Brief: Microsoft’s latest update for Windows 11, version 24H2, began rolling out earlier this month. The main improvement is a faster update process. The new version represents a significant step forward in the Redmond firm’s ongoing efforts to improve the Windows experience, as slow updates have long been a source of frustration among users.

Windows 11 24H2 version Significantly reduces operating system installation time, reboot time and CPU usage. Microsoft’s internal testing shows that the new update process is up to 45% faster to install, with reboot times reduced by almost 40% on some systems. These improvements come with up to 25% lower CPU usage during the update process.

Microsoft added several new features to the Windows Update architecture that led to these improvements. Parallel processing allows the new system to handle multiple update tasks simultaneously, significantly speeding up the installation process. Windows 11 now uses intelligent RAM usage, adjusting its memory consumption during updates based on system resources. This minimizes interference with other tasks. An optimized caching mechanism also ensures that only essential components are downloaded and updated, reducing unnecessary disk and network usage.

According to Steve DiAcetis of Microsoft’s Windows Fundamentals team, this approach has been extended to include built-in apps like Microsoft Edge. This resulted in a download size reduction of around 200MB for some users, a boon for those with limited bandwidth.

To quantify these improvements, Microsoft carried out two tests. The first simulated a typical scenario of updating a well-maintained device from the February 2024 security base image to the following month’s update. The second test simulated updating an 18-month-old device, an atypical but difficult scenario. In both cases, the new Windows 11 version 24H2 servicing stack significantly outperformed the older version used in 22H2 and 23H2.

Windows 11 version 24H2 introduces several new features and improvements beyond faster update and processing times.

New Copilot+ features include Click to Do, an overlay menu with suggested actions based on screen content, Live Captions for real-time captions, and Cocreator in Paint for generating and AI-based image editing.

File Explorer sees improvements with an improved context menu, expanded archive support for TAR and 7z formats, and editing of PNG metadata. The taskbar and system tray are getting updates like drop-down quick settings, a new Wi-Fi connection animation, and a “Diagnose network problems” shortcut. Power and energy management improvements include a new power saving mode and improved power controls in the Settings app.