16 genuinely helpful modifications in Home windows 11’s huge December replace

Immediately, Microsoft will launch December’s month-to-month patch for Home windows 11. The final Patch Tuesday in 2025 shall be enormous, as a result of in response to Home windows Central, there shall be no fewer than 16 new options included within the replace.

These embrace numerous design modifications to essential parts such because the Begin menu, particular enhancements to present features and fully 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 may be nonetheless the issue that the brand new Begin menu covers massive elements of the display screen for a lot of customers. It stays to be seen whether or not Microsoft will tackle this concern going ahead.

2. New “Share with Copilot” function 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 might shortly begin a dialog with the chatbot by way of Copilot Imaginative and prescient. As well as, the transition between apps within the taskbar ought to be smoother whenever you transfer the mouse pointer over them.

3. Modifications to Home windows Highlight for the desktop

Home windows Highlight, the function for dynamically altering background photographs in Home windows 11, can also be receiving enhancements. You’ll be able to right-click on the desktop to alter the background extra shortly. 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 lets you choose recordsdata and drag them to the highest of the display screen to show choices for direct sharing. Nonetheless, many customers discovered this annoying. After the replace, you possibly can deactivate Drag Tray beneath 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 shifting. The affirmation dialogues and different views are additionally being tailored. Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless attainable that some parts 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 gadget info card within the Begin settings

In case you are searching for details about your gadget, you not need to click on via menus. It’s because a brand new tab referred to as “System info” 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 units within the settings

A brand new configuration menu for cell units seems within the Home windows 11 Settings app. Right here you possibly can add new units, entry the settings of linked cell units or take away a tool out of your account. It’s easy and simple.

8. Redesign of the data web page

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

9. Superior settings with digital workspaces

Modifications are additionally being made to the “Superior” part. It accommodates a brand new web page referred to as “Digital Workspaces”, the place you possibly can handle virtualization features such because the Home windows Sandbox or protected hosts.

10. Settings for Bluetooth keyboards and textual content cursors

Underneath Settings > Bluetooth and units > Keyboard you can find new choices for keyboards and textual content cursors after the patch. For instance, the keyboard repetition fee, 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 shortly 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 consumer from utilizing different choices to resolve the issue. This could forestall the pc from persevering with to seek for options in a sort of steady loop as a substitute 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 shall be extra clearly separated from the Uncover board and can not use a web page overlay. Notifications can 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 units with contact perform obtain haptic suggestions for using pens within the type of vibrations. These accompany the interplay with sure parts, for instance when closing home windows.

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

15. Xbox full display screen mode for extra handheld units

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

Navigation ought to 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’ll be able to activate the mode beneath Settings > Gaming > Full display screen expertise after which apply the change by restarting.

16. Home windows Studio Results for exterior cameras

In case you have a Copilot PC, it’s also possible to 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 can even include some bug fixes and closed safety gaps. As all the time, we’ll report on these in a separate article.