20 awesome new Windows 11 features coming to your PC

Trying to sustain with all the newest Windows 11 features might be complicated, particularly in the course of the Microsoft Build rush in May when Microsoft releases new features, then proclaims others. This yr was no completely different, with Microsoft unleashing a torrent of new Windows 11 features starting from sensible to fantastical. But what’s coming, and when?

Microsoft now releases new features in what are colloquially referred to as “Moments.” These Moments can happen at any time, which makes it much more complicated. Windows 11’s “Moment 3” was unveiled at Build with a number of thrilling new features coming very quickly — however Microsoft additionally tipped off much more goodies which might be due at a future date.

We’ll define which new Windows features are arriving within the present “Moment 3,” and which will probably be despatched to your PC in a while.

Further studying: 5 methods Windows 11’s new Copilot AI assistant will make your life simpler

The Windows 11 “Moment 3” features

The Moment 3 features, which we’ll define under, are thought-about elective and won’t arrive till June until you’ve beforehand opted in to receiving new features early. They’ll arrive in what’s referred to as the (*20*) most likely due on “Patch Tuesday,” or June 13. They’ll arrive with out fanfare, however will nearly definitely require a reboot after a background set up.

If you’d like these new features early, you may. Simply go to the Windows 11 Settings menu, then Windows Update. Select “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available,” and toggle the swap to “on.”

Microsoft has usually launched smaller quality-of-life features as a part of the person Moments, and Moment 3 is not any exception. Microsoft examined these features publicly earlier this month as a part of the Insider Preview 22621.1776 (Release Channel) beta, and now has printed them as a closing launch.

Wider Widgets: One of the extra attention-grabbing additions to Windows 11 is a tweak to Widgets, which is able to enable extra room for user-configured apps. Widgets will probably be wider — three columns, as an alternative of two — and Microsoft guarantees a extra customized feed, too. Microsoft has proven off a new Widgets picker, which is able to present a small preview of what the user-picked widget will appear to be, and steerage to discover much more widgets. (The picker, although, could also be delayed.)

Microsoft

Sensor settings: Some laptops have presence sensors, robotically dimming your display if you stroll away and locking your PC to safe it. A new setting in Settings > Privacy & safety > Presence sensing will enable you to handle this.

VPN icon: You’ll see a small “shield” icon within the Taskbar if you’re browsing on one in every of our greatest VPNs.

Microsoft

USB4 Hubs and Settings: Intel-based laptops often join to Thunderbolt docks. USB4, although, is a virtually an identical function discovered primarily on AMD Ryzen laptops. Regardless, this new Windows Settings web page supplies details about the system’s USB4 capabilities and the connected peripherals.

Bluetooth growth: Windows 11 will now assist Bluetooth Low Energy Audio, a low-power audio normal supported by earbuds just like the Galaxy Buds2 and Buds2 Pro.

Account badging: You might not prefer it, however you might even see a small exclamation level (“!”) connected to your account identify within the Start menu, alerting you for when your Microsoft account wants consideration. This has been related to useful reminders, aka advertisements, for different Windows features.

Live caption language growth: Live captions are one of many handier new features of Windows 11, offering subtitles for content material that don’t all the time have it. Live Captions will now be supplied in 10 extra languages, together with Chinese, numerous English dialects, and French, German, Spanish, and extra.

Based upon what Microsoft launched within the earlier preview, we imagine that you just’ll see the next smaller modifications as a part of the Moment 3 launch, too:

• New Print Screen shortcut: We documented how the PrtScn key will now open the Snipping Tool app.
• OneDrive storage indicator: You’ll see the complete quantity of cupboard space allotted to all of your OneDrive subscriptions present up within the Accounts web page inside the Windows 11 Settings app.
• 2FA copying:  If you’ve a telephone related to your PC by way of Phone Link, now you can robotically copy any two-factor authentication (2FA) codes you obtain from different providers.

Microsoft

• Touch keyboard choices: The new Settings > Time & language > Typing > Touch keyboard setting permits you to present the contact keyboard all the time, by no means, or solely if you disconnect the {hardware} keyboard. This is useful for gadgets just like the Microsoft Surface Pro lineup, which embody removable {hardware} keyboards.
• Clock seconds: Dying to see the precise seconds within the System Tray’s clock app? Now you may.
• Bing Chat AI shortcut in search: Just just like the Bing Chat shortcut within the search field after it’s been clicked, it is best to now see a small Bing Chat icon within the search field. That ought to change to your company’s icon if you happen to’re logged in with a company account.
• Content Adaptive Brightness Control: If you personal a two-in-one or a laptop computer, this function might gentle or dim areas of the show relying on the content material. It’s not fairly HDR, however shut.

New Windows 11 features past Moment 3

Microsoft has additionally disclosed extra features that will probably be coming to Windows 11, however at an undisclosed future time. Some we’ve seen or anticipate to see in Windows Insider beta code, whereas others could also be pushed to Windows PCs by way of the Moments mechanisms.

WinRAR assist: WinRAR, 7-Zip, GZ and different compression codecs are being built-in into Windows, fortunately. Microsoft expects that this will probably be accessible to take a look at quickly, with a full Windows 11 launch for decompressing these recordsdata in September. The firm hopes to allow you to create rar, zip, and different archives someday in 2024.

Windows Copilot: The huge new function of Build, Windows Copilot will convey AI inside Windows. Microsoft guarantees you’ll see Windows Copilot in June, however hasn’t mentioned how. We’d anticipate this to be a reasonably main Windows Insider construct.

Mark Hachman / IDG

Taskbar app ungrouping: Windows 10 permits you to present a number of apps on the Windows taskbar, individually labeled. Windows 11 is gaining that again, too. This function debuted in a Insider construct (Dev Channel) launch this week, hopefully which means that we’ll see this earlier than lengthy.

Right-clicking to shut a Taskbar app: A associated Taskbar trick will enable you to right-click a Taskbar app and kill the method, as you’ll from Task Manager.

Windows Backup: Microsoft is testing Windows Backup in an Insider (Dev Channel) construct. Windows Backup saves recordsdata, folders (and their format areas on your desktop!), apps and extra to the cloud, then reinstates them on a new PC.

RGB lighting controls: You might not personal a bunch of blinged-out PC peripherals with coloured lights operating up and down like a Christmas tree, however for many who do, we salute you. Microsoft mentioned this week that it’s including RGB lighting controls to Windows, offering standardized settings for an trade badly in want of them.