Windows 11 vs. Windows 10: What you need to know

Windows 11, the first major update to the Windows platform since Windows 10 launch in 2015, is only months away. The operating system offers new interface and several features that bring Windows into a post-2020 world with more people working between their homes and the office.

For existing Windows 10 users, Windows 11 will be available as a free upgrade around the 2021 holiday season or before, so long as your computer is compatible. (Find out if your PC will work with Windows 11 here.) And if you still need to upgrade to Windows 10, don’t worry — a free Windows 10 download trick still works for many people.

Design and interface

Android app integration

Android apps will be coming to Windows 11, and installable from within the new Microsoft Store, via the Amazon Appstore. (There were a couple of ways to access Android apps on Windows 10, including if you had a Samsung Galaxy phone, but this will make it native.) This is something Windows users have been waiting for for years, and marks another move toward the merging of mobile and laptop devices.

Better virtual desktop support

microsoft-windows-11-virtual-desktop-support

Windows 11 will let you set up virtual desktops in a way that’s more similar to Macs, toggling between multiple desktops at once for personal, work, school or gaming use. In Windows 10, this was harder to set up and use.

Easier transition from monitor to laptop

The new OS includes features called Snap Groups and Snap Layouts — collections of the apps you’re using at once that sit in the taskbar, and can come up or be minimized at the same time for easier task switching. They also let you plug and unplug from a monitor more easily, without losing where your open windows are located.

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