I acquired so pissed off with these 5 Home windows 11 issues I made a decision to repair them myself

Abstract

As a frequent consumer of Home windows 11, there are a number of quirks throughout the OS that frustrate me to no finish.
These are all small points on their very own, however they add up and put a damper on the end-user expertise.
Listed here are 5 Home windows 11 quirks that drive me loopy, in addition to the measures I’ve taken to mitigate my frustration.

I’ve a love-hate relationship with Windows 11. On the one hand, I am keen on the highly effective multitasking and window administration instruments the OS offers me, and I discover Microsoft’s Fluent Design system to be visually engaging. On the flip facet, the OS frustrates me with its heavy-handed method to selling providers, its lack of UX consistency, and its over-reliance on internet tech inside shell elements.

Over time, I’ve gotten used to lots of the… let’s say, distinctive attributes of Microsoft’s decades-old desktop working system. Nonetheless, there are a number of quirks specifically that grind my gears to no finish, and so they stick out like a sore thumb each time I come again to Home windows after an prolonged computing session on macOS or Android.

Listed here are 5 such annoyances that I want Microsoft would rectify already, in addition to a short overview of the steps I take to assault these Home windows 11 idiosyncrasies head-on.

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Home windows 11 is a robust and feature-rich working system, but it surely’s being held again from greatness in a number of key methods.

1

Darkish Mode is not computerized

There isn’t any Fast Settings tile accessible, both

Microsoft was forward of the curve when it launched a devoted darkish mode interface possibility for Windows back in 2016. It took a number of extra years for darkish mode to hit competing working methods, however finally the likes of macOS, iOS, and Android caught up. The issue is, Microsoft launched darkish mode, after which it rested on its laurels.

Other than not implementing darkish mode throughout many old-school Win32 apps and interface components, the first situation I’ve with the Home windows 11 darkish mode is that it might probably’t be robotically switched on or off based mostly on the time of day. That is considered one of my favourite options on rival OSs, and its absence right here is irritating. So as to add insult to damage, Microsoft would not present a dark mode toggle throughout the Fast Settings pane, making it a chore to change coloration scheme on the fly.

To make up for this, I went forward and put in Auto Darkish Mode. Accessible without cost on the Microsoft Retailer, this light-weight utility not solely switches your theme based mostly on specified parameters, but in addition affords extra superior options. For instance, I’ve mine set as much as change the wallpaper alongside the colour mode, which provides to the change in desktop theme.

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Home windows 11 affords its personal native widgets, however they can not be pinned instantly onto the desktop – these apps allow you to take issues into your individual arms.

2

Evening Gentle is jarring

Home windows 11 broke the sleek transition animation

Evening Gentle is Microsoft’s built-in blue light filter for Home windows, and for essentially the most half it will get the job executed. It is easy to regulate the depth of the filter, and it may be set to toggle on or off robotically based mostly on the time of day or as in any other case specified. Again within the Home windows 10 days, Evening Gentle labored like a attraction, and I had no complaints in regards to the characteristic.

Sadly, this modified with the launch of Windows 11 in 2021. For causes unbeknownst to me, Evening Gentle has change into a uneven, glitchy mess post-update. When toggled on, the filter overlays itself in a visually jarring method, with an abrupt change in coloration tone. This is not an issue unique to my PC, both: I’ve skilled it with each single Home windows 11 desktop, laptop computer, and pill that I’ve gotten my arms on, and it is a far cry from the as soon as smooth-as-butter Home windows 10 Evening Gentle.

Fortunately, the free f.lux app is right here to the rescue. f.lux, which might be downloaded from the Microsoft Retailer, is way extra highly effective than the native blue gentle filter in Home windows 11, with tons of configuration choices to select from. Better of all, the utility contains a number of transition speeds to select from, successfully bringing again the sleek, gradual transition that Microsoft broke again in 2021.

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For a digital calendar, this one is not very sensible

While you faucet or click on on the date and time part throughout the Home windows 11 system tray, a dual-purpose calendar and notifications flyout seems on-screen. The notification panel is full-featured, however the calendar pane is most definitely not. Whereas Microsoft is at present testing a number of enhancements to the flyout (the corporate plans to convey again the choice to show seconds throughout the interface), it is nonetheless lacking an agenda view.

Arguably, the dearth of a dynamically adjusting agenda throughout the calendar flyout defeats your entire function of a digital calendar. Because it at present stands, the Home windows 11 flyout cannot sync with Outlook or some other supplier, and it might probably’t be used so as to add in occasions or reminders. Contemplating Microsoft’s pedigree within the software program productiveness area, this can be a notably egregious oversight in my eyes.

As ever, the answer to this drawback might be discovered within the third-party app area. Accessible on the Microsoft Retailer. The $4 Calendar Flyout app seems to be and feels native to the system, whereas including in extra configuration choices, a devoted agenda view, and extra. The developer of the app has printed other flyout replacement apps on the Microsoft Retailer as effectively, all of that are value having a look at in case you’re in search of native-feeling applets that outdo Microsoft within the performance division.

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4

The lock display screen is overloaded with textual content

Cognitive overload to the nth diploma

As a lot as I like info density in idea, it would not at all times make sense throughout the context of predominant working system surfaces. With Home windows 11 specifically, I discover myself disliking the overbearing show of default lock display screen components, which come throughout as visually noisy and fill me with a way of cognitive overload.

By default, the Home windows 11 lock display screen is stuffed not solely with widgets close to the underside, but in addition a devoted textual content blurb providing up suggestions and tips, in addition to a separate blurb regarding the Home windows Highlight picture being displayed on display screen.

Sadly, you’ll be able to’t take away these cluttery blurbs if you wish to take pleasure in Windows Spotlight from the lock display screen. That being mentioned, in case you change over to a static picture or slideshow, you’ll be able to then disable the ideas and tips from exhibiting up. You may as well take away the widgets close to the underside, however I have a tendency to search out them helpful for rapidly glancing on the climate and site visitors updates.

To take away the ideas and tips part from the Home windows 11 lock display screen, comply with these steps:

Launch the Settings app.
Navigate to Personalization > Lock display screen.
From right here, untick the part that reads Get enjoyable information, suggestions, tips, and extra in your lock display screen.

Microsoft PowerToys Command Palette hero

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The default Home windows 11 search expertise is a combined bag, however stunning, Microsoft has solved the issue – you simply need to know the place to look.

5

Search is a multitude

Eternally in quest of a greater search

The out-of-box search expertise on Home windows 11 is not nice. The principle search pane makes use of internet expertise (making it sluggish, stuttery, and non-native feeling), and it is stuffed to the brim with superfluous details about video games, trending searches, and so forth. I’ve outlined a few of my favourite search launcher alternative apps in a separate article, however Microsoft’s personal Command Palette is arguably the best choice of all of them.

Command Palette, which is obtainable without cost from the Microsoft Retailer by way of the PowerTools app suite, offers a cleaner design that feels fairly macOS and iPadOS-inspired. Other than lowering the visible noise, Command Palette is closely customizable, with choices to regulate the invocation shortcut, tailor search outcomes to your liking, and rather more.