Windows 11: Release date, price, and everything you need to know
Microsoft has announced plans to soon release Windows 11. It turns out Windows 10 wasn’t the last version of Windows after all, but that’s okay, because Windows 11 will be free for all Windows 10 users, and includes a whole bunch of new features and improvements over the current version of Windows. This is everything you need to know.
Windows 11 release date
Microsoft says that it expects to begin shipping new Windows 11 PCs this fall. Windows 11 will also begin rolling out as a free upgrade for Windows 10 users around the same time, though not everyone will be offered the update straight away. The upgrade to Windows 11 will also be optional, meaning Windows 10 users can remain on Windows 10 until support is dropped in 2025.
You can now see if your PC meets the new minimum requirements for Windows 11. There are also some ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ requirements, including CPU types, leaving a lot of flexibility for which hardware can get Windows 11.
Starting the week of June 28, those enrolled on the Windows Insider Dev Channel can also begin testing Windows 11.
Windows 11 new features
Microsoft says the new UI will help you stay productive or in your creative flow, as the OS does its best to remain out of the way. The company is adding new productivity features that help keep you in your flow, such as new functionality like the new “Snap Navigator” menu that drops down from an app window’s maximize button. This lets you snap an app to a predetermined set of grid layouts without needing to drag your window to the edge of your display.
Source: Microsoft
Microsoft has built a new Start menu and Taskbar experience, now centered by default. Gone are live tiles, and in their place is a grid of app icons that can be rearranged. Pinned and running apps in the Taskbar are now also centered, and there are many new subtle animations when clicking and moving things around. The System Tray and Action Center has been tweaked to match this, with Notifications and Quick Actions now split into two separate menus.
Quick Actions are now known as Quick Settings and appear when you click on the System icons on the far right of the Taskbar. From here, you can connect to Wi-Fi or a Bluetooth device, enable night light, configure focus mode, and much more. Clicking on the date and time will open your calendar view and notifications.
Teams Chat built into Windows 11.Source: Microsoft
Overall, Windows 11 is a much more open system compared to Windows 10 and its predecessors.
Finally, Microsoft talked about how Windows 11 is built for gamers with new features like Auto HDR, Direct Storage, and DirectX 12 Ultimate.
Windows 11 has new improvements for touch
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
Microsoft has increased the size of hitboxes around app windows so that it’s easier to resize them when using touch. There’s also a bunch of new subtle animations involved when manipulating windows in an effort to make the touch experience feel more fluid and native to the OS.
Users can now use three or four finger gestures to swipe away apps and open Task View. Microsoft has also added a brand new Touch Keyboard with SwiftKey-like theming support, and new emoji panel integration with support for things like gifs. For pen users, the Pen Workspace has been updated with a new UI and the ability to pin any app to the Pen quick-launch bar.
You can also now configure what a single tap, double tap, and tap and hold does on your Surface Pen. You can make it open any app or function of your choice, built right into Windows 11.
Windows 11 has a new Microsoft Store
Source: Microsoft
Adobe’s Creative Suite will be available via the new Microsoft Store.Source: Microsoft
Microsoft says it’s adding its own apps, such as Teams, Office, and Visual Studio to the new Microsoft Store to show the world that it’s serious about this new Store effort, and that it hopes other app developers like Mozilla and Adobe follow suit.
Microsoft also announced that Android apps such as TikTok will be supported on Windows 11 and the new Microsoft Store!
Windows 11 is back to one major update a year
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
Going back to one major update a year will align Windows 11 with the rest of the competition, and give Microsoft more time to build out new features for each new release, making every new version more meaningful than before. Windows 11 is expected to ship this fall, which likely means we’ll be getting a new feature update towards the end of every year.
Windows 11 will be a free upgrade
Source: Microsoft
OEMs will still have to pay for a Windows 11 license, however. The license itself isn’t free, but if you upgrade from Windows 10, you get to retain your license and therefore remain activated. This is exactly how it worked with the move from Windows 7 and Windows 8 to Windows 10. We also expect Windows 11 to be available for standalone purchase to consumers, like Windows 10.
Is there a Windows 11 Insider Program?
Source: Microsoft
To make sure you’re first in line, sign up to the Windows Insider Program today and select the Insider Dev Channel to be on the correct path for the first Windows 11 build.