Mark your calendar: Windows 11 goes live on the 5th of October

Having clarified Windows 11 compatibility on older computers just a few days ago, Microsoft has surprised us again by announcing a date for the official release of Windows 11. In a new blog post by Microsoft, they’ll be rolling out Windows 11 starting on the 5th of October, 2021.

Calling it their ‘new era of Windows’, Microsoft’s new operating system will come with a number of new features. The most obvious of course is the major redesign of the UI, with rounded windows and a center-aligned Start Menu. You’ll also be getting improved Snap Layouts with Snap Groups and Desktops also here to help users better multitask. They’ve integrated Microsoft Teams into the taskbar too, as well as an AI-powered information feed called Widgets.

Furthermore, there’s a bunch of gamer-focused features in Windows 11 too. Microsoft is bringing their DirectStorage technology to PC for the first time via their new operating system, while other new stuff like DirectX12 Ultimate and Auto HDR also get added to Windows 11. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Store has also been revamped with a new look along with better search functionality.

What you won’t get in the first full build of Windows 11 though is native Android app support. This delay won’t be too much of a surprise seeing as current preview builds of Windows 11 still doesn’t have it. Microsoft says that Android app support will only come to Windows 11’s preview builds for Windows Insiders over the coming months. This likely means that the feature, first showed off during the Windows 11 launch presentation, will only be ready for users by next year.

Despite the backlash over its strict hardware requirements, Microsoft seems to be doubling down on getting you to upgrade your PC or laptop for Windows 11. Even in their blog post announcing the official rollout for Windows 11, they listed a number of laptops that’ll be ready for Windows 11 on the 5th of October. These include the Acer Swift 5 and Swift X, Asus Zenbook 14, Dell XPS 13, Surface Laptop 4 and more. You can check out their full list of devices they recommend on their website.

For the rest of us hoping to upgrade to Windows 11 on our current machines, you’ll have to wait till the 5th of October to find out if you can get it. They state that while their new operating system will be rolling out on that day, it’ll only be delivered to qualifying devices. This could mean that for a number of users hoping to make the switch to Windows 11, you might need to wait until Microsoft releases it for you.

However, if you don’t have a PC that meets their Windows 11 minimum requirements, Microsoft pretty much says that Windows 10 will be better for you. Windows 10 will continue to be supported till October 2025 so you’ll still be able to squeeze another four years of your hardware before finally needing to upgrade for Windows 11.

If you’d like to check out more about Microsoft’s Windows 11 rollout, you can check out their full blog post about it on their Windows Experience Blog.

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