{"id":82351,"date":"2022-09-30T02:23:37","date_gmt":"2022-09-30T02:23:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-changes\/"},"modified":"2022-09-30T02:23:37","modified_gmt":"2022-09-30T02:23:37","slug":"what-you-need-to-know-about-the-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"What you need to know about the changes"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em__fp gnt_em_img\"><\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">To help commemorate the operating system&#8217;s first anniversary in early October, Microsoft has just rolled out its first major update to Windows 11.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Dubbed the Windows 11 2022 Update (and referred to as version 22H2 on your PC), the free download has started rolling out to users in more than 190 countries, says Microsoft.  It comes with several new features and improvements offered to those on laptops, desktops and tablets.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Is it worth the upgrade?  Absolutely.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong class=\"gnt_ar_b_al\">More:<\/strong>Updated daily: Here are today&#8217;s top Best Buy deals you can get right now<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_h2\">Here&#8217;s what to expect with the new Windows 11<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">For those already comfortable with Windows 11, it retains the look and feel of what you&#8217;re used to but adds luckily boosts to productivity, accessibility, communication, security and gaming.<\/p>\n<aside aria-label=\"advertisement\" class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\"\/>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cIn many ways, flexible work feels more demanding than remote work because there&#8217;s an implicit expectation that we&#8217;re always &#8216;on,&#8217; often the days I am most behind on Teams messages and email are the days I&#8217;m in the office because in the office I&#8217;m focused on in-person interactions and not responding to messages as they come in,\u201d Liz Salowitz, principal product manager lead, Windows User Experience, said.<\/p>\n<aside aria-label=\"advertisement\" class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\"\/>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong class=\"gnt_ar_b_al\">Teaching tech:<\/strong>Here&#8217;s what high school and college students should look for in a computer<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_h2\">How to get going<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">If you weren&#8217;t already prompted to install the Windows 11 2022 Update, Windows 11 users can click on Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Or you can type \u201cupdate\u201d in the search field at the bottom of your PC to bring you right to the Windows update screen, or ask your Cortana personal assistant to update your computer.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_anc\" id=\"gnt_atomsnc\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"loadAnc\" aria-label=\"Newsletter signup form\"\/>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">While the update won&#8217;t mess with your existing files, it&#8217;s always a good idea to back-up your important information onto external media or the cloud, just to err on the side of caution.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">And you know the drill: Never turn off or unplug any device during a software update or else it could corrupt the operating system and even render your machine inoperable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">It&#8217;s not a huge download, at about 450MB smaller than the Windows 11 21H2 Update, so you should be up and running again quickly.  Or you can perform the update at a later time, if you prefer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Additional info is at Microsoft&#8217;s Windows 11 Update site.  Windows 11 PCs going forward will already have the new update installed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong class=\"gnt_ar_b_al\">More:<\/strong>Top three apps you can use to convert old photos and negatives into digital images<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_h2\">A look at some highlights<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Here&#8217;s a high-level look at some of the more newsworthy updates or additions.  Accessibility has definitely improved.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Especially ideal for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, \u201cLive captions\u201d \u2013 enabled with the Win + Ctrl + L keyboard shortcut or Quick Settings > Accessibility \u2013 automatically generate on-device captions from any content with audio, including microphone audio, which can be helpful for in-person conversations, too.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">When enabled for the first time, Windows 11 will first prompt a Live captions download of the required speech package, currently only supported in American English.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">You many be familiar with the Dictate button in programs like Outlook and Word, that will transcribe your voice into text, but the new \u201cVoice access\u201d option leverages on-device speech recognition to virtually control every aspect of your PC, hands-free, which is ideal for those with dexterity or mobility challenges.<\/p>\n<aside aria-label=\"advertisement\" class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\"\/>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Voice access can be enabled in Settings > Accessibility > Speech, and then you can open (and switch between) apps, search for something online, read and author email, and launch media, and more.  Just like Live captions, you&#8217;ll first need to download a model, and then select a microphone input.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_h2\">New Windows 11 has voice updates<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Speaking of voices, the Windows 11 update also adds more natural voices for Narrator, a screen-reading app that&#8217;s built into Windows 11, ideal people who are blind or visually impaired.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Voice options like \u201cAria,\u201d \u201cJenny\u201d and \u201cGuy\u201d sound more realistic and can be used to say what&#8217;s happening on screen in apps like Microsoft Edge, including more contextual information.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_h2\"><strong>New Windows 11 has enhancements to video chatting<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">You may recall Windows 11 added Microsoft Teams integration arrived just as millions were relying more on video communication and this Windows 11 2022 Update adds even more tools to improve video calls to any program on devices that meet certain hardware requirements.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Collectively referred to as \u201cWindows Studio,\u201d this is a suite of AI-powered features optimized for today&#8217;s hybrid work environment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Visually, this includes:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"gnt_ar_b_ol\">\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ol_li\">\u201cAutomatic framing,\u201d which centers the user&#8217;s face in the frame, even when they move around (similar to what&#8217;s used in Facebook Portal or on Apple&#8217;s FaceTime);<\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ol_li\">\u201cBackground blur,\u201d which allows users to blur their background for privacy (or focus) reasons, which also includes \u201cportrait blur\u201d for a soft bokeh-like depth of field effect; <\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ol_li\">\u201cEye contact,\u201d which makes it look like you&#8217;re always looking at the camera even if you&#8217;re looking away or reading notes or a teleprompter.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<aside aria-label=\"advertisement\" class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\"\/>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">These options will need to be enabled in Windows Settings > Bluetooth &#038; devices > Cameras > [Integrated Front-Facing Camera] > Camera Effects.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">On the audio front, Windows Studio&#8217;s \u201cVoice focus\u201d removes background noises on calls, so you can communicate clearly and stand out above any environmental distraction your colleagues or clients may hear.  Voice focus can be activated by going to Windows Settings > System > Sound > [Integrated Microphone] > Microphone effects.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Microsoft says Microsoft Teams will have native integration for Windows Studio effects, with in-app controls, when running on a capable system.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cWhen working from home, I also appreciate the new Voice focus feature that filters out background noise on video calls,\u201d says Salowitz.  \u201cI don&#8217;t have to apologize anymore for my neighbor&#8217;s barking dog or the sound of my partner grinding coffee, because the people on the other end of the call can&#8217;t hear it \u2026 this helps me sound professional even when I&#8217;m working in a personal space in my home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong class=\"gnt_ar_b_al\">More:<\/strong>The tech bubble has burst, experts say, but you might be able to pick up some discounts<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_h2\">Windows 11 productivity tools<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Given how many rely on their PC to get things done, Windows 11 2022 Update includes some work-related features.  \u201cFocus\u201d and \u201cdo not disturb\u201d are two such additions, both aimed to minimize distractions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">With Focus, users can select a time and date in Notification Center, and select the amount of time for your focus session, and you will be notified when your session is over, such as the end of a workday, because it works together with the Clock app to integrate features such as calming music and a focus timer.<\/p>\n<aside aria-label=\"advertisement\" class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\"\/>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Selecting do not disturb allows you to easily silence notifications, like news updates pushed from your web browser, and when you&#8217;re ready to see them, go to Settings > System > Notifications.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">You can also set up specific times and rules, including priority messages from family.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cTo help me concentrate on the task at hand, I use the Focus feature, [which] was inclusively designed for neurodiverse people by neurodiverse Microsoft employees, including people with ADHD, and it can help everyone bring quiet and calm to your PC so you can focus,&#8221; Salowitz said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Other productivity features include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul\">\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">New security enhancements<\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">A redesigned taskbar experience <\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">New ways to snap open apps and other windows to see more on your screen<\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">Five new touch gestures<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Those all come with File Explorer improvements, including quicker access to the folders and files you rely on the most, as well as faster and more accurate search capabilities, and new options in the Start menu.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Follow Marc on Twitter for his \u201cTech Tip of the Day\u201d posts: @marc_saltzman.  Email him or subscribe to his Tech It Out podcast.  The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author&#8217;s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To help commemorate the operating system&#8217;s first anniversary in early October, Microsoft has just rolled out its first major update to Windows 11. Dubbed the Windows 11 2022 Update (and referred to as version 22H2 on your PC), the free download has started rolling out to users in more than 190 countries, says Microsoft. It &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-changes\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">What you need to know about the changes<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":27719,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/microsoft-returns-to-in-person-tech-events-in-october-with-ignite\/","url_meta":{"origin":82351,"position":0},"title":"Microsoft returns to in-person tech events in October with Ignite","date":"July 28, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Microsoft is holding an in-person tech event in October, the first since the coronavirus pandemic began more than two years ago. Microsoft Ignite, an annual conference for developers and IT professionals, will take place in Seattle between October 12th and 14th, and Microsoft says \u201cspace will be limited.\u201d The software\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8439,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/microsoft-rolls-back-blocking-office-vba-macros-by-default\/","url_meta":{"origin":82351,"position":1},"title":"Microsoft rolls back blocking Office VBA macros by default","date":"July 8, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Microsoft is rolling back a planned change to block Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macros by default in a variety of Office apps. 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In June 2022, Microsoft Defender became a cross-platform app. This is not the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"Microsoft Defender logo.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Microsoft-Defender-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2022\/05\/20\/USAT\/a055d135-8c54-4168-b790-1d66fd080ab9-install-windows-11-steam-deck-7.jpg?width=660&height=440&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82351"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82351"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82351\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}