You can now download a Windows 11 preview, here's how
Microsoft is releasing the first preview build of Windows 11 to the public. Windows Insiders can now download the Windows 11 preview (build 22000.51), which includes a redesigned Microsoft Store. A new File Explorer is included in the preview, which replaces the ribbon with a command bar to make file management even easier.
This build includes a new Start menu with a centred launcher-like interface, as well as rounded corners across the OS and improvements to the notification centre, volume flyouts, and other areas. The Windows 11 lock screen will include a parallax motion effect if your PC has an accelerometer.
Along with the new Widgets feature, this preview includes Windows 11's new themes and dark/light mode improvements. Glow, Captured Motion, Sunrise, and Flow are all new themes designed with the centred taskbar in mind, and Microsoft has paired them with new sounds in the OS.
Microsoft's new Snap Groups and Snap Layouts features, which improve multitasking across a variety of screen sizes, are included in the preview. These new Snap features build on a lot of the multitasking features that have been in Windows for a long time, but they're now easier to find and use, especially in multi-monitor scenarios.
Microsoft is also releasing a preview of its new Office for Windows 11 today. To match Windows 11, the updated UI includes rounded corners in Office apps and changes to how the dark and light modes work.
If you want to try out the Windows 11 preview build, first sign up for the Windows Insiders program, then go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program on a Windows 10 device to enable the Dev Channel and get Windows 11 builds.
To see if your system is compatible, you'll need to use Microsoft's PC Health Check app.
If you're installing these previews on a machine you use on a regular basis, be aware that there will be bugs and unfinished features.
Comments