One of Windows 11’s key launch features will soon be removed from the operating system.
In a blog post announcing a new Insider Preview Build, Microsoft has confirmed that the taskbar-based “Chat” feature will be replaced by a separate “Microsoft Teams – Free” app. This new standalone app will still be pinned to the taskbar by default, but you can easily remove it like any other app.
Compare that to the current experience with the Chat app, which acts as a simplified version of the main Teams app. While you do have quick links to start meetings, it’s designed for text-based communication with friends, family and colleagues. You can hide it via Settings, but not remove entirely.
While not all features in early builds make it into a final version, it’d be a big surprise to see Chat still here by the time the 23H2 update arrives later this year. It appears to be an admission from Microsoft that most people weren’t a fan of the Chat app.
While its replacement is already available, Microsoft has confirmed that it will “continue to enhance Microsoft Teams – Free with more features and improvements”.
Another Windows chat tool fails
The integration of a ‘Chat’ function within the Windows 11 taskbar was promoted as an important feature when Windows 11 launched two years ago. Despite only being a simplified version of the main Teams app, Microsoft was hoping that it would attract people to use the feature with friends and family, rather than just for work purposes.
Microsoft
It certainly felt like a risk worth taking, especially after the number of people using Teams and other videoconferencing tools grew hugely during the pandemic. However, it looks like Microsoft is now abandoning this attempt to get more people using Teams in their personal lives.
This isn’t the first time has tried to unsuccessfully impose a communication tool on Windows users. While Apple’s iMessage has remained fairly consistent on the Mac side, Windows has never had a true alternative. One high-profile example is MSN Messenger, which launched in Windows XP and was later known as Windows Live Messenger.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Microsoft try its hand at new messaging apps again in the future.
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This article has been translated from an original posted on PC-Welt.