The Windows 11 24H2 Update now available to all

With little fanfare, as is usually the case with new Windows versions these days, Microsoft has just released the Windows 11 24H2 Update to the general public. As is also the case over the past few years, this important download will be rolling out “in waves”, meaning that it won’t show up as an option for all Windows 11-based PCs at once – a wise choice on the company’s part for a number of reasons. It’s worth noting that this is more of a Windows 11 upgrade than a simple update: “a full operating system (OS) swap”, according to the official blog post announcing the general availability of 24H2, “that contains new foundational elements required to deliver transformational AI experiences and exceptional performance”.

Since most of what Microsoft does is about AI these days, the Windows 11 24H2 update is mainly focused on that, bringing what the Qualcomm Snapdragon-X, ARM-based Copilot+ PCs offered back in June over to the x86 market – that is, to PCs based on Intel or AMD chips equipped with a machine learning block capable of more than 40 TF of processing power. There are even a handful of new AI-based features in beta form for people to try out, the extremely controversial Windows Recall among them. It will be some time before this functionality is genuinely useful and trustworthy, but it’s a path that Microsoft seems ultra-determined to follow, so…

Thankfully, the Windows 11 24H2 update is not all about artificial intelligence, as there’s a wide range of additions and quality-of-life improvements across the board. One can take a look at the full list in this official page, but here’s what stands out among the consumer-facing features introduced in this update:

Quick Settings has been rebuilt to be faster and more customizable
File Explorer home tab now includes an updated layout with shared documents
You can now duplicate tabs by right-clicking the tab
Context Menu layout has been updated with better labeling for easier use
The Taskbar system tray layout has been simplified
Wi-Fi 7 hardware is now supported
You can now create .7z and .TAR archive formats
You can view your Android phone’s file system directly in File Explorer
A new Outlook app for email, calendar, and contact is included
Microsoft has updated Copilot as a standalone web app
Photos now includes AI-enhanced generative erase and background editing
Voice Clarity uses AI to remove background noise picked up by your microphone in supported apps
Windows Update now supports checkpoints and hot patching for faster, less obtrusive updates
Power settings for plugged/unplugged state can now be configured simultaneously
A new Energy Saver mode replaces battery saver (applies to both laptops and desktops)
You can now configure the mouse scroll wheel direction in Settings
Phone Link is now integrated with the Start menu
Windows Spotlight image is now the default wallpaper setting
You can now set HDR images as a desktop wallpaper

Needless to say – based on past experience and Microsoft’s quality control track record when it comes to Windows – unless one actually needs any specific new feature or features included in this 24H2 Windows 11 Update, there is absolutely no reason to rush into installing it. There’s a good chance that at least a handful of generic problems or specific issues will arise over the next few days and weeks – hopefully not crippling ones – that will be addressed with hotfixes later on or through the November cumulative Windows update.

For those who don’t mind risking all of that – and are already using Windows 11 22H2 or 23H2, a prerequisite for people meaning to get 24H2 first – going to Settings->Windows Update, enabling the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” option and manually checking for updates should do the trick. If not, the famous Windows Installation Assistant definitely will.