Windows 11 might be on a yearly update schedule, but that doesn’t mean that Microsoft isn’t going to be implementing smaller, newer features promised at the top of the launch into the operating system as time goes on.
The latest preview build of Windows 11 we’ve already covered, will feature more things to help ease the new taskbar into the workflow of those working from home and for general use by the masses probably a little confused by its new design. This includes integration into Teams, with a new feature to allow you to share screens easier being dubbed AirShare. They will also be adding a mute and unmute feature to the taskbar.
A removed feature from Windows 10 is coming back, the pesky weather app is making a return to the taskbar. It does exactly as you think it will, which is enable the weather widget to be hovered over or clicked to keep it up.
Notepad and Media Player
Yes, the two most important apps in the world are getting the updates they deserve, including Notepad finally getting a multi-step undo feature, allowing you to remove more than just the last action. The search function enabled by CTRL+F is also seeing an update.
Media Player has been around for a while now, so seeing it being brought back to replace Groove Music introduced in Windows 10 and the more generic media app that consistently asks for HEVC playback to be bought is good news. The app seems to be doing – again – exactly as you’d expect. Video and music can all be played through it, with the design being changed to coincide with Windows 11‘s overall changes.
Android apps on Windows 11
The partnership between Microsoft and Amazon is bringing their version of the Android app store to the Windows 11 Store, which means fewer apps than the Google Play Store, but native support for the apps without having to use Bluestacks is always a plus.
These will be acquired via the Store, then run in their own applet window, removing the need to run either the web versions or the UPW – Windows Store’s file type – versions of the apps on your PC.