Windows 11 gets faster, more connected and easier to use

Microsoft unveiled updates to Windows 11 designed to enhance speed and responsiveness, with improvements spanning Start, File Explorer, Search, and core apps. The company reports the operating system now feels up to 20% more responsive, with optimizations visible during boot and across daily tasks. Memory management has been refined to prioritize active data, allowing Windows to retain up to 2GB more active data in memory on PCs with 8GB of RAM, reducing reliance on slower storage. Additional efficiency tweaks, such as loading Widgets only when opened, free up over 200MB of memory on lower-memory systems.

The update introduces a new Windows Search interface that expands beyond finding files to enabling direct actions from results. Users can now toggle system settings like dark mode or adjust window layouts without navigating menus. Search improvements also include clearer results and more control over suggestions, with the new experience rolling out to Windows Insiders first before broader release later this year.

Windows 11 strengthens phone-to-PC integration, allowing users to preview and reply to messages, manage calls, and open apps directly from their desktop. Android phone users can launch apps in resizable windows alongside PC applications, browse files in File Explorer, and receive notifications for new photos. The Resume feature helps users continue activities seamlessly across devices, reducing workflow interruptions.

The Microsoft Photos app has been modernized with a faster Gallery view that consolidates images from multiple sources. A new Editor offers precise editing tools, including object removal and lighting adjustments, while the app launches up to 20% faster. Users can describe photos to find them or organize memories into shareable albums, streamlining photo management and editing.