Since the beginning of the year, Microsoft has been quietly promising to improve Windows 11, even going so far as to refocus its engineers to resolve the "core issues" with the operating system. Today, Microsoft released a highly detailed memo committing to improving "performance, reliability, and craft."
Microsoft's executive vice president of Windows + Devices Pavan Davuluri wrote in the memo that the company had spent the last few months listening to those "who care deeply about Windows and want it better."
The memo outlines a broad plan with areas of focus that should start appearing in the April update. Davuluri says we should see "tangible progress" in preview builds throughout the rest of 2026.
Yes, based on this memo, we can expect a lot of changes, tackling everything from system performance to customization and some AI.
Davuluri says that everything announced today will be tested first by the Windows Insider community. Including a big redesign to its Feedback Hub to make it faster and easier to submit feedback on Windows 11.
"Thank you for holding us to a high standard. Windows is as much yours as it is ours," Pavan said.
What's coming?
We rarely get such a public commitment with specific types of changes. So, what is Microsoft committing to?
Initially, in April, the changes will start with the ability to reposition the taskbar to the top or sides of the screen and a reduction of Copilot integration in Windows apps like Photos, Notepad and the Snipping Tool.
Expect less disruptive Windows updates with “fewer automatic restarts and notifications." Plus, you'll get the ability to skip updates during initial device setup.
Microsoft is also planning to improve File Explorer in the first rounds of improvements. “Our first round of improvements will focus on a quicker launch experience, reduced flicker, smoother navigation and more reliable performance for everyday file tasks,” Davuluri promises.
After that, widgets in Windows 11 will get more personalization features and "quieter defaults."
Reliability and performance are two of the big promises with Microsoft promising to reduce the number of resources Windows consumes and "improving the baseline reliability." That includes what Davuluri calls craft with a focus on "raising the bar" on the overall usability of the Windows 11 experience.
In all, it's a broad list of fixes. I'm not certain it directly covers everything, including the annoying pop-ups demanding you use Edge or Bing or anything Copilot. You should read the full memo for all the promised fixes.
Still, Davuluri is promising a more nuanced approach to Copilot integration. This fits with a January report that Microsoft is pulling back on stuffing Windows 11 with AI.
It's one of the few companies that actually seems to be stepping away from AI as everyone else bull rushes through the china shop to shove it in every piece of tech.
