Windows 11 gets first big update — Here are the new features
Microsoft started rolling out its first major annual update for Windows 11 this week, launching new features including Start menu folders, Live Captions across the operating system, and improvements to Snap Layouts.
The first allows users to drag apps on top of each other to create folders, which can be moved around the menu freely.
Users can also now resize the Start menu’s pinned area to make the recommended section smaller, placing more emphasis on their apps.
The taskbar has also been updated to bring back drag and drop capability that was available in Windows 10.
One of Windows 11’s staple features — Snap Layouts — allows users to more easily resize and organise multiple apps or File Explorer windows on their desktop.
With the 2022 update, Snap Layouts gets a new snap bar that appears as an overlay at the top of the screen whenever the user drags a window.
In addition, Microsoft has improved touch navigation with Snap Layouts and added support for the feature when using Microsoft Edge tabs.
Regarding accessibility, the update introduces system-wide live captions to generate text from any audio content on Windows 11 and a new voice access feature, which lets users control their PC and write text using only their voice.
The Narrator has also been enhanced with more natural speech, which Microsoft said would create pleasant-sounding audio in reading or browsing the web.
For gamers, Windows 11’s Auto HDR and Variable Refresh Rate features will now be supported when playing in windowed mode.
Microsoft has also promised lower latency for older DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 titles running in windowed mode.
Finally, Microsoft has also added Windows Studio Effects, a feature that allows users to enhance video and audio calls made using their computer’s integrated web camera.
Windows chief product officer Panos Panay also shared other new features coming to Windows 11 from October 2022 as part of more iterative updates, such as:
- File Explorer enhancements — Includes bringing tabs to File Explorer.
- Photos app update — A new photos-managing experience will offer a “gorgeous” gallery, and simplify browsing, finding, management and consumption of photo collections.
- Suggested Actions on Copy — Copy phone numbers, future dates and get suggested actions such as making a call with Teams or Skype or adding an event in the Calendar app.
- Taskbar Overflow — Taskbar will offer an entry point to an overflow menu that allows you to view all your overflowed apps in one space.
- Share to more devices — Discover and share to more devices including desktops using nearby share.
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