Windows 11 is simpler and more streamlined, but it’s also unfinished
Windows 11 refines what’s good about Windows 10 without changing too much about Microsoft’s operating system in the process. Many of the new features can help you be more productive — once you learn how to use them.
Pros
- +Clean, attractive new look
- +Improved tools for managing focus and screen space
- +Simpler, more intuitive menus
- +Cortana no longer included by default
Cons
- -Demanding system requirements
- -Native Android support and other features missing at launch
- -Widgets add little value
- -Teams integration meaningless unless you love Teams
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Windows 11 has arrived, and with it comes Microsoft’s vision for the future of personal computing. This is a softer, more rounded Windows, one that puts the Start menu front and center while doing away with some of the cruft that cluttered up Windows 10.
But while Windows 11 does introduce some welcome improvements, many are so subtle you probably won’t notice them unless you’re specifically looking. One such update that will fly under the radar for most users is the removal of Internet Explorer, which was officially retired by Microsoft in June. Other changes that do manage to grab your attention — like the newly centered Start button — tend to fade into the background quickly.
But perhaps that’s part of the plan. Microsoft is pitching Windows 11 as a safer, more performant Windows that’s simple to use, with a welcoming design that’s meant to make using your PC for work and play easier than ever. If moving from Windows 8 to Windows 10 was a minor revolution, moving to Windows 11 is a refinement. Moving to Windows 11 might be worth all this fuss, as after the big Windows 11 2022 Update it now offers helpful features like tabs in File Explorer, folders in the Start Menu and Voice Access, which helps you control your Windows 11 PC with your voice.
And since just about every Windows 10 user with a qualifying machine has the chance to upgrade for free, the only thing most of us have to do is decide whether the revamped design and new feature of Windows 11 are worth the hassle of upgrading. To help you make that decision for yourself, read on for our full Windows 11 review.
If you’ve already upgraded or are thinking of upgrading, check out our guides on the best hidden Windows 11 features and how to speed up Windows 11.