Microsoft is infusing modern touches to the PC experience with Windows 11. Most notably, a new design is intended to assist visitors find what they’re seeking for more quickly. However, the alterations are not limited to the surface. Microsoft is modifying the rules of its app store in order to provide more variety and potentially bring Android apps to the PC, as well as bringing changes that are expected to improve gameplay. New touchscreen controls and a better way to arrange windows on the screen may make sitting in front of the computer for lengthy periods of time more comfortable. There’s a lot on the line. Windows is crucial to Microsoft since it is used by businesses for their employees’ devices and by individuals for leisure. Windows 10, the current edition, is the most popular PC operating system in the world, and Microsoft does not want to lose that position in the face of competition from Apple and Google. On Monday, less than a week after announcing Windows 11, Microsoft issued the first preview build of the software to Windows Insider Program participants, giving them the first chance to try out the new features. If you want to try it out for yourself, open the Settings app in Windows 10 and select the Windows Insider Program option under the Windows Insider Program section. Just keep in mind that the program is still new and hasn’t been well tested, so there may be some bugs that you’ll have to work around. If you want to preserve Windows issues to a bare minimum, don’t update just yet. Microsoft intends to begin a wider rollout of the upgrade later this year and into next year. Here are the seven major changes of Windows 11 that are currently available: 1. Press the Start button. The Start button, along with icons for open apps and icons that have been pinned to the taskbar, has been moved from the left corner of the task bar to the middle. It will take some time to adjust to the new situation. You instinctively want to move your mouse to the left, but nothing happens when you do so and click towards the border of the screen. However, for those who use large computer monitors, the new location may be more convenient. If you need to reposition the Start button to the left, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar. 2. Go to the start menu. Things you’ve pinned to the Start menu in Windows 10 are no longer visible. Instead, you’ll notice a bunch of programs grouped together under the name Pinned. Some will arise on their own, and you can delete them from the Start menu. Take a screenshot before upgrading to Windows 11 to prevent having to recreate the group of programs you saved on the Start menu in Windows 10. A Recommended section of the Start menu also prominently displays programs and recently used files. 3. Use the keyboard. The on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 is more advanced, with access to emojis, GIFs, a clipboard, word recommendations, handwriting recognition, and the ability to create a custom style. A few capabilities from the Windows 10 on-screen keyboard are missing, such as the ability to display a numerical keypad. 4. The environment. Microsoft has revamped the Settings interface, adding features like widgets to display linked devices, a visible link to rename your PC, and a method to identify which subfolder you’re in. Furthermore, unlike earlier, the left rail of options does not alter as you move from part to section, making navigation easier. There are six different desktop wallpapers to pick from as well. The menu options have been reorganized, and certain areas have been given new names. When you attach an external monitor, a new option allows the operating system to remember where windows were previously. 5. Refresh rate that is dynamic. If you’re using a laptop, a new feature in Windows 11 can help you get more battery life. Many laptops feature a refresh rate of 60 Hz, which refers to how many times per second the display shows a new image. Dell, HP, and other PC manufacturers are increasingly offering laptops with higher refresh rates, such as 120 Hz, which can be beneficial for gaming as well as other hobbies such as drawing. Running at a faster rate, on the other hand, can quickly waste power. If your device is compatible, you can enable the new dynamic refresh rate setting, which allows you to lower the refresh rate for less essential circumstances like reading emails. 6. Touch gestures that are consistent. Microsoft is adding touch gestures that were previously only available on trackpads to displays in Windows 10. Using a touchscreen PC will feel more like using a tablet like an Apple iPad, and it will further distinguish Windows PCs from Apple’s Mac computers, which do not have touchscreens. In Task View, swiping up with three fingers displays programs and desktops. The desktop is accessed by swiping down. Swiping left or right takes you to the last app window you used. With four fingers, you can move between desktops by going left or right. 7. Create window sets. It’s simple to organize two or more application windows that you want to use at the same time in Windows 11. This expands on Windows 10’s ability to attach windows to the left or right edges of the screen, as well as Android customizations that appeared in Microsoft’s two-screen smartphone, the Surface Duo. When you hover your mouse over an application’s maximize button, you’ll see options for arranging two, three, or even four windows. You select the part of the screen you wish to utilize for the current window, and then select other parts of the screen for the other windows. You may go to the taskbar and easily access your collection of windows after you’ve structured them the way you want them. If you launch other apps, mouse over the icons for the apps included in the set to return to the set. You can also close the set quickly by hovering over it and pressing the X button. Android apps and taskbar interaction with Teams are two important elements of Windows 10 that are absent from this first preview edition. They’ll arrive later. WATCH: Mehdi from Microsoft discusses Windows 11’s introduction, new features, and design. Continue reading
