Microsoft has just announced that Windows 11 is now available to those in the Windows Insider Programme, in the Dev Channel. This build has a version number of 22000.51. When asked about the release into the more stable Beta Channel, Microsoft confirmed they’re targetting ‘Later this summer’ (US time).
While everyone is keen to get hands-on with the new release, being in the Dev channel, it is important that you are aware of what you’re getting, if you download it today.
This is an early build, really early, with plenty of bugs, so while its unlikely you’ll see data just go missing, in terms of being able to functionally operate your daily computer, that could be problematic. If you’re someone with a spare machine you don’t care about then go for it, but for those trying to be productive, it’s likely you’ll hit some pretty big roadblocks.
NeoWin has a great post on what’s bust right now, so go check that out, but a few deal breakers could be:
- When upgrading a device with multiple user accounts to Windows 11, Settings will fail to launch.
- In some cases, you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the taskbar. If you experience the issue, press Win + R on the keyboard to launch the Run dialog box, then close it.
- Taskbar will not be shown across multiple monitors but will return in an upcoming build.
- No Android App Support
If none of that scares you, then get after it, go check out what’s new and take a look around Windows 11. Microsoft says that it’ll be shipping on new hardware from OEMs towards the end of 2021, while Upgrades of Windows 10 machines will likely happen into 2022.
The full details of what’s new in Windows 11 can be found at https://insider.windows.com/en-us/insidewindows11
