To help you stay on task, Windows 11’s Focus Assist feature is now directly integrated into the Quick Settings menu. This is similar to what you’ll find on iPads and Android tablets, and it shows that Microsoft is taking touch input seriously. Using three fingers, you can also swipe down to minimise apps and left or right to move between open ones. Swiping up from the bottom of the screen opens the Start menu, while swiping in from the right lets you access Quick Settings. Talking of touch input, the 2022 Update introduces several new touchscreen gestures that improve navigation without a cursor and keyboard. The ‘Pinned’ area within Start menu can now be resized and supports folders, while Widgets have supposedly been tweaked to improve news coverage. But in a blog post announcing the 2022 Update, the full range was revealed.Īccessibility has long been a priority for Microsoft, and this update aims to make Windows 11 even easier to use.

Microsoft has been teasing new Windows 11 features throughout 2022, many of which have been available to test via the Windows Insider Program. What new features does the Windows 11 22H2 update include? The 2022 Update is unlikely to ever be delivered to your device, so you’ll need to install it manually via the Microsoft Update Catalog. However, the situation is much less clear if you’ve downloaded Windows 11 on a device that’s not officially supported by Microsoft. If not, go via the Windows Insider Program instead. If you installed Windows 11 on a compatible device using an officially supported method, the 22H2 update should have already been delivered to your device. But an optional January 2023 update (KB5022360) should be avoided on all Intel devices – it’s causing app crashes on all recent versions of Windows 11 and 10, although potential fixes are available.

You may have now installed October 2022 update, with tabs in File Explorer one of several new features. It’s worth installing, but that doesn’t mean you should have to.

This will rely on automatic updates (which you can turn off) and will require a restart which you can postpone indefinitely, but it still feels unnecessary.

In a 21H2 support document, the company confirmed that it would “begin to automatically update consumer and non-managed business devices running Windows 11, version 21H2 Home and Pro editions to Windows 11, version 22H2”. However, Microsoft decided in January 2023 that not everyone will get that choice. It’s not necessary yet, though, with 2021’s 21H2 update supported until October 2023. A gradual rollout to all Windows 11 devices was completed soon after, so you should be able to install version 22H2 if you haven’t already.

Win 11 update release date