At 23:00 on June 24, Microsoft held a next-generation Windows conference and officially released a new generation operating system code-named Windows 11. Compared with the leaked version that has been obtained before, what is the difference between the official version? Will there be some "king bombs" that we don't know about? Next, please follow the editor and take a look.

Windows 11 is here

1. New start menu

Compared with the leaked version, in addition to inheriting the appearance attributes of rounded corners and frosted glass, the most obvious change in the Win11 Start menu is the addition of a search bar. Live Tiles were removed entirely, replaced by simplified “icons” and algorithm-driven recommendation lists. We had previously thought that this would be a replica of Win10’s “Recently Used Documents”, but judging from the latest screenshots, it seems that it should be seen more as a combination of “Recently Used Documents + Most Used Programs”. At the same time, it is confirmed that the centered taskbar should appear by default regardless of new installations or upgrades. Of course, Microsoft will still provide us with a switch to restore previous usage habits.

New start menu

The search panel is similar to Win10 and can provide search results for local, network, OneDrive and other locations. But since it is no longer separated from the Start menu, the actual effect looks more unified.

Integrated search interface

2. Settings panel

The settings panel has received a major overhaul, with a columnar layout replacing the previous menu options. One advantage of this design is that it can ensure that users can jump to the required module at any time (the left navigation bar does not move). Although a concept image has appeared before, it is obvious that the actual effect is far more stunning than the concept image shows.

New settings panel

3. New day/night theme

Win11 adds a new day and night theme, and the design of rounded corners + suspended frosted glass makes the entire interface look brand new. Thanks to the addition of Fluent Design 3.0, the entire UI looks and feels quite good. However, the official is still here and has not mentioned the new generation file manager from beginning to end. If we compare the file manager in the leaked version, maybe everyone will have more doubts - when will this new theme be released? Can it be completed?

New Win11 day/night theme

In addition, the fully automatic day and night theme and the separate operation center were also lost during the press conference. Almost none of the elements that were previously considered most likely to appear in Win11 appeared. Many Windows fans have expressed regret for this result! After all, Win10’s problems are already a lesson learned.

4. Multi-tasking Snap Layouts

Window grouping is called "Multi-tasking Layouts" (Snap Layouts) in the new version. In addition to the newly added layout menu, its biggest difference from Win10 is the addition of a set of device-adaptive functions. In addition to the traditional left/right/top left/bottom left/top right/bottom right layout, when your monitor exceeds a certain ratio, Win11 will automatically add a three-column layout (left/middle/right, left/secondary/ Center main/right auxiliary, left auxiliary/center auxiliary/right main, left main/center auxiliary/right auxiliary) to improve the efficiency of ultra-wide screen use.

Multitasking layout demo

In addition, Snap Layouts can also be adjusted in real time according to the connected device. For example, when you connect a laptop to a large screen or separate the home screen from the computer, Snap Layouts will automatically adjust the layout settings to ensure the best presentation effect.

Adaptive demo of multitasking layout

5. Microsoft Teams

Communication will be a major feature of Win11, and Microsoft Teams will replace the previous Skype (the latter can also be downloaded on its own from the Microsoft Store). Compared to Skype, Microsoft Teams has broader functionality. In addition to completing audio and video calls between teams, it can also achieve more high-end functions such as document synchronization and office collaboration. For example, you can create a "post bar" where @a certain colleague can discuss on a certain floor. There is even a dedicated channel created for communication between members of the same group.

Microsoft Teams will replace Skype

Microsoft Teams supports three platforms: Windows, Android, and iOS. Even if the other party has not downloaded Teams, you can still communicate with them two-way through text messages. The taskbar directly integrates the Microsoft Teams button (similar to the previous Skype MeetNow) to facilitate users to connect with friends more quickly.

Convenient communication with colleagues or friends

6. Widgets

The widget replaces the previous live tiles. In addition to the information and weather seen in the leaked version, it also adds calendar, schedule, photos and other functions. As an extension of dynamic tiles, widgets have become even better in terms of scalability and interactivity. In addition to being able to freely edit widgets, more interactive buttons have been added. Of course, corresponding to this, "Information and Interests" in Win10 will also be replaced by it, and all tasks will be unified into the widget panel.

Widgets replace live tiles

An interactive button has been added below the widget

7. New input logic

The soft keyboard has been further improved based on Win10, and the new appearance design makes the entire keyboard full of texture. In addition to the aforementioned emoticons and clipboard, the newly added handwriting mode and dictation mode will also become a highlight. Compared with Win10, the new keyboard has optimized touch targets and visual cues, and also adds "tactile feedback" (for stylus). In addition, Win11's speech recognition capabilities have also been enhanced. In addition to supporting automatic addition of punctuation marks, certain commands can also be implemented directly using voice.

Newly designed soft keyboard

8. Virtual Desktop

Win11 has improved the virtual desktop function, allowing each "desktop" to have its own theme, wallpaper, and name on the original basis. The new design adjusts the position of the desktop toolbar to facilitate quick access for touch screen users. By the way, Win11 also has more options for touch screen gestures, and tablet users will have a better operating experience.

New virtual desktop

9. Game experience

Compared with Win10, Win11 gives PC players a better experience in many aspects. For example, the new DirectX 12, Auto HDR that turns on automatically, and DirectStorage that improves performance by a hundred times, etc., can allow players to get better graphics and faster loading speeds. In addition, the directly integrated XBOX GAME PASS is also an important means to attract players. It is like a monthly game card, allowing players to play more than 100 different types of games on the XBOX platform with a monthly payment, which is equivalent to opening up a Free game library.

A new gaming experience

The game automatically turns on HDR (*This feature requires display device support)

10. Tablet mode

In addition to traditional keyboard and mouse operations, Win11 has also been optimized for tablet devices. However, unlike Win10, which still requires manual clicks, Win11 can already implement many automated adjustments. For example, the taskbar will automatically adjust its spacing according to the tablet/PC mode, and the window size will become more random. When it detects device rotation, Win11 can automatically switch the window layout to adapt to the new desktop ratio. Of course, small components are also one of them, especially on touch devices, which can give users a better operating experience.

Adaptive tablet mode

Widgets will provide a better operating experience on tablet devices

11. Run Android apps directly

Win11 can directly run Android applications, which was undoubtedly the biggest attraction at last night's conference. According to official news from Microsoft, later this year, users will be able to search and download Android apps in the Microsoft Store or Amazon App Store. These Android apps will be able to run directly on Win11 and have corresponding functional experiences.

Win11 will be able to run Android apps directly

At the press conference, Microsoft demonstrated running TikTok (TikTok International version) directly in Win11. As you can see from the video, the playback effect and operating efficiency of the entire application are very high. This is mainly due to Microsoft's built-in Android subsystem directly in Win11 instead of a simple virtual machine or virtualized container. In fact, this "matryoshka" trick is not the first time Microsoft has used it. The previous Win10 had a built-in Linux subsystem.

The effect of Win11 running TikTok (TikTok International version) demonstrated at the press conference is very smooth

12. New Microsoft App Store

The app store has also been reorganized. One of the most intuitive feelings is that the icons are larger and the interface is more beautiful. However, this is only a superficial change. According to Microsoft CEO Nadella, the new store will provide developers with more opportunities to help them make profits on this new platform. In addition to traditional UWP applications, the new store will also provide .exe, PWA, .apk and other application formats for download. And expand music, videos, movies and more resources. It is foreseeable that the Microsoft App Store may usher in more massive resources in the future, thus truly becoming the center of Win11's resource system.

New Microsoft App Store

13. New Office interface

In addition to the changes in Win11, Microsoft also inadvertently revealed a set of Office interfaces during the press conference. Compared with the current version, the new interface looks very simple, similar to the web version of Office 365. However, Microsoft did not reveal more details about this. After all, the protagonist today is still Windows 11.

Suspected new Office interface

New interface design similar to Office 365

14. 40% smaller volume and faster speed

Microsoft has also made some adjustments to address the most criticized update issues in Windows. The update package size of Win11 will be reduced by up to 40% compared to Win10. This not only brings faster response speed, but also makes the system more power-saving. At the same time, some components will also run faster, including the existing Edge browser.

Win11 update package is smaller! Respond faster!

write at the end

Overall, the changes brought by Windows 11 are much greater than expected, especially the "king bomb" of being able to directly run Android applications, which is an unexpected surprise. However, the official has not yet released a new preview image, and it seems that you will have to wait a while to experience it. But as Microsoft said, this is just the beginning... So, are you looking forward to the arrival of Windows 11 next?