When Microsoft releases a new major update to Windows 11, the company wants you to update your computer, and therefore quickly deprecates the previous versions. In a relatively rare move, Microsoft is rolling out a few updates to Windows 11 23H2 and 22H2.

Microsoft has released a non-security update for Windows 11 23H2 and Windows 11 22H2. These updates first came out in late 2023 and late 2022, respectively. 22H2 was deprecated last year, in October 2024, while 23H2 is scheduled to reach end-of-life on November 11 this year. So it’s pretty surprising to see Microsoft release updates for these two versions in the first place, and the fact that they’re feature updates rather than just security updates adds to the weirdness.

So what’s exactly in this update? For one, Microsoft is adding the Win + C shortcut, which fires up Copilot, to these two older versions. Because your operating system might be deprecated, but Microsoft doesn’t want you to miss out on easier ways to access Copilot. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the reason Microsoft wanted to roll out this particular update to older versions. When the company wants to push something to users, it goes all the way. In case you don’t remember, back when Microsoft released the Chromium-based version of Microsoft Edge, the company famously pushed the update to Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 users, despite the fact Windows 7 was not receiving updates anymore.

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Don’t wait.

It’s not the only addition, at least. Microsoft has added a new FAQs section directly within the OS’ settings menu. By going under System and then on the About page, this section can give you a few quick answers to commonly asked questions regarding your PC and the Windows 11 operating system itself. Another user-facing improvement focuses on file sharing. When you drag a local file from File Explorer or the desktop, a new tray interface will now appear at the top of the screen. This will display suggested applications for quickly sharing or opening the file. If the app you’re looking for isn’t immediately suggested, you can select a “More” option, which will then open the standard Windows share window to give you more options for sharing or opening.

Your best course of action is to take the 24H2 update now. It’s free, it will give you a lot more features, and it will keep your PC safe for another year. 25H2 is also getting close. This is a preview update, and a more finalized version should roll out to your computer within the next few weeks if you have one of these versions.

Source: Microsoft