Microsoft will host a special livestream on June 24 to show the world what’s next for Windows, and software leaks suggest we’re going to see a successor to Windows 10.
Whether Microsoft will actually brand its new operating system as Windows 11 or not remains to be seen, but see it you should — a leaked developer build gives us good reason to believe what’s next for Windows is a visual overhaul aimed at making Microsoft’s venerable operating system look and feel more like something you could comfortably use on a touchscreen.
We’re already seeing some Windows 11 backlash online, as Windows fans digest the rounded corners and centered Start menu seen in leaked images. That’s why it’s so important to reserve judgment until the product is actually unveiled and released: the leaked build (which you really should not install) is unfinished, missing features and crucial context, and we really won’t have a good idea of how Microsoft is changing Windows or what the new OS is meant to accomplish until we see the final product.
Here’s where you can watch the Microsoft Windows 11 event this Thursday, and what Microsoft is likely to unveil.
How to watch the Microsoft Windows 11 event
Early in June Microsoft sent around a public invite to a special livestream which will reveal “what’s next for Windows” on Thursday, June 24 at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT/ 4 p.m. BST. You can head over to the company’s Windows event page to watch it live, and it will almost certainly stream on Microsoft’s YouTube channel.
What to expect at the Microsoft Windows 11 event
Microsoft hasn’t said much publicly about the event or what to expect — all we know is the company expects to unveil “the next generation of Windows” alongside commentary from execs like CEO Satya Nadella and chief product officer Panos Panay. With that kind of teaser and speaker lineup, it’s a pretty safe bet that we’re going to see the successor to Windows 10 on June 24.
Windows 11: While we don’t know for sure that the new software will be called Windows 11, it seems awfully likely: the aforementioned leaked development build of Windows is branded Windows 11, with expected variations like Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 for Education, and so on.
Sure, when Windows 10 launched in 2015 Microsoft made a big show of claiming it would be the last version of Windows, but 2015 was a simpler time.
Visual overhaul: If the leaked build is any indication, the next iteration of Windows includes a centered Start menu (though it’s customizable, so you can set it back to left-justified if you miss the old ways) and a subtle UI overhaul that will bring rounded corners and new icons to the venerable Windows design. Live tiles have also been removed from the Start menu, replaced with pinned apps.
We also expect to see more obvious and granular controls for arranging windows on your screen. When you maximize a window, for example, you may also have the option to arrange it side-by-side with another window (something Windows 10 already does), or as one of three or four windows arranged in an on-screen grid.
New features: The leaked build of Windows 11 includes a new start-up sound, a new logo, and a new “Widgets” feature that appears to be a revamped version of the Widgets first introduced with Windows Vista, and later sidelined.
We also expect to see some new features that aren’t in the leaked build. The Windows Store, for example, will likely see some big changes, as Microsoft has reportedly been working on overhauling it for some time. In April 2021, the company changed the storefront’s default revenue-share to give developers a bigger cut of their earnings (up to 95% for some devs), presumably to entice more of them to sell their wares in the Windows Store, so it makes sense for the customer-facing side to get a revamp as well.
Of course, we won’t know for sure until Microsoft’s big Windows party on June 24. We’ll be live-blogging the event as it happens, so stay tuned!
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