Hands-On Windows 171: 5 New Features Coming in 2026

Host: Paul Thurrott
Date: January 8, 2026
Podcast: All TWiT.tv Shows (Audio)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Paul Thurrott rings in the new year by walking listeners through five standout features coming to Windows 11 in 2026, focusing on practical changes, user workflow improvements, and behind-the-scenes advancements. With his signature blend of humor and technical acumen, Paul both demonstrates and evaluates each feature, providing key takeaways for casual users and power users alike. He also teases bonus features and hints at the growing role of AI agents in the Windows operating system.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Drag Tray for File Sharing

• Feature Description:
  “Drag Tray” builds on the familiar Snap feature in Windows, but is focused on file sharing and interaction. When dragging a file, a drop-down tray appears at the top of the screen, offering a list of compatible apps to interact with that file.
• Commentary:
  Paul admits he is not a fan:

  "The first one is one that I cannot wait to disable, and I will disable it after I'm done describing it. But it's something called the drag trace." (01:14)

  • He demonstrates disabling the feature and notes that its setting is found in a somewhat obscure place:
    Settings > System > Nearby Sharing (04:22)
• User Takeaway:
  May help users share files more easily, but those who prefer traditional workflows or dislike overlays can disable it.

2. Full Dark Mode in File Explorer

• Feature Description:
  File Explorer now fully supports dark mode, including all transfer dialogs and properties windows, eliminating harsh “white burst” pop-ups.
• Demonstration:
  Paul transfers a movie file from his NAS to his desktop and highlights the dark-styled transfer dialog:

  “You don’t get that white burst of light, you know, in the dark, when you have dark mode going.” (05:45)

  • Properties and Folder Options dialogs also get dark mode support.
• User Takeaway:
  “It's working very well. It’s nice. So that's good.” (06:30)
  This enhancement is especially appreciated by users working in low-light or just prefer a consistent UI.

3. “Click to Do” Feature & Microsoft 365 App Actions

• Feature Description:
  Exclusive to Copilot+ PCs, this feature enables users to select on-screen objects (text, images) and access tailored “actions” immediately—such as summarizing in Copilot Word or copying images.
• Key Upgrades:
  • Redesigned, simplified action toolbar.
  • New tutorial for onboarding.
  • More direct actions available and “common actions” now surfaced at the top.
  • Some Microsoft 365 actions are available without a full subscription.
  • Paul notes the evolving integration:

    "They're starting to add what I'm gonna call Microsoft 365 app actions into Windows … as people use this, they provided the feedback like, you know, it'd be kind of nice if we could do that kind of thing." (07:32)

• Settings:
  App Actions can now be managed directly in the Settings app, and some actions don’t require Copilot+ PCs. (08:20)
• User Takeaway:
  “Click to do is Copilot+ PC specific … drafts with Copilot Word, for example, is [available to all].” (08:19)

4. Widgets Redesign

• Feature Description:
  The widgets panel decouples the widget display from the “Discover” (news and ads) feed, allowing quick access to just widgets.
• Paul’s Experience:

  “This, to me, I think, is more like what people expect when they open something called widgets. They're widgets, right?” (11:53)

  • Separate views for widgets and the news feed enhance usability.
  • New options for managing notifications and hover behavior.
• User Takeaway:
  The change “made this thing useful” by cutting distractions and surfacing what matters most.

5. New Advanced Settings: End Task, Developer Tools, and More

• Feature Description:
  Expanded “Advanced” settings in the Settings app consolidate developer and power-user utilities like Dev Drive, Sudo, and advanced app management.
• Highlights:
  • End Task from Taskbar: Right-click any taskbar app for a direct “End Task” option.

    “This is a much faster way. Sometimes, you know, maybe something else is glitching … Like that's just an easier way to do that. So to me, that's fantastic.” (13:50)

  • Dev Drive: Optimized for developer work using the Resilient File System.
  • Sudo for Windows:

    “What sudo does is allow you to run a single command as an admin … I strongly recommend enabling Sudo.” (16:08)

  • Remote Desktop, Hyper-V, containers, and terminal settings are centralized here.
• User Takeaway:
  Advanced users and developers will find these changes speed up common troubleshooting and workflow tasks.

Bonus Features & Future Directions

• Mobile Device Settings Revamp:
  Device management for connected phones and tablets is now fully in-line within the Settings app—no more pop-ups.

  “You don't lose track of where you're at. It just goes in and out right from here. So that’s pretty cool.” (18:50)

• AI Components and Agents:
  The new “AI Components” page (since mid-2025) in Settings previews the groundwork for an agentic OS:

  • Lists available small language models (SLMs) on Copilot+ PCs.
  • Adds an “agents” section where, in the future, users will be able to enable and manage Windows AI agents (currently placeholder).

  "We're gonna have agents running in Windows that are gonna go off and do things in the background and then come back and report when they're done … So they're just starting to put the UI here. This is disabled by default and will be forever, I guess." (20:14)

  • Forecasts Microsoft’s vision for integrating proactive, background AI capabilities directly into the OS.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On disabling new features:

  "The first one is one that I cannot wait to disable, and I will disable it after I'm done describing it." (01:14)

• On feedback-driven development:

  “As people use this, they provided the feedback like, you know, it'd be kind of nice if we could do that kind of thing.” (07:40)

• On the evolving Windows experience:

  “I have a feeling this, this thing is going to expand pretty dramatically over time as Microsoft keeps improving Windows because they can't help themselves. Right?” (17:26)

• On the future of agents in Windows:

  “We're going to have these copilot agents, I'm sure ... and we'll be able to manage them from here. You can just leave them off, turn them on, manage how they work, etc. So this is something to look forward to for 2026.” (20:40)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Introduction & Episode Overview: 00:18 – 01:12
• Feature 1 – Drag Tray: 01:13 – 04:22
• Feature 2 – Full Dark Mode for File Explorer: 04:23 – 06:30
• Feature 3 – Click to Do & App Actions: 06:31 – 09:00
• Feature 4 – Widgets Redesign: 11:27 – 13:10
• Feature 5 – Advanced Settings (End Task, Dev Tools): 13:11 – 17:30
• Bonus Features & Future of AI Agents: 18:50 – 21:30

Conclusion

Paul closes with his trademark optimism for Windows evolution, reassuring listeners that these are just early highlights and that Windows will continue to innovate throughout the year. He encourages continued engagement:

“There's always going to be more, but this is the beginning of the new year. There's some big stuff happening. There'll be more. Like I said, there's always more.” (21:30)

Useful for:

• Windows enthusiasts wanting an early look at upcoming features
• Power users and developers tracking new workflow options
• Anyone curious about the direction Microsoft is taking with AI in Windows

Missed the episode?
This summary provides all the key details, firsthand impressions, and practical insights you need to stay ahead of coming changes to Windows 11 in 2026.