Windows 11 – Highlights of the new OS

Microsoft is once again talking superlatives, and the reason is Windows 11: the company’s chief Satya Nadella recently called the new operating system “the biggest Windows update in a decade”. If this is true, Windows 11 will be even bigger than Windows 10, described as the “last version of Windows ever”. But why shouldn’t the plans change?

For users, the move to Windows 11 will bring two things: useful new features and increased hardware requirements. As for the exact release date, Microsoft promises it will be 5 October. Still, there’s no telling when it will arrive on a given PC, as the update, which will be distributed via Windows Update, will be rolled out in waves on a schedule that depends on the load on servers. In any case, everyone can expect to receive the update later this autumn – provided their system meets all the essential requirements.

There’s plenty to look out for in the way of new features, as the installation process has been overhauled and made even more straightforward, prettier, and faster than Windows 10. But there is one step backward: the Microsoft account will be mandatory for Windows 11 Home.

Once you’re done with the installation, you’ll enjoy a new startup animation and sound, and once you’re in, you’ll find yourself with a redesigned desktop. Almost everything here has been updated for 2020, and all the wallpapers have been replaced to make sure that nothing reminds you of the previous Desktop. Of course, the basic concept of handling hasn’t changed so that users can feel right at home.

Focus on efficiency

Microsoft certainly doesn’t want Windows 11 to be seen as an optical tune-up for Windows 10, so the developers have put a lot of emphasis on how much they’ve tweaked processes and made them easier to use. They’ve tried to overcome several long-criticized problems at Microsoft, such as centralizing and speeding up the search engine and slimming down the file manager. The menu bars have been streamlined, and new icons and underlying functions have been added to help you organize your windows better. For example, you can now maximize them and send them to a corner or arrange them according to different rules with the click of a button (snap layouts).

Revised settings

Don’t worry: Control Panel, Device Manager, and Disk Explorer are not missing in Windows 11, and these old tools still look the same when you open them from the menu with Win+X. But it’s also clear that Microsoft has given most settings options a new look. If we were to summarise the changes, we’d highlight two main directions of improvement: they offer more features, the other is that they look nicer. The latter is not worth going into too much detail, as it mainly means more excellent icons. The former is more tricky, as the menu structure of the settings has been reworked, and the hidden items are most easily accessed using the viewfinder. There are also new features, the most interesting of which are network and backup.

A useful new feature is that Windows 11 also tries to protect you from incorrect settings. In practice, this means that if you turn off the power-saving features of the display, for example, the operating system will alert you to this and offer to correct it. Microsoft has tried to make this as annoying as possible, but advanced users will be annoyed by these warnings. However, those who are less experienced may not be aware of the impact of all the options. In any case, for the time being, these warnings are not intrusive and are easy to remove if you are sure of your intentions.

Free Upgrade

Microsoft has already touched on the price of Windows 11 several times: the Windows 10-11 upgrade is free but only works if you meet the hardware requirements. There has been no mention of a time limit for this free upgrade, but it seems that those currently running Windows 7 will not be able to upgrade directly to the new operating system.

The process here will likely be to install Windows 10 first and then install Windows 11 on top of that – unless you are prepared to do a complete reinstall, which is probably more convenient. If we look at the version numbers of the pre-release versions of Windows 11, we see that they appear as Build 22000.xy. The “named” version, however, goes by the name 21H2, just like Windows 10. Unlike the latter, however, Windows 11 would only have one major update per year. As for continued support, private users can expect this for two years.

Market research suggests that Windows users are interested in the new version: according to AdDuplex, Windows 11 penetration was around 1% in July 2021 – a figure that seems low, but when you consider that it’s a beta operating system released a month ago and only available through the Windows Insider channel, it puts things in perspective.

Disappearing features

Windows 11 not only brings new features, but it also removes some. In many cases, this is not a problem, as these are either unnecessary or rarely used features, some of which can be replaced later if necessary. The Start menu’s live tiles, for example, are a thing of the past, but we can also say goodbye to pinnable items and the grouping of programs. Cortana, the digital assistant, will also disappear from the installer and will not appear on the Desktop. The new OS will also do away with Internet Explorer; now only Edge will be available – but this will include an IE-like mode for corporate customers. Last but not least, we will have to give up Timeline.

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