Microsoft is preparing to roll out a fairly substantial update for Windows 11, 24H2, and the update is currently in the final stages of testing. According to recent reports, it will see the end of several long-standing Microsoft products, including Cortana and WordPad, along with some of the other old Windows 11 features.
There is a tentative list of Windows features that are in the process of being deprecated on the official Microsoft Learn blog, although not all have a confirmed date. However, Swedish tech news site Sweclocker has shared that the first 24H2 release candidate build is now available through the Windows Insider program. The final version that will roll out to all Windows 11 users is expected to be released in September or October.
A while ago we wrote about the announcements of the deprecation of WordPad and Cortana, with Cortana giving way to Microsoft's new all-purpose AI digital assistant, Copilot. Tips is another app that will be absent in this version, along with Step Recorder. Steps Recorder is a built-in Windows support tool that has the ability to record user actions and analyze them to help troubleshoot your device.
These are just some of the apps and features shipping to the Microsoft Graveyard, but the release candidate preview also brings new features, as detailed in an official Windows Blogs post. This includes HDR support in the background, the ability to create 7-zip and TAR archives directly in File Explorer, and improvements to Bluetooth connectivity for certain devices.
Copilot is also getting better in this update, with the dedicated app rolling out to all Windows 11 users. It will also give users the ability to move, resize, and adjust the Copilot window.
Reflecting on the past and future of Windows 11
Cortana wasn't the biggest hit among Windows users and I doubt many would miss it, but there was a pretty vocal response from users who lamented the news that WordPad was on its way out. WordPad is a basic text editor that has been a default app on Windows devices since the '90s, and many people have grown fond of it, especially as an increasing number of well-known apps have become more complex and injected with often unwanted artificial intelligence functions.
If enough people continue to express their positive thoughts and feelings about WordPad, we may see it return as an optional Microsoft Store download, as happened with the Paint app that has since had a second life. PCGamer speculates that for most of these apps and features, with the exception of Cortana, Microsoft may not feel like continuing to maintain these apps and would prefer to dedicate those resources elsewhere, a move that could see more users adopt Microsoft 365. subscriptions.
Some of these features and apps, like Steps Recorder, I won't particularly miss, but I personally hope Microsoft reconsiders giving WordPad a permanent cut. It would be an easy win that would remind users that Microsoft doesn't completely cover its ears when it comes to user reviews and is still willing to leave things that aren't broken, even if they aren't the biggest moneymakers. .
