Windows 11 compared with Windows 10: what is different?

If you move from Windows 10 to Windows 11, most things work the same way, but several are moved around. Here are the changes beginners notice first.

The look

• The Start button and the taskbar icons are in the middle of the screen. You can move them left: open Settings, Personalisation, Taskbar, Taskbar behaviours, and change Taskbar alignment.
• Windows are rounded and the design is cleaner.
• The Start menu shows pinned apps and recommended files instead of the live tiles in Windows 10.

Settings and menus

• The Settings app is organised in a list on the left, and looks different from Windows 10.
• Many things that were in Control Panel are now in Settings, although Control Panel still exists.
• Right-click menus are shorter. Click Show more options, or press Shift + F10, to see the old, longer list.
• Network and sound controls are in a Quick Settings panel by the clock, with Wi-Fi, volume and brightness.

New features

• Snap layouts: hover over the maximise button to arrange windows neatly.
• Widgets: a panel for weather and news, opened from the taskbar.
• Better virtual desktops, and a revised Notification centre with the calendar.
• Windows Backup and an updated Snipping Tool and Notepad.

What has gone or changed

• The taskbar is harder to resize and in some versions cannot be moved to the top or sides.
• Cortana is no longer a main feature.
• The File Explorer ribbon is replaced by a simpler toolbar.

Is it worth it?

If your PC is eligible, Windows 11 gets security updates and new features. If your PC is not eligible, you can stay on Windows 10 for a limited time, but should plan ahead. Always back up before changing.

When to get more help

Get in touch if you cannot find a setting you used all the time, if the taskbar looks wrong after an upgrade, or if you are choosing between upgrading and buying a new PC. We can show you or do it for you.