Microsoft may have lost some of the intrigue for its scheduled event on 24 June, where the tech giant teased, they would be revealing ‘the next generation of Windows’.
With plenty of anticipation for the Windows 11 launch, an online leak last week provided a sneak peek into Microsoft’s new OS with screenshots now published on various sites showing a revamped UI, an updated Start menu, and lots more. But some say this amounts to a simple makeover with no substantial changes under the hood.
Since Windows 10X was cancelled, it seems from the leaked version that Microsoft has repurposed a lot of the system, with some even suggesting it will simply be a Windows 10X shell on top of Windows 10.
Windows 11 – the best new features
The Windows 11 leak does appear to show a significant visual redesign. An overhauled Settings App gives the system a much cleaner feel including colourful icons for key options, with all the main options leaning left and acting as a sidebar.
As part of the revamped UI, you will notice rounded corners for UI components across the operating system - visible in context menus, and around apps and the File Explorer.
But the biggest visual change has to be the Taskbar, where app icons are now centred by default, with the tray looking a lot more minimalist, however this can be moved to the left, as per your preference. The Taskbar also includes new Start button and menu – also featuring softer, rounded corners.
This updated Start menu seems to be a pared down version of the current Windows 10 Start menu, without Live Tiles and including pinned apps, recent files, and the ability to quickly shut down or restart Windows 11 devices.
The return of widgets
Some users will be celebrating the small changes like the return of Windows Widgets and a new Snap Assist functionality – where users can choose the exact placement of the window while maximizing it, greatly improving multitasking. Windows 11 also appears to include some new wallpapers and a new Startup sound inspired by Windows 10X.
When, where and how much?
It’s possible the upgrade could be free for Windows 8 and Windows 7 users or available for a small fee for those upgrading from 10 to 11.
For now, there is no confirmed release date for Windows 11, but it’s rumoured to be live towards the end of 2021.
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