Five cool features coming soon to Windows 11

Microsoft has already released one feature update for Windows 11 this year. However, the "Moment 5" update was rather minor, with a few notable changes and new features. Version 24H2, which will be released in the second half of 2024, will offer users much more.

Although the complete list of new features in Windows 11 version 24H2 is not finished yet, we already know about quite a few changes coming soon to the operating system. Here are five cool ones (some of them will arrive before version 24H2).

1. Use your phone as a webcam

Windows 11 will soon let you use your Android smartphone as a wireless webcam. Modern phones have great cameras, and even expensive webcams often cannot match their capabilities. Future Windows updates will make it possible to use different cameras in your smartphones for video calling on PC, apply additional effects (HDR, for example), and more.

Microsoft wants to make the experience as convenient as possible. Windows 11 will offer a dedicated flyout with all the controls and extra information, such as connection status and battery level. As of right now, the ability to use Android smartphones as webcams with Windows 11 PCs is available to all Windows Insiders with the Link to Windows app version 1.24012 and greater.

2. Deeper Copilot integration

Copilot in Windows still feels like a massive afterthought with a very limited set of actually useful Windows-related features. Luckily, Microsoft is making its new AI assistant more capable in terms of interacting with your hardware. You will soon be able to ask Copilot to scan for Wi-Fi networks, show device information, report battery level, toggle battery saver, clean some storage, take a screenshot, interact with accessibility features, and more.

That might not sound too impressive, but it may actually make working with a Windows PC much easier for less experienced customers.

3. Built-in QR-code generator

This one is rather minor, but such tiny stuff is often what makes an operating system convenient. One of the future Windows updates will let you generate QR codes when sharing links, making transferring websites from PC to phone much easier. No more emailing links to yourself or waiting for Microsoft Edge to sync your history.

4. Energy saver

Microsoft is working on expanding the existing energy saver to more devices, namely desktop computers that traditionally do not rely on rechargeable batteries. The new energy saver will trade more performance for battery life and let you reduce your energy consumption at reaching a certain battery life or even when plugged in.

Turning on the energy saver from the Settings app or the Quick Settings flyout will place a new leaf icon in the notification area to inform you that your system is operating at a lower performance level to conserve energy.

5. More lock screen widgets

The Lock screen in Windows 11 will soon show more useful information. Its current version lets you place a weather widget, and future updates will add more. Look out for stocks, traffic, sports games, and more. Of course, those widgets are optional, so you will still have the option to run a simple and clean lock screen on your Windows 11 PC.

And by the way, those widgets are coming to Windows 10 as well.

Bonus: Wi-Fi refresh button

The network will finally have a dedicated refresh button so you can rescan for available networks if you cannot spot the one you need. It is hard to tell why implementing this tiny thing took Microsoft so long, but I guess it is better late than never.

Those are only five neat features coming soon to Windows 11. The upcoming Windows 11 version 24H2 will bring much more to the table later this year, so look out for more news in the coming months. We will revisit this list after the May 2024 Surface event and the Build 2024 conference, where Microsoft is expected to announce plenty of AI and other features.