Windows is my desktop operating system of choice, but there's still a lot I don't like about it. After years of ignoring feedback about ads, the taskbar, updates, and other problems, Microsoft says it's finally listening.
Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft’s president for Windows and devices, recently announced major upcoming changes arriving for Insiders, which a separate Microsoft spokesperson claimed are just “the starting point of a significant effort underway to raise the bar on Windows quality.”
I want to believe Windows can improve, and it sounds like Microsoft will finally accept that users want to move the taskbar and see Copilot in fewer places, among other things. But this isn't the first time Microsoft has set out to make us love Windows again, and it's still ignoring some of the biggest complaints about Windows 11. Moreover, the timing of the announcement is suspicious.
Some Fixes Are Coming…But Major Complaints Remain
Microsoft's plans to improve Windows touch on many common complaints—but the company is still ignoring some of the biggest ones.
Its announcement blog post leads with a promise to finally let you move Windows 11’s taskbar, a feature that vanished with the shift to Windows 10. This has been one of the top requests for years, but Microsoft has refused to add it until now. It’s the most notable sign Microsoft is taking a different approach to feedback.
Beyond that, Microsoft is fixing “unnecessary Copilot entry points,” removing AI features from Notepad, Photos, and Widgets. Finally, the company says it will give you more control over Windows Updates, make File Explorer more reliable, turn Widgets into a less annoying experience, and more.
Windows 11 will soon let you move your PC's taskbar to the top, left, or bottom edges of the screen (Credit: Microsoft)
However, the blog post doesn't address other common complaints, such as browser and search engine choice. On Windows 11, the Start menu’s search feature always opens Microsoft Edge and searches with Bing. It simply ignores your default browser choice and search engine—except in Europe. Microsoft did not comment specifically when I asked whether it had any plans to make Windows 11 better respect users' browser choices. The announcement post doesn't mention Edge or web browsers at all. It promises only to make Start menu file searches "clearly distinct from web results."
There's no mention of making Microsoft accounts less annoying, either. Windows 11 all but forces you to sign in with a Microsoft account when you set up a new PC, and Microsoft has steadily been getting rid of workarounds. Microsoft’s Scott Hanselman says he’s working on eliminating the Microsoft account requirement, so perhaps this will change. OneDrive, which sometimes automatically starts syncing files without asking, is another common pain point that goes without mention.
AI isn’t going anywhere, either. Microsoft claims it will be “more intentional about how and where Copilot integrates across Windows,” but that doesn't mean you won't see it anywhere. Microsoft promises to "reduce disruption from Windows Updates," but it didn't promise to slow the pace of Windows changes.
Microsoft's announcement doesn't address Windows 11's stringent hardware requirements, either. Existing Windows 10 consumer PCs will stop receiving extended security updates in October 2026, posing a significant security risk. Microsoft punted for a year, but Windows 10 PCs are still heading for trouble.
There's a pattern here: Microsoft wants to push Bing, Edge, Microsoft 365, Copilot, and new Windows 11 PCs. All of these benefit Microsoft's bottom line. But Microsoft's accountants have no problem letting you move your PC's taskbar. The company can also get some good PR by removing a few experimental AI features in Windows while continuing to integrate Copilot more deeply. In short, Microsoft didn't announce any difficult decisions that come at the cost of its business priorities.
Windows' Reputation Is Slipping—and Microsoft Knows It
When I asked my Microsoft contact why the company decided to make these changes now, I didn’t get an answer—just a statement about the company's intention to continue listening to user feedback and keep improving Windows. So, I put on my analyst hat.
Windows 11 is successful—Microsoft says it has a billion users. But much of the mood around Windows 11 is negative. The focus on Copilot and controversial features like Windows Recall hasn’t helped its public image. I’ve heard countless complaints about ads, AI features, Windows Update problems, and slow performance in the File Explorer app over the last few years. Microsoft has released some buggy Windows patches lately, too.
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Apple's MacBook Neo gives Windows laptops serious competition at $599 (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
More importantly, Microsoft faces renewed competition from all sides. At a time when memory shortages are making PCs more expensive, Apple just released the $599 MacBook Neo to compete with budget-to-midrange Windows laptops. The MacBook Neo performs admirably with 8GB of RAM, but I wouldn’t recommend you buy a Windows machine with the same amount of memory. Meanwhile, Google is ramping up desktop OS competition with its forthcoming Aluminium OS that fuses Android with ChromeOS. Valve, after success with the Linux-powered Steam Deck, is making a push into the living room with the Steam Machine.
History Suggests Skepticism Is Warranted
Back in 2015, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella famously said Microsoft wanted to move people from needing Windows to choosing and loving Windows. But the opposite has happened over the ensuing decade. The public opinion of Windows arguably deteriorated, and it became an operating system that many people just don’t trust. Although Microsoft didn’t use these words, the tone of Microsoft’s latest blog post is clear: “We know we messed up.”
Windows seemingly goes through a perpetual cycle of improvements and setbacks. Windows 7 repaired Windows Vista’s tarnished image by focusing on performance and user feedback. Then, Microsoft released Windows 8, which many people hated. Microsoft heard the complaints and released Windows 10, which many loved. But that release was also the origin of so many of the problems in Windows 11 today. As a reminder, Windows 10 was the version that came with Candy Crush Saga in the Start menu.
Windows 11's Start menu will still push Microsoft Edge and Bing for web searches (Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)
I'm fairly confident that the company will deliver some real changes at this juncture, but how will it approach Windows a few years from now? Based on its track record, I'm concerned Microsoft will lose focus and restart this whole cycle again.
Big Promises, Tight Timeline: Can Microsoft Follow Through?
Microsoft says all the fixes it announced were “initial changes” that will appear in Windows Insider builds in March and April of 2026. The changes will arrive on stable versions of Windows 11 "this month and every month this year," according to Hanselman. You won’t have to wait until Windows 12 for them. That’s a lot of changes in an extremely aggressive time frame! The company told me it would have more to share as these changes roll out, too. I’ll be running those Insider builds and will keep a close eye on everything.
I want Windows to be better, and I’m hopeful Microsoft will make a real dent in some long-lasting problems. But the company's announcement also feels like a PR exercise. With pressure from Apple, Google, and even Valve this year, Microsoft wants to look like it's listening and giving PC users the OS they've been asking for. I'm looking forward to these changes, but Microsoft needs to go further.
About Our Expert
Chris Hoffman
Senior Writer, Software
Experience
I've been writing about technology for more than 15 years and using it in earnest for over twice as long. As a member of PCMag's software team, I focus on Windows coverage, but also write about other key desktop operating systems and system apps. (I used Windows 3.1 upon its release and have followed every subsequent release closely).
Prior to joining PCMag, I wrote for How-To Geek starting in 2011, and my articles amassed over a billion page views. I went on to run the publication as editor-in-chief for four and a half years. I have also contributed to Computerworld, Fast Company, PCWorld, Reader's Digest, The New York Times, and many other outlets about everything from AI to PC hardware to Windows. I founded and ran my own direct-to-reader Windows-focused newsletters, Windows Intelligence and The Windows ReadMe, working in partnership with Thurrott.com.
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