Microsoft’s big Windows 11 update will be released on September 26 with Copilot AI software included

Microsoft will release a major update to Windows 11 next week, on September 26. And the catchy name 23H2 carries some real game-changing features, along with a whole host of quality-of-life improvements. The update arrives just in time for the launch of the just-announced Surface Laptop Go 3 and Surface Laptop Studio 2.

The big news here is the inclusion of the new AI-powered Windows Copilot feature. This toolkit already exists as part of the Edge browser, but now it will be implemented natively in Windows, allowing for some cool use cases. This native implementation means that Copilot is available in almost every aspect of the operating system, from Powerpoint to Teams and beyond.

You’ll be able to use Copilot, for example, to draft text messages using calendar data, explore Outlook’s navigation options, create Spotify playlists, and more. This is productive AI, so Copilot will also shop for elements based solely on the image, removing image backgrounds and accessing Bing Image Creator, which will soon be based on the greatly improved Dall-E 3. Bing Chat is now also a native feature in the sidebar.

AI isn’t the only game in town, as it’s also a traditional OS update with the usual quality of life improvements. There’s finally native support for RAR and 7-zip file formats, so you can ditch third-party archiving apps. File Explorer has been completely redesigned for greater efficiency, with thumbnails for large files and a circular interface, and the Paint app has undergone a similar makeover, with a new dark mode and transparency layers coming. There’s a redesigned audio mixer and updated RGB lighting controls called dynamic lighting. The latest kit uses the open HID LampArray standard and many big names in gaming PCs and peripherals have pledged to support the effort, such as Acer, Asus, HP, Razer, Logitech and others.

Some existing Windows 11 features received minor updates here. The passkey experience is improved and moving your data to a new PC is simplified, thanks to the official Windows Backup software suite. Additionally, voice controls have been expanded and the Photos app includes some new editing options.

Finally, there’s the just-announced Ink Anywhere feature. This interesting set of tools is intended exclusively for pen users who interact with a touch PC or hybrid device. Ink Anywhere lets you draw on the screen in any text box, anywhere within the operating system. The operating system converts handwriting into text and uses it in several innovative ways. This is useful for instantly uploading notes, but the system also uses artificial intelligence to answer queries automatically, with Microsoft showing off the tool used to complete a handwritten math problem.