Morrissey Technology – Microsoft has released new Windows 11 feature additions that will come in the next update. This will apply to all users running Windows 11 versions 23H2 and 23 H2 and is available to download from February 29 for those who want a manual update.

The dropped features focus on improving the operating system’s (OS) overall quality of life, including updates to Snap Layouts, Copilot, Widgets, and more. Reported by Windows Central, what has received the most attention in this release is the AI-powered Snap Layout feature, which uses machine learning to identify the applications you use most often and automatically suggests Snap Layouts based on the applications you open. This interface will appear whenever you hover over the maximize button in an app.

Microsoft also made changes to the Widgets Board, which now allows users to directly turn off the news feed for those who don’t want to see MSN news appear there. This change means the Widgets Board can now be used as an actual widget panel, free from clickbait titles. Other features that make a difference in the quality of your Windows 11 experience include the ability to directly write digitally into text fields throughout the OS, which should make using Windows with a pen even easier. A number of AI features are also present in the app, including generative erasing in the Photos app and the ability to automatically remove audio gaps in video files using Clipchamp.

Microsoft revealed several improvements to the launch of Windows Copilot with the announcement of this feature. These improvements include more plugins that enable additional capabilities, such as making dinner reservations with friends using OpenTable or managing your shopping with Instacart. During March, Microsoft will also enable new skills in Copilot to tie the assistant more closely to Windows. The following skills will be added to Windows Copilot this month :

• Turn on/off battery saver
• Show device information
• Show system information
• Show battery information
• Go to the storage page
• Launch Auto Caption
• Launch Narrator
• Launch Screen Magnifier
• Go to the Voice Access page
• Open the text size page
• Go to the contrast theme page
• Launch Voice input
• Show available Wi-Fi networks
• Show IP address
• Show available storage space
• Emptying the Recycle Bin

Adjustment with DMA

Microsoft has also taken steps to modify Windows 11 to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in countries that fall within the European Economic Area. These changes are included in future updates, and may not yet be enabled for all users.

Here are the changes coming to Windows 11 to comply with DMA :

• Ability to uninstall Bing from Windows Search
• Ability to replace Bing in Windows Search with a third-party search provider
• Ability to uninstall Microsoft Edge
• Ability to disable or replace the news feed in the Widget with a third party provider

Insiders in the Release Preview channel have been testing today’s feature drop for several weeks and have reported that they see this change in their build. So, if you don’t see it right away, you’ll likely see it start to appear in the next week or two. This update can be downloaded starting February 29 by going to Windows Update and making sure the “Get the latest updates as soon as they are available” button is enabled. Then, press check for updates; You will see the update ready to download. If you don’t see an update right away, it’s because Microsoft is providing updates in stages, so you may need to keep checking back. Microsoft estimates the feature update will be widely available in a Patch update in April 2024.