Windows 11 is taking shape as an operating system, but it is definitely not the OS we and other users want from Microsoft. But the future is promising.

That's because Windows 11 has the potential to include two great features. One is a taskbar that has been moved from the left-leaning one in Windows 10, which may allow for more flexible operations. The other is smart recommendations in File Explorer, which will be able to provide the fields people are looking for, rather than having to wade through a massive file structure.

Let's start with the taskbar: In Windows 11, the taskbar has been moved to the center of the bottom of the desktop, a bit different from Windows 10 and somewhat similar to the macOS design.

Naturally, some longtime Windows users found this jarring, and there was no option to change the orientation of the taskbar. However, Twitter user and Windows enthusiast thebookisclosed (opens in new tab) tweeted a video showing how to move the taskbar from the bottom of the desktop to the top.

We do not know how thebookisclosed got a version of Windows 11 that allows moving the taskbar, but it may be a test feature in the Insiders build of Windows 11.

Being able to move the taskbar from the bottom to the top of the desktop is hardly revolutionary. However, it would suggest that Microsoft is working to make Windows 11 more customizable. Being able to tweak Windows to your liking is one of the main advantages Windows has over the more restrictive macOS. expanding customization in Windows 11 should make the OS more attractive and entice upgrades from Windows 10 .

As for the aforementioned tweaks to File Explorer, they are more official as they are included in the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23403 (open in new tab) update. This upgrade introduces a system called "File Recommendations."

As you can imagine from the name, "File Recommendations" recommend files for users to access when using File Explorer. They are presented to the user as an option to open the file in a new tab and recommend cloud files linked to their Microsoft account rather than files on their PC.

The idea here is to make it easier to find specific files through recommendations than through loading of file structures and subfolders.

This tool is intended for business use, as it requires users to sign in to their Azure Active Directory account. But it also suggests how Microsoft could incorporate smarter features throughout Windows 11.

The caveat here is how smart these recommendations are. Because while they may indeed learn what you want to access from regular file explorer use, they may also hinder you from finding the files you are looking for that are not so commonly accessed.

Also, since Microsoft has flirted with advertising in File Explorer, there could be a situation where the recommendation engine would serve ads related to file searches.

Overall, these changes are a good sign that Windows 11 is evolving into a smarter, more customizable operating system. And even if Windows 12 arrives sooner than expected, the positive lessons learned in Windows 11 could be transferred to Microsoft's next operating system.