New Windows 11 features finally add what everyone’s been asking for

It’s the end of an era, as Microsoft begins to work on ensuring that Windows 11 is a one-stop-shop for all your software needs.

Windows 11 is in its next phase of updates, as Microsoft plans to add native controls to the operating system for things we’ve had to go through third parties for years. Users will soon be able to control their RGB lighting and unzip RAR files directly from the OS.

Discovered in a previous Windows Insider build a few months back, the native RGB control is a welcome addition to the OS’s toolset. With every company running its own software, if you have multiple devices connected, it can begin to bloat the PC with unnecessary control programs. Razer, Asus, Corsair, MSI, Phillips, Mountain, and Logitech, all have their own apps to assist with RGB control.

It mimics what’s happening in the lifestyle tech space, as companies like Google and Amazon begin to use an ecosystem, Matter. This relatively new software ensures cross-compatibility and central control.

Microsoft is calling this “Dynamic Lighting”, and will attempt to bridge the gap made during RGB’s rise to a staple of a gaming setup:

“Today, many of these accessories rely on third-party apps and integrations that are highly fragmented.

“With Dynamic Lighting, Windows users will be able to effortlessly set up and customize their devices with RGB lights directly from Windows Settings.”

Windows introduces RAR unpacking after 30 years

Microsoft is also bringing a nearly 30-year-old feature to Windows 11 as well. RAR files were originally introduced as a better way to compress files compared to ZIP. Things like multiple RAR files that can be downloaded separately, then unpacked into one larger file got around hosting limits for software.

For a long time, Windows users had to use either 7zip or WinRAR to unpack their compressed files.

It won’t just be RAR files that can be unpacked, as Microsoft is adding the full suite of compressed file types into the mix. This includes “tar, 7-zip. gz and many others using the libarchive open-source project”.

Windows 11 is slowly morphing into a one-stop-shop, as AI functions like Copilot and Bing start to get integrated into the OS, as well as plans to make Windows functional on handheld systems in the future.