The month of March ended sooner than expected this year…
And over the past several months, the team and I have spent a great deal of time analyzing your feedback. What came through was the voice of people who care deeply about Windows and want it to be better.
Today, I’m sharing what we are doing in response. Here are some of the initial changes we will preview in builds with Windows Insiders this month and throughout April.
More taskbar customization, including vertical and top positions: Repositioning the taskbar is one of the top asks we’ve heard from you. We are introducing the ability to reposition it to the top or sides of your screen, making it easier to personalize your workspace.
I actually have seen people here complaining about the Windows 11 taskbar, and I believe I recall someone specifically raising this limitation. Like, they probably are addressing things that Windows users care about.
This should go in @programmer-humor or something.
The fact that a multi-billion dollar company publishes a post like this shows how bad things have gotten.
It’s afraid!
Windows
QualityPick one
Option C
Linux
OS age verification says no, sorry
Hurt at the implication that Linux is not quality
They had 6 years to fix the taskbar and now they’re listening?
And they want to make the AI more meaningful but no mention of letting people turn it off.
I guess they’re worried. I already left.
Yeah, we’ll have to wait until 2032 for that AI toggle lmao
Windows is like that one artistic shit painting on a public stall door, you first think it looks alright, then realise it’s shit. Microsoft never changed from painting with shit to painting with acrylic, they just decided to change a small few visual features of that painting thinking we’d like it.
That’s unfair. We have been listening to you all this time. And sometimes watching. And once we’re done with recall, also recording so we can watch and listen again or train our AI to watch you instead. Because honestly who wants to watch people work. That’s gross.
- Nadella (probably)
Repositioning the taskbar is one of the top asks we’ve heard from you. We are introducing the ability to reposition it to the top or sides of…
Not introducing, RE - introducing, just like how you could before. Alllllll the way back to Windows95, UNTIL YOU MESSED WITH IT.
Basically the whole post is “blah blah blah we screwed around with things so much blah blah blah we messed up file explorer blah blah blah we’re working at putting some minor things back and walking back forced updates a little and cramming AI into everything because that’s what we really want to do.”
People talk about Windows v Linux being like “you get what you pay for” but any distro or package that fucked around this much would be dropped so fucking fast.
I can’t believe millions of people just put up with their software getting consistently worse.
No mention of removing the spying or ads either.
This entire list felt like shit that should have never made it past QA in the first place. And absolutely should not have made it past the Insider program and into the general population.
At least on my work computer I will have slightly less BS to deal with. Came much too late for any machine I control. 100% Mint now.
not looking back, and with the macbook neo there’s gonna be a lot more people leaving.
As a former windows insider it’s too little too late. Already switched to Linux.
Also former insider and can’t believe what I used to put up with before switching. It’s so nice using software that isn’t constantly trying to manipulate you track you or monetize you.
More taskbar customization, including vertical and top positions:
Removed for no reason when win 11 launched, Fixed by using windows 10
Integrating AI where it’s most meaningful, with craft and focus:
Noone wants your shitty AI. Fixed by using windows 10
Reducing disruption from Windows Updates
Windows update has always been fucking horrible, but I kinda have a running gag. Fixed by using windows 10
Faster and more dependable File Explorer
Performance worse under win 11, Fixed by using windows 10
More control over widgets and feed experiences
Feature noone wants, fixed by using windows 10
A simpler, more transparent Windows Insider Program
It would be much better if win 11 updates didn’t need to constantly be rolled back because they break fundamental features due to lack of testing. Why even have a beta branch? Fixed by using windows 10
Improved Feedback Hub, available starting today
The continued push toward deeper AI integration shows that feedback does not matter to Microsoft. Fixed by using windows 10?
Or just use any Linux distro, since none of them have these problems.
Windows update has always been fucking horrible, but I kinda have a running gag. Fixed by using windows 10
I mean, Win10 is EOL now, so it’s not going to be getting very many updates anymore
You mean Windows 10 is the perfect product? MS can’t improve on it so it must be perfect… Right? All others are just seeking perfection they can never achieve.
Wait… Yells out the door “Someone go get me a Jesuit Priest!”
LTSC is not.
reads better when you read it like the spongebob meme: oUr CoMmItMeNt To WiNdOwS qUaLiTy
Reminds me of all those “tech magazine” articles years ago saying “akshually Edge is a really good browser” after the entire Windows user base only used it to download some other browser instead.
It was a decent browser. And an independent engine, which everyone here seems rabid for
There is never anything fundamentally bad about more choices, but that doesn’t mean that some of the choices are not fundamentally bad.
Now it’s just another Chromium.
Trident was such a cooler name than WebKit, too. A rare instance of Microsoft giving something a name that was neither confusing nor lame.
I mean, those ActiveX controls were a little… well… Trident was a cool name!
As an 85% windows user, this is hilarious and fuck Microsoft.
Too little too late
so… some really basic shit that should have been expected in a pre-2010 update + AI
Well done, guys. I guess you gotta start somewhere.
Integrating AI where it’s most meaningful, with craft and focus: You will see us be more intentional about how and where Copilot integrates across Windows, focusing on experiences that are genuinely useful and well‑crafted. As part of this, we are reducing unnecessary Copilot entry points, starting with apps like Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets and Notepad.
OK but who thought that was a good idea in the first place and are they seeking employment elsewhere? It was and is incredibly stupid.
Reducing disruption from Windows Updates: Receiving updates should be predictable and easy to plan around, so we’re giving you more control. This includes the ability to skip updates during device setup to get to the desktop faster, restart or shut down without installing updates and pause updates for longer when needed, all while reducing update noise with fewer automatic restarts and notifications.
These are basic things that should have been there decades ago.
Thank you for holding us to a high standard. Windows is as much yours as it is ours
I’ll expect my dividend check posthaste.
