With this new setup process, which will be gradually rolled out with the experimental channel (build 26340.9354) released on September 8, popular third-party apps are installed as soon as the system first starts. They range from TikTok, Netflix, Spotify, WhatsApp, Duolingo, to LinkedIn, and will install them automatically in the background without taking any notice.

These third-party apps do not download and install automatically like OneDrive and Phone Link; they download and install only when you agree to them. If you don’t need this step, click this link to be taken to the desktop.

It’s likely that some will consider this another effort from Microsoft to push bloatware down their throats, but the other side of the equation is that it can be useful for those not exactly tech-savvy. It may also help to protect unsuspecting users from rogue installers and/or similar sites that trick users into downloading malware.

In the past, for instance during COVID, when people were on the job remotely, and some apps had been wrapped in malware, some bad guys attempted to trick users into downloading tainted Microsoft Teams chat apps. With the ability to allow Windows 11 to install these popular applications, you can minimise risk and enhance the user experience.

On top of this, the new setup process also adds an option to pin popular websites to Windows 11’s taskbar. These appear to be picked out for you according to where you are. UK users, for instance, are suggested to use the BBC, Amazon UK, eBay UK, The Daily Mail, and Wikipedia.

On the other hand, that is another step to come across each time you install Windows, which could be a turn-off for the more advanced user. Other Microsoft announcements saw the release of Windows 11 26H2, too.