Microsoft has yet to officially confirm the release date of Windows 11 22H2, but we’ve heard that the rollout will start in a few weeks, likely on or around September 20. The RTM build is build 22621 and comes with features like drag and drop taskbar, better Start menu customization options, a new Task Manager, and much more.
Microsoft has been working on Windows 11 22H2 for the past few months and users in the Beta and Dev channel can already test the update. While Windows 11 22H2 is “feature-locked,” meaning it will ship to consumers on September 20 “as is,” Microsoft is working on a series of new features called “Moments,” which will be released in October.
It doesn’t include features like tabs in File Explorer or a new sidebar experience in File Explorer. Features such as suggested actions will also not appear on the first day of Windows 11 22H2 release. That’s because these features were added to the OS much later and weren’t ready in time for this year’s first major update.
Microsoft apparently plans to release new features as part of smaller Windows updates called “Moment”.
Shortly after the Windows 11 22H2 release in September, Microsoft is preparing to release its first “Moment” update, likely in the first week of October 2022.
The first Windows 11 “Moment” update will add tabs and a new sidebar to File Explorer, and it will also enable a feature called “Suggested Actions” that will prompt users for next steps based on the texts selected in apps like Microsoft teams.
For example, if you copy a date in Teams, Suggested Actions displays a prompt suggesting the user add the date to the calendar.
Windows 11 Moment Update Credential Spotted
Microsoft has already recently started working on the Windows 11 “Moment” update as references to internal Build 229xx popped on Github.
The new “229xx builds” are apparently dedicated to the internal development of the “Moment” update for Windows 11 v22H2. This does not mean that users will be upgraded to build 229xx of the existing RTM build 22621. Instead, features from internal build 229xx will be fed back to the RTM build through cumulative updates.
It’s worth noting that Build 22621 already includes the Moment 1 function bits, but they are currently disabled. Enrolling the device in the beta channel will automatically grant you access to the hidden features.
It is similar to the Windows 10 activation package “main switch” that enables the dormant functions.
The first Moment update will be released in October as a cumulative update. The second Moment update is expected to come out next year. This is a new way to release features outside of major OS updates, according to sources familiar with the development.
It remains unclear if any more Moment updates are planned for the operating system.
