Microsoft's New Update Makes Your Taskbar A Productivity Hub - Here's How

Microsoft / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Microsoft has released caller "lightweight" companion taskbar apps.
• Companion apps motorboat erstwhile you commencement your computer.
• The apps see People, File Search, and Calendar.

Microsoft will beryllium pushing an update to your activity machine soon, and it mightiness really beryllium reasonably useful. A bid of caller lightweight Microsoft apps is connected nan way, but you'll beryllium capable to motorboat them consecutive from your taskbar.

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In an update connected nan Microsoft 365 Roadmap, nan institution elaborate a caller suite of companion apps, aliases apps that automatically motorboat erstwhile you commencement your machine and springiness you speedy entree to important accusation consecutive from your Windows taskbar.

Available apps see People, File Search, and Calendar. Here's a look astatine each one, and why you'd want speedy access.

1. People

Microsoft People is simply a interaction guidance app and reside book that lets you shape and link pinch your contacts, positive look up anyone successful your organization. You tin sync contacts from different sources for illustration email accounts, societal networks, and different apps, aliases commencement a Teams telephone pinch a contact.

2. File Search

File Search companion lets you quickly find Microsoft 365 files (from OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, Outlook, and different services) consecutive from your Windows taskbar, meaning you don't request to move apps to find what you need. You tin hunt by record name, record author, aliases keywords. There's a broad search, options to constrictive down hunt results utilizing filters, record previews to make judge you person nan correct document, and nan action to stock files straight wrong nan app.

3. Calendar

The Microsoft 365 Calendar app is simply a collaborative almanac that lets you create events, group reminders, and much to support your time organized. It syncs crossed each of your devices, and it integrates pinch different devices to fto you position and negociate your schedule, tasks, and to-do lists successful 1 place.

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This doesn't bring immoderate caller functionality to these apps, but it ties 365 services a small deeper into Windows (and from Microsoft's view, hopefully keeps you utilizing nan easy accessible Windows services alternatively of a competing one).

Rollout starts this month

The features will beryllium disposable to each Microsoft 365 Business users. Microsoft says rollout starts this month.

Also: How to clear nan cache connected your Windows 11 PC (and why it greatly improves performance)

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