Microsoft to check new experimental Windows 11 options

After revealing final week that Windows 11 is getting an even bigger than normal replace in February with Android apps, taskbar enhancements, and rather more, Microsoft is now detailing its plans for Windows 11 testing all through 2022. The software program maker says it plans to experiment extra with options for Windows 11 testers to judge which will by no means ship.

“As part of this ongoing evolution, Insiders will see us lean more heavily on the Dev Channel as a place to incubate new ideas, work on long lead items, and control the states of individual features,” explains Amanda Langowski, the lead for the Windows Insider Program. “In some cases, these concepts will never ship, but by experimenting more, we can better refine experiences, and deliver solutions in Windows that truly empower our customers to achieve more.”

We’ve seen some A/B testing like this earlier than, the place a subset of Windows Insiders will get entry to a characteristic earlier than Microsoft rolls it out extra broadly to testers. In the longer term although, there could possibly be variations on options that received’t be absolutely documented by Microsoft. A variety of Windows fans look out for brand spanking new options each time Microsoft releases a brand new construct, utilizing flags within the working system to change hidden options on and see what Microsoft is experimenting with.

“We also recognize that some of our more technical Insiders have discovered that some features are intentionally disabled in the builds we have flighted,” says Langowski. “This is by design, and in those cases, we will only communicate about features that we are purposefully enabling for Insiders to try out and give feedback on.”

The Dev Channel for Windows 11 testing will now be really the place experimental options seem, leaving the Beta Channel to incorporate options which might be nearer to what’s going to ship to everybody. That may imply that new options even present up within the Beta Channel first, in the event that they’re nearer to transport.

Microsoft is now planning to provide Windows 11 testers a window wherein they will swap from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel, to keep away from the extra experimental options which might be on the way in which. That will doubtless coincide with the February launch of options, together with Android app help, taskbar modifications, and the redesigned Notepad and Media Player apps.