Windows 11 is more than a visual redesign of Windows 10. Microsoft changed the Start menu, taskbar, File Explorer, Settings, window management, security features, and built-in apps, while also adding newer features for modern hardware and AI-capable PCs. Since Windows 11 launched in 2021, Microsoft has continued adding features through regular updates. As of September 2026, current Windows 11 versions include newer improvements such as more flexible taskbar and Start menu controls, improved Search and File Explorer, AI features on compatible Copilot+ PCs, and additional security protections. Windows 10 reached its end of regular support on October 14, 2025, making Windows 11 the current Windows desktop platform for supported PCs.
In this guide, we’ll look at what’s new in Windows 11 compared with Windows 10, including the biggest interface changes, productivity features, security improvements, hardware requirements, and newer features available as of September 2026.
The Biggest Difference: Windows 11 Has Continued Evolving
One important difference between Windows 10 and Windows 11 is that Windows 11 is continuously updated with new features, whereas Windows 10 has remained largely tied to the feature set it had at launch.
Windows 11 25H2 is the main current version for existing PCs in 2026. It includes features delivered through previous Windows updates, including AI actions in File Explorer, Click to Do, and the Settings agent on compatible Copilot+ PCs, along with Wi-Fi 7 enterprise connectivity.
Microsoft is also introducing newer interface changes during 2026. Recent updates have added more taskbar customization, including the ability to place the taskbar at the top, left, or right of the screen, and a smaller taskbar option. The Start menu has also gained size controls and more options for showing or hiding its sections.
File Explorer and Windows Search have also received ongoing improvements. September 2026 updates include changes to the File Explorer preview pane, cloud-file thumbnails, and Home page behavior, while Search has been improved to make result sources clearer and provide more control over web and Store suggestions.
So, compared with the Windows 11 that first launched in 2021, today’s Windows 11 experience is considerably different. The comparison with Windows 10 should therefore consider both the original Windows 11 redesign and the features Microsoft has added since then.
1. New Start Menu and Taskbar
The Start menu and taskbar are among the first changes Windows 10 users notice after moving to Windows 11.
In Windows 10, the Start menu combines an app list with large Live Tiles. Windows 11 removes Live Tiles and uses a simpler layout with Pinned apps and Recommended content. Recent Windows 11 updates have added more control over the Start menu, including options to change its size and adjust how app recommendations and other sections are displayed.
The taskbar was also redesigned. Windows 11 originally centered taskbar icons and removed some of the customization available in Windows 10. However, newer 2026 updates have restored more flexibility, including options to move the taskbar to the top, left, or right side of the screen and use a smaller taskbar mode on supported versions.
What changes for Windows 10 users: Windows 11 has a cleaner Start menu and taskbar design, but the current version offers considerably more customization than the original Windows 11 release.
2. Snap Layouts and Better Multitasking
Windows 10 already lets you snap windows to the sides and corners of the screen, but Windows 11 expands this with Snap Layouts and Snap Groups.
Hover over the maximize button or press Windows + Z to see predefined layouts for arranging multiple apps. Windows 11 can also remember groups of snapped apps, making it easier to return to the same workspace.
Windows 11 also provides improved virtual desktops, allowing you to create separate workspaces for different activities and customize them with different names and backgrounds.
What changes for Windows 10 users: The basic window-snapping concept isn’t new, but Windows 11 makes arranging multiple windows more visual and flexible, particularly on large monitors and laptops.
3. A Redesigned File Explorer
File Explorer in Windows 11 serves the same basic purpose as in Windows 10, but Microsoft has redesigned its interface and continues to add new features.
The Windows 11 version uses a simplified command bar, updated icons, rounded menus, and a redesigned context menu. OneDrive and other cloud storage locations are also more integrated into the Explorer experience.
More recent Windows 11 updates have added additional improvements. File Explorer can provide richer information for cloud files, improved thumbnails, and expanded preview capabilities. On supported systems, newer AI features can also provide actions for selected files.
Windows 11 has also continued changing how File Explorer Home and the preview pane work, so the current experience is considerably different from the File Explorer that shipped with Windows 10.
What changes for Windows 10 users: The basic folders and file-management functions remain familiar, but Windows 11’s Explorer has a newer interface and more cloud- and feature-focused functionality.
4. Widgets and a More Personalized Desktop
Windows 11 replaces the Windows 10 News and Interests experience with a dedicated Widgets panel. You can open it from the taskbar to see information such as weather, news, sports, traffic, and other personalized content.
The Widgets experience has also changed considerably since Windows 11 launched. Microsoft has expanded the panel and added more ways to customize the information shown, while continuing to integrate content from Microsoft services.
Windows 11 also gives users more options for managing virtual desktops, including separate names and backgrounds for different desktops.
What changes for Windows 10 users: Windows 11 moves personalized information to a dedicated Widgets experience, replacing the Windows 10 taskbar-based News and Interests panel.
5. Android Apps Are No Longer a Current Windows 11 Feature
Windows 11 originally introduced the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), allowing supported Android apps to run on Windows through the Amazon Appstore. This was one of the major differences from Windows 10.
However, this is no longer a feature in Windows 11. Microsoft ended support for the Windows Subsystem for Android and the Amazon Appstore on March 5, 2025. After that date, WSA is not supported by Microsoft. (support.microsoft.com)
What changes for Windows 10 users: Don’t describe Android app support as a current Windows 11 advantage. It was a Windows 11 feature, but it has been discontinued and should not be presented as part of the current Windows 11 experience.
6. Microsoft Store and Built-In Apps
Windows 11 comes with a redesigned Microsoft Store and updated versions of several built-in apps. Compared with Windows 10, Microsoft has gradually modernized apps such as Notepad, Paint, Photos, Snipping Tool, and Media Player.
The Store itself has a newer interface and supports a broader range of app types. Microsoft has also continued adding features to built-in apps through separate updates rather than waiting for a major Windows release.
Windows 11 also integrates newer experiences such as Phone Link, improved Snipping Tool capabilities, and AI-related features on supported PCs.
What changes for Windows 10 users: Many everyday Windows apps look and work differently in Windows 11, and Microsoft continues to update them independently of the main operating system.
7. More Built-In AI Features
AI is one of the biggest areas where current Windows 11 has moved beyond Windows 10. Microsoft has added Copilot and several AI-powered features, although availability depends on the PC, Windows version, and region.
On compatible Copilot+ PCs, Windows 11 can provide features such as Click to Do, AI-powered Windows Search, improved Windows Studio Effects, and other experiences that use the device’s NPU. Some features are specifically designed for newer AI-capable hardware rather than ordinary Windows 11 PCs.
Windows 11 has also introduced AI actions in File Explorer and additional AI capabilities through recent updates. These features are not equivalent to a general AI assistant being available in every Windows 11 installation.
What changes for Windows 10 users: Windows 11 is Microsoft’s platform for newer Windows AI experiences, but the exact features available depend heavily on the hardware and whether the PC is a Copilot+ device.
8. Stronger Security Requirements
Windows 11 was designed around newer security hardware and requires features such as TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot on supported PCs. Windows 10 did not impose the same baseline requirements for upgrading.
Windows 11 also includes security features such as Windows Hello, virtualization-based security, memory integrity, and stronger hardware-backed protection. Microsoft has continued to add security improvements in newer Windows 11 releases.
Another difference is Administrator Protection, a newer security feature designed to reduce the time users spend operating with elevated administrator privileges. Recent Windows 11 updates have also changed how this feature is enabled on some managed devices.
What changes for Windows 10 users: Windows 11 places greater emphasis on modern hardware security and requires compatible hardware, while Windows 10 was designed to support a much wider range of older PCs.
9. Gaming Improvements
Windows 11 includes several gaming technologies that are also available on Windows 10 in some form, but the newer operating system is designed around newer hardware and gaming features.
DirectStorage can allow supported NVMe SSDs and games to load assets more efficiently, while Auto HDR can improve the appearance of supported games on compatible HDR displays. Windows 11 also includes the Xbox app and Xbox Game Bar as built-in gaming experiences.
However, these features are not exclusive advantages for every PC. DirectStorage requires compatible hardware and game support, and Auto HDR requires a compatible display and game support.
What changes for Windows 10 users: Windows 11 offers a newer gaming platform that supports technologies designed for modern SSDs, GPUs, and displays, but the actual benefit depends on the hardware and games used.
10. A Redesigned Settings App
Windows 11 significantly redesigned the Settings app. Instead of the Windows 10 layout, Windows 11 uses a navigation panel on the left with major categories such as System, Bluetooth & devices, Network & internet, Personalization, Apps, and Windows Update.
Many settings have also been reorganized or renamed. Microsoft has gradually moved more controls away from the old Control Panel and into Settings, although Control Panel has not been completely removed.
Windows 11 also provides more detailed pages for features such as storage, power, display, Windows Update, and connected devices.
What changes for Windows 10 users: The settings themselves are mostly familiar, but their locations and organization can be different. Users moving from Windows 10 may need some time to find settings they previously accessed quickly.
11. Stricter Hardware Requirements
One of the biggest practical differences between Windows 10 and Windows 11 is hardware compatibility. Windows 11 requires a compatible 64-bit processor, TPM 2.0, Secure Boot capability, and other minimum hardware requirements. Windows 10 could run on a much wider range of older PCs.
Microsoft’s Windows 11 requirements also make newer security and hardware capabilities part of the baseline experience. This means some older Windows 10 PCs cannot officially upgrade to Windows 11 even if they otherwise have enough RAM and storage.
Windows 11 also benefits more from modern hardware such as NVMe SSDs, newer CPUs, modern GPUs, and AI-capable NPUs for features that require them.
What changes for Windows 10 users: Before upgrading, check whether your PC officially meets Windows 11’s hardware requirements. A PC that runs Windows 10 well is not automatically eligible for a supported Windows 11 upgrade.
12. Windows 10 Has Reached End of Support
Windows 10 reached its official end of support on October 14, 2025. Microsoft no longer provides regular security updates or technical support for Windows 10.
For eligible personal Windows 10 PCs, Microsoft offers the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, which can provide critical and important security updates for a limited period. However, ESU does not turn Windows 10 into a fully supported feature platform or add the newer Windows 11 features described above.
Windows 11 is therefore not simply a newer interface over Windows 10. It is Microsoft’s current Windows platform, with ongoing feature updates, newer security requirements, and support for modern hardware and AI capabilities.
What this means for Windows 10 users: If your PC supports Windows 11, upgrading gives you access to Microsoft’s latest Windows features and security updates. If the hardware is not compatible, Windows 10 users need to consider options such as ESU or replacing the PC with supported hardware.
What Windows 10 Users Will Notice After Upgrading
If you’re moving directly from Windows 10 to a current Windows 11 release, the biggest changes you’ll notice are:
- Start and taskbar: A redesigned interface with newer customization options.
- File Explorer: New menus, icons, preview features, and cloud integration.
- Multitasking: Snap Layouts and Snap Groups make arranging windows easier.
- Settings: More system controls have moved from Control Panel into the redesigned Settings app.
- Built-in apps: Apps such as Notepad, Paint, Photos, and Snipping Tool have received major updates.
- AI features: Copilot and newer AI tools are available, with some features requiring Copilot+ hardware.
- Security: Windows 11 requires newer security hardware such as TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot.
- Gaming: Modern features such as DirectStorage and Auto HDR are available on compatible hardware and games.
- Updates: Windows 11 continues to receive new features, while Windows 10 reached the end of regular support in October 2025.
The basic Windows experience remains familiar—files, folders, desktop applications, Settings, and traditional Windows programs still work in much the same way. The biggest difference is that Windows 11 has been built around a newer interface, modern hardware, stronger security requirements, and features that Microsoft continues to develop.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the biggest difference between Windows 11 and Windows 10?
The biggest differences are the redesigned Start menu and taskbar, updated Settings and File Explorer, stronger hardware security requirements, improved multitasking, and newer AI and gaming features.
2. Is Windows 11 faster than Windows 10?
Performance depends on the PC, drivers, applications, and hardware. Windows 11 is designed for newer hardware, but upgrading from Windows 10 does not automatically make every PC faster.
3. Does Windows 11 have features that Windows 10 does not?
Yes. Windows 11 includes features such as Snap Layouts, newer File Explorer and Settings experiences, and newer AI features. Some features require compatible hardware, particularly Copilot+ PC features.
4. Can an old Windows 10 PC run Windows 11?
Not necessarily. Windows 11 has stricter hardware requirements, including TPM 2.0, Secure Boot capability, and a supported processor. A Windows 10 PC can therefore be too old for an officially supported Windows 11 upgrade.
5. Is Windows 10 still supported?
Regular Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Eligible devices can receive security updates through Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates program for a limited period, but Windows 10 no longer receives regular feature development.
Frequently Asked Questions
The biggest differences are the redesigned Start menu and taskbar, updated Settings and File Explorer, stronger hardware security requirements, improved multitasking, and newer AI and gaming features.
Performance depends on the PC, drivers, applications, and hardware. Windows 11 is designed for newer hardware, but upgrading from Windows 10 does not automatically make every PC faster.
Yes. Windows 11 includes features such as Snap Layouts, newer File Explorer and Settings experiences, and newer AI features. Some features require compatible hardware, particularly Copilot+ PC features.
Not necessarily. Windows 11 has stricter hardware requirements, including TPM 2.0, Secure Boot capability, and a supported processor. A Windows 10 PC can therefore be too old for an officially supported Windows 11 upgrade.
Regular Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Eligible devices can receive security updates through Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates program for a limited period, but Windows 10 no longer receives regular feature development.
