5 Minor Features I Like About Windows 11

Windows 11 has been a bit of a mixed bag since launch. While very few would deny its design aesthetic and the strides Microsoft has made in certain areas, there have also been certain spots where the company has massively fallen behind in terms of functionality.

However, Windows 11 does have its charms, some of which I have already mentioned. Today, however, I am revisiting this area because the last piece I wrote on this topic was in November 2021, which not only means that the operating system has evolved since then, but also that my thoughts on certain aspects have changed changed from Windows 11 .

Before diving into the list of five smaller things I like about Windows 11, please note that my thoughts are based on my use of various versions of Windows up to the latest Dev Channel build 25174. As such, some of the things I’m talking about may be widely available, while others can only be found on the Insider preview for now. Let’s start with this clarity!

1 – volume flyout

This is something Microsoft unveiled back in January, and while I lamented the fact that it took the company so long to change the volume flyout in Windows, I should also stress that this is a very welcome change.

Windows 10 had a very archaic volume flyout that was very noticeable, especially when you were playing media content. It appeared on the top left of the screen and even showed a larger window over the media content being played. This meant it took up a large chunk of the screen, took some time to disappear, and was very distracting.

On the other hand, Windows 11 volume control has none of these problems. It sits innocently at the bottom of the screen and doesn’t take up much space even when you’re playing media content. It’s sleek and minimalist and makes my Windows 11 experience so much better.

2 – The theme of the Settings app

The Settings app in Windows 11 isn’t perfect, but it’s just way better at categorizing and making options accessible. The always-visible category pane on the left side of the Settings app makes it easy to navigate and find content at a glance.

The category icons are arranged vertically, which means they “flow” nicely. Windows 10 had rows of icons on the main page, so you had to look for icons both horizontally and vertically. Windows 11 solves this problem with aplomb.

Then there’s breadcrumbs navigation. You can go deep into nested menus and still retrace your steps, which was completely missing in Windows 10. And if you want to switch to a different category of options, you can always leave the aforementioned navigation pane in use because it’s always visible. It’s just so convenient compared to what we had in Windows 10.

3 – Recommended section in the start menu

I’ll admit I wasn’t a fan of the Featured section of the Start menu because I thought it took up a lot of space and I would hardly ever use it. Over time, however, my opinion on this has changed.

Windows 11 changed the way I interact with my files. The Recommended section shows me a list of my recently used, downloaded, and recommended files, including content from Microsoft 365 cloud locations.

Because I use Microsoft 365, OneDrive, and Office online a lot, the near-instant access to content hosted on these platforms is just perfect for my use cases. Editing files in Office Online on another PC signed into the same account and then having near-instant access to the same file without opening Office Online or manually downloading and transferring the file just feels magical.

I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority when it comes to the usefulness of the recommended section based on the reviews I’ve seen on various platforms, but it really improves my productivity and workflows a lot.

4 – Updated icons

Again, this boils down to the aesthetics of Windows 11, which I really like. Microsoft has updated its icons across the operating system, including File Explorer, Settings, context menu, taskbar, and more.

I personally find them much clearer and easier on the eyes. The color choices are appealing and while they don’t necessarily flow into my workflow, they’re still eye candy for me.

That being said, I’m pretty sure some depths of the OS probably still have a few old and deprecated icons, but I can’t snap points for something I rarely use or see.

5 – transition to search in the start menu

That is interesting. When Windows 11 came out and you used the search feature in the Start menu’s search bar, there was a very obvious tremor when the Start menu closed and Windows search opened instead. It was very irritating to me and gave the OS a very disconnected and unpolished feel.

Microsoft has made significant improvements in this area, at least in the Windows Insider Preview versions. There is a new search widget. So when you click the search bar in the start menu, this widget will still open, but without the jitter and with some animation transitions that also make the process seem seamless.

Here’s what the Start menu and search widget look like before you click the search bar on the Start menu:

And this is what it looks like after you click the search bar in the Start menu:

I’ll be clear, there’s still a slight stutter, it’s not completely seamless, but it’s way, way better than what we had at launch. In the release version of Windows 11, it felt like two completely separate parts of the operating system had been cobbled together with little thought to the UX. Now it feels a lot more powerful and the animation of the transition theme where the search widget turns blue is pretty nifty. There’s still a long way to go, but we’re getting there.

Do you agree with this list? Are there any features (small or big) that you like about Windows 11? Let us know in the comments section below!

Don’t forget to read my companion article on 5 Minor Things I Don’t Like About Windows 11!