Microsoft begins testing more simplified Windows 11 Taskbar with improved animations and keyboard shortcuts

Windows 11 Start Logo.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is rolling out a new Windows 11 preview build for Insiders in the Beta Channel.
• Today's build includes an updated Taskbar with simplified system tray and new animations for app previews when hovering over open apps.
• The Taskbar is also getting more keyboard shortcuts and a Studio Effects icon when active.

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A new Windows 11 preview build is now available for Insiders in the Beta Channel that introduces several interesting improvements to the Taskbar. Today's preview build includes a simplified system tray on the Taskbar, which aims to clean up the interface and make it take up less space.

The changes include removing the bell icon and year from the date & time button on the Taskbar, which does a lot to make that part of the interface look less cluttered. Microsoft says users can restore the old layout with the year and bell icon if that's something they prefer.

The new simplified Windows 11 system tray. (Image credit: Microsoft)

Additionally, Microsoft is also adding some new animations to the Taskbar, specifically around app previews when hovering over the icon of a running app. Up until now, app previews on the Taskbar have appeared without any animation on Windows 11, but that's changing with today's preview build. Now, the app preview will gently float above the app icon instead of just popping in.

Microsoft is also making other adjustments to the Taskbar, including adding keyboard shortcuts. Now, when you press WIN+T (or click on the Taskbar) you can open apps by simply pressing the first letter corresponding to the app name you want to open.

App previews will now animate in when hovering over a running app icon. (Image credit: Microsoft)

Lastly, if you're using a PC with Windows Studio Effects, such as Copilot+ PCs, you'll now see an icon in the system tray when any effects are or can be activated. Clicking on the icon will pull up the Windows Studio Effects panel that lets you control the different audio and visual effects available to your webcam or microphone. 

These changes to the Windows 11 Taskbar are now in testing with Microsoft's pre-release program, and will likely roll out in an update for non-testers in the coming months. Notably, these changes are only being tested on Windows 11 version 23H2 at the moment, meaning there are no 24H2 builds with these changes present currently.