After a substantial wait for major improvements to Microsoft
Launcher for Android, a new update is now rolling out via the
Google Play Store. If you were not a part of the beta program,
you can now try Microsoft Launcher’s redesign news feed and a
new transparency effect similar to Windows 11 Mica.
As you’re probably aware, Microsoft Launcher has been a core
part of the company’s app suite on Android. Microsoft Launcher
looks a lot different to the Android Launcher used on phones
made by Samsung and Google, and it matches the look and feel of
the new Windows operating system.
Like other launchers, Microsoft Launcher is also endlessly
customizable. It has a widget page, a built-in newsfeed
apparently powered by MSN. It also supports expandable dock,
app icon customization, deep integration with Microsoft To-Do,
Microsoft Teams, Microsoft calendar and a lot of other
services.
With today’s update, Microsoft is introducing a new modern look
for the entire Launcher experience. As you can see in the above
screenshot, Microsoft Launcher features a new design material
similar to Windows 11’s Mica. It allows a blur of the
background wallpaper for the glance and news feed.
And not only is the new design good, but it is also faster than
before, with the transition animations smoother for even more
speed. For most people, Microsoft Launcher remains a very solid
launcher and it’s only getting better with regular updates.
In addition to design and performance improvements, Microsoft
has also improved the feature that allows you to switch between
work and personal apps. Additional filters are now included in
the launcher to improve local and online searching, and the
update also includes general improvements or bug fixes.
Microsoft is rolling out the updated version of Launcher to
some users. If you don’t see the update, simply join the beta
program and exit when the rollout is complete.
In addition to Launcher,
Microsoft is also working on a new look for Windows 11’s Your
Phone app, which is going to benefit all Android users.
