This is Microsoft’s plan to fix Windows 11

Microsoft has faced a collapse of trust in Windows 11 and Backlash to AI additions for its operating system in recent months. after He promised to rebuild trust On Windows earlier this year, Microsoft’s Windows chief Pavan Davuluri is now revealing the company’s plan to overhaul Windows 11 — and there’s a lot Of changes on the way.

“Over the past few months, the team and I have spent a significant amount of time analyzing your comments,” Davuluri says in the article. Blog post Commitment to Windows quality improvements. “What came out was the voice of people who care deeply about Windows and want it to be better.”

Windows 11 will start with an initial batch of improvements, followed by much broader changes throughout the rest of the year. Initial changes will begin previewing this month and April, and will include the ability to Change the position of the taskbar to the top or sides of the screen, reducing “unnecessary” Copilot integration in apps like Snipping Tool, Photos, and Notepad, and changes to make Windows updates less annoying with “fewer reboots and automatic notifications” and the ability to skip updates during initial device setup.

Microsoft is also focusing on improving File Explorer in the initial wave of Windows 11 fixes. “Our first round of improvements will focus on a faster launch experience, reduced flicker, smoother navigation, and more reliable performance for everyday file tasks,” Davuluri promised. Windows 11’s Widgets section will also get more customization features and “quieter defaults” in the coming months.

Beyond these initial fixes, Microsoft has bigger plans to improve the quality of Windows 11 this year, by focusing on performance, reliability, and “well-designed experiences.” Davuluri’s list of fixes, which you can read in full below, focuses on basic things like how fast and responsive Windows 11 starts up, how stable it is, and how consistent it is to use.

Microsoft is focusing on improving overall system performance to make built-in apps and features more responsive. Part of the changes include “reducing Windows resource usage” to make the launch time of applications like File Explorer faster.

Memory efficiency is also being improved this year to reduce “Windows’ core memory footprint and free up more capacity for the applications you run.” This is a particularly important change given RAM crisis nowIt could open the door to Windows running better on devices with 8GB of RAM. Apple has already shown how MacBook Neo It can handle everyday tasks with just 8GB, and Windows OEMs will want to respond with similarly priced systems, but only if Windows can handle the lower specs.

Microsoft also plans to reduce latency for interactions with the Start menu, by moving more core parts of Windows to WinUI3. Microsoft has been promising improvements to its Modern Native UI framework for years, but it hasn’t done enough to make Windows 11 feel as responsive as Windows 10. Hopefully, it’ll be different this time.

File Explorer is also a big focus for the rest of the year, with promises of improved searches, navigation, and files. “Copying and moving large files will be faster and more reliable,” Davuluri says, and the changes will include “faster operation and response for common file tasks.”

Basic reliability of Windows is also on the repair list. “Across the operating system we will focus on improving core reliability in areas like the Windows Insider Program, drivers, apps, updates, and Windows Hello,” says Davuluri. Part of this is the promise of fewer crashes at the operating system level. Interestingly, Davuluri also commits to “more consistent device wake-up,” which has been an issue for gaming PCs and laptops for years.

If you’re annoyed with Windows updates, Microsoft is finally listening by moving to one monthly restart and the ability to pause updates for as long as you want. You will also be able to restart or shut down without having to install updates.

Besides the possibility of finally moving the taskbar to the top or sides of the screen, Microsoft is also working on a smaller taskbar option and making changes to make the Start menu and taskbar more consistent. The search experience that’s part of the taskbar and Start menu is also a big focus this year. Davuluri promises “clearer, more trustworthy results, with results for content on your device easier to understand and clearly distinguishable from web results.”

Developers will be happy to hear that Microsoft is also focusing on improving the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) experience. File performance between Linux and Windows is set to improve, as well as network compatibility and throughput, and a more “simplified first-time setup and setup experience.” Companies will also gain stronger policy controls around the WSL, as well as better enterprise management capabilities.

Windows Hello biometric authentication also got some reliability improvements this year. Microsoft promises “more reliable facial recognition” and faster “more reliable fingerprint login.” Hopefully that means Windows Hello will do it again Work properly in dark rooms.

Microsoft’s list of fixes for Windows 11 is pretty extensive — and I encourage you to read the full note below — but one thing missing is a direct commitment to respecting browser defaults. A large part of Windows 11’s trust issues stem from the fact that the operating system has become so annoying to use that Microsoft even resorts to using Pop-ups that resemble malware To try to get people to use Edge and Bing. Microsoft isn’t directly addressing this feedback in its list of fixes today, but there is promise to improve the operating system experience.

“This year, you’ll see us investing in elevating the overall usability of the experience, with more
“Opportunities for personalization, reduced noise, reduced distraction, and more control across the operating system,” says Davuluri. “This includes thinking about how and where to bring AI to Windows, while pioneering transparency, choice, and control, so that new capabilities enhance the experience rather than complicate it.”

Microsoft’s promises will be tested by its Windows Insider community in the coming months. Microsoft is rolling out a major redesign of its Feedback Center today to make sending feedback on Windows 11 faster and easier.

“Thank you for holding us to a high standard,” says Davuluri. “Windows is as much yours as it is ours.”