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.
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