It’s been over a year since Microsoft released the Windows 11 operating system (OS). It has been largely well-received as a user-friendly and stable platform. While 11 is not a large departure from the Windows 10 experience, it does offer a lot of enhancements over the older environment – including enhanced Cybersecurity.
But even with several improvements and a free upgrade for Windows 10 users, it still lags in adoption. As of November 2022, Windows 10 still owns the lion’s share of Windows PCs. It has a 69.75 percent usage share as compared to 16.13 percent for Windows 11. This is not unusual, because many Windows 7 users loved it and were loathe to give it up for 10 (which had initial issues) until their IT Services provider insisted on it to maintain Cybersecurity.
People are gradually upgrading to the newer OS, but taking a ‘wait-and-see’ position in regards to technology is not ill-advised. In business, CEOs and administrators want to make sure it’s worth the time to upgrade, not to mention the associated learning.
Fortunately, Windows 11 has a similar workspace feel as its predecessor. It is not a drastic departure, but it does pack a lot of great productivity and security benefits that Windows 10 lacks.
The fact is: There is no hurry. Microsoft has announced that the retirement date for 10 is October 14, 2025. Still, two and a half years is not all that far away.
Here are some of the best features in this current Windows OS. After taking a look, you may choose to go ahead and take the plunge into the Windows 11 universe – some of these improvements are very handy.
Snap Layouts
Most people work with more than one app open at a time. It’s not unusual to need to reference two different windows while doing side-by-side work. Switching back and forth between apps can be tedious and time-consuming.
Approximately 68% of app users say that switching between apps costs them at least 30 minutes per day. Trying to size two windows next to each other can also be frustrating. You lose the scroll bar or can’t get to the menu items unless you resize. Even with a dual-monitor setup, the juggling leads to frustration.
Meet the new wrinkle: snap layouts. This feature in Windows 11 solves the multi-app problem. Simply hover over the maximize icon at the top of any window to get access to a snap layout.
Choose the area you want for the active app, and it will snap into place and allow you to choose apps for the other slots.
Master Search
When you need to find a document, website, image, or app quickly, use the Windows 11 master search. Just click the search icon on your desktop. You’ll get a search bar that will populate results from the entered keyword.
As an added touch, Microsoft populates fun topics into the search bar daily. Learn more about James Webb Space Telescope, Coffee Day, or other fun subjects. This is nice for the consumer, but even though work should be fun, every manager wants his team to stay topic focused.
Once you enter your keyword, you can further refine your search. Refine it according to the type of search result you want. (apps, documents, web, etc.).
Clipchamp Video Editor
Microsoft gifted users with a free video editor in the latest Windows 11 update. The new Clipchamp app makes it a snap to edit videos. Downloading additional software is unnecessary.
Clipchamp has a lot of the features you’d expect to have to pay for. These include templates, effects, video resizing, green screen, and more.
MS Teams Video, Audio & Text Messaging
Video calls have become the norm since the pandemic, but not all video software is easy to use. Who among us has NOT had to wait on someone late to a call because they were struggling with the app?
Microsoft Teams is preinstalled on Windows 11. This gives you a simple click-to-call experience. You can easily invite someone to a video or audio call. The person does not need to have a Microsoft account to connect with you. making things easier on both sides.
Another great feature of the Teams app in this OS is the fact that you can use it for SMS messaging. Instead of having to drag out your phone, you can just text someone from your desktop.
Accessibility Features
The added accessibility features on Windows 11 are seamless and extremely user friendly. They're designed to help ensure everyone can use their computer as they want. They are a great aid to people with disabilities as well as those that simply like the extra flexibility they offer.
Four of the newest accessibility features in the OS include:
System-wide live captions
Focus sessions
Voice access
More natural voices for Narrator, Windows’ built-in screen reader
Collections in Microsoft Edge
Although still lagging well behind Chrome, Microsoft Edge is the default browser for Windows. It’s been getting better – and may well be worth checking out if you haven’t yet - especially because of a feature called “collections.”
If your bookmarked favorites are unmanageable, you’ll like this Edge capability. If you click the “plus” icon at the top of an Edge browser window, you’ll get the collections panel. Add a collection subject and click to add webpages.
You can see a preview of what you’ve added, and everything is nicely organized. Collections are easy to access and easy to delete when you’re finished with them.
Microsoft Defender SmartScreen
Phishing is still far and away the biggest online Cybersecurity threat. It’s used to enable many forms of cyberattacks, from ransomware to credential theft. A significant number of phishing messages send users to malicious websites. You often don’t know until it’s too late that you’ve landed on a malware-laden site.
Windows 11 includes Microsoft Defender SmartScreen. This app helps protect you from those dangerous phishing sites. The app checks URLs in real time against a dynamic list of reported phishing sites. It will warn you if a site is potentially dangerous.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Windows 11 stable now?
A: Mostly, but not 100%. There are still lagging issues as there always are with new Operating Systems, but nothing devastating. Some problems, like slow start-up, have fixes that either your internal IT support department or outsourced Managed Services Provider can easily address.
Q: Will Windows 11 take up more space?
A: Depending on your configuration 11 will take up about 27GB on your disk upon installation – 7GB more than 10 at its launch, but just like 10, updates will continue to eat up space over time. 10 is now at 32GB.
Q: Is Win 11 slower than win 10?
A: No. A number of speed tests have shown both 10 and 11 to be about the same – perhaps a small edge to 11.
Q: Is Windows 10 still better than Windows 11?
A: Both win out in some ways – it depends on what is important to you. As noted above, 11 does have some interesting new features, but pcmag.com lays out a good argument for hanging on to 10 as long as you can – and shows you what you will be losing if you upgrade.
How secure is your network?
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