Why (and How) to Upgrade Your PC Operating System to Windows 11

Alternatively, you can read the minimum hardware specifications, such as a processor that’s 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster, 4 gigabytes (GB) of RAM (system memory), at least 64GB of storage and so on. If you have Windows 10, free updates are available through Windows Update. Go to Start | ⚙️ Settings | Update & Security.

If you have Windows 10, but your machine doesn’t have the ability to upgrade to Windows 11, you have an option to buy an extended security update for $30 for one year. That will give you a little more time to look for a new model and maybe even allow you to buy a PC that will run Windows 12, which has no official launch date but could be introduced this fall or as late as 2027.

Not sure about your present version of Windows? If you think it’s:

• Windows 11, type About into the 🔍 Search area of the task bar at the bottom of your screen. Select About your PC. You may have to sign in again. Scroll to Windows specifications where you’ll see the edition, Windows 11 Home or Pro, and the version installed. 24H2, made available Oct. 1, 2024, is the most recent.
• Windows 10, click or tap ⊞ Start | ⚙️ Settings | System | About. Scroll to Windows specifications and click to see what you have. Under Device specifications | System type, you’ll be able to tell whether you have a 32-bit or 64-bit processor; 64-bit is more powerful.
• Windows 7, hit Start. Type Computer in the search box, right-click on Computer and select Properties. Under Windows edition, you’ll find the information.

Tip: Backing up important files to the cloud, a hard drive, SD memory card, solid-state drive or USB thumb drive before you install a new operating system is always a good idea. Though nothing bad is likely to happen, you don’t want to risk something going wrong and files becoming corrupt or disappearing after the upgrade.

9 benefits for Windows 11 users

Some highlights of the Windows 11 operating system:

1. Accessibility tools. Closed Captions, Magnifier, Narrator and Windows Speech Recognition support users across the broad disability spectrum. And just as curb cuts benefit people who don’t use wheelchairs, these tools can help anyone work more easily.

2. Artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced search. Microsoft’s Bing search engine is in task bar of Windows 11, and Microsoft’s conversational AI bot, Copilot, also is pinned there. When you use Microsoft Edge as your browser, Copilot also can offer its search services.

3. Better gaming. Windows 11 helps unlock the full potential of your system’s hardware with smart gaming tech such as DirectX 12 for smoother graphics performance and DirectStorage for faster load times.

4. Different desktops. Do you use your PC for work and play or share the computer with others in the family? Windows 11 allows you to create and customize separate desktops. To get going, tap or click the task bar icon that looks like two overlapping squares ⧉, a mirror image of this icon.

5. Microsoft Store. It is built into Windows 11 and allows you to download thousands of free and paid apps to customize your PC. 

6. Simplified design. From more rounded corners to new fonts, icons and sounds, Windows 11 offers a minimalist design that makes it easier to find and access your favorite apps.

7. Snap layouts. Windows 11 makes it simpler to multitask, even with several windows open at the same time. Instead of letting items get lost under an open window, hover your mouse over the rounded square Maximize icon in the top right corner of any window and select your favorite way to arrange open apps.

8. Teams chat. Microsoft Teams is integrated into Windows 11, so you can instantly connect with others through chat, text, video or voice — regardless of the platform or device they’re on.

9. Widgets. Windows 11 is all about personalization, including widgets that glide in from the left of the screen and display customized and AI-powered news, photos, sports scores, stock quotes, traffic and weather.

4 features missing from Windows 11

If you can make the leap from Windows 10 to Windows 11 with your existing computer, you might miss a few previous features.

In the Start menu. Your pinned apps and websites won’t migrate during the Windows 10 upgrade, so make notes for later. The layout of the menu can’t be resized, and named groups and folders are no longer supported. Live Tiles are no longer available, but you can customize Windows 11 widgets for a similar feel.

In the task bar. You can’t move it to the side anymore; it stays pinned to the bottom of the screen. You can’t drag and drop a file onto the task bar and quickly open it later. The People icon, a shortcut to your contacts, also is gone.

Timeline no more. The popular, time-saving Timeline tool let you quickly access files and media you previously worked on. If you rely on it to find your files, you might want to hang on to Windows 10 a few months longer until you learn how to navigate your folders.

Windows Media Player. This popular app is not part of Windows 11 by default, but Media Player is. If you like the old version, you can add it. Right-click on the Start icon, then select ⚙️ Settings, followed by Apps on the left side. Next, click Optional features on the right side. In the Add an optional feature option, click View features and type Windows Media Player. Now select Windows Media Player and click Next | Install.