Contacts, files and calendar from Microsoft 365 will appear on the Windows 11 taskbar

Microsoft has introduced Microsoft 365 Companions, a new tool for Windows 11 that integrates files, contacts, and calendar from Microsoft 365 into the taskbar. Important data is now available in one click, simplifying your work and saving time.

Image source: Microsoft

«We’re integrating Microsoft 365 People, Files, and Calendar right into the taskbar so your Graph data is just a click away,” Windows CEO Pavan Davuluri said at Microsoft Ignite 2024, The Verge reports.

The company has not revealed all the details about the new Companions feature, but its concept is similar to the solution previously presented for the Connect to Phone app in Windows 11. As part of the Windows 11 24H2 update, a panel appeared in the Start menu that allows you to quickly view recent messages, calls and even your phone’s battery level without having to open the Connect to Phone app.

As part of the demonstration of the new Companions feature, Microsoft showed only a contacts panel, which is reminiscent of the original integration of Microsoft Teams into the Windows 11 taskbar. It is not yet clear whether third-party app developers will be able to integrate their programs into the taskbar using the new feature.