Windows 11 2023 Update (version 23H2) Available for Download

The second major feature update for Windows 11 has been released by Microsoft. It’s labelled as “Windows 11 2023 Update, version 23H2“. In this article, we’ll discuss what’s new and changed in Windows 11 23H2 and how to download and install it right now in your computer system.

In July 2023, Microsoft officially announced that the next feature update for Windows 11 will be called 23H2 and will be released to public in fourth quarter (Q4) of 2023. Microsoft also mentioned that 23H2 feature update will be a small upgrade from Windows 11 22H2 and will be released as an small enablement package (eKB). At that time, people were referring Windows 11 23H2 as Sun Valley 3 (SV3) for testing purposes.

Microsoft was already testing version 23H2 using Dev and Canary channels of Windows Insiders group and now the final version is available for download and installation to public.

Table of Contents

Windows 11 2023 Update (23H2) and Moment 4 Update Share Same Features
What’s New and Changed in Windows 11 2023 Update (Version 23H2)
How to Install or Upgrade to Windows 11 2023 Update (Version 23H2) from 22H2
Download Windows 11 2023 Update (23H2) Offline ISO for Clean Install
[Fix] Windows 11 2023 Update (Version 23H2) Not Showing on Your Computer
How-to Guides to Help Installing Windows 11 2023 Update (23H2)
Things to Do After Installing Windows 11 2023 Update (Version 23H2)

Windows 11 2023 Update (23H2) and Moment 4 Update Share Same Features

If you have installed the recently released Windows 11 Moment 4 Update (fourth feature drop) in your Windows 11 device, you’ll not notice any new major feature in Windows 11 23H2 as Microsoft already enabled all new features in Moment 4 Update.

Following article contains details about recently released Moment 4 Update for Windows 11:

Windows 11 Moment 4 Update (Fourth Feature Drop) Available for Download

You can consider Moment 4 Update as Release Candidate or Beta version of the new Windows 11 23H2 version which was released to advanced users for testing purposes.

What’s New and Changed in Windows 11 2023 Update (Version 23H2)

Windows 11 2023 Update, version 23H2 comes with following new features and changes:

Copilot for Windows: It brings built-in artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and support along with Bing chat to Windows 11 to help users find answers and complete tasks easily. Users can access Copilot right from the Taskbar or using WIN+C keyboard shortcut. (How-to Enable/Disable Guide)
Redesigned File Explorer: The File Explorer or Windows Explorer has been modernized using WinUI 3. Users can notice revamped home page, address bar and search box. A new Gallery feature is also available in Navigation Pane to help users in accessing their photo collection quickly. The Details Pane has also received many improvements including contextual information about the selected file such as file thumbnail, share status and button, file activity, related files and e-mails, and other information.
Taskbar Never Combined Mode: Users can now see each button of running applications on the taskbar individually ungrouped and uncombined, as well as their corresponding labels. You can find this feature by navigating to Settings -> Personalization -> Taskbar -> Taskbar behaviors page. (How-to Guide)
System apps in Start Menu now display a “System” badge or label.
New “End Task” Option in Taskbar Context Menu: Users can use the new option to force kill not responding apps and programs directly using Taskbar. (How-to Enable Guide)
Websites Recommendations on Start Menu: The websites present in user’s browsing history will be shown under recommendations section on Start Menu. You can remove any website URL from the Recommended section using the shortcut menu. To completely turn off this feature, you can go to Settings -> Personalization -> Start page and adjust settings for all recommended content on Start Menu. (How-to Disable Guide)
New Outlook for Windows app: Microsoft was working on this new Outlook app since many months and now the new app replaces old stock Mail app in Windows 11. It’s a PWA (Progressive Web App) app i.e. web-based app which works like a placeholder for the main Outlook.com website. More information can be found about the new Outlook for Windows app in this article.
Chat app is now called Microsoft Teams (Free) and comes pinned to the Taskbar by default.
New Windows Backup app: A new Windows Backup app quickly gets your current PC backed up and ready to move to a new PC. Your Store apps from your prior PC will be pinned where you left them, both on taskbar and in the Start menu. Settings from your previous device will restore to your new PC to help you get back into the flow as quickly as possible. Once backed up, you can try out the new restore during the out-of-box-experience (OOBE) when setting up a new PC or by resetting an existing PC.
Improved Notepad app: Notepad now automatically saves user’s session to allow users to close Notepad without showing any interrupting dialogs. When the user opens Notepad again, it restores the previous session. Notepad also automatically restores previously opened tabs along with unsaved content.
Improved Paint app: The native or default Paint app has been improved to include AI features and tools (Cocreator) and ability to remove background from photos.
Improved Photos app: The Photos app has also received AI support and new features such as background blur and improved search.
Improved Snipping Tool app: The Snipping Tool app now provides new ways to capture computer screen. Users can now extract specific text from an image and paste the text in other applications. Similarly, users can protect sensitive information using text redaction action on post capture screen. Users can also create interactive videos as the Snipping Tool has received sound capturing using audio and mic support.
Improved Clipchamp app: Clipchamp has received new “Auto Compose” feature which automatically shows scene suggestions, edits and narratives based on the image to help users in creating and editing videos like professionals.
Dynamic Lighting: This new feature provides native control of Lighting Devices implementing the open HID LampArray standard. To control and configure a HID LampArray device, users can navigate to Settings -> Personalization -> Dynamic Lighting page.
Built-in RAR file support: Native support for reading additional archive file formats such as .tar, .rar, .7z, etc using the libarchive open-source project.
Updates to Windows Firewall: Addition of targeting firewall rules to specific applications, firewall location awareness updates and more granular firewall logging.
Accessibility improvements: New text authoring experiences to voice access and new natural voices in Narrator.

How to Install or Upgrade to Windows 11 2023 Update (Version 23H2) from 22H2

STEP 1: If you are already using Windows 11 operating system in your device and want to upgrade to the latest version 23H2, first make sure you are using Windows 11 2022 Update (version 22H2) in your computer as 23H2 upgrade can be installed on Windows 11 22H2 devices only. You can install or upgrade to Windows 11 2022 Update (22H2) with the help of following article:

How to Download and Install Windows 11 2022 Update (22H2)

STEP 2: Now you can download and install the 23H2 update by clicking on “Check for Updates” button present on Settings -> Windows Update page. Make sure to enable the “Get the Latest Updates as Soon as They’re Available” toggle option if you want to receive the update right now in your device.

STEP 3: First Windows 11 will download KB5031455 update which will install all new features present in version 23H2 or recently released Moment 4 Update but Windows 11 version will remain as 22H2. All the new features will remain disabled or deactivated. Windows build number will be changed to 22621.2506.

STEP 4: After installing KB5031455 update, check for updates again and a new update KB5027397 will appear with the description as “Feature Update to Windows 11, version 23H2” on Windows Updates page. It’s actually an EKB update or enablement package which is very small in size and works like a master switch. It’ll activate Windows 11 version 23H2 in your device and will also enable all new features.

PS: KB5031455 update is prerequisite for KB5027397 update. You must install KB5031455 update before installing KB5027397 update in your computer.

Windows 11 23H2 Update will change/increase the build number of Windows 11 to 22631.2506.

Download Windows 11 2023 Update (23H2) Offline ISO for Clean Install

If you don’t want to upgrade but want to perform clean/fresh installation of Windows 11 2023 Update (23H2) in your PC, you can download its offline ISO file using following guides and manually install the latest Windows 11 version in your device:

[Tip] How to Download Windows 11 Offline ISO Files

[Tip] How to Download and Use Windows 11 Media Creation Tool

How to Create Windows 11 Bootable USB Drive with Hardware Requirements Check Disabled

[Fix] Windows 11 2023 Update (Version 23H2) Not Showing on Your Computer

If you can’t get Windows 11 2023 Update (23H2) in your device, there might be many reasons as following:

1. Microsoft will begin the global automatic rollout of Windows 11 2023 Update via Windows Update to all existing Windows 11 PCs. The roll out will begin in phases, starting with newer machines first. The first phase will download the update on newer devices which were tested by Microsoft with their OEM hardware partners. After that Microsoft will start expanding the update release to remaining devices. The complete process of Windows 11 feature update roll out may take several days.

So if the feature update is not showing on your PC yet, wait for some days and it’ll be automatically offered to you on your PC via Windows Update.

2. Windows 11 2023 Update will be available on your device only if it supports hardware requirements to run Windows 11 operating system. To check whether your computer meets minimum system requirements for Windows 11, follow the instructions given in following articles:

Windows 11 System Requirements or Hardware Specifications

Download PC Health Check App to Know Whether Your PC Meets Windows 11 System Requirements