Microsoft is testing tweaks to the Windows 11 taskbar that will return it—considerably—to the glory days of Windows 10, based on experiences by beta testers.

Microsoft is seemingly testing two options: merchandise labels, in addition to the power to ungroup gadgets. A 3rd, the power to cover the date and time, is seemingly being labored on as properly.

Microsoft assessments new options in each the Windows Insider Canary Channel and Dev Channel, each avenues for code, which can or might not finally ship to precise mainstream customers. Microsoft launched a pair of latest builds late on Wednesday: Insider Build 23440 for the Dev Channel, and Insider Build 23546 for the Canary Channel. The Canary Channel is for the subsequent iteration of Windows (Windows 12, hypothetically) whereas the Dev Channel focuses on Windows 11.

What Twitter leaker Albacore found, and Windows Latest confirmed, are the three new options. (Microsoft disclosed the power to show off date and time in its Build 23440 notes.)

What you may’t do, apparently, is transfer the Windows 11 taskbar round your display, or broaden it—you’ll nonetheless want a third-party utility like Start11 to realize that. But the power to “ungroup” taskbar icons means much less of an opportunity that you simply’ll really lose any tabs that you simply wish to protect. More express taskbar merchandise labels will do the identical.

Microsoft’s new Dev Channel construct additionally features a few useful tweaks: the power to activate and handle Windows Spotlight, which provides personalised wallpapers, by right-clicking your desktop. You’ll additionally have the ability to see a community troubleshooter while you right-click the taskbar and the community icon. Microsoft additionally hopes to tweak the taskbar’s Search field by allowing a flyout when your hover over it, however Microsoft uncovered a glitch and killed it, the corporate mentioned.

Microsoft’s Canary Channel construct presents acquainted updates, too. In latest Dev Channel builds, Microsoft added features to control the screen brightness mechanically on supported laptops, in addition to handle presence detection on related gadgets. Those are being added to the Canary Channel. Microsoft can be providing an attention-grabbing new function: the power to show off HDR help whereas working on battery. HDR really dials up your display brightness (when known as for by the scene) to higher enhance visible constancy—on the expense of your laptop computer’s battery.