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

What do you want to know?

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

A new preview build of Windows 11 is available now available for Insiders in the Beta Channel which 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.

Changes include removing the bell icon and year from the date and time button on the taskbar, which goes a long way toward making that part of the interface less cluttered. Microsoft says users can restore the old layout with the year and bell icon if they prefer.

Additionally, Microsoft is also adding new animations to the taskbar, including around app previews when you hover over a running app icon. Until now, app previews on the taskbar 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 up.

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