Microsoft is releasing a new app for Windows 10 called the "Windows News Bar" that will display a docked bar containing news stories from Microsoft News and acts as a stock picker for monitored stocks.

Previously spotted by Windows sleuth WalkingCat in February, the Microsoft Store page has been recently been updated with screenshots of the actual program in use.

The News Bar is being developed through Microsoft News where they state that the offered news will be shown from over 4,500 news outlets.

"Microsoft's Windows News Bar works just like the Windows Taskbar. It's there when you need it, where you need it and how you need it. Customize its appearance in settings to find the experience that's just right for you. If you want to focus, don't worry, you can minimize the News Bar at any time and then bring it back when you're ready for it again", the Microsoft Store page reads.

Testing the Windows News Bar

When running, the News Bar will allow you to display a docked bar on the top, bottom, left, or right side of the screen that contains a continuously updated list of news stories based on your selected region.

BleepingComputer has tested the app and you can see the different ways the News Bar can be docked below. The bottom right picture also shows you how it looks with transparency enabled.

Click on images to see full size

When clicking on stories, the selected articles will be loaded in the default browser in Windows 10.

The News Bar settings will allow you to customize where the bar is docked, whether you wish to show images or text, and if the bar should be transparent.

News Bar Settings

The News Bar requires Windows 10 April 2018 Update or later and is currently in Beta. To install it, users need to 'Redeem a code' and it not known when it will be publicly available.