Microsoft will not quit on Windows 11’s Widgets board because it will get one other UI makeover

The Discover feed on the Widgets board in Windows 11 is getting an entire redesign with rounded corners, a number of dashboards, and curated tales powered by, you guessed it, Copilot. You’ll nonetheless be capable of customise your Discover feed or flip it off utterly. The new visible expertise for Discover feed is rolling out to PCs with the Windows 11 25H2 replace.

Windows Vista, in 2007, launched everybody to Gadgets, which was Microsoft’s model of Widgets, that hosted mini-apps like climate, calendar, CPU meter, and RSS feeds.

The OS was method forward of its time when it got here to design, a lot in order that even macOS replicated Gadgets in its 2023 Sonoma launch. Widgets are nonetheless a thriving function in macOS. Windows Vista showcased its widgets in a Windows Sidebar.

Windows 7 in 2009 eliminated this Sidebar, however the Gadgets (widgets) might float freely on the desktop. Windows 8, nonetheless, discontinued Gadgets as a result of safety vulnerabilities.

Windows 10 additionally didn’t have widgets, however launched “News and Interests” on the taskbar, which, unsurprisingly, confronted an enormous backlash from customers who hated the concept of Microsoft forcing MSN-powered information feed down their throat.

With Windows 11’s launch in October 2021, Microsoft formally reintroduced Widgets as a standalone function. But it didn’t obtain the love that customers gave for Gadgets, and for good cause.

Widgets function in Windows 11 was initially a tweaked model of News and Interests and nonetheless had MSN feed. Also, it was, and remains to be, accessible solely from the Taskbar. Then, it obtained help for third-party widgets and, after all, Copilot additionally made its method into Widgets.

What is Copilot Discover for the Windows Widgets board?

Copilot Discover was introduced by Microsoft in June this yr. The concept was to point out widgets with a “multifaceted view on a single topic”, which Copilot summarized from trusted MSN publishers. Microsoft started testing the “Curated by Copilot” part with Insider builds within the Dev and Canary channels. The function nonetheless hasn’t rolled out to all customers.

Widgets board in Windows 11 is getting an enormous redesign

Microsoft, of their Windows Experience Blog, shared that the Discover feed in your Widgets board has been up to date with a brand new look. It consists of redesigned widgets, Copilot-curated tales, and the standard customized information feed, which appears neater and fewer cluttered.

The widgets, at the least within the above render, seem extra rounded than the standard look. While the general group appears tidy, the curves within the edges appear to be misplaced. Yes, Windows 11 has rounded edges in all places, however it’s extra of a rounded-rectangle look. This appears extra like a squircle.

However, the official picture by Microsoft options the Discover dashboard, and we’re unsure if the devoted Widgets dashboard has these rounded designs.

Speaking of Dashboards, Microsoft says that the Widgets board could have a number of dashboards quickly. This suggests that you simply might be able to add extra dashboards that every host widgets and feeds that you simply like. You can change between these dashboards from the brand new left-side navigation bar. This bar at present sits within the high centre half.

Till now, customers don’t like Widgets, myself included (despite the fact that I take advantage of Widgets each day), and the explanation, at the least for me, is design.

I’ve curated my Discover feed with information and articles I prefer to learn. Occasionally, I cover tales that I’m not involved in. And MSN does a reasonably good job of displaying related tales once more, regardless of my blocking and hiding such content material.

Jokes apart, what I despise most concerning the current look of the Widgets board is how cluttered it appears. The dated widgets appear to be they’re from an OS launched 10 years in the past, and that OS simply reached its finish of life.

All the information articles with their massive, sensationalized thumbnails and daring headings make the widgets board really feel intrusive.

The upcoming Curated by Copilot widget within the Discover feed will probably be solely pretty much as good because the class of reports that Copilot chooses to share, and that depends upon every consumer. Google Discover principally does properly on this regard.

Also, the present-day Widgets board is by no means customizable as we’d hope. Not all widgets are resizable, and resizing just isn’t a touch-and-drag affair. We must click on the three dots on a widget and choose small, medium, or massive, as if this can be a 10-year-old OS.

While I admire Microsoft making an attempt to show issues round, there’s a advantageous line between customization and making one thing look good. Live-tiles, when executed proper, had been as soon as the epitome of nice design, in my view.

And regardless of the brand new Discover feed on the Widgets board trying like reside tiles, I doubt the squircle design will do any favours.

Widgets needs to be like reside tiles with Fluent Design rules. And whereas we’re down right here, wishing, I would love it if I might additionally add Widgets to my desktop, like in Windows 7.

The new widgets and Discover feed will arrive as a server-side rollout and thru Copilot app updates, although Microsoft hasn’t talked about a date. Once the function is obtainable, you may customise your feed by going to Widgets  >  Discover dashboard > Personalization settings.