By
Delia
/ Last
update
February 10, 2022
After revealing last week that Windows 11 will bring Android apps, taskbar improvements and other bigger-than-ever updates in February, Microsoft is now detailing plans to conduct Windows 11 testing throughout 2022.
Microsoft says it plans to let Windows 11 testers test and evaluate more features, even though they may never be released.
“Insiders will see us lean 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.” Amanda Langowski, head of the Windows Insider program, explained, “In some cases, these concepts will never ship, but by experimenting more, we can better refine experiences, and deliver solutions in Windows that truly empower our customers to achieve more."
We've seen some similar A/B testing before. Some Windows Insiders have access to the feature before Microsoft rolls it out more broadly to testers.
Langowski said, "We also recognize that some of our more technical Insiders have discovered that some features are intentionally disabled in This is by design, and in those cases, we will only communicate about features that we are purposefully enabling for Insiders to try out and give feedback on. to try out and give feedback on."
Every time Microsoft releases a new version, some Windows enthusiasts can keep an eye out for new features, using flags in the OS to turn on hidden features and see what Microsoft is experimenting with.
The Dev channel for Windows 11 testing will now really be where experimental features appear, while the Beta channel will contain features that are closer to all users. This could mean that new features will even appear in the Beta channel first if they are closer to being announced.
Microsoft now plans to offer Windows 11 testers an option to switch from the Dev channel to the Beta channel to avoid more experimental features that are in the works. This could coincide with new features released in February, including Android app support, taskbar changes, and redesigned notepad and media player apps.