At its Windows 11 hybrid work event yesterday, Microsoft highlighted new features that it is bringing to Windows 11 in the future. I have questions—it’s not clear when these features will arrive, for example—and I should emphasize, as Microsoft did, that these features were presented as being for its business customers only, and related to hybrid work. But with the understanding that most will apply to all Windows 11 users, I think it’s worth stepping through them.
Here’s Microsoft they revealed. Note that many of these new features were previously known and can be accessed via Windows Insider Preview builds today. And that I’m only focusing on the features that are specific to Windows 11.
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Passwordless single sign-on. Microsoft allows customers to securely sign into their Azure Active Directory (AAD) and, as of last September, Microsoft (MSA) accounts without passwords. And because you can sign in to Windows with these accounts, you can use passwordless sign-on there too. This isn’t unique to Windows 11—it works with Windows 10, too—but it’s interesting.
Enhanced phishing protection. Windows Defender SmartScreen will detect phishing attempts when you sign in to your account (not clear if that’s just for AAD) on the web using Microsoft Edge or in apps (not clear if that’s just Store apps).
Start menu folders. This one addresses a functional regression in Windows 11, where the system as shipped no longer supported the ability to create folders of shortcuts as you could in Windows 10.
Tabs in File Explorer. Microsoft once intended to bring tabs to all application windows in Windows 10 via a feature called Sets. But now, years later, Microsoft will bring tabs to File Explorer only. It is, in the words of one Microsoft presenter, the “number one requested Windows Insider for Business feature since forever.”
Cloud PC integration. Those with Windows 365 accounts will one day be able to take advantage of three new integration features in Windows 11: Windows 365 Boot, Windows 365 Switch, and Windows 365 Offline.
New Snap layouts. Microsoft is enhancing the Snap Layouts feature in Windows 11 with new layouts and is making it more discoverable by adding an overlay at the top of the screen that appears whenever you start moving a window.
Favorite files. File Explorer’s default view—which Microsoft now calls a “home page”—is called Quick access, and it’s gaining a new Favorites group that will do for files what Favorites do for web pages in Microsoft Edge.
Widgets improvements. Microsoft is again showing off the full-screen Widgets interface it demonstrated last summer, indicating that this missing feature will eventually arrive in Windows 11. It is also enhancing Widgets to support both work (AAD) and home (MSA) accounts.
Live captions. Arguably the most impressive of the new features, this new accessibility feature will add onscreen captioning for any audio source, be it a playing video or whatever. A related Voice clarity feature will help suppress unwelcome noise in the environment and make video and audio calls clearer.
Improved focus tools. Microsoft is rebranding the Windows 11 Focus assist feature to just be called Focus, and it is significantly improving how it works.
This is a solid list of productivity and work-related enhancements for sure. Is it enough to put Windows 11 over the top? I don’t believe so, not for businesses anyway. But I welcome any steps forward.