Major redesigns of Windows have been disastrous for Microsoft in the past, with Windows 8 being the worst example. But after testing Windows 11 for myself , I found that, although the interface looked completely different, it didn’t take long to figure out how things worked. At the launch event, Microsoft Chief Product Officer Panos Panay said that he didn’t want to alienate longtime Windows fans, which is a good thing (although it’s nearly impossible given how many react to the change). Although the goal is to maintain familiarity, there are many innovations in Windows 11.
Windows 11 has a new look
Taskbar icons are now centered and smaller, like in Chrome OS, but the Start button is still to the left of other app icons. Windows has rounded corners, similar to macOS. I still don’t like the always cramped taskbar buttons. In Windows 10, you get wide taskbar buttons for running apps that contrast with the narrower icons of pinned apps. However, the centered look might win me over because it doesn’t require you to move the mouse cursor across the full screen to launch apps from the Start menu.
More subtle are the transparency, animations, and clean icon designs that represent a fluid design system that, despite its promise, never fully took over in Windows 10. Several new materials join a translucent material called acrylic : opaque mica, which is slightly tinted according to the background color; and smoke, which darkens other areas and lets you focus on important input areas. Dark Mode also looks more consistent, and these materials change to reflect that mode.
Windows 11 widgets
Widgets are making a comeback! Apple beefed up widgets in iOS 14 and iPadOS 15 , and Microsoft dabbled in bringing back desktop widgets in Windows 10 with the News and Interest panels. But Windows 11 widgets push the idea even further. New widgets provide personalized feeds of news, weather, traffic, sports, and stock market data, powered by AI for customization and Edge for rendering. A future update will allow you to expand the Widgets panel to fill the entire screen, and third-party content providers will be able to take advantage of this new functionality.
Windows 11 snap layout
To me, Windows has long been unmatched in its ability to position, resize, open and close windows on the screen to your taste. (I’m still using Air Vibration for displaying the desktop. Apple’s macOS only recently added the ability to set Windows to take up half the screen, a feature Windows users have had for years.
Updated default apps in Windows 11
Many old Windows standbys (Paint, Photos, Notepad, Media Player, Mail, etc.) have been or will be updated for a new look and in some cases gain new features. A good example is the humble Clock app, which Windows 11 has gifted with a super-productivity feature: Focus Sessions. Focus sessions allow you to set boundaries for when you want uninterrupted time to get work done.
