Microsoft Will Test New Experimental Features for Windows 11

Microsoft has detailed its plans for Windows 11 testing throughout 2022, following the announcement last week that the operating system will receive a larger-than-usual update in February, including Android apps, taskbar improvements, and other features.

According to The Verge, the software company intends to experiment more with features for Windows 11 testers to evaluate that may never be released.

“As part of this ongoing evolution, Insiders will notice us relying more heavily on the Dev Channel as a place to incubate new ideas, work on long-lead items, and control the states of individual features,” explained Amanda Langowski, the Windows Insider Program lead.

“In some cases, these concepts will never ship,” she continued, “but by experimenting more, we can better refine experiences and deliver solutions in Windows that truly empower our customers to achieve more.”

A/B testing of this type has been seen before, where a subset of Windows Insiders will be given access to a feature before Microsoft makes it available to all testers. However, in the future, there may be variations on features that are not fully documented by Microsoft.

Every time Microsoft releases a new build, a number of Windows enthusiasts look for new features, using flags in the operating system to turn hidden features on and see what Microsoft is experimenting with.

“We also recognize that some of our more technical Insiders have discovered that some features in the builds we’ve flown have been intentionally disabled. This is by design, and we will only communicate about features that we have purposefully enabled for Insiders to try out and provide feedback on in those cases “Langowski stated.

The Dev Channel for Windows 11 testing will now include truly experimental features, while the Beta Channel will include features that are closer to what will ship to everyone. This could imply that new features appear first in the Beta Channel if they are closer to shipping.

Microsoft intends to provide Windows 11 testers with a window during which they can switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel in order to avoid the more experimental features that are on the way.

This will almost certainly coincide with the February release of features such as Android app support, taskbar changes, and redesigned Notepad and Media Player apps.