Windows 11 news and updates in June: Microsoft's AI agent in Settings makes adjusting your PC easier than ever

Here's the latest info on Windows 11 from Microsoft and other prominent app developers from the week of June 16.

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Windows 11 logo superimposed onto the screen of a Microsoft Surface Pro 9 with a red keyboard seated on a wooden desk
(Image: © Windows Central)

In the first half of June, Microsoft pushed exciting changes to Windows 11 in preview for beta channels and retail releases for all users. In the former, Insiders unlocked Markdown formatting for Notepad and a new "Quick machine recovery" section in Settings that helps automate repairs to the operating system.

After making Windows compliant with the Digital Markets Act by loosening default browser rules, European Insiders also unlocked the right to uninstall the Microsoft Store app. Meanwhile, Microsoft vowed to end port confusion with a new mandate that simplifies USB-C across the entire world.

Microsoft has also introduced Sora AI video generation to Bing Video Creator on Android devices, making it globally available for free, and I expect it will eventually come to Windows 11. Otherwise, Microsoft Edge Game Assist has left its beta state and become "game-aware" inside the Game Bar (Windows + G), suggesting tips and tricks as you play.

Above all, a focus on Windows 10 reaching the end of its life in October saw brands like Intel and ASUS pushing for users to upgrade to Windows 11, while a "KDE for Windows 10 Exiles" has Linux fans coaxing users to switch away from Microsoft's leading OS. Denmark's government even dumped Windows and Office 365 for open-source alternatives.

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European Insiders can now export their Windows Recall snapshots

Windows Recall export code screen on Windows 11. (Image credit: Microsoft)

More changes are arriving for Windows 11 users in the European Economic Area, in line with additional privacy rules that typically apply to European users, such as myself.

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4441 (KB5060816) is now available on the Beta Channel for Insiders, offering an option to export your Windows Recall data via an "export code" (via Windows Insider Blog).

However, Windows 11 will only display this code once during the initial setup of Windows Recall. It's required to unlock your encrypted data, which Windows Hello authentication already protects, so you'll have to reset Windows Recall and lose all of your snapshots if you forget it.

More control over Windows Recall is fantastic, and secure encryption is practically mandatory for data like this. Still, I'm not sure an option to export this information will win over the skeptics. — Ben Wilson

Windows Vista boot sound mistakenly appears in Windows 11

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Comparisons between Apple's Liquid Glass UI and Windows Vista's Aero were inevitable, but an interesting "known issue" in Windows 11's recent Preview Build 26200.5651 plays a familiar sound upon booting (via Senior Editor Zac Bowden).

  • [ADDED] This week’s flight comes with a delightful blast from the past and will play the Windows Vista boot sound instead of the Windows 11 boot sound. We’re working on a fix.

I don't hate it, but I'm a sucker for nostalgia, after all. If you heard the Windows Vista (and Windows 7) chime when you booted up your PC this week, you're not imagining things; this is a real "bug" (or is it a feature?) — Ben Wilson

Settings AI agent is now live in the Dev Channel

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced an agentic AI for the Settings app in Windows 11, which helps simplify the wealth of options and tweaks available in the operating system by allowing users to ask simple questions or even make statements.

Prompts like "my mouse pointer is too small" will even offer to increase the size of your cursor with an "Apply" button, rather than sending you to a subcategory of Settings to find it yourself.

Currently, it's limited to Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs using one of Qualcomm's ARM64-based processors, such as the 8-core Snapdragon X Plus. However, Microsoft assures that support for PCs using x86-64 chips from AMD and Intel will be available "soon".

It's one of the more interesting AI PC features, in that it offers a genuinely helpful assist rather than a playground of generative text and images, so I'm looking forward to it. — Ben Wilson

Hidden tool for migrating from Windows 10 to Windows 11 discovered

Surface Pro 6

Windows 10 will soon have a new migration tool to streamline the process of moving data and settings to a new Windows 11 PC. (Image credit: Future)

With the end of Windows 10 support quickly approaching, many are looking to upgrade their PCs. Since Windows 11 has strict minimum requirements, quite a few computers will not be able to update to the new OS.

Those who buy a new computer will have a helpful tool from Microsoft to migrate data to their PC. The Windows Migration tool was spotted recently in the Backup app on Windows 10. While the feature is currently hidden, it will likely ship before Windows 10 support ends on October 14, 2025. — Sean Endicott

Windows 11 is about to hit a massive milestone

Surface Laptop 13-inch

Windows 11 will soon pass Windows 10 in terms of desktop market share. (Image credit: Windows Central / Zac Bowden)

Just under five years after its launch, Windows 11 is set to surpass Windows 10 in desktop market share. The latest figures from StatCounter show a large jump from 43.22 percent to 47.73 percent for Windows 11 between May and June.

During that same period, Windows 10's market share fell from 53.19 percent to 48.92 percent. That's the first time we've seen that figure dip below 50 percent for Windows 10.

Windows 11 tends to gain market share each month. There are occasional lulls and dips, but the operating system continues to trend upward. If that trend continues, Windows 11 will pass Windows 10 in market share over the next month or so.

The jump seems connected to the upcoming end of Windows 10 support. People only have a few months left before Windows 10 stops receiving updates and support.