Windows 11 event is tomorrow — here’s what to expect

Windows 11 event is tomorrow — hither's what to expect

(Epitome credit: The Verge)

Microsoft is poised to reveal what'south next for Windows this Th, June 24, and we take good reason to believe it'south going to be Windows xi.

Certain, it might not actually be branded Windows 11. There'southward an outside chance it'll be called Windows Lord's day Valley, or something completely unexpected. We won't know for certain until tomorrow, merely we do take a pretty practiced idea of what you can wait to come across in the side by side version of Windows.

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Microsoft will reveal it in a special livestream that kicks off tomorrow (June 24th) at 11 a.grand. ET/8 a.one thousand. PT/ 4 p.thousand. BST. You lot can head over to the company'due south Windows event page to watch it alive, and Microsoft will almost certainly stream information technology out via the company'due south YouTube channel.

What to expect from Windows 11

While Microsoft hasn't said much publicly about the effect or what to expect, we already have a pretty good thought thanks to a few teases and leaks, nearly notably the Windows developer build that leaked out earlier this month. While nosotros tin can't be sure the leaked build is authentic, the fact that Microsoft is targeting information technology with a DMCA takedown lends it a lot of credence.

Windows xi branding: While we don't know for sure that the new software will be called Windows 11, it seems awfully likely. The leaked development build we saw earlier this calendar month is full of Windows 11 branding, and during the setup process information technology offers variations similar Windows xi Pro, Windows 11 for Instruction, and so on.

Nevertheless, Microsoft could throw u.s. a curveball and ditch numbers entirely: back when Windows 10 launched the visitor said it would be "the last version" of its flagship operating system, and some early leaks suggested the next version of Windows would be branded Windows Sun Valley.

Windows 11 leak — Become gear up for a more centered, rounded Windows feel (Image credit: The Verge)

Softer, more centered visual design: The about hit change we've seen in the leaked Windows developer build is a visual overhaul that makes the unabridged operating organisation look a piddling more approachable and bear upon-friendly.

For example, that erstwhile standby the Get-go menu has been relocated to the middle of the taskbar, though at that place are customization tools which allow you motility it back to the left-hand side if you lot wish. Alive tiles have been removed from the Start menu entirely, and in their place is a much simpler array of pinned apps.

A subtle UI overhaul gives the top layer of Windows a new look, with rounded corners and new icons for old standbys like the Recycle Bin. However, that new await appears to be pare-deep; when you drill down past the new UI into individual settings menus in the leaked Windows developer build, you lot'll see the same ascetic, abrupt-edged interfaces that have been the boulder of the operating organization since Windows 95.

Nosotros too expect to see more obvious and granular controls for arranging windows on your screen. When you maximize a window you will have the pick to arrange it side-by-side with some other window or equally ane of three or iv windows arranged in an on-screen grid, for example.

New features: We expect a number of new features to arrive with the next version of Windows. The leaked developer build includes a few, including a new start-upward sound, a new logo, and a new "Widgets" feature that appears to be an improved version of the Widgets get-go introduced with Windows Vista, and later sidelined.

We as well look to see new features added to Windows that brand information technology easier to utilise on mobile and touch-friendly devices, including an improved on-screen keyboard and a battery usage graph in the Settings app (seen in a leaked image from 2020) to brand life easier for those using Windows on laptops and tablets.

A new Microsoft Store: We also expect to meet some big changes coming to the Microsoft Shop alongside the release of Windows 11, as Microsoft has reportedly been working on overhauling the storefront for some time. Most notably, we look a big visual overhaul for customers that includes a new layout and new icons.

We also expect Microsoft to try and entice more than developers into selling their wares in the Microsoft Store by (amidst other things) assuasive devs to submit Win32 applications to the store, rather than having to waste fourth dimension packaging their piece of work as MSIX files. This could bring a more exciting array of products to the store, particularly when you recall that Microsoft changed the storefront'south default revenue-share back in April to give developers a bigger cut of their earnings (upwards to 95% for some devs), presumably to tempt more into selling their wares on Microsoft'south storefront.

A costless upgrade: Based on Microsoft'due south prior efforts, the next version of Windows will likely be a costless upgrade for existing customers -- for a limited time, at least.

Y'all may call up that Microsoft unveiled Windows x on September 30, 2014, followed it upward with an early technical preview, and launched the final product on July 29, 2015. The visitor offered Windows vii and eight users a path to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, and those free upgrades remained available for years afterwards.

If history repeats itself, we expect Microsoft to reveal Windows 11 tomorrow and announce a technical preview pretty soon afterwards, with a clear path for Windows 10 users to upgrade to the next version of Windows for free.

Of course, nosotros won't know for sure until Microsoft'southward big Windows shindig kicks off tomorrow, June 24. Nosotros've already published a good rundown of how to picket the Windows 11 result and program to be alive-blogging the event as information technology happens, so stay tuned!

Read adjacent: Windows 10 end engagement revealed ahead of Windows 11 launch

Alex Wawro is a lifelong tech and games enthusiast with more than than a decade of experience covering both for outlets like Game Developer, Black Hat, and PC World magazine. He currently serves equally a senior editor at Tom'due south Guide roofing all things computing, from laptops and desktops to keyboards and mice.