These Windows 11 apps will NOT work if you aren't connected

Microsoft Windows 11 is arriving on your computer in just a few weeks, but news about the upcoming operating system is still leaking ahead of the roll out. Reports are now suggesting that, disappointingly, Microsoft Windows 11 could come with a new limitation. This is likely to prevent some users from accessing Windows 11 apps on the system without internet access.

We recently reported that several system apps would gain a fresh coat of paint with Windows 11, which have been updated to match the operating system’s new look and feel. However, according to a report by Ghacks, it looks like some native Windows 11 apps (like the Microsoft To-Do app) will not launch when opened for the first time – unless you have proper internet access.

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The report states that Windows 11 native apps like Sticky Notes, which receive their updates via the built-in Microsoft Store, require the user to provide the system with internet connectivity on the first launch. This is so that these apps can download an update before they are opened for the first time. Unfortunately, if a user’s device is offline, it means users will not be able to access these apps until the laptop or desktop gains internet connectivity.

According to the report, apps like Sticky Notes, Microsoft To-Do, Maps and Alarms and Clocks will force the user to connect to the internet before loading for the first time, while apps like Notepad, Calculator, Calendar, Groove Music and Microsoft Paint appear to work without any internet connectivity.

This practice of using placeholder applications is usually done to save space on the user’s storage, which can later be downloaded at a later stage. However, with most laptops and desktop computers running on 500GB and 1TB hard drives, it is unclear how much space Microsoft is trying to save on user’s computers.

Similarly, while a user may have internet access on a daily basis, they might want to use an app like the Alarms and Clock app or Sticky Notes while travelling, where internet access might not be easily accessible. These apps, if launched for the first time, will then be inaccessible until the user connects to the internet, according to the report.