Microsoft is making subtle yet impactful adjustments to the Windows 11 user interface, enhancing the overall user experience. A recent beta build, released to Windows Insider testers earlier this month, introduces a feature known as “taskbar icon scaling.” This innovative option allows users to reduce the size of their taskbar icons, accommodating a greater number of pinned or open applications simultaneously. Currently, the taskbar optimizes space by first minimizing the search box and widget areas, followed by hiding additional icons behind an ellipsis in an overflow area. With this new scaling feature, users can choose between maintaining the existing taskbar layout or opting for smaller icons to maximize available space.
Credit: Andrew Cunningham
Anticipated Updates on the Horizon
The taskbar modifications are expected to transition to the standard public version of Windows 11 in the near future, as Microsoft actively tests these features within its Windows Insider Beta channel. This channel serves as the second-most-stable tier for new Windows 11 builds, positioned between the nearly finalized Release Preview channel and the more experimental Dev channel.
As for the changes to the Start menu, they may be officially unveiled in an upcoming Windows 11 preview build, although there remains a possibility that they might never be activated. Historically, many hidden features within Windows 11 have eventually made their way to the public, such as the Windows version of the Sudo command, which was initially discovered through similar testing. However, it is worth noting that Microsoft occasionally conducts internal tests that do not culminate in public releases.
