Windows 11 leaks reveal new design, taskbar, and Start menu
Microsoft has been dropping subtle hints in the weeks leading up to its June 24th event, but the big surprise might have already been spoiled. On Tuesday, purported screenshots of a Windows 11 beta appeared on the Chinese site Baidu, offering up our first look at the new user interface that Microsoft would be bringing to its popular operating system.
Within hours, the build began making the rounds, and several publications had installed Windows 11 onto their computers to give it a test run. PCWorld’s hands-on was among the most comprehensive — here are some of the most interesting revelations from their report.
According to PCWorld, installing the ISO on a Surface Pro 7+ tablet took 20 minutes or so and involved several reboots. Unlike with a fresh Windows 10 installation, Cortana didn’t start shouting at the team during the setup process to ask them about their preferences. Rather, the software seemed to be drawing upon what it already knew as Windows 11 finished installing.
Once Windows 11 has finished installing, it boots directly to the home screen, complete with a new default desktop background. The most obvious change comes in the taskbar, where the app icons — as well as the Start button — are now centered the same way they would be on a macOS or a Chrome OS device. The Start menu has received a sleek makeover as well, doing away with the Live Tiles and replacing them with a list of pinned and recommended apps.
One of the many changes that PCWorld saluted in its hands-on preview was the implementation of PowerToys’ FancyZones into every windowed app. If you hover your cursor over the “Maximize” icon on any app, you will see a feature that will allow you to align the app in a variety of configurations all over the screen. This should make it easier to organize apps on your display.
