Android app support, Taskbar updates, and more, begin rolling out on Windows 11 today
The first big Windows 11 feature drop is now available.
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What you need to know
Last month, Microsoft announced that it would begin rolling out Android app support and Taskbar improvements to allWindows 11users at some point in February. We’re now at that point, meaningthose features are now rolling outfor everyone on Windows 11! The new features have been in testing with Insiders for a handful of months, and are now finally ready for general availability.
The new features are as follows:
The big new feature being made available today is support for Android apps, a coveted feature that was announced last year but unfortunately missed the initial launch build. It’s here now (in preview) for those in the United States, and will allow users to download over 1,000 Android apps from the Amazon Appstore, or alternatively sideload Android APKs if that’s something you want to do.
Additionally, we also have some new Taskbar features, including the ability to mute or unmute your mic directly from the system tray when in a Teams call. The Widgets panel button has also been updated to display Weather info, and is also getting a new home in the far left of the Taskbar.
Finally, Microsoft is also rolling out updated versions of the Notepad and Media Player apps, which bring with it new designs, dark mode, and more. Overall, this is a nice feature drop for Windows 11 users, and Microsoft promises that more are on the way as itcommits to shipping new features on a more regular basis.
Microsoft’s next major OS update is scheduled for the second half of this year, codenamed “Sun Valley 2” and set to ship as version 22H2. Last week,we revealeda bunch of new features that Microsoft is working on that we expect will ship as part of that major release. Be sure to check out that story if you’d like to know more.
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Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch onTwitterandThreads
