Microsoft Windows 11: Features, release date and more for the next generation of Windows

(Pocket-lint) - It's astir clip for a next-generation mentation of the world's astir fashionable desktop operating strategy - Microsoft Windows.

The update is known arsenic Windows 11. A massive leak of the full caller operating strategy preceded an authoritative uncover connected 24 June though we've present beenhands-on with the authoritative aboriginal beta version from Microsoft. 

Windows 11 merchandise date

• Release seemingly acceptable for October 2021
• Available to Windows Insiders arsenic an aboriginal build

We're expecting the Windows 11 merchandise day to beryllium 5 October 2021, but you tin download it successful beta signifier earlier that. 

A precise aboriginal physique has present been rolled retired disposable to Windows Insiders - radical registered successful a pre-release programme. 

Windows 11 volition reportedly determination to a azygous large diagnostic update per twelvemonth alternatively than the 2 we presently get with Windows 10. Of course, determination volition inactive beryllium information updates for all, too.

• How to download Windows 11: Here's however you'll update aboriginal successful the year

Windows 11 strategy requirements

• Processors from 2016-17 onwards
• Support for TPM (Trusted Platform Module) required
• Microsoft's PC Health Check app volition archer you if your PC is supported

We've covered this disconnected successful much item successful our Windows 11 strategy requirements feature but this clip Microsoft says you tin lone instal it connected processors made from astir 2016-17 onwards - for Intel PCs that's 8th procreation Core and up (plus definite Celeron, Pentium and Atom chips).

The much stringent requirements are acknowledgment to the information measures that processors made from that day onwards have, enactment for a TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is officially mandatory - though it seems it whitethorn beryllium imaginable to instal it connected older machines successful the aboriginal (Microsoft is presently investigating it connected 7th gen Intel Core PCs, for example). 

Coincidentally, you'll present request to person a Microsoft Account to acceptable up Windows 11 Home though this isn't the lawsuit for different versions. 

Windows 11 features

• New Start paper and taskbar design
• Widgets mean there's tons of scope for customisation
• Snap groups alteration you to acceptable up your surface however you want

Windows 11 features assorted interface tweaks including a caller Start paper that looks much similar an app launcher, much rounded corners, drawback controls that fto you pin a model to a spot successful your surface (and drawback groups), a caller Widgets country and icon successful the taskbar and a caller Windows setup experience. 

Snap groups and Snap layouts are peculiarly chill - enabling you to person greater flexibility and prime implicit however you acceptable up your show with aggregate windows. Windows tin present beryllium arranged successful antithetic ways, portion Windows volition retrieve your layouts truthful you tin easy get backmost to them successful future. Windows 11 volition besides retrieve however you laid retired your windows connected an outer show and springiness you entree to that layout erstwhile you re-dock. 

Many icons person been updated, too, giving everything a caller consciousness compared to Windows 10. However, successful presumption of functionality, it's not a immense leap connected from Windows 10 - much an iteration. 

The cardinal plan alteration is the caller Start paper which you tin spot above. The taskbar icons are present centralised (you tin determination them backmost if you want). The Start paper besides shows you your astir precocious touched files.  

The caller Widgets barroom - which you tin resize - is fundamentally the replacement for the Start paper unrecorded tiles from Windows 10, enabling personalised accusation specified arsenic relevant quality stories to beryllium delivered. There should beryllium a batch of antithetic options present travel motorboat arsenic developers volition besides beryllium capable to contribute. 

On tablets, snapped Windows alteration predisposition if you determination to representation from landscape. Touch targets person besides been made larger truthful it's easier to usage for touch. 

Android apps volition besides present beryllium capable to beryllium installed connected Windows 11 via the Microsoft Store which itself volition beryllium redesigned. The apps volition travel from the Amazon Appstore, truthful determination won't beryllium rather the scope that you'd get connected Google Play. It's been reported that this process won't beryllium casual since you volition request to motion successful to an Amazon relationship to download it first. 

Microsoft Teams will, however, beryllium baked into the operating strategy it seems, seemingly present being preferred to the officially forgotten Skype. 

For gaming, Windows 11 supports Auto HDR from Xbox Series X which adds HDR to games built for DirectX 11 oregon later. 

Microsoft wants to presumption Windows arsenic a level for different worldly much than ever. Microsoft says it volition invited immoderate benignant of app to the store - not conscionable 'native' store apps adjacent if developers usage their ain ways of taking lawsuit payments.

Interestingly determination are a clump of features missing from Windows 11 which we've elaborate successful a abstracted feature but these see Live Tiles - replaced by the Widgets sidebar - Tablet Mode, Timeline and Cortana being beforehand and centre. There are besides a clump of different apps nary longer contiguous and these see the aged Internet Explorer. 

Why is Windows 11 coming now? 

• Windows 11 has been astir since 2015.
• No cardinal changes since then. 
• Pressure to merchantability much PCs?

Microsoft has been stuck connected Windows 10 for rather immoderate clip - since 2015 successful fact. The crushed for that is reasonably simple, Microsoft has iterated Windows 10 done twice-yearly updates, but not brought distant immoderate cardinal changes.

• Windows 10 X dead: Why can't Microsoft marque a lightweight mentation of Windows?

It besides astir apt wanted to instrumentality with a palmy mentation of Windows fixed that portion 2001's Windows XP and 2009's Windows 7 were massively successful, the in-between versions of 2006's Windows Vista and Windows 8/8.1 (2012-13) weren't that good received. 

However, unit from Microsoft's partners astir apt forced the change, keen to merchantability much PCs to buyers who privation to upgrade to the caller OS. 

We've known for a portion that 2021 would bring a refresh to the Windows design, but it present appears to beryllium bearing effect arsenic a caller mentation codenamed Cobalt, officially called Windows 11. The interface refresh itself is seemingly known arsenic Sun Valley internally astatine Microsoft. 

What's happened with Windows 11 truthful far??

17 September 2021 - Microsoft Office 2021 releasing astatine the aforesaid time

In the aboriginal days of September Microsoft announced that it volition beryllium releasing a new mentation of Microsoft Office alongside Windows connected 5 October.

28 July 2021 - Windows 11 strategy requirements are present to stay

There has been immoderate speculation that Microsoft volition marque it easier for older PCs to instal Windows 11 but according to Microsoft Program Manager Aria Carley that's not going to beryllium the lawsuit adjacent though Microsoft is presently investigating Windows 11 with older 7th procreation Intel Core PCs. 

27 July 2021 - Windows 11 is connected astir 1 percent of PCs

According to a recent Windows usage report, astir 1 percent of PCs already person the pre-release mentation of Windows 11 connected them.  

28 June 2021 - October release?

In June, though Microsoft hadn't yet said erstwhile Windows 11 would beryllium with us, determination were hints astatine an October merchandise date. A batch of the screenshots Microsoft has enactment retired astir the merchandise person a day of 20 October connected the taskbar, with the clip acceptable to 11.11. 

24 June 2021 - The authoritative reveal 

Microsoft has officially revealed Windows 11 and it's broadly akin to the leaked build. The main differences are the announcement of Android app enactment arsenic good arsenic the confirmation that the Microsoft Store volition beryllium redesigned from the crushed up. We besides got much details connected however tablets and interaction volition beryllium handled with greater interaction targets and windows that re-orientate themselves erstwhile you swap from scenery to portrait, for example. 

15 June 2021 - Windows 11 leaks successful its entirety

Firstly, a Baidu idiosyncratic posted 2 screenshots of Windows 11, revealing a Windows 10X-like cardinal Start paper with rounded corners (the paper tin besides beryllium enactment backmost successful its accepted presumption connected the left). Almost astatine the aforesaid time, the ISO (installation file) of the OS was leaked online via assorted download sites.

We and others were capable to instal it. 

10 June 2021 - Windows 11 volition person a startup sound

Microsoft has dropped a alternatively over-the-top video (above) with Windows startup sounds from the past slowed down by 4,000 percent - yes really. It's a nonstop teaser for the What’s Next for Windows integer lawsuit truthful we tin lone presume that Windows will, erstwhile again, person a startup dependable (as Windows 10 X was expected to have).

3 June 2021 - Microsoft confirms that determination volition beryllium a 'next-generation of Windows'

Microsoft sent retired invitations to the media to its What’s Next for Windows integer lawsuit connected 24 June, saying the cardinal enactment "where the institution volition unveil the adjacent procreation of Windows". The lawsuit teaser besides had a reflection of the Windows logo connected it with the crossbar taken retired from the 'window' meaning that the logo reflection showed arsenic 2 vertical bars - aka 11. 

25 May 2021 - Microsoft teases the adjacent mentation of Windows volition beryllium unveiled 'very soon'

There was thing astir Windows 'client' successful the docket for Microsoft's Build developer lawsuit this year, which we recovered alternatively odd. But the reply came during the opening keynote by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. 

"Soon we volition stock 1 of the astir important updates of Windows of the past decennary to unlock greater economical accidental for developers and creators," teased Nadella. "I've been self-hosting it implicit the past respective months, and I'm incredibly excited astir the adjacent procreation of Windows."

Clearly Microsoft wants to reinvigorate its app store. Nadella added: "We volition make much accidental for each Windows developer contiguous and invited each creator who is looking for the astir innovative new, unfastened level to physique and administer and monetize applications. We look guardant to sharing much precise soon."

This astir surely ties into Project Reunion, revealed successful 2020 arsenic Microsoft's latest effort to benignant retired the messiness of Windows apps

8 May 2021 - Microsoft reportedly kills Windows 10X, its reply to Chrome OS

At its 2019 Surface lawsuit - Microsoft revealed the Android-toting Surface Duo which launched, positive Surface Neo. That instrumentality was expected to tally Windows 10 X, a cut-down mentation of Windows that was reported successful 2020 to beryllium delayed but has present been cancelled. We whitethorn spot immoderate of its features successful Windows 11 though. 

• Windows 10 X dead: Why can't Microsoft marque a lightweight mentation of Windows?

6 May 2021 - Microsoft shows icon updates

The latest Insider Preview physique of Windows shows Microsoft revising icons that person been astir since the Windows 95 epoch up of the caller Windows release. Microsoft has been revising galore Windows File Explorer icons during aboriginal 2021. Stalwart Windows icons similar This PC, Documents and Recycle Bin person been fixed a caller look. 

This follows up connected the new streamlined Start menu shown disconnected successful aboriginal 2020. 

23 February 2021 - Sun Valley volition present improved multitasking

The Sun Valley plan update for Windows will apparently see enhanced snapping capabilities and making it easier to use. Soon you'll beryllium capable to resistance windows to the country of the surface and those windows volition past intuitively resize to acceptable perfectly. This should mean it'll beryllium adjacent easier to multitask with side-by-side windows. 

Apparently Aero Shake - wherever you shingle a model to wide the desktop - volition go an optional mounting portion determination volition besides beryllium the quality to person abstracted virtual desktops for each monitor. 

4 January 2021 - Sun Valley acceptable to beryllium a "sweeping ocular rejuvenation" 

According to a occupation listing from Microsoft, Sun Valley is acceptable to beryllium a "sweeping ocular rejuvenation" of Windows. The listing says: "On this team, you’ll enactment with our cardinal platform, Surface, and OEM partners to orchestrate and present a sweeping ocular rejuvenation of Windows experiences to awesome to our customers that Windows is BACK and guarantee that Windows is considered the champion idiosyncratic OS acquisition for customers."

28 October 2020 - Interface refresh is called Sun Valley, OS is called Cobalt

The "significant plan refresh" coming to Windows successful 2021 is codenamed Sun Valley and volition spot galore cardinal elements fixed a refresh including the Start Menu, Action Center and File Explorer. The overhaul appears to beryllium led by Microsoft Chief Product Officer Panos Panay.

The merchandise is codenamed 'Cobalt' [at the clip this seemed similar a Windows 10 version, present it seems similar a caller OS version]. 

19 May 2020 - Microsoft plans much concern successful Windows 10

It was wide earlier successful 2020 that Microsoft would beryllium investing successful Windows 10 further. Windows Central says: "It's just to accidental that Microsoft has enactment Windows connected the backmost burner successful the past mates of years arsenic it shifted focused to different efforts astatine the company... The information that Microsoft spokespeople are utilizing words similar "reinvestment" erstwhile talking astir Windows 10 is simply a enactment of caller aerial for Windows fans who person been calling for Microsoft to refocus their efforts connected Windows."

Writing by Dan Grabham. Editing by Adrian Willings. Originally published connected 11 June 2021.