Everything You Need to Know to Be Ready for the Windows 11 Release

Microsoft recently made one of its biggest announcements in a while. It announced that Windows 11 was due out later this year.

Whenever there’s an operating system update there are several things that companies need to do to be prepared so they can upgrade smoothly. You don’t want to drag your feet on an upgrade of this kind, or you could find that you’re rushing around at the last minute when Windows 10 loses all support in 2025.

Plus, Windows 11 is largely a productivity upgrade with feature additions designed to help users find things faster and work faster on their PC. It’s also not such as dramatic update as Windows 10 was. So, users won’t have to re-learn their entire desktop interface.

The operating system that a company uses on all its employee computers is an important foundation of its technology infrastructure and network security. You want to make sure you’re staying current with your OS versions to avoid any issues that could negatively impact your business.

The Importance of Upgrading Sooner Rather Than Later

There are several reasons that it’s important to plan to upgrade to Windows 11 (or any new version of an OS) sooner rather than later:

  • Gain new features that can increase productivity
  • Avoid issues with incompatibility
  • Ensure you can use the newest software versions
  • You won’t run into security issues like loss of support 
  • You stay current with the latest features & technology

What can you expect in Windows 11? We’ll go through the key new features next.

New Windows 11 Features to Get Excited About

Easier Video Calls With Native Integration of Microsoft Teams

Microsoft has been positioning Teams to be a major player in the video conferencing market. It’s added several video meeting features lately and just ended Skype for Business, urging those users to move to Teams.

Teams is about to see another big boost with Windows 11. It’s natively integrated with an icon on the taskbar. Users can click to start a video call, audio call, or chat right from the desktop without having to launch the full application. This shaves time off the process to launch a video meeting, and all those minutes add up to saved hours throughout the week.

All Windows 11 images are from Microsoft

Open More Windows at Once Using Snap Layouts

Trying to open more than one window at a time on your screen can be frustrating. You end up meticulously resizing the windows to see things clearly, then realize you can’t scroll, or you need to move something to get to a menu bar.

Snap layouts is designed to make multi-window work easier by giving users six different preset layouts for between 2 to 4 windows. Just click to choose the layout you want, and the windows automatically snap into place.

Windows 11 Snap Layouts

Streamlined Start Menu Designed to Find Things Faster

Windows 10 introduced a completely different Start menu. While many users liked the new flexibility to move apps around, others found it overwhelming. 

Windows 11 streamlines the start menu, removing things that are unnecessary and giving users pinned apps and settings at the top. The search bar has also been moved from the taskbar to the top of the Start menu.

You’ll now find the Start menu icon in the middle of your taskbar instead of to the far left (which may take some users a little time to get used to).

Windows 11 Start Menu

More Accessibility Than Any Other Windows OS

Microsoft has focused on accessibility in Windows 11 and calls it the “most accessible” version of Windows that it has ever released. 

New accessibility features include enhanced color filters, more PC sounds settings, added high-contrast themes, and more. Microsoft has also made it easier to get to accessibility settings in the main Settings menu.

New Accessibility Panel in Windows 11

What Should You Do to Prepare for a Windows 11 Upgrade?

Windows 11 is due to come out later this year. Microsoft notes that the rollout is expected around the “holidays 2021” and possibly into early 2022. However, there is a rumor floating around about a release as early as October due to an October 2021 date being in some of the promotional screenshots.

Here are some of the things you need to do to prepare your business for a Windows 11 upgrade:

  • Check each PC to ensure it has the minimum requirements to upgrade.
  • Plan a replacement plan for any PCs that aren’t compatible with the upgrade
  • Check all software you are using to ensure it’s compatible with Windows 11
  • Pre-schedule your upgrade with Onsite Techs of RI
  • About 1-2 weeks before the upgrade, hold a user training on the new OS

Pre-Schedule Your Windows 11 Upgrade Today

While we don’t yet have the exact date of the Windows 11 rollout, you can still get your place in line by pre-scheduling an upgrade window today. Onsite Techs of Rhode Island will ensure your upgrade goes smoothly and that it doesn’t get in the way of your day-to-day work. 

Contact us today to schedule a consultation at 401-773-7766 or book a video call now.