Windows 11 version 22H2 look: Improved but not Ideal

The emphasis is on improving and refining productivity in Windows 11 version 22H2.

With new productivity capabilities, updated design elements, and the reintroduction of certain missing Taskbar functionality. Windows 11 version 22H2 strengthens the bold ambition outlined by the initial release last year. But both Home and Pro now call for an online account.

Since the public release of Windows 11 about a year ago, Microsoft has been working diligently to “polish” the vision it has for this iteration of Windows. The huge new update from last year had an entirely new look, sound, animation, and set of features. To make sure that this edition of Windows is the finest one yet, this year is all about improving those experiences.

Microsoft’s goal with Windows 11 version 22H2 was to finish it off by adding back some functionality that was missing, introducing new productivity features like snapping layouts and tabs in File Explorer, and enhancing already available features like the new Start menu, focus assist, and the Taskbar.

This is my review on the Windows 11 2022 update, which I’ve been using since it was released a few months ago. Don’t forget to look at our list of the top Windows laptops with Windows 11 as well!

Table of Contents

• WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: AVAILABILITY
• WHAT’S NEW IN WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2?
• WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: START MENU
• WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: TASKBAR & ACTION CENTER
• WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: SNAP ASSIST
• WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: FILE EXPLORER
• WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: TOUCH IMPROVEMENTS
• WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: SETTINGS
• WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: APPS
• WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: ACCESSIBILITY
• WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: NEGATIVES
• WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: THE BOTTOM LINE
• WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: OTHER ISSUES
• Frequently Asked Questions

WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: AVAILABILITY

As of right now, existing Windows 11 users may get version 22H2 of Windows 11 for free. The update became available to all eligible Windows 11 PCs on September 20, and it is also being made available to Windows 10 PCs. That fulfil Windows 11’s minimum system requirements.

WHAT’S NEW IN WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2?

Here is a short summary of the most significant new additions and modifications included in Windows 11 version 22H2:

• Apps on the Start menu
• Start menu’s resizable pinned area
• Drag objects onto the Taskbar.
• Integration of Focus Assist with Notification Center
• “Spotlight” wallpaper feature, a new feature
• Brand-new voice accessibility function
• New accessibility feature for Live Captions
• New animations and movements for touch users
• When changing app windows, a new snap layouts bar appears.
• New Task Manager app
• When copying dates or numbers, a new “Suggested Actions” function is available.
• File Explorer tabs
• Improved File Explorer connection with OneDrive
• Upgrades to consistency and several UI enhancements

WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: START MENU

With the release of Windows 11, Microsoft debuted an entirely new Start menu design that was developed from the ground up with simplicity in mind. Microsoft has expanded the customizability of Windows 11’s pinned apps section with a few noticeable tweaks included in version 22H2 of the operating system. Users may now organise their apps into folders and customise the amount of rows displayed for pinned apps.

Drag one app icon over another, wait a moment, and then release the mouse button to create an app folder. From there, users can change the folder’s name, rearrange the apps inside of it, and move the folder in the Start menu’s pinned area. It’s an efficient, straightforward experience that goes a long way toward making your Start menu appear less cluttered.

Even though we would have preferred it to be a little more fluid, the ability to resize the pinned area itself is a welcome addition. The user must currently go into Settings and choose between showing one more row of pinned icons or one fewer row in order to resize the pinned area in Start.  The Recommended feed that is located below the pinned area will also change as a result of selecting either option.

This implies that only the items inside the Start menu are being resized rather than the menu itself. Additionally, it is a little annoying that users still cannot simply drag the Start menu’s edges to resize it like they could in Windows 10.

WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: TASKBAR & ACTION CENTER

The ability to drag and drop files between apps using the Taskbar is back. Which was my biggest complaint about the Taskbar in the initial release of Windows 11. This greatly simplifies multitasking with the Taskbar and brings back features that were previously included in the Taskbar in earlier Windows versions.

Since version 21H2, the Taskbar hasn’t undergone much change aside from this noticeable improvement. It retains the Taskbar UX’s simpler design, which I’ve come to appreciate and even prefer to the more intricate Taskbars of earlier iterations of Windows. The right-click menu is still empty, and you can’t move the Taskbar to the right or top of your display.

The Action Center has also received a few key tweaks and modifications, beginning with the “focus assist” button. Which has been renamed as “do not disturb” and moved from Quick Settings to the Notification panel. Under the calendar flyout, Microsoft has also added a new “focus” timer.

The Windows 11 Clock app, which can also sync with your Microsoft To-Do lists and Spotify, is paired with the focus timer. It’s convenient to be able to start a focus session right from the notification centre, simplifying the timer start-up procedure. Users no longer need to launch the Clock app in order to begin a focus session as they did in version 21H2.

Microsoft improved the Bluetooth action in the Quick Settings panel. Users can view and manage Bluetooth devices without first opening the Settings app. This is fantastic and harmonises the behaviour of the Bluetooth action and other Quick Setting actions like Wi-Fi and accessibility.

Overall, Windows 11’s Taskbar and Action Center changes and enhancements are nice quality-of-life upgrades that you would anticipate from an update that arrives a year after the first one.

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WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: SNAP ASSIST

Additionally, a third method of starting snap assist on Windows 11 is added in version 22H2. Version 22H2 introduces a new “snap bar” menu that slides down from the top middle of your display whenever you grab an app window to move it, in addition to the drop-down snapping menu that appears when you hover over window controls and the ability to drag app windows to the far left or right of your screen.

When you start to drag an app window toward the top of your display, the snap bar will “peek” out at the top of your screen before fully revealing itself and allowing you to drag your app window into any of the snapping layouts available. There will also be more snapping grids available for larger displays.

With the 2022 update, the other ways to snap apps are still available. You can drag an app window to any edge of your display to start side-by-side snapping, or you can hover your cursor over an app window’s maximise button to view the other snap layouts that are available.

WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: FILE EXPLORER

Beginning with the new “Home” page that is now the default when you open the File Explorer app, Windows 11 version 22H2 brings a tonne of new goodies to File Explorer. There is a new “favourites” and “recents” section underneath your typical quick-access folders in the somewhat altered layout.

It’s interesting to note that Microsoft removed your user folders from the “This PC” page, which now only displays storage drives. Therefore, you must utilise the new Home page or the sidebar to access your user folders. I needed some time to get acclimated to this change, but I’m now comfortable with the new Home page.

To keep files front and centre for subsequent access, you can pin them to the favourites area of the Home page. With the exception of lacking shortcuts to recently installed programmes, the recents area functions similarly to the Recommended feed in the Start menu. Any files you open will therefore show up here.

Fortunately, you can disable File Explorer’s recents feed if you feel that it is clogging up your workspace, which I frequently find it does because it displays all of the files you’ve accessed, including ones you probably won’t need to open again.

The File Explorer programme will now include tabs, which is something that power users have been requesting since the dawn of time. Version 22H2 has finally made it happen, and it functions exactly as you would anticipate. You can start new tabs and switch between them in a row along the top of the app.

It’s important to note that users of version 22H2 will soon start receiving tabs in File Explorer, so you can anticipate seeing them on your PC in October or November.

WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: TOUCH IMPROVEMENTS

Microsoft has also made progress with Windows 11, enhancing it for users of touch-first devices. In place of the dedicated “tablet mode” interface that touch users had grown accustomed to on Windows 10 the previous year, Windows 11 made minor adjustments to the desktop experience to make it more touch-friendly.

Microsoft further enhances this experience for touch users with the 2022 update by adding gestures that provide quick access with a swipe of the finger to frequently used system places like the Start menu and Control Center. All new gestures added to version 22H2 are listed below:

• To access Start, swipe up from the bottom middle of the screen.
• For access the All Apps list in the Start menu, swipe to the right.
• To open Control Center, swipe up from the bottom right corner of the screen.
• For switch between open apps, three finger swipe left or right in the centre of the screen.
• To open Task View, do a three-finger swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
• For minimise all open apps, swipe down with three fingers in the centre of the screen.

Additionally, all of the aforementioned gestures are now “fluid,” which means that Microsoft has worked to ensure that the UI elements and motions involved truly follow your finger on the screen rather than performing a pre-programmed animation. It’s a minor adjustment, but one that significantly improves how responsive Windows 11 seems when used with a touch screen.

WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: SETTINGS

There are new Settings to experiment with, as with all new Windows editions. The “Spotlight Wallpaper” function, which will automatically download a brand-new wallpaper and put it as your desktop background, is the most prominent new setting. It’s a good addition and functions similarly to the daily Bing lock screen wallpaper you get.

The other noteworthy new setting is located in the Clipboard section. When activated, it will show you a little menu every time you copy a date or phone number and provide simple methods to deal with that data. It is called suggested actions. For instance, if you copy a date, a suggested action with buttons allowing you to add that date to your calendar will appear.

Unfortunately, at this moment, the feature is only accessible in the United States and Canada. Microsoft promises to expand the feature’s availability to other locales and languages in the future. Additionally, no one will be able to use the feature right away. It will be included in an upcoming release for version 22H2.

WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: APPS

With the 2022 update for Windows 11, Microsoft has updated and added a number of in-box app experiences. The first is Task Manager, which has finally received an update with a brand-new design that harmonises it with the rest of the Windows 11 design language. The Task Manager user interface was last updated in Windows 8—more than ten years ago!

The left-side sidebar of the new interface adds the various tabs that Task Manager has always included. From the hamburger menu, you can directly access the processes, performance, app history, startup apps, users, details, and services tabs.

Task-ending and task-starting options have been shifted to the top right corner, next to the window controls. Additionally, Microsoft added a great touch by making the graphs in the performance tab match the accent colour of your system.

Microsoft is also including the new Clipchamp and Family Safety applications in the 2022 release. Microsoft just bought Clipchamp, a brand-new video editor that is entirely web-based. The programme functions effectively, adequate for beginners wishing to create web videos who need to do basic video editing. There are two tiers: a paid tier and a free tier. The paid tier includes additional stock video and effects as well as cloud storage.

The new Family Safety app is also a web application that merely directs users to the Microsoft Family Safety website, where they can add family members, follow their whereabouts, authorise purchase requests, share Office subscriptions, and perform other functions.

WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: ACCESSIBILITY

Microsoft has been lauded for its improvements in accessible design over the past few years, and this trend is undoubtedly continuing with Windows 11 version 22H2. This new “voice access” function from Microsoft allows you to fully manage your PC using only your voice. Similar functions were present in earlier iterations of Windows from Microsoft, but nothing this sophisticated.

A narration bar will appear at the top of your screen when voice access is enabled, and you can then start using your voice to navigate Windows after that. Simple commands like “open Start” and “scroll Edge” function as expected. Even moving the cursor to certain locations on the screen and entering text into text boxes may be done with your voice.

The other new accessibility feature coming to Windows is live captioning, which we’ve already seen on iOS and Android. Users may enable captioning on any material with live captions, and it will show and function consistently across all apps. Furthermore, the captioning AI works without an internet connection because it is entirely offline.

WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: NEGATIVES

Version 22H2 has a number of intriguing modifications, not all of which I find especially satisfying. Beginning with Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro, Microsoft is now mandating the use of an online account when you first set up a new Windows 11 PC. With version 21H2, this requirement only applied to the Home version; after this upgrade, it also applies to the Pro version.

This implies that there isn’t a copy of Windows 11 that users can purchase that will enable them to set up their computers with an offline account by default. You’re stuck with not being able to proceed with setting up your PC if you don’t have an internet connection. That’s the impression Microsoft wants you to have, at least.

There is a workaround that involves opening the Command Prompt and entering a unique command. After doing so, you will have the option to skip the internet connection page and set up an offline account. But the fact that you even have to do that in the first place is unpleasant.

You are not required to use an online account on any other platform. Chrome OS even features a specific guest mode you may utilise if you don’t want to check in with a Google account. Google doesn’t require online accounts for Android users, and neither does Apple for macOS, iPadOS, or iOS. With Windows, Microsoft is the sole company carrying this out.

WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: THE BOTTOM LINE

It feels more stable, is more well-rounded, and is more constant. The added productivity improvements are welcome, and Microsoft intends to keep adding new features to this iteration through 2023, so things can only get better.

However, I find it odd that Microsoft requires online accounts even on Windows 11 Pro, especially because none of the competition does so on their own platforms. Fortunately, there are workarounds, but if you really don’t want to utilise an online account, this is the kind of thing that shouldn’t need one.

The Windows 11 upgrade is expected in the coming weeks. With other new features arriving during the months and years of 2023.

WINDOWS 11 VERSION 22H2: OTHER ISSUES

Another problem that is still a problem with this update is the uneven dark mode navigation experience in file explorer. Even with dark mode enabled, the OS still has many legacy components with light designs. Every time you try to open a classic control panel applet or see a file’s properties, a white window will blind you.

I am aware that Microsoft began addressing this problem more than a year ago. I don’t know what happened to that, but I hope they would move more quickly. One of those issues preventing Windows from feeling “complete” is this. Regarding that, the Taskbar thumbnail previews for active apps lack the animations that they featured in earlier Windows releases.

Additionally, using a trackpad or touch screen to swipe between virtual desktops results in a completely broken animation. In front of the user, UI elements appear and disappear, creating a dreadful, unfinished appearance. Microsoft is sending this animation despite how blatantly incomplete it is.

Small flaws like this are ultimately what prevent Windows from receiving a perfect rating. Rarely, if ever, will you discover completely unfinished user interfaces or animations in the shipping version of macOS or ChromeOS that comes preloaded on devices. The public receives what appears to be a finished product, but Windows falls short in this regard.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many GB is the new Windows 11 update?

To download Windows 11, you must have 9 GB of free disc space on your computer.

What is Windows 11 version 22H2?

UPDATED 10/5/2022: Starting September 20, 2022, Windows 11 22H2 (2022 Update) will be available. It is the first significant update of the new Windows generation, delivering a new set of features and changes to improve security, productivity, and overall user experience.

What is the size of Microsoft update?

At the moment, the Windows 10 update is around 3 GB in size. Following the upgrade, more upgrades may be necessary, such as installing extra Windows security updates or upgrading software for Windows 10 compatibility.

How do I download Windows 11 22H2?

In Windows 11, go to Settings, then Windows Update, and then click the Check For Updates button. Go to Settings, Update & Security, Windows Update, and then click the Check For Updates option in Windows 10. If Windows 11 22H2 appears, hit the Download & Install box and wait for the process to complete.

What is 21H2?

The Windows 10 November 2021 Update is also known as version 21H2. It contains all of the features and fixes included in prior cumulative updates for Windows 10, version 21H1.

Final Word

All of the necessary information is provided, and I have thoroughly investigated it in my windows. Overall, the experience has improved but is still not great.