- Windows 11 24H2 just got a new optional update (still being tested)
- It makes useful tweaks to the taskbar, Start menu, File Explorer and more
- Microsoft also provides fixes for various bugs in this preview release
Windows 11 24H2 recently received an optional update with some useful interface tweaks.
This is the patch KB5046740 and it is in preview – so before, you can find glitches when you install it – and the main desktop changes are applied to the taskbar and Start menu.
From the taskbar, Microsoft streamlines the system tray – on the far right of the bar – with the date and time displayed in a more compact way. The year is no longer displayed (which, let’s face it, is still a bit redundant), so you only see the day and month for the date, allowing the time and date to be displayed in a small square (instead of a larger .rectangle is required to fit the year as well).
The overall effect is a neater-sized system tray, especially when you consider that Microsoft also made it so that when ‘Do not disturb’ mode is turned on, the bell icon (for of notifications) will no longer appear in the tray. Again, that saves space and you can still open the notifications center by clicking on the date and time area.
On top of that, a taskbar bug was fixed where when the bar was set to ‘auto hide,’ the search box would become an icon.
as Windows Latest seeing all these changes, also points out, Microsoft has tweaked the Start menu so you can right-click on pinned apps to create a jump list.
If you’re not familiar with the jump list, it offers quick access to common functions used by the app in question, or files recently opened by the app – it’s a handy bank of shortcuts.
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Anyway, KB5046740 adds a new little tool to the File Explorer context menu, so when you right-click on a file, there’s a new option on the Phone link – its selection sharing the file in question on your smartphone. Also in File Explorer, Microsoft fixed a bug that cause some strange with too much distance between the icons in the left panel.
In fact, a collection of bug fixes have been applied here, including the cure for a Windows Update failed, and the resolution of a problem where the Windows clipboard history was deleted, leaving it blank.
Analysis: An option you must pass
It’s worth noting that with the system tray tweaks in the taskbar, if you don’t like the new measures to save space, you can turn them off and return to normal (showing the full date, along with the year ) if you want.
This update represents a strong polish of the Windows 11 interface, and a raft of bug fixes are available as well. Speaking of bugs, however, we have to remind you that this is a preview update, and as such, still in testing – so it may have its own glitches (or say bug fixes may not work, or may have unexpected side effects) .
For this reason, we generally recommend staying away from preview updates, unless you’re desperate to get the most out of them. Just think of them as a glimpse of what you’ll be getting soon, though, because this update will be the December patch for Windows 11 next month (in just over two weeks, on December 10, actually).
If you follow Microsoft’s update schedule closely, like us, you may remember that in December, the company takes a break for the holidays, so while there is a major cumulative update released (in December 10, as noted), there is no preview. or optional update for Windows 11 coming later in December. The next release is the finished patch for January, which is likely to be a smaller event.