Microsoft Rolls Out Lightweight Taskbar Apps for Microsoft 365 Users
Microsoft has begun the rollout of lightweight taskbar applications for Microsoft 365 users on Windows 11, offering immediate access to contacts, file search, and calendar from the Windows taskbar. This initiative aims to enhance productivity and streamline workflow for business users, reports 24brussels.
The Microsoft 365 companion apps will be available to business users throughout this month. The People companion features an organizational chart and enables users to quickly locate colleagues within their company. Users can initiate a Teams message or call, or send an email directly from this platform.
The File Search companion allows for quick searches of Microsoft 365 files via the Windows 11 taskbar. Users can filter files by name, author, or keywords across OneDrive, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and Outlook. The app also includes preview options and various filtering and sharing functionalities.
Additionally, the Calendar app provides a streamlined view of the Microsoft 365 calendar, facilitating access to upcoming events, appointment searches, and meeting joins directly from the taskbar.
All three applications have been in beta testing for several months, following their announcement at Microsoft’s Ignite conference last year. They are now rolling out to all business users as part of a general availability release this month. The apps will be automatically installed if Microsoft 365 applications are present on a Windows 11 system. IT administrators have the option to disable the automatic installation, and users can prevent these apps from launching at startup.
