Windows 11 is here!
What Windows 10 users need to know about Windows 11
All eyes are on the new Windows 11 upgrade, which was released today. Find out in this article what new features and requirements come with it and how much longer Windows 10 will be around.
Table of contents:
Who is Windows 11 available for?
Contrary to all previous announcements, there will now be a successor to Windows 10 after all. The new operating system has been available since 5 October 2021. Initially, however, it is only available pre-installed on new PCs. A free upgrade from “old” Windows 10 devices is expected for compatible devices at the end of 2021/beginning of 2022. However, you can already download an installation assistant from the official Microsoft website.
What visual and technical innovations are there?
The visual appearance is modern in design and significantly reduced. It almost reminds us of competing products. Where the Start menu used to be left-aligned, it is now floating and centred on the screen by default. As monitors are generally getting wider and wider, this is certainly a good decision that Microsoft has made here. Anyone who does not want this, however, can still arrange the Start menu left-aligned.
The angular edges of the menu display have given way to soft rounded corners. This can be seen in the widgets, which display, for example, the weather or traffic reports. The widgets have also changed their position in the taskbar and are now fixed next to the search icon.
In its latest operating system, Microsoft works with very reduced, dynamic icons in its Start menu. Under the “Pinned” section, not all programs are shown at once any more, but only the 18 most frequently used. If more than 18 programs are pinned, you have to scroll. For an overall view of all programs, simply click on “All apps”.
The “Recommended” section contains all recently opened files and the most recently added apps from the Microsoft Store.
The search bar is now fixed at the top of the Start menu, and the user account and the power button at the bottom.
The technical changes that we can currently glean from the beta version are not all that revolutionary. The innovations known so far are primarily visual in nature. Nevertheless, there are a few technical changes that are of interest to you as a user.
Where do I find tablet mode in Windows 11?
Tablet mode, which was still available in Windows 10, has been removed in Windows 11. According to Microsoft, however, the new Windows fully automatically recognises what kind of device it is and switches to a suitable mode accordingly.
Is there still a 32-bit version of Windows 11?
Please note in particular that there will no longer be a 32-bit version of Windows 11. For 32-bit Windows 10 installations, a fresh installation is therefore mandatory.
Do you need a Microsoft account to use Windows 11?
In addition to an internet connection, Microsoft requires a Microsoft account to use Windows 11 Home. We currently assume that such an account will only be required for certain functions in Windows 11 Pro. For normal use of Pro, no Microsoft account is (yet) required as things stand
Where do I find my Skype in Windows 11?
The meeting tool Microsoft Teams is now an integral part and already pre-installed. Other meeting tools such as Skype have to be downloaded separately as an app.
Where do I find Internet Explorer in Windows 11?
Anyone who is used to working with Internet Explorer will search for it in vain. Because with Windows 11 there will only be Microsoft Edge. However, anyone who relies on Internet Explorer (IE) can use Microsoft Edge for this, as it also includes an IE mode.
