What Is The Most Current Version Of Windows
Source: Zac Bowden | Windows Central
It's been six long years since the terminal mainline version of Windows shipped, and a lot has changed in the Os space since and so. Microsoft is back with a roaring passion to create a modernistic version of the Windows user experience that's uncomplicated to use, beautifully designed, and well-connected, all in an effort to make you more than productive in your professional or creative workflows.
In a world where more and more than people are back using PCs in their day-to-twenty-four hour period lives, Microsoft idea it was important to evangelize a fresh OS designed from the ground up for working from home, while also catering to a new generation of people who have and are however growing up with smartphones and tablets as their primary "computer."
I've been using Windows 11 since information technology first went into preview dorsum in June on all my PCs. I've loved my time with it, and I think information technology's the beginning of a not bad new era for the Os. That said, this is the first release of Windows 11, meaning at that place is certainly room for improvement in a number of areas. And then, with all that in listen, let'south swoop in to the details.
As of Februrary 2022, Microsoft has updated Windows xi with a handful of new features including improvements to the Taskbar such as weather condition info and muting your mic via the Organization Tray, support for Android apps, and updated Notepad and Media Player apps. We've updated this review to include those features.
Windows 11
Bottom line: Microsoft is dorsum with a new version of Windows, featuring an updated pattern, new features, and a renewed involvement in modernizing the desktop UX, at the cost of some classic Windows functionality.
Compatibility: By and large, whatsoever PC released from 2018 onwards should be fully uniform with Windows 11.
Highlights:
- Brand new design and interface
- Simplified Start carte and Taskbar
- Improved Microsoft Store
- Great productivity enhancements
Windows 11: Availability
Source: Microsoft
Windows 11 is now generally available every bit an update for eligible Windows 10 PCs. Microsoft is taking a measured and phased approach to the rollout, however, meaning not everybody will be offered the update immediately. When your PC is ready, a large popup volition appear in Windows Update that will allow you lot to initiate the download and install process, and Windows will do the residual.
Your PC must meet the following requirements to exist eligible for the Windows eleven upgrade:
- A uniform CPU
- At least 4GB of RAM
- At least 64GB of storage
- UEFI, Secure Boot, & TPM 2.0 enabled
Windows 11 is also available on new PCs starting October 5, including on the new Surface Laptop Studio, Surface Pro 8, and Surface Go 3. More than devices from other PC makers are expected to begin shipping from October 5 onwards too, all with Windows 11 preloaded.
Exist sure to bank check out our list of all-time Windows 11 PCs if you're interested in seeing what new PCs are ready for Windows 11.
Windows 11: What's new
Windows 11 focuses on three key areas: a fresh and mod UX designed to make using Windows simpler, new features and tweaks congenital around making yous more productive, and a renewed focus on the Microsoft Store.
Most of the superlative-level user interfaces have been updated with a fresh wait with new animations, iconography, and sounds. Everything from the Start carte and Taskbar correct down to the context menus and in-box apps accept been updated to look more than consistent with the rest of the new Windows 11 design.
One of Microsoft's goals with Windows 11 has been to declutter and simplify the user feel (UX) where possible. Microsoft is trying to make the Windows UX easier to use for casual PC users who may exist more familiar with mod OS experiences such every bit iOS and Android, but this comes at the cost of simplifying some mutual features or behaviors that some old-schoolhouse Windows dice-hards may struggle to adapt to.
The good news is, for those who adopt simplicity over complication, Windows 11 is going to be a bully release for you. It'south an absolute joy to utilize, with a fluid UX that is almost perfect. Windows xi is a breath of fresh air for those who bask the spectacle of software design, and a bully release for those who value productivity enhancements and "getting to piece of work" over everything else.
Windows 11: First things to practice
Source: Windows Central
Windows 11 has a brand new out-of-box experience, which walks you through setup. Gone is the erstwhile Cortana-driven installer, and in its place is a clean and simplistic pattern that takes you through setting upwardly Windows 11 with ease. That said, Microsoft has made some policy changes here that you demand to know most.
For the first fourth dimension, Microsoft is making it mandatory for PCs with Windows eleven Abode to be signed in with a Microsoft Account and connected to Wi-Fi during the out-of-box feel. I don't find this to exist much of a big deal, as I actually like the integration and benefits you get with signing into a Microsoft Account. Notwithstanding, I know there are many people out there who refuse to employ 1, and this is going to be a problem for those people.
One time you're upwardly and running on Windows 11, the first affair yous demand to do is head to the Microsoft Store app and check for updates to ensure that you have the latest versions of all the pre-installed Windows 11 apps. Once that'due south done, you should likewise head to Windows Update in the new Settings app and check for updates there to ensure you take the latest drivers designed for Windows 11.
The Review
Windows 11: Commencement card
Windows 11 introduces new interfaces in almost every area of the desktop experience, and that includes the Kickoff card. Start has been a staple part of the Windows user experience for decades, so information technology's always a big deal when information technology changes significantly, as it has on Windows 11. Now, this isn't a "Windows eight-level" change, but it's all the same going to take some getting used to.
The new First menu has taken the simplistic approach to doing an app launcher. No longer is the Offset menu home to a completely customizable layout of app tiles; it's now a grid of icons that you lot can pin, unpin, and reorganize, and that'due south pretty much it. Alive tiles are gone, with apps at present displaying a static app icon and its name beneath it. This is basically exactly how other modern OSes practise things these days, so information technology's no surprise to see Windows joining the fray.
The Start menu offers three rows of 6 icons that y'all can take pinned, with the power to scroll through "pages" if you lot have more apps that you need to pivot. There's also a full apps listing that shows yous all your installed apps that tin can be accessed via the "all apps" button located just above your pinned apps.
Along the top of the Start menu is a search bar, which really only acts as a shortcut to the dedicated Search part you can admission via the search icon on your Taskbar. Search and Start are nonetheless separate upward on Windows 11, which is fine, but not my favorite fashion of doing things. At that place'south a very clear disjointed experience when opening Start and beginning to type, as at that place's no animation involved when switching between the two interfaces.
Source: Windows Cardinal
Below your pinned apps is a new "Recommended" area that acts every bit a recents bill of fare for things like documents and installed apps. Whenever you install a new app or open up an Office certificate, it will announced straight in this Recommended area for quick access. It'southward very handy, but I've found it becomes cluttered very speedily as it has no filter controls at all. That means any documents, whether they be photos, Discussion documents, Excel spreadsheets, or fifty-fifty random files in some cases, can evidence up there.
I'd love to see filter options go available in the futurity. For example, I'd love to exist able to set how long certain file types actually testify up in the Recommended area equally a recent file, or filter out certain file types birthday. I rarely, if ever, use Excel, then if I'm opening an Excel spreadsheet, I already know I'yard probably non going to need to access it again. Existence able to hide Excel file types from the Recommended feed, in this case, would exist expert, besides.
Additionally, yous can't disable the Recommended area if it's something yous know you're not going to use. Even if you articulate it and plow the feature "off," a large empty space that cannot be collapsed or hidden will remain. This makes the whole UX await a petty silly, every bit you can't employ that actress infinite to bear witness more pinned apps if that's something yous'd desire to do.
Windows 11: Taskbar and Action Center
Source: Windows Central
A big area of change on Windows 11 is with the new Taskbar, which has essentially been rebuilt from the ground upwards with simplicity at its core. You'll immediately notice that Microsoft has changed the layout of the Taskbar and so system buttons and pinned or running apps are centered. This is a large change to the Taskbar, which has e'er been left-aligned.
I would've thought this change would take a long time to become used to, but I adjusted to it virtually instantly. In fact, I really like the new Taskbar layout, and afterwards merely a few hours of using Windows 11, came to prefer my icons existence centered. They feel more immediately accessible, and I no longer have to turn my head all the way into the corner on my massive ultrawide monitor. Things but wait cleaner, which is a big deal for me personally.
All of the organisation icons (those being Start, Task View, Search, Teams Chat, and Widgets) accept cute little animations that play when you click on them. And your pinned or running apps too have subtle pulse animations that play when yous click on them. These small animations get a really long way to making Windows xi feel like a fluid experience, which is leaps and bounds over the user experience on Windows x.
As of February 2022, Microsoft has updated the entry-point for the Widgets feature. Once setup, the Widgets button will shift over to the far left of the Taskbar where the old Start push used to be, and will nowadays up to engagement weather information direct on the Taskbar. This is a really nice feature, even if y'all don't use the Widgets panel much. Being able to see the weather condition as glancable info straight on the Taskbar is a prissy addition.
There's likewise a couple of new behaviors for Microsoft Teams users. When in a telephone call, you tin can now nowadays an app window direct when hovering over an open app icon on the Taskbar, and yous tin also mute and unmute your microphone directly from the Taskbar. Microsoft says these features are bachelor to other communication apps, as long as developers update their apps to support these boosted Taskbar features.
Source: Windows Primal
Microsoft has done everything it can to simplify the Taskbar UX to the bespeak in which information technology might exist somewhat problematic for long-time Windows users. For example, you can no longer configure the Taskbar to appear on the left, right, or top of your display. There are also no additional Taskbar options in the right-click menu, with everything now moving into the new Settings app.
Microsoft has also removed common functions that fifty-fifty I've struggled with in my daily workflow. On every version of Windows prior, you lot've been able to drag a file into an app icon on the taskbar to drop information technology into that app, but that feature is gone on Windows eleven. Without it, multitasking becomes a little trickier. The Taskbar is besides worse if you utilise multiple monitors, too, equally things like the date and time no longer show up on your other displays, merely the main one.
While I really like the new blueprint of the Taskbar, the functionality of it has certainly taken a step back on Windows eleven. If you're the kind of person who never really touched the Taskbar outside of clicking it to launch apps, yous won't have whatsoever problems here. Still, if you're used to utilizing some of the Taskbar'southward more advanced features on Windows 10, such as toolbars, multitasking shortcuts, and more, most of those are gone now on Windows 11.
Source: Windows Central
Elsewhere, the Arrangement Tray has been re-done on Windows 11 in an attempt to simplify it every bit much as possible. Microsoft has split up upwards the Action Middle into ii divide flyouts: one for notifications and the other for quick settings. Clicking on the engagement and time push will open up your calendar view and notifications, and clicking on either Wi-Fi, Book, or Bombardment will open the new Quick Settings console.
I actually similar this new Quick Settings panel, equally you can now configure things like Wi-Fi without being sent into the Settings app start. Some of the toggles accept additional menus that let you configure them directly within the Quick Settings panel, which keeps you lot in your catamenia and doesn't get in the way of your currently open app. That said, not all of the toggles can be configured directly from the Quick Settings console, such as Bluetooth, which nonetheless takes you lot to the principal Settings app.
I exercise like how this implementation reduces the amount of flyouts that come straight from the Taskbar. Having all these options in one panel makes the UX feel much less cluttered and convoluted, which is the whole point of Windows 11.
Source: Windows Central
A new feature that Microsoft is trying to push on Windows 11 is "Widgets," which exists as a hidden panel that flies out above your desktop from the left side of the screen. In that location's a defended button for it on the Taskbar, or yous can access it by swiping in from the left border of your brandish. The panel consists of a widgets expanse at the acme that has a scattering of customizable widgets to choose from, and your Microsoft Starting time news feed below it.
Equally of February 2022, Microsoft has updated this feature with a new entry indicate on the Taskbar. As mentioned above, Information technology's now accessible via a "weather condition" push button placed in the far left of the Taskbar where the Start button used to be. This button will present you with the current conditions condition, and clicking it will open up the full Widgets panel for access to all of the Widgets that are bachelor to you.
I've not found this Widgets panel itself to be all that useful in my 24-hour interval-to-twenty-four hours workflow. The idea is that the Widget panel is always available to you for at a glance info, but I often forget it even exists, partly because I have no use for nearly of the widgets, and because the panel itself oftentimes has to kickoff reload later not beingness opened for a few hours. Here'southward a full list of the available widgets in this first release of Windows eleven:
- Atmospheric condition
- Photos
- To Practice
- Agenda
- Sports
- Family Rubber
- Watchlist (Stocks)
- Tips
Of all the widgets present, the Weather widget is the one I've institute almost useful. The Photos widget is dainty, but information technology's not something that makes me want to open up the widgets panel to begin with. I'm also non a huge fan of how the widgets console volition force y'all into Microsoft Edge at any given opportunity.
Clicking on a widget or news article doesn't open that content inside the widget panel. Information technology instead closes the widget panel and opens Microsoft Border. This makes the UX feel really disjointed and jarring, equally it throws you out of one UI and into another just to bring you lot an extended conditions view. What's worse is that you can't even configure the widgets console to open in a browser of your option; information technology's Edge and that's it. This is a really lame choice on Microsoft's function.
Overall, I am non a fan of Widgets on Windows 11. This is one of those things I retrieve you'll check out for five minutes, and and then never use once again. The introduction of the weather button in the far left of the Taskbar is a prissy addition, only it's not going to make me utilize the Widgets panel itself any more. Weather on the Taskbar is the most I need, and I'll never need to click on it unless the Widgets feature as a whole improves.
Windows eleven: Snap Assist and Job View
Source: Windows Key
One area that Microsoft has focused a lot of try on is the multitasking and productivity aspect of Windows 11, which has seen lots of great improvements that almost make upgrading to Windows 11 worth it on their ain. We'll begin with improvements to Snap Assist, which builds upon the classic Aero Snap feature first introduced with Windows 7.
In improver to being able to elevate an app to the left or correct of your brandish to snap it side-by-side, you lot tin at present hover over the maximize button with your cursor to see a drop downwards of all the different snap layouts available to you lot. This makes information technology super easy to snap two or more apps without needing to move your mouse to the very edge of your display, which is great if you're using a big display such equally an ultrawide.
Source: Windows Central
Speaking of big displays, Microsoft has also added new snap layouts that accept reward of bigger screens. At that place are now new snapping grids for iii apps in a row, which makes much ameliorate apply of that extra screen real estate. All of the fluid animations present hither make using Snap Aid on Windows 11 a complete joy to use. This entire UX feels excellent, and I think it's one of Windows 11's highlight features.
For tablet users, Snap Aid will now intelligently snap apps to a higher place and below when using a device in portrait style, a behavior that was missing in prior versions of Windows. Microsoft has also updated the switching orientation animation so that information technology'southward much more than fluid, and likewise remembers where your apps were positioned when switching between landscape and portrait way.
Source: Windows Key
There are as well made several primal changes and improvements to the Task View UI, which is where many go to see an overview of all their running apps. On Windows 11, Microsoft has removed the old Timeline characteristic, instead prioritizing your open apps and Virtual Desktops, which now appear along the bottom of your display. Virtual Desktops are much more than customizable now, with abilities such as renaming and even setting custom wallpapers for each desktop.
You lot tin besides reorganize your desktops by clicking and dragging, and they'll even persist across reboots significant you can actually set up your PC and then that y'all have a dissimilar virtual desktop for each of your workflows. For example, I take one for working and one for gaming. I all the same think at that place'southward room for improvement here, even so. I'd like to be able to customize pinned apps on the Taskbar and in Get-go separately across virtual desktops. Right at present, that's not possible.
Windows 11: Teams Chat
Source: Windows Central
Windows xi has a new conversation role that ties itself directly with the consumer-facing version of Microsoft Teams. Yes, Microsoft has a version of Teams that information technology intends for you to use with your friends and family exterior of work. This chat service is still in its infancy, which explains why Microsoft is building it into Windows 11 in an endeavour to kickstart the network and get people chatting.
Unfortunately, its integration with Windows 11 feels a little rough effectually the edges. The flyout on the Taskbar feels native enough, only conversation windows pop out into their own window in the corner of your brandish, not where the chat flyout is. This also places a secondary Teams app icon on your Taskbar, so now I take 2 Teams icons for the same service. The bodily chat button the Taskbar is clearly only a launcher for chats within the actual Microsoft Teams app, which is not my favorite implementation.
Source: Windows Key
If it were upwardly to me, I'd have those chats open up up within the Teams Conversation flyout on the Taskbar so that I don't accept to mouse around my unabridged display to detect the chat window that only opened upward. The proficient news is that this new Microsoft Teams client is much lighter than the Microsoft Teams customer you lot apply for work. The bad news is that this only works with Microsoft Teams for consumer, meaning you cannot use it for your Teams piece of work chat.
The chatting and audio call functionality is simple enough. It works equally expected, and is cross-platform compatible with Windows, iOS, Android, and Mac, bold you have the Teams app installed and logged in with a consumer business relationship. That said, this Teams Chat integration as a whole feels like a waste of time; why isn't this just Skype?
Skype simply appear that it'south getting a whole agglomeration of new features and is fully cementing itself as Microsoft's flagship consumer chat and video calling service. So, why is Microsoft Teams for consumers fifty-fifty a affair? I would much adopt if this Conversation integration on Windows 11 was for Skype instead. Hopefully they give us the option down the line to change it.
As an aside, I as well did not capeesh how Windows automatically set Teams to auto-start in the background without request me commencement. Merely clicking on the Teams Conversation icon volition boot up the full client and then identify it into your automobile-start list. No thanks.
Windows xi: Touch on and Pen
Source: Windows Central
Microsoft has made several key improvements, and one notable regression, to the touch-first experience on Windows 11. Overall, I'd say Windows eleven is a much ameliorate experience when used on tablets and with a pen, just it comes at the cost of a defended "tablet manner" that automatically opens apps total screen like yous'd expect on an xi-inch tablet.
Windows ten's tablet mode is gone, and in its place are a number of improvements to the desktop UX designed to brand using Windows with touch a more pleasant feel. I still wouldn't recommend a Windows tablet, but Windows on a two-in-i is in a much better position today. For instance, Microsoft has added new gestures that can exist initiated with either three or four finger swipes.
- 3 or four finger swipe down to minimize an app
- Three or four finger swipe left or right to switch apps
- Three or 4 finger swipe up to admission Task View
- Four finger tap, hold, and swipe left or right to switch virtual desktops
There are as well improvements to window management, with new subtle animations in place that make information technology easier to determine when you lot've successfully grabbed an app window with your finger to manipulate information technology. Microsoft has also increased the size of hitboxes around app windows and then that they are easier to resize with affect as well. Windows will besides automatically increase the spacing of touch targets on the Taskbar and place a button for the touch keyboard in the Organization Tray likewise.
Source: Windows Cardinal
On that subject, a new touch keyboard experience is present on Windows 11, and I think it's the star of the bear witness for tablet users. It's a fantastic bear upon keyboard, complete with satisfying sounds, subtle animations, and accurate spelling correction thanks to SwiftKey being what powers it behind the scenes.
At that place's a number of different sizes for information technology, including split view, a one-handed mode, a simplified full width layout, and a more advanced total width layout for devices with larger display sizes. You tin can also swipe type, and in that location's a new emoji panel along the top that you can access for quick inbound of your favorite emojis, gifs, and other media content.
Source: Windows Central
For pen users, there'due south much to relish as well. Microsoft has finally updated the Windows Ink Workspace, at present called the "Pen carte du jour" that gives y'all quick access to pinned apps that are designed with inking in listen. What's great is that it's finally customizable, so yous can put whatsoever app of your choice in there. I've got OneNote, Paint, and Adobe Photoshop in mine. It's attainable via a button shortcut on a physical pen, or via the System Tray as a shortcut for information technology pops up when you lot begin interacting with your device with a pen.
You can now ink directly into text boxes, another neat feature if you primarily use your device with a pen. No longer practise y'all have to switch between inking and tapping on the screen to insert some text into a search field, as Windows will now automatically pop up a handwriting panel for you to use when tapping on that text field with a pen.
Much of these improvements are actually nice and put the Windows touch UX more in line with other modern touch-first OSes, but it's nonetheless non perfect. Non existence able to have apps automatically open full screen is killer for a tablet UX, especially on smaller displays similar the Surface Become. It's abrasive having to manually full screen every app yous open for the showtime time.
Windows 11: Microsoft Store
Source: Windows Central
I recall it'south very fair to say that the Microsoft Store on Windows x has been a disappointment at best, given that information technology's missing many apps that people really use on their PCs. That was because Microsoft had strict rules effectually the kind of apps that could be submitted to the Shop past developers, which essentially ruled out many of the most popular apps on the Windows platform.
With Windows 11, that all changes. Microsoft is opening the floodgates and allowing developers to submit most Windows apps to the storefront now. Microsoft wants the Microsoft Store to be a identify to discover the best Windows apps, no matter the type. That includes apps like Visual Studio 2019, Adobe Creative Cloud, and much more.
Source: Windows Central
Substantially, Microsoft has fabricated it so that if an app you use isn't in the Microsoft Store, information technology's because the developer is just too lazy to submit it for listing. They no longer have to do any piece of work on the development side to make their app "shop-compliant," equally pretty much all Windows apps can now exist listed.
It's nonetheless early on days for the new Shop, so not all the apps you'd await to meet are in there. But Microsoft is confident that many more app developers will be in the Store very before long, and that's a keen matter. Existence able to find all of your apps from i place is user-friendly, and beingness able to notice new apps you lot'd have never throught about using is even better.
Windows xi: Android Apps
As of February 2022, Microsoft has started rolling out Android app back up on Windows 11, admitting in "preview" and in the United States but. Android apps on Windows 11 are an interesting idea, more so thanks to how Microsoft has decided to go nigh providing Android apps to users. Instead of assuasive app developers to submit Android apps to the Microsoft Store, Microsoft has partnered with Amazon to deliver the "Amazon Appstore" on Windows xi instead.
That, frankly, kind of sucks. The Amazon Appstore is probably the worst Android app store out there as it has no apps, withal it's now the default storefront for Android apps on Windows 11. The Microsoft Store will display Android apps, just attempting to install them will first require the Amazon Appstore to be downloaded and installed. It's a real shame, and creates a disjointed user feel.
In my time using Android apps on Windows 11, I've come up across one or two apps that people might really want to apply. Kindle is the standout, equally it's the but practiced Kindle reading feel at present, merely everything else is either a rubbish mobile game or something that yous tin already practise on Windows without requiring an Android app.
All of the Android apps I would desire to use, including things like controlling my smart lights and appliances, checking my bank statements, unlocking my motorcar, all aren't available on the Amazon Appstore. Now, it's worth noting that you tin can sideload Android apps, which will bypass the Amazon Appstore and let yous install basically whatsoever Android app you like, but this isn't a little task and I don't expect virtually consumers to practise this.
Regardless of the app state of affairs, the bodily emulation of Android apps works surprisingly well. I've tested a few games and apps, and all run equally if they were performing natively on my device without having to run Android in the groundwork. There's a short load time of about 5-10 seconds when loading up your first Android app, but once that'southward washed, launching subsequent Android apps volition launch basically instantly.
That said, the ability to run Android apps does crave a just of power under the hood. Non every PC volition exist able to run these apps, as the overhead required is significant. Microsoft recommends 8GB RAM at to the lowest degree, but says you lot'll take a better experience with 16GB RAM, which I agree with. The Android subsystem is heavy, frequently eating up 2GB+ of RAM, more if you lot take multiple Android apps running at a time.
Overall, I don't think I'm the target demographic for Android apps on Windows 11. It's great that it'due south hither as an selection, and information technology works surprisingly well for what it is, but I really wish Microsoft had just gone on its own and immune developers to submit their Android apps direct to the Microsoft Store, instead of relying on the Amazon Appstore to handle information technology for them.
Windows eleven: File Explorer
Source: Windows Central
The Windows File Explorer hasn't had a major UI update since the launch of Windows 8, so it's refreshing to see that Microsoft finally decided to update it for Windows xi. Microsoft has given the File Explorer a modern and simplistic navigation header while maintaining all the legacy File Explorer features you'd expect to find on Windows.
Instead of a bunch of convoluted buttons, the top of the UI now features clean and spaced-out selection of File Explorer's nearly mutual tasks. This includes things similar creating a new file or folder, also as buttons for copying, pasting, renaming, sharing, and deleting files.
It's fair to say that Microsoft took the whole "making Windows simpler" to eye when information technology comes to the File Explorer. That said, all the legacy File Explorer functions are withal there if yous demand them. Microsoft hasn't removed any functionality in that regard. Information technology's simply cleaned up the height-level UI so that information technology's easier to apply for average users.
Source: Windows Cardinal
At that place'south fifty-fifty a new, simplified context menu blueprint which buries all the older legacy context menu options into a secondary menu for those who may still need access to it. This can actually become quite annoying if you're using apps that put their options into that secondary menu, such as 7-Zip.
Developers can update their apps to put their options into the new modern context menu, but I've non come beyond any third-party app that has updated to practice this even so. Hopefully we'll come across that show upward over time. For now, it's a pocket-size inconvenience having to click through to a secondary menu.
The new context menus looks neat, but it can take some getting used to. Microsoft has opted to use both X and Y axes for dissimilar options. The about common tasks such as re-create, paste, cut, and delete, are represented equally icons that period horizontally along the top of the menu. Then, all the other options are presented every bit a vertical list. This is really confusing at kickoff, and is the i thing that I've really struggled to get used to.
I also wanted to briefly mention that Windows 11 does zippo to really fix the unfinished night mode theme that Windows has had for a number of years, and it'southward most notable inside the File Explorer. Matter like the copy, run, and file property windows are still glaringly white, which really stand out and make the whole UX feel incomplete when dark style is enabled. If you use lite mode, this is a non-consequence, and everything feels much more coherent.
Windows 11: Apps
Source: Windows Key
Many of the in-box apps on Windows 11 take been updated with new designs, and in some cases, new features too. Apps like Photos and Microsoft Paint have been updated with designs that keep them aligned with the rest of the new Windows 11 design, with additions such as rounded corners effectually buttons and blur furnishings in context menus and headers.
There's also the new Notepad, which has as well been updated with a make new modernistic design that matches the rest of Windows 11. I really similar the new Notepad. It'due south clean and modern, and similar Microsoft Paint, is functionally exactly the same as the old version. The introduction of dark mode in Notepad is going to delight many developers and dark theme users out there too.
Source: Windows Central
The Alarms & Clock app has been updated with a new "focus sessions" characteristic which integrates with Microsoft To Practice and Spotify to provide a one-terminate store for setting up a workflow and completing tasks. You can set up a timer of 30 minutes, select a playlist, and sync with Microsoft To do and tick off all of your tasks as you go. Information technology's a swell idea, though it's non something I've personally found employ for.
Microsoft Border is also getting an update that supports the new Windows 11 design, though this will arrive in an update shortly subsequently launch. The new design buts the same blur issue in the header, as well as modernizes the context menus with the same blueprint linguistic communication plant in File Explorer.
Finally, the Groove Music app has been updated with a new name and new features. It's now called Media Player, and is doing double duty as a music and video player at present. It'll play local video and audio files, just like the classic Windows Media Player app used to do. Previously, "Groove Music" was just for audio files, with local video files being delagated to the Movies & Tv app. The Movies & Television app withal exists, merely that's now but for streamed DRM content from the MIcrosoft Shop.
Source: Windows Central
Microsoft Office is getting updated with a new pattern also, again to better align itself with Windows 11, though to a much lesser extent than other apps. Office yet has its own singled-out blueprint language, just information technology's prissy to see the new Office app adhering to Windows xi's rounded corners.
It's actually squeamish to see all of Microsoft'southward product teams coming together to ship updates that align their apps with the new Windows eleven wait and feel. This is one problem Windows 10 had, where unlike teams at Microsoft would only do their own thing, regardless of whether it fit in on Windows. That appears to no longer be the case with Windows xi.
More of Microsoft'south in-box apps are expected to exist updated with new designs and features over time, and will ship on Windows 11 as updates through the Microsoft Shop when ready.
Windows xi: Settings
Source: Windows Central
There are a whole bunch of new settings and options to rummage through on Windows xi, and information technology starts with a make new Settings app itself. Gone is the quondam, somewhat confusing Settings app from Windows 10, and in its place is a much prettier and meliorate organized Settings app that does a greater chore at categorizing the almost mutual settings that people actually go into the Settings app for.
Highlighting some of the new settings, Microsoft has finally added detailed battery statistics into the Settings app for you pause down. You lot get an insightful graph that displays power usage over 24 hours or 7 days, and can see which apps are using the most power at any given fourth dimension of the twenty-four hours. Information technology's a not bad little feature that Windows has been missing for many years.
Source: Windows Primal
The Personalization category now places your themes are the very top for easy switching betwixt, and meridian-level user interfaces are at present accessible via their own areas, such as Taskbar, Beginning carte, and Lock screen.
The Bluetooth and devices area has likewise been redone, now showing connected devices at the very top of the page, with like shooting fish in a barrel access to device info, settings, pairing a new device, and much more. Yous've also got your admission to things like Touchpad controls, Pen settings, and fifty-fifty Your Phone gear up.
Source: Windows Cardinal
Interestingly, Microsoft has likewise added a feature that allows you to fully customize the gestures y'all can perform on the your Touchpad, which I've absolutely loved. Yous can gear up your Trackpad to do things like a three finger swipe upwards to maximize an app window, or a four finger swipe to the left to snap an app in snap help. Information technology'south actually cool, and all the different options gives information technology the flexibility to fit almost anyone'south workflow.
The new Settings app isn't all great, withal. Microsoft has made it unnecessarily hard to ready your own browser defaults, with it now requiring you to manually prepare each spider web-related file type with the browser of your choice. It's no longer able to be done with 1 click, unless you're trying to switch it to Border of form, which feels really anti-competitive.
Microsoft tries to disguise this change equally beingness "consumer friendly" as technically information technology gives the user unlimited options in how your browser of choice responds to defaults, only that's a really weak excuse. The old mode of setting browser defaults was more user-friendly for nearly everybody.
Windows eleven: Miscellaneous
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
There's a few things new to Windows 11 that I've not been able to swoop into for this review, though I did want to requite them a mention. First upward, Windows 11 brings improvements to Windows on ARM-powered PCs, including the ability to finally run 64-bit Intel apps. This opens the floodgates to about apps now being usable on Windows on ARM, though operation will depend on what ARM chip you're using.
Microsoft has besides introduced ARM64EC, a new application binary interface that increases the functioning of apps to native speed while being interoperable with x64 apps. Substantially, this allows developers to compile bits of their app for ARM, increasing performance while still emulating the residual of it. This is adept for developers who can't completely recompile their app for ARM natively.
Another new feature on Windows eleven is support for graphical interfaces powered by the Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2) which will be a great tool for developers who move between Windows and Linux apps on a regular basis.
There's also lots of security and performance improvements, and there's even new features for gamers including back up for DirectStorage, DirectX12 Ultimate, and more than.
Windows 11: Should you wait?
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
Windows 11 is what you'd call a "version 1.0" product, which ways it'south simply getting started, and while in that location'due south lots of great things hither, at that place's also a lot missing (especially around the Taskbar) that long-fourth dimension Windows users may struggle with. Microsoft has accomplished its goal of trying to simplify the summit-level Windows UX, but at the price of functionality which many consider essential to their workflows.
If you've read this review and not considered whatsoever of the issues mentioned to be a deal-breaker, I remember Windows xi is going to be great for you lot. It's non tiresome, unstable, or buggy in my usage. It feels fix for production use, and I've enjoyed every infinitesimal of using this OS. I'thousand never going dorsum to Windows x.
Yet, if you lot normally have your Taskbar at the height of your display, or don't like the sound of having to click a few extra times to admission a part that was previously available in a single click, then Windows 11 is non going to exist for you at this moment. Windows 11 prioritizes simplicity, sometimes at the price of burying functionality behind menus or inside the Settings app.
Windows 11: The bottom line
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
I really like Windows xi. It's a breath of fresh air for Windows that attempts to throw out much of the old UX in favor of a more modern, fluid, and simplistic interface. I think it does a proficient job at achieving this goal, though it's not perfect. Power users and long-time Windows users will demand to relearn some habits and get used to missing functionality in some areas.
I'm sure Microsoft volition add back some of the missing features and behaviors in future releases, only I don't call up information technology'll add back everything. I have a feeling that the vision for Windows 11 going frontward is simplicity and ease of use, catering more to the average user who is more familiar with how things are done on their phone, and less to the die-hard Windows power users who want everything to be attainable in a single-click.
If you are okay with that, Windows eleven is peachy. If you aren't, then hanging onto Windows 10 for another year is going to be your all-time bet. Windows 10 is supported until 2025, then there's no immediate rush to upgrade. In a yr, or even two years, Windows xi will be in a much more "consummate" state, and that'due south when it might be worth giving another try.
Windows 11 has the potential to exist the best version of Windows nonetheless, but some of the choices Microsoft has made around Teams Chat, Widgets, setting browser defaults, the incomplete dark mode, and functionality of the taskbar really concord it back from being that. Hopefully the side by side release of Windows eleven fixes these issues.
Windows 11
Bottom line: After half-dozen long years, Microsoft is dorsum with a new version of Windows, featuring an updated design, new features, and a renewed involvement in modernizing the desktop UX, at the cost of some classic Windows functionality.
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What Is The Most Current Version Of Windows,
Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-11
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