If you prefer to play games in a window rather than full screen on your PC, you should look into the latest Windows 11 Insider Update.
A feature called 'Optimization for Window games' is visible in Windows Insider Dev Update builds 22545 and higher, which allows you to sign up for features in trial that aren't ready for the final release. Enabling it in Settings is said to improve latency and display Auto HDR and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) in games that support these features.
Some games should be played in full-screen mode, especially if you have a high-end monitor to display God of War or Sonic Adventure. Windowed games, on the other hand, make it simple to multitask between email, social media, and video viewing.
Improvements to this only demonstrate that Microsoft is looking at all aspects of Windows 11 in this upcoming feature update in order to make this OS the best it has ever been. Back in the days of Windows Vista, the idea of Microsoft focusing on something like windowed gaming would have been unthinkable.
Analysis: windowed gaming gets its due
If you're running build 22545 or higher, you can enable this feature by going to Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Default Graphics Settings.
However, you can enable this feature for specific games by going to Settings > System > Display > Graphics and selecting which games you want to benefit from it.
It's yet another positive step by Microsoft to examine aspects of the operating system that have fallen by the wayside. There are many users who have a single monitor and prefer to easily switch between a game and a web browser, or have them side by side.
You can seamlessly switch windows using Alt+Tab to jump back and forth between the game and whatever else you have open, which is especially useful for games that work best with a keyboard rather than a controller.
However, this appears to be laying the groundwork for improved compatibility with store-bought games, such as Steam, Epic Games, and Microsoft's own Xbox app. Better ways to play a game in windowed mode is only a positive move by the company, and if this display type is getting attention, we wonder what else Microsoft is working on for Windows 11 in the coming months and years.