Windows 11 review

In some ways, the release of Windows 11 was surprising since its predecessor was supposed to be its final form, just receiving regular updates to keep up with the times. But, Windows 10 has been replaced after years of being Microsoft's flagship OS. So, we'll look at the best and worst of the new operating system here.

It's not just a fresh coat of paint. Its redesigned theme and fresh-looking apps go hand in hand with an improved touch interface. Power users will appreciate the updates almost as much as casual users.

Another thing most people will appreciate is that moving to the new OS is free. You have to go through the steps to download and install it. Of course, no operating system is perfect, especially a relatively new one. So, if you upgrade and find yourself experiencing issues, take a look at our guide on how to fix Windows 11 problems for help. And, far as all the features packed into it, you can check out our Windows 11 features hub for a deep dive into all it can do.

Windows 11 still has some room to grow. But, if you're concerned about making the jump from Windows 10, know that it is an alluring peek at the future of Microsoft, both for its software and hardware, for the next decade.

Microsoft Windows 11 at Microprokey for £39.99

Price and availability:

Windows 11 is free for anyone who meets the system requirements set by Microsoft.

The upgrade arrives in two versions; Home or Pro. The Pro version has featured mainly aimed at business users, but home users may like that you can encrypt your hard drive with a tougher encryption level for better security. However, most regular users won't be missing out if they go with the Home version. Every exclusive feature in Windows 11 Pro is tailored for a business, not the home, so if you use a PC for creative work or gaming, or just casual use, there's little need for the Pro version.

While the free upgrade is welcome, the communication surrounding the system requirements in the run-up to Windows 11's release has been pretty woeful. TPM was once just a niche topic - but now it's a major talking point, with many users still wondering if their PC is compatible. A new requirement for anyone to access Windows 11 will be a Microsoft account and an internet connection. Without these, you'll be stuck at the setup screen. While understandable from one perspective, it could frustrate others who want to use a PC occasionally without having to create an account or constant access to an internet connection.

There's also the question of data collection. Since the upgrade was available to be used in the Insider Build program to test Windows 11, there's currently no way of switching this off, which raises a concern as to why there isn't an option. Microsoft has in the past got in a bit of trouble over the data it collects from users, and there was enough of a backlash that the company made controlling what data was shared in Windows 10 easier for users. It's a shame that Microsoft appears to have taken a step back in this regard with Windows 11. Hopefully, it'll be more transparent with the data it collects in the future while providing tools to help users control what is-- and isn't-- shared.

New Design.

Microsoft made sure to mention in the June 24 announcement of Windows 11 that the user interface has seen a major redesign, which the company is calling 'Fluent design,' the successor to the Metro design language that was first seen in Windows 8. At first glance, it looks great - everything appears modern and refined, and File Explorer has finally seen an update; alongside the context menus, both no longer look like the fourth version of Windows XP. But it's only when you go deeper than the similarities to Windows 10 remain. For example, if you right-click in a folder and bring up the 'Properties' menu, you'll find the same settings but with rounded buttons and a new icon. After a while, it dawns on you: this is a reskin of Windows 10. While it's a great step forward, more work needs to be done. Getting rid of the Ribbon interface in File Explorer and other built-in apps is a good start, as you now have ten icons on the toolbar instead of four tabs and countless settings found in Windows 10 and previous versions that used the Ribbon interface. It's one example of Windows 11 where it's a great first step; there just needs to be a giant leap for more. Gadgets are also back for Windows 11 but are now called 'Widgets.' These are found in their section, similar to macOS, so you can't freely place them on your desktop. Swipe from the left-hand side of the screen brings them up, and they do their job for bite-sized information at a glance. The only strange addition is the search bar in the widget window - it feels less like a widget and more of a shortcut to make you use the Bing search engine.

We also noticed that adding work accounts to a Calendar widget doesn't work, but Microsoft tells us that it's aware of this and incoming a fix.

Accessibility.

A big plus for Windows 11 is a new focus on Accessibility. It's called 'Accessibility' instead of 'Ease of Use,' which paradoxically could be a confusing name, but that's just the start for Windows 11. New options for audio alerts for visually-impaired users can now notify when a message box appears; an update is available and much more. Voice Typing can also aid other users in being able to transcribe voice to text, whether that's for the Edge address bar or when composing an email. There's better support for magnification programs, speech commander apps and screen readers, though not all of those will be supported at launch.

Start menu.

Let's get to the point - the new Start menu in Windows 11 needs work. It feels half-finished as if it's a stopgap between Windows 10 and a touch interface designed for the new Surface tablets.

Visually, it looks great, but the issues begin to reveal themselves once you dig deeper. Everything is centred, with your apps displayed, followed by a 'Recommended' section. This strange placement shows your recent files and apps, but you can't clear the list. When you click 'More,' it's just an expanded list with a date and the location of the files. Also, when you try to search for something, it launches the Search app, which is a bit jarring when it switches between this and the Start menu. It lacks the unification of the Windows 10 Start menu; when you would try to look for something, the results would appear instantly. It feels half-baked and slower than before.

Another point is the Taskbar itself, were the new default location for the Start menu and the icons in the middle. Again from a usability perspective, it makes sense if you're using Windows 11 on a tablet device, but with a mouse, it doesn't make sense, and you'll most likely want to switch this back to the left (which, thankfully, can be easily done through the Settings app). However, while there's promise here, it needs refinement. Hopefully, once Windows 11 rolls out to everyone, feedback will convince Microsoft that the new Start menu needs another look. Perhaps this design can work for tablet mode as a starting point, and when using devices that don't have a touch display, the icons and Start menu can revert to their original placement and in a way to make it more accessible. Microsoft has told us that they're taking notice of the Feedback Hub, an app where it shows users' recommendations for Windows 11. There may be more changes to the Taskbar and Start menu in the coming months.

Built-In Windows 11 apps.

One common theme across Windows releases has been the lack of love given to the built-in apps, such as Paint, Snipping Tool, etc. But in Windows 11, they've all been refreshed and updated, which will please many users. The aim for these looks to be a design that suits both a mouse and touch input, and for the most part, it succeeds for these apps. Paint is fun to use once more, while Snipping Tool is finally the only app to control how you crop apps and save them as an image. The clock is a surprising app to be redesigned here as well. Now, it's where you can manage your time to do work thanks to 'Focus,' a feature similar to one of the tentpoles of Apple's iOS 15 update, where Focus allows you to create profiles that can be automated depending on your calendar, location and more.

Each of these apps finally looks unified with Windows 11 - there's no mix of Fluent Design and Metro design, which Windows 10 suffers from. Everything looks refined, which is great to see from Microsoft.