Microsoft starts rolling out its Windows 11 2024 update with lots of useful improvements

Microsoft is starting to release its Windows 11 2024 update today, also known as version 24H2. This update includes a number of small but useful additions to Windows 11 that improve the Start menu, File Explorer, Settings, and much more.

The Start menu has a big change for those using Microsoft’s Phone Link software. The Windows 11 2024 update adds a side panel to the Start menu that provides information on your phone’s battery status and notifications as well as quick access to messages, calls, and photos. The floating panel is a neat addition for Phone Link users.

If you own an HDR monitor, this latest Windows 11 update will enable HDR background support, and you can also now easily toggle monitor color profiles directly within the Settings page.

File Explorer is also getting some useful changes in the Windows 11 2024 update. The home section has been redesigned slightly to combine recent, favorites, and shared files into a tabbed view. The context menus within File Explorer and across Windows 11 have also been updated, so common actions like copy, paste, and rename now have labels and are larger and clearer to use. You can now create 7z and TAR files, too. 

In the system tray, Microsoft has switched up the time and date UI so it’s more simplified and the year is no longer listed. Quick Settings has also been overhauled to include all of the quick actions by default, and you can now drag and drop them freely. Microsoft has also reworked the power options in Windows 11 with a new Energy Saver mode that’s designed to save battery life on laptops. You can also change what happens when you press the power button or lift a laptop lid and set power profiles easily within Settings.

Other improvements to the Settings interface include the ability to finally reverse the mouse scroll direction without having to use the Windows registry. Microsoft has also added the ability to toggle enhanced pointer precision for a mouse in the Settings interface, instead of having to delve into the legacy Control Panel.

Sudo is part of this Windows 11 2024 update, allowing developers to use the popular command from Unix-based operating systems. It’s useful for developers who want to test scripts, and Microsoft is using sudo inside of Windows to let developers run elevated tools directly from an unelevated console session.

Other changes in this Windows 11 update include a unified version of the Microsoft Teams app that works for both professional and personal accounts. Microsoft has also replaced the Mail and Calendar apps with a new Outlook client, and the Copilot app has turned into a web app that no longer directly interacts with Windows 11 settings.

The Windows 11 2024 update also includes support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth LE audio and improves performance for the latest AMD desktop CPUs.

Microsoft is slowly rolling out 24H2 to existing devices. “We are taking a phased approach with the 2024 Update rollout, based on when data shows your device is ready and you will have a great experience,” explains John Cable, vice president of program management for Windows servicing and delivery. “The first phase will start over the coming weeks. We will begin with eligible devices running Windows 11, version 22H2 and 23H22 for those who have previously opted in to be amongst the first to experience new enhancements.”

Microsoft is using the OS swap method for 24H2, where it replaces the entire OS with an updated version, instead of what it has done in the past with the 23H2 update, which was a service update to the existing OS. This means Microsoft will only offer you 24H2 once your device is fully compatible and ready to upgrade. There could be application or device driver incompatibilities that Microsoft detects and places a safeguard against upgrading your device.