Start menu swaps and taskbar tweaks

Plus a new power tool panel  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Thanks for reading this special early preview edition of Windows Intelligence, brought to you in partnership with [Thurrott.com](=). This design is merely a placeholder for what's to come. Stay tuned! ​ Brought to you by: [wise bread logo](​ I spend a lot of time discussing how Microsoft is going to change your PC's interface. But it's your PC, and you get to change the interface however you like. The release of Stardock's upgraded Start menu replacement last week was a great reminder of how active the Windows desktop customization scene still is. Don't want Bing search in your Start menu? Perhaps you'd prefer a completely different Start menu design without any ads or other "suggestions." Or are you looking for extra customization options Windows doesn't offer? I've spent some time playing with various Start menu swaps and taskbar tweak tools to find you the best software. Scroll down to this week's Things to Try section for all the details. Chris Today's read: ⌚ 3 Things to Know: 2 minutes ⌚ 3 Things to Try: 2 minutes ⌚ Top Thurrott Thoughts: 30 seconds ⌚ Just for Fun: 45 seconds [] ❱❱ 3 Things to Know This Week 1. Windows 11's 2023 Update is finally here (for real) ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Microsoft finally released Windows 11's 2023 Update, which includes Copilot and other new features, to the vast majority of Windows 11 users on October 31. Windows Update should install it automatically. 🔎 KNOW MORE: This has been one of the most confusing update rollouts yet. Back in September, Paul Thurrott and I were at the Microsoft event in New York City, and we got lots of different answers about what the update with Copilot would be called and when it would be available. - Here's what really matters: Copilot and all those other new features are now available on most Windows 11 PCs — for real this time — as part of the 2023 Update, which is also known as Windows 11 version 23H2. - The final version of this update has a few extra changes. For example, Windows 11's "Chat" app has been replaced by "Microsoft Teams (free)." It's pinned to your PC's taskbar by default, but you can right-click it and unpin it. - A few PCs will not receive the update just yet — as usual, Microsoft is slowly rolling out the update to different PCs so Windows Update may be "holding" the update and not offering it to your PC yet. 📌 READ MORE: Microsoft has [a quick update announcement](. For a refresher of what to expect, revisit [my roundup of the new features over at Computerworld](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Microsoft is optimizing Windows for handheld PCs ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Handheld gaming PCs are becoming more and more trendy. (Picture a Nintendo Switch, but it's a PC running Windows.) Microsoft has been making changes to Windows to run better on those PCs. 🔎 KNOW MORE: These compact PCs are having a moment thanks to the release of Valve's Steam Deck — but the Steam Deck runs SteamOS, which is based on Linux. Since then, other companies have released Windows-based handheld gaming PCs like the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. But Windows isn't exactly optimized for handheld gaming PCs. - Microsoft just released an Xbox app update with "Compact mode" for small screens. Microsoft's Phil Spencer says there is "more to do" to make Windows work great on these devices - A video of a prototype "Windows Handheld Mode" leaked earlier this year, showing a new Windows 11 interface designed for handheld PCs. (Of course, this may never be released.) - The Windows desktop just isn't designed for handheld PCs, and Microsoft definitely has a lot of work ahead of it if it wants to compete with Valve's Steam Deck. 📌 READ MORE: Read about [the latest changes for handheld gaming PCs](), or take a look at that [leaked handheld mode for Windows 11 PCs](). --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Lots of big Windows features have been forgotten ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Microsoft has abandoned a lot of hyper-up Windows features over the past few years. This week alone, we're talking about Microsoft's investments in Copilot AI and handheld PCs. But a few years ago, the big new things were "the metaverse" and dual-screen PCs. 🔎 KNOW MORE: It's not just Microsoft: Tech companies are always announcing and releasing new features that are supposed to change our lives. But they often end up unreleased — or they get released and wither on the vine as they're neglected. - The metaverse was the big hyped-up new thing in 2021, just as AI is in 2023. "I can't overstate how much of a breakthrough this is," said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella when discussing the metaverse in 2021. It's now been a while since I've seen anyone at Microsoft use the word "metaverse." - Microsoft promised a whole new version of Windows — Windows 10X — designed for dual-screen PCs. Later, Microsoft cancelled it. Manufacturers are now releasing foldable PCs, but they don't have a version of Windows optimized for them. - We were all supposed to have "people" on our taskbars, our windows would be "sets" of tabs from different applications, and the "timeline" would sync our application activities between our devices... But all these features have now been removed from Windows. 📌 READ MORE: I look at [10 hyped-up features Microsoft has removed from Windows]( in my latest piece for PCMag. #top SPONSORED MESSAGE Best Reward Cards of 2023 [Woman holding red credit card](​ Enjoy exceptional rewards on purchases and a $300 bonus offer. They are hands down the most exciting rewards cards of 2023. According to [Wise Bread](, these credit card deals are too good to miss. High Earning Cards For Good To Excellent Credit ➜ [Leverage your good spending history to get one of these high earning rewards cards.](​ [START RACKING UP HUGE REWARDS ➜]( [] ❱❱ 3 Things to Try This Week 1. Replace your Start menu and tweak your taskbar Are you happy with the Windows Start menu and taskbar? If so, that's great — feel free to keep on scrolling. I spend a lot of time using the standard Start menu and taskbar, too. They're fine! But maybe you want something different. Maybe you don't want Bing search in your Start menu. Maybe you want a classic Start menu design without those advertisements and other "suggestions." Maybe you want to move your taskbar on Windows 11. Maybe you just want the Start button in the left corner again. I've spent some time digging for the best Start menu replacements, taskbar tweaking apps, and built-in Windows settings to restore a classic desktop experience. ⌚ You can install one of these applications and start tweaking in just 10 seconds. 💻 These tools and tweaks work on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. 📌 Discover [the best apps for restoring and customizing your Start menu and taskbar]( in my latest column over at Computerworld. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Clean up your PC's startup programs Lots of Windows applications configure themselves to run at startup. Even Windows bundles some automatically starting apps you may not want. For example, if you never use Microsoft Teams, it's still starting when you sign in and sitting there in your system tray. In fact, if you use Microsoft Teams for work, you may end up with two different Teams applications launching at startup and sitting down there in your notification area. Yikes. On modern versions of Windows, you don't have to install anything extra to control your startup applications. You can stop applications from launching at boot in just a few seconds. ⌚ You can start controlling your startup applications in just 5 seconds. 💻 This works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. 📌 Learn how in this [quick new guide to stopping startup software](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Check out the new PowerToys dashboard As you may have noticed, this is a PowerToys fan newsletter. Microsoft's PowerToys package is a must-install for me. It's packed with useful utilities for doing everything from making a window always on top of other windows to remapping any key on your keyboard. And Microsoft is always adding more utilities. All the useful PowerToys features — and their associated keyboard shortcuts — are a lot to keep track of. Thankfully, PowerToys just got an especially useful new dashboard that shows you everything it offers and the critical keyboard shortcuts you need to know at a glance. ⌚ The dashboard will take you 5 seconds to pull up. 💻 This is available on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. ➜ You'll need [the free Microsoft PowerToys package]() installed to see the dashboard and use everything PowerToys offers. If you already have the latest version of PowerToys installed, just open the "PowerToys" shortcut from your Start menu — or by double-clicking the little PowerToys icon in your system tray. PowerToys will open straight to a new Dashboard. From here, you can see which utilities are enabled — and learn the critical keyboard shortcuts you must know to use each tool. [The PowerToys Dashboard interface on Windows 11.] (Don't see the Dashboard in PowerToys? It probably needs an update. Click over to the "General" pane in the left sidebar. PowerToys can check for and install any available updates right from here.) ​ [] ❱❱ Top Thurrott Thoughts Some standout links and expert analysis from our friends at Thurrott, who have been covering Windows since 1994: - ​[Microsoft 365 Copilot Arrives Today]( - AI functionality arrives for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams... but only as an option for businesses. - ​[Microsoft May Be Removing Two Windows 11 In-Box Apps in the Future]( - Most people probably aren't using these apps. - ​[23H2, Microsoft Teams (Free), And an Inability to Communicate Effectively (Premium)]( - Paul Thurrott discusses all the communication confusion we experienced at the Microsoft event in September — and what's going on with all these Teams apps. - ​[Microsoft Releases the Windows 11 2023 Update (23H2)]() - It's here! - ​[Behind Thurrott.com: Who Are You?](=) - Learn more about your fellow Thurrott.com readers, their devices of choice, locations, browser preferences, and more. ​ [] ❱❱ And Just for Fun... After 26 years, Windows CE reached end of support back in October. (But apparently it's still being sold, even though it's not supported? Beats me!) This week, Ars Technica has a [great article looking back at Windows CE](=). It was the Windows operating system for PDAs and "pocket PCs" back in its day. Wondering what the "CE" stood for? That's a good question. Apparently the name doesn't stand for anything at all. Microsoft's Raymond Chen recounts [the story of the naming of Windows CE](=), which involves a product manager's discussions with a product team, a marketing firm, and focus groups. In the end, a Microsoft executive threw out all the product manager's ideas and insisted on the name Windows CE because "it sounded good." People then called it "WinCE" and pronounced it "wince." Another article from Microsoft's Raymond Chen recounts some [narrowly averted embarrassing product names](=), including "Windows Embedded POS." One team at Microsoft was going to call itself the "Windows Technology Foundation group" (WTF), and that same team was going to create something called Windows 10 for Advanced PCs. That would also have been an embarrassing acronym. (Was someone on that team just messing around?) ​ Enjoy Your Weekend! I hope you have an awesome weekend! We here at The Intelligence have some big, exciting things to announce right around the corner. Stay tuned! Thanks for reading Windows Intelligence and being a part of our early preview phase! We'd love to hear what you think so far. ​[Submit your feedback here]() — or just reply to this email. We'll read every single comment, and your thoughts will absolutely help shape and guide what this newsletter becomes. You received this email because your address was signed up for the Windows Intelligence early preview. If you didn't mean to sign up or no longer wish to be subscribed, you can [unsubscribe or update your preferences here](=).