(Credit: Zain bin Awais/PCMag; Microsoft; MF3d via Getty Images)
Microsoft’s big annual update for Windows 11, version 25H2, was somewhat disappointing because it didn’t actually include anything major and new. Of course, Windows still saw a healthy trickle of new features via interim updates throughout 2025. Many of the most impressive releases (Click-to-Do and Recall) are exclusive to Copilot+ PCs with neural processing units (NPUs), while others improved the OS's performance on machines with Arm processors.
Here, however, I'll be focusing on features that benefit all Windows users, highlighting my 12 favorites below. Some minor changes that didn't make the list but which I nonetheless appreciate include a more consistent dark mode in File Explorer and the migration of more settings from the old Control Panel to the modern Settings app.
How Can You Get the Latest Windows 11 Features?
New Windows 11 features roll out to different PCs at varying times, so you may not have access to all the features below just yet. To make sure you get updates as soon as they’re available for your PC, go to Settings > Windows Update and check the box next to “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.” You can keep tabs on upcoming features by checking out the Windows Insider program and blog. I don’t include some of the announced features, such as the redesigned scrollable Start menu, since they're not available on any of my test PCs.
1. Copilot Vision With Highlights
Some Copilot features might seem like solutions without problems, but I’ve already found Copilot Vision with Highlights to be extremely helpful. The AI knows how to perform tasks in any program, including complex ones like DaVinci Resolve. You can have a natural conversation with the tool to obtain the information or explanation you need, and the Highlights feature can place a large pointer on your screen to indicate where you need to take action.
2. Mobile Sidebar
Windows has gotten increasingly better at connecting to your smartphone. This Start menu update makes accessing stuff on your phone easier than ever. It allows you to quickly view your mobile device's battery level and check for new messages or calls. From the sidebar, you can also quickly send files to your phone. Now, you can see your Android phone’s folders in the Start menu, too.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)3. Copilot Wake Word (aka 'Hey Copilot!')
You can now turn your PC into a smart speaker that’s much smarter than a traditional smart speaker with an older voice assistant. You can easily conduct a continuous conversation with a choice of realistic voice options that can tell you just about anything. This is a Copilot feature I’ve been pushing for over the last couple of years. I’m still hoping for more PC control, however, such as the ability to shut down the PC with my voice.
4. Quick Machine Recovery
This reliability feature detects when your PC is unable to boot and contacts Microsoft servers to find a solution. As shown in the screenshot below, you can choose to have Windows automatically apply the fix to get you up and running again.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)5. Search Files With Copilot
You can lean on Copilot in Windows to search for files using natural language. You don’t need to remember the exact filename to get what you’re looking for; just describe the file, and the AI will find relevant results.
6. Paint With Photoshop-Like Layers
Windows’ Paint drawing app gained the ability to use and manage layers this year—no need for a steep Photoshop subscription. It’s far from a full Photoshop replacement, but it might be sufficient if your needs are simple. You can even save your image as a .paint file to preserve the layers. Paint can also now generate AI images based on your text prompts.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)7. The Many Windows Accessibility Upgrades
Microsoft improved several accessibility features in 2025. For example, it improved voice interactions for some users with updates to action delay settings, custom dictionaries, speech recognition patterns for conditions such as Parkinson’s, support for Chinese and Japanese, and voice dictation. Live transcription, richer image descriptions, and a screen curtain option with Narrator (which blacks out the screen on demand for privacy) join these updates.
8. More Apps in the Updated Microsoft Store
You can now get Adobe Premiere Elements, ChatGPT, Fortnite, and Noteastic from the Microsoft Store, making installation, updating, and uninstallation simpler. The store itself saw upgrades in 2025, with an AI Hub, interface improvements, a new Themes section to gussy up your desktop, and personalized recommendations. The Windows app store has a checkered history, but recent developments make it more compelling.
9. A Better Notepad App
The tried-and-true Notepad app saw significant updates in 2025. It now allows bold and italic formatting, hyperlinks, and markdown code. With the latest version, you can even use tabs and close them without having to remember to save your work. Finally, a Copilot integration brings generative AI features like text summarization and rewriting.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)10. A Host of Security Improvements
This year, Windows Defender SmartScreen introduced AI-powered threat detection for malware and phishing. Protections for AI agents in Defender, restart-free security patching, and enhancements to Windows Hello authentication round out the changes.
11. Xbox Full Screen Mode
The new Xbox Full Screen Mode targets handheld gaming PCs such as the Asus ROG Ally X, allowing them to feel less like a PC and more like a gaming console. However, you can also use it on a full-size PC for an enhanced gaming experience.
12. Seconds in the Taskbar System Tray Clock
Sometimes, hours and minutes alone won't suffice: In these days of remote meetings, you often need to know exactly how much time is left before your next meeting starts. Or maybe you want to time something precisely: website load times, a boiled egg. A setting now allows you to display seconds in the taskbar clock specifically for that purpose.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)What's Next for Windows?
Is Windows 12 on the horizon? Maybe. But no one really knows. At the very least, we expect Microsoft to continue embracing AI features in Windows. In any case, we'll be sure to cover whatever Redmond comes up with next.