Windows 11 Major Update: New Start Menu & Taskbar Features Coming Next Month
▼ Summary
– Microsoft is testing a redesigned Windows 11 Start menu that helps access apps more quickly and includes customizable category or alphabetical list views.
– The update features improved Taskbar animations and a new battery icon that displays color-coded charging states and optional percentage indicators.
– File Explorer gains a Recommended feed for recently used files and Copilot integration for file-related queries and actions.
– Phone Link integration allows quick access to smartphone content like photos and notifications directly from the Start menu.
– These features are in the Windows Insider Release Preview Channel and will roll out to all users soon, likely within weeks.
A significant update for Windows 11 is on the horizon, bringing a completely redesigned Start menu and numerous enhancements to the taskbar and File Explorer. Microsoft has moved this feature package into the final testing phase through its Windows Insider Release Preview Channel, indicating a public rollout could happen as early as next month. This update focuses heavily on improving user efficiency and personalization across the operating system.
The centerpiece of this release is the new Start menu, which Microsoft has rebuilt to help users access applications faster and with less friction. Its layout has been reorganized to give the apps list a more prominent position. A new category view automatically groups your applications by type, similar to the organization found on mobile devices, while a classic alphabetical grid view remains available for those who prefer it. Customization options are significantly expanded, allowing you to disable the Recommended feed entirely, pin more apps, or remove both the Recommended and Pinned sections to have a clean, scrollable list of all your applications.
Integration with mobile devices is also enhanced. A new Phone Link panel sits next to the Start menu, providing swift access to recent photos, notifications, and the ability to reply to text messages directly from the desktop.
The taskbar receives several practical upgrades. A new battery icon is larger, changes color to yellow when power drops to 20% or below, and offers an option to display the battery percentage right on the taskbar for immediate visibility. These battery indicators also appear on the lock screen. Furthermore, hovering over open applications on the taskbar now triggers smooth animations for window previews, a feature returning from older Windows versions that adds a polished feel to the interface. A new “Share with Copilot” button within these previews lets you instantly send a window’s content to the AI for analysis.
File Explorer gains a Recommended section on its Home page, showcasing files you use often, have recently downloaded, or added to your Gallery. When you hover over a file, new context options appear, including “Open file location” and “Ask Copilot.” This integration aims to make file management more intelligent and context-aware.
Beyond these headline features, the update includes a wide array of other improvements and fixes. Voice Access becomes smarter with Fluid Dictation, which uses on-device language models to correct grammar and punctuation in real-time, and now supports Japanese. The Click to Do feature is more powerful, allowing for text translation, unit conversions, and table detection that can be sent directly to Excel. Numerous bugs have been squashed, addressing issues with File Explorer responsiveness, video display colors, pen input, and Windows Update processes.
This comprehensive set of features is slated for release to all Windows 11 users, including those on both the 24H2 and upcoming 25H2 versions, marking one of the most substantial updates to the operating system this year.
(Source: Windows Central)
