Again in August 2021, Microsoft revealed that the common Clock app in Home windows 11 can be getting a big redesign. This included a brand-new integration with Spotify known as Focus Periods, which might allow you to create a Focus Timer that will let you set a sure period of time to finish a job whereas supplying you with discover when a break is due.
Nonetheless, Neowin (opens in new tab) reported that for the previous a number of months, the certification for that integration has expired, leaving the characteristic fully unusable. And regardless of complaints from many customers in Microsoft’s official support forums (opens in new tab) and Feedback Hub (opens in new tab), there have been no official fixes on that aspect.
Spotify’s official boards acquired the identical complaints, and finally a representative stated (opens in new tab) that “We have checked round and it appears like it is a recognized limitation on Home windows’ aspect in the meanwhile on account of an expired certificates,” then went on to advise customers to report the difficulty to Microsoft help for a extra detailed rationalization.
TechRadar has reached out to Microsoft for touch upon the difficulty, and we’ll replace this text if we obtain a response.
That is unacceptable
This actually isn’t the primary time we’ve had a malfunctioning Home windows 11 characteristic, or one which Microsoft took months to unravel. Between the tech big’s OS stealth-nerfing graphics playing cards on account of a safety characteristic, pressured updates inflicting Bluetooth instabilities, AMD processors not working, and extra, there appears to be no finish to the woes.
However this one, particularly, isn’t an excellent search for Microsoft, because it’s a characteristic that Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer Panos Panay promoted himself, and championed as a “gaming-changing” integration on his official Twitter. Now, after two years, the mixing is lifeless within the water, with no indicators of Microsoft fixing it and even wanting to repair it.
Whereas this isn’t a type of software program options individuals paid actual cash for, with no hope of a refund, Focus Periods was undoubtedly a great tool for individuals who battle with specializing in work. It’s an extremely helpful characteristic, and one of many few I can consider for Home windows 11 that was genuinely useful, and seeing it gutted with none form of alternative or repair in sight feels significantly irritating.
Hopefully, Microsoft will announce that it is addressing the difficulty quickly, or, barring that, some saint on the market will create a third-party app with the identical idea and higher long-term help.