Windows 11 Sun Valley 2 “Sun Valley 2, SV2” is the code name for Microsoft’s upcoming 22H2 version of the updated operating system, and some of the recent previews show some potential new features. Microsoft accidentally uploaded a page on 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 code name. For example, the original version of Windows 11 was called “Sun Valley,” while its first-anniversary update was codenamed “Sun Valley 2.”
This also confirms the previous theory that Sun Valley 2 won’t be a massive version 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 minor new features.
The list of feedback hubs has been removed, but according to the post, Microsoft is developing new features for the settings app. Microsoft calls it a “newly refreshed settings page,” and it will include a handful of redesigned settings pages to ensure they’re updated and aligned with the rest of the app. As part of the effort to improve settings, pages like Time and Language have been updated with new titles where you can see the current time. Microsoft said in the report: “All SV2 builds generated after March 15 will have these features enabled by default. ”
The report also notes that the updates to Sun Valley 2 have reached the final stages of development, with most of the features already appearing in preview, but they’re just hidden.
With Sun Valley 2, Microsoft is planning to improve the traditional and new corners of the operating system. This includes settings, start, taskbar, notification center, Android Windows subsystem, 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 using 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 the Alt+Tab container, so you can switch between applications without blurring.
Microsoft admits that the new Alt+Tab interface isn’t a smart design choice because it looks weird 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 blurring effect now applies only to menus and not to the entire screen.
In addition, Sun Valley 2 will eventually come back with support for taskbar drag-and-drop, and the tab feature will potentially be returned 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 make improvements to personalization. For example, we will get Spotlight support for desktops, which will automatically change desktop wallpapers on a regular basis.
Similarly, users will be able to add stickers on the desktop background and customize them to their liking through the built-in sticker app.
