Here are the top 10 improvements Windows 11 users want for the Settings app

Microsoft arguably did a great job upgrading and facelifting Windows Settings when transitioning from Windows 10 to 11. The new app features a sleek modern design, improved navigation, better accessibility, and many new sections. However, the Settings app is far from perfect. This part of the operating system still needs improvements, as seen by posts and upvotes on Feedback Hub from those caring enough to share their feedback with Microsoft. In this installment of the "Top 10 features users want," we look at what customers want Microsoft to improve in Windows 11's Settings app.

The following list shows suggestions published on Feedback Hub that Microsoft has yet to implement. Ideas and requests for changes Microsoft has already made are not included.

1. Add automatic switching between light and dark mode - 6520+ upvotes.

Response from Microsoft:

Appreciate the feedback, this has been shared with the team for future consideration

Tip: You can get this feature using third-party apps, such as Auto Dark Mode we recently featured in our "Top 11 apps for Windows 11 users" article.

2. Merge the old Control Panel with the Settings app - 6360+ upvotes.

Response from Microsoft:

Thanks for your feedback about merging settings and the control panel. This is something we have been and will continue working on.

3. Windows Update should include changelogs for cumulative updates - 2130+ upvotes.

Response from Microsoft:

Appreciate the feedback! When you install a cumulative update, if you go to Windows Update Settings > View Installed Update History, you should find a link to the changelist for that cumulative update.

However, users are not happy with the response from Microsoft, and many agree in the comments that Windows Update should display changelogs before installing the updates. Besides, release notes should not require opening a browser.

4. Allow opening several Settings windows at once - 2030+ upvotes.

Response from Microsoft:

We got this feedback.

5. Restore the old default apps settings section - 1232+ upvotes.

Windows 10 and early Windows 11 builds allow setting default apps per category (Email, Browser, Media Player, etc), not per extension. Users argue that the new variant is too clunky and unintuitive, making it harder for users to opt out of using Microsoft Edge as the default browser.

Response from Microsoft:

We got this feedback.

6. Slow performance - 830+ upvotes.

Response from Microsoft:

Thanks for taking the time to report this. We've been making improvements as subsequent builds have flighted out, and will continue monitoring feedback.

If you're experiencing performance issues in the latest updates, either with Settings app launch time, or page navigation, please log feedback letting us know what you're seeing and including a trace of the issue if possible.

7. Add search to Device Manager - 380+ upvotes.

This is technically not directly related to the Settings app. However, I decided to include this in the list since Device Manager is a part of the old Control Panel and users desperately want Microsoft to get rid of the latter.

Response from Microsoft:

Thank you for taking the time to share this feedback. At this point we're not planning on making investments in this space, however we will take your request into consideration if that plan changes.

8. Do not remove the old Control Panel - 350+ upvotes.

A funny one. Although most users agree that Windows 11 should have only one app for settings, more than 350 users have upvoted the suggestion to keep the good-old Control Panel in the operating system. It is worth noting that there are reasons to support this feedback. Some users are unhappy with how Microsoft transitions from the Control Panel to Settings—"modern" implementations of the old options sometimes lack specific features or are less convenient.

Response from Microsoft:

We got this feedback.

9. Allow adjusting the amount of transparency, not just the on/off switch - 185+ upvotes.

Response from Microsoft:

We got this feedback.

10. Add a Screen Time feature - 70+ upvotes.

Mobile operating systems and macOS have a built-in feature that lets you see how much time you spend using various apps and set screen time limits. Unfortunately, Windows 11 has no such feature, and the response from Microsoft is not very promising:

We got this feedback.

Those are the most popular feedback pieces regarding the Settings app in Windows 11. Do you agree that Microsoft should make those a priority? Maybe Microsoft should focus on other aspects of the Settings app? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. Also, upvote feedback from other customers or file yours in the Feedback Hub.

Here are the top 10 improvements Windows 11 users want for the Settings app