Windows 11 23H2: How to install the next big Windows update on your PC

Microsoft has begun rolling out its next major update for its Windows 11 operating system – the Windows 11 2023 update, also called 23H2 for short. The update is also touted to be perhaps the last major update to the operating system, before Microsoft releases its rumoured Windows 12 operating system in 2024.

What’s cool is, the update has no new hardware requirements, and works with all existing apps and drivers on Windows. Being an enablement package for Windows 22H2, both 22H2 and 23H1 will receive the same features.

Microsoft however, has confirmed that it plans to force upgrade devices to the new 23H2 version soon, since it will be supported longer than the existing 22H2 version. The 22H2 version of Windows 11 will be supported only until October 8, 2024. Users, therefore, have less than a year to update their systems.

Being based on the same lifecycle as the previous Windows update, the 23H2 update will support Windows 11 Home, Pro, Pro Education, and Pro for Workstations editions until October 2025, which is 24 months from the release date. Windows 11 Enterprise and Education editions, on the other hand, will be supported up until October 2026, which is 36 months from the release date of the update.

How to install Windows 11 23H2 on your PC

Here’s how to install the latest Windows update to your laptops and desktops.

1. Open the Settings app on your Windows PC, and then select Windows Update.

2. There should be a toggle that says “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.” Turn it on.

3. Now, tap on the option that says “Check for updates,” in the top-right corner.

4. Here, the Windows 11 23H2 update should ideally pop up. If it does, click on “Download and Install”, and wait while Windows requests for permission to reboot your system.

5. Once you’ve done the same, the update should be installed on your system.

If the update doesn’t appear on your system, consider waiting for a few days and checking for the same again.

Windows 11 23H2: Features to look out for

While the latest update to the Windows 11 operating system brings a host of features with it, perhaps the most talked about one is Windows Copilot. This essentially brings AI capabilities from the cloud, right to your devices.

It operates across Microsoft 365, Windows 11, Edge as well as Bing. It can do everything from generating text on Word to drafting emails on Outlook, generating visualisations on Excel as well as generating slides for decks on PowerPoint. Copilot is based on OpenAI’s GPT-4 Large Language Model (LLM).

ALSO READ: Top new features to look forward to in the next big Windows 11 update

A few other features to watch out for on version 23H2, are a redesigned Windows File Explorer, Taskbar ungrouping, native support for .rar and .7z files, as well as native controls for devices with RGB lighting.