Windows 11 is nearly here. Microsoft’s next operating system has been released within a leaked build, even if it hasn’t even been formally announced. Microsoft is promising to launch what’s next for Windows at an event on June 24, and that’s when we expect Windows 11 will become official.
Every new operating system brings many questions. We’re starting here with the answers we know, and we’ll update this list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) as we learn more. To find everything we know about Windows, check out our Windows 11 comprehensive guide, with news, tips, reviews, and more.
What is Windows 11?
We expect Windows 11 will be the name of the next major revision to Windows 10, different enough that it justified a new brand name and not just another feature update. This all sounds familiar…
When will Windows 11 be announced?
We expect Microsoft will announce Windows 11 at an event on June 24, at 11 a.m. ET (get it?).
When will I be able to get Windows 11?
If past Windows launch timelines are any indication, it’s mostly likely that Windows 11 will be made available to Windows Insiders this summer, then made available to the public at large this fall. It’s also possible that Microsoft will skip this fall altogether and release Windows 11 in spring, 2022.
If you’re wondering whether you’ll be able to opt out of Windows 11—the answer is, probably not.
Will Windows 11 be free?
Some of you may be wondering what Windows 11 will cost. We’d expect the price for a standalone version of the operating system to be around the current price of Windows 10: $110 for Windows 11 Home, and $150 for Windows 11 Pro. (Here’s how to get Windows 10 for even cheaper.) But we’d also expect that Windows 11 will be a free upgrade to Windows 10. Remember, Microsoft likes to hook people by lowering the price of the operating system, and then trying to sell them on services, like Microsoft 365 or the Xbox Game Pass.
Will there be different versions of Windows 11?
Microsoft refers to Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro as different editions of Windows 10, and it’s likely that we’ll see a Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro, too. (Here are five reasons to get Windows 10 Pro.) At one time, we thought Microsoft might tap the powers of virtualization to make Windows 10 Pro a true enthusiast operating system. So far, it hasn’t happened.
We don’t know whether Microsoft will release Windows 11 version of Windows 10 S.
What’s new for Windows 11?
Thanks to our time trying a leaked version of Windows 11, we’ve already seen some major changes to Windows 11 from Windows 10. It starts with a new user interface applied over the top of what still looks a lot like Windows 10. There’s a more compact, centered Taskbar and Start Menu. We also noticed updated icon designs and other visual tweaks.
What does Windows 11 mean for Windows 10?
Microsoft has always said that it plans to end support for Windows 10 in 2025, and that’s still the case. If Microsoft sees Windows 11 as a replacement for Windows 10, and a free one, we’d expect your PC will upgrade to Windows 11 automatically, whenever Microsoft is ready to deploy the new operating system.
What about that Microsoft policy that Windows 10 would be the “last Windows?” As it turns out, that wasn’t exactly the case. We still believe, however, that Microsoft will keep updating and patching Windows, whatever it’s called. Windows is just Windows.
What are Windows’s 11 system requirements?
Microsoft periodically updates the minimum hardware requirements for its operating system. (Here are the system requirements for Windows 10, which include a 1GHz CPU or better, 2GB of RAM, and so on.) We expect to know more about Windows 11’s requirements after it’s announced.
Are there any new apps for Windows 11?
So far, we haven’t seen any, but Microsoft may add more later.
Will there be a Windows 11 Mobile?
Sadly, almost certainly not.
