As Microsoft races to address Windows 11’s clunky start menu and lack of tablet-friendly UI, it’s also taking time to work on new cosmetic features. And I’m not talking about widgets or gadgets—not this time, at least. In a new leak from Albacore, we get our first look at Windows 11’s Desktop Background Stickers.
Well, maybe “leak” is the wrong word. Albacore dug through the latest Windows 11 Insider release to activate Desktop Background Stickers, a feature that’s both unfinished and intentionally hidden from testers. A short video from Albacore shows how stickers work, though I should note that the feature may change before its official rollout.
? Here’s the first demo of Desktop Background Stickers coming soon to Windows 11
Using the new sticker editor you can pick, place, and resize stickers as you like. It can be accessed through Settings or by right-clicking your desktop.
Changing your background will keep them ✨ pic.twitter.com/EsArehkCCP
— Albacore (@thebookisclosed) February 27, 2022
Users can place stickers by right-clicking their desktop or visiting the Personalization tab in Settings. Stickers can be resized or rotated to your liking, and they don’t disappear when you change your desktop wallpaper.
Microsoft will offer users a limited selection of stickers—you can’t create your own. These stickers appear to be carryovers from Microsoft Teams. That said, there’s a chance that third-party developers could upload sticker packs to the Microsoft Store. (This third-party scheme would make sense, as Microsoft is really trying to make people aware of its app store.)
Assuming that Microsoft doesn’t abandon this feature, we expect to see Desktop Background Stickers in the upcoming Sun Valley 2 update. Stickers could make an earlier appearance in Windows Insider builds, though.
Source: Albacore
