Windows 10 November 2022 Update review: Service Packs are cool again

Windows Update Source: Windows Primal

Microsoft is committed to releasing two significant feature updates for Windows ten every twelvemonth, and this twelvemonth is no unlike. Except, information technology is different because this year's 2nd big feature update isn't large at all. It'south barely even a feature update. Unlike previous autumn releases of Windows 10, the Windows 10 November 2022 Update is a release that sits on tiptop of the already available Windows x May 2022 Update which launched earlier this yr. This means that while Microsoft is pretending that the Nov 2022 Update is a real characteristic update, nether the hood, it's anything merely.

This update is more similar an sometime school service pack, designed to maintain and improve the already existing version of Windows on the market place. This ways that those updating from the May 2022 Update to the November 2022 Update volition see a much faster install and reboot phase because it's non installing a fully-fledged Os release. It'south just just a patch that sits on top of your already existing install.

At present, that doesn't mean this update isn't worth installing. I'd say this is a Windows 10 characteristic update you should be comfortable with installing because it'south incredibly stable, has a few fantabulous additions that better the overall user experience, and isn't equally much of a risk to install as it doesn't mess effectually with core platform changes. So with that in mind, here'southward our review of the Windows x November 2022 Update.

November 2022 characteristic update

Microsoft Windows 10

From $139

Lesser line: The November 2022 Update (version 1909) brings polish and improvements to Microsoft'south OS, acting more like a service pack for the previous version of Windows x.

Pros:

Lightweight update
Useful new changes
Notification enhancements
Overall system stability

Cons:

No blockbuster new features

Video walkthrough
Offset, Taskbar, and Action Heart
Notifications
File Explorer
Windows Ink Workspace
Miscellaneous
Conclusion

Video walkthrough

Prefer your content in video form? Check out our eight-minute video guide showcasing all the notable new changes in the November 2022 Update!

Windows x's Get-go, Taskbar, and Action Center

Windows 10 November Update Source: Windows Central

As is ordinarily the case with a new Windows 10 update, Microsoft has made some minor adjustments and improvements to the Windows Shell, which includes the Start menu, Taskbar, and Activity Center. Boot things off with the Action Middle, Microsoft has made available a pocket-sized behavioral modify to all users that now sees the hamburger bill of fare inside Commencement automatically aggrandize when you lot hover over it.

Source: Windows Primal

This feature has actually been part of Windows x since earlier this year, but information technology wasn't enabled for all users. Now, every user running the Nov 2022 Update can wait to encounter this behavior in the Get-go menu. Unfortunately, it appears to exist something you lot can't plow off. I rarely need to open up the hamburger menu inside Start, meaning every time it's happened so far, it was unintentional. It's a pocket-sized badgerer, but I find myself sighing every time it happens.

Moving onto more useful changes, Microsoft has added the ability to create events inside your agenda straight from the taskbar. Built-into the date and time flyout on the far right, users can now add new events to their calendars without having to open up the Calendar app to practise so. It allows yous to create an event name, schedule a time and date, and add a location. Any more detail and you volition exist taken to the dedicated app to complete your calendar entry.

Within the Action Center, in that location's a new "manage notifications" shortcut constitute at the very meridian right of the pane. This shortcut will take you to a new place in the Settings app, where Microsoft has accumulated all notification-related settings that were previously spread out across many unlike areas of the Settings app.

Windows 10 Notifications

Windows 10 Notification Source: Windows Primal

On the subject of notifications, Microsoft is surfacing many additional notification settings and options with this update, all in the name of digital health and wellbeing. While many of these options aren't particularly new, what is new is the ability to jump to them all in ane place through notifications themselves.

For case, you lot'll now find a settings icon inside every popup notification that, when clicked, volition provide a drop-downward card with quick access to boosted notification settings for that app, or the ability to mute future notifications from the app outright.

If you lot cull to customize the apps' notifications, y'all'll be taken to a page in the Settings app where users tin tweak and change when and how notifications appear. You can customize settings such equally whether or not the notification plays a sound, shows up on the desktop or Action Center, is hidden on the lock screen, and the priority of the notification within the Action Center.

Windows 10 Notification Settings Source: Windows Central

These options are super handy, particularly if yous're someone who utilizes Windows x's built-in notification system every bit I do. I can set the Mail service app to only bear witness notifications in the Action Center, and not as a popup on my desktop. I tin also make information technology, so those notifications don't omit a sound because I don't need to hear when a new email has landed in my inbox.

Overall, I find these improvements to the ways users tin customize notifications on Windows 10 to be super of import, and make updating to the November 2022 Update worth information technology lonely if you're someone who likes to manage their notification systems like me. There's nonetheless room for comeback, of course. For example, I'd love the option to change where banners pop up, instead of being locked to the bottom right of the screen.

Windows 10'southward File Explorer

Source: Windows Central

The File Explorer app inside Windows 10 has too received a notable change; Windows Search now powers its search bar. This is the aforementioned matter that powers the search bar on the taskbar and allows you to search not only a local directory but files stored in your OneDrive as well. The UI is a bit cleaner, with a slightly larger search and address bar to match.

Microsoft is trying to make all search bar's inside Windows ten practise the same affair. You lot shouldn't have to think about which search bar does what when looking for files, photos, and documents. With the November 2022 Update, File Explorer's search bar is at present capable of looking for the same files that the search bar on the taskbar can, and vice versa.

Windows Ink Workspace

Windows 10 Ink Workspace Source: Windows Central

Microsoft has also updated the Windows Ink Workspace in Windows 10 with the November 2022 Update. Now, as far every bit I'chiliad aware, this was something that Microsoft backported to the May 2022 Update too, but since that happened subsequently our May 2022 Update review, I'grand quickly mentioning it here because it's definitely worth noting.

The old Ink Workspace is gone, and in its place is a new, minimalist "bar" that's zip like a workspace. It gives you quick access to the Microsoft Whiteboard app (which isn't installed by default) besides as a button for taking a screenshot and inking onto it with the congenital-in Snip & Sketch app.

Unfortunately, none of these shortcuts are customizable, pregnant the Ink Workspace is no longer a place for accessing all the apps on your PC that support pen. I'm not a huge pen user, to begin with, but I've seen many pen users online complain about not being able to admission Photoshop or another inking app of option from the workspace anymore. That is a shame.

Miscellaneous changes

Alexa PC app Source: Windows Central

Finally, nosotros're at the back of the book. Microsoft says that it has made general OS improvements nether the hood that improve bombardment life and performance for PCs with "certain processors." Information technology doesn't mention which processors these are, but it's nice to know that some PCs volition be meliorate off with this update. It has also introduced a "rotation policy" that improve distributes workloads across your PC'due south favored cores, which in layman'southward terms ways Windows is at present smarter at sorting out where it needs to focus performance for the all-time experience.

Also new in this update is the ability for Windows to set third-party digital assistants as default higher up the lock screen. Now, this isn't a feature we've been able to test equally at that place aren't any third-political party administration on Windows 10 that back up information technology yet. If Amazon were to update their Alexa app with support, users would be able to say "Alexa" from the lock screen and popular upwardly that banana instead of Cortana. This is handy if you don't use Cortana.

In that location'southward plenty of other minor under the hood improvements for OEMs, developers, and enterprises to have advantage of. Nigh of these don't matter to the terminate-user, and so that we won't focus any more time on them here. You can check out our complete changelog if you lot're interested.

November Update determination

Source: Windows Central

If you're running the Windows x May 2022 Update, you should update to the November 2022 Update. Now, I know I say you should update to the latest version of Windows 10 every year, but this time I extra mean information technology. Equally mentioned in a higher place, this update is basically a service pack for the May 2022 Update. Its an update all near polish and improvements, and I've non had any operation or stability bug with this release since I started using it effectually a month agone.

If you're updating from something earlier than the May 2022 Update, then the Nov 2022 Update will exist delivered equally a fully-fledged Os update. This is where things can sometimes get wrong. I haven't personally tested updating from the October 2022 Update to the November 2022 Update, but Microsoft says it's a supported upgrade path and shouldn't be a problem.

I think Microsoft should brand all fall releases of Windows 10 a smaller, service pack way update going forward. Hopefully, they will, but the visitor hasn't confirmed this volition exist the case just nevertheless. The Windows 10 November 2022 Update is available today equally a free update for existing Windows 10 users.

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An internet connection will soon be required when setting up Windows 11 Pro

UH OH

An internet connection will soon be required when setting upwards Windows 11 Pro

Microsoft has announced that later this twelvemonth, users will be required to connect to the net and sign-in with a Microsoft Account during the out of box setup experience on Windows 11 Pro. Microsoft has already been enforcing this requirement on Windows 11 Home since launch last October, and Windows xi Pro is now expected to follow suit soon.