Skip to main content

Windows 11’s taskbar may get a handy feature from Windows 10

If you’re a heavy multitasker in Windows 11, you might have noticed that your taskbar might be a little messy when you have too many apps open at once. Windows 10 had a handy overflow feature to help in that situation, and according to a noted Windows leaker on Twitter, it could soon make a comeback on Windows 11.

While Microsoft hasn’t confirmed anything about this just yet, @thebookisclosed is the one who has the specifics of the feature. With it, you should be able to see and access all of your open apps in a new overflow bin in the Windows 11 taskbar.

Recommended Videos

It’s a welcome change, as previously, there was no indicator to let Windows 11 users know of other open apps once the taskbar runs out of space to hold app icons. The return of the overflow area should add an ellipses icon, so you can better select from open apps and not just see one, as before.

Windows 11's app overflow area.
@thebookisclosed/ Twitter

This would just be one useful feature coming to Windows 11 soon. Previously, the same leaker also indicated that Microsoft is working on three big improvements for the new operating system. Those changes include an interesting stickers option for spicing up the look of the desktop wallpaper, the ability to hide the taskbar in tablet mode, and changes to notifications so that notification controls are more upfront.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

And that’s just the start. A separate Twitter user recently showcased a fully redesigned Windows 11 Task Manager app. It has a new look based on Windows 11’s design and useful battery health and app health areas so you can better monitor the all-around performance of your PC.

All of these leaked features have been locked away and hidden in the code in recent Windows Insider Dev Channel releases. Microsoft has said these releases aren’t tied to a specific Windows version, so you should not count on seeing them soon.

Microsoft also previously indicated that it might be a possibility that these features will be discovered by more technical users of beta versions of Windows 11, but it doesn’t mean the features will be released. It says this is by design, and it will only communicate about features that we are purposefully enabling for people to try out.

Arif Bacchus
Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…
Windows 11 Recall finally arrives, but with one new problem
Recall screenshot.

The Windows 11 Recall feature has been troublesome since its announcement. Now that the feature is available in a testing capacity, it is still causing users some issues.

Tech reviewers testing the feature have observed that Recall will now fail to save the snapshots that allow the function to work. CNBC noted that it may take “several minutes” for a snapshot to save, which may leave delays in the AI processing. Tom Warren of The Verge, noted on Bluesky that snapshots were not saving at all in his experience.

Read more
Windows 11 remains the driver of growth in PCs, not AI
The Surface Laptop shown in front of a Copilot+ sign.

There's been a lot of talk about AI PCs this year, but has it actually delivered on its promise? A new analysis from TrendForce says the significant boost in laptop sales in 2024 has more to do with Windows 11 updates than it does with fancy new AI features.

"The impact of AI-integrated notebooks on the overall market remains limited for now," the report states. "However, AI features are expected to naturally integrate into notebook specifications as brands gradually incorporate them, resulting in a steady rise in the penetration rates of AI notebooks."

Read more
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.

Read more