Windows 11 23H2 arrives September 26 with AI copilot, upgraded Paint, new File Explorer,...

[Daniel Sims]

Something to look forward to: Following months of Windows Insider updates that teased upcoming Windows 11 features, Microsoft has unveiled the official release details of the operating system's 23H2 update. Users will notice significant changes to file browsing, image editing, and more, with a major focus on AI-driven enhancements.

The Windows 11 23H2 update is set to launch for general users on September 26. This new version introduces generative AI tweaks throughout the system, enhancing various aspects of functionality and the user interface.

One of Microsoft's key additions is Windows Copilot, an evolution of the Bing Chat AI assistant. It's no longer limited to the Edge browser's search bar. Users can access Copilot through the taskbar or by using the Win+C shortcut. Copilot offers assistance by providing answers and helping with complex tasks across applications, utilizing context from the web and each user's data. Updates that incorporate this feature into Bing, Edge, and Microsoft 365 will arrive later this fall.

The Bing and Edge updates enhance the capabilities of the company's AI chatbot, allowing it to offer more informed responses based on chat history and engage in in-depth discussions to provide expert shopping advice. Bing Image Creator leverages generative AI through OpenAI's recently unveiled DALL-E 3.

In the case of Microsoft 365 Copilot, the AI toolchain is integrated into the company's productivity apps. This enables the assistant to provide responses enriched by content from emails, chats, documents, meetings, and the web. For instance, it can summarize email threads in Outlook, rephrase paragraphs in Word, automatically analyze data in Excel, and much more. Enterprise users can access this feature starting November 1.

The new AI features will also enhance image editing for Home and Pro users when they receive the 23H2 update next week. The Photos app can now add effects or highlight subjects, and the snipping tool can extract text from images. Paint introduces AI-based image generation, automatic background removal, layers, and true transparency.

Furthermore, 23H2 brings significant upgrades to File Explorer. The address and search bars function more like a web browser, making it easier for users to access their data. A new home page highlights favorite, recent, and recommended files, while the detail pane can display related files and other information to facilitate online collaboration.

In addition to these improvements, Clipchamp, Notepad, and Narrator will also receive new features. Microsoft complemented the 23H2 announcement with reveals of new Surface devices, including the Laptop Go 3 and the powerful Laptop Studio 2, which are now available for pre-order.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/100243-windows-11-23h2-arrives-september-26-ai-copilot.html

 

[mgwerner]

Hurray, a new File Explorer! /S
How about fixing the current one, instead of breaking something with every update?

 

[Dyson Parkes]

Hurray, a new File Explorer! /S
How about fixing the current one, instead of breaking something with every update?

If I ever actually need to find a file on my PC, I use something like Everything Indexer. So much quicker than the built-in search.
If I need to access files that Windows says I shouldn't (looking at you, system32), running Explorer++ as admin bypasses most stupid roadblocks.

"This PC" remains superior to quick access (I want to access another file, not a recent one that you think I need). And why can't I split tabs out of explorer like I can with any web browser implementation of tabs?

Jeezus M$, fix the stupid before adding more.

 

[brucek]

Does this mean Microsoft intends (or already is) backhauling the complete list of filenames from every user's PC to enable these cloud AI features? (Not to mention your "emails, chats, documents, meetings, and the web").

File Explorer already is painfully slow to start up unless you disable features like show recently used, etc.

 

[goldman]

Didn't they say this wasn't 23h2, but just the copilot?
EDIT: also, kinda sad there were no windows 12 news

 

[Theinsanegamer]

"In the case of Microsoft 365 Copilot, the AI toolchain is integrated into the company's productivity apps. This enables the assistant to provide responses enriched by content from emails, chats, documents, meetings, and the web. For instance, it can summarize email threads in Outlook, rephrase paragraphs in Word, automatically analyze data in Excel, and much more."

Sounds like a great way of shoving spyware into every MS app while trying to pass it as a good thing.

How long until your PC bricks itself if it finds out you typed a naughty?

 

[Atmajaya2020]

Personally I like every OS updates that bring joy and new light to my productive time while using my pc..
but lately I kind of overwhelmed by many "unused" updates or features I will never have a time to try..

 

[VaRmeNsI]

Also not mentioned is it will support creating encrypted virtual drives.

 

[wiyosaya]

Ah yes. Clippy Supreme! I bet users will love it at least as much as Clippy.

 

[wiyosaya]

Personally I like every OS updates that bring joy and new light to my productive time while using my pc..
but lately I kind of overwhelmed by many "unused" updates or features I will never have a time to try..

If you only need them to try them, then do you (or anyone, for that matter) really need them?

This may be more just M$ trying to generate buzz and get more people interested in switching to Windohs 11.

 

[ubronan]

Hurray, a new File Explorer! /S
How about fixing the current one, instead of breaking something with every update?

LoL typical M$ breaking alot of good working tools like the old snip program releasing a ***** new version which I killed and replaced it with an old one which works for me the best.
Every so called better tool is for me a downgrade I do not need all the whistles and bells nor the ***** new interfaces.
I decided to stay on W10 but guess what that gets slowly changed into a copy of W11 with all the unneeded new interfaces and nonsense, I don't want or ever need
I do not want the worthless new interfaces I want to use the program which is for me the fastest way to get things done and not have to dive into yet another choice menu I never ever need or want.
Yes I like it fast and simple the good old tools where perfect the silly ( so called ) improvements made on them are a pain, more clicks to get to you goal.
OR even deeper hidden nowadays by needing a command prompt to get it done.
The same goes for finding a fast way to open many things now also in w10 more and more gets hidden deeper into the freaking apps ( many bad words here I can't post )
It costs me more unneeded clicks and freaking have to go though that ( Grrrrrummbbbllle much more very bad words here ) nasty freaking apps mania, yes I hate it and do not want it but sadly it is a virus and trojan which seems to be adopted by more and more silly companies who follow the M$ hype train.
It does not make it better it makes you click more for nothing as those ***** apps mania can not be linked onto your desktop and even if it would it still is a unwanted pain in the butt.
I hate W11 not a little bit but massive hate it in every way it is a disaster and counter productive but yea the younger generation loves this freaking pain in the butt
Hurray for M$ to destroy a perfect working OS into a pain in the butt monster.
And now all the nonsense has slowly invaded W10 as well more and more gets moved over to the nonsense way of how YOU MUST USE YOUR OS.

 

[pencea]

I briefly installed Windows 11 back in February to try it out. I noticed it was a bit slower when it came to right-clicking on the desktop, with an extra one-second delay compared to Windows 10. It was also less intuitive when it came to accessing certain menus through right-clicking, often requiring extra clicks to access additional options.

I wasn't too fond of the new Start menu either. I usually have my most frequently used apps pinned to it. However, with the new Start menu, there's a limit to how many can be pinned and displayed, and I found the new notification center to be less user-friendly compared to Windows 10. In terms of performance, I didn't observe any noticeable improvements when it came to game performance or rendering times for video editing and other tasks. Ultimately, I ended up reverting back to Windows 10.

I'm curious if there have been significant changes or improvements in Windows 11 since then. Has it become faster or added any features that genuinely enhance the user experience?

For reference, my setup includes an Intel Core i9-13900K processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM running at 5600MHz, a GTX 1080 Ti graphics card, and a 1TB Samsung 980 Pro SSD NVMe as my primary drive.

 

[Computerdave911]

But microsoft said 23h2 wont be out till end of october at the earliest, this is more of an experiment update so they know what will break,

 

[Ben Myers]

Hurray, a new File Explorer! /S
How about fixing the current one, instead of breaking something with every update?

Here's how to do it, courtesy of the estimable Windows lady, Susan Bradley: This registry change has not circulated widely enough after being published in ComputerWorld a while ago.

Honestly, I (Susan Bradley) tried to use the new File Explorer’s context menu. But it was just a bridge too far for me — impacting my productivity at the office, where efficiency is most important. Thankfully, there is a way to restore the mode of operation I prefer. Run the Registry editor and follow these steps.

Find the registry key HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID.
Right-click CLSID, choose New, then Key.
Name the new key {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}.
Right-click this new key to create another, naming it InprocServer32.
Right-click the (Default) entry in the right-hand pane, select Modify, and clear the value so it is blank.
Reboot your computer.

 

[axiomatic13]

I just tried copilot. Meh.

 

[TheElder]

Copilot is just another M$ intrusion tool. I disable, where possible, any tool that has potential of exposing my data, read: privacy. I use VMPlayer on my desktop under Win 11. I spend 90% of my time in my Linux VM where I control what application are loaded and used. Yes there are a few quirks but less than my bloated Windows 11 base. I have a Win 10 VM that can only achieve near acceptable response when I dedicate processors as well as a large chunk on memory, so much for the virtual aspect. I converted my laptop to native Debian 11 and more recently 12 from Win 10, runs faster, is more responsive and more importantly stable.

 

[TempleOrion]

I'm curious if there have been significant changes or improvements in Windows 11 since then. Has it become faster or added any features that genuinely enhance the user experience?

More drawbacks than improvements IMHO. Feels less intuitive and packed full of useless bloat. Even seems to run hotter on my particular PC (especially under load) though has got better in that respect recently.

Tempted to go back to 10. All the 'tweaks' that 11 supposedly brings seem to be gimmicks, for the most part, that MS wants to test on unsuspecting punters....

 

[Gastec]

"AI-driven enhancements", "AI toolchain", "AI-based image generation" ?
I am getting lost in translation here! I require more technical explanations and less euphemisms.