the taskbar will (further) evolve

Microsoft is experimenting a lot with the Windows 11 interface and announces the arrival of Microsoft 365 “companions” directly in the taskbar.

Microsoft’s conference for developers, Ignite, was an opportunity for the firm to unveil some of the new features coming to its operating system – which is still struggling to find its audience.

Contextual information accessible in one click

For now, this new feature only seems to concern professionals, or at least people subscribed to Windows 365 (notably offering access to the latest versions of Office). The idea, announces the American firm, is to bring the contacts, files and calendar associated with the Windows 365 account directly to the Windows 11 taskbar.

Microsoft has not yet presented visuals of its new feature, but, according to The Verge, we should expect an integration similar to that of Microsoft Teams or the Phone Link application, which allows you to view messages from your smartphone directly to your computer.

These would therefore not be applications strictly speaking or shortcuts, but rather windows which would display useful information with a simple click, without distraction.

Microsoft is still trying to recruit more Windows 11 users

While waiting for the deployment of this feature to enrich the taskbar, Microsoft continues its evangelization of Windows 11. And it does so ever more aggressively.

The Verge reports that some PC users running Windows 10 are now being offered the purchase of a new computer running Windows 11 with an advertisement occupying the entire screen. “You can do more with a new Windows 11 PC” or “Improve your experience with the new Copilot+ PCs”named after the range of AI-boosted computers launched this summer.

This is not the first time that Microsoft has been insistent with its “invitations” to upgrade computers to Windows 11. It must be said that official support for Windows 10 will expire next October, and that only people who agree to pay can subsequently receive updates.