Microsoft Weekly Recap: New Windows 11 Features, Ignite Conference Highlights, and More

Welcome to this week’s edition of Microsoft Weekly. We will delve into some exciting updates, including the arrival of the long-awaited Recall feature in the Insider program, notable enhancements in Windows 11, highlights from the Ignite conference, as well as some recent gaming developments and more.

Windows 10 and 11 Updates
Windows Insider Program Highlights
Ignite 2024 Overview
Recent Software and Firmware Updates
Gaming News and Developments

Windows 10 and 11 Updates

This section explores the latest news surrounding Microsoft’s operating systems, with a focus on both stable and preview builds. We will discuss new features, changes, resolved bugs, and insights into older versions still receiving support.

Starting with the latest non-security updates for Windows 10 and 11, this month’s C-update marks the last of the year, as Microsoft will not issue a December update in light of the holiday season.

Windows 11’s version 24H2 introduced KB5046740, enhancing jump lists, the taskbar, File Explorer, and the Settings app. Meanwhile, the version 23H2 has been updated with KB5046732, which includes improvements to the Start menu and File Explorer. Windows 10 received KB5046714, addressing activation issues and various bugs.

Additionally, new dynamic updates have been released for Windows 10, with precautions advised regarding a known Recovery Partition bug. The first hotpatch has also been issued for the Windows 11 version 24H2 LTSC.

The most significant announcement this week is undoubtedly the reintroduction of Recall. Microsoft has enabled testing for this controversial AI feature, accessible to Windows Insiders on eligible hardware. However, users should be aware of some limitations, such as Recall’s tendency to overlook filtered-out websites in specific scenarios.

In conjunction with Recall, Microsoft has unveiled Click to Do, another AI-driven feature designed to facilitate quick actions for snapshots, allowing users to seamlessly continue operations across multiple applications.

Currently, these advanced features are exclusive to the latest Windows 11 Dev build on Copilot+ PCs. If you are considering an upgrade, noteworthy deals are available on existing models. Moreover, Qualcomm is set to announce new Snapdragon X chips aimed at creating more cost-effective Windows computers, with fewer CPU cores but uniform NPU capabilities across the lineup to ensure AI features are supported on all devices.

If AI isn’t your primary focus, you’ll appreciate an upcoming addition to Windows 11: the revamped Game Bar will integrate a dedicated browser, enabling users to browse the web without disrupting their gaming experience. This feature, named Microsoft Edge Game Assist, is available for Edge 132 Beta users as of this week.

However, several issues have been identified in the latest updates for Windows 10 and 11. Users running Windows 11 version 24H2 may experience challenges when adjusting specific date and time settings in the app, although workarounds are available. Additionally, a bug may lead to unexpectedly high speaker volume in particular circumstances.

The upgrade to Windows 11 version 24H2 is currently blocked on some systems due to compatibility issues with USB modems, printers, some scanners, and certain Ubisoft titles. Microsoft is investigating this matter and pledges to provide a fix in the near future.

Furthermore, Microsoft has temporarily removed several widgets from Windows 11, including Calendar, To Do, Photos, Microsoft 365 Feed, and Family widgets, in an effort to enhance user experience.

On Windows 10, users have been encountering full-screen ads promoting Windows 11, and while Microsoft acknowledged issues with updating packaged apps, a solution has been implemented swiftly.

Windows Insider Program Highlights

This week, Microsoft rolled out several updates within the Windows Insider Program:

Windows 11	Windows 10
Canary Channel	27754	Not Applicable
Dev Channel	26120.2415	Not Applicable
Beta Channel	22635.4515	Not Available
Release Preview Channel	–	–

It is noteworthy that Microsoft has temporarily disabled optical character recognition in the Photos app to enhance user experience, with plans to reinstate it in the future.

Ignite 2024 Overview

This year’s Ignite conference brought forth exciting developments, reflecting Microsoft’s ongoing innovation in developer and enterprise solutions.

The event showcased a new in-house security chip and a DPU for Azure, in addition to a new hybrid infrastructure that aims to replace Azure Stack HCI. Other notable announcements included Azure AI Foundry, which serves as a unified AI application platform, and SQL Server 2025, boasting native vector support.

In terms of software innovations, Microsoft unveiled new features such as meeting transcription for Teams, enhanced agents for Microsoft 365, and significant upgrades to Microsoft 365 Copilot. They also introduced a scareware blocker and secure password deployment capabilities for Edge along with updates to Universal Print.

A hardware highlight from Ignite is the Windows 365 Link, a compact thin client designed for accessing Windows 365 in the cloud. This device operates without local Windows 11 capabilities, relying on cloud solutions for most functionalities, and is priced at $349.

Moreover, a new Imaging API was introduced to assist developers in creating applications with enhanced image functionalities. The Windows Resiliency Initiative aims to bolster the reliability of the Windows ecosystem, featuring capabilities like Quick Machine Recovery for remote repairs on unbootable PCs.

Additionally, the Windows Subsystem for Linux now supports Intune compliance and Entra ID integration, enhancing its functionality for developers and IT professionals.

Recent Software and Firmware Updates

In this segment, we highlight notable updates to software and firmware from Microsoft and third-party developers that provide new features, security enhancements, and various improvements.

Notably, the third-party Tiny11 Builder script, designed for debloating Windows images, has received updates for Windows 11 version 24H2. It now includes a revised core for creating ultra-light Windows versions suitable for experimentation within virtual machines.

Developers may also find value in the latest Dev Home app, now equipped with File Explorer source control integration and various other enhancements. In addition, Windows Terminal updates have improved glyph rendering.

This week marked the release of the Bing Wallpaper app in the Microsoft Store, designed to offer users fresh wallpapers through Bing. However, it has garnered criticism for its potentially malicious behavior, with reports of dark patterns that compromise user experience.

Other important updates include:

Fixes for the “Delete browsing data”dialogue in Microsoft Edge.
Retirement of the Microsoft Autofill Chrome extension.
Native Google Drive Beta app now available for Windows on ARM.
Launch of Translator Pro, a new speech-to-speech translation tool for commercial clients.

Additionally, here are the latest drivers and firmware updates:

Intel 32.0.101.6299 non-WHQL driver featuring support for S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 31.0.82.0 GPU driver optimized for creative and gaming applications, including titles like Baldur’s Gate.
Surface Laptop 5 and 6 updates addressing display flickering and audio issues.

Gaming News and Developments

The gaming arena is abuzz with developments as Microsoft begins testing an exciting new Xbox Game Pass Ultimate perk. This feature will enable players to stream games they own via Xbox Cloud Gaming, even if those games are not part of the Xbox Game Pass library, although the selection remains currently limited.

New titles have been added to Xbox and PC Game Pass, including Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, PlateUP!, Nine Sols, and the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, expanding an already impressive library.

On notable game launches, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 faced significant launch day challenges, encountering infinite loading screens and rendering issues due to an overwhelmed server during its premiere on November 19, 2024. The development team quickly addressed these problems with a hotfix after an apology to players.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, released on November 20, had a far more successful launch, selling over one million copies on its first day. Players can enjoy the game on PC or Xbox consoles, including within Game Pass. For those who might struggle to run the game on their PCs, GeForce NOW now supports it, allowing for cloud play.

Starfield continues its ascent with over 15 million players. Bethesda is celebrating this milestone through a new vehicle addition and an update that includes uncapped frame rates on consoles, enhanced lipsync support in Creation Kit, improved achievements, and more.

Additional gaming updates this week include:

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is slated for a 60 FPS enhancement on consoles, marking nine years since its initial release.
A report indicates that the Fable reboot will feature Witcher-like combat and multiple protagonists.
Homeworld 3’s next major update is set to be its final one as development comes to a close.
Star Wars Outlaws has appeared on Steam, complete with its first significant discount.
Valve’s next-generation Steam Controller has entered mass production.

Deals and Freebies

This week, the Epic Games Store is offering Beholder, an indie dystopian game where players monitor tenants for an authoritarian government. This offer is available until next Thursday, providing a chance to claim additional games among this week’s Weekend PC Game Deals, filled with a variety of sci-fi shooters and more.

We provide regular updates on various hardware and software deals each week. Be sure to take advantage of this year’s Black Friday and Cyber Week offers from Microsoft, featuring discounts on an array of Surface devices, Xbox consoles and accessories, as well as digital content in the Microsoft Store.