According to a blog post from Pavan Davuluri, EVP of Windows and Devices at Microsoft, the updates will begin rolling out to Windows Insiders starting next month and will target a few key areas, though most of them are related to making the overall experience less frustrating.
Updates are set to address File Explorer, which Davuluri says will be “faster and more reliable”, addressing complaints over lag times, smoothness, and general performance. Other changes will focus on the copilot; Microsoft plans to be “more intentional” about how it integrates Copilot into Windows 11, focusing on cases where it feels “really useful.” Damn, what an idea! In an effort to make CoPilot less annoying, Microsoft is removing some “entry points,” as it calls them, including the Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets, and Notepad.
Similarly, Microsoft also plans to give you more control over updates, for example, you can skip updates during device setup and restart or shut down without updating. You’ll also be able to pause updates for longer and get fewer prompts to update in general.
Speaking of more control, you’ll soon be able to move your taskbar to whichever side of the screen you want (bottom, top, or side), and you’ll also have more control over widgets, including, according to Davuluri, “more control over when and how widgets appear and better personalization for the Discover feed.”
Some changes also relate to the feedback process. Starting today, Microsoft says it’s rolling out “the biggest update ever to Feedback Hub,” starting with Windows Insiders. The redesigned experience will reportedly make submitting feedback “faster and easier.” Similarly, Windows said it was making changes to its Insider program that would make it easier to access new features and make it clearer “how your feedback shapes Windows.”
However, the updates aren’t just focused on Copilot and the annoying/underbaked UI. Microsoft also claims it is making significant improvements in performance and reliability with improved memory efficiency that reduces the “baseline memory footprint for Windows” and frees up more capacity for apps. The updates will also focus on reducing latency for things like search, navigation, and transferring large files. In terms of reliability, Microsoft will focus on “reducing OS-level crashes, improving driver quality, and improving app stability across our ecosystem so PCs run smoothly and reliably every day.”
This all sounds positive on paper, but I guess we’ll have to see if Microsoft actually has the ability to remove Windows 11. If nothing else, Windows thanks you deeply for your extremely helpful feedback. Per Davuluri: “Thank you for holding us to a higher standard. Windows is yours as much as it is ours. We’re committed to strengthening its foundation and delivering innovation where it matters to you.”
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