Home windows 11's leaked taskbar characteristic might suggest apps, websites or snap teams
Home windows 11’s taskbar is getting a number of new options, however no—it’s not getting again the flexibility to maneuver it to the highest or sides. As a substitute, the taskbar could possibly be getting “suggestions,” which could possibly be a card or one thing else (a devoted panel?) that seems on prime of the taskbar with ideas.
Not like Home windows 10 or any model of Home windows, the taskbar in Home windows 11 has seen a number of modifications as a result of it’s extra trendy and straightforward to replace in comparison with earlier variations. Nevertheless, it’s restricted when it comes to options. The correct-click menu is proscribed, and extra importantly, the taskbar can't be moved to any facet of the display.
Whereas the flexibility to maneuver across the Home windows 11 taskbar is off Microsoft’s to-do checklist, it might quickly get a brand new characteristic known as “suggestions”. It’s unclear how the characteristic might work, nevertheless it’s doubtless only a suggestion/hovercard that seems someplace on the taskbar, suggesting you pin an app, open a web site, or strive a snap structure.
Cues about this characteristic have began showing in current preview builds. As Albacore noticed in April, Home windows 11’s advice characteristic might recommend content material immediately on the taskbar.
We actually don’t know the way the characteristic is meant to work, so a lot of the particulars listed here are hypothesis primarily based on the references we're seeing. It could possibly be both a card-style interface above the taskbar for these suggestions or a devoted part just like the Begin menu, however that appears extremely unlikely.
Within the Settings > Personalization > Taskbar part, there’s additionally an possibility labelled “Controls visibility of suggestions on the taskbar.” See the fourth possibility beneath Widgets within the above screenshot.
This setting is hidden for many customers proper now, nevertheless it appears to recommend that it could possibly be used to deal with the suggestions on the taskbar. See the fourth clean possibility beneath “Widgets” within the above screenshot. It has a globe (net icon). Is it pointing in direction of a deeper net integration, or does it merely imply a advice? We don’t know but.
There’s extra proof of taskbar advice within the system recordsdata. The setting is backed by a registry entry at:
HKCU > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Home windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer > Superior > ShowRecommendations.
Nevertheless, the Taskbar.View.dll file doesn’t have all of the recordsdata required to activate these ideas.
Moreover, as noticed by Phantom on X, current updates to Native Expertise Packs (model 277xx) have mentions of “Really helpful Websites (preview)”. There are additionally references to “SnapGroupsRecommendedOnTaskbar”.
The taskbar would possibly quickly assist you determine new snap layouts to multitask higher.
These are recent references, so it appears like Microsoft continues to be engaged on the tasbar advice thought.
After all, a few of you could be involved about taskbar suggestions changing into too built-in into the Home windows UX and whether or not it will possibly result in muddle on the taskbar.
Nevertheless, primarily based on these references, it appears like these could possibly be just a few ideas displaying up on or across the taskbar. You’ll have the ability to flip them off from Home windows Settings, and it is going to be solely non-obligatory.
Whereas we don’t know if “suggestions” will ever ship, Microsoft can also be engaged on some good modifications for the taskbar, together with a small taskbar with smaller icons, which is anticipated to ship someday in 2025.