Microsoft Ships a Second Pre-23H2 Preview Update for Windows 11 (Updated)
- Paul Thurrott
- Oct 26, 2023
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Microsoft isn’t quite ready to deliver Windows 11 version 23H2, and so it has shipped a second preview version of its Fall Update instead as KB5031455, or the 2023-10 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 version 22H2.
Microsoft doesn’t document this, but I believe there is one big difference between this update and last month’s preview update (KB5030310): If you install this build, I believe you will in fact get all of the features that Microsoft promised for the Fall Update, like Copilot, Windows Backup, a modernized File Explorer, and more. (The PCs I have here in Mexico are all on 23H2 already, so I can only test this theory in virtual machines.) Supporting this theory, the release notes for the September preview update did not list all those features, but this one does.
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(UPDATE: Yes, this should enable all the new features automatically. –Paul)
In addition to the big-bang features, this preview update will also add other features like dynamic lighting customization options for hardware makers and various fixes. It also makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the system component that installs Windows updates.
Oh, and if you are on Windows 11 version 23H2 already, as I am, there’s a non-preview version of this update (KB5031455) available for you as well. Interesting. (UPDATE: Microsoft later revealed that this build was going out to the Windows Insider Program’s Release Preview channel. –Paul)