Microsoft has rolled out a new version of Windows 11, called 24H2, which is all about making updates faster and less annoying. This time, they’ve really pulled through. The installation time, restart time, and CPU usage during updates have all been slashed. In fact, updates can be up to 45% quicker, and some systems see restart times drop by nearly 40%. That’s a big deal if you’ve ever had to wait around for your computer to update.

So, how did they do it? Microsoft has added some clever tricks to the update process. For one, the system can now handle multiple update tasks at once. This is like having a team of workers instead of just one person. They’ve also made it so the update process uses memory more smartly, which means it won’t slow down other things you’re doing on your computer. Lastly, they’ve improved the way updates are cached, so only essential parts are downloaded and updated. This saves both disk space and bandwidth.

Steve DiAcetis from Microsoft’s Windows fundamentals team said these changes even help with built-in apps like Microsoft Edge. Some users might see a reduction in download sizes by about 200 MB. That’s great news for those with limited internet speeds.

To test these improvements, Microsoft ran two scenarios. One was a typical update on a well-maintained device, and the other was an older device that hadn’t been updated in 18 months. In both cases, the new 24H2 version outshone the older ones used in 22H2 and 23H2.

But wait, there’s more! This new version of Windows 11 comes with some nifty new features. Like Copilot+, which has tools like Click to Do (a menu with handy suggestions), Live Captions for real-time subtitles, and Cocreator in Paint for AI-powered image editing. File Explorer also gets a makeover with a better context menu and support for more archive formats. The taskbar and system tray have new features too, like scrollable Quick Settings and a handy shortcut to diagnose network problems. Energy management has also been beefed up with a new Energy Saver mode and better power controls in the Settings app.

Windows 11's Latest Update: Faster and Smarter

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