable neural units.

Windows 11 24H2 is the first update in two years that brings real changes and improvements to the platform, meaning that the underlying changes are designed to improve the overall user experience. These changes are most noticeable on computers using ARM-based processors (from the Snapdragon 850 to the latest Snapdragon X chips).

Microsoft says it has redesigned Windows 11 specifically for ARM chips, resulting in faster overall performance on PCs that use these chips. Even older devices like the Surface Pro X will benefit from a slight performance improvement by upgrading to the 24H2 version. This is more visible when the user opens applications or operating system menus.

Additionally, the emulator layer for x86 applications has been redesigned for ARM PCs. This emulator, called PRISM, runs some programs up to 10% faster. Of course, programs on older ARM computers still run with the same simulated feel, but not as slowly as before.

The Windows Update system is mainly focused on improving the updating experience and reducing downtime. For this reason, Windows now supports “Hotpatching” so that security updates and bug fixes can be done without the need to reboot the system.

In the 2024 update, we see several new options in the Windows Setting program. For example, modern mouse settings include more options. Users can now adjust scrolling behavior and direction and enable or disable advanced mouse precision directly in the modern Settings app.

Microsoft has also improved the power settings with the new update. Now, regardless of whether the laptop is connected to electricity or not, users can adjust their desired power settings; previously, to change the settings connected to the battery when the laptop was connected to the power, you had to disconnect the system from the power first.

Battery optimization has also been renamed to “Energy Saver” and is now available to users on PCs without batteries. Energy Saver not only increases battery life but also lowers power consumption. This is done by reducing background activities and services and may even slow down the clock speed. Since these changes are intended to reduce power consumption, they will also be applied to desktop PCs.

All in all, the Windows 11 2024 Update has undeniable benefits that focus on improving day-to-day operations while also bringing new features and platform upgrades. Updates to the Start menu and File Explorer can be seen as Microsoft’s effective efforts in this regard, as is the deeper integration of the system with Phone Link, which turns the smartphone into an add-on to Windows.

In the new version of Windows, we will see the improvement of the system tray and quick settings, both of which have a cleaner and more organized effect. Animated taskbar icons when showing page previews will probably be welcomed by the audience.

It seems that the new AI features, most of which are specific to Copilot Plus PCs, have a mix of “good” and “bad” features. For example, the Windows Recall feature could have many uses, but to date, it has been overshadowed by security concerns and has hampered Windows’ AI efforts.

Experts consider Windows Studio’s advanced effects and AutoSR to be great new features, but these features alone are unlikely to entice users to buy Copilot Plus systems.

Among other benefits of this update, we can mention the improvement of the Windows Update user experience and the improvement of Windows performance in systems based on ARM chips such as Surface Pro X. In recent years, there have been few software updates that improve the performance of older systems, and in this sense, the new Windows update is considered a desirable and special option in the world of operating systems.

However, the new programs of Windows Copilot and Outlook are considered a step backward. It cannot be justified that Copilot, as a system assistant, cannot open Windows programs or control settings. Also, the new Outlook is essentially a web-only application that is heavier and slower than the older programs it replaces.

Finally, the continuation of the incomplete dark mode of Windows at this stage seems unprofessional. It’s been almost 10 years since Windows dark mode was introduced, and Microsoft still hasn’t enabled this feature in all parts of Windows. Many windows and applications that users deal with on a daily basis do not support dark mode, and this certainly affects the user experience.