Windows 11 23H2 New Features For October 2023 Update

Windows 11 23H2 new features and changes are now available. Here’s everything to know about what’s arriving in Windows 11 October 2023 Update. Windows 11 23H2 is officially out for compatible devices already running an activated copy of version 22H2. Representing the build number 22631.2506 of the Windows 11 client version, this release comes with tons of new features, improvements, and changes.

Just to give you a brief preview, the new features for Windows 11 23H2 include Copilot, Taskbar upgrouping, revamped File Explorer, new Windows Backup app, Dynamic Lighting, Presence sensing, Passkeys security support, Dev Drive, as well as RAR and 7 zip support.

Additionally, the Windows 11 2023 Update features changes and improvements, such as a Wi-Fi password finder, the option to hide date and time, better Nearby Sharing, suggestions for Snap Layouts, changes to the Start menu, and several changes to the Settings app.

If your device is already on version 22H2, you can enable the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” through the Windows Update settings page to trigger manual installation.

On the other hand, if your computer is running with Windows 11 21H1 or an older version of Windows 10, you will first have to upgrade to version 22H2 and then use the “Windows Update” to install the new version. Thankfully, Microsoft also offers the Installation Assistant and ISO file to create a bootable USB needed for a clean installation or an in-place upgrade. In addition, the Media Creation Tool also helps to get the latest update of Windows 11.

This post highlights the new features and changes in the Windows 11 23H2 October 2023 Update.

Windows 11 October 2023 Update New Features List:

If the whole guide is too long for you to read, you can refer to the following list to get an overview of the top new features on Windows 11 23H2:

AI Chatbot Copilot.
New interface for File Explorer.
Native support for RAR, 7-zip, TAR, and GZ file formats.
New labels and upgroup for apps in the Taskbar.
New backup app for Windows.
New Dynamic Lighting for controlling RGB lighting.
New interactive cards in the Home page for Settings.
Virtual drives management from Settings.
New Dev Home app for developers.
Passkey experience updated with new management settings.
Networking management improvements in the Settings app.
New option to hide date and time in the Taskbar.
Adaptive Dimming with the new “Presence sensing” feature to save energy and increase security.
Faster transfer speeds with the updated Nearby Sharing interface.

Windows 11 23H2 Overview Video:

If you want to learn more about the new features and how to use them, this video tutorial walks you through everything you need to know.

What’s New In Windows 11 23H2:

These are the new features available with the Windows 11 23H2 released on 31 October 2023.

New AI Copilot

Version 23H2 of Windows 11 introduces “Copilot”, a new AI chatbot that brings Bing Chat integration along with first and third-party plugins.

The new virtual AI assistant can help you customize settings. Also, it seamlessly connects across your apps.

Furthermore, developers can integrate their apps into the Windows Copilot through the Bing Chat plugins to create new ways for users to interact.

For instance, you can use the Copilot to “Change to dark mode”, “Turn on do not disturb”, “Take a screenshot”, “Summerize this website (Active tab in Microsoft Edge), “Write a story about a dog who lives on the moon”, and “Make me a picture of a serene koi fishpond with lily pads”.

Effectively, the Copilot replaces Cortana in technical terms since Microsoft already announced that it is pulling the plug on the digital assistant before the end of 2023.

New File Explorer App

Despite retaining its familiar appearance, File Explorer gets a revamped makeup from the ground up. To achieve that, a new file manager uses the XAML programming code and new WinUI 3 from the Windows app SDK (WASKD).

The three new visual changes in this new iteration include a new “Home” page design, a new “Gallery” view, and header interface enhancements.

Redesigned Nearby Sharing

In this new version of Windows 11, a redesigned share window includes a new option to share files to OneDrive directly from the share window, and you can now send files directly through the Outlook app using the updated share interface.

Plus, you can now see your computers at the top of the list of discovered devices.

Using Wi-Fi Direct technology, the company aims to speed up file transfer.

And the “Nearby Sharing” interface now has a search box that allows you to easily find contacts across your accounts.

RAR And 7-ZIP Support

With the newly integrated “libarchive” open-source project, Windows 11 23H2 brings native 7-zip and RAR archival support.

You can now open and extract many popular archival file formats (such as “.tar,” .tar.gz,” “.tar.bz2,” “.tar.zst,” “.tar.xz,” “.tgz,” .tbz2,” “.tzst,” .txz,” .rar,” and “.7z”) using the same method you use with Zip files through File Explorer.

Desktop Changes And Spotlight Redesign

Starting with the Windows 11 October 2023 Update, the operating system now uses JXR files as desktop backgrounds. On an HDR display, they will render in full HDR.

If multiple displays are attached to the computer, the background will show as HDR or SDR based on each display’s attributes. This enables your device to intelligently dim your screen when you look away and brighten it again when you look back.

Microsoft is also bringing new design changes for the Spotlight icon on the desktop. This includes an updated interface with more accurate information about the background image when right-clicking the icon.

New Labels And Taskbar Upgroup

In a reversal, Microsoft is bringing back the “Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels” setting to allow users to show labels in different ways, including “Never”, “When the taskbar is full”, and “Always”.

Another legacy feature making a comeback is the ability to show labels without grouping them in the Taskbar. So now you can show labels for apps again.

Another notable new option in the Taskbar is terminating the application without opening the Task Manager. However, you will have to enable this feature from the “For Developers” page, as comes disabled by default.

Also, to facilitate faster troubleshooting and fixing networking issues, the network icon in the System tray now has the “Diagnose network problems” option.

New Quick Settings

A new improved volume mixer in Quick Settings ships with Windows 11. The new experience focuses on providing a modern volume mixer with options to quickly adjust audio per app and the additional control to swap devices.

New Start Menu Badges And Previews

Included in the Start menu are changes in the “Recommended” section that now offer a richer preview whenever hovering over files. In addition, right-clicking on cloud file recommendations makes it possible to share files quickly.

If the file page is blank, the Start menu shows a different thumbnail preview.

Moreover, the “All apps” menu will now show a “System” label for system requirements.

New Windows Backup App

After the Windows 11 2023 Update, you’ll see a new Windows Backup app, which is a new app that improves the “backup and restore” system already available on Windows 11.

In the app, you can turn on backup for the apps you acquired from the Microsoft Store and enable backup for your profile folders, settings, and credentials.

Or, you can also configure the backup settings through the “Windows Backup” settings page in the “Account” section of the Settings app.

However, if you previously configured the settings through the “Windows Backup” page, the app will label the setting as “Backed up”.

The experience doesn’t create a backup of your applications. Instead, it remembers the apps you have installed on your computer and their settings, and then, when you restore them, the system will download and install a fresh copy of the apps from the Microsoft Store and restore the settings.

After configuring the backup settings, upon setting up a new device or clean installation, the out-of-the-box (OOBE) experience will prompt you if you want to restore the app (and settings, folders, and credentials) on the new setup.

If you choose to enable this option, the system will restore the apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store. Besides, the process pins them up in the Taskbar and the Start menu. That said, the app won’t install until you click the app on the desktop.

It is important to note that the option to backup apps is limited to the ones available on the Microsoft Store, not legacy Win32 applications. However, the system will redirect to the app’s website upon clicking on the app icon after the restoration, instead of restoring them.

New Dynamic Lighting

In the new version of the Windows 11 operating system, the Settings app comes with a new “Dynamic Lighting” page that allows you to manage lighting accessories without third-party tools.

Discover More:

New Passkey Support

Windows 11 improves the passkey experience as it allows you to create and use passkey in conjunction with Windows Hello. When you create a passkey, you can sign in using Windows Hello (face, fingerprint, PIN). You can also use your phone for application login.

Here’s how the enrollment process works:

Go to a website that has enabled Passkey on Windows 11.
Create a passkey from your account settings.
Sign out of your account and sign in using your passkey.
Now, on your phone, you can load a website that has enabled Passkey. Create a passkey from your account settings.
Then, go to the website on Windows 11 and sign in using your passkey saved on your phone.

Currently, you can use the Passkey experience in Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome.

New Task Manager Changes

Silimar to the settings page, the Task Manager mirrors the design language of the operating system. The company also states that the updated dialogs are available in Task Manager.

New Dev Drive Manager

In the Storage settings, Windows 11 23H2 adds the ability to create and manage virtual drives, including Dev Drives, VHD, and VHDX.

The settings are accessible from the “Disks & volumes” page. Here you can create and attack existing virtual hard disks that you can manage from File Explorer.

The setup wizard also makes the process of creating VHD or VHDX easier as it walks you through the steps involved in selecting the virtual drive size, format, settings, and partition type.

New Dev Home App For Developers

The new open-source “Dev Home” app helps developers improve the process of setting up, testing, and building application.

The redesigned app streamlines the workflow with several new features such as, a faster setup of the development environment through the Windows Package Manager (wignet) command tool, better file system performance via the new “Dev Drive” feature, a new dashboard to track your workflow, and seamless connection to GitHub.

Furthermore, the app allows you to configure your coding environment in the cloud using the Microsoft Dev Box and GitHub Codespaces.

Also, the app has a dashboard that you can customize to improve project management across Windows, web, mobile, AI, or cloud.

Interactive Cards

Among the new features and changes in the Settings app, you’ll find the interactive cards at the bottom of the interface window. Currently, the interactive cards include the following:

Recommended settings: Picks up on specific usage patterns, providing relevant and timely settings options.
Cloud storage: Gives an overview of cloud storage usage and notifies you when you reach the near capacity.
Account recovery: Delivers information regarding your Microsoft account security along with suggestions to enhance security with more recovery details.
Personalization: Provides one-click access to customize and update your background theme or change color mode.
Microsoft 365: Offers a quick overview of your subscription status and benefits and performs important actions.
Xbox: Provides a view of your subscription status and options to manage the subscription.
Bluetooth Devices: Makes Bluetooth device management simpler.

New Ink Anywhere

Using the “Ink Anywhere” feature, it is now possible to use handwriting in text fields.

To manage the experience, head over to Settings > Bluetooth and devices > Pen and Windows Ink under “Shell Handwriting”.

Windows 11 23H2 App Updates

The Windows 11 October 2023 Update also rolls out updates to these default apps: Microsoft Store, Photos, Paint, Outlook, Clipchamp, Snipping Tool, and Notepad.

Other Changes For Windows 11 2023 Update:

The additional changes in Windows 11 23H2 include improvements for input, notifications, and the Settings app.

In the “Date & time” settings, Windows 11 improves the changing of time zones.

Also, when you disable the location settings, a warning is now shown, urging you to enable location settings to ensure accurate time zone adjustments.

Other notable improvements and changes consist of new natural voices in French, Portuguese, English (India), Korean, and German languages applicable when you browse the web, read and write emails, and more.

Additionally, Windows Hello for business improvements includes a new “EnablePasswordlessExperience” policy that facilitates a user experience on AAD-joined computers for core authentication scenarios without requiring a password.

And with the updated Enhanced Phishing Protection in Microsoft Defender SmartScreen, you see a warning when copying and pasting an unsafe password.

Conclusion:

So that’s all you need to know about the most notable new features, changes, and improvements now part of the user experience with the Windows 11 23H2 release in the October 2023 update.