When will Windows 11 be released, and will it be free?
It is now less than a week until Microsoft officially tells us about Windows 11. The announcement is scheduled for June 24 and this is when the company will reveal all. The operating system may have already leaked, but there are still many questions we need answers to.
While this week's leak gave us a chance to see many of the new features that Microsoft has introduced as well as the new look, there are two key questions that people are asking. Firstly, when will Windows 11 be released? Secondly, will Windows 11 be a free upgrade?
Download Windows 11's stunning wallpapers now
Yesterday, Microsoft’s successor to Windows 10 got leaked onto the web, revealing that it would indeed be called Windows 11, and showing off a new look that owes a lot to the cancelled Windows 10X.
The look of the new OS, with its centered taskbar and Start menu, is clearly going to be a bit divisive, but one thing most of us can agree on is the default wallpapers look great. And you can give your Windows 10 system a Windows 11 makeover by installing them now.
Should you download Microsoft Windows 11?
Earlier today, after weeks of rumors, Windows 11 leaked to the web. No, I don't just mean images and videos were shared early -- the actual operating system itself became available for download! It is a bootable ISO file. This not only confirms what the next version of Windows will be called, but it made it possible for anybody to install the operating system early.
While you can download Windows 11 right now, the real question, of course, is should you do it? Before we discuss the morality of doing so, let's be very clear -- it is foolish to download and install a closed source operating system from non-official sources. Obviously, if you aren't getting it from Microsoft directly, it could be full of malware and other bad stuff.
Microsoft's upcoming Windows 11 OS leaks in full online, revealing a centered taskbar and Start menu, rounded corners, and widgets!
Towards the end of the month, Microsoft is set to reveal the future of Windows. We already reported last week that Windows 10 is coming to an end, and its replacement might be Windows 11, or possibly Windows Sun Valley.
Earlier today, some screenshots from the new OS appeared at Baidu, and then an iSO of the full operating system leaked on the web, confirming that it is indeed called Windows 11.
What we want to see in Windows 11
It's no secret that Microsoft is due to reveal details of the next version of Windows later this month. On June 24, the company is holding an event at which we'll learn a lot about Windows 11 (as the name is almost certainly going to be confirmed to be), but with a week and a half to go, there is still plenty of time to talk about what we hope to see in the operating system.
Microsoft seemingly learned quite a lot from Windows 8 and made vast improvement with Windows 10 -- but it also made its fair share of slip ups and mistakes and did plenty to annoy users. This latest update is a chance to put things right, make people happy, and really move Windows into the future. Here's what we'd like to see in Windows 11.
Not interested in Windows 11's Sun Valley look? Give Windows 10 an old-fashioned makeover with RetroBar
While there is excitement building in many quarters about the impending announcement about Windows 11 (or whatever it ends up being called), Microsoft's updated operating system is not going to be of interest to everyone.
In fact, rather than looking to the future, many people prefer to look backwards. If you're feeling nostalgic and want a blast from the past, you can give Windows 10 something of an old-school makeover using RetroBar. This free and open-source utility lets you step back in time and give the taskbar the look of Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000 or XP.
Microsoft accidentally leaks the name of its next operating system -- and it isn't Windows 11
On June 24 Microsoft is hosting a big event where it will unveil the future of its Windows operating system. Although we know changes will be made to the look and features of the OS, what we don’t know is what this new and (hopefully) improved version of Windows will be called.
There have been a number of suggestions, including Windows 365, WindowsOS or simply "Windows", but so far most of the clues have been pointing to it being Windows 11.
Insiders miss out as Microsoft keeps its cards close to its chest in build up to Windows 11 announcements
Will it be Windows 11, Windows 365, WindowsOS or simply "Windows" that Microsoft reveals later this month as the successor to Windows 10? There's money being wagered on Windows 11, but we'll just have to hold out to see not only what the name is going to be, but also what the operating system has in terms of new features, tools and aesthetics.
Ordinarily jumping on the latest Insider builds of Windows gives a great way to see into the future. Eager users can try out preview builds ahead of the official update releases, but sadly this will not be the case ahead of the next major version of Windows.
Apple steals Microsoft's Windows 11 thunder with macOS Monterey unveil
Today at WWDC 2021, the folks at Apple talked. I mean, they talked a lot. Like, for nearly two hours, various Apple employees highlighted the company's plans for the future, including iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. While consumers are probably most excited about Apple's aforementioned mobile operating systems, other people (such as yours truly), are more intrigued by the newest version of the desktop OS. Called "Monterey," this once again looks to be the best macOS ever.
Despite Apple switching to its own ARM-based processors for the newest Mac computers, macOS Monterey will be compatible with Intel-based machines too. Notably, Shortcuts from iOS and iPadOS will be coming to Monterey. While Automator is still supported, it is unofficially on death-watch. Most interestingly, Apple is making it easier to work between iPhone, iPad, and Mac -- you can now do AirPlay to Mac and share your mouse and keyboard between devices with Universal Control.
All clues point to Microsoft preparing to announce Windows 11
We know that Microsoft is working on a major refresh of Windows 10, codenamed Sun Valley, and later this month it will unveil what it’s describing as the "most significant update of Windows of the past decade".
We’ll have to wait until June 24 to see exactly what Microsoft has planned, but the software giant just dropped some major clues that it's about to turn things up to 11.
Windows 11 is the Microsoft operating system we need!
Although Microsoft is expected to begin giving Windows 10 a bit of a long-overdue redesign later in the year, the truth is that operating system has become a bit, well, boring. The last feature update, and the next one due out in he coming months (21H1), have made only minor tweaks to the OS.
Isn’t it time for a full, proper new version of Windows? Isn’t it time for Windows 11?
This Microsoft Certified Partner tried to sell me the non-existent Windows 11 [Updated]
Microsoft has previously said that Windows 10 is the last version of Windows. We've talked about Windows 11 concepts here on BetaNews, but that's all they are -- concepts dreamt up by eager designers.
So what was a Microsoft Certified Partner thinking when it popped a pre-order page for Windows 11 on its site? A major update or a new version of Windows is always going to generate a lot of interest -- and probably a lot of money too, particularly with a $174.99 price tag attached. Having stumbled across a site inviting me to "preorder your Windows 11 before anyone else", I decided to investigate and find out what the company had to say for itself. [UPDATED with comments from both Microsoft and the Microsoft Certified Partner]
Forget buggy Windows 10, Windows 11 is the operating system we want
Windows 10 is a very good operating system, but the October 2018 Update has left a bad taste in many users' mouths. It caused a multitude of problems, got pulled, and even after it was made available again, new issues surfaced. The April 2018 Update rolled out to users at lightning speed, but the October 2018 Update has only been installed on about 3 percent of systems to date. Ouch.
Microsoft has said previously that Windows 10 will be the "last version of Windows", but is it time to rethink that idea and give users an operating system that goes up to 11? Take a look and make up your own mind.
KB4579311 cumulative update is causing numerous problems for Windows 10 users
A few days ago, Microsoft released a new cumulative update for Windows 10. The KB4579311 update was supposed to fix a range of issues with the operating system including various security problem, but -- once again – this update is proving problematic for many people.
The problems that have been reported range from failed installation with a 0x800f0988, 0x80073701 or 0x8007000d error code, to black screens, printing issues, to not being able to log into Windows 10.
Windows 10 Build 20211 lets you access Linux filesystems in Windows and WSL 2
Dev Channel Insiders are in for a treat this week. Windows 10 Build 20211 introduces a number of new features, including adding Search to the Default Apps pages in Settings.
There’s a big new change for users of Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL 2) too -- you can now attach and mount a physical disk inside of a WSL 2 distro.