Microsoft has released a new Windows 11 Insider build and it brings a number of new improvements. It also adds a Task Manager shortcut to the Windows Taskbar which the company claims, was done based on user feedback. Alongside this, the build also brings updated controls for Widgets and fixes a major bug.
Windows 11 Insider Preview 25211: Task Manager in Taskbar and More
The new Insider Preview 25211 has now added an option to access the Task Manager directly from the Taskbar. All you need to do is Right Click on the Taskbar and a Task Manager option will appear alongside the Taskbar settings which is currently the only option on Windows 11 public builds.
I am happy that Microsoft hasn’t just added another app icon to the taskbar app row as it just makes things worse, visually. This way, users get easy access to the Task Manager alongside the old school “Ctrl+Shift+Esc”.
If you’re not aware, this feature isn’t something new and while it already existed as a convenience, Microsoft took it away in Windows 11. Now, after users have complained for so long, the development team finally decided that they needed to bring back this feature. So, if you were a power user of this feature and were upset about it being removed, this should be comforting.
What Else is Important in 25211?
While the return of the Task Manager in the Taskbar is a welcome change, that’s not the only change the update brings. It also brings a few other additions and fixes in this build. The biggest change is a better Widgets settings menu.
Also Read: Microsoft Introduces “Expanded View in Widgets” In Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25201
You can access your widget settings by clicking on your profile picture (“Me” section) on the top right of the Widgets page. When opened, it now shows three different toggles of widget taskbar behavior. This allows you to decide if you want to see notification badges or announcements and if you want the Widgets window to open, every time you hover on the Taskbar icon on the left.
Alongside that, it also fixes (server-side) an error that displayed the “date, time and time zone settings are incorrect” message and also prevented new Insider builds from installing because of that. To view all the available fixes and changes, you can view the detailed post on the Windows Insider Blog.
With the new preview builds, Microsoft seems to be bringing better visual elements, more controls, and improved overall functionality. It’s unlikely that they can catch up with Apple in these areas anytime soon, but at least tough competition has pushed them toward creating a more appealing operating system. That means, with the next big public release, we can finally expect a fresher Windows experience overall.
