At last ! A few days ago, it was rumored that Microsoft was about to deploy a major Windows 11 update incorporating a large number of new features. It is now done.
The preview of build 22557 has just been published in the developer channel for members of the Insider program, and promises a torrent of new features.
Among these, the great return of drag and drop to the taskbar, a very practical function that Microsoft had seen fit to remove on Windows 11 and which had aroused some dissatisfaction among users. With this update, Microsoft has put the package and promises a lot of new features for its operating system. Here is a non-exhaustive summary of the most important.
Application folders in the Start menu
With this new build of Windows 11, it is now possible to rearrange the pinned items area within the Start menu by creating application folders. As simple as it is on smartphones, just drag an app icon onto another to create a new directory ready for other apps. If for the time being it is not yet possible to rename these folders, Microsoft confirms that it is working on it.
The arrival of a Focus mode and Do not disturb
You can now easily mute the notification whistle. Microsoft introduces a Do Not Disturb mode to silence them and disable the display of banners. The notifications received during this time are all grouped together in the Notification Center.
The Redmond firm has also planned to leave you in control of the Do Not Disturb mode by integrating into the settings the possibility of creating your own rules while including priorities.
Another new feature is the arrival of a Focus mode. Activated from the Notification Center, it allows you to deactivate badges and disruptive elements on application icons in the taskbar and activate Do Not Disturb mode.
When used, Focus Mode displays a timer. It also integrates with the Focus Sessions feature built into the Windows 11 Clock app to let you start playing a quiet music playlist or access your to-do list in Microsoft To-Do.
Automatic subtitling, in English for now
This new build of Windows 11 is also an opportunity for Microsoft to inaugurate its automatic subtitling system. All spoken content, whether audio or video, can benefit from captioning generated locally on the machine.
These subtitles can be displayed at the top or bottom of the screen, or within a floating window. The user also has the option of customizing the display by modifying the font, size, etc.
Please note, however, that this subtitling system currently only supports content in English.
New touch gestures
As rumored, this new build of Windows 11 introduces new touch gestures. Microsoft has planned five to facilitate navigation in its OS.
It is thus possible to display the Start menu by sliding your finger from the bottom of the screen upwards.
In the Start menu, swiping right or left navigates between pinned apps and all other apps. The same goes for navigating between the Our recommendations section and More.
The quick settings panel is also accessible by swiping up the screen from the clock displayed on the right in the taskbar.
Similarly, the Notification Center can now be displayed by swiping from the right edge of the screen to the left.
The improved window anchoring system
Snap Layout, Windows 11’s window docking system benefits from a new activation mode. It is now possible to drag a window to the top of the screen to display the different possible anchors within a banner. All you have to do is release the window on one of the suggested templates to anchor it before you can select the other windows to use.
New power saving settings
To help reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, Microsoft explains that it has changed the values used by default for Sleep and Screen Off modes when the PC is idle.
However, these new settings will only be visible to users who have performed a clean installation of Windows 11, with this specific build, or a higher build.
A modernized task manager
Windows 11 build 22557 introduces a new interface for the task manager. It is now compatible with the dark theme and benefits from a “hamburger” menu allowing you to navigate between the different task manager settings.
Microsoft also introduced its experienced Eco mode last year under Windows 10. Renamed here Efficiency Mode, it is activated from the contextual menu of the right click on one of the processes and allows you to limit access to machine resources to applications that are a little too greedy.
By giving priority to other programs running, the machine regains responsiveness and reduces its energy consumption.
Establishing an exhaustive list of all the new features introduced in Windows 11 build 22557 would be very difficult as Microsoft has gone all out. In addition to the return of the drag and drop on the taskbar, we note among the other notable changes and improvements of this update, the addition of the preview of the files contained in a directory within the File Explorer, the improved search for applications from the taskbar search field, the display of storage used on OneDrive in File Explorer, or the possibility of adding a button in the control center to change color profile quickly.
Source: Microsoft