Improve first time run experience

[crutkas]

We should think about the first time user out of box experience (OOBE). Right now it launches silently and for some, that makes them wonder if anything actually happened.

More so if the icon is hidden in systray.

[EDIT] dedavis6797 - Link to spec: https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/wiki/OOBE-Dialog

[yuyoyuppe]

How about showing a one-time toast with something like "PowerToys is running and you can access it from using its tray icon!"? 🙂

[crutkas]

I was thinking more in terms of what ear trumpet does. I think there are shorter term items we can do like that too

[yuyoyuppe]

@crutkas do you mean a welcome dialog like this one, which shows a small clip on how to find the tray icon?

That looks nice indeed and shouldn't be very hard to implement.

[crutkas]

yes, part of it. I want to do a more complete OOBE is my thought as well. This is a future item right now.

Like, explaining OOBE for FancyZones and others ...

[niels9001]

It would be nice to have a general OOBE dialog that introduces the app / main features.

We could have specific feature introductions on the settings pages (like an animated GIF in the sidepanel)?

[crutkas]

My thoughts here was treat it like a video game. Short quick animated gifs that are loopable.

For OOBE,

• show quickly important functionality.
• for upgrade scenario, any new, major things / features would do this as well.

Possible general rules for first time run OOBE

• All OOBE features need doc links.
• Settings page should have super easy way to show / describe feature + use it

Possible general rules for Upgrade OOBE

• Any upgrade new thing we show needs doc link
• Doc main page for utility needs to be coherent with new feature too

[crutkas]

just want to be sure we show a real scenario for addressing systray icon.

[niels9001]

OOBE

This concept shows a potential first-run experience: it shows the major modules and could include some quick setup items (e.g. hotkey combo's). Would be a single window that pops up when after installation.

What's new

Whenever a new update rolls out, with a new feature, we can introduce it to the user. A short description and an image to make the user aware of something new.

WinUI 2.4/UWP source code here: https://github.com/niels9001/PowerToysOOBE/tree/master

[crutkas]

I'm in love with this. I'm thinking this could be a pivot from new install / upgrade as well for new features.

Thinking is we could on first time launch have this and just directly build this OOBE into Settings.

@enricogior, thoughts?

[enricogior]

Excellent!
Let's also add an option in the general settings to let the user choose if they want the "what's new" tour, and along with the option to start it automatically at first run after update, also a button to open it later on.

[crutkas]

After some user studies, here is a concept we feel strongly on. It would work for both OOBE and upgrade. @niels9001 did a great job and has mock source here: https://github.com/niels9001/PowerToysOOBE

Still needs a few adjustments such as smaller video and maybe a quick "Use it by ..." section.

One resolution we decided until we get further feedback is to remove the quick setting of top settings. It will still provide a deep link into the main settings application for that PT

[mdtauk]

That is beautiful - I would really like it to become almost a system standard, if you could persuade other apps like Windows Terminal, or the more complex inbox apps. This could even be a "FirstRun" template to include in the SDK.

Would you allow resizing of this window, and how would it handle reflow and adjusting margins?

There is a settings link there, but what about a ToggleSwitch to turn the features off and on. Coming from an upgrade, there could be a what's new screen, and then an option to "view all powertoys" to bring up this first run experience again!

[niels9001]

@mdtauk that would be cool to have a default OOBE template across Windows apps!

I'm not sure if we need resizing of the window. This is a UWP mock-up now, but my thought was that this would be more of a dialog type of screen (with only a close button). I think this window should come up on first time run, and should be launchable from within Settings if you e.g. missed it. And yes, would be nice to have it accessible from a 'What's new dialog' as well!

I have tweaked the UI slightly with the points @crutkas brought up:

[mdtauk]

@niels9001 The resizing would then only need to be considered should it become a template for others. 😁

UWP and WinUI 3.0 wont have an inbuilt ability to create a dialog window, without Maximise and Restore functionality, or to only display a close button. Hopefully it gets added to the Windowing APIs eventually.

[crutkas]

@dedavis6797 when will the spec be put in on the wiki?

[dedavis6797]

EOD today

[dedavis6797]

Link to spec: https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/wiki/OOBE-Dialog

[crutkas]

@enricogior are we viewing this as the "OOBE" work for 0.33 tracking item? If so lets assign it to .33

[crutkas]

@dedavis6797 we should add in a scoobe issue

[crutkas]

Great news! This was resolved in the newly released 0.33 version of PowerToys! Head to https://aka.ms/installpowertoys to grab latest.