16 Must-Know Windows 11 Updates for December
▼ Summary
– Microsoft’s December 2025 Patch Tuesday for Windows 11 is a major update, introducing 16 new features alongside the usual security fixes.
– Visual and functional improvements include a redesigned Windows search bar, a smoother taskbar, and an enhanced dark mode for File Explorer.
– New AI and sharing features integrate Copilot more deeply, adding a “Share with Copilot” option in the taskbar and a “Click to execute” context menu.
– Several settings menus are updated or added, including new pages for device information, mobile device management, virtual workspaces, and Bluetooth keyboards.
– The update brings specific enhancements like haptic feedback for digital pens, an Xbox full-screen mode for more devices, and the extension of Windows Studio Effects to external cameras.
Microsoft’s final major update for Windows 11 in 2025 arrives this December, packed with a significant collection of enhancements. This Patch Tuesday delivers sixteen notable changes, ranging from visual refinements and taskbar integrations to new settings panels and gaming improvements. The update focuses on polishing the user experience, expanding AI functionality, and addressing common user feedback.
A key visual tweak involves the Windows search field, which has been adjusted to better align with the Start menu’s height, reducing design inconsistencies. However, the broader issue of the Start menu covering large portions of the screen for some users remains unaddressed for now.
Microsoft continues to weave its AI assistant into the operating system. A new “Share with Copilot” feature will appear directly in the taskbar. Hovering over an app icon will show a thumbnail, allowing you to instantly begin a conversation with the chatbot about that app’s content via Copilot Vision. The taskbar will also feature smoother visual transitions when moving your cursor between app icons.
For personalization, Windows Spotlight on the desktop is getting more intuitive. A simple right-click on the desktop provides quicker access to change the background, and a new “Explore background” option offers details about the current image. Addressing a frequent annoyance, Microsoft is making it simpler to disable the Drag Tray feature. This function, which lets you drag files to the top of the screen to share them, can now be turned off in Settings under System > Nearby sharing.
File Explorer’s dark mode receives a welcome polish, aiming for a more uniform appearance in dialog boxes for actions like copying files. While some elements may still not perfectly match or a brief white flash might occur on startup, the overall consistency is improved. Finding system details becomes easier with a new “Device information” card on the Settings start page, displaying your PC’s processor, memory, and graphics specs without navigating menus.
The Settings app gains a dedicated section for managing connected mobile devices, allowing you to add, configure, or remove them. The system info page is also redesigned to be cleaner, primarily showing your desktop background with an option to rename your computer. For power users, the Advanced settings section adds a new “Virtual Workspaces” page to manage tools like Windows Sandbox.
New options appear for Bluetooth keyboards and text cursors, including settings for repeat rate and key reassignment. Quick Machine Recovery gets a smarter default configuration designed to prevent the system from getting stuck in a loop searching for solutions, offering more targeted troubleshooting.
The widgets board is redesigned for clarity, better separating widgets from the Discover feed and displaying notifications with relevant icons. On supported touch devices, using a digital pen will now provide haptic feedback vibrations when interacting with certain UI elements.
A new context menu for Copilot PCs called “Click to execute” consolidates actions like open, save, and copy, and includes a quick-access field to summon Copilot. Gamers will appreciate that Xbox Full Screen Mode is expanding beyond handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally to standard PCs, offering console-like navigation and saving up to 2GB of memory. It can be enabled in Settings > Gaming.
Finally, owners of Copilot PCs can now apply AI-powered Windows Studio Effects to secondary cameras, including USB webcams. Alongside these features, the December update includes the usual array of bug fixes and critical security patches.
(Source: PC World)
