Windows 11 continues to evolve in both subtle and significant ways, with Microsoft’s relentless focus on integrating artificial intelligence and Copilot features dominating headlines and keynote demonstrations. Yet, beneath the surface of the glitzy AI advancements, engineers are quietly working to refine the Windows user experience for power users—those who rely on nuanced system features daily to maximize productivity. Two upcoming changes, detailed in recent Windows Insider builds and confirmed by multiple reputable sources including Ars Technica, promise improvements that address longstanding user frustrations: a smarter, unified Task Manager CPU reporting system and expanded notification functionality for dual- or multi-monitor setups.
Microsoft’s commitment to AI integration has been unquestionable throughout the last year, with Copilot evolving from a broad concept to a core part of the Windows ecosystem. However, feedback from Windows power users—developers, IT professionals, and multi-taskers who have relied on the operating system’s underpinnings for decades—suggests that small interface improvements and consistency fixes are still highly desired. Microsoft’s Insider Preview program has become the venue for quietly delivering and testing these quality-of-life changes with an engaged subset of the user base.
Now, Microsoft is addressing this pain point. According to the latest Windows Insider builds, calendar and Notification Center access will soon be available from the Taskbar on all connected monitors. This small but impactful change streamlines notification management for professionals who keep communication or project dashboards on peripheral screens, as well as for remote workers toggling between multiple workflows.
By meeting this demand, Windows 11 deepens its usability for a core segment of its user base, potentially reducing friction points that push power users toward third-party utilities and enhancing customer satisfaction—an easily overlooked but critical factor in OS loyalty.
Previously, the utility’s Processes tab displayed CPU usage metrics using a calculation that did not take the total number of CPU cores into account. This meant that a process engaging just one core could show up as using "100%" of the system’s CPU, even if the rest of the processor was idle. Meanwhile, the Performance and Users tabs derived CPU utilization from a formula that did consider all cores, providing a more accurate system-wide overview. The result: users could see conflicting information in different tabs of the same tool.
This seemingly arcane technical adjustment actually has real-world consequences. For systems equipped with eight, sixteen, or even more cores—a common configuration among developers, gamers, and creative professionals—this standardization will offer a far clearer, less confusing snapshot of resource consumption. Such alignment not only bolsters the credibility of Task Manager as an authoritative system monitor but also reduces the learning curve for users migrating from other platforms or third-party performance utilities.
Technical experts and professional system administrators interviewed by TechRadar Pro over the past year have cited metric consistency as essential for scripting, automated monitoring, and cross-platform compatibility. As Windows becomes the OS of choice for an increasingly diverse ecosystem of silicon—including ARM architectures—standardization across monitoring tools will only grow in importance.
The renewed investment in foundational tools like Task Manager and the Taskbar—decoupled from the sometimes distracting, always high-profile Copilot rollouts—suggests that Microsoft recognizes the value in balancing bleeding-edge innovation with continuous refinement of the core user experience.
As these features reach general availability, Windows 11 will offer a more coherent, accurate, and robust platform for professionals and power users alike, inching ever closer to the productivity ideal its users demand—and ensuring that beneath the flash of AI, the bedrock of usability and reliability continues to advance.
Source: Ars Technica Microsoft is revamping Windows 11’s Task Manager so its numbers make more sense
Meaningful Evolution Beyond AI: What’s Coming in Windows 11
Microsoft’s commitment to AI integration has been unquestionable throughout the last year, with Copilot evolving from a broad concept to a core part of the Windows ecosystem. However, feedback from Windows power users—developers, IT professionals, and multi-taskers who have relied on the operating system’s underpinnings for decades—suggests that small interface improvements and consistency fixes are still highly desired. Microsoft’s Insider Preview program has become the venue for quietly delivering and testing these quality-of-life changes with an engaged subset of the user base.Second-Monitor Notification and Calendar Access: A Long-Requested Fix
Ask any user who routinely connects a second (or third) monitor to their Windows 11 device, and you’ll hear a common refrain: why can’t I access the same Notification Center and calendar panel from the second Taskbar that I can on my primary display? For years, this limitation forced users to swing their cursor all the way back to the main monitor, disrupting workflow and undermining the promise of a true multi-display experience.Now, Microsoft is addressing this pain point. According to the latest Windows Insider builds, calendar and Notification Center access will soon be available from the Taskbar on all connected monitors. This small but impactful change streamlines notification management for professionals who keep communication or project dashboards on peripheral screens, as well as for remote workers toggling between multiple workflows.
Why This Matters
This enhancement goes beyond a simple UI tweak. In a world where remote and hybrid work is the norm, multi-monitor setups have become a productivity staple. According to a 2024 survey by Statista, over 40% of enterprise users employ more than one display, citing efficiency and reduced window-switching as top benefits. Microsoft’s move brings Windows 11’s user experience closer to the expectations set by other operating systems—macOS, for instance, has long supported notification access across all screens.By meeting this demand, Windows 11 deepens its usability for a core segment of its user base, potentially reducing friction points that push power users toward third-party utilities and enhancing customer satisfaction—an easily overlooked but critical factor in OS loyalty.
Task Manager Gets a Smarter Brain: Consistent CPU Metrics Across Tabs
Task Manager, Windows’ built-in utility for monitoring application and system performance, is a staple for anyone who’s ever had to diagnose a sluggish PC. Yet, Task Manager itself has been the source of some head-scratching moments—especially when it comes to displaying CPU usage.Previously, the utility’s Processes tab displayed CPU usage metrics using a calculation that did not take the total number of CPU cores into account. This meant that a process engaging just one core could show up as using "100%" of the system’s CPU, even if the rest of the processor was idle. Meanwhile, the Performance and Users tabs derived CPU utilization from a formula that did consider all cores, providing a more accurate system-wide overview. The result: users could see conflicting information in different tabs of the same tool.
The Technical Fix: Standardized Metrics Across the Board
According to Ars Technica’s report and corroborated by Microsoft’s official Insider release notes, the new Task Manager is adopting "standard metrics to display CPU workload consistently across all pages and aligning with industry standards and third-party tools." In practice, this means the Processes tab will now calculate CPU usage by factoring in all cores, just as the Performance tab has done for years.This seemingly arcane technical adjustment actually has real-world consequences. For systems equipped with eight, sixteen, or even more cores—a common configuration among developers, gamers, and creative professionals—this standardization will offer a far clearer, less confusing snapshot of resource consumption. Such alignment not only bolsters the credibility of Task Manager as an authoritative system monitor but also reduces the learning curve for users migrating from other platforms or third-party performance utilities.
Keeping Legacy Metrics: The "CPU Utility" Compromise
Not everyone, of course, is eager to let go of familiar metrics—even flawed ones. Recognizing this, Microsoft’s update includes a nod to legacy users: a new, disabled-by-default column called "CPU Utility" can be enabled in the Details tab. This preserves access to the previous calculation for those who rely on it for specific workflows or benchmarks. It’s a thoughtful, low-friction solution that maintains continuity while steering the broader user base toward best practices.Why Consistent Metrics Matter to Power Users
Performance monitoring and troubleshooting depends on accurate, context-rich data. Inconsistent or misleading metrics can result in wasted time, misdiagnosis of problems, and expensive or unnecessary hardware upgrades. By aligning their calculation methods with both industry standards and user intuition, Microsoft not only modernizes the Task Manager but enhances its value as a diagnostic tool.Technical experts and professional system administrators interviewed by TechRadar Pro over the past year have cited metric consistency as essential for scripting, automated monitoring, and cross-platform compatibility. As Windows becomes the OS of choice for an increasingly diverse ecosystem of silicon—including ARM architectures—standardization across monitoring tools will only grow in importance.
Critical Analysis: Strengths, Implications, and Open Questions
Strengths of the New Direction
Responsive to Community Feedback
Both the Task Manager update and the expanded notification center access are direct responses to user requests long aired in forums, feedback hubs, and professional circles. By targeting these everyday pain points, Microsoft demonstrates a willingness to listen—bolstering its reputation among the power users most likely to advocate for or against the platform in wider circles.Elevating the Multi-Monitor Experience
With display real estate becoming a cornerstone of modern productivity, Windows 11 can now credibly claim a superior multi-monitor experience. Making notifications and calendar access pervasive across all displays removes a barrier that has existed for over a decade, increasing both perceived polish and actual usability.Professional-Grade System Monitoring
Standardizing Task Manager’s CPU metrics brings it into alignment with tools like Process Explorer, htop (on Linux), and industry-standard performance dashboards. For IT professionals—where accuracy is non-negotiable—this consistency will reduce confusion, speed up troubleshooting, and streamline documentation and training across organizations.Sensitive to Backward Compatibility
By preserving the old CPU metric as an optional detail column, Microsoft shows respect for power users’ established workflows and custom scripts, mitigating transition pain. This approach bridges innovation with backward compatibility, often a weak point in digital transformation projects.Potential Risks and Unanswered Questions
Risk of Breakage in Monitoring Scripts
While the utility of the updated metrics is clear, organizations with automated monitoring tools that scrape Task Manager output could see unexpected results unless those tools are adjusted. Microsoft documentation has not yet clarified the extent to which legacy data formats will persist or whether additional variables will be exposed for programmatic access. Proactive communication and detailed changelogs will be crucial for smoothing the transition for enterprise users.User Education and Documentation
There is also the risk that mainstream users accustomed to the previous Task Manager displays may interpret the new numbers as a "bug" or mistake, not an improvement. Thorough and clear documentation—potentially featuring in-app tooltips, release notes, or onboarding tips—will help mitigate confusion during the transition.Edge Cases and Unverified Behaviors
The Insider build notes mention that Microsoft has been testing this feature "on and off" since February, and previously disabled it to fix undisclosed "issues." While the feature is re-enabled and close to public release, there remains some ambiguity regarding its behavior on exotic CPU topologies—such as efficiency/performance-core splits, hyper-threading, or systems running virtual machines with custom core allocation. We recommend users in specialized environments approach the update cautiously and validate the new behavior with their specific workloads.Long-Term Support and Cross-Version Consistency
A further open question is whether Microsoft intends to backport these interface improvements to Windows 10 or keep them exclusive to Windows 11 and later. Given the vast number of business and educational users still on earlier versions, clarity on this front will impact upgrade strategies and toolchain compatibility for several years to come.Contextualizing Within Windows 11’s Broader Roadmap
These changes do not exist in isolation. Over the last several months, Microsoft has quietly improved the granular aspects of Windows 11—from more agile settings menus to improvements in window snapping and accessibility features—all reinforcing the OS’s dual mission: to be both an AI showcase and an uncompromising productivity platform.The renewed investment in foundational tools like Task Manager and the Taskbar—decoupled from the sometimes distracting, always high-profile Copilot rollouts—suggests that Microsoft recognizes the value in balancing bleeding-edge innovation with continuous refinement of the core user experience.
Competitive Landscape
While Apple’s macOS has long been lauded for polish and attention to interface detail, it is Windows that has dominated enterprise and enthusiast markets due to its configurability and broad hardware support. As Linux distributions such as Ubuntu and Fedora become more user-friendly, and ChromeOS continues to make inroads in education, Microsoft’s decision to focus on subtle but impactful power-user features is a strategic effort to maintain loyalty among its most demanding customers.The Path Forward for Windows Power Users
Power users stand to benefit significantly from these updates—whether they’re developers spinning up dozens of processes in parallel, remote workers orchestrating communication across multiple screens, or IT admins pushing the limits of enterprise hardware. By smoothing out longstanding friction points, Microsoft not only enhances Windows 11’s current value proposition but builds goodwill with a community that is both vocal and influential in technology purchasing decisions.Practical Tips: Making the Most of the New Features
If you are currently running a Windows Insider build, it is worth exploring the new Task Manager interface and second-monitor notification functionality immediately:- To add the legacy CPU Utility metric back into Task Manager’s Details tab, right-click on the column titles and select it from the available options.
- To activate the notification center and calendar on a secondary monitor, simply click the corresponding Taskbar sections as you would on your main screen.
- Feedback and bug reports remain critical during this phase; Microsoft has shown a propensity to revert or refine Insider changes in response to strong community input.
Conclusion: The Quiet Revolution of Everyday Windows
The most impactful operating system changes are sometimes those that don’t make headlines—at least not in the way glossier, AI-driven features do. By zeroing in on multi-monitor productivity and system metrics consistency, Microsoft is sending a clear signal: Windows 11 remains committed to both pioneering the future of computing and refining the daily experience for the millions who make their living within its interface.As these features reach general availability, Windows 11 will offer a more coherent, accurate, and robust platform for professionals and power users alike, inching ever closer to the productivity ideal its users demand—and ensuring that beneath the flash of AI, the bedrock of usability and reliability continues to advance.
Source: Ars Technica Microsoft is revamping Windows 11’s Task Manager so its numbers make more sense
