Microsoft has finally updated Sticky Notes in Windows 11 β and I’m happy to see my favorite feature getting a lot smarter
Microsoft could finally update the Sticky Notes app for Windows 11 (and Windows 10), after years of apparent neglect.
Sticky Notes is a pre-installed app from Microsoft that allows users to place virtual sticky notes on the desktop to help remember tasks or create to-do lists on their devices linked to their Microsoft account. While it’s an app that’s easily overlooked (even by Microsoft), for those of us who use it (like myself) it can be an incredibly useful tool for staying organized and productive.
If Windows Central reports, social media account Sticky Notes has just released an intriguing update, hinting that there will be some major updates coming to the app in the near future. With the account’s last official post dating back to 2020, this sudden burst of activity suggests that whatever the changes have in store, they will be big.
πNew Year! New updates! Stay tuned for some of our biggest announcements yet! π₯³pic.twitter.com/OhgpkBxFfoJanuary 24, 2024
Microsoft has been releasing a steady stream of updates to Windows 11 and Windows 10, and rumors of a major 24H2 update scheduled for later this year suggest that there will be huge changes to Microsoft’s latest operating system. Even old, pre-installed apps like Microsoft Paint and Notepad have gotten some positive updates over the past two years, so it’s refreshing to see the Sticky Notes app finally getting some love and attention.
The recent post from the Sticky Notes account doesn’t provide too much information, just teasing that we can expect one of the “biggest announcements yet” for the feature. The account also responded to some initial speculation from excited users who clarified that the news is not a web app for now. Instead, Windows Central speculates that it could have something to do with artificial intelligence (AI), and I agree: this is why.
Work smarter, not harder
Sticky Notes seems like a pretty basic feature at this point, which means it’s ripe for new AI features – something Microsoft has been incredibly excited about lately. Its close partnership with OpenAI (the company behind the popular ChatGPT AI bot) and its ongoing mission to integrate its own AI bot, Copilot, into almost every facet of Windows 11 means that Microsoft already has the tools and knowledge to older apps can offer some extra options. AI brains.
This is exactly what happened with the iconic Notepad app, which recently got ChatGPT-powered AI features, turning the once simple word processing app into a pretty cool and useful tool that can help you write – and completely free, therefore, since the years eighty pre-installed with Windows.
Many positives can come from combining the simplest tool on your desktop and the “smarts” of ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot coming together, especially since the Sticky Note app works on all your devices.
However, it could also go sideways and Microsoft could bloat and overcomplicate an app that users enjoy for its simplicity and reliability. Sticky Notes is one of those apps on Windows that just works; you know what you’ll find when you unbox a new PC, and you’ll always know exactly what your virtual sticky notes will look like. A big change, as the social media account suggests, could turn many loyal users into dissatisfied ones if Microsoft makes the Sticky Notes feature way too complicated. Furthermore, not every user will be happy when artificial intelligence makes its way into such a simple app (and the security and ethical issues surrounding AI).
I love Sticky Notes and while I don’t know how these “big changes” will affect one of my favorite Windows features, ultimately I think it will be a good thing. We could see exciting updates that allow people to create Sticky Notes together on their desktop, let the AI ββcreate shopping lists from desired recipes, and scroll through emails and calendar apps to create a daily to-do list or schedule.
Although I don’t think the Sticky Note app does that need After the upgrade, there is a concern that it will lag behind if it is not brought up to speed. If done well, AI-powered features will not only retain existing fans like me, but also encourage new users to discover the app – and maybe even fall in love with it.