Microsoft's faster, less annoying Windows 11 is coming into focus

PCWorld reports that Microsoft is overhauling Windows 11 with significant performance improvements targeting File Explorer, Start menu, and system responsiveness through better CPU scheduling and memory management. The updates separate Widgets from the Discover feed and adopt a "calm" approach with fewer notifications, though concerns arise about AI-summarized content potentially harming creators. These changes aim to make Windows 11 "feel faster" and more competitive with macOS, rolling out through the Windows Insider program. This is the new, more productive Windows 11. On Friday, Microsoft said that it has begun making improvements to File Explorer, speeding up Windows under the hood, and minimizing distractions from the Windows widgets, all in the name of getting more done. Microsoft's moves underscore what it began talking about in March: emphasizing a cleaner, more efficient Windows while scaling back on Copilot and moving toward adding features that customers have demanded, such as a configurable taskbar .