It's actually happening — Microsoft promises to fix the biggest issues in Windows 11, from AI slop to pushy Windows Updates

• Microsoft has listed changes coming to Windows 11
• Reductions in AI and more control over updates are included
• Taskbar repositioning is returning as well

You don't have to look far on the internet to find complaints from Windows 11 users about the direction that the desktop operating system has been heading in lately, but it seems as though Microsoft is now making good on its promises to fix some of the biggest issues with the software.

Pavan Davuluri, the President of Windows & Devices at Microsoft, has written a lengthy blog post that was also sent out via email to users in the Windows Insider program. In it he shares some of the "initial changes" coming to preview versions of Windows across the next couple of months.

It reads like a wishlist put together by a disillusioned Windows 11 user: we're getting fewer "unnecessary Copilot entry points" (less AI slop), and that reduction in AI includes features pushed out to apps like Photos and Notepad. Desktop widgets are also being made "quieter" and less distracting, with improved personalization controls.

Another worthwhile change is more control over Windows Updates. Davuluri says these will be less disruptive going forward, and that users will have more choice when it comes to skipping updates (when setting up or restarting Windows, for example). Updates will be able to be paused for longer too.

Taskbar customization is coming back

File Explorer — the bane of many a user — is going to get "faster and more dependable", with performance improvements coming to the launch experience. The app will soon show reduced flicker and smoother navigation, and more reliable performance when it comes to day-to-day file management.

Then there's more taskbar customization, which Davuluri says is one of the "top asks" he's been hearing from users. You'll be able to fix it to the side or the top of the screen, no third-party utility required, with a coming update. This is of course a feature that we had in Windows 10 but that got cut for Windows 11.

What's more, Microsoft is making the Windows Insider program "more transparent" — with clearer channel definitions and improved access to new features — and upgrading the Feedback Hub as well, so you can more easily tell Microsoft how well (or how badly) it's doing with the upcoming changes.

Davuluri goes on to emphasize Microsoft's recent commitment to upping the performance, reliability, and "craft" (user experience) of Windows 11 in the coming months, and it would appear that there's lots in store. What the exec doesn't say is how many of these upgrades will be coded by AI — perhaps best not to ask.

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The best laptops for all budgets

➡️ Read our full guide to the best laptops
1. Best overall:
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M4
2. Best budget:
Asus Chromebook CM14
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Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch
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