Latest Windows 11 update improves taskbar on tablets

By Fionna Agomuoh Published February 24, 2022

Microsoft’s latest software preview of Windows 11 includes a feature that optimizes the taskbar for more efficient use on tablets and 2-in-1 devices.

The feature is currently available on the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22563, which was released to testers in the Dev Channel on Thursday.

Microsoft's tablet optimization feature is included in a developer preview of Windows 11. — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The optimization allows the taskbar on a tablet or 2-in-1 device to present in a collapsed and an expanded mode. The collapsed mode is thinner, which provides you more space on the screen for viewing and handling. Microsoft notes that the collapsed mode can help you avoid accidentally prompting the taskbar while moving the device around. The expanded mode is wider an provides more space to touch within the taskbar. You can navigate between the two modes by swiping up and down at the base of the tablet.

Recommended Videos

Microsoft also explains that the taskbar optimization feature is intended only for devices that can be used as tablets and won’t function with laptops or desktop PCs.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Because this feature is being showcased in a developer build, there is no guarantee that it will make it to the official version. The Windows 11 public build is expected to become available later this month.

Microsoft has been hard at work testing as many features as it can before their official Windows 11 launch. Last week, the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22557 for the Dev channel showcased new touch gestures, live captions, a do not disturb-type experience called “Focus.”

Prior to that, the company released its Windows 11 Build 22000.526 (KB5010414) for beta and release preview channels. The preview included a host of updates to Microsoft Teams and various taskbar functions. As a beta preview, the features on this build are all but locked in for Windows 11 prior to its launch. That preview is expected to be one of the last before the public build is released.

Topics

Computing Writer

Fionna Agomuoh is a Computing Writer at Digital Trends. She covers a range of topics in the computing space, including…

Computing

Is Windows 11 acting up for you? This might be why

The Surface Pro 11 on a white table in front of a window.

This year's big Windows 11 update, 24H2, started a phased rollout in October and just became available to more PCs yesterday, December 4, as spotted by Windows Latest. To check if your PC is ready for it, just head to the settings page and check for updates -- if an update is not there for download yet, you'll have to wait until later in the rollout process.

Getting new things first isn't always a good thing when it comes to software, however. It can take quite a while for a new Windows build to be announced as "stable," and 24H2 is far from earning that title at the moment.

Computing

Microsoft won’t back down on Windows 11’s biggest hurdle

The Surface Pro 11 on a white table in front of a window.

Microsoft has reaffirmed that it will not lower the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11, solidifying the need for a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 and a compatible CPU. This decision leaves many older PCs ineligible for the upgrade. Microsoft emphasizes that these standards are vital for improved security and performance.

As per a recent blog post titled “TPM 2.0 – a necessity for a secure and future-proof Windows 11,” Microsoft reaffirmed its decision not to relax Windows 11’s strict hardware requirements. TPM 2.0 is a hardware-based security feature that protects sensitive data and ensures secure boot processes. Microsoft argues that such measures are nonnegotiable as the company continues to address rising cybersecurity threats. The minimum requirements include a list of approved CPUs, starting from AMD Ryzen 2000 and Intel 8th Gen processors, that offer advanced security features and better performance efficiency.

Computing

Microsoft warns that the latest Windows 11 update may crash PC games now

Gaming PC on a desk.

Microsoft has once again temporarily halted the rollout of its latest major Windows 11 update, also known as 24H2. This time it is for systems running select Ubisoft games following widespread user reports of crashes and performance issues. The affected titles include Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Assassin's Creed Origins, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

Common complaints include black screens, freezing, and unresponsiveness during gameplay or while loading these titles. "I just bought a new gaming laptop with RTX 4080, Intel i9 14900hx. I can't play the game (Origins) even for 5 minutes because it crashes to a black screen, with audio, and the only way to close it is from task manager. Impossible to play," one user shared on Reddit. Others reported similar frustrations, citing the persistent error “NTDLL.dll” that renders their games unplayable.

nproxy.org