Today we begin to release new features and enhancements to Windows 11 Enterprise—features that offer a more intuitive and user-friendly experience for both workers and IT admins. Most of these new features will be enabled by default in the March 2024 optional non-security preview release for all editions of Windows 11, versions 23H2 and 22H2. IT admins who want to get the new Windows 11 features can enable optional updates for their managed devices via policy.
New in accessibility
One of the most exciting areas of enhancement involves voice access, a feature in Windows 11 that enables everyone, including people with mobility disabilities, to control their PC and author text using only their voice and without an internet connection. Voice access now supports multiple languages, including French, German, and Spanish. People can create custom voice shortcuts to quickly access frequently used commands. And, voice access now works across multiple displays with number and grid overlays that help people easily switch between screens using only voice commands.
Enhancements to Narrator, the built-in screen reader, are also coming. You’ll be able to preview natural voices before downloading them and utilize a new keyboard command that allows you to more easily move between images on a screen. Narrator’s detection of text in images, including handwriting, has been improved, and it now announces the presence of bookmarks and comments in Microsoft Word.
If you’re interested in learning about Windows 11 accessibility features, please check out the following resources:
Enhanced sharing
Sharing content is now easier with updates to Windows share and Nearby Share. The Windows share window now displays different apps for “Share using” based on the account you use to sign in. Nearby Share has also been improved, with faster transfer speeds for people on the same network and the ability to give your device a friendly name for easier identification when sharing.
Casting
Casting, the feature that allows you to wirelessly send content from your device to a nearby display, has been enhanced. You will receive notifications suggesting the use of Cast when multitasking, and the Cast menu in quick settings now provides more help in finding nearby displays and fixing connections.
Snap layouts
Snap layouts, the feature that helps you organize the apps on your screen, now allows you to hover over the minimize or maximize button of an app to open the layout box, and to view various layout options. This makes it easier for you to choose the best layout for the task at hand.
New Windows 365 features now available
Windows 365 now offers new features including a new, dedicated mode for Windows 365 Boot that allows you to sign in to your Cloud PC using passwordless authentication. A fast account switching experience has also been added. For Windows 365 Switch, which lets you sign in and connect to your Cloud PC using Windows 11 Task view, you’ll now find it easier to disconnect from your Cloud PC and see desktop indicators to help you easily see whether you are on your Cloud PC or local PC.
For more information, see today’s post, New Windows 365 Boot and Switch features now available.
Unified enterprise update management
We are also releasing enhancements to Windows Autopatch in direct response to your feedback. Several new and upcoming enhancements give you more control, extend the value of your investments, and help you streamline update management, including:
- The ability to import Update rings for Windows 10 and later (preview)
- Customer defined service outcomes (preview)
- Improved data refresh speed and reporting accuracy
Looking ahead, one of the most noticeable changes in Windows Autopatch will be a simplified update management interface that will make the update ecosystem easier to understand. We are unifying our update management offering for enterprise organizations—bringing together Windows Autopatch and the Windows Update for Business deployment service into a single service that enterprise organizations can use to update and upgrade Windows devices as well as update Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft Edge.
We invite you to read our ongoing Windows Autopatch updates in the Windows IT Pro Blog to find out more about richer functionality planned for Windows Autopatch. For the latest, see What’s new in Windows Autopatch: February 2024.
Get familiar with the latest innovations, including Copilot, creator apps, and more
Today's announcement from Yusuf Mehdi offers more details about new innovations coming to Windows 11 including availability and rollout plans. You can find a summary of all the new enhancements and features in the Windows Update configuration documentation and, as always, stay up to date on rollout plans and known issues (identified and resolved) via the Windows release health dashboard.
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