The Windows 11 2022 Update Now Available In New Zealand

Microsoft today announced new developments for Windows 11 for users to connect, create and play. The updates are made available in 190+ countries.

“Microsoft is excited to take this next step with Windows 11, to inspire every journeys. Windows 11 was designed to bring people together, to help people play and have fun, to empower productivity and inspire creativity. Serving more than a billion people, Windows is the platform for the world’s innovation. We will continue to invest in delivering Windows experiences that enrich people’s lives as we aspire to meet their evolving needs. We can’t wait to see what users are inspired to do and create with the latest update” said Robert Havranek, Modern Work and Security Business Group Lead at Microsoft NZ.

The last few years have brought enduring changes in the ways people live, work, and learn, with the PC playing a more critical role in their daily lives. Online options that didn’t previously exist for meetings, appointments, everyday tasks, and access to entertainment emerged out of necessity, but remain due to convenience and efficiency. Human formed new habits; and they stuck. The PC has fundamentally connected people in more emotional ways than ever before.

The rapid move to more flexible work and life also dramatically increased security threats for individuals and businesses, with 921 password attacks every second.

With last year’s launch of Windows 11, Microsoft gave the PC a modern refresh, making it faster and easier for users to accomplish the tasks they have relied on their PCs for most. With the added foundational security built into Windows at home and at work to help keep users safe and with Windows 365, Microsoft took Windows to the cloud, empowering organizations to stream the full Windows experience on any device. More people are using Windows and spending more time on their PCs. In fact, Windows 11 is the most used and most loved version of Windows ever.

Microsoft’s work is never done to ensure Windows evolves and adapts to users. With the first major update to Windows 11, Microsoft is taking the next step on the journey, focusing its innovation in four key areas to make users’ everyday easier:

• Making the PC easier and safer to use for everyone
• Empowering people to be more productive
• Making Windows the best place to connect, create and play
• Delivering added security, management, and flexibility to the workplace

Making the PC easier and safer to use for everyone

Windows 11 brought a sense of ease to the PC, with an intuitive design people love. Microsoft is building on that foundation with new features to ensure the content and information users need is always at users’ fingertips, including updates to the Start menu, faster and more accurate search, Quick Settings, improved local and current events coverage in their Widgets board, and the No. 1 ask from them, tabs in File Explorer. All of this helps Windows anticipate users’ needs and save their time.

Technology has the power to empower – to remove barriers and help people participate and connect. Nearly 1 in 5 people benefit from accessibility features on the PC and with this release Microsoft is continuing it’s commitment to make Windows work for everyone. Microsoft will deliver a set of new accessibility features including system wide live captions to automatically generate captions from any form of audio content on Windows 11, voice access (preview), which allows users to control their PC and author text using only their voice, and Natural Voices for Narrator, which mirrors natural speech more closely, creating more pleasant-sounding audio to assist in reading or browsing the web.

Online safety, data privacy and security are top concerns for people and their families. Windows 11 is the most secure version of Windows yet. Microsoft uses over 43 trillion security signals daily to inform it’s comprehensive security solutions. Introducing Smart App control so users can confidently download any app you need without worry. Microsoft also knows that security threats don’t stop when users shut their laptop, which is why we’ve built the Defender app for Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers. Microsoft Defender for individuals extends Windows’ built-in security and expands device protection to users’ Android and iOS phones and Macs. Microsoft 365 customers in the U.S. will soon receive identity theft monitoring to help keep themselves, and their family’s personal information, safer online as part of their Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription.

Empowering people to be more productive

The PC has always been where people come to get things done – especially when it comes to tackling complex tasks. With enhancements to Snap layouts, the new Focus feature, and performance and battery optimizations, the new Windows 11 2022 update will help users be their most productive yet.

Snap layouts on Windows 11 have been a game changer for multitasking, helping people optimize their view when they need to have multiple apps or documents in front of them at the same time. With the new update, Microsoft is making Snap layouts more versatile with better touch navigation and the ability to snap multiple browser tabs in Microsoft Edge.

Introducing Focus sessions and Do Not Disturb to help users minimize distractions that pull them away from the task at hand. As users start a new focus session, Windows will turn on Do Not Disturb, which silences notifications, turns off taskbar badges and application notifications in their taskbar. Focus is also integrated with the Clock App, launching a timer to help users focus, even reminding them to take breaks.

Making Windows the best place to connect, create and play

Customers are using PC for a wider variety of things than ever before. PC use is up for communications, creativity and gaming, as more people turn to Windows to connect, express themselves and play. With this update we’ve added features to make those experiences even better with Windows Studio Effects to improve video and audio calls, new creator tools, additional gaming features and updates to the Microsoft Store experience.

From work to community meetings to connecting with friends and family, video calls have become one of the essential tasks that defines the PC. New Windows Studio camera and audio effects help users look and sound their best on conference calls, enabled by advanced AI – with Voice Focus to filter out background noise and make sure users are heard, Background Blur so only users are seen, Eye Contact to help them make a better connection with people they’re talking to and Automatic Framing so the camera stays with them as they move.

As the creator economy continues to grow, people are generating more creative content on Windows. That is why Microsoft is adding new creator tools to the PC to help people better express themselves and their ideas: Clipchamp, now in Windows, makes video editing simple—with templates, effects, and more.

Microsoft wants to continue to make Windows the best place to play games. This update will deliver performance optimizations to improve latency and unlock features like Auto HDR and Variable Refresh Rate on windowed games. And with Game Pass built right into Windows 11 through the Xbox app, players can access hundreds of high-quality PC games.

Having the right content fuels a great PC experience. A year ago, Microsoft redesigned the Microsoft Store on Windows to be more open and easier-to-use – a one-stop shop for the apps, games, and TV shows users love.

Delivering added security, management, and flexibility to the workplace

The PC is the single most powerful productivity tool for today’s workforce. To keep employees productive and engaged, organizations need the tools to manage multiple Windows endpoints securely and easily, no matter where their people are working. To meet the needs of this increasingly complex landscape, the new Windows 11 2022 Update delivers the critically important new security features and new management tools for increased IT efficiency.

Windows 11 provides layers of hardware and software integrated for powerful, out-of-the box protection from the moment users start their device – and Microsoft is continuing to innovate. The new Microsoft Defender SmartScreen identifies when people are entering their Microsoft credentials into a malicious application or hacked website and alerts them. With an addition of a presence sensing optional feature to Windows Hello for Business, so that devices equipped with presence sensors work with Windows Hello to securely log users in when they approach and lock their device when they leave. And if user is an IT professional, they can provide secure, real-time support through the cloud with remote help.

Smart App Control is also a valuable feature for businesses of all sizes. Available on new Windows 11 devices or with clean installations of the Windows 11 Update 2022, Smart App Control blocks untrusted or unsigned applications, script files, and malicious macros from running on Windows 11. As a result, employees can use the tools they want and need, while they can relax knowing their organization is protected. Built on the same AI used in Windows Defender Application Control, Smart App Control can predict the safety of an application in real-time before it runs on the device. This is a great solution for organizations who are not yet using a modern device management (MDM) tool like Microsoft Intune.

Delivering continuous Windows innovation and value

With the PC continuing to play a more meaningful role in lives, Microsoft is committed to delivering continuous value and innovation into Windows and with Microsoft services like Edge, Microsoft 365 and PC Game Pass.

The Windows 11 2022 Update has so many subtle, but important changes that come together to help users be their most productive and their most creative.

With this update Microsoft is also taking steps to improve the Windows Update experience. Windows Update is now carbon aware, making it easier for devices to reduce carbon emissions. When devices are plugged in, turned on, connected to the Internet and regional carbon intensity data is available, Windows Update will schedule installations at specific times of the day when doing so may result in lower carbon emissions because a higher proportion of electricity is coming from lower-carbon sources on the electric grid. Microsoft has also made some changes to the default power setting for Sleep and Screen off to help reduce carbon emissions when PCs are idle.

In February, Microsoft released new features into Windows 11 more frequently in addition to the annual update. By leveraging the variety of update mechanisms Microsoft has in place including servicing, and Microsoft Store updates. Today, Microsoft is excited to build on this with an additional set of experiences coming in October.

• Enhancements to File Explorer, including bringing tabs to File Explorer to help users organize their File Explorer sessions just like in Microsoft Edge. The new homepage in File Explorer gives users quick access to their favorite and recent files, they can pin important files for quick and easy access – even including information at a glance of colleagues’ actions on their shared files through the power of OneDrive and personalized suggestions based on their Microsoft 365 account.
• Photos app: In an update to the Photos app in Windows 11, Microsoft will be introducing a new photos-managing experience that brings a gorgeous gallery, simplifying browsing, finding, management and consumption of collection of photos. It also allows users to easily backup users’ photos with OneDrive, enjoy powerful experiences on Windows devices and offers a delightful "Memories" experience.
• Suggested Actions on Copy: Copy phone numbers, future dates and get suggested actions such as making a call with Teams or Skype or adding an event in the Calendar app.
• Taskbar Overflow: Taskbar will offer an entry point to an overflow menu that allows them to view all their overflowed apps in one space.
• Share to more devices: Discover and share to more devices including desktops using nearby share.

How to get the Windows 11 2022 Update – there’s never been a better time to buy a new PC

With all of the exciting new features coming in this update, there’s never been a better time to purchase a new PC. Microsoft is proud to offer Windows 11 on a broad array of devices from across the ecosystem. The best way to experience the magic of the update is on a new PC from Surface or Microsoft’s incredible ecosystem partners Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung and Razer.

For consumers, Windows 11 will make them everyday easier. For businesses, Windows 11 is the operating system for hybrid work and the most secure version of Windows yet. For developers and creators, Windows 11 is the open platform creating even greater economic opportunity for users’ creations.

Availability of the update begins today. To learn more about the roll out approach for the Windows 11 2022 Update, visit this blog post from John Cable.

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