Microsoft is beginning to roll out light-weight taskbar apps for Microsoft 365 customers on Home windows 11. These taskbar apps will robotically launch at startup and supply fast entry to contacts, file search, and calendar straight from the Home windows taskbar.
The Microsoft 365 companion apps, as Microsoft calls them, are beginning to roll out to enterprise customers of Microsoft 365 this month. The Folks companion gives a browsable org chart, in addition to the flexibility to search for anybody in your organization. You may also rapidly begin a Groups message or name with a contact, or electronic mail them straight.
The File Search companion is designed for fast entry to Microsoft 365 information from the Home windows 11 taskbar. You possibly can search by file title, writer, or different key phrases to search out information throughout OneDrive, SharePoint, Microsoft Groups, and Outlook. There’s additionally an choice to preview a file earlier than you open it, and loads of filtering and sharing choices.
The Calendar app is a fast view of a Microsoft 365 calendar from the taskbar, the place you possibly can see upcoming occasions, seek for appointments, or be part of conferences.
All three apps have been in beta in current months, after Microsoft initially introduced them at its Ignite convention final 12 months. They’re now heading to all enterprise customers of Microsoft 365 as a part of a general availability release this month. The apps might be robotically put in so long as Microsoft 365 apps are put in on a Home windows 11 system. IT admins can forestall the automated set up of those Microsoft 365 companion apps, and finish customers can cease them from robotically launching at startup.