Most interactions are completely unchanged. But if you mouse over the Maximize window button on any window, you’ll see a pop-up that visually shows you which Snap configurations you can use. Snap works exactly as before and supports the same keyboard shortcuts. I feel like having this all be one UI makes more sense. Instead, you have to open Search (WINKEY + S). In Windows 11, you can tap Start and start typing but nothing happens. In previous Windows versions, you can tap Start and start typing to search. To put that all back where it was before, right-click the taskbar, choose Taskbar settings, and check out the new first option, “Taskbar alignment.” I like and prefer the centered Start button and taskbar icons, but I know some won’t. You can move the Start button and taskbar icons to the left.

But I’m still hoping Microsoft has some surprises in store for us next week. Overall, what we see here is what I’d call the bare minimum for a major version upgrade, as it provides a reasonable UI change, at least to all the modern UIs in Windows, and it will obviously include bundled apps updates as well, though we can’t see a single new or upgraded app in this build. But now I’m considering bringing a Windows 11-based PC so I can keep using this new system. Originally, I was planning to bring the Windows 10 on ARM-based HP Elite Folio, since that’s the next non-Chromebook in line for review. That said, when you get to the interactive portion of a clean install, the UI is new.Īs a side note of sorts, the unexpected arrival of Windows 11 has thrown a wrench into my trip plans as you may recall, I’m heading to Mexico City on Thursday and will be gone through next Tuesday. The clean install UI dates back to at least Windows Vista, though the purple color scheme debuted in Windows 8 (if I remember correctly).Īnd the upgrade UI, which resembles that of the Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant, most likely has its roots in Windows 8. And in both cases, the install UI is mostly unchanged from the previous several Windows versions. In each case, once the PC reboots (or, on the clean install, simply goes off to do its thing), the UI “disappears” for many long minutes at a time, leaving only a blank black screen. That’s because every Windows 11 install I’ve done so far has been quite time-consuming. Both installs have been, in their own ways, instructive. But once that was complete, I needed to try a few other installs: Another upgrade, this time on an Evo-class laptop, and a clean install in a virtual machine. When Windows 11 leaked earlier today, I did what any self-respecting technology enthusiast would do: I installed it on the PC I use every single day.

Windows 7 slow after snagit install