This week, Microsoft the big tech company famous for its Office 365 suite of applications will release Windows 11, the latest version of the widely used Windows operating system. As a kid of the 1980s and a lover of the film This Is Spinal Tap, I couldn’t pass up the chance to quote Nigel Tufnel (actor Christopher Guest) in the classic amplifier discussion: “These go to 11.”
“Today represents an important milestone in the history of Windows,” said Panos Panay, Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer for Windows + Devices, in a blog post. As the date approaches October 5 in each time zone across the world, Windows 11 will be available as a free update on eligible Windows 10 PCs and pre-installed Windows 11 PCs that may be bought starting today.”
As you’d expect with a new operating system version, there is a slew of new features and capabilities. Some are modest aesthetic changes, while others are game-changing improvements that improve the Windows computing experience considerably. Let’s look more closely at a couple of the ones that jump out to me.
- Start Menu and Task Bar
When you first log in to a Windows 11 PC, one of the first things you’ll notice is that the icons in the Task Bar are by default centered. I’m not sure if Microsoft was influenced by MacOS, and if they were, I doubt they’d admit it, but it reminds me of the default icon arrangement on a macOS machine. You can move them back to the left in the Task Bar settings if you want, but having them centered should keep them front and center when you’re working with Windows, which should help you perform more effectively.
- Widgets
On the Task Bar, you’ll also note that Task View, Chat, and Widgets are all active by default. If you don’t want them to be visible, you can turn them off under the Task Bar settings.
Widgets are a really amazing method to get quick access to everything that’s essential or interesting to you. You may mix and match the widgets that appear to gain quick access to the information you need, like weather, traffic, news, sports scores, your Outlook calendar, or a to-do list. The entire experience isn’t very different from what you might get by customizing Windows 10’s Start Menu. I recommend that you try Widgets.
- Chat
Cross-platform communication appears to be embraced—or at least attempted to be embraced—by the major players. Apple has increased the capabilities of FaceTime with the release of iOS 15, allowing iOS users to invite individuals to join FaceTime conversations even whether they use Android or Microsoft Windows. Microsoft, for one, made the Chat function a default icon on the Task Bar, allowing users to chat, voice, or video call with others regardless of their platform of choice—Windows, macOS, using mobile applications of Android, or iOS.
- Snap Layouts
Since Microsoft introduced the ability to attach a window to one side or the other of the screen, I’ve been a fan—but Snap Layouts in Windows 11 is a big advance. When you hover your mouse over the maximize button at the top of a program, Windows 11 will show you several layout choices from which you may snap your apps. I spend the majority of my time on Windows with all of my apps snapped to the left or right side of the screen in a 50/50 split, but I can see how some of these alternative settings may be useful. For example, because I have an ultrawide monitor, I can easily put three apps across the screen, each taking up precisely one-third of the screen.
