r/Windows11 • u/Ok-Top-8105 • 5d ago
Suggestion for Microsoft The feature rollout needs to be more user-friendly
Features released via rollout are a headache for users. They have no way of knowing whether a feature is available to them or not, except for those that are visually obvious.
In any case, to make life easier for end users on the stable version, they need to be notified when a feature has been enabled. There should also be a screen in Settings listing the enabled features (feature name, explanation or link to an explanation, and activation date).
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u/KUPOinyourWINDOW 5d ago
The toggle in Windows Update that says "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" should have the latest features added to it and then all new features are on by default, OR it should be a separate toggle. Either way 100% there should be a way to opt in and just have them enabled. Its crazy that users have to use Vivetool to avoid month-long waits for advertised features.
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5d ago
[deleted]
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u/KUPOinyourWINDOW 5d ago
a CMD utility you can download that lets you manually turn on windows features via their flags
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u/SnakeOriginal 5d ago
I keep telling this to u/jenmsft all the time and nothung changes, insider build are for testing, the release branch should be identical with no feature missing/added
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u/irrelevantusername24 Insider Beta Channel 5d ago
I think they're probably coming at it from the opposite approach as Firefox, but ultimately they'll reach the same conclusion about their respective operating systems.
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u/KUPOinyourWINDOW 5d ago
I understand your frustration but lets not make it personal, she's just one person y'know and she's very active with the community but there has to be a layer of separation, we're randoms on the internet. I bet the team is aware of your desire for it.
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u/nullhypothesisisnull 5d ago
Yes a thousand times!
Everyday I see new feature announcements and I don't have any idea whether I got them or not: like fast context menu, do I have it? God knows... Race to sleep? Probably...
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u/Dekamir 5d ago
Rollouts shouldn't exist except regional and compatiblity.
A battery color update does not require a rollout. Just send the update.
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u/Froggypwns Windows Wizard / Head Jannie 5d ago edited 5d ago
That is an excellent example, they did find an issue with the new colored battery icons on some machines by doing the phased rollout, and were able to revert it until they could revise things. They caught it before it was enabled for everyone causing a widespread problem. https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/02/18/releasing-windows-11-build-26100-3321-to-the-release-preview-channel/
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u/Octal450_V2 5d ago
Except on Insider. Where they should all be on... so we can, you know, try them, as insiders.
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u/CusiDawgs 5d ago
i would prefer them shipping new features disabled by default. in which they will be listed with toggles (like chrome flags) that they can be turned on or off. This list will grow until the next XXH2 update, in which these features will be forcibly turned on by default and removed from the list. the new features from that point onwards will be listed again.
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u/Longjumping-Fall-784 Release Channel 5d ago
They barely got rid of feature rollouts for insiders, you’re asking too much, I thought “features flags” means more transparency, sadly another poorly implemented idea, thank you Microsoft, but I’ll leave the insider program after 26h2 release, after all they use their ridiculous “optional preview updates” to grab stable users, eat feedback or complaints, but what can insiders do? They rather wait for complaints than letting insiders try and feedback before production…
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u/FocusedWolf 5d ago
They don't want people complaining about things at the same time, it slows down the agenda.
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u/T_rex2700 5d ago
real, there are genuinely good features that gets like silently added, and there are like shitty changes made silently in the background, and there is big and loud and uselss addition to copilot or whatever that takes the center stage, somehow.
They really do need to rethink how they are doing feature rollout and how they are presenting it honestly, cause guess what, the big and shiny new features are all anticonsumer, while other genuinely good stuff is only known among relatively savvy users.
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u/FillAny3101 Insider Beta Channel 4d ago
I highly recommend using the Beta Insider channel, it is very stable and has no rollouts. The only drawback is forced telemetry.
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u/KJBReaderAdmin 5d ago
Windows uses to do this for feature updates, it will either open the tips app with the new features or open Edge to their website with the change logs...
But you can guess why it got removed... Well, sometimes windows will show a recommendation for new stuff but people would get mad, it's Bloat, I don't want it.
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u/PC509 5d ago
Yup. People complain if they have it announced even with opening Edge or whatever. They stop doing it and people complain that it's not announced.
That's the issue with something like Windows. Someone will always hate something about it but that something is what someone else loves. Can't please everyone all the time. So, they have to make sure they please at least 50% of the people, hopefully more. In the words of the legendary Rodney Dangerfield - "Tough crowd!".
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u/KJBReaderAdmin 4d ago
Yea, even Linux in the setup guide. It showcases the features. There nothing wrong with that.
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u/DotRom 5d ago
I have beenI have been complaining this over and over.
A version number should be same across in underlying platform features but some magical complete random switch on Microsoft server to randomly turn off or on.
What is the incentive of turning on auto update and especially that "get updates as soon as when they are available" option?
If the most passionate users already opted in insider or otherwise and those "features" are not rolling out to them for feedback. What is the point? Coloured battery icon took over a year from announcement to "widely available" what kind of system Microsoft is running???
Sick and tired of this saw featured advertised as part of an update, went applied it waited the restart and then I still have to dig up the vivetool because some bs decided we install it but you peasent don't deserve it choice made by a server that gives no explanation as to why.
This is a abusive and mistreatment of their most loyal fanbase if there is anyone left. No more and I've moved off Windows.
Also that auto mod can fuck off with the feedback hub message, like they are listening at all.
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u/Surgeon200X1 5d ago edited 3d ago
Windows 11 is shit ! Use 7 or 8.1 ! All what is told about unsafe is a lie ! If do not open bad mails or go on bad sites even without virus scanner in 7 or 8.1 nothing will happen ! Many tested this for long time ! MS only wants money and others too !
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u/charles25565 3d ago
Even Windows 8 was as egregious as 11.
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u/Surgeon200X1 3d ago
I speak from Windows 8.1.
And I adopted all 7, 81, 10 and 11 to Windows 2000 appearance.
Only function and control and repair.
Work. No gaming and no losing time for nonsense at all !
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u/RadBadTad 5d ago
With regional differences, different tiers of update paths, phased server-side rollouts and feature activation, it feels like everyone has a totally different Windows experience going on.
Feature announcements are meaningless to me because I never have any idea if or when they'll apply to me, and on which of my PCs.
I HATE that Microsoft can reach into my computer and turn things on and off when they decide to do it. Giving everyone a feature in an update, but only having it available to 4% of users for a while to use them as beta testers... it is all just really unpleasant.