Microsoft finally launched Windows 11 earlier this week, proving that the operating system update isn't what many feared — a Windows 10 paint job. Windows 11 comes with a new user interface that puts the start menu front and center, which is the kind of visual transformation that would qualify as a Windows 10 theme makeover. But Windows 11 also brings over various new features that users will be excited about.
If your existing Windows 10 PC is running Windows 10 20H1 or later and meets the minimum hardware specificationsit will be able to upgrade to Windows 11. The upgrade rollout plan is still being finalized, but for most devices already in use today, we expect it to be ready sometime in early 2022. Not all Windows 10 PCs that are eligible to upgrade will be offered to upgrade at the same time.
To see if your PC is eligible to upgrade, refer to our knowledge base for a list of tested systems. Once the upgrade rollout has started, you can check if it is ready for your device by going to Settings/Windows Updates. Similar to how end users are notified when updates are available in Windows 10, end users will see an indication in the notification areas of the taskbar in the bottom right, that the upgrade is available. More information on how that is presented will be available at a later date. Additional desktop notification options may be also be added at a later date. Warren noted that he rarely used the Widgets panel or Microsoft Teams, citing that he preferred the weather display that later versions of Windows 10 offered, and didn't use Teams to communicate with his friends and family.
He also acknowledged the expansion of Microsoft Store to include more "traditional" desktop applications. Overall, he concluded that "I wouldn't rush out to upgrade to Windows 11, but I also wouldn't avoid it. After all, Windows 11 still feels familiar and underneath all the UI changes, it's the same Windows we've had for decades." Cunningham concluded that "as I've dug into and learned its ins and outs for this review, I've warmed to it more", but argued that the OS was facing similar "public perception" issues to Windows Vista and Windows 8. Internet Explorer has been replaced by the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge as the default web browser, and Microsoft Teams is integrated into the Windows shell. Microsoft also announced plans to allow more flexibility in software that can be distributed via Microsoft Store, and to support Android apps on Windows 11 . A redesigned user interface is present frequently throughout the operating system, building upon Fluent Design System; translucency, shadows, a new color palette, and rounded geometry are prevalent throughout the UI.
A prevalent aspect of the design is an appearance known as "Mica", described as an "opaque, dynamic material that incorporates theme and desktop wallpaper to paint the background of long-lived windows such as apps and settings". An operating system or an OS is a collection of software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services for computer programs. The operating system is a vital component of the system software in a computer system.
Application programs usually require an operating system to function. Even for hardware functions like memory allocation, the operating system acts as a link between programs and the computer hardware. Operating systems did not exist in their modern, complex form before 1960s and now they can be found on almost any device that contains a computer from cellular phones and video game consoles to supercomputers and web servers. Examples of popular modern operating systems include Android, BSD, iOS, Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Windows Phone, and IBM z/OS. All these, except Windows and z/OS, share roots in UNIX. Flipkart houses a variety of operating systems in its collection that will suffice the needs of different users and meet the requirements of different systems.
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Owning an original version of an operating system has never been so easy, all thanks to India's biggest online megastore, Flipkart. Microsoft has yet released an official statement regarding the pricing of Windows, or whether it will be a free upgrade like the previous versions were free updates for license holders. However, as per an article by Android Authority, Windows 11 will most likely be a free upgrade for individuals using Windows 10 or Windows 8 with valid licenses. The Windows 11 free upgrade will be installed onto your computer/laptop just like any other Windows update, without any hassle or manual updation required. The article by Android Authority also states that all of your personal user data and settings will be preserved in the update and will be applied to the Windows 11 update.
Windows 11 download will be available once Microsoft released the update publicly. In October 2019, Microsoft announced "Windows 10X", a future edition of Windows 10 designed exclusively for dual-touchscreen devices such as the then-upcoming Surface Neo. Legacy Windows applications would also be required to run in "containers" to ensure performance and power optimization. Microsoft stated that it planned to release Windows 10X devices by the end of 2020. Anyone with one of the newer chips should have no trouble installing Windows 11 via Windows Update.
Microsoft made a downloadable ISO disk image file for the beta Insider version available for installing Windows 11, allowing in-place upgrades or clean installations on a PC or in a virtual machine. A similar installation option is now available for the release version of Windows 11 via the Microsoft's Download Windows 11 page. Some sources have reported that installing the OS with the ISO installer bypasses the system's hardware requirements, but that's not advisable as you may not get future OS updates if you install it on unsupported hardware. If the Microsoft Surface family of products isn't your style though, other brands like Dell, Asus and HP have all released pages online that specify what devices are Windows 11 ready.
Note that many won't come with the new operating system installed, but as they all meet the minimum system requirements, you can simply buy the laptop or 2-in-1 as normal and then update it yourself. Original equipment manufacturers can still ship computers without a TPM 2.0 coprocessor upon Microsoft's approval. Devices with unsupported processors are not blocked from installing or running Windows 11; however, a clean install or upgrade using ISO installation media must be performed as Windows Update will not offer an upgrade from Windows 10. Some third-party software may refuse to run on unsupported configurations of Windows 11.
Task View, a feature introduced in Windows 10, features a refreshed design, and supports giving separate wallpapers to each virtual desktop. When a display is disconnected in a multi-monitor configuration, the windows that were previously on that display will be minimized rather than automatically moved to the main display. If the same display is reconnected, the windows are restored to their prior location. Windows 11, unfortunately, ditches a couple of its best tablet- and touch-friendly features.
Most importantly, you can no longer swipe in from the left to open the task-switching view, a gesture I use all the time on my Surface Go tablet. This omission is less of a big deal because you can still hit the X in the window's upper right corner as you'd do in desktop mode. Again, though, for a handheld device, the down-swipe is more direct and requires less dexterity.
There are, however, new three-finger swipe gestures to show the Task View and to minimize and app on the desktop. And you can, of course, use the Task View button in the Taskbar, but that's not as immediate as a swipe of the thumb. I'd argue that switching tasks is more important to tablet users than accessing Widgets, the new result of that gesture, too.
At least 16GB of RAM The basic system requirements of Windows 11 differ significantly from Windows 10. Windows 11 only supports 64-bit systems such as those using an x86-64 or ARM64 processor; IA-32 processors are no longer supported. Thus, Windows 11 is the first ever consumer version of Windows not to support 32-bit processors and 16-bit software . The minimum RAM and storage requirements were also increased; Windows 11 now requires at least 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.
The compatibility list includes the Intel Core i7-7820HQ, a seventh-generation processor used by the Surface Studio 2, although only on devices that shipped with DCH-based drivers. Citing security considerations, the system requirements for Windows 11 were increased over Windows 10. While the OS can be installed on unsupported processors, Microsoft does not guarantee the availability of updates. Windows 11 also drops support for 32-bit x86 CPUs and devices which use BIOS firmware. Unveiled in June, Windows 11 is designed as Microsoft's most advanced operating system for PCs. The new version brings a fresh user interface that includes a centrally aligned Start menu and upgraded fonts as well as notification sounds.
It also integrates Microsoft Teams to let users connect with others over chat, voice, or video calls. Windows 11 also improves multitasking with Snap Layouts and Groups. It also supports multiple desktops and carries a range of accessibility features such as Narrator, Magnifier, Closed Captions, and Windows Speech Recognition. It's not imperative that you upgrade your system to Windows in the next couple of weeks, or even months. According to Microsoft's own lifecycle website, Windows 10 Home, Pro and Enterprise editions will continue to be supported by Microsoft until October 2025; your device will get essential security updates for another four years. For many people, that's about the time to upgrade to a newer device, one that will come with Windows 11 already installed.
Perhaps the most important thing to know about the release of Windows 11 is that we should expect it to change significantly over the next few years. I've been using beta versions of Windows 11 for a month in the lead-up to writing this review, and it seems like every few days there's a minor new feature or redesigned app to check out. We may not see that feature fully realized in Windows until next year. As we've mentioned, most of them revolve around features meant for business users. Some are designed to protect especially sensitive information, while others have to do with quickly setting up devices for users and managing them remotely.
For the average person walking into a store, you're probably going to be just fine with Windows 11 Home. The odds are if you need Windows 11 Pro, you already know you need it and why. If you haven't yet made the upgrade, there are plenty of reasons to hop onto the bandwagon. In this article, we'll discuss how to download and install Windows 11. Instead, if you already have a genuine version of Windows 10 installed on your device, we'll explain how to do a free upgrade to Windows 11.
You can use the PC Health Check app to determine if your device is eligible to upgrade to New Windows. Many PCs that are less than four years old will be able to upgrade to New Windows. They must be running the most current version of Windows 10 and meet the minimum hardware requirements. As part of the minimum system requirements, Windows 11 only runs on devices with a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 security coprocessor. According to Microsoft, the TPM 2.0 coprocessor is a "critical building block" for protection against firmware and hardware attacks.
In addition, Microsoft now requires devices with Windows 11 to include virtualization-based security , hypervisor-protected code integrity , and Secure Boot built-in and enabled by default. The operating system also features hardware-enforced stack protection for supported Intel and AMD processors for protection against zero-day exploits. The taskbar's buttons are center-aligned by default, and it is permanently pinned to the bottom edge of the screen; it cannot be moved to the top, left, or right edges of the screen as in previous versions of Windows.
The "Widgets" button on the taskbar displays a panel with Microsoft Start, a news aggregator with personalized stories and content (expanding upon the "news and interests" panel introduced in later builds of Windows 10). Microsoft Teams is similarly integrated with the taskbar, with a pop-up showing a list of recent conversations. In January 2021, it was reported that a job listing referring to a "sweeping visual rejuvenation of Windows" had been posted by Microsoft.
A visual refresh for Windows, developed under the codename "Sun Valley", was reportedly set to re-design the system's user interface. Minor complaints aside, we like to see Microsoft giving its marquee software some attention. For the last few years, the company has focused more on its Azure cloud computing services—justifiably given that business's profitability. Windows 11 brings slick new looks, useful new tools, updated default apps, extra capabilities, and performance advances. Perhaps that's enough to lure away some Chrome OS users or Mac users.
Regardless, it's still early days for the desktop OS that's used on 1.3 billion PCs, so we look forward to Microsoft fine-tuning and perfecting Windows 11's design in future updates. As with Windows 10, you can let the company know what you'd like to see added to the software, and you may be surprised at how often it listens. Anyone can sign up for preview builds of the OS through the Windows Insider Program. It lets you experience new features before they're available for general release. The next major update, 22H2 is expected to add Start menu options along with some redesigned included apps like Notepad and Photos.
HDR will also be supported on compatible machines, offering improved lighting and contrast for gaming and viewing media. Direct Storage is also here, with the main game assets able to be downloaded and installed, enabling you to play your games even faster than before. A small video for Windows 11 was released by Tom Warren on Twitter. The video displays the Windows 11 homepage and also dives into the appearance of different applications and software. Overall, the visual theme of Windows 11 has been changed to make it more sleek and optimised. The windows taskbar will now be at the centre bottom of the screen, as seen in the above video.
Tech enthusiasts have been waiting for a long time for the Windows 11 update. All the previous Windows versions were usually released with a gap of around 3 years, so the 6 years between Windows 10 and 11 was a long wait. However, Windows 10 was unlike previous Windows updates and Microsoft provided frequent large patches and updates to Windows 10 to keep it fresh and relevant.
As per an announcement by Microsoft, Windows 11 be officially launched on June 24, 2021, about a week from now. While June 24 has been declared as the official launch date, it is unclear when the update will be made available for Windows users for download. If you are buying a new PC, it will more than likely come with Windows 11 already installed. Microsoft has a range of its own devices that were built to run the new operating system, from the Surface Pro 8 and the Surface Go 3 to the updates to the new Surface Studio laptop. Other computer makers such as HP and Dell have also got Windows 11 devices ready to go.
They all cost money, however, and could be out of the price range of many potential Windows 11 users. Going by the latest information, the current minimum requirements for Windows 11 include a 64-bit processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, UEFI secure boot, and a TPM 2.0 module. If you are unsure about your system configuration, you can simply install Microsoft's PC Health Check app and find out whether it is compatible with windows 11. As for Windows 11 cost, it will be offered as a free upgrade for eligible Windows 10 users. But for OEM PCs or laptops, you still need to buy Windows 11 product key to activate the Windows 11 OS.
The Windows 11 license price can be expected as around the Windows 10 license price. To be eligible to upgrade to Windows 11 for free, you'll need to meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11. Microsoft has confirmed you'll need at least a 64-bit CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. Windows 11 will be delivered using the existing Windows Update app – as if it was a quarterly update to Windows 10. Windows 11 SE has the exact same minimum requirements as Windows 11.
You can refer to our knowledge base for a list of tested systems to determine if your device eligible to upgrade to Windows -11. Many PCs that are less than four years old will be able to upgrade to Windows 11. They must be running 20H1 or later version of Windows 10 and meet the minimum hardware requirements to receive the Windows 11 upgrade. Unfortunately, the free Windows 11 upgrade offer from Microsoft only applies to hardware that already had Windows 10 installed.