This detailed guide provides detailed information about Microsoft Windows 11, including new features, system requirements, and more.
Microsoft publicly released its latest operating system, Windows 11, on October 5, 2021 — just over six years after the debut of Windows 10. Windows 11 brings updates and new features, including a simpler design for productivity, usability and creativity, faster ways to connect with people, better games on PC, faster access to the information you need, an all-new Microsoft Store, and a more open ecosystem opens up new opportunities for developers and other creators.
This Microsoft Windows 11 cheat sheet details key features of the operating system, lists system requirements, explains how and when to get them, and more. We will update this Windows 11 guide as new information becomes available. Download the free PDF version of this Windows 11 fact sheet.
Windows 11 is the latest major release of Microsoft’s operating system and the successor to Windows 10. The operating system features a new, simplified yet modern interface designed to inspire productivity and creativity.
Microsoft Windows 11 is available to the general public as a general release. Assuming your PC meets the prerequisites, including installing Windows 10 1909 or later, you can upgrade to Windows 11 by going to the Update and Security Options screen.
Users can also use the Windows 11 Setup Assistant to bypass the Windows 10 Update and Security screen and jump directly to Windows 11.
Although the March 2022 Hotfix for Windows 11 is not classified as a “feature update” for the operating system by Microsoft, it does include some unannounced features. For example, if you’re using Windows 11 with the widget enabled, you’ll notice a new icon in the bottom left corner of your desktop that provides a summary of your local weather conditions. Microsoft has also updated Notepad and renamed the Groove media player.
In September 2020, Microsoft began rolling out new Windows 11 updates to eligible PCs. The first major update, dubbed Windows 11 22H2, adds new features, apps, and security protocols to the OS, including code integrity protection to protect the hypervisor, OneDrive sync status shown in File Explorer, Windows Studio effects, and 11 updates and fixes. making it easier to make changes to Windows in the future.
On July 29, 2021, Windows 11 previews will be available to members of the Windows Insider Beta channel; Until then, Windows 11 previews will only be available to members of the Dev channel. Therefore, in order to install Windows 11 version 22000.100 or later on a working Windows 10 PC, users must activate the Windows Insider Beta Channel from the Windows 10 Update and Security Settings screen, and then click the Check for Updates button.
On August 23, 2021, Microsoft released the Windows 11 Insiders Preview ISO file. Previously, users had to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 through the Microsoft Windows Insider program. To download the Windows 11 ISO file, go to the Windows Insider Preview download page and sign in to your account.
The initial version of Windows 11 was released to the general public in October 2021. This build, also known as version 21H2, is codenamed “Sun Valley” and will be available to Windows Insiders as a preview build on the Dev channel in June 2021. It’s been around for about a year now, and Windows 11 version 21H2 has been updated and fixed with over two dozen.
The Windows 11 2022 Update, commonly referred to as 22H2 and codenamed “Sun Valley 2″, is the first major update for Windows 11. The first preview build of Windows 11 22H2 was released to Windows Insiders on the Developer Channel on September 2, 2021. The update will begin rolling out to the general public on September 20, 2022.
Windows 11 2022 Update includes several feature updates, enhancements and enhancements. Since the release of Windows 11 22H2, several fixes and updates have been released. Windows 11 2022 Update is the latest version of Microsoft’s operating system.
In Windows 11, the new centered Start button uses the cloud and Microsoft 365 to display recent files, no matter what platform or device they were previously viewed on, including Android or iOS devices.
A new set of features for Microsoft Windows 11 will be introduced for anchor layouts, anchor groups, and desktops. According to a Microsoft press release, they offer “a powerful way to multitask, keeping you on track with what needs to be done.” With these Windows 11 features, users can organize windows and optimize screen space for a clearer visual experience (Figure A). Users can create and customize separate desktops for every part of their lives, such as one for work and one for personal use.
In Windows 11, Microsoft is integrating Chat for Microsoft Teams into the taskbar so that users can instantly connect with personal contacts via text, chat, voice, or video, no matter what platform or device they use on Microsoft Windows, Android, or iOS. With Microsoft Teams, users can now instantly mute or unmute or launch a presentation right from the taskbar in the new OS.
For gamers, Windows 11 “unleashes the full potential of your system’s hardware and puts some of the latest gaming technology at your fingertips,” Microsoft says. Windows 11 will offer DirectX 12 Ultimate for immersive high frame rate graphics, DirectStorage for faster loading and more detailed game worlds, and Auto HDR for a wider and more vibrant color gamut. Microsoft Windows 11 will continue to support your favorite gaming accessories and PC peripherals.
The new widgets in Windows 11 are personalized feeds powered by artificial intelligence and Microsoft Edge. Now, instead of using their phone to check news, weather, or notifications, users can open their Windows 11 desktop to see similar views. Widgets provide new capabilities in Windows 11 to personalize content for creators and publishers.
The Microsoft Store is undergoing an overhaul; users will have a secure place to browse, create, play, work, and explore apps and content. According to Microsoft, the Store “has been redesigned for speed and has a new design that’s beautiful and easy to use. Not only do we bring you more apps than ever before, we make it all – apps, games, shows, movies. “Easier to search and learn through carefully curated stories and collections.”
Leading third-party and native apps such as Microsoft Teams, Visual Studio, Disney+, Adobe Creative Cloud, Zoom, and Canva will soon be available in the Microsoft Store.
Through partnerships with Amazon and Intel, the Microsoft Store allows users to discover Android apps that can be downloaded through the Amazon app store. Microsoft allows developers and ISVs to submit apps to the Microsoft Store, regardless of which app platform was used to create them.
The first major content update, called Windows 11 22H2, adds several new features and apps to the operating system.
For enterprise users, Windows 11 22H2 improves file browsing, integrates OneDrive status, and improves team collaboration and collaboration. The update also adds a new feature called Windows Studio Effects that will improve virtual meetings with AI-based processing efficiency.
At the user level, Windows 11 22H2 adds quality new features such as voice navigation, improved start menu functionality, more personalized themes, and the Clipchamp app. In addition, Windows 11 22H2 has added a new Live Caption feature to automatically transcribe virtual meetings.
Windows 11 has the new PWABuilder3 so developers can build PWAs from their web apps in minutes. The WebView2 runtime is included with Windows 11, making it easy to use its web framework as a secure way to build hybrid web apps. Products such as Windows Terminal and the new Microsoft Edge DevTools will continue to work as they are now included with Windows 11.
The Windows App SDK (formerly known as Project Reunion), released on March 29, 2021, will make it easier to integrate Windows 11 features into apps while still allowing developers to reach more than 1 billion Windows 10 users.
Developers can use the new ARM64 emulation-compatible ABI to build applications that run natively on Windows on ARM. With ARM64EC, native ARM code and emulated x64 code can be mixed in the same process or module. This interoperability means that developers can optimize an application to run on Windows on ARM, even if the application has x64 dependencies or loads x64 plugins that they have no control over.
To update app design, developers can use WinUI3 in Windows 11, which provides built-in UI updates such as circular geometry, updated icons, new typography, fun micro-interactions (like the Lottie animation), and an updated palette. The Snap layout feature will help you maximize productivity in Windows 11.
Reunion Windowing allows developers to easily manage and create application windows. This feature works with existing application code, simplifying common operations and adding new features to desktop applications such as Light-Dismiss Behavior, Picture-in-Picture mode, and simplified title bar customization.
With major changes to the Microsoft Store, Microsoft is taking steps to open up more economic opportunities for creators and developers. Microsoft plans to give developers and ISVs the ability to deliver their apps, whether they’re built as Win32, Progressive Web App, Universal Windows App, or any other app framework. This will allow developers to reach and engage a wider audience.
According to Microsoft, the revenue distribution policy will also change. App developers can now contribute their own commerce to the Microsoft Store and earn 100% of the revenue – at no cost to Microsoft. Developers can still leverage Microsoft’s business with its competitive 85/15 revenue share.
Some features of Windows 11 have requirements that go beyond those listed above. Below are more details about each of Microsoft’s core feature requirements.
Starting October 5, 2021, eligible Windows 10 PCs and new PCs can get Windows 11 as a free upgrade. To find out if your Windows 10 PC is eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 11, download the PC Health Check app. Microsoft says it’s working with its retail partners “to make sure [the] Windows 10 PC you buy today is ready to upgrade to Windows 11.”
Educate your team and become a Windows 11 power user with the TechRepublic Academy Windows 11 Core Course and the Ultimate Windows 11 Video Training Course.
Under Microsoft’s current support plan, Windows 10 will lose support for future features and security updates on October 14, 2025. After this date, any business, regardless of size, will bear a significant liability risk for using Windows 10. With that in mind, upgrading to Windows 11 is obviously necessary and worth the time and effort.
Windows 11 is designed to take advantage of the latest hardware and software security protocols in a way that Windows 10 cannot. These security measures help the operating system protect against various cyber attacks and malware, including software viruses and ransomware. Since Windows 11 is a free upgrade to Windows 10, there is no reason for most businesses and individuals not to upgrade.
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Post time: May-31-2023