Microsoft’s Ability Summit highlighted how the company is building accessibility into the design of Windows 11, Microsoft Edge, and especially its amazing devices, but you have to wonder, again: Could Microsoft be doing more to make the Windows 11 Start menu and taskbar more accessible to older users?
I’m lucky to be completely mobile, with the ability to use an Xbox mouse, keyboard, and controller without any extra help. But I’m also one of the millions of users whose vision slowly deteriorates over time.
But my vision deteriorated during the pandemic because I was stuck at home and didn’t have as many opportunities to drive, travel, and use my vision remotely. My youngest son, who endured two years of distance learning, had the same thing. On the other hand, users who started using Windows in 1985 are getting older.
The ability to use a computer depends largely on the ability to see. Studies have linked poor visual function to depression and social isolation, simply due to an inability to interact with the world around them.
And while Windows offers some assistive technologies for those with severe vision problems – Narrator, Windows’ built-in screen reader – there is certainly some middle ground for those who can see well enough to use a computer. but who have difficulty navigating through the various menus.
Could Windows 11 accommodate this, with larger icons and a resizable Start menu and taskbar? And could Microsoft do a better job with its upcoming Startup Folders in this regard? I think Microsoft could do it, and their reluctance to commit to the issue is a bit disconcerting.
In this article, we’ll talk about what you can do to compensate for Microsoft’s decision and help make these elements of Windows 11 more accessible. But I don’t know if Microsoft just wants you to trust these methods or if they are planning other improvements for Windows 11.
I was able to ask Jenny Lay-Flurrie, director of accessibility at Microsoft, about this (once on social media and once at Microsoft’s accessibility press event), and I don’t I haven’t received an official response yet. However, Microsoft has given us several solutions, which we have included at the end of this article.
The Windows 11 taskbar leaves a lot of extra space unused, the icons aren’t resizable, and there’s no indication of what app it is unless you know how to hover over it.
The Windows 11 taskbar: Difficult to analyze
The Windows 11 taskbar has three barriers to accessibility: the taskbar itself isn’t movable or resizable, icons can’t be expanded independently, and taskbar buttons are always combined.
Windows 10 allows you to adjust the first and third items. Not combining taskbar buttons allows someone to create a large taskbar landing zone with clearly explained function, like it does in Windows 10.
In Windows 10, those who need it will be able to quickly figure out how to navigate to a certain open app and which one it is.
Strangely, the Windows 10 settings menu (right click on the taskbar to access it) allows icons to be made smaller, not larger, which also seems to be a problem for older users. But Windows 11 just doesn’t offer the flexibility of Windows 10 when it comes to Start menu settings.
The Start menu: Windows 11 needs work
By now, you’re probably familiar with the limitations of the Windows 11 Start menu: you can’t resize the entire window, you can’t adjust the size of its icons, and the lack of Live Tiles also limits the size of the icons.
In Windows 10, you can expand the Start menu tiles to a relatively huge size, which not only makes it easier to read and navigate, but also lets you visually remember which apps are most important, what they’re called, and where they live. . (Even if that sounds silly, think about the difficulties some older family members may have navigating a computer.)
I’m just not a fan of the Start menu folders offered by Windows 11 (seen here as part of a Windows Insider build) because icons in folders can be too small to see unless clicked. When you do, the contents of the folder appear in a larger view.
A very useful organizational tool that Microsoft included in Windows 10 was Startup Folders, which grouped related applications. These were excluded from Windows 11, but we have already been able to review and try them as part of the Windows 11 Insider program. Microsoft noted that startup folders can be named, which can help identify them.
In Windows 10 and Windows 11, Startup folders actually reduce the size of the icons they contain, making them less visible. I never understood this decision.
At least both operating systems create context menus that contain larger versions of the same icons when clicked.
When I click on the Windows 10 start menu folder labeled “Office Stuff”, the contents appear with larger, more explanatory icons. But I also have the option of just designating a “large” tile for an individual app, like I did for the Office app on the right.
If Microsoft doesn’t return to Live Tiles, that’s fine. But why can’t Microsoft offer a resizable Windows 11 Start menu that can be expanded if needed? The option for larger, individually resizable icons? Start menu folders that can also be resized and rearranged? A taskbar that can be adjusted to expand and fill available space with tiled icons?
This shouldn’t be the domain of a third-party mod like Start11 or even Microsoft’s excellent PowerToys. I would say that these are not aesthetic options, but functional. Accessible. Limiting accessibility to the literal starting point of the Windows 11 experience should be a little inconvenient for everyone involved.
Solutions: what you can do in the meantime
Whether Microsoft decides to take action or not, you have a few options for making Windows more visually accessible using its built-in tools.
Change the size of desktop icons
First, you can change the size of icons that float on the desktop. (No, it doesn’t affect taskbar or Start menu icons. Why not?)
Simply right-click on your desktop and navigate to “View” from the drop-down menu. You can then choose between the “Large, Medium and Small” icons, and choose the one that suits you best.
DPI scale
The next option is what is called “DPI scaling”, or simply “scaling”. The option is in the Windows 11 settings menu (System > Display > Scaling). (System > Display > Scaling) Here you’ll find a drop-down menu with a variety of percentages to choose from, as well as a “recommended” setting.
You can upgrade your Windows environment, which will make it easier to view and navigate. Note that you can scale up to around 350%, depending on screen size and resolution.
Scale is a “universal” control that scales everything: text, UI elements, browser windows, Start, taskbar…everything. It’s a simple way to magnify all of the visual elements on your screen, and to be fair, it may represent what Microsoft thinks is the most universally accessible way to increase the visibility of the Windows user interface. It doesn’t yet address the ability to resize or adjust startup, but it will make those Windows items more visible.
The only neat thing Scale cache is is that it’s screen-controllable. So if you’re writing on a laptop screen but also using a secondary monitor as your primary display, be sure to adjust both as desired. It is quite possible that you have two independent settings for the two screens.
use the magnifying glass
The third option is the magnifying glass, which can be used as a literal electronic magnifying glass. Magnifier can be controlled via the Windows 11 Settings menu (Accessibility > Magnifier) and can be activated by typing WIN++ (i.e. pressing the “Windows” and “plus” keys simultaneously) and deactivated with WIN + ESC.
Note that the Settings menu controls the “intensity” of the magnifier, so you can “increase” it by increasing the percentage. Magnifier can also be used in full screen mode or as a “lens”, which I found very useful.
In Magnifier mode, the cursor interacts with the screen as usual, so you can click left and right on various visual elements.
Of course, you can also use Windows’ own ability to read and navigate by voice, either in Word or through Windows Narrator. I wouldn’t recommend using Narrator if you can already navigate Windows visually, as it tends to get in your way. However, if you have difficulty seeing, it can be invaluable.
text size
Microsoft also pointed out that you can go to the Settings menu and only adjust the text size via ‘Accessibility > Text Size’. It won’t adjust the size of the icons, but it will make the text bigger in most of your different apps.
Again, you may have no problem reading your screen and navigating Windows. However, it’s fair to say that a significant percentage of users who grew up with Windows may have issues with Windows 11. Accessibility tools built into Windows can be a good first step, but Microsoft’s Capability Summit should also be an opportunity to re-examine what is wrong. with Windows 11.
Original article published in English on our sister site PCWorld.com.
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