We’ve known that for a long time The only major update for Windows 11 this year would be Windows 11 23H2and Microsoft decided on this model already last year, when 22H2 left the previous model with two big updates per year, which caused so many headaches in Redmond. Additionally, to offer a little more dynamism, I created a Moments image that is quite similar to the Service Packs that worked so well with Windows XP.

We’ve known that for a while too Microsoft’s plan prioritized work related to Windows 12given that the current version of the operating system has not reached the volume of users or the image that they would like in Redmond. Therefore, and although it comes with an interesting set of new features, we can classify Windows 11 23H2 as a minor update that, although it comes with some interesting improvements, does not represent a big difference compared to 22H2.

Over the past few months, and as some of this news has made its way to various Insiders channels, We were learning what to expect when it was deployed. Much of what’s new in Windows 11 23H2 was already expected, so what we were told today was more of a confirmation than a discovery.

Now, this does not mean that Windows 11 23H2 is an empty update. Bring interesting news, which justify its installation. Of course, as always with updates, we recommend that you do not install it immediately. Instead, wait a few days to see what the impact was on the systems that made the jump. Of course, if any problems are found, we will inform you immediately. Only if all goes well will the time be right to, yes, upgrade.

The most notable point of Windows 11 23H2 is what we expected, the arrival of Windows Copilot, an AI-based assistant integrated into the operating system that was announced in May of this year. As we already told you, today’s Microsoft event focused on artificial intelligence, so this Windows 11 feature had to be the protagonist. Something understandable, because this technology can significantly change the way we work with the operating system.

However, What they didn’t tell us today is what features the official Cortana replacement will debut with. Its latest version, which is the one we saw on the Beta channel of the Insiders program, had a rather limited selection, so the big question is whether it will remain the same, or if, on the contrary, Microsoft will surprise us by expanding its reach with a version that will arrive with Windows 11 23H2 .

Microsoft also announced that the integration Copilot in Windows 11 will have Windows + C hotkey (the one assigned to Cortana until she disappeared) with which we can quickly access its functions.

Another expected news, also due to the fact that it was seen in the Insiders deliveries, is major paint renovation. We already told you the part a few weeks ago when we told you that it will integrate an AI-based feature to remove the background from images. Now it turns out that it was only a part of what awaited us, because from his hand will also come a preview of Cocreator, generative AI and finally support for layers.

From his hand comes news also in Photos, as we told you a month ago, and also related to AI features like background blur. In addition, there have also been improvements to the search function on OneDrive for home and personal accounts, among which something that already exists in the photo applications for Android and iOS, the ability to search for photos based on where they are stored, stands out. took

However, there are doubts about the AI-based features. We know that they will be executed locally, that is, they will run on the user’s computer, not in the cloud, so It is expected that the team will need to have specific hardware to perform these types of tasks.. Either with processor or graphics card support. So we will have to wait until its deployment to check.

Other notable new features of Windows 11 23H2

Microsoft has announced that this Windows 11 update is coming with more than 150 new features, although it has only announced a small portion of them, which we understand to be the most notable. They are the following:

• Cut out tool– Screenshot tool adds new features such as the ability to extract text from an image for use in other applications. It will also allow audio capture to create a video with audio from what is displayed on the screen. In addition, it also has tools to enable actions such as text masking once captured.
• Notepad: Now when you close it, the contents of the tabs you have open will no longer be lost, but will be displayed again when you open it again. This has been present in Notepad++ for a long time and I personally admit that it is one of the reasons why I use the application regularly.
• Outlook for Windows: Microsoft’s new e-mail client for Windows, which has been available for several months in preview mode and with an initial deployment that was behind schedule, arrives in its final version with Windows 11 23H2.
• File browser: We also expected a good facelift in File Explorer, as we told you at the beginning of August. As we expected, we find here a modernized address bar and search field, as well as a new gallery function for more convenient access to images.
• Windows Backup: another tool announced a few months ago and with Windows 11 23H2 marks the jump to general availability. It has two main functions: the one indicated by its name, that is to create and maintain backup copies, and also the one to facilitate the transfer of files, applications and settings from one computer to another, something really convenient when we want to perform a migration .
• Accessibility: On that note, Microsoft is announcing new text-to-text capabilities and new natural voices in Narrator.
• Clipchamp: Microsoft’s video editing software service adds content-based automatic stacking while maintaining its premise of being an affordable proposition for all types of users.

With the arrival Windows 11 23H2, which will start deploying next Tuesday, September 26we will not only be able to test these new features, but also discover others that have not yet been announced by Microsoft.

More information: Microsoft