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Frustrated by Windows 11? Microsoft is vowing to focus on quality in future OS releases, prioritizing performance and reining in Copilot.
Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft's President for Windows and Devices, announced this "commitment to quality" in a Friday blog post and email to users.
The plan calls for bolstering the OS's "performance, reliability, and well-crafted experiences” this year, Davuluri says. "These areas have meaningful impact on how you experience Windows: how fast it starts and responds, how stable it is under real workloads, and how consistent and thoughtful the experience feels."
PC users will be happy to know that one goal is to reduce Windows 11's resource usage to free up more capacity. Another priority is “less noise, less distraction, and more control across the OS.”
(Credit: Microsoft)Surprisingly, the blog post makes little mention of AI. Instead, Davuluri merely says the company wants “to be thoughtful about how and where we bring AI into Windows.”
"You will see us be more intentional about how and where Copilot integrates across Windows, focusing on experiences that are genuinely useful and well‑crafted. As part of this, we are reducing unnecessary Copilot entry points, starting with apps like Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets, and Notepad," he said. Changes will roll out in preview for Windows Insiders in March and April.
(Credit: Microsoft)Davuluri made the announcement months after he faced backlash for tweeting that “Windows is evolving into an agentic OS." Users argued that the company was putting AI over basic Windows 11 performance. Not helping matters was a January Windows 11 release that prevented PCs from booting up or going to sleep.
Last month, Davuluri indicated he was taking the criticism seriously. Microsoft is also facing increased competition from Apple; it recently released the affordable MacBook Neo, which has been a hit among consumers and reviewers.
In his Friday blog post, Davuluri noted, “Over the past several months, the team and I have spent a great deal of time analyzing your feedback. What came through was the voice of people who care deeply about Windows and want it to be better.”
(Credit: Microsoft)In the near-term, Davuluri previewed several enhancements rolling out to beta users in the Windows Insider Program, which is open to anyone. They include a faster, more reliable File Explorer, the ability to reposition the Windows 11 taskbar to the top or sides of the screen, and greater control over widget customization in the OS.