Windows 11’s August update (KB5121003) is in the process of rolling out, and it delivers quite a few enhancements/improvements. Here is a rundown of what to expect:
File Explorer: Now displays file sizes in MBs and GBs as well as in KBs. For years, File Explorer has shown file sizes in KBs, regardless of size. Now, larger file sizes will be displayed in MBs and GBs, with only smaller file sizes in KBs.
In the past, for larger file sizes, I’ve always divided File Explorer’s KBs by 1024 or by 1024 twice to get to a more specific number. Now, finally, after all these years, that will no longer be necessary.
New Sign-in Option: Windows 11 will now support external fingerprint readers to sign in. As we reported earlier, I’ve checked pricing on Amazon and these external USB fingerprint readers are currently selling for between $26 US and $60 US.
Faster App Loading Times: As we reported in an earlier article, Microsoft is working on faster response times, especially for entry-level PCs. The August update achieves faster loading times for Microsoft apps via an expansion of the Low Latency Profile feature.
From now on, when launching an app, the CPU clock speed will spike to max while the app is loading and then quickly return back to normal clock speed afterwards.
Windows Search: Microsoft is working on improving the Windows native search feature, and this update brings improved handling of typos when searching for an app. If you happen to misspell the name of the software you’re looking for, it should still be found, and partial app names will also produce a result.
Furthermore, Windows search is now prioritizing local results over and above online Bing results, which will no doubt please many users… including yours truly.
Voice Isolation: Voice Access, which allows users to control Windows using their voice, has been expanded to include a Voice Isolation feature. Voice Isolation reduces background noise, allowing Windows to better understand what the user is saying.
Laptops: Laptop users should appreciate a range of new and improved touchpad gestures, and the ability to manually set a level for when Energy Saver is turned on, which was previously removed, is returned with this update.
The update brings a range of performance enhancements too and quite a few security patches.
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