Windows 11 Update (23H2) - Everything we know so far

 Windows 11 Update (23H2) - Everything we know so far

Windows 11 Update (23H2): From what we know so far, Microsoft has already added a lot of new features to Windows 11 since its initial release in late 2021, but it looks like more are on the way soon.

Plenty of new functionality was added in the September 22:H2 update. File Explorer tabs will finally arrive in a later update. October 2022 Another batch of new features will be released in February 2023. Looks like this is the way forward for Windows 11 -- Updates Smaller iterative updates rather than one big update every year, but that doesn't mean we still don't get annual feature updates, so we can still look forward to the 23H2 update. Here's everything you need to know.

When will the 23H2 update for Windows 11 be released?

With the introduction of Windows 11, Microsoft announced that they were switching to annual feature updates instead of the semi-annual approach of Windows 10, and the 22H2 update was released in September 2022, so it's reasonable to assume that there will be a 23H2 update around the same time in 2023, and it's still That being the case, despite a Windows Central article from July 2022 that suggested it might be replaced by several feature-packed "of the moment" updates throughout the year, it turns out to be true but in addition to the feature update, not instead of it, and in a Microsoft Community blog post from February 2023, the company seemed to confirm that version 23H2 is on the way:

"Windows 11 will continue to have a yearly feature update cadence with a new version released in the second half of the calendar year."

Windows Latest and Windows Central also say you should expect the 23H2 update, as the latter indicates a likely September or October 2023 release, but when an important update arrives, you likely won't be able to install it right away, and Microsoft still tends to cut back on availability in order to manage order prioritizing newer hardware, although it won't take nearly as long as Windows 11's initial rollout.

For early access, you can always join the Windows Insider program and try out new functionality before it's released to the public; however, note that not all features in the Dev channel make their way to the final versions; the beta channel offers a good balance for most people, but it's still not recommended on your main machine; and there is no need to subscribe to the new Canary channel, which is more experimental and may include potential Windows 12 features.

What new features will be available in the Windows 23H2 Update?

The 23H2 update hasn't been expected for a few months, but we already have an idea of what to expect, and a Windows article from June 2022 states that Microsoft has "confirmed" that the 2023 feature update will be codenamed SV3 (Sun Valley 3). This was based on updates to the Windows Insider Beta Dev Channel, which refers to both "SV3" and "Copper", the latter also believed to be a codename.
In a December 2022 article from Windows Central, author Zac Bowden said he doesn't think 23H2 will be a "major platform release", essentially not that there will be many significant changes or new features, but in a video in April 2022, Bowden and colleague Daniel Rubino discuss what the 23H2 update might entail, although with the big caveat that all this could change, there are some helpful insights worth knowing — both are trusted journalists with a proven track record for Windows news.

In a January 2023 Windows Central article, Zac Bowden claimed that Windows 11 will get an overhauled File Explorer soon — likely in Update 23H2. Microsoft already added tabs in the October 2023 update, but it looks like this will take things to the next level. Bowden suggests the app will get a new, modern design as well as focus more on integration with services like OneDrive and Microsoft 365, and according to internal models, it is supposed to include This is a "recommended" section on the homepage with large thumbnails, more comprehensive details about files, and a more powerful search function.

It looks like AI is going to be a big part of Windows for years to come, with a potential Windows 12 in 2024 expected to feature it heavily. There are a lot of ways AI can upgrade Windows, and we might see some new features in the 23H2 update as well. And according to The Verge, Microsoft is bringing ChatGPT bot-like functionality built into the Bing browser for its Office apps; the article displays a sidebar within the likes of Word and Outlook that can create articles or emails with a specific style and purpose; it may not be added to subscriptions to Microsoft 365 for a while, but the next standalone release (continuation of Office Home & Student 2021) may contain these features.