Windows 11 will get its first major update later this February, Microsoft has confirmed. The new version will deliver improvements to the taskbar, two redesigned stock apps and a public preview of native Android app support. Members of the Windows Insider Program can test it now, ahead of a full rollout at some point later this month.
Microsoft revealed the news in an , written by Chief Product Officer Panos Panay. Adding simpler window sharing, mute/unmute for calls and weather integration won’t solve all the taskbar’s problems, but they should prove useful for many people. Elsewhere, both the Notepad and Media Player apps will be more in keeping with Windows 11’s Fluent design language.
But native Android app support is the big new feature. It was announced alongside Windows 11 back in June, but early builds have been exclusive to the Windows Insider Program so far. That will change next month, when a public preview of the feature becomes available. It’s still not the final version, but gives you a good idea what to expect.
Downloaded Android apps are fully compatible with Windows 11, although you’re limited to the Amazon Appstore for now. However, Microsoft has indicated it intends to add the Epic Games Store at some point in the future. A workaround also allows you to access the Google Play Store instead, but there’s little chance this will be officially supported anytime soon.
These features have been available in the Dev Channel for several weeks, but Microsoft added the update to the Beta and Release Preview channels on 10 February. Its arrival in the latter suggests a full rollout is imminent – this is usually one of the last stages before an update is made public.
Alongside this news, Windows Latest spotted one other new taskbar feature. Microsoft’s Your Phone companion app will now be integrated into the taskbar, allowing you to quickly access the three most recently used apps on a recent Samsung phone. The screenshot below gives you an idea of how it’ll look:
The February update isn’t expected to impact Windows 11’s first feature update, expected in the second half of 2022. It’s rumoured to add drag-and-drop support to the taskbar and support for third-party widgets, but news is relatively thin on the ground so far.
Alongside the announcement of upcoming updates, Microsoft also confirmed that Windows 11 was entering its final stage of availability. That’s ahead of its initial target of mid-2022, although all compatible devices have been able to download it since October.