KB5035942: New! You can now use language access in more languages.

Highlights

Copilot under Windows (in preview)

• New! You can ask Copilot for help in Windows (in preview) ten times when you log in to Windows with a local account. After that, you will need to sign in with a Microsoft account (MSA) or a Microsoft Entra ID account (formerly Azure Active Directory (Azure AD)). To sign in, use the link in the dialog box that appears in Copilot in Windows. If you do not sign in, some Copilot features may not work. For more information, see Welcome to Copilot in Windows and Managing Copilot in Windows.

Lock screen

• New! This update adds more content to your lock screen. Sports, traffic and financial content will be displayed along with the weather. To activate this feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
• Note This feature may not be available for all users as it is being rolled out gradually.

Settings

• This update fixes an issue that affects the Settings app. It no longer responds when you use it to remove Bluetooth devices.

Audio

• This update fixes a problem that affects USB audio. An error occurs on some processors. This happens after you pause, play or resume from sleep mode.

Taskbar

• This update fixes an issue that affects the Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels setting. The app labels on the taskbar are sometimes not the correct length, causing the label text to cut off. This occurs when this setting is set to "When the taskbar is full" or "Never".

Language access

• New! You can now use language access with the following languages:
• French (France, Canada)
• German (Spain, Mexico)
• Spanish (Spain, Mexico)
• When you activate language access for the first time, Windows will ask you to download a language model. You may not find a language model that matches your display language. You can continue to use language access in English (USA). You can select a different language at any time under Settings > Language on the language access bar.
• New! You can now use all language access functions on multiple screens. This includes number and grid overlays, which in the past you could only use on the primary display. While using the grid overlay on one screen, you can quickly switch to another display. To do this, use the alphabet or NATO phonetics in your command. For example, "B" or "Bravo" are valid for the display assigned to that letter.
• You can also use the "Mouse Grid" command to quickly move the mouse to a specific point on a display. For example, in the screenshot below, the command is "Mouse Grid A 114". Finally, you can use the drag and drop function to move files, apps and documents from one display to another.language access to mouse grid images

• New! This update introduces language shortcuts or user-defined commands. You can use them to create your own commands in the supported English dialects. To get started, say "What can I say" and click on the "Language Shortcuts" tab in the left pane. You can also use the "Show Language Shortcuts" command to open the Language Shortcuts page. Click Create new shortcut. Use your voice or other input to create a command. Give it a name and select one or more actions. Once you have filled in the required information, click Create. Your command can now be used. To view all the voice shortcuts you have created, go to the command help page or use the "Show voice shortcuts" voice command.

Voice output

• New! You can now listen to a preview of the ten natural voices before downloading them. The list can be found in the Voice output section of the September 2023 update . These voices use modern speech synthesis on the device. Once you have downloaded them, they will work without an internet connection. However, to hear a preview, you will need an internet connection. Follow the steps below to add and use one of the natural voices.
• To open the voice output settings, press the key combination WIN+CTRL+N.
• Under Voice output voice, select the Add option next to Add natural voices.
• Select the voice you want to install. You can install all voices, but you must install them individually.
• The preview is played automatically when you browse the list.
• If you like the preview, click on Download and install. The new voice will be downloaded and can be used in a few minutes, depending on the speed of the internet download.
• Select your preferred voice in the voice output settings menu > Select voice.
• New! This update adds a new keyboard shortcut to switch between images on a screen. Now you can use the G or SHIFT+G keys to move forward or backward between images in scan mode (voice output key+SPACEBAR).
• New! This update improves the recognition of text in images by voice output, including handwriting. It also improves the descriptions of images. To use this feature, you need an active internet connection. You will also need to enable the setting to retrieve image descriptions in the voice guidance settings. To test this experience, select an image and press the voice output key+CTRL+D.
• New! In Microsoft Word, the speech output announces the presence of bookmarks and drafts or resolved comments. It also tells you if accessibility suggestions are present when text is read in the file.
• New! You can now use voice access to open applications, dictate text and interact with items on the screen. You can also use your voice to use speech output. For example, you can say "speak faster", "read next line", etc. To get started, search for "voice access" in the Windows search and set it up.

Windows Sharing

• New. This update changes the apps that appear in the Windows Sharing window. The account you use to sign in will affect the apps that are under "Share with". For example, if you sign in with a Microsoft account (MSA), Microsoft Teams (free) will be displayed. If you use a Microsoft Entra ID account (formerly Azure Active Directory) to sign in, your Microsoft Teams (work, school, university) contacts will be displayed instead.
• New! The Windows sharing window now supports sharing with WhatsApp in the "Share with" section. If you don't have WhatsApp installed, you can install it from the Windows sharing window.

Environment sharing

• New! This update affects how environment sharing is enabled and disabled. You can use Quick Settings or the Settings app to enable Ambient Sharing. If you do this and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are disabled, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth will be enabled for Ambient Sharing to work as expected. If you disable Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, Ambient Sharing will also be disabled.
• New! This update improves the transfer speed of Nearby Share for users on the same network. Previously, users had to be on the same private network. Now users must be on the same public or private network. You can use the quick settings to enable Nearby Share. In Explorer, right-click on a local file and select "Share". Then select the share for a device that is listed in the "Windows Sharing" window under "Nearby Sharing".
• New! You can now give your device a more descriptive name to identify it when sharing. Go to Settings > System > Nearby sharing. There you can rename your device.

Casting

• New! This update will help you learn more about the Cast feature and identify when it is available. Check out the examples in the list below. Casting means that content that is on the screen of your device is sent to a PC, TV or other external screen nearby. This is done wirelessly.
• You can frequently switch between windows to complete a task or organize the screen area using the docking assistant. When you multitask as follows, a notification will suggest using Cast.
• The Cast flyout menu in Quick Settings gives you more help for finding nearby displays, troubleshooting connections and more.

Docking layouts

• New! This update adds docking layout suggestions. They help you instantly snap multiple app windows together.
• New! You can hover over an app's "Minimize" or "Maximize" button (WIN+Z) to open the layout panel. When you do this, app icons will show different layout options. Use them to select the best layout option.

Windows 365 Boot

• New! This update adds the dedicated mode for Windows 365 Boot. When you sign in on your company-owned device, you will also sign in to your Windows 365 Cloud PC. This is done using passwordless authentication, e.g. Windows Hello for Business.
• New! This new dedicated mode also offers fast account switching. This allows you to quickly switch between profiles and log in. You can also personalize the user interface for your username and password. This includes choosing a custom display image for the lock screen, saving your username and much more.
• New! A company can customize what users see on the screen when they sign in to Windows 365 Boot. In shared mode, you can add company branding from Microsoft Intune.
• New! This update adds a quick error mechanism for Windows 365 Boot. This is helpful while logging in to your cloud PC. The smart logic tells you to fix network issues or complete the app setup so that Windows 365 Boot doesn't fail.
• New! You can now manage the settings of your physical (local) PC from your cloud PC. Windows 365 Start makes it easier to directly access and manage sound, display and other device settings.

Windows 365 Switch

• New! It's now easier for Windows 365 Switch to disconnect. You can use your local PC to disconnect from your cloud PC. Switch to the Local PC > Tasks view. Right-click on the Cloud PC button and select Disconnect. This update also adds tooltips to the start menu of the Cloud PC. They are displayed in the Disconnect and Logout options and help you to learn how each function works.
• New! This update adds desktop indicators for Windows 365 Switch.when you switch between them, the desktop indicator will display the term "Cloud PC" and "Local PC".
• New! The time to connect to Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PC via Windows 365 Switch can be long. While you wait, the connection status and the timeout indicator for the Cloud PC are displayed on the screen. If an error occurs, use the "Copy new" button on the error screen to copy the correlation ID. This helps to resolve the problem more quickly.