Windows 11's final "Moment Update" has these new features

Microsoft is preparing the fifth Moment Update for its Windows 11 operating system. Currently available in the Release Preview channel, Moment Update 5 is included in the February 2024 optional updates for Windows 11. Then in March 2024, it will be released as part of the monthly cumulative updates for Windows 11 on March 12, 2024.

This overview lists all important features and changes that the Moment Update 5 introduces. Note that some of the listed features may roll out over time, even though they are part of the update.

Moment Update 5 highlights

The final Moment Update introduces compliance with the European Union's Digital Markets Act. It gives users from the EU control over certain features, including the ability to uninstall Microsoft Edge, turn off Bing in Windows Search, and disable news in Widgets.

The feature drop includes a number of changes for all users. This includes various AI updates in integrated tools, support for using Windows Ink in text boxes, and several smaller changes.

AI changes and new AI features

Moment Update 5 is not the update that turns Windows 11 into the AI operating system. Still, Microsoft continues its push of AI tools, features, and services into the Windows 11 operating system.

Windows Copilot's icon is moved to the right side of the taskbar. It replaces the traditional hidden Show Desktop button there by default. A new setting in the taskbar preferences restores Show Desktop, but you need to enable this manually.

The Copilot icon remains in the same location, but you may hide it or turn off Copilot in Windows altogether, if you prefer to do so.

Copilot's interface may also be a bit wider now and it works on all connected monitors.

Windows 11's Snap Assist feature may show suggestions now for certain layouts. Hover over the maximize button of a window to see available layouts. Apps may be shown in some of them, and when you select these options, Windows will automatically show these in the areas on the screen.

Widgets changes

The Widgets Board of the operating system has offered some customization options up to this point. You could pick interests to populate the news section and also show or hide other widgets.

What Windows 11 users could not do until now was to turn off the news feed entirely. This changes with the release of the update. Now it is possible to hide the news widget to only display others in the Widgets Board.

Do the following to remove the News widget:

1. Open the Widgets Board with a click on the icon.
2. Select the preferences icon in the top right corner of the interface to open the options.
3. Locate "Show or Hide Feeds" and click on it.
4. Toggle Microsoft Start to off. This disables the entire News feed in the Windows Board.

Now it is possible to disable all widgets. Microsoft is opening the Widgets Board for third-party services. This could, in theory, introduce other news providers to the Widgets Board in the future. A link to the Microsoft Store is already provided to install third-party widgets.

Fun fact: if you uninstall Microsoft Edge, you get a blank Widgets Board.

Application updates

Several built-in tools receive new features after installation of the Moment Update 5.

• Snipping Tool -- the screen capturing tool supports adding shapes to images now.
• Notepad -- is getting an "explain with Copilot" context menu option. This can be used to get an explanation for the selected text from Copilot.
• Mobile Devices -- there is a new option under Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices in the Settings app called "Allow this PC to access your mobile devices". One of the first features is the ability to access photos taken with the mobile device quickly.
• Settings app -- features a new "get Copilot" ad on the homepage. There is also a new option to repair the Windows installation using Windows Update). You find it under System > Recovery in the Settings. This lets you repair Windows without the need to prepare installation media or using the "reset" option.
• Windows Spotlight is set as the default provider for background images (wallpapers). This is only the case if the default Windows wallpaper was set as the background image prior to installation of the update.
• The Microsoft Store has a new "arcade" section. It lists games that you may play without installation.

Smaller changes

The following list contains smaller updates.

• You may now give your PCs a descriptive name for the Nearby Sharing feature to improve identification. This is located under System > Nearby Sharing > Your device is discoverable as "...". Note that when you turn on Nearby Sharing, that Windows 11 will turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi automatically, if disabled.
• The Share feature of the operating system supports third-party services now, including WhatsApp, X and several more.
• Windows 365 Boot & Switch is getting a new dedicated mode. This supports booting into Windows 365 Cloud PCs from devices directly after sign-in. This also supports faster account switching.
• Task View is getting some improvements for Windows 365. There is a new option to disconnect from a Cloud PC and new indicators that reveal if the PC if you are on the local desktop or the Cloud PC's desktop.
• Narrator got support for natural voices, which users may add under Settings > Accessibility > Narrator under Narrator's voice. This feature is limited to some languages. You may preview and select one out of multiple available languages.
• Voice access may now be used to control Narrator and support for creating custom commands. Commands include opening a folder, file, or application, pasting text or media, or clicking with the mouse.

Closing Words

Moment Update 5 will be the last update of its kind. Microsoft is switching again to yearly feature update releases. The next one, Windows 11 version 24H2, will be released in the second half of 2024.

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