Windows 11 was officially announced last month with a redesigned Start, taskbar and Action Center experience. At the moment, Windows 11 is available to testers in the Dev Channel of the Insider program.
Microsoft is still on Windows 11 and the company has introduced new features and improvements with the latest cumulative updates. In addition to big improvements, we're also expecting nifty improvements for the context menu, taskbar, and other areas of Windows 11.
Windows Update assistance
Microsoft is testing a new feature that would calculate and display the estimated installation time of an update. This feature is now available for everyone and it will appear when a new cumulative or feature update is ready to be installed in Windows Update.
However, this feature doesn't seem to be working properly as Windows Update always displays a five-minute estimate.
Search box
The Start menu is getting a new search box to make it easier to find your apps, documents, pictures and more. At the moment, the search bar is merely a shortcut and it will simply open the Windows Search panel
Taskbar
In the latest builds, Microsoft is working on a new modern design for the hidden icons flyout which is available on the lower right of the Taskbar
Similarly, the taskbar can now be enabled across multiple displays.
Microsoft is testing a new taskbar design that will tell you when an app requires attention. The app icons will automatically flash on the Taskbar, but the flash effect would be subtle. Microsoft says these changes will match the look and feel of Windows 11, and the focus is on reducing the impact of unwarranted distractions.
Context menu
Microsoft is refreshing the right-click menu within the operating system to reduce clutter and enable Fluent Design acrylic effect. With Windows 11, Microsoft is bringing refinements to contextual file operations in the right-click context menu.
Windows 11 context menu comes with these improvements:
- Common commands are placed right next to where the menu is invoked.
- “Open” and “Open with” are grouped together.
- Apps extend the menu with IExplorerCommand + app identity. Unpackaged Win32 apps can use Sparse Manifests. IExplorerCommand support extends back to Windows 7.
- App extensions are grouped together below Shell verbs.
- Cloud Files provider apps are placed next to the Shell commands to hydrate or dehydrate the file.
- Apps with more than 1 verb are grouped into a flyout with app attribution.
- “Show more options” loads the Windows 10 context menu as-is for access to low-use Shell verbs and apps still working on porting over. No commands have been removed entirely.
- Shift-F10 or the keyboard menu key will also load the Windows 10 context menu.
Microsoft Teams integration
Microsoft has now enabled the Microsoft Teams chatting feature in the Windows Taskbar. This feature is based on Microsoft Teams WebView and it will simply allow users to launch Teams chat or meetings directly from the taskbar.
As shown in the above screenshot, you’ll see your most recent individual and group conversations. At the moment, you can tap on the Chat icon in the Taskbar to reach out to your contacts and friends.
It can automatically sync existing contacts via Skype or Outlook and you can also add contacts via an email address or phone number. You can generate an invite link to easily invite others to a group chat or video call.
Microsoft is still working on Windows 11 and we'll see more improvements in the coming builds.
Comments
Hammerfest - 2 years ago
The lack of folders or groups in the new "start menu" make Windows 11 a 100% non-starter, both for my business PC's and my personal PC's.
For family its a non-starter as well, search has been crap, and while it might be improved, most of my family and even quite a few friends dont use keyboard much outside of work/games so having to type rather then Start > Folder > Program, which is 3 clicks, instead having to click start, or hit windows key, then start typing normally more then 3 letters, then click...
I understand that Microsoft never stood firm in the adjustments made to the start menu (no more folder and uninstaller link and readme, just program), this is not the time to start, this is the time to enforce programs limitations, but enable USER TO HAVE THE OPTIONS TO GROUP OR FOLDER stuff
T_Z - 2 years ago
No pinned item grouping currently, but I tested and you can still pin a folder to the start menu: https://i.imgur.com/NsznayP.png
Winston2021 - 2 years ago
"No pinned item grouping currently, but I tested and you can still pin a folder to the start menu: https://i.imgur.com/NsznayP.png"
I want the start menu to be -EXACTLY- like it is now and anything else is totally unacceptable. PERIOD. There's a reason people screamed for it with the abortion called Windows 8 and why the idiots at Microsoft think it needs to be changed is beyond me. Is Balmer secretly in charge again?
T_Z - 2 years ago
Calm down old man, god forbid you dedicate any of your brain cells to learning something new that a child can handle. Do you also have a complete mental breakdown if you drive another car and the A/C button is in a different place?
If you want to scroll through your apps alphabetically like it's 2003, you can still do that too: https://i.imgur.com/J81q4xg.png
TsVk! - 2 years ago
Looking pretty good at this stage. I trust all the feedback that MS is getting during this pre-release time will help them to polish it further to users expectations.
Just need to stick that Windows button back in the left hand corner now, it needs to be the easiest button to click on and possible to do even if your screen is black... not floating out in space requiring concentration to click it.
T_Z - 2 years ago
This has been possible in Windows 11 from the beginning. It's a dropdown menu in the taskbar settings to align icons on the left instead of the center.