Microsoft is likely to release the Windows 11 23H2 update on September 21, 2023, at the Surface event in New York. The update is also referred to as the “Moment 4” update and will have OS build number 22631. The features mentioned below are currently being tested on Windows 11 Dev and Release Preview channels.
While it’s not confirmed, this might be the last feature update for Windows 11. According to earlier speculations, Windows 12 is likely to be released in 2024, hence, Moment 4 will be the last update serviced to Windows 11. With that out of the way, let’s go ahead and learn about the new Windows 11 23H2 features.
Windows 11 23H2: Best New FeaturesMicrosoft is working to bring native AI experiences to Windows 11 through Windows Copilot. This is going to be the headline feature of the 23H2 build. It’s basically an AI chatbot similar to Bing Sidebar but supports some local actions as well. You can ask the Copilot to turn on dark mode, take a screenshot, and do other Windows 11 tasks using natural language.
In addition, unlike the Bing Sidebar, Windows Copilot will work system-wide. You can press “Windows + C” to instantly open Windows Copilot from any interface. Having said that, local actions are limited at the moment. Microsoft says that support for third-party actions will be added in the near future which is amazing. If you are on the Dev build, you can enable Windows Copilot on Windows 11 right away.
Redesigned File ExplorerWith the 22H2 update, Microsoft brought tabbed File Explorer to Windows 11. And now, with the 23H2 update, it’s improving the File Explorer further with new enhancements. Some elements of the new File Explorer are rewritten in XAML like the homepage, header, address bar, details pane, and more. It’s an attempt by Microsoft to modernize the File Explorer UI and remove the legacy components.
Moreover, the 23H2 update adds a new Gallery View to the File Explorer from your OneDrive and Phone Link. You can seamlessly view your photos and videos in a timeline from various sources right inside the File Explorer. Next, there is a new Details pane & a streamlined Homepage integrated with OneDrive and Office files. Overall, the Windows 11 23H2 update completes the modernization work in File Explorer.
Ungroup Taskbar AppsGradually, Microsoft is listening to community demands and adding the missing features to the Windows 11 Taskbar. With the Windows 11 23H2 update, the company is finally bringing the ability to ungroup apps and labels on the Taskbar. This setting will let you customize whether you want to combine the apps on the Taskbar or not.
For power users, this is a meaningful change, and I’m sure many old-school users will appreciate this feature being resurrected. By the way, if you want to ungroup Taskbar apps on Windows 11, follow our linked article.
Built-in Cloud BackupOn Android and iOS, we are accustomed to seamless cloud backups, and Microsoft is following in the same footsteps on Windows 11. With the Windows 11 23H2 release, Microsoft is bringing a native cloud backup tool powered by OneDrive. It can back up your files, settings preferences, Microsoft Store apps, and more to the cloud. So when the next time, you move to a new PC, it can restore your personalized settings and apps with just a click. That’s pretty cool, right?
RAR, 7Z, Tar.gz File SupportFor many years, users have been asking for more archive file format support on Windows. And finally, with the Windows 11 23H2 update, you can natively compress and extract archive formats like RAR, 7Z, Tar.gz, and more. This means you can easily open a 7Z or RAR file and extract data without using 7-Zip or WinRAR.
By the way, Windows 11 already supports ZIP out of the box. According to the Windows blog, support for more archive formats like .tar, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.zst, .tar.xz, .tgz, .tbz2, .tzst, .txz, .rar, .7z, etc. have been added using the libarchive open-source project.
New Dev Home AppAt the Microsoft Build 2023 event, the company announced a new “Dev Home” app especially for developers to set up their development environment quickly and seamlessly. And it’s likely the new Dev Home app will ship with the Windows 11 23H2 build out of the box.
With the Dev Home app, you will be able to connect your GitHub account, monitor push and merge changes, install apps via winget, add performance-centric widgets, and more.
Apart from that, you also get a new Dev Drive feature that can be formatted as a ReFS partition (Resilient File System). You can use it to create a virtual hard drive that can be utilized for software development. Due to the ReFS partition, you will see a 30% performance jump in various operations.
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