Microsoft is bringing major MIDI improvements to Windows 11

Windows 11 is rolling out the biggest update to MIDI since the musical communication format was first released in 1983. Microsoft announced that its latest Windows 11 Canary test build includes a public preview of Windows MIDI Services, which supports MIDI 2.0 and updates allowing MIDI 1.0 to run on Windows on Arm.

MIDI (which stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol for transmitting and storing music. It’s integral to modern music production, allowing electronic musical instruments to be connected to computers and other devices for precise control and synchronization. MIDI 2.0 was announced in 2019 and provides improvements in speed, fidelity, instrument control, and more, and this marks the first time that the updated protocol will be available in Microsoft’s operating system.

Experimental Canary versions of Windows like build 27788 aren’t quite ready for public release, but the Windows MIDI Services stack it contains certainly will be once it’s fully tested. Microsoft says the Windows MIDI rewrite aims to provide a “great experience for musicians,” and describes the update as “a strong foundation for future expansion and enhancement.” You can read all the technical details about the improvements MIDI 2.0 is bringing to Windows 11 on Microsoft’s blog.

Aside from music-related updates, the latest Windows 11 Canary build also includes a new one-click OneDrive feature that lets users continue working on files while jumping between Windows 11 PCs and iOS or Android phones. There’s also a Microsoft Store feature that allows users to selectively install individual components for games such as Call of Duty and Halo, and the usual smattering of Windows 11 bug fixes.