Microsoft says Windows 11 changes are "directly influenced" by users

[midian182]

What just happened? Microsoft says the changes coming to Windows 11 are not being shaped by the Redmond firm alone. During a recent meetup with Windows Insiders in Seattle, the company said future updates are being "really directly influenced" by user feedback, with Windows chief Pavan Davuluri adding that Microsoft plans to "double down" on that effort throughout 2026.

The disclosure is a notable coming from a company that has spent months defending an OS criticized for its uneven performance, messy design, and too many features users never asked for – looking at you, Copilot.

According to Windows Latest, Microsoft has been reviewing Insider feedback over the past couple of months and is now framing Windows 11 around performance, reliability, quality, and craft.

Davuluri told attendees that Microsoft wants users to feel included in the full product lifecycle. The pitch is clearly aimed at reassuring skeptics that the company is finally listening. Whether Windows users buy that claim is another matter, but Microsoft is at least making the right noises this time.

This is not a sudden pivot pulled out of nowhere. In March, Microsoft published its "Our commitment to Windows quality" post, promising an overhaul of Windows 11. The tech giant said it was rethinking its latest OS after a growing pile of complaints, with the company acknowledging that users wanted the OS to be faster, more reliable, and less intrusive.

That plan included expanded taskbar customization, fewer disruptive updates, faster File Explorer performance, quieter widgets, a more transparent Windows Insider program, and a redesigned Feedback Hub.

– March Rogers (@marchr) April 6, 2026

Earlier this month, Microsoft confirmed it was phasing out the Windows Control Panel in favor of Settings, while also revamping File Explorer and the Start menu.

Promises are easy, of course, and Windows 11 users have heard plenty of them before. But Microsoft is now publicly tying its roadmap to feedback from Insiders and regular users, which means the company will have a harder time waving away criticism if the next round of updates fails to deliver. But we'll have to wait and see whether these efforts help rebuild trust in an operating system that is so often maligned.

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Microsoft says Windows 11 changes are "directly influenced" by users

 

[MarkHughes]

Even if true, too late for me. And I suspect others too.

 

[Squid Surprise]

An easy thing to say… millions of people “use” Windows… so… they almost certainly get suggestions for EVERYTHING… then, you do the stuff you want to do anyways and say “users suggested this”…

 

[RudyBob]

Bigger than nothing doesn't mean much

 

[The Talking Tech]

If the changes were truly influenced by users then Windows Updates should have by now an OFF option.

But obviously that's not the case.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

They are at least repeating the right talking points, but until we get Windows updates that improve things it means nothing.

Even if they are legitimately working on things, windows is still bloated and semi-broken right now.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

If the changes were truly influenced by users then Windows Updates should have by now an OFF option.

But obviously that's the the case.

Why, so you can run insecure boxes and embrace the Luddite fantasy of things never changing?

If you want to freeze features, use LTSC. But security updates were made automatic for a reason.

 

[Nobina]

From my perspective people on forums want less bloat, more control over things like Windows Update, something they had more of in Windows 7 for example. Even something as simple as "Windows Photo Viewer" was turned into "Photos" which connects to the cloud and your phone and is bloated as hell and slow and annoying. Basically, an advanced user would like an OS to be almost a blank slate and he would choose what to install and use as the default program. But the majority of people, a.k.a filthy casuals, want everything setup and they don't have to touch anything.

 

[winjer]

Microsoft just spent decades ignoring consumers and now they pretend they are listening.
I would laugh, if this wasn't so sad and pathetic.

 

[NumberNine]

My lack of interest in 11 is directly influenced by Microsoft.

 

[jwdR311]

'"really directly influenced" by user feedback'

Ooh, maybe they are switching to Linux!

 

[Vixiy]

How many times have they repeated this in the past 4 months now?

 

[GeoffreyA]

For better or for worse, much of the desktop world is stuck on Windows, and the one-sided relationship will continue. It is imperative that enthusiasts, a small percentage of all users, keep on making a noise till Redmond realises they've got make decisions that satisfy their estranged spouse as well as themselves.

Beneath the mess, the NT architecture remains, one of the best-designed operating systems. It is in the interest of many, and decades' worth of software, that that system continues without being destroyed.

 

[seeprime]

'"really directly influenced" by user feedback'

Ooh, maybe they are switching to Linux!

Microsoft already uses more instances of Linux in Azure than they use Windows, and has been for seven years. That's quite telling.

 

[trparky]

Why, so you can run insecure boxes and embrace the Luddite fantasy of things never changing?

If you want to freeze features, use LTSC. But security updates were made automatic for a reason.

Excuse me? Even if you use LTSC, it's not like you get a different update package than people who use more consumer oriented versions of Windows.

What I and a lot of others would like Microslop to do is go back to the days of how Windows Update was done on Windows 7. Security updates and that's it. No fixing this or that other thing, just the damn security updates. Period.

But we all know that Microslop isn't going to do that.

 

[Northy]

Why, so you can run insecure boxes and embrace the Luddite fantasy of things never changing?

If you want to freeze features, use LTSC. But security updates were made automatic for a reason.

I thought security updates and feature updates were rolled into a single monthly cumulative update for a reason. To fk over the Luddites who wanted security updates, or to jam unwanted features down everyone's throats. Maybe we should start blaming each other for Microsofts' anti-consumer behavior.

How many times have they repeated this in the past 4 months now?

Maybe if they keep repeating it someone somewhere might believe it. lol.

This latest approach "this is what you want" is hilarious. Everyone kinda looking at each other wondering who asked for it.

 

[The Talking Tech]

Why, so you can run insecure boxes and embrace the Luddite fantasy of things never changing?

If you want to freeze features, use LTSC. But security updates were made automatic for a reason.

Since when is it ok to be policed on the things you own...if I want to run an unsecured box then it's my decision not yours nor Microsoft's

 

[Ben Myers]

Talk is good. Delivery of promises in a timely manner is better. Otherwise, all hat, no cattle.

 

[AnilD]

If File Explorer gets faster in 2026, some people may call that innovation.

 

[brucek]

So the reason they allowed reliability and performance to drop is that previously not enough users were telling them it was important? Or they weren't listening hard enough to hear it?

User feedback and research is very helpful for a lot of things, but it's really not relevant to basic fundamentals like 'don't brick thousands of machines while updating them'. The user is not going to tell you that unless you've already blown it.

 

[acrossthestars]

The pitch is clearly aimed at reassuring skeptics that the company is finally listening.

I guess they're finally starting to come down from their 2 years of "getting high on the AI hype" supply. The paper gains never truly materialized and now they have to contend with the reality of what they've done. Microsoft can say that they're fixing their colossal f*ck-up all they want but, short of a complete restructuring of the company and a total ousting of every executive (without a golden parachute, might I add) who compelled "AI" to be the center of the company's product portfolio, like a call to action, I think they're finished.

Fire the entire C-Suite and then we can talk―starting with Satya Nadella. The body rots from the head down, so the CEO needs to go first.

 

[abactuon]

If you want to freeze features, use LTSC.

Some changes are helpful. For example, display support has improved. Text on my OLED monitor no longer blurs.

 

[Win7User]

From my perspective people on forums want less bloat, more control over things like Windows Update, something they had more of in Windows 7 for example. Even something as simple as "Windows Photo Viewer" was turned into "Photos" which connects to the cloud and your phone and is bloated as hell and slow and annoying. Basically, an advanced user would like an OS to be almost a blank slate and he would choose what to install and use as the default program. But the majority of people, a.k.a filthy casuals, want everything setup and they don't have to touch anything.

You might want to look at Windows X-Lite? I've been using Windows X-Lite 26H1. But, I'm probably going to Windows X-Lite 25H2 in the near future.

 

[Win7User]

Yeah, right. Microsoft still won't allow peeps to put Windows 11 on the top of your taskbar of your monitor. Well, I can but most can't.

 

[Win7User]

From my perspective people on forums want less bloat, more control over things like Windows Update, something they had more of in Windows 7 for example. Even something as simple as "Windows Photo Viewer" was turned into "Photos" which connects to the cloud and your phone and is bloated as hell and slow and annoying. Basically, an advanced user would like an OS to be almost a blank slate and he would choose what to install and use as the default program. But the majority of people, a.k.a filthy casuals, want everything setup and they don't have to touch anything.

From my perspective people on forums want less bloat, more control over things like Windows Update, something they had more of in Windows 7 for example. Even something as simple as "Windows Photo Viewer" was turned into "Photos" which connects to the cloud and your phone and is bloated as hell and slow and annoying. Basically, an advanced user would like an OS to be almost a blank slate and he would choose what to install and use as the default program. But the majority of people, a.k.a filthy casuals, want everything setup and they don't have to touch anything.

I forgot to add, I have an old Acer (15 yrs old in November this year) 17'3 laptop with Windows 7 Pro on it. I love Win 7 Pro. Best operating system ever! It still works great.