The most important new features that will arrive in Windows 11 in 2023
Unfortunately, there is no confirmed information about the features that will be included in the next major update, but by monitoring the features that appear in the beta version, we can get an idea of the improvements that Microsoft is working on in preparation for introducing them to the stable version, whether through this annual update or Moments updates, which are Part of cumulative updates released every few months. So let's review what we expect from new features for Windows 11 in 2023, knowing that the following list will be constantly updated .Note: Most of the features mentioned have already been released for Windows 11 (version 22H2) as part of cumulative updates, so check that you have installed the latest updates by heading to Windows Update in the Settings app and clicking on Check for updates.
Microsoft Copilot smart assistant integration
Microsoft is integrating AI more deeply into Windows 11 by introducing a new tool called Windows Copilot that will act as an intelligent assistant based on OpenAI's GPT-4 generative model, the same one used in Bing Chat and ChatGPT chat bots. The goal of the tool is to integrate with Windows to perform any kind of action, as Copilot can be called through an icon on the taskbar, after which a window will appear on the right side of the screen containing suggested actions that can be performed with one click, in addition to a field to request any action you want.
For example, the tool can arrange open windows, adjust system settings to suit your needs, such as activating Focus Mode to make it easier to get things done, and it can help you write new content inside any open application or program, in addition to interacting with content already written inside any file on device to ask it to summarize it or rewrite it in another form, and so on. Of course, it can be used to ask general questions and get the answer directly without opening a web browser.
In general, we can look at Windows Copilot as a smarter and more mature version of the virtual assistant Cortana thanks to the advanced artificial intelligence technologies on which it is based. Therefore, all in all, it is a revolutionary feature that can dramatically change users' interaction with the Windows system. So far, the tool is still undergoing internal testing among Microsoft employees, to be released in the public beta version starting next month in preparation for its official launch in the stable version later this year.
Screen recording video
The Snipping Tool in Windows 11 works similarly to what it does in Windows 10 and other previous versions, that is, its role is to save a screenshot of either a specific part, a specific window, or the entire screen, with the ability to make simple adjustments to the image. However, there is a new addition coming to the tool on Windows 11 that will allow users to record screen video through the built-in “Record” function, where they can simply select a part of the screen and start a recording session during which everything that happens within that part will be filmed and after completion, the recording will be saved as a file MP4 video. This function is currently in the beta version of the tool on Windows 11, and we have explained how to use it in the topic How to record screen video in Windows 11 without programs, and there is a high possibility that Microsoft will introduce it to the stable version sometime during the current year.
Suggestions to reduce energy consumption ( already put forward )
With the Moment 2 update, a feature called Energy Recommendations appeared, which provides tips and suggestions that help save energy consumption in desktop computers and improve battery life in laptops with the aim of reducing carbon emissions that all devices running Windows 11 contribute to in particular. The feature can be accessed by opening the Settings application and going to the "Power & Battery" section, and there you click on Energy Recommendations to direct you to a page that contains a set of recommendations to reduce energy consumption. For example, changing the power mode, reducing the time the device locks the screen when there are no active activities, disabling the Screen Saver feature, activating the dark mode.You can turn on each of these recommendations individually or hit "Apply all" to apply them all at once, after which the "leaf" icon will turn completely green. This feature is useful in some situations, especially if the laptop battery does not last for a long time, as these recommendations may lead to extending the battery life to use the laptop for a longer period before connecting it to the charger.
Search for tasks in the Task Manager
The Task Manager tool in Windows 11 got radical changes during the 2022 updates, the most important of which is the almost comprehensive redesign of the user interface to be more consistent with the design of Windows 11. However, Microsoft did not stop enhancing the tool with new additions, including the Filter processes feature that appeared in Windows 11. Trial version. This feature allows users to filter all displayed tasks and processes to easily find those bearing a specific name or belonging to a specific program. Through a search bar that appears at the top of the window, the first letters of the program or process name can be typed to instantly display matching tasks, whether in Processes, Details, or other sections within the tool. This feature is useful if you want to monitor the performance of a particular process or group of processes and want to take appropriate action on it easily.
Integrate the new Bing search engine into the taskbar ( already rolled out )
Microsoft has updated the Bing search engine to support it with artificial intelligence technologies and ChatGPT chat bots, but access to the new search engine will not be limited to a web browser only, as the company has integrated Bing, powered by artificial intelligence, into the Windows 11 taskbar, allowing you to ask questions through a field. Search directly and then open a web browser to display the response on the Bing Chat page. This new experience works through a new icon that appears in the search bar. After you type the desired query, you can click on this icon to use the new Bing search to find the answer, in case you do not want to use the Copilot tool.
Force close programs from the taskbar
Usually, when we notice a problem in the computer associated with a specific program, such as the program not responding, stopping suddenly, or crashing the program, and other such problems, the first step we take is to forcefully close this program using the Task Manger tool — after opening the tool, we specify the name of the program from menu and close it. In the latest beta version of Windows 11, it seems that Microsoft is working to facilitate the implementation of this step, so that all it takes is a right-click on the program icon from the taskbar, then choose “End task” from the menu. This new option works as a shortcut to the End task button already in the Task Manager, so once you click on it, the program will be closed forcibly without having to open the tool.
Make it easier to transfer files and applications to a new computer
Similar to smart phone operating systems, Windows 11 contains the feature of syncing settings and linking them to the Microsoft account registered on the system, so that any time you log in with this account on another device, the same settings that you set on your device will be returned again. But in the upcoming versions of Windows 11, this experience will be greatly improved, if Microsoft announces an application dedicated to this process called Windows Backup, which focuses on helping users create backups for important files, installed applications, settings, and saved passwords, and then saves this data in an encrypted form on OneDrive service.
The user can choose what he wants to include in the backup copy easily through the application interface, then after moving to another computer and setting it up for the first time, a window will appear, giving you the choice between starting over or restoring the backup copy from the old device. If you choose to restore the Backup, Windows will return all data to its correct place, including placing program icons on the taskbar and the Start menu in the same order.
Volume control for each application/program
It is already possible to control the volume for each application separately through the Volume Mixer window, which is accessed from the Control Panel in Windows 11. But in the latest beta version, it turns out that Microsoft is trying to facilitate this by integrating the volume control unit for each application /a program within the Action Center window, so that all the level needs is to click on the Action Center area in the taskbar, then click on the speaker icon located at the end of the volume selection bar to move to the Sound output panel, and from here the volume can be set independently for each program or application. Previously, users had to use a third-party app called EarTrumpet to do this, so it's a welcome addition.
New Snap Assist improvements
Snap Assist is one of the most prominent features of Windows 11 exclusive, which makes it easier for users to manage open windows and divide them equally on the screen to perform multitasking faster, you just need to hover the mouse pointer on the Maximize/Minimize button at the top of the window and choose from the displayed layouts the appropriate division according to your preferences. Currently, Microsoft is experimenting with a number of new improvements to this feature, the most important of which is reducing the time required to invoke the Snap Assist window so that it appears faster than hovering the mouse pointer on the window, in addition to that, there is a descriptive text that explains the feature and the program / application icon is displayed within the current layout .
Microsoft is trying hard to make the user interface for Windows 11 more responsive on touch screens, especially tablets designed specifically to run Windows 11, whether from Microsoft or other manufacturers. As part of the company's efforts to achieve this, a new feature is currently being tested in Windows 11 that changes the design of the taskbar to make it improved on touch screens, although it can be activated even on desktop computers and laptops that do not support touch technology.
The new feature folds the taskbar when opening any programs to give the user more space on the screen and at the same time prevent calling the taskbar by mistake, then when you pass the mouse pointer to the bottom of the screen or click your finger on the folded bar, the entire taskbar is displayed and larger than usual in Basic mode to be easier to use with touch. The feature can be enabled by going to the Personalization page in Settings, clicking on Taskbar, then Taskbar behaviors, and activating the "Optimize taskbar for touch interactions" option.
In all previous versions of Windows, the only way to know the password of the connected Wi-Fi network is through the connection settings in the Control Panel. Tough for beginners. Therefore, Microsoft is testing through the trial version of Windows 11 a new way that enables the user to discover the Wi-Fi password connected to it through the Settings application directly, so that all the user needs is to open the application and go to the Network & internet section and then Wi-Fi and press Manage known networks to find Click on "View W-Fi security key" to view the password used to connect to the network.
In all previous versions of Windows, the ability to display the number of seconds within the clock in the taskbar was available in a hidden way in the system, as it could be activated by making modifications to the registry, but for unknown reasons Microsoft did not decide to add a direct option in the settings to do so. Fortunately, this changed in Windows 11, where after installing the Moment 3 update for Windows 11, it is possible to activate the seconds counter to accurately display the timing by simply activating the “Show seconds in system tray clock” option from the settings, as we explained in the article Show seconds in the taskbar clock on Windows 11 .
Tablet placement of the taskbar
Microsoft is trying hard to make the user interface for Windows 11 more responsive on touch screens, especially tablets designed specifically to run Windows 11, whether from Microsoft or other manufacturers. As part of the company's efforts to achieve this, a new feature is currently being tested in Windows 11 that changes the design of the taskbar to make it improved on touch screens, although it can be activated even on desktop computers and laptops that do not support touch technology.
The new feature folds the taskbar when opening any programs to give the user more space on the screen and at the same time prevent calling the taskbar by mistake, then when you pass the mouse pointer to the bottom of the screen or click your finger on the folded bar, the entire taskbar is displayed and larger than usual in Basic mode to be easier to use with touch. The feature can be enabled by going to the Personalization page in Settings, clicking on Taskbar, then Taskbar behaviors, and activating the "Optimize taskbar for touch interactions" option.
View the connected Wi-Fi password
In all previous versions of Windows, the only way to know the password of the connected Wi-Fi network is through the connection settings in the Control Panel. Tough for beginners. Therefore, Microsoft is testing through the trial version of Windows 11 a new way that enables the user to discover the Wi-Fi password connected to it through the Settings application directly, so that all the user needs is to open the application and go to the Network & internet section and then Wi-Fi and press Manage known networks to find Click on "View W-Fi security key" to view the password used to connect to the network.
Display the number of seconds in the taskbar ( already asked )
In all previous versions of Windows, the ability to display the number of seconds within the clock in the taskbar was available in a hidden way in the system, as it could be activated by making modifications to the registry, but for unknown reasons Microsoft did not decide to add a direct option in the settings to do so. Fortunately, this changed in Windows 11, where after installing the Moment 3 update for Windows 11, it is possible to activate the seconds counter to accurately display the timing by simply activating the “Show seconds in system tray clock” option from the settings, as we explained in the article Show seconds in the taskbar clock on Windows 11 .
Windows repair via Windows Update service
There are already plenty of options in Windows 11 to help users fix system errors and problems, from using troubleshooting tools to performing a full reinstall of Windows. But in upcoming versions of Windows 11, other options will be added to make it easier to fix problems. Specifically, there is a new option called "Fix problems using Windows Update" within the Recovery menu in the settings, which will reinstall the copy of Windows from scratch, by relying on the Windows Update service to download the files necessary to perform this process. It's probably a quicker and easier option than downloading an ISO file to reinstall the image, just one click on Reinstall now. Currently, this option does not work in the beta version, but once we test it, we will prepare a separate article for it to explain how it works.
Windows Unmerged — Never Combined
From Windows 7 to the current version of Windows 11, the Windows system, by default, merges open windows into the icon of each program on the taskbar, for example, if there are 5 windows open for the Notepad tool, they will appear as layers accumulated inside the Notepad icon on the taskbar, and you need to hover the mouse pointer on the icon To select the window to display on the screen. However, users can change this method and activate the Never Combined mode so that each window of the program is displayed on the taskbar individually instead of merging them into a single icon. Windows 11 in its current version is checking this feature, but Microsoft is testing to bring it back again, as users who prefer this method can activate it by going to the Personalization section in the Settings app and clicking on Taskbar and then Taskbar behaviors.
Microsoft is trying to make the Notepad tool more professional than it was in previous versions, and indeed Notepad has witnessed many improvements to keep pace with the changes in Windows 11 as a popular tool among users for taking quick notes or for viewing the textual content of files, and other purposes. Tabs are the latest addition to the tool so that multiple documents can be opened in a single window, as is the case in web browsers or tab-like in File Explorer and Windows Terminal. You can also customize whether you want new text files to open in a new tab or window by default from the settings. There are also new keyboard shortcuts for managing tabs easily as well as some improvements for managing unsaved files, such as automatic file name generation based on content.
In Windows 11 after the Moment 3 update, if you receive a mail message via the Mail app or a text message on your phone that is connected to your computer via the Phone Link app and the message contains a verification code to log in to a website, you will have a quick option to copy this code from the notification immediately, Similar to Android and iOS phone systems. The system will automatically analyze each message to see if it contains a verification code or not, if any, the “Copy to clipboard” option will be added to the notification, clicking on which saves the code to Paste it on the login page.
Tabs feature in Notepad ( already introduced )
Microsoft is trying to make the Notepad tool more professional than it was in previous versions, and indeed Notepad has witnessed many improvements to keep pace with the changes in Windows 11 as a popular tool among users for taking quick notes or for viewing the textual content of files, and other purposes. Tabs are the latest addition to the tool so that multiple documents can be opened in a single window, as is the case in web browsers or tab-like in File Explorer and Windows Terminal. You can also customize whether you want new text files to open in a new tab or window by default from the settings. There are also new keyboard shortcuts for managing tabs easily as well as some improvements for managing unsaved files, such as automatic file name generation based on content.
Search for any word after copying it ( already presented )
Microsoft has already introduced the "Suggested Action" feature in Windows 11 within the 22H2 update last year, which suggests certain actions according to the text you copy, for example when you copy a date it is suggested to be recorded in the "Calendar" application or when you copy a phone number it is suggested to call it using Phone Link app and so on. Microsoft is currently testing a number of other procedures that the feature will display after upcoming updates to Windows 11, including the Internet search suggestion. When you copy any word or phrase, regardless of the program in which this word is located, you will see the "Search the web" option, which in turn searches for the word on the Internet using Microsoft Edge browser or whatever default browser you use.Copy the notification verification code directly ( already asked )
In Windows 11 after the Moment 3 update, if you receive a mail message via the Mail app or a text message on your phone that is connected to your computer via the Phone Link app and the message contains a verification code to log in to a website, you will have a quick option to copy this code from the notification immediately, Similar to Android and iOS phone systems. The system will automatically analyze each message to see if it contains a verification code or not, if any, the “Copy to clipboard” option will be added to the notification, clicking on which saves the code to Paste it on the login page.
Widgets expanded view mode
It seems that Microsoft is still betting on the Widgets feature in Windows 11 as a quick way to see the latest local and international news, as well as to follow the weather and financial activities according to your interest. From time to time, new features are added to Widgets, such as allowing information to be displayed from specific applications, as well as the ability to modify the interface and arrange priorities...etc. Among the new additions to the feature is the "Expanded View", which is a mode that can be activated by pressing the button next to the account picture. in the upper right corner. Once activated, the Widgets are displayed on a larger area that occupies almost the entire screen, and thus the user can see more content in front of him by simply pressing the button designated for the feature on the taskbar.
Microsoft made it possible for developers to create widgets from their applications to add them to the Widgets list in Windows 11 to work like on smartphones, which helps users perform certain actions or get information faster by hovering the mouse pointer over the Widgets window on the taskbar. Indeed, widgets have begun to appear to support that experience. There is a new widget for the Messenger app and the Spotify app. Microsoft has also added a widget for Phone Link, through which you will be able to know basic information about your phone connected to the computer directly from the Widgets menu, such as charging percentage, recent incoming notifications, and network status. To add these widgets and display them in the Widgets list, just click on the “+” sign above and then select the desired widgets to add.
Adding new widgets to the Widgets feature
Microsoft made it possible for developers to create widgets from their applications to add them to the Widgets list in Windows 11 to work like on smartphones, which helps users perform certain actions or get information faster by hovering the mouse pointer over the Widgets window on the taskbar. Indeed, widgets have begun to appear to support that experience. There is a new widget for the Messenger app and the Spotify app. Microsoft has also added a widget for Phone Link, through which you will be able to know basic information about your phone connected to the computer directly from the Widgets menu, such as charging percentage, recent incoming notifications, and network status. To add these widgets and display them in the Widgets list, just click on the “+” sign above and then select the desired widgets to add.
Allowing the iPhone to be linked to the Phone Link application ( already launched )
For many years, and even since Microsoft launched the Phone Link (formerly Your Phone) application, users were able to connect their Android phones to the computer to see new messages, make phone calls, and even run phone applications directly from the desktop. Well, what about iPhone users? Microsoft did not care much about developing the Phone Link application to support the connection to the iOS system, perhaps due to Apple's restrictions and the complexity of linking Apple's operating systems in general with other operating systems outside the Ecosystem, but this has changed!
Microsoft introduced a new version of the Phone Link application that allows for the first time to connect the iPhone directly with Windows 11 to get an experience similar to Android phones, where it is possible to access messages and make and receive calls from within Windows. As for accessing the photo library, Microsoft also introduced a new update to the Photos app that adds access to iCloud Photos to share photos on the iPhone with Windows or vice versa.
Direct search from the taskbar
The search bar integrated into the taskbar in Windows 11 is still subject to continuous improvements by Microsoft, so there is hardly a new experimental update without it coming in a different way to the search bar. However, in the latest beta update, we noticed a slight difference in the search experience, so that the search bar is no longer just a "button" that displays the usual search window, but rather a literal search bar, that is, there is no additional field in the search window, but rather everything you type appears in the same bar on the Taskbar as shown in the attached image. Although it is a very small difference, it has an effective impact on the user experience.