Windows 11 Leaked Taskbar Feature May Suggest Apps, Websites, or Snap Groups
The taskbar in Windows 11 is set to receive several new features, although it won’t be regaining the option to position it at the top or sides of the screen. Instead, an upcoming enhancement is the introduction of “recommendations.”This feature might take the form of a card or potentially a new panel that overlays the existing taskbar, offering users various suggestions.
Distinct from prior iterations such as Windows 10, the taskbar in Windows 11 has undergone significant updates, making it more contemporary and easier to modify. However, it remains somewhat limited in functionality. The right-click menu is somewhat sparse, and notably, the feature to relocate the taskbar to any screen edge has been removed.
Although moving the Windows 11 taskbar is not on Microsoft’s agenda, there are indications that it may soon feature a capability referred to as “recommendations.” The specifics of how this will operate remain unclear, but it is likely that it will function as a suggestion or hovercard, appearing somewhere on the taskbar to prompt users to pin an application, visit a website, or explore a snap layout.
Hints about this functionality have surfaced in recent preview updates. As pointed out by Albacore in April, it appears that Windows 11’s recommendations could present content right on the taskbar.
The exact mechanism of this feature remains speculative, informed only by our findings. It could manifest as a card-like interface positioned above the taskbar for recommendations, or it might feature a dedicated section akin to the Start menu, although this latter scenario seems less probable.
In the Settings > Personalization > Taskbar menu, there is an option labeled “Controls visibility of recommendations on the taskbar.” Refer to the fourth option in the screenshot below Widgets.
This setting is currently hidden for most users, but it indicates a potential method for managing taskbar recommendations. The icon is a globe, notably suggesting either deeper web integration or simply hinting at a recommendation feature. The specifics are currently unknown.
Further evidence supporting the recommendation feature exists in the system files. The associated setting is affirmed by a registry entry located at:
HKCU > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer > Advanced > ShowRecommendations.
However, the Taskbar.View.dll file does not contain all necessary components to activate these suggestion features.
Moreover, as noted by Phantom on X, recent modifications to Local Experience Packs (version 277xx) include mentions of “Recommended Sites (preview).” There are also tracings of “SnapGroupsRecommendedOnTaskbar.”
This implies that the taskbar could soon assist users in discovering new snap layouts for improved multitasking.
With these recent references emerging, it appears that Microsoft is still in the process of refining its taskbar recommendation concept.
Some users may express concerns over taskbar recommendations becoming too integrated into the overall Windows user experience, creating potential clutter. However, based on the information available, it seems that these recommendations will merely be optional suggestions visible on or near the taskbar, which can be disabled through Windows Settings.
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