New Windows 11 Insider Build Makes Windows Update More Eco-Friendly

Windows 11 PC with Start Menu

Microsoft has just released the Windows 11 Preview build 22567 for Insiders in the Dev Channel, which introduces a new change to make Windows updates more eco-friendly. With this new feature, Windows 11 will aim to schedule update installations on plugged-in PCs when these devices are the most susceptible to leverage renewable energy.

“Most electrical grids are powered by multiple sources, including renewables and fossil fuels. Whenever possible, Windows 11 will now prioritize installing updates in the background at times when greater amounts of clean energy sources (like wind, solar, and hydro) are available,” the Windows Insider team explained.

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday — and get free copies of Paul Thurrott's Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (normally $9.99) as a special welcome gift!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

This new Windows Update feature will roll out gradually on the Dev Channel, and it will only be enabled in regions where regional carbon intensity data is available from Microsoft’s partners electricityMap and WattTime.

The Windows 11 Insider build 22567 also updates the Microsoft 365 subscription management experience in the Settings app. Insiders will now be able to view payment details within the subscription card experience, and Microsoft has also added some information about the Microsoft 365 benefits to the “Your Microsoft account” page for Windows 11 users who have yet to subscribe.

In this build, Windows Insiders will also notice that the “Open with” dialog box now follows the Windows 11 design guidelines, and Microsoft added an option to update your default app with just one click. The company has also started testing Smart App Control (SAC), a new security feature providing enhanced protection from untrusted apps.

If Microsoft is continuing to test new Windows 11 features with a subset of Insiders, today’s Windows 11 build 22567 also brings the redesigned Task Manager to all Insiders in the Dev Channel. There are also many other bug fixes for the Taskbar, Start Menu, File Explorer, and other experiences in this new build.

Tagged with

Share post

Please check our Community Guidelines before commenting

Conversation 14 comments

  • SvenJ

    02 March, 2022 - 2:21 pm

    <p>Guess installing updates during peak renewable hours is something you have to look at in aggregate. </p>

    • hrlngrv

      Premium Member
      02 March, 2022 - 3:54 pm

      <p>One of the <em>aggregate</em> considerations would be how much energy is needed to keep a PC running from, say, 10:00 PM when one’s done for the day to 3:30 AM when peak renewable sources occurs. I’m not a power systems engineer, but I’m skeptical that waiting HOURS powered on for the ideal time to upgrade saves any power compared to updating immediately when the update becomes available so that the PC could be powered off/suspend when not in use. IOW, I figure this is 99.44% BS from MSFT, par for the course.</p>

      • lvthunder

        Premium Member
        02 March, 2022 - 5:31 pm

        <p>What makes you think peak renewable is 3:30AM? It’s probably in the middle of the day sometime when the solar panels are at their peak. I don’t think the moon is doing much for the solar panels.</p>

      • VMax

        Premium Member
        03 March, 2022 - 12:28 am

        <p>You can just click the ElectricityMap link to see that, at least in some places, peak renewable energy is in the middle of the day. Even if it’s in the middle of the night, if the machine was going to be asleep anyway, what’s the issue with having it wake and do the updates at the most efficient time? Nobody suggested it would have to be left running the whole time.</p>

        • whistlerpro

          03 March, 2022 - 5:06 am

          <p>In the UK they are talking about introducing peak pricing for electricity as smart meters roll out, so this kind of scheduled power use is going to become more of a thing over time, not less.</p>

  • taswinfan

    02 March, 2022 - 2:35 pm

    <p>The app picker prompt looks much better and nice to streamline the selection by not having to click twice to set a program as default always.</p>

  • Zeppelyn56

    Premium Member
    02 March, 2022 - 3:27 pm

    <p>Wow, this getting beyond parody.</p>

    • hrlngrv

      Premium Member
      02 March, 2022 - 3:50 pm

      <p>Which, MSFT’s blather or Giret’s uncritical zero-value-added recapitulation?</p>

      • philbypond

        Premium Member
        02 March, 2022 - 4:09 pm

        <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I for one appreciate the notification of technological new features being introduced even if there is no evaluation of said feature – similar to when they tell us what new products are introduced at trade shows or company events. User comments can offer their opinions of the good, the bad, and the ugly if they so desire. </span>Not ever article needs to have a critique/review by Giret or Paul, although those type of posts are always welcome and informative. </p>

      • jimchamplin

        Premium Member
        02 March, 2022 - 5:56 pm

        <p>I’m sure he’s had time to evaluate this feature and come up with a thoughtful… Wait </p><p><br></p><p>This update just landed. Nobody has had a chance to review it ?</p>

  • Zeppelyn56

    Premium Member
    02 March, 2022 - 5:54 pm

    <p>Sorry, was not referring to the article but the fact MS would concern themselves with such irrelevant nitty gritty.</p>

  • dnationsr

    Premium Member
    03 March, 2022 - 2:38 pm

    <p>not on mine</p><p><br></p>

  • Rob_Wade

    03 March, 2022 - 5:15 pm

    <p>The only energy I care about is how quickly it uses my battery. That said, I had to roll it back on my Surface Pro 6. Three times I updated to it. Each time, within 60 seconds of the final reboot it crashed to Green Screen. I don’t have time for this. But it just adds to just how much I hate Windows 11. It’s digusting.</p>

  • ekim

    Premium Member
    03 March, 2022 - 7:31 pm

    <p>I hope they get the new media player to work properly. After filing literally dozens of problem reports to Microsoft, they finally got Groove working pretty well. Then, they put this unfinished program out replacing Groove which says I have no music in my music library and that’s when it’s not just locking up. Now I have to use the old Windows Media Player on my Win11 PCs (which really looks dated). Funny thing is, despite its appearance works perfectly.</p><p><br></p><p>I have a massive private collection and still need this functionality – especially on my living room system. Why can’t they get this stuff to work? I guess it’s my fault for letting it update to Windows 11 but when I made that choice this new media player wasn’t even being talked about yet.</p>

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Thurrott © 2024 Thurrott LLC