Microsoft Deprecates Three Features in Windows 11 Version 23H2

Published: Nov 06, 2023

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Key Takeaways:

  • Microsoft has deprecated three features in Windows 11 version 23H2: Computer Browser, Webclient (WebDAV) Service, and Remote Mailslots.
  • These features are considered outdated or insecure and, as a result, are no longer suitable for use on Windows PCs.
  • The legacy services will no longer be actively developed and will be likely removed in future versions of Windows.

Last week, Microsoft started rolling out the Windows 11 2023 Update, which introduces Windows Copilot and several new features that were released as an optional update on September 26. The company has also shared a list of features that have been deprecated in Windows 11 version 23H2.

“Each version of Windows client adds new features and functionality. Occasionally, new versions also remove features and functionality, often because they’ve added a newer option,” the company explained in a support page. Microsoft has deprecated three legacy features in Windows 11: Computer Browser, Webclient (WebDAV), and Remote Mailslots.

Computer Browser

The Computer Browser service is a component that was used in older versions such as Windows NT and Windows 7. The service enabled users to browse the local area network (LAN), and access shared resources (such as shared folders and printers). Microsoft removed support for Secure Message Block version 1 (SMB1) and disabled the Computer Browser service by default in Windows 10.

Webclient (WebDAV) Service

The WebDAV API is an extension of the HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) that allows users to access and manipulate files on remote servers with Windows Explorer and other file management tools. The feature was first introduced in Windows Vista and it’s no longer enabled by default in the latest version of Windows.

Remote Mailslots

Remote Mailslots is a Windows networking feature that allows interprocess communication between apps running on different computer systems within a network. It’s typically used to broadcast messages to multiple recipients. Remote Mailslots is considered outdated and insecure, and it was disabled by default in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25314.

Microsoft to remove deprecated features in future versions of Windows

It’s important to note that Microsoft won’t completely remove these features from the OS for now, and they have only been marked as deprecated. However, these legacy services will no longer be actively developed and might be removed in a future version of Windows.

If you’re not seeing Windows 11 version 23H2 in Windows Update today, don’t worry as this new release will roll out gradually to all users. Microsoft plans to begin the auto-updating rollout process in the coming months, and you can find more details in our previous post.

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