PC Pro - UK 2021-12)

“Thebiggestusability

improvementsinWindows

11 comeinthewaythe

operatingsystemhandles

multiplewindows”

LEFTThejuryisstill

outonwidgets,which

sorelyneedbacking

fromthirdparties

BELOWMicrosoftis

movingtoannual

updatesforWindows

11,muchlikemacOS

ofunwantedchange
here.Afteracoupleof
daysofuse,however,
yousoongrow
accustomedtothe
Windows 11 way-
mainlybecauseit’s
notthatdifferent
fromWindows10,
especiallyifyourely
onkeyboardshortcuts
toaccessthingssuch
astheStartmenu
andsearch.
Windows 11 hasa
morecoherentfeel
thanWindows10,a
cleareridentityanda
cleanerlook-partly
becauseithasadopted
theUIofthenow-
abandonedWindows
10X,whichwasmeant
tobeastreamlined
versionofWindows
tochallenge
Chromebooks.
Oneoftheside
effectsofthisis
Windows11’s
suitabilityfor
touchscreens.There’s
nolongeranyneedfor
atabletmode,because
allthebuttonsareso
easytohitwitha
finger.Indeed,
Windows11’s
limitationsasatabletOSarenow
largelyduetothelackofappsthat
offeratabletmode.
Thatsaid,youdon’thavetodig
toomanylayersdeeptofindrelics
ofWindows7hidinginControl
Panelmenus,networkingwizards
andsoforth.Microsoft’soutright
refusaltodisposeofthislegacycruft
isbaffling.

Snappywindows
Thebiggestusabilityimprovements
inWindows 11 comeinthewaythe
operatingsystemhandlesmultiple
windows–andthiscouldbeabig
winforthoseofuswhoworkwith
severalappsontheburnatthesame
time,withwindowsstrewnacross
multipledisplays.
Whenyouhoverovertheiconyou
normallyusetomaximiseawindow,
you’renowpresentedwithvarious
SnapLayouts,allowingyoutosnapa
windowintoahalf,thirdorquarterof
thescreen,dependingonthelayout
chosen.Windows 10 hastheselayout
optionstoo,butit’snowmucheasier
toenact,notrelyingonyou
rememberingtodragawindowtoa
certainpositiontosnapitinplace.
Betterstill,ifyouhaveasetofapps
positionedinacertainlayoutand
thenflicktoanotherfull-screenapp

–tocheckyouremail,say–youcan

thenflickbacktofindalltheappsin

thesameplace.Microsoftcallsthese

SnapGroups,becauseit’sMicrosoft

andeverythinghastohavean

instantlyforgettablename.

Multi-monitorsupportisalso

muchimproved.Ifyou’vegotaseries

ofwindowsopenonanexternal

screenandthendisconnectyour

laptopfromthemonitortotakeitto

ameeting,forinstance,youwon’t

findallthoseopenwindowssmashed

awkwardlyacrossyourlaptopdisplay

themomentyoupullthecord.

They’renowconvenientlyminimised

tokeepeverythingtidy.Betterstill,

whenyoureturntoyourdesk,open

windowsontheexternaldisplaywill

jumpbackintoplace,asifyou’ve

neverbeenaway.Thisfeelsalot

moregrownupandlongoverdue.

Teamsintegration

Thepandemichasbeengoodto

Microsoft,andinparticularTeams.

Keentopresshomeitsadvantage

hereand,seeminglyobliviousto

competitionconcerns,Microsoftis

bakingTeamsrightintotheheartof

Windows11.Thiswilleventually

allowyoutodothingssuchasmute

yourselffromtheTaskbar,whichis

handyifyou’vebeen

divertedtosomething

elsemid-meetingand

don’twanttoalert

yourcolleagues.

ThevictimofTeams’

arrivalinWindows1 1 is

Skype,whichwillno

longercomebundledwiththe

operatingsystem.Supportfor

InternetExplorerisovertoo,

althoughthoselingeringlegacy

appsmightstillberevivableusing

Edge’sIEMode.

Updatesmadegood?

IfITmanagersaregrindingtheirteeth

attheprospectoftestingand

validatinganewoperatingsystem,at

leastMicrosofthasthrownthema

decent-sizedbone.Insteadofthe

Windows 11 willbeafreeupgradeforWindows 10 users,and

we’reofferingPCProreadersafinalchancetoupgradeto

Windows 10 Profor£69.99(orWindows 10 Homefor

£39.99).Claimyourcopyatstore.pcpro.co.uk.

CLAIMWINDOWS 10 PROFOR£ 69. 99