Do we get Windows 11 23H2 over 22H2 and 21H2?

At present, the current Windows domain includes two aspects of Windows 11, which are 22H2 and 21H2. If you remember, Microsoft initially released the 21H2 build in October 2021, but somewhere it lacked a few features and improvements. For this, developers again came up with a 22H2 build that was released just one year after the 21H2 release to improvise over the previous build and add more features to Windows.

However, 22H2 is a well-improved build over previous options, and since it is now two years old, users are facing a lot of compatibility issues and bugs. From there on, I am glad to share with you that Microsoft aims to offer a phased rollout of 23H2, starting with compatible 22H2 devices and later on to 21H2. So, let’s have a look at what exactly happened.

Key Features of Windows 11 (23H2)

Windows 11 23H2 is a new build that developers made, emphasizing improvements to stability, performance enhancements, and bug fixes based on user feedback as experienced on 22H2. Since this one is an improvement update, there is no such new feature, but of course, there are a few improvements you should look at. So, without further delay, let’s have a look at what the new improvements are.

Taskbar enhancements

Previously, multiple bugs or other things reduced user productivity. It was noted that with 23H2, developers improved the drag-and-drop feature, so now you can open Windows by dragging and dropping it onto the taskbar. Alongside, it has a smart grouping function through which the system automatically groups multiple windows. One of my favorites with 23H2 is that you can quickly access more open windows in the overflow menu.

Start Menu Refinements

The Smart Menu was a great help to Windows users, but earlier people faced some interruptions. But now with 23H2, it gets dynamic folders (automatically groups apps into relevant categories). Additionally, you can do customization with more color themes with the help of a jump list. You can access frequently used files and folders directly from the app icons.

File Explorer enhancements

With File Explorer, there are merely three changes: OneDrive access, a tabbed interface, and an improved search bar. To be specific, now within File Explorer, you will get integrated OneDrive access with the pinch of organizing multiple folders and file paths within the tabs. And one of my favorites is that now users can do more flexible searches and find any file with more ease.

System performance optimisation 

Alongside the usual appearance and flexibility, developers with 23H2 added optimizations to system performance. Now users have three flexibility options: faster boot times, smoother multitasking, and enhanced battery life. More or less, with this new improvement, users get a faster boot experience with multi-tasking and a balance of longer battery life.

Additional features

Apart from the above-mentioned specific improvements, Windows 23H2 has some other minor improvements. These are live caption expansion, security updates, and the most-awaited Windows Subsystem for Linux improvement. Now you can get live captions in more languages, benefit from security updates, and enjoy an enhanced WSL experience.

Compatibility and Rollout Details

Now you have a broad overview of why Microsoft intends to introduce 23H2 and roll out 22H2 on Windows 11. When talking about eligibility, Windows 11 22H2 is the primary target for the initial rollout of 23H2, which means you are eligible for 23H2. While it also promised that 23H2 would eventually reach 21H2 services with a phased approach, Microsoft has not announced an exact timeline but expects it to happen later in 2024. 

Talking about the rollout process, the developer is expected to roll out 23H2 in three major ways. These are phased rollouts, automatic updates, and manual downloads. To know exactly how these manners are executed, just look below.

• Phased rollout: Microsoft is taking a planned approach. Here they start first with 22H2 devices with compatible hardware and later on with other previous builds, for sure 22H2. 
• Automatic Updates: In this approach, developers from Microsoft provide the 23H3 update to eligible devices automatically. And so on, users need to navigate through settings >> Windows Update and update to 23H3. 
• Manual download: This is one manner in which users can manually download the update from the Microsoft Update catalog once it is available for specific device configurations.

Conclusion

Overall, we have tried to highlight the key points advocating for the upgrade to Windows 11 23H2. It underscores the numerous benefits that come with this upgrade, including enhanced security features, improved performance, and a more seamless user experience. With these advantages in mind, it’s highly recommended that readers take action by checking for updates on their devices or visiting Microsoft’s website for further information. So, let’s see when Microsoft exactly starts the 23H2 rollout process.

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