Guide: Essential Microsoft Enhancements to Install After Setting Up Windows 11 LTSC 2024

Windows 11 LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel) 2024 is designed for enterprises, prioritizing minimalism and stability over extra features. If you're planning on using this lean version as your daily driver, you might want to enhance your system with some additional Microsoft Store apps and plugins, such as HEIF/HEIC and MPEG-2 Video Extension, among others. These enhancements are aimed at improving your daily user experience without overloading your system.

Recommended Extensions to Install:

• AV1 Video Extension: Essential for optimizing playback performance for AV1 encoded videos, which are becoming increasingly common online.
• Webp Image Extensions: Allows you to preview WebP images directly in the File Explorer.
• Raw Image Extensions: Enables the viewing of RAW format images, specifically DNG files, within the Photos app.
• HEIF Image Extensions: Necessary for viewing HEIF format images, especially HEIC files, directly in the Photos app.
• Web Media Extensions: Includes support for OGG container, Vorbis decoder, and Theora decoder, useful for playing videos over the internet.
• VP9 Video Extensions: Enhances playback for videos encoded in VP9 format.
• OpenCL, OpenGL, and Vulkan: Recommended for certain applications and games, particularly those that are graphics-intensive.
• AVC Encoder Video Extension: Advisable for screen recording, live streaming, and game captures.
• MPEG-2 Video Extension: Supports the older MPEG standard used in DVDs and similar video formats. Install only if necessary.

Apps You Might Need to Install Separately:

• Windows Calculator: The new version offers a better experience than the outdated one included in Windows 11 LTSC 2024.
• Microsoft Photos: Not pre-installed with the system, this app is essential for viewing various image formats.
• Snipping Tool: The new version provides a superior experience for capturing screenshots.
• Windows Notepad: The updated Notepad app includes more features, though the classic version suffices for simplicity.
• Paint: Useful for basic image editing tasks.
• MSN Weather: Microsoft's weather app, which can display weather information in widgets (Note: LTSC versions default do not support widgets and require separate installation).

Where to Find These Extensions/Apps:

All the mentioned extensions and apps need to be installed via the Microsoft Store, which is not included by default in Windows 11 LTSC 2024. Therefore, your first step is to add the Microsoft Store to your system. Follow our tutorial "[How-To] Install Microsoft Store on Windows 11 LTSC 2024" for a step-by-step guide.

Once the Microsoft Store is enabled, simply search for "AV1" to find the AV1 Video Extension, click on the developer's name (Microsoft) to see all apps/extensions offered by Microsoft, and then scroll through to find and install the ones you need.

Alternatively, you can search the Microsoft Store for each listed extension or app to install them individually. Once installed, they can be updated automatically via the Microsoft Store.

It's important to note that these extensions do not have an interface or an icon and do not require manual launching. They work in the background, automatically enhancing your system's capabilities, such as when playing an AV1 encoded video.