Windows 11, the new version of the Windows operating system, is officially rolling out to users today. This marks the longest gap between OS versions, as Windows 10 launched back in 2015 and has continued to be maintained since. The company claimed it (Windows 10) was going to be the “final” version of Windows, focusing on improving what was there vs rolling out new versions every few years. However, Microsoft changed course eventually as demand began to build internally for a new experience.
Windows 10 will push forward until 2025 where it will eventually meet its final end of life (for support and updates). This is because Windows 11 isn’t for everyone. There is a strict list of requirements to meet in order to make the upgrade since the company is pushing hard for stronger security, requiring certain hardware requirements to make it possible.
If you meet the requirements for the new Windows 11 OS, you will eventually see a notification of availability within Windows Updates. It will roll out like a normal update for Windows 10 users who meet the requirements, moving in phases. So you might not see it quite immediately. However, there are alternative ways of finding it.
You can try to manually trigger an update check within the Windows Update screen which can sometimes force the detection of certain updates that haven’t naturally popped up yet. You can also download the Windows 11 Installation Assistant or the Windows 11 ISO officially from Microsoft as well. It shouldn’t take long to migrate over to the new OS compared to past (pre-Windows 10) install times.
The new version of Windows comes with a number of visual changes. The most noticeable being the taskbar and start menu, which now feature everything centered on the bar and without live tiles. It’s a cleaner interface with a focus on being touch-friendly. There is a strong focus on AI and the new OS also supports installing Android apps as well, which is something Microsoft has been promising to support for quite some time now. It’s supposed to be more stable, faster (with modern hardware), and more secure–the latter part being “more than ever” thanks to the strict crackdown on requirements.
Not everyone is happy with the new interface, and even more users are unhappy with the strict requirements in order for them to get their hands on the new OS. It’s a smart move on Microsoft’s part to push for strong security due to the massive increase in criminal and deviant activity online. However, this also means that many users are feeling forced to have to upgrade their hardware or buy into new systems when their current system might still be more than enough for their current needs. This is, again, why the company is pushing forward with Windows 10 updates and support for another four years (so that they aren’t left in the cold). Sometimes in order to achieve noticeable change, some compromise is necessary. Not everyone is willing to accept that though.
Looking to get your hands on the new OS? Check your Windows update now or try one of the alternative methods mentioned above. Although, make sure you download Microsoft’s PC Health Check app to check/scan your system ahead of time to see if it qualifies for the jump. If it doesn’t, the app will give you the specific reason(s) as to why. The solution might be an easy fix for some (or an expensive fix for others if your motherboard or processor doesn’t make the list).
