Windows 11 2023 (23H2) update: Everything we know so far. Since Windows 11’s first release in late 2021, Microsoft has added a tonne of new features, but it appears that more are set to follow.
Before File Explorer tabs were finally included in a later October 2022 upgrade, a lot of new functionality was added in September’s 22H2 release. Then, in February 2023, a new set of new features were made available.
This seems to be the direction Windows 11 is headed in—frequent, smaller upgrades instead of a major update once a year. Despite this, we can still anticipate a 23H2 update because we still receive annual feature updates. Here is all the information you require.
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Windows 11 2023 (23H2) update: Everything we know so far:
Microsoft announced that it was switching from the half-yearly method of Windows 10 to annual feature upgrades with the release of Windows 11. It is plausible to predict that the 23H2 update will be delivered around the same time in 2023 as the 22H2 update, released in September 2022.
That is still the case, despite a July 2022 Windows Central article’s suggestion that it would be replaced by a series of feature-rich “Moment” updates spread out over the year.
It appears to be accurate but in addition to a feature upgrade, not in place of it. Microsoft appeared to indicate that version 23H2 is coming in a post on its community site in February 2023:
“windows 11 pro will continue to release a new version in the second half of the year, on an annual feature update cadence.”
You should anticipate a 23H2 upgrade, according to both Windows Latest and Windows Central, with the latter predicting a delivery in September or October 2023. Here’s Windows 11 2023 update.
However, you probably won’t be able to install a significant update right soon. Microsoft continues to increase availability to control demand, giving priority to newer devices. However, it shouldn’t take as long as the initial deployment of Windows 11 did. Windows 11 2023
Will all existing Windows 11 devices be compatible with version 23H2?
Yes, most certainly. In the name of security, Microsoft imposed radical new hardware requirements for Windows 11, making it impossible for many older systems to update.
There are no indications that it’ll happen again before Windows 11’s lifespan ends.
It’s possible that things will be different when Windows 12, which is rumored to launch in 2024, but it would be shocking if Microsoft stopped all Windows 11 machines from receiving smaller upgrades like 23H2.
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What new features will be available in the Windows 23H2 update?
Although the 23H2 upgrade isn’t anticipated for some time, we already know what to anticipate.
The codename SV3 (Sun Valley 3) for the 2023 feature upgrade is reportedly “confirmed” by Microsoft, according to a Windows Latest article from June 2022. This was based on updates to the Windows Insider Program’s experimental Dev channel, which mention both “copper” and “SV3,” the latter of which is also thought to be a codename.
Version 23H2 won’t be a “major platform release,” according to author Zac Bowden in a December 2022 Windows Central post. In general, there won’t be many noteworthy adjustments or added features.
However, in a video from April 2022, Bowden and his coworker Daniel Rubino talk about what the 23H2 update would involve. There are several important insights worth knowing about despite the important caveat that this could all change – both are dependable writers with a solid track record reporting Windows news.
Despite removing the specialized tablet mode from Windows 10 for Windows 11, Microsoft is still working to make the operating system more touch-friendly. Bowden believes there will be more to come, with version 23H2 perhaps reintroducing a separate tablet user interface (UI). Mayank Parmar of Windows Latest concurs and predicts a taskbar appropriate for tablets in 2023.
In other places, Bowden thinks that the upgrade will help Windows and Android connect even better. Microsoft recently redesigned the Your Phone companion app and changed its name to “Phone Link.” This makes a lot of sense because Microsoft is rumored to be introducing a book-style folding phone in 2023 (instead of the dual-screen Surface Duo 3).
In addition, according to Bowden, version 23H2 may mark the debut of a system-wide dark mode. Originally planned for the 2021 launch of Windows 11, there is little indication that it will happen this year either.
Later on in the video, Rubino predicts that Windows 11-powered foldable will have a strong year in 2023. The Surface Duo 3, which was first assumed to be part of that, has reportedly been delayed until 2024 and may even be scrapped altogether, according to speculations.
Zac Bowden asserts in a January 2023 article on Windows Central that Windows 11 would soon receive a revamped File Explorer, possibly in the 23H2 release. Microsoft had included tabs in an update from October 2023, but this appears to take a step further.
According to Bowden, the app will gain a fresh, contemporary look and will put more of an emphasis on interaction with services like OneDrive and Microsoft 365. Mock-ups created internally claim that this will feature a ‘Recommended’ area on the home page with large thumbnails, more in-depth information about files, and a stronger search engine.
In addition, Bowden promises that the “Gallery” area will be improved to work better with touch input in addition to pointer and mouse input. Microsoft, meanwhile, is reportedly unclear on whether to include a keyword and color tagging option similar to macOS.
You may be able to pin widgets to the desktop in a future version, according to a Windows Central article from May 2023. In 2021, Windows 11 was released, and a year later, the Widgets panel was made available to third-party apps.
Although it is comparable to the Windows Desktop Gadgets feature in Windows 7, this appears to be the obvious next step. Although the actual release date is unknown, the 23H2 upgrade is a possibility.
Another probable 23H2 feature is covered in an older Windows Latest post. Microsoft hinted at the possibility of app folders on the Windows 11 desktop during its April 2022 event. It might surface at some time despite not being included in the 22H2 upgrade.
In a February 2023 tweet, popular leaker Albacore highlighted a new gaming feature that looks like it’ll be coming to Windows 11 soon:
Installing any third-party apps will be unnecessary because RGB lighting accessories may be controlled directly from Settings. However, the issue was discovered in early test builds at the time of posting, thus it might be released in a ‘Moment’ update prior to the release of version 23H2.
Another probable 23H2 feature is covered in an older Windows Latest post. Microsoft hinted at the possibility of app folders on the Windows 11 desktop during its April 2022 event. It might instead appear in 2023 at some point if it doesn’t exist in the 22H2 update.
With a probable release of Windows 12 in 2024, AI is anticipated to play a significant role in Windows for years to come.
There are several ways artificial intelligence might improve Windows, and the 23H2 update may also include some new capabilities.
The Verge reports that Microsoft is aiming to merge the ChatGPT-like features built into Bing into its Office products. The article demonstrates a sidebar found in programmes like Word and Outlook that may write emails or articles in a particular tone and for a particular reason.
These capabilities might not be included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions for some time, but the subsequent standalone edition (Office Home & Student 2021’s successor) might.
