Unlike Windows 10, which was characterised by its sharp angular windows, with Windows 11, everything has soft, rounded corners. Following the initial reveal of the new operating system, some PC owners mocked the software for resembling Apple’s macOS, which has long relied on curves across all aspects of its design.
Microsoft has also taken the time to redesign almost all system icons across the operating system… something it never quite managed with Windows 10, which still has a number of dated icons buried away in the Control Panel, for example. With Windows 11, even the preinstalled Paint app is getting a lick of, erm, paint so that it fits with the new aesthetic.
That doesn’t mean Windows 11 is identical to its predecessor. Microsoft has introduced a number of big changes to the desktop operating system, including an almost unrecognisable new Start Menu, a menu of interactive widgets, and the ability to install and run Android apps alongside traditional Windows software. Although, the latter won’t be available at launch as it’s been pushed to a subsequent update.
