Few recent OS announcements have generated as much buzz in the desktop computing world as Apple’s unveiling of macOS Tahoe. Packed with features that both refine the Mac experience and push boundaries in productivity and interface coherence, Tahoe’s latest developer beta has set a new bar for what users expect from their everyday systems. But for many in the Windows community, these innovations highlight a growing “feature envy”—areas where Microsoft’s flagship OS, Windows 11, still falls short or feels stagnant. As someone deeply immersed in the Windows ecosystem, yet always with a curious eye on the competition, I recently put macOS Tahoe through its paces. The verdict is clear: there are four standout features in macOS Tahoe that could dramatically elevate Windows 11, should Microsoft choose to take inspiration. Here’s a deep dive into what Apple’s done right, why it matters, and how these lessons could light the way for Windows’ next evolution.
This is a leap ahead of Windows Search, which, despite occasional tweaks, often feels like the OS’s weakest link. The frustration is palpable: search results that prioritize web content when you’re looking for local files, the all-too-frequent lag in responsiveness, and “visual clutter” that makes the search pane the digital equivalent of a brimming junk drawer. For years, PowerToys Run has offered an alternate search tool that’s fast, versatile, and extensible via plugins—yet Microsoft has yet to make it a full, native alternative.
What macOS Tahoe shows is that great search isn’t a luxury: it’s a productivity multiplier. It lets users move at the speed of thought, spanning local and cloud content, files and functions, with no friction. Windows 11, for all its refinement elsewhere, lags behind in this core area.
Opportunities for Windows:
With productivity workflows increasingly bridging OS boundaries and third-party ecosystems (Slack, Google Drive, collaborative cloud apps), Windows risks pushing power users toward Mac if its core search and launch functionality doesn’t modernize.
Contrast this experience with the new Finder in macOS Tahoe. Apple’s tagging system, a staple for years, already allowed for robust organization across files and cloud locations. Now, Tahoe introduces visually vibrant folders—you can tailor not only the color, but also assign symbols and emojis for instant recognition.
Imagine opening your file manager and seeing every client project folder bathed in color: green for design, blue for finance, a star emoji for urgent items. This isn’t just playful—research shows that color and iconography greatly increase recall and reduce search time. On my Windows desktop, by comparison, all folders blur together. Especially for users juggling dozens of projects or multitasking at scale, Apple’s approach feels both more humane and effective.
A Call to Action for Windows:
Implementing such changes without performance impact or backward compatibility issues is non-trivial, especially given Windows’ legacy in enterprise settings. Careful opt-in rollout and robust theme management will be essential.
Enter macOS Tahoe’s Liquid Glass. Every system app and even bundled utilities like Notes, Mail, Reminders, and the iWork suite feel as if they belong together. Animations are buttery smooth, icons and buttons possess the same weight and spacing, and there’s a tactile sense that everything was designed together, not bolted on over time.
For users bouncing between tasks, this unity has two major benefits. First, there’s the aesthetic pleasure (undeniable, if less quantifiable) that makes daily use more pleasant. But second—and more crucial—is usability: reduced learning curve, easier discoverability, and increased predictability.
Blueprint for Microsoft’s Next Step:
As app fragmentation persists, Windows will continue to feel “dated” to new users—especially those accustomed to the interplay of tightly integrated design systems in competitor OSes. The risk is subtle but real: user loyalty is eroded bit by bit by friction and inconsistency.
By comparison, Windows Search launches folders and apps, or runs basic web queries—but there’s no notion of “actions.” Power users gravitate to PowerToys Run or third-party apps like Wox, which let you define hotkeys or quick actions, but these aren’t integrated at the OS level and lack the polish and extensibility of Apple’s offering.
The difference is more than surface deep. Apple is shifting the paradigm from “find and open” to “find and do.” In a world where even minor time savings (switching apps, waiting for windows to load) add up, such holistic integration has outsized benefits.
What Microsoft Could Steal (and Improve):
Opening up action execution through Search introduces attack surface risks: bad actors could build malicious plugins, or privacy could slip if sensitive actions are exposed. Strict sandboxing, reviews, and permissions models would be critical.
Will Microsoft’s next major update bring a universal, action-powered search bar? Will File Explorer become a canvas for both organization and creativity? And will Fluent Design finally weave every app into a harmonious whole? The answers are still unwritten—but so too is the next great chapter of the Windows journey. For users hungry for a more intuitive and beautiful desktop, it’s a wish list worth believing in.
Source: XDA 4 macOS Tahoe 26 features I want to see in Windows 11
A Next-Generation Search That Actually Delivers
The Power of Smart, Unified Search
Spotlight has always been one of my favorite macOS features—simple, fast, and effective at digging up files, apps, or even bits of data you’d long forgotten about. In macOS Tahoe, Spotlight becomes something extraordinary. With a single keyboard shortcut, I can now filter my searches by App Store results, local files, software actions, and clipboard history. More impressively, the new Spotlight draws results from system apps and third-party cloud services in a ranking system that genuinely (and often uncannily) surfaces what I’m looking for at the top.This is a leap ahead of Windows Search, which, despite occasional tweaks, often feels like the OS’s weakest link. The frustration is palpable: search results that prioritize web content when you’re looking for local files, the all-too-frequent lag in responsiveness, and “visual clutter” that makes the search pane the digital equivalent of a brimming junk drawer. For years, PowerToys Run has offered an alternate search tool that’s fast, versatile, and extensible via plugins—yet Microsoft has yet to make it a full, native alternative.
What macOS Tahoe shows is that great search isn’t a luxury: it’s a productivity multiplier. It lets users move at the speed of thought, spanning local and cloud content, files and functions, with no friction. Windows 11, for all its refinement elsewhere, lags behind in this core area.
Opportunities for Windows:
- Native integration of a PowerToys Run-like launcher with plugin support.
- Seamless ranking of local, cloud, and app-specific results.
- Categorized results—Apps, Files, Actions, Cloud, Clipboard—at a glance.
- Keyboard-centric filtering for true “power” users.
With productivity workflows increasingly bridging OS boundaries and third-party ecosystems (Slack, Google Drive, collaborative cloud apps), Windows risks pushing power users toward Mac if its core search and launch functionality doesn’t modernize.
Folder Customization Dreaming: Organization Meets Personality
Files You Can Actually Find (And Want to Open)
For many Windows loyalists, File Explorer is simultaneously an old friend and a perennial source of irritation. While Windows 11 did bring mild visual upgrades (think: new icons and rounded corners), customization remains superficial. Windows’ color-coding options for folders are almost non-existent, and while you can technically use third-party tools to change icons, the process is inconsistent and sometimes breaks with updates.Contrast this experience with the new Finder in macOS Tahoe. Apple’s tagging system, a staple for years, already allowed for robust organization across files and cloud locations. Now, Tahoe introduces visually vibrant folders—you can tailor not only the color, but also assign symbols and emojis for instant recognition.
Imagine opening your file manager and seeing every client project folder bathed in color: green for design, blue for finance, a star emoji for urgent items. This isn’t just playful—research shows that color and iconography greatly increase recall and reduce search time. On my Windows desktop, by comparison, all folders blur together. Especially for users juggling dozens of projects or multitasking at scale, Apple’s approach feels both more humane and effective.
A Call to Action for Windows:
- Bring deep, system-level folder coloration and icon customization—no registry hacks, no third-party patchers.
- Integrate tagging that works across local, synced drives, and cloud providers.
- Support visual cues for accessibility, aiding users with varying needs and cognitive preferences.
Implementing such changes without performance impact or backward compatibility issues is non-trivial, especially given Windows’ legacy in enterprise settings. Careful opt-in rollout and robust theme management will be essential.
Consistent Design Language Across Every App
UI Unity: More Than Skin Deep
One of Windows 11’s selling points has been the Fluent Design System—rounded corners, translucency effects (Mica), and new iconography. But even ardent fans admit: the application is patchy at best. Open a handful of system apps—say, File Explorer, Settings, Notepad, and then a newer app like Clipchamp or Widgets—and the inconsistencies leap out. Context menus behave differently, UI elements shift shape or spacing depending on which “generation” of app code you’re using. Introducing web-wrapped or “AppX” applications to the mix deepens the confusion.Enter macOS Tahoe’s Liquid Glass. Every system app and even bundled utilities like Notes, Mail, Reminders, and the iWork suite feel as if they belong together. Animations are buttery smooth, icons and buttons possess the same weight and spacing, and there’s a tactile sense that everything was designed together, not bolted on over time.
For users bouncing between tasks, this unity has two major benefits. First, there’s the aesthetic pleasure (undeniable, if less quantifiable) that makes daily use more pleasant. But second—and more crucial—is usability: reduced learning curve, easier discoverability, and increased predictability.
Blueprint for Microsoft’s Next Step:
- Accelerate the migration of all core apps (Settings, Notepad, Calculator, Paint, etc.) onto the latest WinUI framework, not as optional “Previews” but as the standard.
- Redesign system context menus to use identical logic and style across modern and legacy UIs.
- Push major partners like Office and Teams to ensure complete alignment with Windows’ visual language, not just their own cross-platform look.
As app fragmentation persists, Windows will continue to feel “dated” to new users—especially those accustomed to the interplay of tightly integrated design systems in competitor OSes. The risk is subtle but real: user loyalty is eroded bit by bit by friction and inconsistency.
Execute Actions Straight From the Search Bar
Turning Search Into an Action Center
Spotlight has always done more than just search, but Tahoe’s expansion is a revelation: I can send an email, create a calendar event, or execute a script—all without leaving the search bar. This is action-oriented computing, reimagined for today’s multitasking professional. Adding to this, the Intents API means third-party apps will soon allow their actions to be triggered from this same pane, streamlining previously tedious workflows.By comparison, Windows Search launches folders and apps, or runs basic web queries—but there’s no notion of “actions.” Power users gravitate to PowerToys Run or third-party apps like Wox, which let you define hotkeys or quick actions, but these aren’t integrated at the OS level and lack the polish and extensibility of Apple’s offering.
The difference is more than surface deep. Apple is shifting the paradigm from “find and open” to “find and do.” In a world where even minor time savings (switching apps, waiting for windows to load) add up, such holistic integration has outsized benefits.
What Microsoft Could Steal (and Improve):
- Expand Windows Search to allow actionable plugins—send mail, create events, quick calculations, launch scripts—with a fully documented API.
- Integrate this with Microsoft 365 services (Outlook, Teams, OneDrive) so users can run workflows directly from the search pane.
- Offer a discovery marketplace for search actions, carefully curated for security and privacy.
Opening up action execution through Search introduces attack surface risks: bad actors could build malicious plugins, or privacy could slip if sensitive actions are exposed. Strict sandboxing, reviews, and permissions models would be critical.
Critical Analysis: Windows 11 In The Shadow of Tahoe
These four features, while individually subtle, together amount to a fundamental shift in how users interact with their OS. Apple’s Tahoe update is not the first attempt at these ideas, but it is among the most polished and thoroughly integrated. For Windows 11 and its evolving future, the message is clear: aesthetics, discoverability, and workflow enhancements are not just for creative professionals—they are now table stakes for any serious desktop OS.The Strengths of Microsoft’s Current Approach
- Ecosystem Integration: Windows 11’s ties to Microsoft 365, Azure, and Xbox remain best-in-class for anyone deeply invested in these platforms.
- Performance and Hardware Flexibility: Windows’ support for a massive range of hardware and custom configurations is unmatched; even niche workflows involving gaming, engineering, or scientific computing remain stronger on Windows.
- Enterprise Features: Security, virtualization (Hyper-V), and group policy support are enterprise gold and likely to remain so.
Potential Risks in Borrowing from Apple
- Backward Compatibility: Many Windows users still rely on legacy applications or workflows; radical UI changes can break those or introduce learning curves.
- Ecosystem Fragmentation: Opening up action plugins, folder theming, or deep system integrations must be done with robust APIs and security scrutiny. Apple’s “walled garden” makes this easier—Windows’ openness is both a blessing and a curse.
- Enterprise Restriction: Many visual and workflow enhancements need careful deployment in managed environments so as not to disrupt standardized (and secure) workspaces.
The Future Windows Deserves
Microsoft’s vision for Windows 11 is clear: “the most personal computer experience yet.” But to realize this, the company must learn not just from its past, but from its boldest rivals. macOS Tahoe doesn’t just iterate; it redefines what’s possible for core operating system experiences—search, customization, design, and productive action. Windows has the foundation, the user base, and the technical acumen to match (and even surpass) these advances.Will Microsoft’s next major update bring a universal, action-powered search bar? Will File Explorer become a canvas for both organization and creativity? And will Fluent Design finally weave every app into a harmonious whole? The answers are still unwritten—but so too is the next great chapter of the Windows journey. For users hungry for a more intuitive and beautiful desktop, it’s a wish list worth believing in.
Source: XDA 4 macOS Tahoe 26 features I want to see in Windows 11
