These Windows 11 apps will work only if you are connected

Microsoft Windows 11 is coming to your computer in just a few weeks, but news about the upcoming operating system is still leaking ahead of launch. Reports now suggest that Microsoft Windows 11 could sadly have a new limitation. This is likely to prevent some users from accessing Windows 11 applications on the system without internet access.

We recently reported that several system apps would get a fresh coat of paint with Windows 11, which has been updated to accommodate the new look of the operating system. However, according to a report from Ghacks, it appears that some native Windows 11 applications (such as the Microsoft To-Do application) will not launch when first opened unless you have proper internet access.

The report indicates that native Windows 11 applications such as Sticky Notes, which receive their updates through the built-in Microsoft Store, require the user to provide the system with Internet connectivity at the first launch. This is so that these applications can download an update before they are opened for the first time. Unfortunately, if a user's device is offline, it means that users will not be able to access these applications until the laptop or desktop gets an internet connection.

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 charging for the first time, while apps like Notepad, Calculator, Calendar, Groove Music, and Microsoft Paint seems to work without any internet connection.

This practice of using placeholder apps is generally done to save space on user storage, which can then be downloaded at a later stage. However, since most laptops and desktops run with 500GB and 1TB hard drives, it's unclear how much space Microsoft is trying to save on user computers.

Similarly, while a user may have access to the Internet on a daily basis, they may want to use an application such as the Alarms & Clock or Sticky Notes application on the go, where Internet access might not be easily accessible. These applications, if launched for the first time, will be inaccessible until the user connects to the Internet, according to the report.