Are You Waiting to Upgrade to Windows 11? Here’s What You’re Missing Out On
Windows 11 was launched on October 5, 2021, and it has now rolled out to many users around the world with compatible Windows 10 devices. It has been very well received with just a few hiccups that Microsoft looks to be addressing pretty quickly.
Issues with network printers have been resolved and currently known bugs include a conflict with Oracle VirtualBox, and a slowdown issue with AMD processors when using File Explorer, which has been fixed in a preview update that’s soon to come out.
Sites like PC Mag have given Windows 11 a four-star review, noting that it provides great window layout options and performance-improving features.
One of the reasons that Windows 11 might be so well received is that it’s not a dramatic change in the Windows interface from Windows 10. So, users won’t feel completely disoriented when they begin working on their upgraded desktop.
The focus has been largely on the small things that people do every day like connecting for video calls, searching for information, or working in more than one window at a time. It’s taken these tasks and made them easier and less time-consuming.
Have You Been Waiting to Upgrade?
If your company has been waiting to upgrade to Windows 11, it’s not unusual. Many companies like to wait a while to ensure all the kinks have been worked out before they upgrade to something that’s going to be so impactful to all their users.
They want to ensure all the applications and peripherals they use will not have any problems and that they won’t experience a drop in user productivity as a result of the upgrade.
However, because Windows 11 has been so well received, you may be missing out on some valuable user performance enhancements by not upgrading sooner rather than later.
Performance-Boosting Features in Windows 11
Snap Layouts (Work in Multiple Windows Easily)
Problem:
Workflows often require people to work in more than one window at a time. Maybe you need to reference a document on your hard drive while on a video call. Or you may be typing up a report in MS Word and need to continuously reference data in an Excel spreadsheet.
Sizing windows to be side by side is time-consuming. And the Windows 10 snap feature to snap a window to the side of the screen, isn’t always helpful and can actually get in the way.
Solution:
Windows 11 solves this issue with snap layouts. This allows you to use an optimized layout that instantly arranges windows according to a 2 to 4 window option.
It’s easy to go in and out of your snap layouts, and when using them you can reach scroll bars and menu items, which you can’t always reach when resizing windows yourself.
This is perhaps the biggest time-saving feature of Windows 11.
Snap layouts in Windows 11
New Streamlined & Easier to Use Start Menu
Problem:
The Windows 10 Start Menu can be a little intimidating. Sure, at first it was fun to have the ability to put apps into their own little boxed groups. But accessing them on a regular basis, left many users frustrated trying to find what they needed.
Solution:
The biggest difference that most users will notice in Windows 11 as far as the design and navigation is the change in the Start Menu. The menu is now a single panel that comes up in the middle of the desktop.
Users can pin their most-used apps to the top and easily use the master search bar to look for apps, settings, documents, and more.
It’s actually faster to use the search inside the Start Menu to look for files than it is in File Explorer in many cases.
Windows 11 new decluttered Start Menu
Native Microsoft Teams Integration on the Desktop
Problem:
Users now must connect with people virtually multiple times a week in many cases, due to the changes in the office since the pandemic. A lot more employees are working virtually, and clients are also impacted by the same circumstances.
It’s often time-consuming to bring up an application to start a video or audio conference call. Users may also have trouble getting connected, which can waste valuable time.
Solution:
Microsoft Teams is integrated natively into the Windows 11 desktop, allowing users to quickly start a video or audio call or group call. They can also send and receive text messages from the desktop (big time-saver!) by simply typing in the person’s mobile phone number.
The Teams integration is fluid and reduces the time it takes to reach out and connect. Users can connect with anyone, they don’t have to be a Teams user, and can even screen share from their desktop without having to open the full MS Teams application.
Using Teams from the desktop in Windows 11
Schedule a Smooth Upgrade to Windows 11 & Enjoy the Benefits
Quantum PC Services can help your Sturgeon Bay business plan a strategic upgrade to Windows 11 that won’t disrupt your operations and will allow your team to benefit from the new features.
Contact us today to learn more! Call 920-256-1214 or reach us online.
