Microsoft updates Windows 11 with improved Copilot, widgets and more | Top Vip News

Microsoft is starting to roll out a new update for Windows 11 that includes a host of improvements and new built-in features. Copilot in Windows 11 gets more options for controlling your PC as part of this update, along with a new Generative Erase option in Photos, voice shortcuts for accessibility, improved Snap layouts, changes to the widget system, and more.

While the Windows 11 update is available starting today, Microsoft says not all features will be enabled right away. The new Copilot options will begin rolling out at the end of March, allowing for new abilities like being able to ask the AI ​​chatbot to enable battery saving mode or launch accessibility features like Narrator or Magnifying Glass. Copilot will also be able to show available Wi-Fi networks, storage space, and even empty your recycle bin.

More AI-powered features are also coming to the built-in Photos app. A new generative erase feature will allow you to remove unwanted objects from a photo by simply selecting and deleting them. It’s similar to the magical AI selective photo erasers found on Google and Samsung devices. Clipchamp, Microsoft’s video editor, is also getting the ability to remove awkward silences from a video.

Microsoft is also improving the widgets and built-in Snap layouts features in Windows 11. Widgets have always been useful, but they are marred by Microsoft’s trash news feed from MSN. Now, you can finally turn off the “Microsoft Start” feed, and the Windows Widget Dashboard is also interoperable as part of Microsoft’s Digital Markets Act commitments to the European Commission. That means Google could create a plugin for the widget panel that displays content from Google News, for example.

The Snap feature in Windows 11 that makes it easy to resize app windows is getting smarter in this update, so it will now remember apps you snap frequently and suggest layouts automatically.

If you own a Windows tablet that has a stylus, this latest Windows 11 update also includes the ability to write directly in text boxes throughout the operating system. This includes Windows Ink support in apps like Photos, Paint, WhatsApp, and more.

The built-in casting feature that allows you to cast content to a nearby display in Windows 11 is also being improved. You’ll now receive notifications for suggestions to use Cast when multitasking, and there are improvements to Cast to offer help finding nearby displays and troubleshooting connection issues.

If you share Windows content with other devices or own an Android phone, this latest Windows 11 update has some improvements to make it easier to share content to and from devices. Nearby Share now has faster transfer speeds if you share with people or devices on the same network, and you can also give your PC a friendly name so others can recognize you more easily.

The Phone Link system in Windows 11 will now include the ability to access recent photos or use your phone as a webcam in video conferencing apps. The feature is being implemented starting today for Windows experts to test, using devices running Android 9 or higher and a link to the Windows app version 1.24012* or higher. To activate it, look in the settings menu for Bluetooth & mobile devices, select manage devices, and enable your PC to access your Android phone.

Last but not least, Microsoft is making some accessibility improvements in Windows 11. A new Voice Shortcuts feature lets you create custom commands to automate tasks in Windows 11’s voice access feature. This is like a macro for your voice, so in a single voice command, you can do things like automatically open a URL and perform a series of actions.

You’ll also be able to use voice access on multiple screens, including number and grid overlays on secondary screens. Microsoft is also improving its built-in Narrator feature in Windows 11, adding natural voices that use on-device text-to-speech once they have been downloaded to a device.

Microsoft will begin rolling out this new Windows 11 update today, but it may take some time for it to be available on your own device. If you want to get it right away, you’ll need to enable the “get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” option in Windows Update and then check for updates.

“Most of these new Windows 11 features will be enabled by default in the optional non-security preview in March 2024 for all editions of Windows 11, versions 23H2 and 22H2,” explains Yusuf Mehdi, executive vice president and director of consumer marketing at Microsoft. . “As is our usual practice, we will closely monitor the rollout of these new Windows 11 features and will continue to share timely information about the rollout status and known issues (open and resolved) through the website. Windows Version Status Dashboard and @Windows Update.”

Other important changes should come to Windows in the European Union soon. Microsoft is making changes to comply with the Digital Marketplace Act, including allowing users to remove Cortana and choose their search provider for Windows Search. Features will begin rolling out optionally ahead of the March 6 compliance deadline.

“We will begin enabling DMA changes through our controlled feature deployment technology in optional non-security releases in February and will soon release a public update on DMA progress,” said Aaron Grady, product manager for Windows. , in a statement sent by email.

Update February 29 at 3 pm ET: Added details for support for Windows Insider deployment testing for Android devices such as webcams.