For the first time in over five years, a new Windows version known as Windows 11 is coming, and you’ll be able to watch the reveal live later today. That’s despite recent leaks that gave away the biggest secret of the show and revealed a near-final version of the operating system.
Microsoft is holding a special “What’s Next for Windows” event today to officially unveil a new Windows version, and you can catch the action using the links below, along with a look at what we expect from the event.
How to watch the Windows 11 event
Microsoft’s “What’s next for Windows” event is set to kick off this morning at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT on Thursday, June 24.
Microsoft has a dedicated website where you can view the event, and a link to the livestream will be embedded above when it’s available. If you miss the livestream, you also can stay up to date on the news coming out of the event by visiting Microsoft’s Windows Experience Blog, or the company’s Windows YouTube page, where the video will be available for later viewing.
What to expect from the Windows 11 event
Ever since a leaked version of Windows 11 surfaced, there has been a lot of talk about what could still happen at Microsoft’s June 24 event. We have gone hands-on with it and most of the operating system has already been revealed. However, it is believed that the leaked version is not final and there are some secrets that Microsoft could have in store.
Along with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, a key speaker at the Windows 11 event is Surface chief Panos Panay. He has been known to tease Microsoft fans. At Microsoft’s last in-person Surface event, the executive revealed the top-secret Surface Duo phone, and acknowledged the leaks surrounding the Surface Laptop 3. That’s why we think there are still some surprises to come in Windows 11.
Yet, you can expect Microsoft to spend the most time talking about the visual rejuvenation of Windows 11, including rounded corners in the Action Center and Start Menu, and new Fluent Design effects or even new Widgets. Also likely on the table are things like the redesigned Start Menu, new search bar, new recommended section, and more. Of course, we can’t forget the multitasking tools.
Now, for the stuff that we haven’t yet seen in Windows 11 that we expect Microsoft to talk about. Among those could be a new Microsoft Store app, which allows for Win 32 apps such as Google Chrome to be uploaded. Also on the table could be more about Android apps in the Microsoft Store, and changes to the Windows Subsystem for Linux. And let’s not forget about the “upgrade” path and if Windows 11 will be free to get for everyone on Windows 10.
Other topics Microsoft could bring up during the event include whether Windows 11 will include optimizations for Intel Alder Lake chips, tweaks for gaming, HDR content, and more.
