16 genuinely helpful adjustments in Home windows 11’s December replace

At the moment, Microsoft will launch December’s month-to-month patch for Home windows 11. The final Patch Tuesday in 2025 will likely be large, as a result of in keeping with Home windows Central, there will likely be no fewer than 16 new options included within the replace.

These embody varied design adjustments to necessary components such because the Begin menu, particular enhancements to present capabilities and utterly new options. Let’s take a peek in any respect new options at a look.

1. Visible enchancment of the Home windows search

The Home windows search subject has been visually improved to match the peak of the brand new Begin menu design. This could eradicate some inconsistencies within the design. Nonetheless, there’s nonetheless the issue that the brand new Begin menu covers giant elements of the display for a lot of customers. It stays to be seen whether or not Microsoft will deal with this concern going ahead.

2. New “Share with Copilot” characteristic within the taskbar

Microsoft’s Copilot AI can also be making its means into Home windows 11, this time within the taskbar, the place the “Share with Copilot” possibility will quickly seem. You’ll then see a thumbnail of the app you might be presently utilizing and may rapidly begin a dialog with the chatbot through Copilot Imaginative and prescient. As well as, the transition between apps within the taskbar must be smoother whenever you transfer the mouse pointer over them.

3. Adjustments to Home windows Highlight for the desktop

Home windows Highlight, the characteristic for dynamically altering background pictures in Home windows 11, can also be receiving enhancements. You possibly can right-click on the desktop to vary the background extra rapidly. There’s additionally the “Discover background” possibility, which supplies extra details about the background.

4. Choice to disable Drag Tray

Microsoft is introducing the choice to disable Drag Tray extra simply. This usually permits you to choose recordsdata and drag them to the highest of the display to show choices for direct sharing. Nonetheless, many customers discovered this annoying. After the replace, you’ll be able to deactivate Drag Tray below Settings > System > Close by sharing .

5. Higher darkish mode in File Explorer

There’s additionally one thing for followers of darkish modes. The darkish mode of File Explorer has been improved and given a extra uniform design in dialogue home windows, for instance for copying or transferring. The affirmation dialogues and different views are additionally being tailored. Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless doable that some components don’t correspond to the brand new design or that the File Explorer briefly flashes white on startup. Microsoft will proceed to work on this.

6. New system data card within the Begin settings

If you’re in search of details about your system, you now not must click on via menus. It’s because a brand new tab known as “System data” seems proper on the beginning web page of the settings, which shows details about your PC’s processor, reminiscence, RAM and graphics card, amongst different issues.

7. Settings for cell gadgets within the settings

A brand new configuration menu for cell gadgets seems within the Home windows 11 Settings app. Right here you’ll be able to add new gadgets, entry the settings of related cell gadgets or take away a tool out of your account. It’s easy and easy.

8. Redesign of the information web page

Microsoft can also be altering the look of the information web page with the December replace. It is going to now solely comprise a thumbnail view of the desktop background with an choice to rename your pc. Some sections will even be renamed or obtain new entries with additional data.

9. Superior settings with digital workspaces

Adjustments are additionally being made to the “Superior” part. It incorporates a brand new web page known as “Digital Workspaces”, the place you’ll be able to handle virtualization capabilities such because the Home windows Sandbox or protected hosts.

10. Settings for Bluetooth keyboards and textual content cursors

Beneath Settings > Bluetooth and gadgets > Keyboard you’ll find new choices for keyboards and textual content cursors after the patch. For instance, the keyboard repetition charge, reassignment of the copilot key or accessibility.

11. New default configuration for Fast Machine Restoration

Since September, customers have been ready to make use of Fast Machine Restoration to rapidly restore Home windows 11. Microsoft is bettering the default setting for this selection in December to make it simpler to make use of.

The brand new configuration solely searches for options as soon as after which prevents the person from utilizing different choices to resolve the issue. This could stop the pc from persevering with to seek for options in a form of steady loop as an alternative of providing focused assist.

On Tuesday, Home windows 11 will introduce a brand new widgets board with a extra constant design. The brand new widgets will likely be extra clearly separated from the Uncover board and can now not use a web page overlay. Notifications will even be displayed with an icon of the board to which they belong.

Home windows Central

13. Haptic suggestions for digital pens

Home windows 11 gadgets with contact operate obtain haptic suggestions for using pens within the type of vibrations. These accompany the interplay with sure components, for instance when closing home windows.

Copilot PCs have a brand new context menu known as “Click on to execute”. Actions comparable to open, save, copy or share are organized on this menu. There’s additionally a brand new enter subject that permits you to entry Copilot extra rapidly.

15. Xbox full display mode for extra handheld gadgets

The brand new Xbox Full Display Mode is now obtainable on extra gadgets. Till now, customers may solely apply it to the Asus ROG Ally and Ally X, however now the full-screen expertise in console design will also be used on regular PCs.

Navigation must be a lot simpler and smoother, particularly with a controller. The mode additionally reduces the useful resource consumption of the desktop and saves as much as 2GB of reminiscence.

You possibly can activate the mode below Settings > Gaming > Full display expertise after which apply the change by restarting.

16. Home windows Studio Results for exterior cameras

When you’ve got a Copilot PC, you too can prolong the AI-powered digital camera options of Home windows Studio Results to secondary cameras. This contains USB webcams and built-in rear cameras.

Along with the brand new options, the December patch of Home windows 11 will even comprise some bug fixes and closed safety gaps. As all the time, we’ll report on these in a separate article.