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Microsoft has officially released the latest Windows 11 2023 update, also known as Windows 11 version 23H2. It brings a couple of new features on top of the ones that the company has been rolling out through optional updates since late September. The new release should reach all eligible users within the next few weeks.
Windows 11 23H2 update is rolling out widely
Microsoft recently added a new Settings toggle that lets users receive new features as soon as they are available. Once enabled, users don’t need to wait for major updates that bring the features in question to everyone. They are rolled out early as optional updates. Users remain on the previous firmware version until the big update arrives.
This is what Microsoft has done with Windows 11 version 23H2, which is a major feature update for Windows 11. Instead of pushing it as a single big update, Microsoft decided to use this tool and released the new features as individual optional updates. The rollout began in late September. Users who installed those optional updates remained on version 22H2.
Now that most users have installed the new features, Microsoft is widely rolling out version 23H2. It contains two additional features. Firstly, the company has pinned the free version of the Microsoft Teams app to the taskbar (you can remove it easily). The Chat button for Microsoft Teams has been removed, with a Mini mode for Teams replacing the Chat panel.
While it does the same thing, you can launch the Mini mode at any time from the main window. You can also move it around the screen, which wasn’t an option with the Chat panel (via XDA). So if you’re multitasking, the new solution is more efficient and convenient to use.
With version 23H2, Windows 11 has started labeling system apps as such in the Start menu. The Settings app also has a dedicated section for those apps. It is a new page called System Components under the System section of Settings. The label tells users that these apps are an integral part of the system. Removing them may affect other functions.
Microsoft pushed other features as optional updates
If you didn’t grab those optional updates, Windows 11 version 23H2 brings a lot more to your computer. Most notably, the AI-powered Copilot feature is finally here, at least in some markets. It’s an AI assistant for your Windows PC, based on Bing Chat and GPT-4. This update also contains a File Explorer redesign, RGB lighting controls, and more.