It’s been a long time coming, but Microsoft says it has some fixes in the pipeline that might make using Windows 11 less of a nightmare—and yes, one of those fixes has to do with scaling back how often Windows shoves Copilot down your throat.
According to a blog post from Pavan Davuluri, EVP of Windows & Devices at Microsoft, updates will roll out to Windows Insiders starting next month and target a few key areas, though most of them have to do with making the overall experience less frustrating.
Updates are set to address File Explorer, which Davuluri says will be “faster and more dependable,” addressing complaints over lag times, smoothness, and general performance. Other tweaks will focus on Copilot; Microsoft plans to be “more intentional” with how Copilot is integrated into Windows 11, focusing on cases where it feels “genuinely useful.” Damn, what a thought! In an effort to make Copilot less annoying, Microsoft is nixing certain “entry points,” as it calls them, including in Snipping Tool, photos, widgets, and Notepad.
In the same vein, Microsoft also plans to give you more control over updates, allowing you to, for example, skip updates during device setup and also restart or shut down without updating. You’ll also be able to pause updates for longer and get fewer nudges to update in general.
Speaking of more control, you’ll also soon be able to reposition your taskbar to whatever side of the screen you want (bottom, top, or sides), and you’ll also have greater control over widgets, including “more control over when and how widgets appear and improved personalization for the Discover feed,” according to Davuluri.
Some changes even have to do with the feedback process itself. Starting today, Microsoft says it’s rolling out “the largest update to Feedback Hub yet,” starting with Windows Insiders. A redesigned experience will allegedly make it “faster and easier” to submit feedback. Similarly, Windows said it’s making changes to its Insider program, making it easier to access new features and making it clearer “how your feedback shapes Windows.”
Updates aren’t just focused on Copilot and annoying/underbaked UI, though. Microsoft also claims it’s making significant improvements to performance and reliability, with improved memory efficiency that lowers the “baseline memory footprint for Windows” and frees up more capacity for apps. Updates will also focus on lowering latency for things like search, navigation, and moving large files. On the reliability side, Microsoft will focus on “reducing OS-level crashes, improving driver quality, and app stability across our ecosystem so PCs run smoothly and reliably every day.”
It all sounds positive on paper, but I guess we’ll have to see if Microsoft actually has it in them to unsh*ttify Windows 11 for real. If nothing else, Windows cordially thanks you for all your very helpful feedback. Per Davuluri: “Thank you for holding us to a high standard. Windows is as much yours as it is ours. We’re committed to strengthening its foundation and delivering innovation where it matters, for you.”
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