Microsoft is enhancing the productivity landscape for its users with the introduction of lightweight taskbar apps designed specifically for Microsoft 365 on Windows 11. These companion apps are set to automatically launch at startup, offering seamless access to essential tools such as contacts, file searches, and calendars directly from the taskbar.
Features of the Microsoft 365 Companion Apps
As part of this rollout, the People companion app allows users to navigate a browsable organizational chart, making it easy to look up colleagues within the company. Users can initiate a Teams message or call with a contact or send an email with just a few clicks, streamlining communication across the organization.
The File Search companion app is another significant addition, enabling quick retrieval of Microsoft 365 files directly from the taskbar. Users can search by file name, author, or keywords to locate documents across platforms like OneDrive, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and Outlook. Additionally, the app offers a preview feature, allowing users to view files before opening them, along with various filtering and sharing options.
For those managing their schedules, the Calendar app provides a convenient overview of upcoming events. Users can easily search for appointments or join meetings, all from the taskbar, enhancing the overall efficiency of daily planning.
These three apps have been in beta testing for several months, following their initial announcement at Microsoft’s Ignite conference last year. Now, they are being rolled out to all business users of Microsoft 365 as part of a general availability release this month. The installation of these companion apps will occur automatically, provided that Microsoft 365 apps are already installed on a Windows 11 system. However, IT administrators have the option to prevent automatic installation, and end users can choose to stop the apps from launching at startup if desired.
