The wait is over. New Windows 11 is officially launched, and if you already have Windows 10, then it can be downloaded for free.
At least soon. With 1.3 billion installations worldwide, Microsoft has made a wise choice by allowing the rollout to take place gradually. New devices will be offered the upgrade first, but Microsoft expects all Windows 10 PCs capable of running Windows 10 to be offered by mid-2022.
When your number in the queue is drawn, you will be notified in Windows. But you can check for yourself by opening Startmenu and select Settings, Update and security.
And there is a newly refurbished and polished Windows user interface, which you will see when the download becomes available. It is fully reflected from the new start button and process bar to sounds, fonts and icons.
The start button has been placed in the middle, and the process line has been moved to the same place (relax, it can be easily moved to the left). And you can see the last used files across which platform and device they have been opened on. Be it Windows, Android or iOS.
Focus on collaboration
There is a focus on collaboration in the new Windows. This is done using so-called Snap Layouts, Snap Groups and Desktops, which will provide an overview of parallel projects. Microsoft Teams are also directly integrated into the taskbar. Which hopefully will also mean that Teams might be a little easier to set up.
Widgets
But not everything has to be efficient. The new widgets system presents the user with a stream of relevant and less relevant information, without having to pick up the phone for it. Widgets are like a “glass plate” that can be placed on the Desktop so that it does not interfere with work. Even if it does anyway.
Microsoft promises that Windows 11 will make better use of computer hardware in games. Both in the form of faster graphics with DirectX 12 Ultimate, DirectStorage – which will improve loading times – as well as better color reproduction with automatic HDR.
New app store
Microsoft’s own app store has been taken apart and rebuilt from the ground up. And a new design and better performance are promised. This is welcome as the software store has so far been the slowest and most dysfunctional in the software industry. Furthermore, you will be able to find apps such as Microsfot Teams, Visual Studio, Disney +, Adobe Creative Cloud, Zoom and Canva in the Microsoft Store. Instead of downloading them from the manufacturers’ own websites.
Safety
Windows 11 has so-called Zero Trust technology that will “protect from the chip to the cloud across all devices.” The new set of hardware security requirements, which comes with Windows 11, will ensure a foundation that is more resistant to attack. Windows 11 is also designed to protect students – whether at home or at school – by blocking dangerous and inappropriate content.
Comes to you for free
To see if your Windows 10 machine is entitled to a free upgrade to Windows 11, you can download the program PC Health Check.
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