Windows 11 24H2: Significant update arrives with new features

Windows 11 24H2 has been released. The update reaches initial users, but it isn't easy to estimate how long it will take for everyone to receive the new features. Microsoft emphasises that Windows 11 is a service, and fixes are deployed via Windows Update to those with "ready devices and an excellent update environment."

Windows 11 24H2 is theoretically Microsoft's most significant system update of the year. In the past, users eagerly anticipated this event, hoping for breakthrough features, interface improvements, and new options. However, the situation has changed in recent years. Windows 11 receives updates regularly through the more frequently released Moment packages, which appear several times a year, albeit at somewhat unpredictable times.

As a result, Windows 11 24H2 is an important update primarily due to the update release cycle and the context of future developments—newer "versions" of Windows will inevitably lose further security update support later. Therefore, there's no doubt that it's worth downloading and installing the new release, but it turns out that not everyone can do this. Microsoft checks if a computer is prepared for this process (including whether it has been updated regularly so far) before offering the installation. This is an attempt to eliminate the most serious bugs.

However, Windows 11 24H2 also includes a handful of new features. In a brief announcement on the support page, Microsoft mentions the main changes. These include:

• new features on computers capable of supporting Copilot+, including live captions, co-creation in Paint, and new effects in Windows Studio,
• improvements related to the taskbar and File Explorer,
• new privacy control mechanisms related to Wi-Fi, including tech support for Wi-Fi 7, computer power management improvements, and enhancements for Bluetooth LE,
• enhanced switching between accounts in the Microsoft Teams app, notification fixes, and more efficient functioning of Remote Desktop.

Unfortunately, as is often the case, users can also expect issues after the update has been implemented. So far, the only identified error relates to the initial computer setup. Microsoft states that you may encounter untranslated interface elements regardless of the selected language. However, this issue is supposed to occur only on computers where the optional September update (KB5043178) was not installed previously.

If Windows 11 24H2 hasn't yet been offered for download, it's worth being patient, as it's being "pushed" to Windows Update in batches according to Microsoft's algorithm. Of course, it's also worth checking the settings—whether updates have been paused or if checking them manually with the "Check for updates" button might yield an additional result.

Remember, you can also find a valuable slider to include your computer in the earliest possible update batch in Windows Update. This setting applies not to security patches but to updates that bring new features. It will likely influence the installation of the latest Windows 11 24H2.