Music playback controls brought to the flyout

Nov 12, 2018 08:16 GMT  ·  By

The Windows desktop is getting a significant overhaul with the release of the Windows 10 19H1 update in spring 2019, and in addition to Cortana being separated from Windows Search, it looks like Microsoft is also working on a facelift for the volume flyout.

The on-screen music playback controls in Windows 10 will be integrated directly into the volume flyout in the upcoming Windows 10 feature update.

Right now, these controllers show up in the top left corner on Windows 10 whenever music is playing and users press the volume options, play, pause, or stop on multimedia keyboards.

In Windows 10 19H1, all these controls are moving to the volume flyout, which you can open by clicking the volume icon in the system tray. Most likely, the updated flyout will also launch when one of the playback controls are activated.

Development already in advanced stage

As Albatross says on Twitter, this feature “seems ready for its prime time,” so there’s a chance it becomes available for users in the Windows Insider program very soon. Obviously, there’s no ETA as to when this is projected to happen, but given that everything looks pretty refined, it shouldn’t take too long before it happens.

At first glance, the new volume flyout seems more or less to be inspired from the phone UI. Microsoft has already abandoned Windows 10 Mobile, as the platform is currently in maintenance mode ahead of its demise in mid-2019, so moving its best parts to the desktop is something that makes sense.

In addition to playback controls, the new flyout also shows the album cover along with the device that’s playing the music. Most likely, the flyout will require devs to update their multimedia apps to benefit from the new features.

Windows 10 19H1 is expected to be finalized in March, while the public rollout should kick off in April, as per Microsoft’s typical release schedule.

What music playback controls look like in Windows 10 version 1803
What music playback controls look like in Windows 10 version 1803

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The new volume flyout in Windows 10 19H1
What music playback controls look like in Windows 10 version 1803
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