Microsoft rolls out Windows 11 with refreshed look and feel

Windows 11 includes a redesigned Start menu, new user interface and an overhauled Microsoft Store

Microsoft has released Windows 11, the next-gen version of its Windows operating system, after a six-year wait.

The company had earlier said that it would launch the new OS on 5th October 2021, but then decided to roll out the update a day ahead of schedule.

If you have recently purchased a Windows 10 device, chances are good that you have the option to upgrade to Windows 11 right away.

For other users, the rollout will be gradual.

Microsoft plans to complete its Windows 11 roll-out in a phased manner before mid-2022.

While the company released the OS update a day early, new Windows 11 devices will be launched today.

New Surface devices with Windows 11 preinstalled, as well as new laptops and PCs from HP, Lenovo, and Asus, are now available to buy in stores.

Other PC makers like Dell, Samsung and Acer are also expected to release Windows 11 machines soon.

Windows 11 is a new approach to the Windows OS, which includes a redesigned Start menu, a new user interface, an overhauled Microsoft Store, Microsoft Teams integration, Widgets, DirectStorage, Auto HDR, and a variety of other features designed to enhance efficiency and speed.

"A new Windows experience, Windows 11 is designed to bring you closer to what you love," Aaron Woodman, general manager of Windows marketing at Microsoft, said last month in a blog post.

"As the PC continues to play a more central role in our lives than ever before - Windows 11 is ready to empower your productivity and inspire your creativity."

In Windows 11, the Start menu and taskbar icons are centred in the middle of the taskbar.

Windows 11 also features brand new widgets that provide details like weather, news, updates, time and more. For publishers and creators, Widgets opens new real estate within Windows to offer personalised content.

With the Snap Groups feature, users can collate several apps into a single group. The feature is accessible directly from the taskbar and is intended to help users in task switching.

The Microsoft Store - the Windows version of an app store - has also received a major update. Microsoft says the App Store has been completely redesigned and now supports Android apps. Through a partnership with Amazon, users will be able to discover Android apps in the Microsoft Store and download them via the Amazon store. The company worked with Intel, using its Intel Bridge technology, to achieve this.

Microsoft also says it new Direct Storage drive technology will lead to faster loading times in games, by enabling a graphics card to access storage drives without going through the central processor.

Windows chief product officer Panos Panay, told the BBC that Windows 11 has been designed to be "clean and fresh and simpler" for the user.

"We're in a time where there is a bit of a new era for the PC happening right now," Mr Panay said.

"I think Windows 11 kind of stamps that moment and it is a signal for that moment."

All Windows 10 users will be able to download the OS for free, as long as their PC meets the minimum requirements of a dual-core 64-bit processor, at least 4GB of RAM and 64GB of free storage space.

They will also need UEFI, Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0, Secure Boot capable firmware, and a graphics card compatible with DirectX 12 or later.

The new OS will see only one major feature update in a year, in contrast to twice-a-year feature updates for Windows 10.