Windows 11 Latest Improvements for February 2025

Welcome to this month's highlights of the latest Windows news, practical tips, the February security update, Windows Insider previews, and much more. Learn about Microsoft Technical Takeoff, the free virtual skilling event that begins in less than a week, and set aside time to watch the newest episodes of Tackling Tech.

New in Windows update and device management​

• [TECHNICAL TAKEOFF] Attend Microsoft Technical Takeoff for Windows and Microsoft Intune March 3–6 online. Engage in technical deep-dive sessions and panel-based discussions on deploying and managing devices, Windows updates, apps, and experiences from client to cloud. Experts from Windows, Windows 365, Intune, Windows Autopatch, Azure Virtual Desktop, and security teams will be answering your questions throughout the skilling event. Learn more about Windows sessions and Intune sessions, and build your Technical Takeoff agenda at aka.ms/TechnicalTakeoff.
• [TACKLING TECH] Check out six new episodes in season 4 of the popular video series Tackling Tech. Gain insights on deploying and managing Windows, devices, and a career in IT. The new episodes are live on the Windows IT Pro YouTube channel. Learn more about the series.
• [OOBE] Starting mid-2025, you'll be able to use a new policy to enable quality updates during the out-of-box experience (OOBE) for new Windows 11 devices (version 22H2 and higher). You can configure this via Windows Autopilot, Windows Autopilot device preparation, or Group Policy.
• [INTUNE][PREVIEW] Copilot insights for Microsoft Intune Endpoint Privilege Management (EPM) is currently rolling out in public preview. Take advantage of automated guidance as you respond to app elevation approvals and identify app risks without time-consuming manual investigation. You can quickly detect malicious indicators and initiate an incident response. Dive deeper on EPM at Technical Takeoff. Learn more and watch a demo of this and other exciting new capabilities of Copilot in Intune.
• [MVP] Learn more about joining the Windows and Devices Most Valuable Professional (MVP) community.
• [WINDOWS 365] Don't miss this compilation of key Windows 365 resources for IT pros.
• [SKILLS] Check out the library of Windows skilling snacks, updated for its two-year anniversary. Dive into technical information for a specific topic each month with a selection from articles, demos, videos, and more. Come back each month to consume the latest.

New in Windows security​

• [PURVIEW] Discover ways to use Microsoft Purview to help secure and govern data across your organization. Take advantage of AI capabilities in Purview for threat protection, compliance management with automated policy enforcement and reporting, and enhanced incident response.
• [SKILLS] Explore the Security Hub on Microsoft Learn as your go-to resource for Microsoft Security skill-building content and resources. You can access Virtual Training Days and earn credentials for Microsoft Applied Skills in areas like information protection and cyberthreat defense. Learn more.
• [IDENTITY AND ACCESS] Given the evolving behavior of bad actors, prioritize adopting and enhancing identity and access security measures at your organization. Stay secure and prepared for new cyberthreats, extend Zero Trust access controls to all resources, and use generative AI. Learn more about these key priorities.
• [INCIDENT RESPONSE] Build a stronger security strategy that includes proactive and reactive incident response. Don't miss this new installment in the Cyberattack series on the Microsoft Security Blog.
• [HARDENING] Certificate-based authentication (KB5014754) has reached Full Enforcement mode (phase 3). If a certificate cannot be strongly mapped, authentication will be denied. Read more hardening updates and information.

New in Copilot+ PCs and AI​

• [DEVICES] For your next hardware refresh cycle, take a look at new Surface Copilot+ PCs for business, and accelerate AI adoption with Surface devices powered by Intel.
• [PAINT][PREVIEW] We are rolling out an update for Paint (version 11.2412.271.0 and higher) to Windows Insiders in the Beta, Release Preview, Canary, and Dev channels. In this update, we introduce the Copilot menu to Paint, where you can access intelligent features that help you complete your image generation and editing tasks faster. Clicking on the Copilot icon from the toolbar will expand into a dropdown menu where you can easily access the features Cocreator, Image Creator, Generative erase, and Remove background. (Note that the Cocreator feature is only available on Copilot+ PCs.)
• [COPILOT+ PC][PREVIEW] Improved Windows Search experiences are rolling out gradually for Windows Insiders in the Dev or Beta Channel (Build 26120.3073 and 26120.3291) with Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs. Whether you're searching in File Explorer, the Windows search box on your taskbar, or in Settings, just type what's on your mind to find files and photos saved in the cloud as well as locally. Check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.
• [RECALL][PREVIEW] On your Copilot+ PCs in the Dev or Beta Insider Channel (Build 26120.3281 and 26120.3291), access filtering options via the Recall system tray flyout. Note that your existing snapshots are deleted as part of this update. Turn on saving snapshots in Settings.
• [ARM®] Find more native Arm64 versions of apps as well as emulated apps on Copilot+ PCs. Read a newly added FAQ, “What have you done to improve Windows on Arm emulation? Will everyday apps work well on these devices?”

New in Windows Server​

For the latest features and improvements for Windows Server, see the release notes.

• [AZURE] Register for the Migrate to Innovate Summit on March 11, 2025! Learn from Microsoft thought leaders how migration to Azure can help you fully embrace AI.
• [PREVIEW] If you're a Windows Server Insider, check out Build 26360. Try Windows Defender Application Control for Business (WDAC) to reduce attack surface. Additionally, download and install Windows Admin Center right from the Windows Server desktop. Note: You must be running a desktop version of Windows Server Datacenter or Standard preview to access this feature.
• [PREVIEW] Also for Windows Server Insiders in Build 26320, try Windows Server vNext Datacenter: Azure edition, which is optimized for operation in the Azure environment. For more information, see Preview: Windows Server VNext Datacenter (Azure Edition) for Azure Automanage.

New in productivity and collaboration​

Get the February 2025 security update for Windows 11, version 24H2 and version 23H2 to start using the following improvements, which might be rolled out gradually.

• [FILE EXPLORER][24H2][23H2] Select and hold (or right-click) items in the left pane to see the “New Folder” command appear on the context menu.
• [WINDOWS STUDIO EFFECTS][24H2][23H2] On devices with a neural processing unit (NPU), notice a new icon in the system tray when you use an app that supports Windows Studio Effects. Select the icon to open the Studio Effects page in Quick Settings or hover over it to see which app is using the camera.
• [FONT][24H2][23H2] Check out the new simplified Chinese font, Simsun-ExtG, supporting Unicode ranges G, H, and I.
• [SETTINGS][24H2] Change time zones in Settings > Time & language > Date & time.
• [FILE EXPLORER][23H2] Access shared items in File Explorer Home > Shared when you're signed in to your Microsoft account or a Microsoft Entra account. These include files, emails, Teams chat, and more.
• [WINDOWS SHARE][23H2] Share files directly to apps when you select and hold (or right-click) them in File Explorer or on the desktop.
• [MAGNIFIER APP][23H2] Try new Magnifier options including a keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + Alt + Minus) to toggle between current and 1x zoom. And reset zoom to fit to your screen and reset zoom to your last or preferred magnification with new Magnifier buttons.

Install the February 2025 non-security preview update to get the Windows 11, version 24H2 and version 23H2 improvements ahead of next month's quality update:

• [TASKBAR] You can now share files directly from a jump list on the taskbar. Jump lists appear when you select and hold (or right-click) an app that has a jump list.
• [NARRATOR] Try out new functionalities for Narrator scan mode that help you navigate long emails, articles, and more. You can quickly jump to a list item on a page or a document. You can also jump to the beginning or end of large tables, lists, and landmarks. To try these new features, turn on Narrator first (Windows key + Ctrl + Enter), then turn scan mode on by pressing Caps Lock + Spacebar, and use the new shortcuts.
• [FILE EXPLORER] You can now snooze or turn off the “Start backup” reminder in the File Explorer address bar. This only applies if you are not already backing up your files and folders. To view this new option, right-click Start backup.
• [CAMERA] With the new multi-app camera feature, you can allow multiple applications to access the camera stream simultaneously. This feature was developed with a community of people with a hearing disability to provide video streaming for a sign language interpreter and the audience at the same time.

Lifecycle milestones​

Check out our lifecycle documentation for the latest updates on Deprecated features in the Windows client and Features removed or no longer developed starting with Windows Server 2025.

• [LOCATION] If you've enabled location data, it will no longer be saved locally. The corresponding settings are being removed from Settings > Privacy & security > Location page.
• [WSUS][REMINDER] Prepare for change if you're using driver synchronization updates via Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). This service is scheduled for deprecation on April 18, 2025. Read the original announcement, including links to alternatives, at Deprecation of WSUS driver synchronization.
• [WIN10 EOS][REMINDER] Find resources to help you get ready for Windows 10 end of support (EOS) coming up on October 14, 2025. This resource hub includes important reminders, guides, interactive assessments, and customer testimonials. Choose among several ways to transition to Windows 11, check if current devices are eligible for the upgrade, purchase new PCs as part of your refresh cycle, and learn more about the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program.

Windows Insider Preview news​

Here's a summary of this month's new preview experiences available to Windows Insiders. Remember that many new features are rolled out gradually and belong to different build versions. If you want to be the first to get features, you can turn On the toggle to get the latest updates as soon as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Please visit the Windows Insider Blog for complete details.

Beta Channel​

Please note, these builds are only available to you if you didn't upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2.

• In Build 22635.4950, share files easier with the new drag tray feature. Start dragging a local file from File Explorer or the desktop, and notice a handy tray appear at the very top of your screen. Drop your file onto the icon of your phone and other apps in the tray. Additionally, you can now switch between grid and category views of the Start menu “Apps” page.
• In Build 22635.4870, use a group policy to disable lock screen widgets in the European Economic Area (EEA) without affecting other widgets on managed PCs. To customize your lock screen widgets, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
• In Build 22635.4870, when signed in with a work or school account (Microsoft Entra ID), see new enhancements to File Explorer. A people icon under the "Activity" column and "Recommended" section displays the Live Persona Card from Microsoft 365.

Dev and Beta Channels​

If you're considering switching from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel, you can for a limited time! You can do so as long as Dev and Beta Channels receive the same updates (same build numbers) based on Windows 11, version 24H2. Besides availability in the Dev Channel, the following changes are available in the Beta Channel as optional.

• Trim your screen recordings right in the Snipping Tool (version 11.2501.7.0).
• In Build 26120.3281, snap your windows more easily with inline messaging to help you achieve most productivity. Be more productive with File Explorer options to restore all tabs as you sign in to Windows.

Canary Channel​

• Trim your screen recordings right in the Snipping Tool (version 11.2501.7.0).
• In Build 27788, enable “Restore previous folder windows at logon” to open your File Explorer with all the tabs you used last time. Review this configuration in Windows Settings > Accounts > Sign in options. Additionally, try the public preview of Windows MIDI Services, which includes MIDI 2.0 and a range of other benefits.

Note: Many new features are rolled out gradually and belong to different build versions. If you want to be the first to get features, you can turn On the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update. Please visit the Windows Insider Blog for complete details.

Join us in March for more Windows news you can use, including highlights from Technical Takeoff sessions.