Windows 11 Gets its First Big Update of the Year With Copilot and Accessibility Improvements

Microsoft is releasing the first big Windows 11 update of the year today, with several improvements for its Copilot AI assistant, including plugins support, and other new features. However, most of the changes Microsoft announced today will roll out to early enthusiasts gradually via controlled feature rollouts (CFRs).

What we’re getting today is the latest “Moment” update for Windows 11, an internal term that the company never used publicly. It would probably be nice if Microsoft had a naming convention to make these updates stand out a little bit more. Anyway, today’s update is another substantial feature drop before the next annual update for the OS (24H2) is released later this fall.

The following Copilot improvements and other new experiences will be coming to Windows 11 versions 22H2 and 23H2 via Windows Update and Microsoft Store updates. Here are the main new features Microsoft announced today:

Plugin support for Copilot for Windows: The AI assistant can now interact with other services via plugins. OpenTable and Instacart are among the first supported plugins, with more services to come next month including Shopify, Klarna and Kayak.

New Copilot skills: In late March, Copilot in Windows will let users do more things such as turning Battery Saver on and off, emptying the Recycle Bin, accessing Accessibility features like Live Captions and Voice Access, and displaying available Wi-Fi networks.

New AI features in Photos and Clipchamp: The new Generative Erase feature in the Windows Photos app can now remove objects, shadows, and other distracting elements in pictures. The cloud-based Clipchamp video editor is also getting a new Silence Removal feature in preview today.

Better Android integration: Windows 11 will soon display notifications for recent photos taken on an Android smartphone. Moreover, Windows 11 users will be able to use their Android phone as a webcam on all video conferencing apps, similar to the Continuity Camera feature Apple introduced last year on iOS and macOS.

Voice Access improvements: With Voice Shortcuts, Windows 11 users can now create custom voice commands with one or multiple actions. Voice Access is also getting multi-display support, which will make voice commands work across all connected screens.

Windows Ink improvements: Windows Ink can now be used to input text in more apps including Photos, Paint, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger.

Windows Share improvements: The Windows Share window is adding Snapchat and Instagram as share targets, with more third-party services to come.

Snap Layout suggestions: The Snap feature on Windows 11 will now suggest to users the best ways to organize their opened apps based on the way they use them.

New Widgets board experience: The widgets board is getting a new left navigation pane that lets users switch between a new widgets-only experience and the traditional experience that mixes widgets and the Microsoft Start news feed.

New Windows 365 features: Windows 365 Boot is getting a new dedicated mode that lets users sign in to their Cloud PC using passwordless authentication. Windows 365 Switch will also make it easier to disconnect from a Cloud PC using Task View, and it’s also adding new desktop indicators to help users quickly find out whether they’re using their Cloud PC or local PC.

Windows Autopatch updates: IT pros are getting the ability to import update rings for Windows 10 and later, and Microsoft also promises improved data refresh speed and reporting accuracy. A simplified update management interface is also in the pipeline.

To get these new features as soon as they’re available, Windows 11 users running the version 22H2 and 23H2 of the OS will need to turn on the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” toggle in Windows Update and check for updates. Microsoft said that most of these features will be enabled in the March 2024 optional update, and the public rollout will start with the April 2024 Patch Tuesday update. As usual, IT pros will also be able to control the availability of these new features on managed devices.