In a recent development, Microsoft has added a new feature to its growing list of deprecated functionalities within the Windows operating system. This time, the focus is on “Suggested actions,” a feature that was introduced relatively recently, in May 2022, as part of build 25115.
Understanding Suggested Actions
Suggested actions were designed to enhance user experience by allowing Windows 11 to recognize essential elements such as phone numbers and dates. The intent was straightforward: to provide users with convenient shortcuts for tasks like making phone calls, conducting internet searches, or scheduling calendar events. Despite its potential utility, Microsoft has opted to phase out this feature, leaving many users puzzled.
In an official statement, Microsoft noted:
Suggested actions that appear when you copy a phone number or future date in Windows 11 are deprecated and will be removed in a future Windows 11 update.
While the timeline for this removal remains unclear, users may still have a brief window to utilize the feature before it disappears entirely.
This decision to discontinue a relatively modern feature has raised eyebrows, leading to speculation that “Suggested actions” may not have resonated with users as anticipated. It appears that Microsoft is taking a more streamlined approach to its offerings, focusing on features that garner greater engagement.
In addition to “Suggested actions,” Microsoft has recently deprecated several other features, including:
- Android app support
- Paint 3D (still available for download)
- Windows Speech Recognition
- The Tips app
- Steps Recorder
- WordPad (can be restored if desired)
For those interested in exploring the complete list of deprecated features, Microsoft has provided an official support document detailing these changes.
