Microsoft would like to present a “new version” of Windows in just under a week. But a preliminary version has already appeared on the net and gives us a first look at the Windows 10 successor. We’ll show you what to expect in Windows 11.
Actually, Windows 10 should be the last version of Windows. But a lot of time has passed since 2015 and the “10” in Windows 10 seems somehow old. A new version of Windows is needed – Microsoft wants to present it to the public on June 24th. But there is no longer a big surprise in store for us. A developer version of Windows 11 has been circulating on the Internet since yesterday.
WINDOWS 10 IS FOLLOWED BY WINDOWS 11
The new version of Windows is referred to internally as “Sun Valley”, but at the latest after the current leak is clear: After Windows 10 followed Windows 11. It is possible that Microsoft oriented here at Apple and calls the regular feature updates in the future, Windows 12, 13 , 14. After many years of macOS 10, Apple introduced macOS 11 last year and macOS 12 a few days ago . The leaked developer version of Windows 11 is from May 30th and is far from final. Nevertheless, it already gives us a good impression of what to expect in the future.
WINDOWS 11: THIS IS WHAT THE NEW OPERATING SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE
A first look at the desktop shows several changes:
The start button and the other app icons have moved to the middle of the taskbar. The information area on the right, however, still comes from Windows 10 and should be revised until the final publication. The new standard background is also noticeable. There are several new photos to choose from here.
With the central start menu, Microsoft takes over a function from macOS and ChromeOS. In this way, the symbols can be reached more quickly, especially on larger screens. If you don’t want to get used to this innovation, you can move the icons back to the left with two clicks.
Another change in Windows 11 is the rounded corners. This design change was already suspected when Microsoft presented the new Surface Laptop Go (seen in the article photo) with a rounded screen. The program window and the start menu itself also have the new rounded edges.
In the Explorer, the new and colorful icons catch our eye. Microsoft is already testing these in a preview version of Windows 10. So they may not remain an exclusive Windows 11 feature. The new icons are also noticeable. Microsoft has also redesigned numerous symbols for a fresh look in the settings and in other apps.
The Windows 11 start menu has been given a completely new look. The tiles from Windows 8 times are gone. Instead, the start menu is divided into two areas. At the top you can pin frequently used apps and at the bottom Microsoft suggests folders, files and programs that should be currently relevant.
There is also a new function for the zoom out and zoom in button: If you move the mouse over them, Windows offers several options for positioning the window. Previously, this was only possible with keyboard shortcuts and is now much more accessible.
ALL THINGS NEW?
Even if the leaked version is not the final version, it becomes clear: Windows 11 is at least visually a significant further development of Windows 10. Currently there are still countless remnants of previous Windows versions in Windows 11. Whether Microsoft has a uniform look here succeeds, the next few months will show.
In contrast to macOS or Android, many Windows users tend to reject visual changes for the time being and fall into a “everything was better in the past” mentality. It is therefore a good decision to publish Microsoft Windows 11 as a standalone version and not distribute the new design in one of the six-month updates of Windows 10. This allows users to wait and upgrade when they are ready.
The upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 only took around 20 minutes in our test. All programs and files were taken over without any problems. However, we do not advise anyone to install a development version that was originally intended for internal use only. Shortly after the official launch next week, there should be a public beta for all interested users.
