Windows 10 users will be waiting until 2022 for the Windows 11 upgrade rollout

[midian182]

Facepalm: Windows 11 isn’t here yet, but it’s already causing plenty of confusion and anger, mainly over the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) requirements. At least Microsoft has been clear about when the next OS launches -- during the fourth quarter of the year -- but that only applies to new PCs. Those waiting for the free Windows 11 upgrade to roll out won’t receive it until until 2022, but there's always the manual method.

The whole TPM issue has been a bit of a farce. Microsoft initially stated Windows 11 would only run on machines with TPM 2.0, then decided that TPM 1.2 was a requirement and TPM 2.0 was only recommended, then it changed TPM 2.0 back to a requirement. Now we’re hearing that some “special purpose commercial systems, custom order, and customer systems with a custom image” with Windows 11 will work without TPM enabled.

As we explain in this article, those with a PC between 1-3 years old should have no issue with the TPM requirement, as long as it’s enabled in your UEFI settings. You can download Microsoft’s Health Check to make sure your machine will work with the OS.

So, when will we get to find out if Windows 11 lives up to all the promises Microsoft made during the reveal? The company said it was arriving later this year, possibly October, which applies to new machines and users downloading it manually through the installation file (ISO) or installer, but the automated rollout to Windows 10 devices via Windows Update will take longer...

Windows 11 is due out later in 2021 and will be delivered over several months. The rollout of the upgrade to Windows 10 devices already in use today will begin in 2022 through the first half of that year.

— Windows (@Windows) June 25, 2021

Replying to an inquiry about the release date, the official Windows Twitter account wrote that the Windows 11 rollout to Windows 10 devices already in use today will begin in 2022. Some Windows 10 devices might be waiting almost 12 months as the staggered release means the rollout will continue throughout the first half of next year.

This staggered rollout is no different to large Windows updates, as these are delivered first to devices where it is likely to have fewer issues, preventing the update from installing on devices where there are known issues and incompatibilities.

Of course, those wanting to upgrade right away will always have the manual method of downloading an official ISO or installer file that will upgrade your Windows 10 copy for free on day one (hopefully). Also, those registered for the Windows Insider program can grab the upcoming beta, with some builds working on PCs that do not meet Windows 11’s minimum requirements. The first Windows 11 Insider build is slated for release later this week.

Update: This article has been updated to clarify that Windows 11 is rolling out next year, while users will likely be able to upgrade manually from day one, free of charge.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/90215-microsoft-free-windows-11-upgrade-windows-10-users.html

 

[Dimitriid]

My first reaction is an honest "Ok, whatever"

I suspect that is *not* what Microsoft wants though. They want people to be reasonably exited about it but well, it's just a bunch of features I can add to Windows 10 and many that I already added and have used for years.

However I do question the strategy behind announcing it so early. It honestly feels like they really just wanted *something* for people to talk about them and not concede almost all of the attention to Apple's Big Sur, Monterey and their M1 chips. So they just grabbed the next major redesign they had in the pipeline already for 2022 and went "This is now a full featured OS and we want to push it forward to end of 2021 at least so we can announce it now"

I might be completely wrong but if the simplest explanation is almost always correct then that looks to be about the simplest to me and it certainly checks out with (what little) we saw coming to 11.

 

[duckofdeath]

They've always done that!!! Stop trying to create outrage with nonsense.

If you want an upgrade early, you download the ISO and do it manually.

 

[Fearghast]

A typical M$ contradictory mess.
It's nice to see some things never change, as you can rely on Microsoft to mess everything up.

 

[Geralt]

Or I can pirate one.

 

[Nobina]

As if I can't wait to upgrade to what is basically Windows 10 with a skin.

I'd rather wait it out for initial bugs to be fixed and then upgrade.

 

[GeforcerFX]

Prob a good idea to be honest, early upgrades on windows 10 were not very smooth, especially on older windows 7 systems. This will allow a few hot fixes and some more testing to happen before it ends up on a bunch of computers.

 

[BSim500]

I have no intention of upgrading at all, so the scalpers who've just bought a load of TPM modules can bend over and insert each one connector side up.

 

[gigantor21]

My first reaction is an honest "Ok, whatever"

I suspect that is *not* what Microsoft wants though. They want people to be reasonably exited about it but well, it's just a bunch of features I can add to Windows 10 and many that I already added and have used for years.

However I do question the strategy behind announcing it so early. It honestly feels like they really just wanted *something* for people to talk about them and not concede almost all of the attention to Apple's Big Sur, Monterey and their M1 chips. So they just grabbed the next major redesign they had in the pipeline already for 2022 and went "This is now a full featured OS and we want to push it forward to end of 2021 at least so we can announce it now"

I might be completely wrong but if the simplest explanation is almost always correct then that looks to be about the simplest to me and it certainly checks out with (what little) we saw coming to 11.

Yeah, W11 is a glorified feature update. There's no "there" there.

I'd rather wait than pay for it.

 

[Thunder6230]

It doesn't bring any eyewatering stuff we don't have at current. Yes its nice. I guess there is gonna be a lot of 3rd party theme to redo the design. It's not a punishment to wait unless they start to restrict the functionality in 10

 

[Dimitriid]

Yeah, W11 is a glorified feature update. There's no "there" there.

I'd rather wait than pay for it.

I rather not get 11 at all: 10 will probably remain usable until at least 2025 so at that point I'll re-evaluate Linux as a gaming platform which is making quick strides btw so it might legitimately be an option by then.

 

[theruck]

Like if MS ever delivered on its promises...

 

[yRaz]

I rather not get 11 at all: 10 will probably remain usable until at least 2025 so at that point I'll re-evaluate Linux as a gaming platform which is making quick strides btw so it might legitimately be an option by then.

Aside from multiplayer games with DRM that doesn't play nice with Linux, Linux is absolutely usable as a gaming platform. A word of advice, if you ever consider going Linux you'll really want to have an AMD system. Nvidia Linux drivers are trash. If you have a game that crashes in Linux it likely isn't Linux but Nvidias trash drivers

Also, lots of Nvidia tech doesn't work, like gsync. I don't know about DLSS or raytracing, I have a 1070ti.

 

[Squid Surprise]

This is only partially true... while MS won't ROLL OUT Windows 11 to existing Windows 10 owners until 2022, they will almost certainly be able to update to Windows 11 via downloading the ISO - legally and for free - as soon as it is available 4th quarter 2021.

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

Most likely Microsoft just wants to take advantage of the holiday season but won’t have the software fully baked by then; so they need a few months of patches until it’s ready for the wider audience.

 

[gamerk2]

Prob a good idea to be honest, early upgrades on windows 10 were not very smooth, especially on older windows 7 systems. This will allow a few hot fixes and some more testing to happen before it ends up on a bunch of computers.

Yeah, this is how you are SUPPOSED to do product rollouts.

 

[Julio Franco]

This is only partially true... while MS won't ROLL OUT Windows 11 to existing Windows 10 owners until 2022, they will almost certainly be able to update to Windows 11 via downloading the ISO - legally and for free - as soon as it is available 4th quarter 2021.

That’s correct. I believe this was a lapsus from Rob’s part but we’ve updated the article for accuracy to note the difference between the rollout and the free availability that will likely be for everyone from day one.

 

[JKnight]

I rather wait. Let someone else be the guinea pigs.

 

[SirDigby]

The longer I don't have to buy a TPM2 module for my MOBO the better, IDK if there are other compatible ones but the MSI TPM2 module is like £40 and sold out everywhere.

 

[arrowflash]

I don't plan on moving to W11 anytime soon anyways. Initially I was fairly pleased with the UI changes and new features, but all the restrictions and hardware-based spyware requirements put me off (even though most of my PCs are fully supported).

The final nail in the coffin was the removal of features and customization options from the taskbar and start menu, especially the removal of support for custom groups and folders:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications#primaryR4

Unless Microsoft restores most of these features or the developers of alternative shell software like Open Shell and StartIsBack get them working seamlessly as well as they do on W10, looks like I'll remain on W10 until 2025, and then will re-evaluate switching to Linux as my main OS. Like I have said in another post, that's probably exactly what Nadella wants, but oh well.

 

[hahahanoobs]

Facepalm?
This song and dance needs to stop. New software should not be held back by old hardware. People need to stop whining. It's embarrassing.

Most people buy prebuilts. Techies can handle it themselves. The rest need to upgrade if they need W11 that bad. This should not be an ongoing issue of confusion.

Doesn't help that the immediate response online was negative either. You're just scaring people for potentially no reason before getting all the facts first. It's like the W10 Start menu all over again...

 

[arrowflash]

Facepalm?
This song and dance needs to stop. New software should not be held back by old hardware. People need to stop whining. It's embarrassing.

I can agree, as long as there's good reason to up the hardware requirements, or if new features that actually improve the experience (not eyecandy) would make the software run too slowly on older hardware.

I.e., no one complained when Microsoft dropped support for 286 CPUs when they released Windows 3.1. It was necessary for the new improved memory management. Same when Microsoft dropped support for 486 CPUs on Windows XP. Some people complained about the beefed up hardware requirements of Windows Vista, but they were necessary for the new kernel, revamped UI and plethora of new revamped features (unlike most I've always liked Vista).

However, Microsoft hasn't given any good excuse to drop support for hardware that's obviously more than capable of running W11 very well, and I doubt they ever will. I can't comprehend why someone would ever defend such a practice, unless you're receiving something in return to defend it.

Doesn't help that the immediate response online was negative either. You're just scaring people for potentially no reason before getting all the facts first. It's like the W10 Start menu all over again...

I don't see anyone scaring people for no reason, what I see is encouraging people to actually get the facts. W11 wasn't even supposed to exist. After MS has claimed for years that W10 would be the last version of Windows and it would last forever, shows you can't trust a single statement that comes from them.

And the W10 start menu is and has always been terrible. It's nothing more than the much maligned W8 start screen in a vertical list format. Baffles me how so very few people realize this.

 

[Pastuch]

If you've ever tried HDR in win 10 then you know the auto HDR is a key feature.

 

[scavengerspc]

Doesn't help that the immediate response online was negative either. You're just scaring people for potentially no reason before getting all the facts first. It's like the W10 Start menu all over again

But they think they have a reason. MS hurt their widdle feelings at one time or another.

 

[scavengerspc]

The longer I don't have to buy a TPM2 module for my MOBO the better, IDK if there are other compatible ones but the MSI TPM2 module is like £40 and sold out everywhere.

Asus and Asrock are selling their modules for $15 (£11).