The big Windows 11 2024 Update (also known as Windows 11 24H2) is both a brand-new operating system but also one that’s been out for several months now. It’s Windows 12—but it’s also not. And its best features are really reserved for those who have invested in a next-generation Copilot+ PC powered by chips from Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD.
These seeming contradictions are at the heart of Windows 11 24H2, which began rolling out October 1 in a “phased” rollout that will last several weeks. But when you get it and what you get with it will all depend on whether you own a Copilot+ PC.
In other words, there’s a set of basic features that everyone will receive (including new energy-saving features for laptops and desktops, improved smartphone integration, and support for Wi-Fi 7 and the upgraded 80Gbps capabilities of USB4), along with more advanced features that are only available to Copilot+ PC users.
Microsoft describes the Windows 11 2024 Update as a “full operating system swap,” which signals it’s more than just a minor update.
Windows 11 24H2 has been out for months, natively shipping with the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 (fave.co/3YPPm3T) and Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (fave.co/3X7OXJ5). But since those devices came with Windows 11 24H2 preinstalled, we don’t yet know how much of a hassle it’ll be to actually upgrade. We’ll hopefully have that answer in the coming weeks.
Rather than exhaustively listing every new tweak, quirk, and detail, I’m just going to hit the biggest features and changes that I really like in Windows 11 24H2. Let’s start with the best and move down.
USE YOUR PHONE AS A WEBCAM
Phone Link has been one of the more interesting features in Windows (fave.co/405DhbG) that, for whatever reason, never quite caught on. But it’s getting a killer new feature that could turn out to be disastrous for the webcam industry: the ability to use your phone’s camera as a webcam.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 2024 من PCWorld.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 2024 من PCWorld.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Private Internet Access: A low-price, high-value VPN for everyone
This veteran VPN shows it can still hang with the best.
Hands-on: Kensington's first Thunderbolt 5 dock is built for the future
Thunderbolt 5 is here...but you'll need more than just this well-built Kensington dock to take advantage of it.
Tested: Intel's Lunar Lake chip wants you to forget Qualcomm laptops exist
Great battery life, mediocre performance, surprisingly decent gaming: That is how Intel's Lunar Lake chip stacks up.
7 laptop habits that coax the most out of your battery
Don't send your laptop into an early grave.
WordPad is gone from Windows 11. Here's how to bring it back
With the arrival of Windows 11 version 24H2, WordPad is officially gone. Want to keep using it? You're in luck.
Hackers know your social security number. Here's how to stay safe
Thanks to a multitude of data leaks, your most sensitive information is now easily accessible to the world.
20 insanely useful Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts I use every day
After so many years, I'm still discovering new keyboard shortcuts.
WHAT THE HECK IS AN NPU, ANYWAY? HERE'S AN EXPLAINER ON AI CHIPS
ALL PCS WILL SOON HAVE NEURAL PROCESSING UNITS. HERE'S WHAT THAT MEANS FOR YOU IN SIMPLE TERMS.
WINDOWS 11'S 2024 UPDAATE: 5 BIG CHANGES I REALLY LIKE (AND MORE)
WINDOWS 11'S ANNUAL UPDATE IS ROLLING OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
Hackers are using AI-generated code for malware attacks
Two separate attacks have been spotted using code that was probably written by artificial intelligence.
