Windows 11 24H2 update with Wi-Fi 7 and new AI features is here
Microsoft has started rolling out the Windows 11 24H2 update, known simply as the “Windows 11 2024 Update.” This version improves security, brings new connectivity options, and adds more AI features to Copilot+ PCs. One handy change is that the Quick Settings is now a scrollable list that you can customize by rearranging the different options. The Wi-Fi selection UI has a Refresh button, so you can easily rescan for nearby networks.
If your PC has the right hardware, the Windows 11 24H2 update also adds Wi-Fi 7 support for much faster data transfers. Additionally, Windows 11 now works with hearing aids that support Bluetooth LE audio. Another thing you’ll find in the Quick Settings is the Power Saving toggle. This has always been there for laptops, but is now available on AC power as well, in case you want to reduce power consumption.
Devices with sufficiently fast NPUs will get Copilot+ branding with the Windows 11 24H2 update, and with it a host of new AI features. One of them overcomes language barriers – automatically generated subtitles are available system-wide for all video players. They transcribe the audio and can translate it into your language. And all of this from a local model, keeping latency as low as possible.
Also available system-wide are the new Windows Studio Effects. These work with your webcam to blur the background or apply different styles to your camera feed. In addition, Voice Focus uses the NPU to remove background noise and suppress echoes from the room. There is a teleprompter feature for those who have prepared speeches. This has an “eye contact” mode that adjusts your gaze to maintain eye contact with your audience.
Windows 11 24H2 update brings back Recall
The controversial Windows Recall returns with additional security features. Saving snapshots is now an optional feature. Secure Windows Hello logins are required to use these snapshots. Recall will be available on Snapdragon X devices starting in October and on Intel/AMD-based devices starting in November.
Windows Search also got AI features with the Windows 11 24H2 update. Instead of trying to remember file names, just describe what you’re looking for, for example, “photos from a barbecue party.” Speaking of photos, the new Super Resolution feature can upscale your old images by up to 8x. This runs on the device, so your photos aren’t uploaded to the cloud. Windows Paint has new AI tools, including generative fill and generative erase, so you can add and remove things from photos as you like.
Don’t worry if you can’t remember all of these things – the new Click To Do is an easy way to access all of the new features. If you click while holding the Windows key, a context menu will appear with relevant actions, such as performing a visual search on Bing, blurring the background in a photo, removing objects from a photo, summarizing text, and more.
In addition, there are a few other improvements in the Windows 11 24H2 update. For example, you can now use HDR images as your desktop background. Additionally, File Explorer can now natively create and read RAR and 7z archives. Running apps can now show the progress of ongoing operations with a progress bar below the app’s icon.
