This post has been republished via RSS; it originally appeared at: Windows Experience Blog.
As the PC continues to play a more meaningful role in our lives, we will continue to evolve Windows 11 as a connection point between people, ideas and creations. Today, we’re excited to announce new experiences for Windows 11 are starting to become available, including an Amazon Appstore preview available in the U.S., Taskbar improvements and two redesigned apps: Media Player and Notepad. We can’t wait to see what you do with them.Enjoy the Amazon Appstore Preview featuring select Android™ apps and games in the Microsoft Store on Windows 11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6SpHPF40Ik Windows has always been about enabling you to work and play your way. And what makes Windows, well, Windows, is the variety of apps available to let you do just that. Since the launch of Windows 11, the Microsoft Store has attracted more creators and users around the world; today we are adding over 1,000 more apps and games in partnership with the Amazon Appstore. Windows 11 users in the U.S. can access the Amazon Appstore Preview1 in the Microsoft Store, and popular apps like Audible, Kindle, Subway Surfers, Lords Mobile, Khan Academy Kids and many more. This experience, built on the AndroidTM platform and supported by Intel® Bridge Technology, introduces a new category of mobile apps and games available for Windows. To get started with the preview, open and update the Microsoft Store (click Get updates in Microsoft Store > Library) – search your favorite titles or explore our new curated collection of mobile apps and games; when you’ve found what you’re looking for, download them through the Amazon Appstore.1 These apps feel like a part of Windows, integrating naturally with Windows input and windowing experiences, like Snap layouts. Today’s preview reinforces our commitment to be the most open platform for creators, and we look forward to sharing more details later this year on how we’ll broaden availability with the Amazon Appstore. We can’t wait to hear your feedback on the experience.New enhancements to the Taskbar
The Taskbar is an ever-present launch point for everything we do on our PCs. That’s why we’re continuing to invest in experiences that make it easier to see all the information you need now and take action directly, no matter how many screens you’re working from. These new Taskbar enhancements are initially available in the February 2022 non-security preview release.Mute/unmute & share any window from the Taskbar
In our hybrid world, the time spent connecting through video conferencing continues to rise. Phrases like “You’re on mute” or “Can you see my slides?” have become common things we say or hear throughout our day, and we want to help change that. Mute/unmute and share any window from the Taskbar are designed to make it easier for you to take quick actions and have confidence that you are at your best while on video calls. Instantly accessible from your Taskbar, window sharing and mute controls are available to Microsoft Teams users with a work or school account. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ezWXLDa1aI To try these out, during a call an active mic icon will appear on the right side of your Taskbar. You can easily toggle audio on and off without having to return to the call window so you can quickly reply or mute, even if your Teams app is not visible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci-b8Y_gA0E Additionally, window sharing for any open app is just two clicks away – simply hover over the app icon on your Taskbar to launch the share control, then confirm you’re ready to share it live. This will help you confidently share just the content you mean to share and nothing more.Weather on the Taskbar
We’ve updated your entry point to Widgets to show live weather content in the left-hand corner of your Taskbar, so your weather is always up to date and available at a glance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbcbFW9qwdo To try it out, simply hover over the weather icon; the Widgets board will open and stay open until you move your mouse away. To keep Widgets open, click the weather icon once, and it will stay open until you click somewhere outside of the Widgets board. If your Taskbar is currently left-aligned, this new entry point for Widgets will be to the right of the task view icon.Clock on a second monitor
