Windows 11 Sun Valley 2, SV2 is the codename for Microsoft’s soon-to-be-announced 22H2 version of the updated operating system, and some preview builds recently dropped showing some potential new features. Microsoft accidentally uploaded a page on the Feedback Hub confirming the codename of Sun Valley 2 and the new features of the Windows Settings app.
As you probably know, every major Windows update has a codename. For example, the original version of Windows 11 was called Sun Valley, while its 1st Anniversary Update was codenamed Sun Valley 2.
It also confirms previous theories that Sun Valley 2 won’t be a massive release with a bunch of new features. Instead, it will be similar to the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, focusing on core design principles, improvements to existing new features, and some small new features.
The Feedback Hub listing has since been removed, but according to the post, Microsoft is working on new features for the Settings app. Microsoft is calling it a “new refreshed settings page,” and it will include a handful of redesigned settings pages to ensure they’re updated and consistent with the rest of the app.
As part of an effort to improve Settings, pages like Time and Language have been updated with new headers that let you see the current time. “All SV2 builds built after March 15 will have these features enabled by default,” Microsoft said in the report.
The report also states that the Sun Valley 2 update is in the final stages of development and that most of the features are already in preview, but they’re just hidden. With Sun Valley 2, Microsoft is planning to improve both the traditional and new corners of the operating system. This includes Settings, Start, Taskbar, Notification Center, Windows Subsystem for Android, and more. For example, Microsoft is experimenting with a new interface for the Alt+Tab shortcut in Windows 11.
Switching apps via the Alt+Tab shortcut has always been a popular option for users, and it’s especially useful when you want to open an app without having to interact with the taskbar or desktop, or when you’re working with a full-screen app.
Currently, Alt+Tab blurs the entire screen. Windows 10’s Alt+Tab, on the other hand, presents a compact application menu in an Alt+Tab container, so you can switch between applications without blurring.
Microsoft admits that the new Alt+Tab interface was not a sensible design choice, as it looks odd on large monitors and hides content. In Sun Valley 2, the Alt+Tab interface has been updated to look cleaner. As part of the update, the blur effect now only applies to menus and not the entire screen.
In addition, Sun Valley 2 will finally bring back support for drag and drop in the taskbar, and there is a possibility that the tabs feature will return to File Explorer. With tag support, users will be able to maintain more than one instance of Explorer and easily manage multiple folders or directories.
On the security front, Windows 11 22H2 or Sun Valley 2 adds a new security feature called Smart App Control to prevent untrusted or potentially unwanted apps from being downloaded or installed on your computer. This feature is designed to reduce viruses, phishing attempts, and malware or ransomware.
This upcoming update will be full of improvements, and it will also bring improvements to personalization settings. For example, we will get Spotlight support for the desktop, which automatically changes the desktop wallpaper on a regular basis. Likewise, users will be able to add stickers to the desktop background and customize to their liking through the built-in sticker app.