This article details changes and removals in Windows 11, including deprecated features like Cortana, Internet Explorer, and Paint 3D.
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Cortana
Cortana in Windows as a standalone app is removed.
Desktop wallpaper
cannot be roamed to or from device when signed in with a Microsoft account.
Internet Explorer
Microsoft Edge with IE mode replaces the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application in Windows 11. For more information, see Internet Explorer 11 desktop app retirement FAQ.
Mail, Calendar, and People
Support for Windows Mail, Calendar, and People ended on December 31, 2024. Any local emails, calendar events, and contacts stored in Mail, Calendar, and People will remain exportable following the steps in Export emails and contacts from Windows Mail or People and import to new Outlook.
Management capabilities
for organizations to deliver customized Start and Taskbar experiences are limited:Start supports the ability for organizations to override the Start layout, but does not support locking down the layout from user modification.Taskbar pins and ordering can be controlled by organizations.
Math Input Panel
is removed. Math Recognizer will install on demand and includes the math input control and recognizer. Math inking in apps like OneNote are not impacted by this change.
News & Interests
has evolved. New functionality has been added which can be found by clicking the Widgets icon on the Taskbar.
Paint 3D
is removed. Existing installations of Paint 3D will continue to work, but the app is no longer available for download from the Microsoft Store.
Quick Status
from the Lockscreen and associated settings are removed.
S Mode
is only available now for Windows 11 Home edition.
Search Results from the Internet
Windows 11 does not support disabling the return of internet Search results via Registry Key. The related Group Policy setting is not impacted by this change.
Snipping Tool and Snip and Sketch
have been merged into a single experience keeping the familiar Snipping Tool name.
Start
is significantly changed in Windows 11 including the following key deprecations and removals:Named groups and folders of apps are no longer supported and the layout is not currently resizable.Pinned apps and sites will not migrate when upgrading from Windows 10.Live Tiles are no longer available. For glanceable, dynamic content, see the new Widgets feature.
Tablet Mode
is removed and new functionality and capability is included for keyboard attach and detach postures.
Taskbar
is changed including:People is no longer present on the Taskbar.Some icons may no longer appear in the System Tray (systray) for upgraded devices including previous customizations.Alignment to the bottom of the screen is the only location allowed.Apps can no longer customize areas of the Taskbar.
Timeline
is removed. Some similar functionality is available in Microsoft Edge.
Touch Keyboard
will no longer dock and undock keyboard layouts on screen sizes 18 inches and larger.
Universal Windows Platform (UWP) Applications for 32-bit Arm
This change is applicable only to devices with an Arm processor, for example Snapdragon processors from Qualcomm. If you have a PC built with a processor from Intel or AMD, this content is not applicable. If you are not sure which type of processor you have, check Settings > System > About.
Wallet
is removed.
Windows Deployment Services
is being partially deprecated. Please see this article for detailed information.
Windows Mixed Reality
was removed in Windows 11, version 24H2. This includes the Mixed Reality Portal app, Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR, and Steam VR Beta. Existing Windows Mixed Reality devices will continue to work with Steam through November 2026, if users remain on their current released version of Windows 11, version 23H2. After November 2026, Windows Mixed Reality will no longer receive security updates, nonsecurity updates, bug fixes, technical support, or online technical content updates. This deprecation doesn't affect HoloLens.
Windows Store for Business and Windows Store for Education
no longer include the Private Store tab. Please see this blog post for information on app deployment options.
Word Pad
will be removed from all editions of Windows starting in Windows 11, version 24H2. We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like .doc and .rtf and Windows Notepad for plain text documents like .txt.