>
Microsoft may be adding a new customization option in an upcoming Windows 11 update – one that could address a feature that many users find annoying.
According to Twitter user @PhantomOfEarth (opens in new tab) and reported by MSPowerUser (opens in new tab), the Windows 11 Dev Insider build 25300 contains three strings that make disabling the date and time in the notification area on the right side of the taskbar an option. Those strings are ‘Hide taskbar clock’, ‘Hide time and date in the notification area’ and ‘Enable this to hide your time and date information in the corner of your taskbar’. Most likely, the setting is located on the taskbar, as other settings that configure it are located there.
However, this is all just conjecture at this point. Finding these strings in the build does not guarantee implementation. And even if the feature were confirmed to be coming to Windows 11, we still don’t have a release date.
What does this mean for Windows 11?
Personally, I find the date and time on the taskbar to be one of the most basic and useful features of the operating system. It’s extremely helpful to just look to the right and see the exact time of day, especially when I’m caught up in other projects that would otherwise distort my concept of time.
However, having more customization options is never a bad thing and, given it now, Windows 11 is long overdue for some revisions in that regard. Another feature that could be useful is the ability to display multiple time zones on the taskbar – useful for work environments that require communication and teamwork between staffers around the world.
There are plenty of other features Microsoft could test, and if this one drops out and becomes popular, that hopefully means even more options in the future.